Energy Storage Cell Bridging Device with Reactive Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical energy storage cell systems face reliability issues due to the failure of individual cells in series connections, with existing bridging solutions being costly, prone to premature triggering, and having assembly challenges that increase susceptibility to failure and power losses.
Innovation Solution
An electrical energy storage cell with a bridging device that can be actuated by an external signal, featuring a resilient element held by a retaining wire or reactive material, which transitions to connect the terminals upon activation, reducing assembly costs and enhancing mechanical robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a passive bridging device with semiconductor components is used, then the bridging function is provided, but the device can only be triggered when the cell is heavily degraded and requires high trigger energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the trigger mechanism from relying on cell degradation or high energy input to using a controlled chemical reaction (magnet powder oxidation) that releases heat at a specific trigger energy level, enabling premature triggering before heavy degradation occurs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of magnet powder from unmagnetized to magnetized state through oxidation reaction, which generates heat to melt the insulating material and trigger the bridging function at controlled energy input
2Use of energy by moving object
If waxy materials are used as insulating body to reduce trigger energy, then the trigger energy is low, but the materials creep heavily at operating temperatures causing false triggering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure combining magnet powder (reactive material) with insulating material, where the magnet powder undergoes controlled oxidation to generate localized heat for triggering, while the insulating material maintains stability at operating temperatures and prevents false triggering
Solution Approach 2:
The magnet powder acts as an intermediary substance that converts electrical energy into thermal energy through controlled oxidation, mediating between the electrical trigger signal and the mechanical bridging action while preventing direct contact between electrical conductors until triggering
3Reliability
If conventional bridging devices are assembled separately and mounted on cells, then the bridging function is provided, but assembly costs increase and susceptibility to failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bridging device with the cell terminal by integrating the reactive material and insulating material directly into the terminal structure, eliminating separate assembly steps and reducing both manufacturing cost and failure points associated with mounting operations
Solution Approach 2:
The cell terminal serves multiple functions: it provides electrical connection and simultaneously houses the bridging device components (reactive material, insulating material), reducing the overall component count and simplifying manufacturing
4Ease of manufacture
If the bridging device is integrated into the cell structure, then assembly costs are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the bridging device into distinct functional layers (reactive material layer, insulating material layer) that can be independently manufactured and then assembled into the terminal, reducing integration complexity while maintaining manufacturing efficiency
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 solution provides reliable, cost-effective bridging with low trigger energy requirements, minimizing false triggering and ensuring long-term stability, with a residual resistance of <50 μΩ and rapid activation, suitable for high current applications.
Implementation Method 1
a reactive material arranged above the surface regions, in which reactive material an exothermic reaction can be triggered by the actuation of the bridging device by the external signal
Implementation Method 2
which insulating body can be melted or softened by a heating element
Implementation Method 3
which insulating body can be melted or softened by a heating element
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention describes an electrical energy storage cell with a bridging device. The energy storage cell has an at least partially electrically conductive housing (10), at least two terminals (11, 12) on the housing (10), of which a first terminal (12) is insulated from the housing (10) and a second terminal (11) is electrically conductively connected to the housing (10), and a bridging device, which can be actuated by an external signal to connect the two terminals (11, 12) of the energy storage cell electrically to each other. The energy storage cell is characterised in that the bridging device acts between the first terminal (12) and the housing (10) of the energy storage cell. A robust construction which is inexpensive to assemble can be implemented as a result.