Battery Enclosure External Short Circuit for Thermal Runaway Mitigation

The patent applies preliminary action by placing conductive elements and insulative layers within the battery pack enclosure that will automatically short-circuit the battery terminals if a conductive object penetrates the enclosure. This preliminary protective mechanism is positioned in advance to activate upon penetration, discharging the battery and preventing thermal runaway, thereby addressing the limitation of conventional shielding that only prevents physical damage but not thermal runaway severity.

The patent introduces an intermediary protective system consisting of conductive elements and insulative layers positioned within the battery pack enclosure. This intermediary mechanism acts as a secondary defense that activates if the primary enclosure is penetrated, creating a short-circuit path that discharges the battery and prevents thermal runaway, thereby complementing the physical shielding and addressing the vulnerability to thermal runaway events.

The patent converts the potential harmful effect of battery penetration into a beneficial outcome by utilizing the conductive object that causes penetration to simultaneously create a short-circuit path through the conductive elements and insulative layers. This transforms the harmful penetration event into a protective action that discharges the battery and prevents thermal runaway, thereby converting the fire risk into a safety mechanism.