Spherical Battery Design for Compact Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems are complex and not compatible with various industrial designs, particularly for applications in speakers, spacecraft, and satellites, due to their cylindrical or flat shapes, and lack a suitable spherical battery mold.
Innovation Solution
A spherical battery design featuring a core, a polymer separator, and a shell with distinct materials for the core and shell, along with contact terminals, allowing for efficient energy storage and easy integration into diverse devices, including those under high pressure, with the option for multiple batteries connected in cascade or parallel systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cylindrical or flat battery designs are used, then manufacturing and integration are straightforward, but compatibility with various industrial designs (especially spherical applications) is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spheroidality by designing the battery with a spherical geometry, including a spherical current collector core, spherical separator, and spherical shell. This spherical configuration enables the battery to be compatible with various industrial designs requiring spherical form factors, such as speakers, spacecraft, and satellites, while maintaining functional integrity.
2Reliability
If multiple components (containers, clamps, lock mechanisms, holders, outlet channels) are included in the battery system, then structural integrity is maintained, but the system becomes complex and difficult to integrate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple components into an integrated spherical structure. The spherical shell serves as both the container and the structural integrity element, eliminating the need for separate containers, clamps, and lock mechanisms. The current collector, separator, and electrodes are assembled into a compact spherical configuration that reduces the number of discrete parts while maintaining structural reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical shell performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the outer container, provides structural integrity, serves as the cathode current collector, and defines the overall battery geometry. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the system while maintaining reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a spherical battery design is implemented, then compatibility with various products and volume efficiency are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the battery into distinct spherical layers: a spherical current collector core, a spherical separator layer, and spherical electrode layers coated on the separator. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured separately using conventional techniques and then assembled into the final spherical configuration, reducing overall manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs spherical geometry throughout the battery structure, including the current collector core, separator, and shell. This consistent spherical design enables volume-efficient packaging and compatibility with spherical applications while allowing each spherical component to be manufactured using specialized coating and assembly techniques.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
Battery (1) for storing electric energy, at least comprising a spherical core (2) comprising a first material, a spherical separator (4) surrounding the spherical core (2), and a shell (6) covering the spherical separator (4), wherein the shell (6) comprises a second material different from the first material, wherein at least one first contact terminal (8) extends at least partially shielded from the spherical core (2) through the separator (4) and the shell (6) to the outside and wherein at least one second contact terminal (10) is formed at an outer surface of the shell (6).