Prismatic Battery Cell Terminal Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prismatic battery cells face challenges in maintaining operational reliability due to inadequate sealing and fluid penetration, which can damage electrodes and electrolytes, especially when exposed to external fluids like water.
Innovation Solution
A prismatic battery cell design with cell terminals arranged on opposite sides of the cell housing, featuring a terminating element that is both materially connected and sealingly attached to the housing via a circumferential connection, ensuring a tight seal against external environments by using a weld seam and additional sealing mechanisms to prevent fluid ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the cell housing has an open insertion opening for electrode insertion, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but the operational reliability deteriorates due to fluid penetration risk
Solution Approach 1:
The terminating element is pre-integrated into the cell housing structure during manufacturing, with the sealing connection established before the battery cell is put into operation. This preliminary sealing action eliminates the need for post-assembly sealing operations while ensuring operational reliability from the start.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminating element combines multiple functions: it closes the insertion opening, provides electrical connection terminals, and creates a sealing barrier against fluid penetration. By merging these functions into a single integrated component, the design achieves both ease of manufacture (fewer parts to assemble) and operational reliability (comprehensive sealing and connection).
2Reliability
If a terminating element is added to close the insertion opening, then the reliability improves by preventing fluid ingress, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The terminating element integrates the sealing function, electrical connection function, and structural closure function into a single component. This merging reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate sealing elements, terminal blocks, and closure plates that would otherwise be required.
Solution Approach 2:
The terminating element serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it acts as a closure for the insertion opening, provides a sealing barrier against fluids, and serves as the mounting structure for electrical terminals. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed in the battery cell design.
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 configuration enhances the battery cell's reliability by preventing fluid penetration and ensuring reliable electrical contacting, while simplifying production and maintaining the structural integrity of the electrodes and electrolytes.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the terminating element is sealingly connected to the cell housing via a circumferential sealing in order to tightly close the insertion opening against an external environment of the battery cell
Data Source
AI summary
A prismatic battery cell with a cell housing and several electrodes arranged in an interior of the cell housing, some of which are electrically connected to a first cell terminal accessible from outside the cell housing, and some to a second cell terminal which is also accessible from outside the cell housing. The first cell terminal is arranged on a first side of the cell housing and the second cell terminal is arranged on a second side of the cell housing opposite the first side. One of the cell terminals is arranged on a terminating element which is materially connected to the cell housing and which closes an insertion opening configured in the cell housing, and the terminating element is sealingly connected to the cell housing via a circumferential sealing.