Battery Pack Enclosure Corner Patch for Stress-Prone SMC Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery pack enclosures in electrified vehicles face structural integrity issues, particularly at corner areas, which are prone to stress and potential damage due to varying loads and environmental factors.
Innovation Solution
A patch made of sheet molding compound is secured to the corner areas of the battery pack enclosure during the forming process, enhancing structural integrity by bonding to the enclosure's corner areas, which can be reinforced with a higher percentage of glass filler than the enclosure itself.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the enclosure corner area is made with standard sheet molding compound, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the structural integrity and resistance to stress are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a patch with higher glass filler content (e.g., 40-60% glass fiber) specifically to the corner area of the enclosure, while the rest of the enclosure uses standard sheet molding compound with lower glass filler content (e.g., 20-30%). This local reinforcement provides enhanced strength and stress resistance at the critical corner area without significantly increasing the complexity of the overall enclosure structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining sheet molding compound with a patch that has different material properties (higher glass filler content). The patch is bonded to the corner area during the forming process, creating a composite structure that leverages the strengths of both materials - the base SMC provides overall structure while the reinforced patch provides localized strength enhancement.
2Reliability
If a patch with higher glass filler content is applied to the corner area, then the stress resistance and durability are improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patch is positioned and prepared in advance before the forming process begins. The patch is placed on the corner area of the enclosure blank, and then the entire assembly is formed in one operation. This preliminary positioning ensures the patch is correctly located and bonded during the forming process, avoiding additional complex manufacturing steps while achieving reliable reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the patch application step with the enclosure forming process into a single integrated operation. The patch is bonded to the corner area during the sheet molding compound forming process, combining two functions (reinforcement and forming) into one manufacturing step, thereby improving durability without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity.
3Strength
If the corner area is reinforced with additional material, then the protection against stress and damage is enhanced, but the weight of the enclosure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement is applied locally only to the corner area where stress concentration occurs, rather than reinforcing the entire enclosure. The patch covers only the critical corner region, providing stress resistance where needed while minimizing the amount of additional material used, thereby limiting the weight increase to a minimum.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material composition parameter (glass filler content) locally in the corner area rather than changing the overall enclosure design. By increasing the glass filler content from 20-30% to 40-60% only in the patch material, the strength is enhanced with minimal weight penalty, as the change is confined to a small localized area rather than the entire enclosure.
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 provides enhanced structural integrity and durability to the battery pack enclosure, particularly at stress-prone corner areas, thereby protecting the battery modules and improving the overall performance and safety of the electrified vehicle.
Implementation Method 1
bonding a patch to the corner area
Data Source
AI summary
A traction battery pack assembly includes, among other things, an enclosure having a lid and a tray. The enclosure has a corner area connecting a first side of the enclosure to a second side of the enclosure. The first side is transverse to the second side. The assembly further includes a patch secured to the corner area.