Reusable Fill Port Plug for Lithium-Ion Cell Sealing and Venting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques for filling lithium-ion power cells in electric or hybrid electric vehicles require disposable temporary fill port plugs, leading to increased costs and waste.
Innovation Solution
A reusable fill port plug with a threaded shaft and compressible seal is used to seal and unseal the fill port, allowing for efficient filling and venting of electrolyte fluid without the need for disposable plugs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If disposable temporary fill port plugs are used, then the fill port can be sealed during electrolyte filling, but cost and waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fill port plug is designed to be reusable rather than disposable. After serving its purpose of sealing the fill port during electrolyte filling, the plug can be removed and reused for subsequent filling operations, eliminating the need to discard it after a single use. This directly addresses the waste problem while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention inverts the traditional approach by making the fill port plug durable and reusable instead of cheap and disposable. The plug is constructed with a compressible seal and threaded shaft designed for multiple uses, converting a single-use component into a multi-use component that reduces waste and long-term costs.
2Reliability
If disposable temporary fill port plugs are used, then the fill port can be sealed during electrolyte filling, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reusable fill port plug eliminates the need to purchase new plugs for each filling operation. By recovering and reusing the same plug multiple times, the per-unit manufacturing cost is significantly reduced while maintaining the same sealing reliability function.
Solution Approach 2:
The fill port plug is designed as a universal component that can be used across multiple filling operations and potentially across different power cells. The standardized threaded shaft and compressible seal design allow it to serve multiple purposes and be reused repeatedly, reducing the overall manufacturing burden and cost.
3Loss of substance
If a reusable fill port plug with compressible seal is used, then waste and cost are reduced, but the plug structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The compressible seal is made from elastomeric material that provides flexibility and sealing capability. This flexible element allows the plug to create a reliable seal without requiring complex machining or rigid structures, simplifying the overall design while enabling reusability and waste reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The fill port plug combines different materials - a threaded shaft (likely metal or rigid polymer) with a compressible elastomeric seal. This composite construction achieves both structural integrity for reuse and effective sealing, balancing complexity with functionality while enabling the waste reduction benefits of reusability.
4Reliability
If the compressible seal is made from elastomeric material, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but material selection becomes more constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric compressible seal provides effective sealing through its flexibility and ability to deform under compression. While this constrains material selection to elastomeric options, it ensures reliable sealing performance. The design accepts this material constraint as a trade-off for achieving consistent, effective seals across multiple uses.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of rigid threaded shaft with flexible elastomeric seal creates a composite structure that leverages the strengths of each material type. The rigid portion provides structural integrity and threading, while the elastomeric portion provides sealing. This material division allows each component to be optimized for its specific function.
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 reusable fill port plug reduces waste and costs associated with disposable plugs while ensuring effective sealing and venting of power cells during the filling process.
Implementation Method 1
a compressible seal disposed about the threaded shaft and contacting the head
Data Source
AI summary
A power cell includes a plurality of anode, cathode and separator sheets arranged as layers and disposed within a container. An anode terminal protrudes from the layers, and a cathode terminal protrudes from the layers. A cover plate seals the container and includes a first fill port. A reusable fill port plug is disposed within the first fill port. The reusable fill port plug has a threaded shaft extending axially from a head along an axis defined by the threaded shaft and a compressible seal disposed about the threaded shaft and contacting the head.