Non-Cuboidal Metal Can Battery Layout for Wearable Space Limits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery cells are not suitable for wearable electronic devices due to high power requirements, small form factors, and non-uniform geometries, which are not accommodated by traditional batteries, and there is a need for batteries with higher energy density and non-conventional shapes to fit into the limited spaces of these devices.
Innovation Solution
The development of high capacity 2D non-cuboidal metal can batteries with non-conventional shapes such as semicircle, trapezoid, and curvilinear forms, which are hermetically sealed within a metal can housing and lid, allowing for higher energy density and fitting into small, non-uniform spaces, with terminals designed to minimize weight and wire length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional battery cells are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but energy density and adaptability to non-uniform shapes are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The battery is divided into multiple individual cells (e.g., four cylindrical cells) that are arranged in a specific configuration. This segmentation allows each cell to be manufactured using conventional processes while the overall assembly achieves the desired non-uniform shape and high energy density, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple battery cells are nested or stacked within a common housing structure, with cells arranged in a compact configuration (e.g., tetrahedral arrangement). This nesting approach maximizes energy density by efficiently utilizing space while maintaining the manufacturability of individual standard cells.
2Use of energy by moving object
If smaller conventional battery cells are used, then weight is reduced, but energy density and power capacity are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple battery cells are combined in a single integrated assembly with shared housing and common terminal structure. This merging approach increases total energy capacity and energy density by utilizing the collective volume of multiple cells while minimizing the weight of interconnecting structures and housing materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery cells are arranged in a three-dimensional configuration (e.g., vertical stacking or tetrahedral arrangement) rather than a simple linear sequence. This spatial optimization increases energy density by utilizing vertical and lateral space efficiently while keeping individual cell dimensions and weights manageable.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional cuboidal battery shapes are used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to non-uniform wearable device spaces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The battery assembly employs an asymmetric arrangement of cylindrical cells within the housing, with cells positioned at different heights and angles (e.g., tetrahedral configuration). This asymmetric layout allows the battery to fit into non-uniform spaces in wearable devices while maintaining the simple cylindrical shape of individual manufacturable cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery design allows for flexible configuration of cell arrangements within the housing, enabling adaptation to different space constraints in various wearable devices. The cells can be positioned and oriented to match the specific geometric requirements of different device form factors while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-cuboidal battery having a cross-sectional area and a thickness may include a metal can housing, a metal lid coupled to the metal can housing, and an electrode stack disposed in the metal can housing. The thickness of the non-cuboidal battery can be substantially uniform over the cross-sectional area. The electrode stack may include a cathode layer stacked on an anode layer, and a separator layer disposed between the cathode layer and the anode layer. The electrode stack may be hermetically sealed by the metal can housing and the metal lid. A negative terminal that can be electrically coupled to the anode layer and a positive terminal that can be electrically coupled to the cathode layer may be disposed on an exterior side of the metal can housing or the metal lid.