Electrode Assembly Structure to Prevent Current Collector Breakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing methods for lithium secondary battery electrode assemblies often result in breakage of current collectors during the bundling and welding process, leading to potential short-circuits and explosions due to excessive tension applied to the edges of the current collectors.
Innovation Solution
The electrode assembly design includes a unit cell stack with a first and second unit cell, each featuring a current collector with a deformation portion at one end, where the shortest distance from the upper surface of the second unit cell to the first unit cell matches the height of the deformation portion, preventing unnecessary tension and potential breakage during the welding process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a plurality of current collectors are bundled and pressure is applied during welding, then electrode leads can be connected to electrodes, but excessive tension is applied to current collectors at the edge causing breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The current collectors at the edge are pre-deformed into a substantially U-shape before the bundling process. This preliminary deformation creates a structural configuration that can accommodate the tension forces during welding without breaking, allowing the electrode leads to be connected while protecting the current collector integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The U-shaped deformation of the current collectors at the edge acts as a cushioning structure that absorbs and distributes the excessive tension forces that would otherwise concentrate at the edge and cause breakage. This beforehand structural preparation protects against the harmful tension during the welding process.
2Reliability
If current collectors are pre-deformed into U-shape, then breakage is prevented during welding, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deformation process that creates the U-shape of the current collectors at the edge is integrated into the existing bundling process flow. By combining the deformation step with the bundling operation, the manufacturing process achieves breakage prevention without adding significant complexity, as the deformation is performed as part of the standard manufacturing sequence.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an electrode assembly, a battery cell, and a method for manufacturing a battery cell, and provides an electrode assembly capable of preventing breakage of a current collector improving stability of a battery cell.