Foil Pack Redundant Heat Sealing for Hermetic Energy Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for sealing energy storage devices, such as batteries, within foil packs face challenges in ensuring hermeticity and liquid tightness, especially after filling with electrolyte, as direct leak tests are limited and final seals are difficult to verify.
Innovation Solution
Employing a redundant heat seal configuration with multiple seals around the energy storage device, allowing for increased integrity by forming a second seal redundant with the first, and optionally a third seal, to enhance the likelihood of a satisfactory overall seal without the need for additional leak testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single heat seal is used to enclose the energy storage device in the foil pack, then the manufacturing process is simple and fast, but the hermeticity and liquid tightness cannot be sufficiently ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by forming a second redundant heat seal in advance to compensate for potential seal failures. The second seal acts as a pre-prepared backup that ensures hermeticity even if the first seal is defective, thereby resolving the contradiction between seal reliability and manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating different seal configurations at different locations around the foil pack. The first heat seal is formed at a primary location, while the second redundant heat seal is formed at a different location, providing localized backup protection specifically at critical sealing points where hermeticity is most needed.
2Reliability
If redundant heat seals are formed to ensure hermeticity, then the seal reliability is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming the second redundant heat seal immediately after the first seal is created, while the sealing system is already in position and the foil pack is properly aligned. This sequential approach eliminates the need for separate setup operations, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving seal reliability.
3Reliability
If multiple redundant seals are implemented, then the probability of achieving hermetic seal is significantly increased, but the manufacturing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by forming the second redundant heat seal immediately after the first seal without interrupting the manufacturing process. The sealing operation continues seamlessly from the first seal to the second seal, eliminating idle time and maintaining high productivity while still achieving enhanced seal reliability through redundancy.
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 redundant seal configuration significantly increases the probability of achieving a hermetic and fluid-tight seal, ensuring long-term reliability and reliability of the energy storage device assembly.
Implementation Method 1
A heat-sealing process may be employed to seal portions of the foil pack once the energy storage device has been located within the foil pack.
Data Source
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AI summary
In some examples, a method for forming an energy storage device assembly, e.g., for an implantable medical device, may comprise partially enclosing electrodes of an energy storage device within a foil pack, wherein the foil pack includes an unsealed portion and a sealed portion when partially enclosing the electrodes of the energy storage device. The method may further comprise forming a first heat seal at the unsealed portion of the foil pack, and subsequently forming a second heat seal that is redundant with the first heat seal of the foil pack.