Battery Cell Insulation and Venting for Thermal Runaway Relief

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery cells face reliability issues due to the insulating member blocking high-temperature and high-pressure substances during thermal runaway, leading to delayed pressure relief and potential safety hazards.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a pressure relief mechanism with a first insulating member featuring through holes and weak parts that allow timely discharge of high-temperature and high-pressure substances, and a blocking member to prevent active substance shedding, enhancing the reliability of the battery cell.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a blocking member is added to prevent active substance shedding and protect the pressure relief mechanism, then protection of the pressure relief mechanism is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure relief mechanism protectionVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The blocking member is integrated with the second insulating member, combining the functions of electrical insulation and active substance blocking into a single component. This merging reduces the number of separate components while maintaining both protective functions, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If the first insulating member is made more robust to improve electrical insulation, then insulation performance is improved, but the discharge efficiency of high-temperature and high-pressure substances is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical insulationVSAvoiddischarge efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The first insulating member features through holes at specific locations to allow high-temperature and high-pressure substances to pass through efficiently. The insulating material itself remains robust for electrical insulation, but the localized through holes create channels that maintain discharge efficiency while preserving overall insulation performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 ensures timely pressure relief and reduces the risk of explosion by allowing efficient discharge of high-temperature and high-pressure substances, thereby improving the overall reliability of the battery cell.

Implementation Method 1

The first insulating member can insulate and isolate part of the first pressure relief zone from the electrode assembly, so as to reduce the risk of electrical conduction between the first pressure relief zone and the electrode assembly

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical insulation: Electrical Resistance

Implementation Method 2

When the high-temperature and high-pressure substances pass through the first through hole, the high temperature acts on the hole wall of the first through hole and melts the first insulating member, so as to increase the liquid passage area of the first through hole

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 3

the high-temperature and high-pressure substances can pass through the first through hole and act on the first pressure relief zone, so as to cause the first weak part to rapidly rupture and form a pressure relief channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRupture: Fracture Mechanics

Data Source

PatentEP4668448A1Battery cell, battery, and electric device
Publication Date: 2025.12.24 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP4668448A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4668448A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4668448A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A battery cell (6), a battery (2), and an electric device. The battery cell (6) comprises a housing (20), an electrode assembly (10), a pressure relief mechanism (40), and a first insulating member (50), wherein the housing (20) comprises a wall portion (211); and the electrode assembly (10) is accommodated in the housing (20). The pressure relief mechanism (40) is arranged on the wall portion (211), and the pressure relief mechanism (40) comprises a pressure relief body (411) and a first weak portion (412) arranged around the pressure relief body (411), the pressure relief body (411) and the first weak portion (412) forming a first pressure relief area (41). At least part of the first insulating member (50) is arranged between the first pressure relief area (41) and the electrode assembly (10), the first insulating member (50) is provided with a first through hole (511), and in the direction of thickness of the wall portion (211), the projection of the first through hole (511) is located in the projection of the first pressure relief area (41).