Battery Cell Interconnect Assembly with Removable Spade Clips

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assemblies lack an efficient and easily configurable solution for coupling battery cells in series while providing reliable voltage sensing, which complicates the integration with battery management systems.

Innovation Solution

A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly featuring a plastic frame member with elongated apertures and central walls, coupled with removable wire harness assemblies and spade clips, allows for easy electrical and physical connections between battery cells and their terminals, enabling series coupling and voltage sensing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional rigid wire harness assemblies are used to couple battery cells in series, then electrical connections are established, but the assembly complexity increases and integration with battery management systems becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wire harness assembly is divided into modular components: individual spade clips that can be independently attached to interconnect members, and a connector portion that interfaces with the battery management system. This segmentation allows for easier assembly and integration while maintaining reliable electrical connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The wire harness assembly is designed to be removable and reconfigurable, transitioning from a fixed rigid structure to a dynamic modular system. The spade clips can be attached or detached from interconnect members, and the entire assembly can be removed and reinstalled, providing flexibility in assembly and integration processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Strength

If complex interconnect structures are used to provide both mechanical support and electrical connection, then structural integrity is improved, but the ease of manufacture and assembly decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidassembly ease
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The interconnect structure is segmented into distinct functional components: frame members providing mechanical support, interconnect members establishing electrical connections, and spade clips enabling flexible attachment. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using optimized processes and simplifies the overall assembly process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frame members and interconnect members are combined into an integrated assembly where the frame provides both mechanical support and mounting structures for the interconnect members. This merging maintains structural integrity while simplifying manufacture by reducing the number of separate parts that need to be handled during assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If integrated voltage sensing is incorporated into the interconnect assembly, then battery management system integration is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery management system integrationVSAvoidinterconnect assembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connector portion of the wire harness assembly serves multiple functions: it provides electrical connections to the battery management system, incorporates voltage sensing capabilities, and offers a standardized interface for integration. This multi-functionality improves adaptability without significantly increasing complexity by consolidating multiple functions into a single integrated component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The wire harness assembly acts as an intermediary between the battery cells and the battery management system, incorporating voltage sensing capabilities within this intermediate layer. This approach allows voltage monitoring without modifying the battery cells themselves or the battery management system, maintaining simplicity while improving integration and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3193387B1Battery cell interconnecting and voltage sensing assembly, and battery module
Publication Date: 2023.07.19 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP3193387B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3193387B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3193387B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly having a plastic frame member having a plate portion and a central wall is provided. The central wall defines an interior region. The assembly further includes a first interconnect member that is coupled to the plate portion that is electrically coupled to a first electrical terminal of a first battery cell. The first interconnect member has a spade lug. The assembly further includes a removable wire harness assembly having an adaptor body, a spade clip, and an electrical cable. The spade clip is disposed in an aperture of the adapter member. The spade clip is electrically and physically coupled to the spade lug of the first interconnect member when the adapter member is at least partially disposed in the interior region.