Optical Hot Pressing Tool for Solid-State Battery Manufacturing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hot pressing tools face significant heat dissipation issues, leading to excessive temperature rise outside the pressing zone, which complicates the manufacturing of objects like fully solid-state lithium ion batteries, as they require precise temperature control and mechanical components with specific thermal resistance, resulting in either high costs or increased tool size.
Innovation Solution
A hot pressing tool design that incorporates optical radiation heating with reflector and concentrator elements to efficiently direct and concentrate light within the pressing chamber, minimizing heat dissipation to surrounding mechanical components, and using protective plates to absorb radiation, ensuring efficient heating of the target area while keeping auxiliary components at a safe temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If electrical or induction heating is used in hot pressing tools, then the pressing operation can be performed at required temperatures, but significant heat dissipation occurs outside the target zone, requiring high heat production and resulting in excessive temperature rise in surrounding areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using optical radiation heating that selectively heats only the target pressing zone through optical properties, while surrounding mechanical components remain at lower temperatures. The heating is localized to where it is needed, with different parts of the system having different thermal characteristics - the pressing zone receives concentrated optical energy while auxiliary components are thermally isolated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional electrical or induction heating systems with optical radiation heating. Instead of using electrical resistive heating or electromagnetic induction that inherently heats all conductive components, the system uses optical radiation (light) that can be precisely directed and absorbed only by the target material in the pressing zone, substituting a mechanical/electrical heating field with an optical field that has different interaction properties.
2Volume of moving object
If auxiliary elements like seals are placed at a short distance from the pressing zone, then the overall tool size is reduced, but these elements must have significant thermal resistance which increases manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The optical heating system replaces thermal conduction-based heating, allowing auxiliary elements to be positioned closer to the pressing zone without requiring high thermal resistance. Since the heating is delivered optically rather than through thermal conduction from heating elements, seals and other auxiliary components do not need to withstand extreme temperatures, enabling their placement at shorter distances and reducing overall tool size while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
3Ease of manufacture
If auxiliary elements are produced at low cost with low thermal resistance, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but they must be placed at a substantial distance from the pressing zone, significantly increasing tool size
Solution Approach 1:
By substituting optical radiation heating for conventional thermal heating, the patent eliminates the need for thermal insulation barriers between the pressing zone and auxiliary elements. Low-cost auxiliary elements with low thermal resistance can be positioned close to the pressing zone because the optical heating method does not conduct heat through these components, thereby reducing tool size while maintaining affordable manufacturing costs.
4Temperature
If high operating temperature is used for pressing operations, then the pressing process can be performed effectively, but the mechanical components must withstand high temperatures which complicates their design and selection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes optical radiation heating for conventional thermal heating systems, allowing the pressing zone to reach high operating temperatures while mechanical components remain at lower temperatures. This separation of thermal zones simplifies component design and material selection, as auxiliary mechanical elements do not need to be specialized for high-temperature service, reducing device complexity while maintaining effective pressing temperatures in the target zone.
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
This solution allows for effective temperature control within the pressing zone, reducing heat dissipation to mechanical components, maintaining low manufacturing costs and tool size, and achieving high cohesion between battery layers with low porosity, resulting in batteries with high power and energy density.
Implementation Method 1
The pressing tool (2, 3) comprises at least one optical radiation heating source (5), said heating source (5) being arranged outside said pressing chamber (300) and said heating source (5) being directed towards said stack (200) by at least one reflector (26, 36) and/or by at least one concentrator (28, 38)
Implementation Method 2
said heating source (5) being directed towards said stack (200) by at least one reflector (26, 36)
Implementation Method 3
said heating source (5) being directed towards said stack (200) by at least one reflector (26, 36) and/or by at least one concentrator (28, 38)
Implementation Method 4
using protective plates to absorb radiation, ensuring efficient heating of the target area while keeping auxiliary components at a safe temperature
Data Source
Figure 1~8
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
This hot-pressing press tool, intended to be mounted on a press, comprises: – a first tool part (2) equipped with first means (29; 60) of attachment to a first press platen (12), – a second tool part (3) equipped with second means (13, 14; 60) of attachment to a second press platen (10), these two tool parts being mobile relative to one another between a distant position and a close-together position, in which they delimit a pressing chamber (300), – means (5) of heating the interior volume of the pressing chamber, – the first and second tool parts also being respectively equipped with a first and a second pressing member (28, 38), which members are able to apply a pressing force to opposite faces of an object that is to be pressed, received in the pressing chamber. According to the invention, the heating means are means of heating by optical radiation (5) and the tool further comprises concentration means (26, 28, 46) able to concentrate the energy of the radiation towards the said object. In that way, the optical radiation is directed at the entirety of the object that is to be pressed but, by contrast, no substantial proportion of this radiation passes outside the lateral edges of this object. A preferred, although not exclusive, use of this tool is the creation of solid-state lithium-ion batteries.