Pouch Cell Snap-Fit Electrode Lead for Stable Charging Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pouch-type cells, due to their soft shell, experience unstable connections with external devices during battery charging, leading to potential bending and difficulty in mechanical fixation.
Innovation Solution
The electrochemical device incorporates snap-fit mechanisms with elastic bulges and grooves on electrode leads and housing flange portions to enhance gripping force and bonding strength, ensuring stable connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If a pouch-type cell with a soft shell is used to achieve high capacity and light weight, then the battery can provide high energy density and portability, but the electrode cannot support the weight of the entire battery cell, resulting in unstable connection with external devices
Solution Approach 1:
The battery structure is segmented into multiple functional components: the soft pouch-type cell body, a separate housing structure, and a rigid electrode lead assembly. This segmentation allows the battery to maintain light weight while the rigid lead assembly provides structural support and stable connection, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode lead acts as an intermediary element between the soft battery cell and the external device. The lead includes a rigid portion that extends from the battery terminal, providing mechanical support and stable electrical connection, while the flexible portion maintains electrical continuity with the soft pouch cell. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by transferring the mechanical support function from the soft battery body to the rigid lead assembly.
2Shape
If the electrode is made flexible to accommodate the soft pouch shell, then the battery can maintain its compact and lightweight structure, but the electrode becomes difficult to fix mechanically and may bend during charging operations
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode lead assembly employs a dynamic structure with both flexible and rigid portions. The flexible portion near the battery terminal accommodates the soft pouch shell and allows for movement, while the rigid portion extending outward provides mechanical stability. This dynamic design resolves the contradiction between structural flexibility and mechanical strength by allowing different parts of the same component to have different degrees of rigidity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode lead assembly has non-uniform local properties: the portion near the battery terminal is flexible to match the soft pouch structure, while the portion extending outward is rigid to provide stable connection. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction by optimizing each segment for its specific functional requirements rather than making the entire structure uniformly flexible or rigid.
3Reliability
If a rigid housing is used to support the electrode, then the connection stability improves, but the battery loses its lightweight and compact advantages
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into the lightweight pouch-type cell body and a separate, smaller rigid housing structure that only encloses the electrode lead assembly. This segmentation allows the majority of the battery (the pouch cell) to remain lightweight and flexible, while only the necessary connection components have rigid protection, resolving the contradiction between overall weight reduction and localized connection stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid housing structure provides localized rigidity only where needed - around the electrode lead assembly and connection terminals - while the rest of the battery maintains the lightweight pouch construction. This localized application of rigid materials resolves the contradiction by providing structural support precisely where mechanical strength is required without unnecessarily increasing the overall battery weight.
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 snap-fit design stabilizes the connection between the electrode and external device, preventing bending and improving overall rigidity and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a head of the first plug-in portion pushes and presses against the first elastic bulge. After the first elastic bulge is compressed, the first plug-in portion can be inserted further into the first jack. When the first plug-in portion is fully snap-fitted to the first jack, the first elastic bulge is just snap-fitted in the first groove
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrochemical device includes a housing, an electrode assembly, and a first electrode. The electrode assembly is accommodated in an accommodation cavity of the housing. The first electrode includes a first plug-in portion. The first plug-in portion extends away from the accommodation cavity and protrudes beyond an outer surface of the housing. The first plug-in portion is configured to be snap fitted to a first jack of an external device. The first plug-in portion is provided with a groove or an elastic bulge. The groove or the elastic bulge of the first plug-in portion is configured to be snapfitted to a first elastic bulge disposed protrusively on an outer wall of the first jack or the first groove provided on an inner wall of the jack respectively..