Reducing Deviations in Manufactured EV Batteries
13 patents in this list
Updated:
Imagine an EV with batteries that charge in minutes, safely last over a million miles, and cost a fraction of today's tech. As far-fetched as it sounds, advancements in precision manufacturing, particularly in EV battery production, are making this vision a reality.
Precision techniques allow engineers to fine-tune battery components to optimal specifications unachievable through conventional processes.
1. Laser Welding Jig Assembly with Height Deviation Compensation for EV Battery Manufacturing
LG Chem, Ltd., 2021
Jig assembly for laser welding battery cell leads that compensates for height deviations and improves welding quality. The jig has a tilting mechanism with a hinge and spring that allows the welding contact member to tilt and maintain contact with the cell lead surface even if it is not flat or uniform. This compensates for height deviations and ensures continuous contact between the cell lead and laser for consistent welding quality.
2. Enhanced Sealing Technique for Leak Prevention in Bipolar Electrode Battery Modules
KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI, 2022
Manufacturing an electricity-storage module with improved sealing to prevent electrolyte leakage from the stack of bipolar electrodes. The module has a stacked body of bipolar electrodes with sealing portions at the edges. The sealing portions are surrounded by an injection-molded outer sealing that covers the ends. The outer sealing has flanges contacting the terminal sealing portions. The outer sealing is shaped so that at least one set of flange-terminal overlap from the sides. This prevents pressure deformation of just the terminal sealing portions and reduces the chance of electrolyte leakage.
3. Innovative Manufacturing Method for Uniformly Plated EV Battery Connectors
DAE SAN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., 2020
Method of manufacturing an electrical connector, such as a bus bar for electric vehicles, that has improved electrical properties. The method involves plating the battery terminal connection part before shaping the connector to form a uniform plating layer also on the inner surface of the through hole where the battery electrode passes. This is done by masking and plating just the terminal connection part on a metal plate. After plating, the remaining parts of the connector are formed. This allows mass production without separate plating steps.
4. Enhanced Edge Insulation Method for All-Solid Battery Manufacturing to Prevent Short Circuits
Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, 2019
Manufacturing method for all-solid batteries with enhanced insulation at the edges to prevent short circuits and improve safety. The battery manufacturing involves forming a cathode layer and an anode layer with a larger area. Insulating layers are added at the cathode edges. When the layers are pressed together, the added insulator deforms to form a membrane between the cathode, electrolyte, and outer insulator. This creates an insulating barrier at the cathode edges to prevent short circuits.
5. Scalable Prismatic Battery Cell Design for Uniform Manufacturing
DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC., 2019
A prismatic battery cell design that simplifies manufacturing and enables scalability of battery capacities while minimizing cost. The cell has a front cover with a cavity, a rear cover with a corresponding cavity depth, and an electrode group located in the cavities. The rear cover depth matches the electrode thickness. This allows using a standardized front cover and simply varying rear cover depths for different cell capacities.
6. Innovative Square Lithium-Ion Battery Design with Improved Contact Resistance and Simplified Manufacturing Process
HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD., 2018
A square lithium-ion secondary battery with simplified manufacturing process and reduced contact resistance compared to prior art designs. The battery has a square shape and includes a battery can, lid, generating element, external terminals, and current collectors. The improvement is in the structure of the external terminals and current collector connections to the lid. The external terminals have separate bus bar and current collector joints that are directly mounted on the lid. The current collector joint inserts through a hole in the lid and seals it to prevent electrolyte leakage. This eliminates the need for additional parts like terminal bases and rivet connectors.
7. Zigzag Electrode Tab Design for Improved Weld Joint Reliability in Battery Modules
SK Innovation Co., Ltd., 2018
Battery modules for electric vehicles and grid storage that are easier to assemble and have improved weld joint reliability. The module uses a zigzag bending pattern for the electrode tabs that connect the battery cells. This zigzag shape absorbs vibrations during ultrasonic welding, preventing damage to the cells.
8. Innovative Battery Terminal Design to Minimize Welding-Induced Damage in EV Batteries
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, 2017
Reducing damage to battery cell current collectors during welding to improve overall cell performance and reliability. The method involves designing the battery cell terminal to have an extended portion with a thinner cross-section. When the current collector foils are laser welded to the terminal, the thinner section and protruding foils are fused. This reduces the volume of molten metal that solidifies and shrinks during cooling, avoiding stresses that can tear the foils.
9. Innovative Busbar Connection Method for Improved Consistency in EV Battery Manufacturing
AUDI AG, 2017
An energy storage arrangement for electric vehicles that is more cost-effective to produce than conventional arrangements. The arrangement uses busbars to connect the energy storage cells in series and parallel. The busbars are fastened on the end caps of the cells, rather than on the terminal connections. This eliminates the need for complex and error-prone bonding processes.
10. Innovative Welding Technique to Prevent Heat Damage in Square EV Batteries
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, 2016
Square battery made with a lid having an outer resin member that separates the electrode terminal and an outer surface of the lid. The battery is designed to reduce laser welding heat damage to the outer resin when welding the lid to the case. The method involves temporarily deforming the outer resin before welding, then expanding it afterwards. This increases the distance between the outer resin edge and the welding area, reducing the risk of resin damage from the welding laser.
11. Optimized Dual-Metal Connection Terminals for Electrochemical Accumulators in EV Manufacturing
JOHNSON CONTROLS ADVANCED POWER SOLUTIONS GMBH, 2016
Electrochemical accumulators such as batteries for automotive applications that can be more efficiently designed and manufactured for mass production. The design uses at least one electrical connection terminal made of two interconnected sections of different metals or alloys. This allows optimizing the terminal material for both internal cell contact and external connections. The sections can be friction welded together. This enables using materials best suited for each purpose, preventing corrosion or compatibility issues with the cell while allowing efficient joining for manufacturing.
12. Innovative Welding Method for Enhanced Reliability in EV Battery Modules
SK Innovation Co., Ltd., 2015
Welding a battery module using a novel method to improve reliability and productivity. The method involves cutting spaces in the electrode tabs of the battery cells and inserting the voltage measurement probes into these cut spaces. The probes are then welded to the tabs, using the same material. This allows stable welding of the voltage measurement probes directly to the battery tabs, improving vibration resistance and reliability compared to welding them to the module housing.
13. Busbar Assembly Design for Improved Consistency in EV Battery Connections
YAZAKI CORPORATION, 2012
A busbar assembly for connecting electric vehicle batteries. The assembly includes a busbar that has a battery connecting portion for joining battery electrodes and a circuit body connecting portion for attaching to a circuit board. The core wire of the circuit board is overlapped on the circuit body connecting portion and resistance welded to it.
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