Battery Module End Plate Geometry to Prevent Edge Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy storage apparatuses face interference issues between the edges of terminal members and coupling members, leading to stress concentration and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
The energy storage apparatus includes a stack of energy storage devices sandwiched by terminal members and coupled by a coupling member, where the terminal member and coupling member are designed with specific elongated pieces and curved ends to prevent edge interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the terminal member and coupling member are coupled with large binding force to ensure sufficient rigidity, then the rigidity of the energy storage apparatus is improved, but stress concentration occurs at the abutted portion causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by forming a curved surface at the end of the terminal member that opposes the coupling member. This curved surface replaces a sharp edge with a rounded geometry, distributing the binding force over a larger area and eliminating stress concentration points. The curvature allows the terminal member and coupling member to be coupled with sufficient rigidity while preventing damage at the abutted portion.
2Device complexity
If the edges of terminal member and coupling member are designed to intersect for compact structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but interference between edges causes stress concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves edge interference by forming a curved surface at the end of the terminal member. This curved geometry allows the opposing surfaces of the terminal member and coupling member to contact in a tangential manner rather than at intersecting edges, eliminating interference while maintaining structural compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by modifying only the end surface of the terminal member with a curved geometry, while the rest of the structure maintains its original design. This localized modification eliminates edge interference without requiring changes to the overall structural configuration or increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An energy storage apparatus according to the present embodiment includes: a stack of energy storage devices; a pair of terminal members sandwiching the stack in a first direction; and a coupling member coupling, with each other, ends of the terminal members, in which the terminal member includes a plate-shaped terminal-member main-body, the terminal-member main-body includes: a first side elongating along a second direction; and a second side elongating along a third direction, the coupling member includes: a coupling-member main-body adjacent to the stack; a first piece elongating along the stack from an end in the third direction of the coupling-member main-body; a second piece elongating along the terminal-member main-body, from an end in the first direction of the coupling-member main-body; and a coupling portion coupling the first piece and the second piece, and each of a first edge in which the first side is linked to the second side in the terminal-member main-body and a second edge including respective edges of the coupling portion and the second piece includes an opposing portion opposing in a manner to intersect, and an end of at least one of the terminal member and the coupling portion, which includes the opposing portion, is curved with respect to a portion adjacent to that end, so as to be away from an opposing portion of the counterpart.