Electrical Feedthrough Flange Protrusions Notches Stress Redistribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical feedthroughs for battery cans are prone to cracking due to thermally-induced stresses during welding, especially when scaled for small side walls, leading to a loss of hermetic seal and electrical insulation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a tubular conduit with a flange featuring protrusions and notches that redistribute thermally-induced stresses, reducing the risk of cracking in electrically-insulating materials by altering the stress distribution throughout the structure, and may include tapers on the conduit to further mitigate stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welding process is used to physically couple the electrical feedthrough to the battery housing wall, then the electrical feedthrough is securely attached to the housing, but thermally-induced stresses cause cracks in the electrically-insulating material
Solution Approach 1:
The flange incorporates localized geometric features (protrusions and notches) that create specific stress distribution patterns in critical areas. These local structural modifications concentrate or redirect thermal stresses away from the electrically-insulating material interface, preventing crack initiation while maintaining overall weld strength
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion and notch features alter the thermal stress distribution parameters by creating controlled stress concentration zones in the flange metal rather than in the insulating material. This changes the stress pathway during welding, protecting the sealing interface from thermal damage
2Volume of moving object
If the feedthrough is scaled down for small side walls, then the battery size is reduced, but the electrically-insulating material becomes more susceptible to cracking from thermal stresses
Solution Approach 1:
Even in scaled-down feedthroughs, the protrusion and notch features create localized stress management zones that protect the insulating material. These geometric features ensure that thermal stresses are redistributed in a controlled manner regardless of the overall size, maintaining reliability in compact battery designs
3Reliability
If ceramic or glass electrically-insulating materials are used, then electrical insulation is achieved, but these materials crack under high thermal stresses unlike metal materials that can plastically deform
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion and notch features act as intermediary stress-redistribution elements between the metal flange and the ceramic/glass insulating material. They create a transition zone that manages thermal stress transfer, protecting the brittle insulating material from direct high-stress exposure while maintaining the electrical insulation function
Solution Approach 2:
The geometric features modify the thermal stress parameters at the metal-insulator interface, creating a more favorable stress distribution that accommodates the brittle nature of ceramic or glass materials during welding and thermal cycling
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
This design effectively reduces the risk of cracking in electrically-insulating materials during welding, maintaining the hermetic seal and electrical insulation, making the feedthroughs suitable for small side walls without compromising sealing or insulation.
Implementation Method 1
The protrusion and the notch are configured individually or as a combination to reduce thermally-induced stresses within the electrically-insulating material that result from welding the flange
Data Source
AI summary
Electrical feedthroughs are presented for redistributing thermally-induced stresses that result from welding. In some embodiments, an electrical feedthrough includes a tubular conduit having a flange at one end. The flange includes a first surface disposed opposite a second surface. The first surface includes at least one of a protrusion and a notch. The electrical feedthrough also includes an electrically-conductive terminal disposed through the tubular conduit. An electrically-insulating material is disposed between the tubular conduit and the electrically-conductive terminal and forms a seal therebetween. The protrusion and the notch are configured individually or as a combination to reduce thermally-induced stresses within the electrically-insulating material that result from welding the flange. Methods for welding such electrical feedthroughs to a wall, such as a wall of a battery housing, are also presented.