Battery Electrode Tab Notch for Automated Winding End Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual determination of winding end positions in lithium battery production hinders automation in the winding process, making it inefficient and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
An energy-storage device with a tab featuring a U-shaped notch at the end of the electrode, which is recognized by a sensor to automate the winding process by determining the winding end position, allowing for precise cutting and eliminating manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual determination of winding end position is used, then flexibility in operation is maintained, but productivity is reduced and manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tab structure serves itself as a positioning reference feature that enables the winding system to automatically determine the winding end position without external intervention. The U-shaped notch and first tab configuration allow the system to self-identify the correct cutting position through sensor detection, eliminating the need for manual determination while maintaining operational reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical determination with an automated sensor-based detection system. The sensor detects the U-shaped notch and first tab positions to automatically determine the winding end position, substituting human operation with an automated sensing and control system that improves both productivity and precision
2Manufacturing precision
If manual determination of winding end position is used, then adaptability to different conditions is maintained, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tab structure incorporates local quality differentiation through the U-shaped notch and first tab configuration. This localized structural feature is specifically designed to serve as a sensor-detectable reference point, concentrating the complexity only where needed for precision positioning rather than throughout the entire electrode structure
Solution Approach 2:
The U-shaped notch and first tab are pre-formed on the electrode before the winding process begins. This preliminary structuring allows the sensor to detect predetermined reference points that guide the winding process, ensuring manufacturing precision is built into the structure beforehand rather than requiring complex real-time adjustments
3Productivity
If automated winding with sensor detection is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical positioning function from the complex winding control system and implements it through a simple sensor detection of the U-shaped notch and first tab. By separating the positioning determination function into a dedicated, simple detection mechanism, the overall system complexity is managed while maintaining high automation and productivity
Data Source
AI summary
An energy-storage device, an electrical apparatus, and a winding method are provided in the disclosure. The energy-storage device includes an electrode and a separator, where the electrode and the separator are stacked and wound to form a cell. The electrode is connected with a tab at an end of the electrode in a width direction of the electrode, where the tab includes a first tab and at least one second tab. The first tab is positioned adjacent to an end of the electrode in a length direction of the electrode, and the first tab defines a U-shaped notch. The U-shaped notch is configured to indicate a winding end position of the electrode, facilitating identification and winding automation.