Battery Enclosure Step Surfaces for Type Discrimination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery devices require complex shapes and multiple steps in recesses and protrusions to differentiate types, leading to compatibility issues with various electronic apparatuses, necessitating separate battery devices for different mounting structures.

Innovation Solution

A battery device with a simple structure featuring a rectangular parallelepiped enclosure with step surfaces, engaging portions, and grooves, allowing for type discrimination and compatibility with multiple electronic apparatuses through a common mounting system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If complex shapes with multiple steps are used in recesses and protrusions to differentiate battery types, then type discrimination capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetype discrimination capabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating specific step surfaces at localized positions on the battery case surface. Instead of complex overall shapes, simple step structures are introduced only where needed for type discrimination, maintaining simplicity elsewhere while providing differentiation capability at specific locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the battery case surface into distinct step surfaces at different heights. This segmentation creates multiple distinguishable levels that enable type discrimination without requiring complex overall case shapes, thus simplifying the overall structure while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If complex shapes with multiple steps are used in recesses and protrusions to differentiate battery types, then type discrimination capability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetype discrimination capabilityVSAvoidshape precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By concentrating differentiation features into localized step surfaces rather than complex overall shapes, the patent reduces the cumulative precision requirements. Each step surface can be manufactured independently with standard tolerances, avoiding the need for high-precision complex geometries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If separate battery devices are designed for different mounting structures, then compatibility with specific electronic apparatuses is improved, but adaptability across multiple apparatuses decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting compatibilityVSAvoidmulti-apparatus compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universality by designing a standardized mounting interface with step surfaces that can accommodate multiple electronic apparatus types. The step surfaces provide differentiation while the overall mounting structure remains compatible across different devices, allowing one battery design to serve multiple apparatuses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the mounting interface into standardized base structures and variable step surface features. This allows the core mounting mechanism to remain universal while the step surfaces provide specific compatibility for different apparatus types, achieving both reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of manufacture

If simple structures are used for battery enclosures, then ease of manufacture is improved, but type discrimination capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidtype discrimination capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains simple overall enclosure structures for ease of manufacture while introducing localized step surfaces specifically for type discrimination. This localized addition of features preserves manufacturing simplicity while achieving the necessary differentiation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the battery structure into simple main body portions for easy manufacturing and separate step surface features for type discrimination. This segmentation allows the majority of the structure to be manufactured simply while adding differentiation capability through discrete step elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10326116B2Battery device, electronic apparatus, and battery system

Publication Date: 2019.06.18 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

Disclosed is a battery device including a battery enclosure incorporating a battery cell. The battery device further includes an output terminal that outputs power of the battery cell. The battery enclosure includes a first surface, a second surface, a first step surface, a second step surface, a first engaging portion, a second engaging portion, a first groove, and a second groove formed in the second step surface and the second engaging portion, and a recess is provided in at least one of the first step surface and the second step surface.