Printed Battery Electrode Separator Composite Miniaturization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Miniaturizing button cells without altering their structural design poses challenges due to difficulties in precise placement and assembly of electrodes and separators in compact housings.

Innovation Solution

The method involves building up a three-dimensional electrode-separator composite using two-dimensional layers printed sequentially with electrode, separator, and conductor dispersions, allowing for precise control and integration of components within the button cell housing, utilizing inkjet printing or microdispensing techniques to achieve complex structures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If button cells are miniaturized without changing basic design, then battery size is reduced, but assembly precision and placement accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery sizeVSAvoidplacement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the electrode and separator components into a single integrated composite structure. The separator is incorporated directly into the electrode layers during the printing process, eliminating the need for separate placement operations. This integration resolves the technical contradiction by maintaining manufacturing precision while enabling miniaturization, as the composite structure is formed in one controlled printing process rather than through multiple assembly steps that would be increasingly difficult to execute at smaller scales.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar assembly to three-dimensional layered construction. By building the electrode-separator composite in multiple printed layers with varying thicknesses, the invention achieves precise component placement and integration in the vertical dimension. This dimensional approach allows for accurate positioning of electrodes and separators within the miniaturized button cell housing, resolving the placement accuracy issue while maintaining compact size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Stability of the object's composition

If traditional assembly methods are used for miniaturized button cells, then structural design is maintained, but assembly difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural designVSAvoidassembly difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-integrating the separator into the electrode structure during the printing process itself. Rather than assembling pre-fabricated electrodes and separators separately, the separator is incorporated into the electrode layers as they are being printed, creating a pre-assembled composite structure. This preliminary integration eliminates the need for difficult precision assembly operations in miniaturized cells while maintaining the required structural design stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical assembly operations with a printing-based fabrication process. Instead of manually or mechanically placing and securing separate electrode and separator components, the invention uses inkjet or microdispensing printing to deposit materials that form the integrated composite structure. This substitution of printing technology for mechanical assembly dramatically ease of manufacture for miniaturized button cells while preserving structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 approach enables the miniaturization of button cells by forming precise electrode-separator composites directly within the housing, enhancing assembly efficiency and maintaining structural integrity, facilitating the production of compact batteries with improved mechanical strength and performance.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInkjet printing:

Data Source

PatentEP2783408B1Printed batteries

Publication Date: 2017.03.15 VARTA MICROBATTERY GMBH

AI summary

A method is described for producing a battery, which has a housing and a three-dimensional composite of electrode and separator arranged therein, said composite having at least one first electrode, at least one second electrode of opposite polarity from the first, at least one separator which spatially separates the first and the second electrodes, and if required at least one arrestor. The composite is constructed in layers, wherein two-dimensional layers of a first electrode dispersion for producing the at least one first electrode and/or a second electrode dispersion for producing the at least one second electrode and/or a separator dispersion for producing the at least one separator and/or at least one arrestor dispersion for producing the at least one arrestor are sequentially printed on top of one another. Batteries producible according to the method are also described.