Battery Cell Retention Frame With Flex Walls and Rigid Top
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery pack designs for cylindrical cells face challenges in securely holding cells in place, particularly at the top where electrical connections are made, leading to potential misalignment and damage of connections due to lack of mechanical rigidity.
Innovation Solution
A battery module frame with a rigid top and compliant flex wall that applies a radial load to secure each cell, featuring notches and tapered crush ribs to accommodate misalignment and varying cell sizes, ensuring stable positioning and electrical connection integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid frame structure is used to hold battery cells, then the electrical connections are maintained in stable position, but the cells cannot accommodate misalignment or varying orientations during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure employs different rigidity characteristics in different regions: the top portion is rigid to maintain electrical connection stability, while the side walls incorporate compliant portions with flex walls that can deform to accommodate cell insertion from various orientations. This local differentiation of mechanical properties resolves the contradiction between stability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame is divided into functionally distinct segments: a rigid top section for electrical connection maintenance and compliant side wall sections with flex walls for adaptive cell retention. This segmentation allows each part to optimize its mechanical properties for its specific function, enabling both connection stability and installation flexibility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a compliant flex wall is used to accommodate cell insertion, then the installation tolerance is improved, but the radial load application may compromise electrical connection stability
Solution Approach 1:
The flex wall is positioned in the side walls away from the top electrical connection area, allowing it to provide compliance for cell insertion while the rigid top portion maintains electrical connection stability. The localized compliance does not compromise the rigid connection-maintaining structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame separates the compliance function (flex wall in side walls) from the stability function (rigid top), allowing each to perform its role independently without interfering with the other. The segmented design enables both insertion tolerance and connection stability simultaneously.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the frame is designed to accommodate varying cell diameters, then the adaptability to different cell sizes is improved, but the precision of cell positioning may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The flex wall acts as a flexible element that can deform to accommodate cells of varying diameters during insertion, then returns to its original position to provide consistent radial loading and precise positioning. The flexible membrane approach allows size adaptation without sacrificing positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The flex wall provides dynamic adaptation during cell insertion by deforming to match different cell diameters, then stabilizes to provide consistent positioning forces. This dynamic response enables both size accommodation and precision positioning throughout the cell's operational lifecycle.
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
The frame effectively maintains cell position and electrical connections, allowing for efficient assembly and reducing the risk of connection damage, even with less-than-ideal orientations and varying cell diameters.
Implementation Method 1
The enclosure includes a compliant portion which forms a flex wall. The flex wall flexes to apply a radial load on a battery cell installed in the enclosure.
Data Source
AI summary
A device is disclosed. The device is a battery module frame. The battery module frame includes a rigid top integrated with an enclosure which surrounds a cavity into which a battery cell fits. The enclosure includes a compliant portion which forms a flex wall. The flex wall flexes to apply a radial load on a battery cell installed in the enclosure. The radial load applied by the flex wall secures the battery cell in the enclosure. The rigid top maintains the top of a battery cell installed in the battery cell holding frame in a stationary position to maintain electrical connections on the battery cells. The device further includes a frame of multiple enclosures defining multiple cell cavities for holding battery cells. The rigid top maintains the top of each battery cell installed in the frame in a stationary position to maintain electrical connections on the battery cells.