Flexible Battery Structure With Energy-Absorbing Layer for Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible lithium-ion batteries face challenges in achieving high volumetric energy density and reliable bending performance while maintaining electrochemical performance, often resulting in low energy density and poor flexibility, which is inadequate for wearable devices.
Innovation Solution
A flexible lithium battery design incorporating an energy absorbing layer with elastic materials between the electrochemical cell layer and the wrapping layer, featuring protruding supporting parts and filling parts to absorb and disperse stress during bending, ensuring the battery maintains arc transitions and prevents excessive bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If flexible auxiliary materials are added to enable the battery to be flexible, then flexibility is improved, but volumetric energy density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a thin-film aluminum-plastic composite membrane as the wrapping layer to provide flexibility while minimizing volume occupation. This flexible film structure allows the battery to be bent and deformed without significantly increasing the overall volume, thus maintaining high volumetric energy density while achieving the required flexibility for wearable devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an energy absorbing layer with protruding supporting parts at specific locations between the electrochemical cell layer and the wrapping layer. This localized structural design provides flexibility and stress absorption where needed, while keeping other areas compact and energy-dense, thereby resolving the contradiction between flexibility and volumetric energy density.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the battery structure is greatly adjusted to enable flexibility, then flexibility is improved, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the battery into distinct functional layers: an electrochemical cell layer, a wrapping layer, and an energy absorbing layer with protruding supporting parts. This segmented structure allows each layer to perform its specific function independently, simplifying the overall design while achieving flexibility through the coordinated action of these layers rather than through a complex integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The thin-film aluminum-plastic composite membrane wrapping layer provides the necessary flexibility with a simple yet effective structure. This flexible film encapsulates the electrochemical cell layer and works in conjunction with the energy absorbing layer to enable bending without requiring complex structural adjustments throughout the entire battery.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple small-sized batteries are spliced to achieve flexibility, then flexibility is improved, but reliability of electrical connection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple electrochemical cell layers into a single integrated flexible battery structure with a unified wrapping layer and energy absorbing layer. This combined structure eliminates the need for splicing multiple small batteries, thereby ensuring continuous and reliable electrical connections throughout the battery while maintaining flexibility through the flexible film and energy absorbing layer design.
4Reliability
If the battery is made thicker to maintain air-tightness, then air-tightness is improved, but bending performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin-film aluminum-plastic composite membrane that provides effective air-tightness sealing while maintaining thinness and flexibility. This flexible film structure ensures the battery remains air-tight without requiring excessive thickness, thereby preserving bending performance and flexibility for wearable applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy absorbing layer with protruding supporting parts is positioned between the electrochemical cell layer and the wrapping layer to provide beforehand cushioning and stress absorption. This prevents excessive bending and protects the battery structure during deformation, allowing the battery to maintain air-tightness with minimal thickness while preserving bending performance.
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 enhances energy density, reliability, and flexibility, allowing the battery to meet the demands of wearable devices by effectively managing stress and maintaining performance during repeated bending and deformation.
Implementation Method 1
each supporting part is a bugle from a highest point to lowest points on two sides closest to the electrochemical cell layer; and the elastic material may be an elastic material having characteristics such as a low modulus of elasticity, a high elastic limit, and a long fatigue life
Data Source
AI summary
One example of a flexible battery includes an electrochemical cell layer and a wrapping layer that wraps the electrochemical cell layer. The flexible battery further includes an energy absorbing layer. The energy absorbing layer is located between the wrapping layer and upper and lower surfaces, which are opposite to each other, of the electrochemical cell layer. The energy absorbing layer includes a plurality of supporting parts that protrude outward from the upper or lower surface of the electrochemical cell layer. The plurality of supporting parts are mainly made of a foam material or rubber. For the energy absorbing layer, a lower-modulus buffering layer or an empty part may be further disposed between the electrochemical cell layer and the wrapping layer, to complement a wavy surface of the supporting part to form a flat surface, so as to meet diversified requirements of a wearable device.