Stacked Battery Electrode Lead Break Positioning

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional stacked batteries are prone to short circuits when the connection portion between electrodes breaks due to shock, as the broken connection can make contact with adjacent electrodes, leading to electrical failures.

Innovation Solution

A stacked battery design where the break portion of the connection portion is strategically located outside the main portion of the second electrode, with a narrowest width or notch configuration, to prevent contact and ensure reliable breaking, thereby preventing short circuits. This design includes a fixing member and a case or sheet member to secure the electrodes and distribute stress effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the connection portion is made robust to prevent breaking, then connection strength is improved, but the battery weight increases due to additional protective structures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidbattery weight
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

A break portion is preliminarily formed in the connection portion at a position outside the main portion of the second electrode. This preliminary structural feature ensures that when breaking occurs, it happens at a predetermined safe location that cannot contact the second electrode, thus preventing short circuits without adding protective structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The break portion acts as an intermediary structural element that mediates between the connection portion and the electrode main body. By positioning this break portion outside the second electrode's main portion, it serves as a safety buffer that prevents direct contact between broken connection parts and the second electrode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the connection portion is designed to break at a specific point, then short circuit prevention is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshort circuit preventionVSAvoidbreak portion positioning accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The break portion is preliminarily formed during manufacturing at a position that is guaranteed to be outside the main portion of the second electrode. This preliminary positioning ensures that even with normal manufacturing tolerances, the broken end will not contact the second electrode, maintaining reliability without requiring extreme precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The connection portion has different structural qualities at different locations: the break portion is designed with specific local characteristics (such as reduced cross-section or stress concentration features) that make it the predetermined breaking point, while other portions maintain full strength. This local differentiation ensures controlled breaking behavior.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the outer shape of the second electrode is made larger, then short circuit prevention is improved, but the battery volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshort circuit preventionVSAvoidbattery volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of enlarging the second electrode's outer shape to prevent short circuits, the invention preliminarily positions the break portion of the first electrode's connection portion outside the second electrode's main portion. This approach achieves the same safety goal without increasing battery volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The solution shifts from a two-dimensional approach (enlarging electrode area) to a three-dimensional positioning strategy (positioning the break portion in space outside the second electrode). This dimensional change allows short circuit prevention without increasing the battery's overall footprint or volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2610945B1Stacked cell
Publication Date: 2016.05.04 MAXELL LTD
  • EP2610945B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2610945B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2610945B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

In a stacked battery, a configuration is provided in which even when a shock is applied, so that a connection portion of an electrode is broken, the broken portion can be prevented from causing a short circuit. The stacked battery includes a negative electrode (46) and a positive electrode (41). The negative electrode (46) has a negative electrode main portion (50) and a negative electrode lead (52). On the other hand, the positive electrode (41) has a positive electrode main portion (45) and a positive electrode lead (51). In the negative electrode (46) and the positive electrode (41), the negative electrode main portion (50) and the positive electrode main portion (45) are stacked in a thickness direction with the negative electrode lead (52) and the positive electrode lead (51) extending in different directions as viewed from above. The positive electrode lead (51) is fixed to a positive electrode case. In the positive electrode lead (51), a break place (X) that is to be broken when a shock is applied to the negative electrode (46) and the positive electrode (41), is provided outside the negative electrode main portion (50) as viewed from above when the negative electrode (46) and the positive electrode (41) are placed on top of each other.