Fine-Blanked Battery Electrodes for Tighter Anode-Cathode Sizing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional battery manufacturing methods result in significant size disparities between anode and cathode electrodes, leading to wasted space and reduced volumetric energy density due to manufacturing limitations and deviations from nominal sizes.

Innovation Solution

Employing a fine blanking technique to produce electrodes with more precise and consistent sizes, reducing deviations from nominal sizes and aligning the cathode size with the anode size while maintaining a sufficient anode/cathode overhang, thereby optimizing the battery's internal space usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional manufacturing methods are used to produce battery electrodes, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but size deviations from nominal dimensions occur resulting in large anode-cathode size differences and reduced volumetric energy density

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrode size precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the manufacturing process parameters to achieve fine blanking of electrodes. This involves changing cutting parameters, material properties, and process conditions to enable precise electrode sizing with minimal deviation from nominal dimensions, thereby reducing the anode-cathode size difference and improving volumetric energy density

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a large size difference between anode and cathode is maintained to account for manufacturing deviations, then reliability of proper battery function is ensured, but volumetric energy density is reduced due to wasted space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery function reliabilityVSAvoidbattery internal space utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical cutting methods with fine blanking technology, which uses a combination of mechanical pressure and material property control to achieve precise electrode dimensions. This substitution enables tighter size control with smaller anode-cathode size differences, improving space utilization while maintaining functional reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The fine blanking process employs hydraulic or pneumatic systems to apply controlled pressure during the electrode cutting process. This enables precise dimensional control and minimal size deviation from nominal specifications, allowing reduced anode-cathode size difference while ensuring proper battery function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Data Source

PatentUS20240006590A1Fine blanked battery electrodes

Publication Date: 2024.01.04 APPLE INC

AI summary

A battery includes a separator having a first side and a second side opposing the first side. The battery also includes an anode having an anode face that faces the first side of the separator, where the anode face includes an anode face surface area. The battery also includes a cathode having a cathode face that faces the second side of the separator, where the cathode face includes a cathode face surface area. A surface area ratio between the anode face surface area and the cathode face surface area is between 1.030 and 1.038.