Electrolyte Pouch Cell Sealing with Integrated Lost Ports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing electrolyte pouch cells require significant technical effort to fill, close, and minimize waste contamination, and do not efficiently remove forming gas.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using lost ports or cannulas with integrated septums as passages between the film sections, allowing for vacuuming, filling, and degassing without contaminating the interior, and ensuring secure adhesion with material equality, along with a holding mandrel and dosing/degassing needles for precise alignment and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional sealing methods are used for electrolyte pouch cells, then the cell can be sealed, but significant technical effort is required for filling, closing, and minimizing waste contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling the pouch cell structure with electrodes and separators before electrolyte filling, and by preparing the sealing arrangement with pre-positioned passages and welding seams. This allows the electrolyte to be filled through pre-established pathways without requiring complex real-time adjustments during the filling process, thereby reducing technical effort and minimizing waste contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the filling and degassing operations through separate dedicated passages, isolating these functions from the main sealing structure. By providing specific passages for electrolyte introduction and for removing forming gas, the system eliminates the need for complex multi-functional openings, simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing potential contamination sources.
2Reliability
If multiple passages are provided for vacuuming, filling, and degassing, then complete sealing and gas removal are achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by designing the sealing seam to simultaneously serve multiple purposes: it provides structural closure, incorporates passages for electrolyte filling, enables vacuum evacuation, and allows for subsequent degassing operations. The welding arrangement integrates these functions into a single sealed structure, achieving reliable sealing without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs nesting by placing the passages within the sealing seam structure itself, rather than adding separate external components. The passages are embedded in the welded sealing arrangement, with blind bores positioned within the sealing seam thickness, creating a compact integrated structure that achieves multiple functions without significant complexity increase.
3Ease of operation
If lost ports are used for filling, then filling is simplified, but the ports must be melted and closed after filling, adding process steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions by melting the lost ports through controlled heating after the electrolyte filling is complete. The heating element raises the temperature of the port material above its melting point, causing it to transition from solid to liquid state and automatically close the passage. This eliminates the need for mechanical closure mechanisms, simplifying the overall process despite adding a thermal processing step.
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 method reduces the technical effort required for producing electrolyte pouch cells, minimizes waste accumulation, and ensures complete sealing and gas removal, enabling flexible and contamination-free production.
Implementation Method 1
at least one port (3) is meltable and can therefore be closed
Implementation Method 2
which can be vacuumed through the passage (3)
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~8
AI summary
In a method for producing electrolyte pouch cells (1) for an electric battery arrangement, a first flat section (2) of a foil is put into position, a cell stack (8) with integrated electrodes and separators and also attached arresters is arranged and oriented on the positioned first flat section (2), a second flat section of the foil is positioned on the first flat section (2) of said foil and the cell stack (8), and the two flat sections of the foil are welded to one another at their regions which surround the cell stack (8) and are not connected to one another, so as to form a sealed seam. In order to design the electrolyte pouch cell, which is produced using the method outlined above, with a low level of expenditure such that it can be filled under vacuum, can be temporarily closed, is suitable for the removal of forming gas and can once again be finally closed, it is proposed that, in the method outlined above, at least one passage (3) is put into position in the region of the sealed seam before the two flat sections of the foil are welded, and that, when the sealed seam is welded, the at least one passage (3) is sealed into said sealed seam.