Battery Cell Module Zigzag Contact Plate Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery cell modules in electric vehicles face challenges due to thermal expansion, which leads to stress and potential damage, requiring additional components for spacing and positioning, and existing solutions are not compact or material-efficient.
Innovation Solution
A battery cell module design with elongated cylindrical cells arranged in a zigzag pattern, using contact plates and connectors to maintain spacing for thermal expansion, eliminating the need for additional holders or spacers, and allowing for scalable configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If battery cells are arranged directly adjacent to one another to maximize space utilization, then the energy storage capacity per unit volume increases, but the module cannot accommodate thermal expansion and risks damage to cells and connectors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of contact plates (for electrical connection) and spacing elements (for thermal expansion accommodation) into a single integrated component. The contact plates are designed with specific thicknesses and dimensions that simultaneously provide electrical conductivity and maintain the necessary distance between cells, eliminating the need for separate spacer components and reducing overall module volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact plates serve multiple functions: they provide electrical connection between adjacent cells, maintain spacing to accommodate thermal expansion, and structurally support the cell arrangement. This multi-functional design allows the same component to address both energy density requirements and thermal management needs.
2Reliability
If additional components such as containers or spacers are used to maintain distance between battery cells for thermal expansion, then the reliability against thermal stress improves, but the device complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the spacing function with the electrical connection function by designing contact plates that inherently maintain the required distance between cells while providing electrical conductivity. This integration eliminates separate spacer components and simplifies the overall module structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the spacing function from separate mechanical spacers or container structures and integrates it directly into the electrical connection components (contact plates). This extraction and integration reduces the number of discrete parts and simplifies the assembly process.
3Reliability
If additional components such as containers or spacers are used to maintain distance between battery cells, then the reliability against thermal stress improves, but the material usage and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the spacing function with the electrical connection function by designing contact plates that inherently maintain the required distance between cells while providing electrical conductivity. This integration eliminates separate spacer components and reduces overall material usage and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact plates serve multiple functions including electrical connection, structural support, and thermal expansion accommodation, reducing the need for additional specialized components and thereby reducing total material usage and weight.
4Manufacturing precision
If a container with separate subdivisions is used to hold and separate battery cells, then the positioning precision and thermal expansion management improve, but the device complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the positioning and spacing functions into the contact plates themselves, which are designed with specific dimensions to maintain precise cell positioning and accommodate thermal expansion. This eliminates the need for a separate container structure with subdivisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cell holding and spacing function from a separate container structure and integrates it into the contact plates, simplifying the overall module design while maintaining manufacturing precision.
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 design minimizes lateral distance between cells, maintains necessary spacing for thermal expansion, and eliminates the need for additional components, resulting in a compact, material-saving, and scalable battery cell module suitable for various applications.
Implementation Method 1
the modules heat up considerably during operation, particularly under high loads, and consequently expand. These temperature-dependent changes in volume, in particular in relation to the outer circumference of the battery cells
Data Source
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AI summary
Battery cell module for electrically operated vehicles, which has a plurality of elongate, in particular cylindrical, battery cells, of which the longitudinal axes are aligned in parallel with one another, wherein the battery cells are arranged such that a first row of battery cells extends in parallel with a second row of battery cells, and so two battery cells are opposite each other in pairs in each case, wherein the particular battery cells which are opposite one another are electrically and mechanically rigidly interconnected in each case by means of at least one contact plate. Adjacent contact plates are electrically and mechanically rigidly interconnected by means of at least one contact plate connector.