PTC Integrated Current Collecting Terminal for Battery Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery security devices are complex and cumbersome, and fail to effectively prevent damage from internal short-circuits, which can cause temperature rises and thermal runaway.
Innovation Solution
The use of Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) materials strategically positioned between current collecting terminals in electrochemical cell batteries, which increase electrical resistance at high temperatures to prevent short-circuits and allow for reversible conductivity, thereby preventing thermal runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fuses are used between each connection of electrochemical cells to prevent internal short-circuits, then battery safety is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase due to multiple solder connections and added space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the current collecting function and the safety protection function into a single integrated terminal structure. The terminal includes conductive components for current collection and PTC material integrated within the same component, eliminating the need for separate fuses and their associated solder connections. This merging reduces device complexity while maintaining safety functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The current collecting terminal is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it collects current from the electrochemical cells and provides safety protection against internal short-circuits through the PTC material. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate protection devices, reducing both device complexity and manufacturing steps.
2Reliability
If fuses are installed between each electrochemical cell connection to limit damage from internal short-circuits, then battery safety is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to multiple soldering operations and space requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the safety protection function directly into the current collecting terminal, combining what were previously separate components (current collectors and fuses) into a single unit. This integration eliminates multiple soldering operations and reduces manufacturing steps, thereby improving ease of manufacture while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the safety protection function from separate fuse components and integrates it into the current collecting terminal itself. This extraction and integration approach simplifies the manufacturing process by reducing the number of assembly steps and components that need to be handled during production.
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 solution effectively prevents rapid temperature rises and potential damage from internal short-circuits by interrupting electrical flow when temperatures exceed a certain threshold, while returning to conductive state when temperatures decrease, thus safeguarding the battery.
Implementation Method 1
The use of Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) materials strategically positioned between current collecting terminals in electrochemical cell batteries, which increase electrical resistance at high temperatures to prevent short-circuits
Implementation Method 2
allowing for reversible conductivity, thereby preventing thermal runaway
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An electrochemical cell battery is disclosed having current collecting terminals acting as security device. The battery includes a plurality of electrochemical cells connected in series or parallel; each electrochemical cell having a current collecting terminal connecting the positive current collectors together and a current collecting terminal connecting the negative current collectors together; the current collecting terminals each having a folded extension arm for electrically connecting two adjacent electrochemical cells together. The current collecting terminals utilize layers of PTC materials strategically positioned whereby if a temperature of an electrochemical cell rises above the transition temperature of the layer of PTC material, electrical current is prevented to flow between electrochemical cells by the layer of PTC material.