Package-less Battery Cell Design for Energy Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery cells have a separate case that increases volume and reduces energy density, leading to low energy storage capacity and short run-times in electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
The development of package-less battery cells where the active elements directly interface with current collectors, eliminating the need for a separate case, allowing the active materials to expand and increase energy capacity, and enabling flexible shapes and reduced size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate case is used to enclose battery cell contents, then the battery cell is protected and structurally stable, but the volume increases and energy density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the separate case component from the battery cell structure. The case is extracted and eliminated, allowing the active materials to directly interface with current collectors, thereby reducing overall volume while maintaining essential protective functions through alternative means.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the case function with the active materials and current collectors. Instead of a separate enclosing structure, the protective and structural functions are integrated directly into the battery cell's active components, eliminating dead volume and improving energy density.
2Reliability
If a separate case is used to enclose battery cell contents, then the battery cell is protected and structurally stable, but the energy density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The separate case is extracted and removed from the battery cell design. This elimination of non-active components increases the proportion of energy-storing materials, thereby improving energy density while protective functions are maintained through direct interfacing of active materials with current collectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective case function is merged with the active materials and current collectors. The active materials directly interface with the current collectors, combining the protective enclosure function with the energy storage function in a single integrated structure, maximizing the quantity of active substance per unit volume.
3Ease of manufacture
If a separate case is used, then assembly is simplified through standardization, but the device size increases and flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The battery cell is segmented into discrete functional layers (active materials, current collectors, separators) that can be independently manufactured and then assembled. This modular segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing processes while enabling flexible configuration and custom shapes without requiring a standardized case.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is an apparatus which comprises: a cathode current collector configured to be in direct contact to a first client terminal; an anode current collector configured to be in direct contact to a second client terminal; and at least two layers of active material, where one layer is adjacent to the cathode current collector and another layer is adjacent to the anode current collector.