Ultrasonic Electrode Tab Welding with Segmented Embossing Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasonic welding apparatuses are prone to breakage or cracks at the welded portions of electrode tabs due to their thin thickness, which is not adequately addressed by current technologies.
Innovation Solution
The ultrasonic welding apparatus employs a protrusion part design with inner and outer protrusion parts arranged along specific geometric patterns, including symmetrical and elliptical configurations, to minimize the risk of breakage or cracks at the welded boundaries of electrode tabs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ultrasonic welding is applied to thin electrode tabs, then welding capability is achieved, but the welded portion is easily broken by disturbance
Solution Approach 1:
The welding apparatus divides the welding process into multiple stages through the protrusion part structure, creating sequential embossing patterns that segment the stress distribution across the welded portion, preventing concentrated stress points that cause breakage
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion part incorporates curved surface geometry that generates embossing patterns with rounded contours, distributing mechanical stress more evenly across the welded electrode tabs and reducing stress concentration at sharp edges
2Productivity
If conventional ultrasonic welding is used on electrode tabs, then welding is completed, but breakage or cracks occur at the welded boundary
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion part structure pre-forms embossing patterns during the welding process itself, creating stress-distributing geometric features before the electrode tabs are subjected to operational disturbances, thereby preventing future breakage
Solution Approach 2:
The invention modifies the physical parameters of the welding interface by creating embossed geometric patterns that change the surface topology, increasing the effective welding area and distributing stress across multiple elevated regions rather than a flat surface
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 designed protrusion and embossing patterns reduce the likelihood of breakage or cracks at the welded boundaries, ensuring stable and durable connections between electrode tabs.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic welding apparatus for welding a plurality of electrode tabs of an electrode assembly
Data Source
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AI summary
An ultrasonic welding apparatus may weld a plurality of electrode tabs of an electrode assembly to each other. The ultrasonic welding apparatus may include: an anvil disposed at one side of the plurality of electrode tabs; a horn disposed to face the anvil with the plurality of electrode tabs therebetween; and a protrusion part provided on at least one of the anvil and the horn to face the plurality of electrode tabs. The protrusion part may include: an inner protrusion part in which a plurality of first protrusions are arranged along a first direction parallel to a width direction of the electrode tabs; and a pair of outer protrusion parts which are disposed at both sides of the inner protrusion part in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and in which a plurality of second protrusions are arranged at an interval wider than that between the plurality of first protrusions.