Battery Bus Bar Assembly With Extended Current Path Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
In battery modules, heat generation on the current path of the bus bar assembly leads to deformation and damage due to high electric resistance, especially in high-power environments, and increasing the cross-sectional area is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A bus bar assembly with a frame that includes a penetrating hole for electrode leads, a depressed structure for wide contact, a spring for pressurization, and a hook structure for stable fixation, which increases the current path area and reduces resistance, and uses laser welding for reliable bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cross-sectional area of the bus bar current path is increased to reduce heat generation, then heat resistance decreases and reliability improves, but manufacturing cost increases due to thicker members or additional connecting components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the bus bar structure in the longitudinal direction by adding a connection extending portion that protrudes from the main body. This dimensional extension increases the effective current path area without requiring increased thickness, thereby reducing electrical resistance and heat generation while maintaining cost-effective manufacturing with standard gauge bus bar materials.
2Ease of manufacture
If the bus bar structure is simplified to reduce manufacturing complexity, then ease of manufacture improves, but the current path area decreases leading to increased heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar is segmented into distinct functional portions: a main body for structural support and terminal connections, and a connection extending portion for optimized current flow. This segmentation allows each part to be designed for its specific function, with the extending portion specifically optimized to increase current path area and reduce heat generation, while the overall structure remains simple and manufacturable.
3Power
If high current is applied in high power environment, then power output increases, but the bus bar deforms or connected components are damaged due to heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of high current into a beneficial design feature by extending the connection portion. This extension creates a larger current path area that actively dissipates the heat generated by high current flow, transforming the potential harmful thermal effect into a managed thermal characteristic that maintains structural integrity during high power operation.
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 configuration reduces heat generation, prevents deformation and damage, increases the life and stability of the battery module, and enhances the reliability and efficiency of the welding process while maintaining low manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a spring configured to pressurize the pressurizing bus bar in a direction where the end portions of the plurality of electrode leads are located
Implementation Method 2
uses laser welding for reliable bonding
Implementation Method 3
heat generation on a current path of a module bus bar mounted on a bus bar assembly is reduced
Implementation Method 4
heat generation on a current path of a module bus bar mounted on a bus bar assembly is reduced
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a battery module in which heat generation of a current path of a module bus bar mounted on a bus bar assembly is reduced. The battery module includes: a cell assembly including a plurality of secondary batteries that each include a plurality of electrode leads and are stacked in at least one direction; and a bus bar assembly including: a module bus bar including an upper plate portion and a lower plate portion that electrically connect the plurality of secondary batteries and the module terminal and each have at least one region separated from each other, a connection extending portion that extends to one side end portion of each of the upper plate portion and the lower plate portion, and a bent connecting portion that is combined to the module terminal provided at a top of the upper plate portion; and a pressurizing bus bar pressurizing the plurality of electrode leads such that end portions of the plurality of electrode leads closely contact the lower plate portion.