Tubular Current Collector Insertion for Battery Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery manufacturing methods face challenges in connecting current collectors and external terminals without crimped members, particularly in cylindrical batteries, due to space constraints and deformation issues, leading to potential electrical resistance increases.
Innovation Solution
A method involving tubular current collectors and terminals where the current collector's outside diameter is initially larger than the terminal's inside diameter, allowing for insertion and secure contact through diameter reduction or expansion, utilizing restoring forces for tight contact without crimping, and optionally including cut-outs for flexibility or thermal expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a crimped member is used to connect the current collector and external terminal, then the connection is secure, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and space-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the crimped member from the connection structure, extracting the problematic element that caused manufacturing complexity while maintaining connection reliability through direct contact between the current collector and external terminal
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the current collector and external terminal into a direct contact structure, eliminating the intermediate crimped member and simplifying the overall connection structure while ensuring reliable electrical connection
2Ease of manufacture
If crimping molds are disposed above and below the crimped member, then the crimping process can be performed, but the space requirement increases and deformation control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the crimping process entirely from the manufacturing method, eliminating the need for crimping molds and associated space requirements while maintaining secure connection through direct contact
3Reliability
If the current collector and external terminal are connected inside the battery case, then the connection is protected, but there is no space for crimping molds and the external terminal cannot be supported
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs the connection action preliminarily by designing the current collector and external terminal to contact directly without requiring crimping molds, enabling the connection to be made inside the battery case where space is limited
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 method enables reliable, low-resistance connections between current collectors and external terminals without crimped members, reducing electrical resistance and accommodating cylindrical battery designs.
Implementation Method 1
an insertion step of inserting the tubular current collector portion into the tubular terminal portion by reducing the diameter of the tubular current collector portion
Implementation Method 2
the outer circumferential surface of the tubular current collector portion and an inner circumferential surface of the tubular terminal portion are brought into tight contact with each other by a restoring force of the tubular current collector portion with the reduced diameter
Data Source
AI summary
A current collector electrically connected to a first electrode plate or a second electrode plate includes a tubular current collection section. An external terminal electrically connected to the current collector includes a tubular terminal section into which the current collection section is inserted. The current collection section has, before being inserted into the terminal section, a greater outer diameter than the inner diameter of the terminal section. In the insertion process, the diameter of the current collection section is reduced or the diameter of the terminal section is expanded so that the outer diameter of the current collection section is equal to or smaller than the inner diameter of the terminal section, and then the current collection section is inserted into the terminal section. After that, the outer peripheral surface of the current collection section and the inner peripheral surface of the terminal section are made to be in close contact with each other by the restoring force of the current collection section having the reduced diameter or of the terminal section having the expanded diameter, and as a result, the current collection section is fixed to the terminal section.