Through-Wall Current Collector for Pouch Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electrochemical cell designs require expensive sealing tapes for current collectors in pouch cells, which are costly and have specific material properties needed for sealing and electrical connection, posing a challenge for cost-effective and reliable current transfer.
Innovation Solution
A current collector device is positioned at a location separate from the sealed joint, using a flexible sheet housing with openings for current collectors that allow for a weld-free, hermetically sealed connection with a seal that can be made using common materials, reducing the need for specialized sealing tapes and enhancing the seal's reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lead tab passes between pouch fabric layers along a weld line with specialized sealing tape, then electrical connection and sealing are achieved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the current collector connection from the sealed joint location and relocates it to a separate opening in the pouch housing. This separation eliminates the need for specialized sealing tape at the connection point, using only standard pouch sealing materials while maintaining both electrical connection and sealing integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the sealing and electrical connection functions into separate locations: the sealed joint uses standard pouch sealing materials, while the current collector connection occurs at a separate opening with its own sealing arrangement, avoiding the need for expensive multi-functional sealing tape
2Reliability
If specialized sealing tape is used at the sealed joint for current collector connection, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the current collector penetration from the sealed joint structure and places it at a separate opening. This eliminates the need for complex multi-layer sealing tape structures, using only the standard pouch sealing materials already present in the housing
Solution Approach 2:
The standard pouch sealing materials are made universal by applying them at both the sealed joint and the current collector opening, eliminating the need for specialized sealing tape and simplifying the overall sealing system
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 reduces manufacturing costs by using common sealing materials and provides a reliable, pressure-insensitive seal that prevents leakage and electrolyte loss, while maintaining a hermetically sealed pouch cell housing.
Implementation Method 1
provides a reliable, pressure-insensitive seal that prevents leakage and electrolyte loss, while maintaining a hermetically sealed pouch cell housing
Implementation Method 2
the port of the terminal plate directly contacts the protrusion of the current collecting plate so as to form an electrical connection with the current collecting plate
Implementation Method 3
the seal is compressed between the sidewall and the current collecting plate
Data Source
AI summary
A pouch cell includes a generally rectangular cell housing formed of a metal laminated film, an electrode assembly that is sealed within the cell housing, and a current collector device disposed in the cell housing. The electrode assembly includes positive electrode portions alternating with negative electrode portions, the positive electrode portions and the negative electrode portions being separated by at least one separator and stacked along a stack axis. The current collector device is electrically connected to one of the positive electrode portions and the negative electrode portions and exits the cell housing via an opening formed in the cell housing. The opening is formed in a side wall of the cell housing at a location spaced apart from the sealed joint that closes the cell housing and at a location facing the stack axis.