Electrode Lead Alignment Jig for Uniform Bus Bar Welding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional welding processes for electrode leads in secondary batteries often result in increased defect rates due to misalignment, varying welding lengths, reduced bonding strength, and potential damage from sparks or spatters, as the electrode leads are bent and welded in unaligned states, leading to issues with overlapping and spacing that affect the integrity of the weld.

Innovation Solution

An electrode lead aligning and masking device with aligning jigs and a masking jig that ensure correct positioning and uniform welding length by guiding electrode leads onto a bus bar, preventing spreading and overlap issues, and using elastic members to buffer impacts, thereby reducing defects and enhancing bonding strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If electrode leads are bent and welded in an unaligned state, then the welding process is simple and fast, but the welding length varies and welding defect rate increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding process speedVSAvoidwelding length uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The aligning jig is used to pre-align the electrode leads to the bus bar before welding occurs. This preliminary alignment action ensures that the electrode leads are positioned correctly in terms of both position and attitude, so that when welding subsequently takes place, uniform welding length is achieved without requiring complex real-time control during the welding process itself

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If electrode leads are spread outward in width direction, then bending is easier, but overlapping length is reduced and bonding strength decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebending easeVSAvoidbonding strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The aligning jig applies localized control to the electrode leads at specific positions. The jig has alignment portions that contact specific locations on the electrode leads to restrict their spreading outward, while still allowing the bending operation to proceed. This localized constraint ensures that the overlapping length is maintained at the correct level, preserving bonding strength while not entirely preventing the bending operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Quantity of substance

If electrode leads are gathered toward both side surfaces, then overlapping length is increased, but end portions overlap rounded bent portions causing gaps and welding defects

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoverlapping lengthVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The aligning jig provides differentiated local control at different positions along the electrode leads. The alignment portions are positioned to contact specific regions, allowing greater overlap length in the middle sections while preventing the end portions from overlapping the rounded bent portions. This localized quality control maintains alignment precision while achieving adequate overlapping length

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Device complexity

If welding is performed without alignment, then device complexity is reduced, but welding defect rate from sparks and spatters increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment device complexityVSAvoidsparks and spatters
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The aligning jig serves as an intermediary device between the electrode leads and the bus bar during the welding process. By introducing this intermediate alignment component, the system achieves proper positioning and attitude control of the electrode leads, which prevents welding defects caused by misalignment, sparks, and spatters, while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through a relatively simple jig structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The device ensures accurate alignment and uniform welding length, reduces welding defects, and prevents damage to the aligning and electrode leads by maintaining proper spacing and alignment, thus increasing the bonding strength and reducing the risk of sparks or spatters.

Implementation Method 1

at least two elastic members respectively installed on both sides of the masking jig to elastically support the pair of aligning jigs

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4456311B1Electrode lead aligning and masking device
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP4456311B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4456311B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4456311B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed herein is an electrode lead aligning and masking device. The electrode lead aligning and masking device of the present disclosure can be configured to align electrode leads bent on each of bus bars in a welding process of the electrode leads. The electrode lead aligning and masking device can include a pair of aligning jigs, each inserted into a slot between the bus bars and configured to align positions of the electrode leads. A masking jig can be disposed between the pair of aligning jigs to surround welding portions of the electrode leads.