Modular Battery Clip with Vent Channels for Thermal Runaway Isolation

Solution Overview

Problem

Electric battery packs face challenges in manufacturing efficiency, cost reduction, and safety due to the risk of thermal runaway and chain reactions in battery cells, which can lead to ruptures and damage to surrounding cells, necessitating improved passive propagation resistance.

Innovation Solution

A modular clip design for electric battery modules that includes a base portion with walls and channels to receive battery cells, featuring openings around the bottom vent of each cell to facilitate heat and gas escape, thereby reducing the risk of thermal runaway and enhancing passive propagation resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If battery cells are densely packed to improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs, then productivity and cost reduction are improved, but the risk of thermal runaway propagation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The battery pack is divided into multiple modular clips, each containing a subset of battery cells. This segmentation isolates thermal runaway events to individual clips or small groups of clips, preventing chain reactions across the entire battery pack while maintaining high cell density for manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The modular clip structure acts as an intermediary barrier between adjacent battery cells. The clip walls and base portion with vent channels provide a physical and thermal buffer that interrupts heat transfer pathways, thereby preventing thermal runaway propagation while allowing dense cell arrangement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If traditional battery pack designs are used to maintain simple structure, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to manage heat and gas release from rupturing cells is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The modular clip combines multiple functions into a single component: mechanical cell retention, thermal management through vent channels, and structural support. This integration provides effective heat and gas release management without significantly increasing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The base portion of the modular clip incorporates vent channels that provide controlled pathways for gas and heat release. This porous-like structure allows harmful thermal runaway byproducts to escape in a controlled manner rather than causing uncontrolled damage to surrounding cells.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Volume of moving object

If battery cells are arranged in compact configurations to reduce pack size, then volume is reduced, but the passive propagation resistance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the battery pack into modular clips with internal spacing, the design achieves compact overall volume while maintaining safe distances between cells within each clip. The segmentation creates natural fire breaks that preserve passive propagation resistance despite high cell density.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The modular clip structure utilizes three-dimensional space efficiently by arranging cells in compact configurations within the clip boundaries while using the vertical and lateral dimensions of the clip walls and base to provide thermal barriers, thus achieving small volume with maintained safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 modular clip design improves manufacturing efficiency, reduces costs, and enhances safety by effectively managing heat and gas release from battery cells, preventing chain reactions and ensuring safer battery pack operations.

Implementation Method 1

Each channel may be configured to enable heat or gas escaping from the bottom vent of the battery cell to vent away from an interior of the modular clip

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

Each channel may be configured to enable heat or gas escaping from the bottom vent of the battery cell to vent away from an interior of the modular clip

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS10305078B1Battery module with vent path

Publication Date: 2019.05.28

AI summary

Aspects of a modular clip for an electric battery, a battery module comprising multiple of such modular clips, and a battery pack comprising multiple battery modules are provided. The modular clip is configured to receive a plurality of battery cells and includes a base portion and a first and second wall extending from the base portion along a length of the modular clip. The plurality of battery cells may be received between the first wall and the second wall of the modular clip. A plurality of openings may be formed in the base portion of the modular clip, each opening being configured to extend around a bottom vent of a battery cell. Channels may also be formed in the base portion and/or base plate that are configured to enable heat or gas escaping from the bottom vent of the battery cell to vent away from an interior of the modular clip.