Battery Module Bracket Layout for Flange Stress Relief

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery devices with flange structures experience stress concentration issues due to a smaller contact area, leading to poor structural stability and reliability when batteries are accommodated in a battery device.

Innovation Solution

The battery device incorporates brackets that contact the top, bottom, and second side surfaces of each battery, with a height greater than or equal to the flange structure, increasing the contact area and locating part of the bracket between adjacent flange structures to alleviate stress concentration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the battery uses a flange structure for mounting, then the battery can be easily accommodated in the battery device, but the contact area with other structures is smaller causing stress concentration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of accommodationVSAvoidstructural stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a bracket as an intermediary component between the battery flange structure and the battery device housing. The bracket has a first contact surface that contacts the flange structure and a second contact surface that contacts the housing, effectively mediating the connection and distributing stress away from the fragile flange structure while maintaining ease of accommodation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The bracket extends in the height direction (third direction) perpendicular to both the battery flange and the housing contact surface, adding a vertical dimension to the connection. This dimensional extension allows the bracket to span between the flange structure and housing, increasing the effective contact area and distributing stress across multiple surfaces including the top, bottom, and side surfaces of the battery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Volume of moving object

If the flange structure width is kept small, then the battery design is compact, but the contact area with structures is reduced leading to stress concentration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery compactnessVSAvoidcontact area
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket serves as a mediator that decouples the flange structure dimensions from the required contact area. The bracket's own structure (with extended height and wide contact surfaces) provides the necessary contact area without requiring the flange structure itself to be larger, thus maintaining battery compactness while increasing strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The contact function is segmented between two components: the flange structure (maintaining compact dimensions) and the bracket (providing extended contact area). This segmentation allows each component to optimize its own dimensions for its specific function, with the bracket bearing the structural load while the flange maintains compactness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If brackets are added to increase contact area, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides structural support, stress distribution, positioning, and potential thermal management functions. By consolidating multiple functions into a single bracket component, the patent improves structural stability without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the bracket replaces or supplements existing structural elements rather than adding entirely new functional systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4312304A1Battery device
Publication Date: 2024.01.31 CALB GROUP CO LTD
  • EP4312304A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4312304A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4312304A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery device includes batteries (100) arranged in a first direction (X). Each battery (100) includes a top surface (101), a bottom surface (102), two first side surfaces (103) perpendicular to the first direction (X), and two second side surfaces (104) parallel to the first direction (X). Each battery (100) has a flange structure (110) arranged along at least one of the top surface (101), the bottom surface (102), and the second side surfaces (104). The battery device further includes brackets (200) contacting at least one of the top surface (101), the bottom surface (102), and the second side surfaces (104). The height of each bracket (200) is greater than or equal to the height of the flange structure (110). At least a part of each bracket (200) is located between at least a part of the flange structures (110) of adjacent batteries (100).