Battery Module Cooling Assembly With Spacer-Controlled TIM Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery module units face challenges in maintaining uniform thickness of the heat conductive material between the battery module and the cooler, which affects proper positioning and heat exchange efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A battery module unit design that includes spacers disposed between the battery modules and the cooler, along with heat conductive materials, is used to maintain uniform thickness and improve heat exchange efficiency by using holding members to adjust the distance between the modules and the cooler.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a heat conductive material is applied between the battery module and the cooler, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but the thickness of the heat conductive material becomes difficult to control uniformly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spacers as intermediary elements between the battery module and the cooler. These spacers serve as positioning fixtures that maintain a predetermined distance, ensuring uniform thickness of the heat conductive material layer. The spacers act as mediators that translate the design intent for uniform heat conductive material thickness into actual manufacturing practice, solving the control difficulty without compromising heat exchange efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are pre-installed on the cooler surface before the heat conductive material is applied. This preliminary positioning action establishes the correct thickness reference in advance, guiding the subsequent application of the heat conductive material to achieve uniform thickness. The preliminary placement of spacers prevents thickness variation during the heat conductive material application process.
2Manufacturing precision
If the thickness of the heat conductive material is not controlled uniformly, then positioning of the battery module and cooler cannot be properly performed, but adding positioning mechanisms increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The spacers serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as positioning fixtures to ensure proper spacing, serve as guides for applying the heat conductive material uniformly, and function as structural elements that maintain the predetermined distance between the battery module and cooler. This multi-functionality achieves accurate positioning without adding complex dedicated positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers act as simple intermediary elements that facilitate positioning between the battery module and cooler. Rather than implementing complex positioning systems, the spacers provide a straightforward mechanical reference that enables proper alignment and spacing, reducing overall device complexity while achieving the required positioning accuracy.
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 solution ensures uniform thickness of the heat conductive material, enhancing cooling performance and preventing deformation of the cooler, thereby improving thermal management in battery modules.
Implementation Method 1
a heat conductive material disposed between each of the battery modules and the cooler, each of the heat conductive materials being configured to conduct heat of the corresponding battery module to the cooler
Data Source
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AI summary
The thickness of a heat conductive material can be made uniform. A battery module unit includes: a pair of battery modules disposed in parallel to each other in a state in which the battery modules are opposed to each other; a cooler disposed between the pair of the battery modules in parallel to the battery modules, the cooler being configured to cool the battery modules; a heat conductive material disposed between each of the battery modules and the cooler, each of the heat conductive materials being configured to conduct heat of the corresponding battery module to the cooler; a pair of holding members configured to hold corresponding ends of each of the pair of the battery modules; and spacers disposed between one of the battery modules and the cooler together with the heat conductive material.