Color-Coded Electrode Sheet Layout to Prevent Battery Misplacement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electrode sheets lack effective visual differentiation between positive and negative sides, leading to potential misplacement during assembly, which can cause capacity loss and battery failure.

Innovation Solution

The electrode sheet design includes active material layers of different colors on both sides near the electrode tab, using inorganic color developers that maintain chemical stability and do not participate in chemical reactions, allowing easy visual identification of the sheet orientation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional insulation layers are used on both sides of the electrode sheet, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the positive and negative sides cannot be visually differentiated, leading to potential misplacement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of misplacementVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies color changes by using white insulation layers on both sides of the electrode sheet, with one side containing a colored pattern (such as a colored region or graphic). This allows visual differentiation between the positive and negative sides through color contrast, enabling effective machine identification and preventing misplacement during assembly, while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Ease of operation

If additional markings are added to differentiate the sides, then visual identification is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual identificationVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the insulation layer function with the visual identification function by incorporating a colored pattern directly into one of the white insulation layers. This integration eliminates the need for separate marking steps, as the colored region serves both as insulation and as the visual identifier, thereby improving ease of operation while avoiding additional manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the active material layer covers the electrode tab, then the color differentiation is more visible, but the electrical connection area may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual identificationVSAvoidelectrical connection area
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by positioning the colored pattern in a specific localized region of the insulation layer, such that the color differentiation is achieved in the area where visual identification is most needed, while the electrode tab and its connection areas remain uncovered and maintain their full electrical connection functionality. This ensures that the colored region serves its identification purpose without interfering with electrical connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4621864A1Electrode sheet, battery and electronic device
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 AESC JAPAN LTD
  • EP4621864A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4621864A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4621864A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed are an electrode sheet (10), a battery (100), and an electronic device (1000). The electrode sheet includes a current collector (11), an electrode tab, an active substance layer, and an active material layer. The current collector has a first surface and second surface opposite to each other. The electrode tab protrudes from the current collector. The active substance layer is disposed on the first surface and the second surface. The active material layer at least partially overlaps with or has a gap from one end of the active substance layer near the electrode tab. The active material layer includes a first active material layer (14) disposed on the first surface and a second active material layer (15) disposed on the second surface; wherein colors of the first active material layer and the second active material layer are different.