Folded Electrode Assembly With Broken Seams to Cut Stacking Waste

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Solution Overview

Problem

The high manufacturing cost in battery production is primarily due to material waste in the stacking process of stacked electrode assemblies, where the first electrode sheet is broken before reaching the required number of layers, leading to scrapping of completed parts.

Innovation Solution

An electrode assembly design featuring a first electrode sheet with a broken seam in the width direction, allowing it to be folded into bending and stacking segments, combined with second electrode sheets of opposite polarity, to meet layer requirements while reducing waste.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the first electrode sheet is broken before reaching the required number of layers in the stacking process, then the manufacturing process continues, but the completed stacked part must be scrapped due to insufficient layers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestacking process continuityVSAvoidmaterial waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The first electrode sheet is segmented into multiple stacking segments by intentional broken seams. This allows the sheet to be folded into a stacked configuration where multiple segments contribute to the final layer count, enabling the assembly to reach the required number of layers even when the original sheet is broken

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The electrode sheet is folded such that stacking segments are nested within each other in a compact arrangement. The broken segments are positioned and folded to interlock with adjacent segments, allowing efficient space utilization and achieving the required layer count without wasting the broken sheet

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Loss of substance

If the first electrode sheet is made continuous to avoid breaking, then material utilization improves, but the flexibility and adaptability in stacking configuration are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial utilizationVSAvoidstacking configuration flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Broken seams are intentionally created at predetermined locations on the first electrode sheet before the stacking process. This preliminary action allows the sheet to be easily folded and configured into the required stacked structure, providing both material utilization and stacking flexibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The electrode sheet design incorporates predetermined broken seams that enable dynamic folding and configuration adjustments during the stacking process, allowing the same sheet to be adapted to different stacking requirements while maximizing material utilization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4333152B1Electrode assembly, battery cell, battery, and electrical device
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY (HONG KONG) LIMITED
  • EP4333152B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4333152B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4333152B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The present application relates to the technical field of battery fabrication, and provides an electrode assembly, a battery cell, a battery, and an electrical device. The electrode assembly comprises: a first pole piece, comprising a plurality of bent sections and a plurality of stacked sections that are stacked, each bent section being used to connect two adjacent stacked sections, and the first pole piece having a first broken seam, the first broken seam extending along the width direction of the first pole piece so as to break the first pole piece; and a plurality of second pole pieces, the polarity of which is opposite to that of the first pole piece, and which is provided in a stacking direction of the plurality of stacked sections, each second pole piece being disposed between two adjacent stacked sections. The electrode assembly has low fabrication costs.