Battery Pack Top Cover Buffer Structure for Cell Swelling Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to enhance the safety and reliability of secondary battery assemblies and packs, particularly in mobility applications, by mitigating swelling forces and distributing pressure to prevent damage to fastening components.
Innovation Solution
A battery assembly design featuring a frame with buffer spaces between the top cover and side covers, which includes flanges fastened to external support structures, to dampen and distribute swelling forces, thereby reducing pressure on fastening bolts and improving uniformity of surface pressure on battery cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If battery cells are stacked and fixed in a rigid frame, then structural stability is improved, but swelling forces cause increased pressure on fastening components leading to potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates buffer spaces between the battery cells and the frame structure before swelling occurs. These buffer spaces act as pre-designed cushioning zones that absorb the expansion forces when battery cells swell during charging cycles, preventing direct transmission of swelling forces to fastening bolts and brackets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces buffer spaces as intermediary elements between the battery cells and the rigid frame structure. These buffer spaces serve as mediators that decouple the direct mechanical connection, allowing the frame to maintain structural stability while preventing swelling forces from being transmitted to fastening components.
2Reliability
If buffer spaces are added between the top cover and side covers, then swelling force mitigation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the frame structure into modular components (side covers, top cover, bottom cover) with buffer spaces integrated between them. This segmentation allows each component to be independently designed and manufactured, and the buffer spaces are created simply by spacing components apart rather than adding separate complex structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer spaces serve multiple functions simultaneously: they mitigate swelling forces, provide thermal management pathways, and allow for manufacturing tolerances. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated structures, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein relates to a battery pack including: a pack housing including a first support structure; and a battery assembly accommodated within the pack housing, wherein the battery assembly includes: a cell block comprising a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction; a frame including a first side cover and a second side cover spaced apart in the first direction with the cell block interposed therebetween; and a top cover including a central part coupled to the frame to cover the cell block and a first outer part protruding outwardly from the first side cover, wherein the first outer part is fastened to the first support structure, wherein a first buffer space extending in the first direction is provided between the first outer part of the top cover and the first side cover.