# US 9,437,861 B2 · Lithium-ion secondary battery having a short-circuit triggering function > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,861 B2 - Document ID: US9437861B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/292,329 - Filed: 2014-05-30 - Published: 2015-01-01 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-01 - Assignees: Ningde Amperex Technology Limited - Applicants: Ningde Amperex Technology Limited - Inventors: Quankun Li; Peng Wang; Pinghua Deng; Junzhong Hu; Jibin Geng; Kai Wu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437861B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 50/103: prismatic or rectangular (H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) - H01M 50/119: Metals - H01M 50/545: formed by the casing of the cells (cup shaped terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section H01M50/56) - H01M 50/588: outside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of terminals or busbars - H01M 50/591: Covers - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract The present disclosure provides a lithium-ion secondary battery, having a case made from a conductive material; a cell received in the case; a cap assembly mounted to the case in a sealing way and equipped with electrode posts electrically connected to the cell, the electrode posts are a positive post and a negative electrode post; an electrolyte injected in the case; and at least one adapter member. Each adapter member is made from a conductive material and it has a connection portion fixedly connected to the corresponding one electrode post equipped to the cap assembly; and a contact portion extending downwardly into a space between the cell and the case from the connection portion at a lateral side of the cell. The contact portion contacts with the case to realize a short-circuit between the electrode posts when the case is crushed under an external force. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lithium-ion secondary battery, comprising: a case made from a conductive material; a cell received in the case, the cell having two main surfaces and two lateral sides; a cap assembly mounted to the case in a sealing way and equipped with electrode posts electrically connected to the cell, the electrode posts being a positive electrode post and a negative electrode post; and an electrolyte injected in the case; at least one adapter member, the each adapter member being made from a conductive material, and the each adapter member comprising: a connection portion fixedly connected to the corresponding one electrode post equipped to the cap assembly; and a pair of contact portions extending downwardly into a space between the cell and the case from the connection portion at a lateral side of the cell, each contact portion contacting with the case to realize a short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under an external force; and an insulative film located between the case and the cell and surrounding the at least one adapter member, wherein the pair of contact portions each define a surface that is perpendicular to the two lateral sides of the cell and parallel to the two main surfaces of the cell, each contact portion is provided with protruded portions distributed along an edge of the contact portion and protruding out of the corresponding surface defined by the contact portion, the protruded portions of the pair of contact portions are configured to point in two opposite directions towards the case such that the protruded portions puncture the insulative film to contact with the case to realize the short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under the external force. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein a shape of each protruded portion is a zigzag or a raised arc. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein a sum of protruding widths of two protruded portions and a width of the adapter member is greater than a width of the cell. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein each of the protruded portions are blade-shaped. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the adapter member is covered with a layer of breakable material which is electrolyte-resistant, the breakable material is broken to allow the contact portion to contact with the case so as to realize the short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under the external force. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 5, wherein breakable material is polyphenylene sulfide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein a material of the adapter member is the same as a material of a current collector of an electrode plate of the cell corresponding to the electrode post electrically connected to the adapter member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the adapter member is provided with an opening between the pair of contact portions, a support member (7) is clamped in the opening. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the adapter member is provided as two in number. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 1, wherein the adapter member is provided as one in number, the corresponding electrode post which is not connected to the adapter member is electrically connected to the case. ### Claim 11 A lithium-ion secondary battery, comprising: a case made from a conductive material, a cell received in the case, a cap assembly mounted to the case in a sealing way and equipped with electrode posts electrically connected to the cell, the electrode posts being a positive electrode post and a negative electrode post, and an electrolyte injected in the case; the lithium-ion secondary battery further comprising: at least one adapter member, the each adapter member being made from a conductive material, and the each adapter member comprising: a connection portion fixedly connected to the corresponding one electrode post equipped to the cap assembly; and a contact portion extending downwardly into a space between the cell and the case from the connection portion at a lateral side of the cell, the contact portion contacting with the case to realize a short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under an external force, wherein the contact portion of the adapter member is provided with a plurality of recessed portions at an outer surface thereof and a plurality of projections respectively provided in the plurality of recessed portions, a top portion of the each projection is flush with or lower than a plane where an opening of the corresponding recessed portion is positioned. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 11, wherein the lithium-ion secondary battery further comprises: an insulative film between the case and the cell and surrounding the adapter member, the contact portion punctures the insulative film to contact with the case so as to realize the short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under the external force. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 11, wherein the adapter member is covered with a layer of breakable material which is electrolyte-resistant, the breakable material is broken to allow the contact portion to contact with the case so as to realize the short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under the external force. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 11, wherein a material of the adapter member is the same as a material of a current collector of an electrode plate of the cell corresponding to the electrode post electrically connected to the adapter member. ### Claim 15 A lithium-ion secondary battery, comprising: a case made from a conductive material; a cell received in the case; a cap assembly mounted to the case in a sealing way and equipped with electrode posts electrically connected to the cell, the electrode posts being a positive electrode post and a negative electrode post; and an electrolyte injected in the case; the lithium-ion secondary battery further comprising: at least one adapter member, the each adapter member being made from a conductive material, and the each adapter member comprising: a connection portion fixedly connected to the corresponding one electrode post equipped to the cap assembly; and a contact portion extending downwardly into a space between the cell and the case from the connection portion at a lateral side of the cell, the contact portion contacting with the case to realize a short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under an external force, wherein the contact portion of the adapter member is provided with a plurality of grooved portions and a plurality of protrusions respectively provided in the plurality of grooved portions at a bottom surface, a top portion of the each protrusion is flush with or lower than a plane where an opening of the corresponding grooved portion is positioned. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 15, wherein the lithium-ion secondary battery further comprises: an insulative film between the case and the cell and surrounding the adapter member, the contact portion punctures the insulative film to contact with the case so as to realize the short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under the external force. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 15, wherein the adapter member is covered with a layer of breakable material which is electrolyte-resistant, the breakable material is broken to allow the contact portion to contact with the case so as to realize the short-circuit between the positive electrode post and the negative electrode post when the case is crushed under the external force. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The lithium-ion secondary battery according to claim 15, wherein a material of the adapter member is the same as a material of a current collector of an electrode plate of the cell corresponding to the electrode post electrically connected to the adapter member.