Battery Pack Case Damage Detection Using BMS Voltage Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery pack cases are not effectively detected for physical damage from external impacts, leading to potential ignition or explosion due to foreign matter entering damaged areas.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack with a built-in BMS that includes a conductive member and sensing wire to measure voltage changes, determining case damage by comparing measured voltage to a calculated reference voltage, with conductive members connected in series and sealed with insulating material to prevent short circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a battery pack case is made of metal or plastic to protect fragile batteries, then the batteries are protected from physical damage, but the case may suffer from external impact damage that goes undetected, leading to potential ignition or explosion
Solution Approach 1:
A conductive member is introduced as an intermediary element between the case interior and the BMS system. This conductive member serves as a sensor that detects case damage by measuring voltage changes when the case is compromised, enabling the BMS to identify damage without directly monitoring the case structure itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical damage detection with an electrical measurement system. Instead of using mechanical sensors or direct structural monitoring, the system uses voltage measurements through the conductive member to detect case damage, substituting a mechanical detection approach with an electrical one
2Device complexity
If the BMS only monitors electrical connections, then the system remains simple, but it cannot detect physical damage to the case that may lead to safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The conductive member serves multiple functions: it acts as an electrical connection element within the BMS system and simultaneously functions as a damage sensor. By making the existing conductive structure multi-functional, the system gains case damage detection capability without adding separate dedicated sensing components, thus maintaining system simplicity while improving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the electrical connection function and the damage sensing function into a single integrated system. The conductive member that is already part of the BMS electrical architecture is utilized dual-purpose, combining structural/electrical connectivity with damage detection functionality
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
Effectively detects physical damage to the battery pack case, preventing ignition and explosion by determining voltage changes indicative of case deformation or disconnection.
Implementation Method 1
a BMS (battery management system) configured to detect damage to the case, wherein the BMS includes a voltage output terminal configured to output a predetermined voltage, a ground terminal, and a voltage measurement terminal configured to measure voltage
Data Source
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Figure 2(a)~2(b)
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AI summary
A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a case in which a plurality of battery cells are accommodated, and a BMS configured to detect damage to the case, wherein the BMS includes a voltage output terminal configured to output a predetermined voltage, a ground terminal, and a voltage measurement terminal configured to measure voltage, wherein the case includes a conductive member having one end connected to the voltage output terminal of the BMS and the other end connected to the ground terminal of the BMS, and a sensing wire having one end connected to the conductive member and the other end connected to the voltage measurement terminal of the BMS, wherein the conductive member is provided between one surface inside the case and the other surface opposite to the one surface.