Stepped-Diameter Cylindrical Battery Can for Higher Capacity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Increasing the diameter of the exterior housing can to enhance battery capacity leads to increased weight due to the need for thicker sealing assemblies, which compromises durability and manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A cylindrical battery design with a larger outer diameter for the body part and a smaller outer diameter for the opening end, allowing for a sealing assembly that matches the opening end diameter, thus maintaining durability and reducing weight.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the diameter of the exterior housing can is increased to enhance battery capacity, then the battery capacity is improved, but the weight of the sealing assembly increases due to the need for thicker sealing assemblies

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidweight of sealing assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The exterior housing can is designed with different diameters for different sections: the body part has a larger diameter (20 mm or more) to accommodate increased battery capacity, while the opening end has a smaller diameter to reduce the size and weight of the sealing assembly. This local differentiation allows each part to have optimal dimensions for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The exterior housing can is segmented into two distinct parts with different diameters: the body part and the opening end. This segmentation allows the battery to achieve increased capacity through the larger body diameter while the smaller opening end diameter reduces the sealing assembly weight requirement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the diameter of the sealing assembly is increased to maintain durability against external impact, then the durability strength is improved, but the thickness of the sealing assembly must be increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedurability strength of sealing assemblyVSAvoidthickness of sealing assembly
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The opening end of the exterior housing can has a smaller diameter specifically at the sealing assembly location, which reduces the required thickness of the sealing assembly while maintaining adequate durability strength for the application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If the thickness of the sealing assembly is increased to increase caulking force and durability, then the durability strength is improved, but the weight of the cylindrical battery increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedurability strength of sealing assemblyVSAvoidweight of cylindrical battery
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The exterior housing can is designed with a smaller diameter at the opening end where the sealing assembly is located, which reduces the required thickness and weight of the sealing assembly while maintaining adequate strength through optimized local geometry.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The exterior housing can is divided into sections with different diameters, allowing the sealing assembly section to have a smaller diameter that reduces weight while the body section maintains larger diameter for capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4080648B1Cylindrical battery
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 PANASONIC ENERGY CO LTD
  • EP4080648B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4080648B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4080648B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a cylindrical battery with which it is possible to suppress an increase in weight while increasing capacity. A cylindrical battery (10) includes: an electrode body comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode, which are wound together via a separator; an electrolyte; a bottomed cylindrical outer can (20) for accommodating the electrode body and the electrolyte; and a sealing body (30) that is fixed to an open end portion (20B) of the outer can (20) by swaging and is for sealing the outer can (20). In regard to the outer can (20), the outer diameter of a body part (20A) for accommodating the electrode body is 20 mm or greater, and the outer diameter of the open end portion (20B) for accommodating the sealing body (30) is less than the outer diameter of the body part (20A).