Flexible Leg Current Collector for Battery Gas Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current current collector designs for batteries face a trade-off between electrical conductivity and the size of the opening for venting gases, where increasing conductivity reduces the opening size and vice versa, limiting the efficiency of gas release and battery performance.
Innovation Solution
A current collector design featuring flexible legs that extend to create a larger opening for gas release while maintaining improved electrical conductivity through separate fixed legs, allowing for enhanced mechanical strength and efficient venting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the current collector is designed to provide a larger opening for venting gases, then the gas release rate is improved, but the electrical conductivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector is divided into multiple legs (at least three legs) that are distributed around the central portion. This segmentation allows the opening to be distributed across multiple smaller gaps between legs rather than one large gap, maintaining electrical conductivity through multiple conductive paths while still providing sufficient total opening area for gas venting.
Solution Approach 2:
The legs are designed to be flexible and capable of relative movement with respect to the central portion. When gas pressure builds up, the legs can move outward to increase the opening size for rapid gas release. When not under pressure, the legs return to their normal positions to maintain optimal electrical conductivity, thus dynamically adjusting the balance between conductivity and gas release capability.
2Strength
If the current collector provides mechanical strength to withstand stress and strain, then structural integrity is improved, but the flexibility needed for opening creation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The current collector is segmented into multiple legs connected to a central portion. Each leg can be designed with appropriate thickness and material properties to provide local mechanical strength while maintaining overall flexibility. The segmented structure distributes mechanical stresses across multiple elements rather than requiring the entire structure to be uniformly strong and rigid.
Solution Approach 2:
The legs are designed as thin, flexible elements that can bend and move relative to the central portion when gas pressure is applied. These thin film-like structures provide sufficient mechanical strength for normal operation while maintaining the flexibility needed to create openings during overpressure events. The flexible legs act as thin films that can deform elastically under stress.
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 design enables effective venting of gases while maintaining high electrical conductivity, improving battery performance and operational efficiency by allowing for increased gas release without compromising conductivity.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one flexible leg provides flexibility to the current collector. That is, the at least one flexible leg extends substantially orthogonally to the central portion when a force is applied between the outer portion and the central portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A current collector with improved flexibility and electrical conductivity includes at least one flexible leg coupled to a central portion of the current collector. The flexible leg extends substantially orthogonally to the central portion when a force is applied to the central portion. Specifically, the at least one flexible leg extends at least 16 percent of the outer width when a 1000 Newton loading is applied between the central portion and the outer portion.