U-Shaped Layered Electrode Group for Battery Misalignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cylindrical batteries face issues with winding misalignment between positive and negative electrode plates, leading to suboptimal battery capacity and potential internal short-circuits, and the complexity of welding current collecting terminals complicates the manufacturing process.

Innovation Solution

A layered electrode group is designed with positive and negative electrode plates formed into substantial U-shapes, allowing for interlaced layering and common current collecting terminals, which simplifies the welding process and enhances current collection efficiency by reducing the number of terminals needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If belt-like positive and negative electrode plates are wound in a spiral manner, then the battery can be constructed with continuous electrode structures, but winding misalignment occurs between positive and negative electrode plates causing suboptimal battery capacity and potential internal short-circuits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment precisionVSAvoidwinding process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous belt-like electrode plates are segmented into discrete plate units with defined active material retaining portions. These segmented plates are then layered in a predetermined sequence rather than wound continuously, eliminating the alignment issues inherent in spiral winding while maintaining structural integrity through the layered arrangement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of winding the electrode plates in a spiral manner from a continuous belt, the invention inverts the approach by cutting the belts into discrete plates and layering them in a predetermined sequence. This inversion of the manufacturing process fundamentally eliminates the winding misalignment problem while achieving the same functional outcome of continuous electrode structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Reliability

If current collecting terminals are welded to each positive electrode plate individually, then each electrode plate has its own current collection path, but the welding work becomes complicated and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrent collecting efficiencyVSAvoidwelding work complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple current collecting terminals from different electrode plates are merged into a single common current collecting terminal. This common terminal is welded to the current collecting portions of multiple electrode plates simultaneously, consolidating what would otherwise require multiple separate welding operations into a single welding step, thereby simplifying manufacturing while maintaining reliable current collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common current collecting terminal serves multiple functions by collecting current from multiple different electrode plates simultaneously. This universal terminal replaces the need for individual dedicated terminals for each electrode plate, reducing the total number of welding operations required while ensuring efficient current collection across all plates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If multiple current collecting terminals are used for multiple active material retaining portions, then each portion has dedicated current collection, but variations in current collecting efficiency occur and the number of welding operations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecurrent collection uniformityVSAvoidmanufacturing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the current collection function across multiple active material retaining portions into a single common current collecting terminal. This consolidation eliminates variations in current collecting efficiency that would arise from using multiple separate terminals, while simultaneously improving manufacturing speed by reducing the number of welding operations required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

By using a common current collecting terminal for all active material retaining portions, the invention achieves homogeneous current collection across all electrode plates. This uniform current collection path eliminates the efficiency variations that would occur with multiple separate terminals, ensuring consistent performance while streamlining the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentUS10468711B2Electrode plate, layered electrode group, and battery

Publication Date: 2019.11.05 GS YUASA INT LTD

AI summary

A layered electrode group according to the present invention includes a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator. The positive electrode plate is formed into a substantial U-shape by disposing two active material retaining portions retaining the positive active material opposite to each other. The negative electrode plate is formed into a substantial U-shape by disposing two active material retaining portions retaining the negative active material opposite to each other. The positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate are layered such that at least one active material retaining portion at the positive electrode plate is sandwiched between two active material retaining portions at the negative electrode plate.