Laminate Battery Seal Structure Using U-Shaped Folded Layers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing batteries face issues with foreign substances, such as moisture, entering the laminate exterior body through gaps between the sealant layer and adjacent members, leading to potential short circuits and increased battery dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A battery design featuring a laminate exterior body with thermally welded U-shaped folding target portions of sealant and laminate layers, which are folded to create a large seal structure without increasing the battery's dimensions, thereby reducing the entry of foreign substances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the size of the sealant layer is increased to prevent foreign substance entry, then sealing performance is improved, but the volume of the battery increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealant layer is folded to form a U-shaped cross-section, transforming a two-dimensional planar structure into a three-dimensional volumetric structure. This dimensional change allows the sealant layer to extend deeper into the gap between the laminate exterior body and adjacent members, providing effective sealing without increasing the overall battery dimensions. The folding creates multiple sealing surfaces that block foreign substance entry paths more effectively than a simple planar extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The folded sealant layer is inserted into and nested within the gap space between the laminate exterior body and adjacent members. This nesting approach allows the sealant layer to occupy and seal the existing void space without adding to the external dimensions of the battery. The sealant layer effectively fills the gap from the inside, preventing foreign substance penetration while maintaining compact battery volume.
2Reliability
If a sealant layer is added to prevent short circuits through holes in the laminate layer, then electrical insulation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealant layer serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical insulation to prevent short circuits through holes in the laminate layer, and it provides mechanical sealing to prevent foreign substance entry at the gap between the laminate exterior body and adjacent members. By making the sealant layer extend and fold to address both issues, the design eliminates the need for separate insulation and sealing components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining dual protective functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function and insulation function are merged into a single integrated sealant layer structure. Instead of having separate sealant and insulation layers, the sealant layer is designed to extend and fold in a way that simultaneously achieves both sealing the gap and insulating holes, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining both protective functions.
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 effectively prevents foreign substances from entering the interior of the battery while maintaining a compact size, ensuring stable connections and preventing short circuits between conductive layers.
Implementation Method 1
the laminate exterior bodies thermally welded to each other in a state where the entire laminate is interposed between the laminate exterior bodies
Data Source
AI summary
A pair of laminate exterior bodies that covers the entire laminate obtained by laminating a plurality of electrodes including current collectors in a predetermined lamination direction with the laminate exterior bodies thermally welded to each other in a state where the entire laminate is interposed between the laminate exterior bodies includes conductive layers that are electrically connected to end portion current collectors that are the current collectors of the electrodes at both end portions of the laminate, first sealant layers provided on first surfaces of the conductive layers that are surfaces on the opposite sides of the conductive layers from the laminate, and laminate layers provided on surfaces of the first sealant layers that is on the opposite sides of the first sealant layers from the conductive layers and first folding target portions, second folding target portions, and third folding target portions are folded to have U-shaped sectional shapes.