Modular Battery Assembly Cell Arrangement Flexibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery assembly configurations have limited flexibility in arranging electric cells, requiring significant redesign and costly mold changes for variations in cell number or arrangement, which hinders cost-effective small quantity production and simplifies assembly.

Innovation Solution

A battery assembly design featuring first and second caps attached to electric cells, with corresponding holders that allow easy repositioning and rearrangement of cells without altering the holder shapes, enabling high flexibility in cell arrangement and assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the case and cover are made of resin and redesigned for different cell arrangements, then the cell arrangement flexibility is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to new molds

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecell arrangement flexibilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The battery assembly is divided into modular units where individual electric cells can be independently arranged and repositioned within the case, allowing flexible configurations without redesigning the entire structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The case and cover are designed as universal components that can accommodate multiple cell arrangements and numbers, eliminating the need for different molds for different configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If through holes are provided in exterior plates and protrusions on electric cells for vibration proofing, then the vibration resistance is improved, but the assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration resistanceVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electric cells are equipped with protrusions that automatically align with and fit into corresponding recesses in the case and cover during assembly, enabling self-positioning and self-fixing without complex alignment procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of providing through holes in the exterior plates and fitting protrusions through them, the design inverts the approach by providing recesses in the case and cover that receive protrusions from the electric cells, simplifying the assembly process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS9257687B2Battery assembly

Publication Date: 2016.02.09 GS YUASA INT LTD

AI summary

A battery assembly includes a plurality of electric cells each having an external terminal at one end thereof, a first cap attached to the one end of each of the electric cells and a first holder attached to the plurality of electric cells and is in contact with the first caps.