Battery Module Frame Steps for Rigidity Without Added Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medium and large-sized battery modules require increased rigidity to withstand the weight and external impacts of multiple battery cells, particularly in large-area configurations.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a frame member with step regions and a bus bar frame that includes supports corresponding to protruded parts of the battery cells, enhancing rigidity and insulation while reducing thickness and improving protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the frame member is made thicker to increase rigidity, then the rigidity of the frame member is improved, but the weight and size of the battery module increase
Solution Approach 1:
The frame member is segmented into multiple thickness regions (first thickness region and second thickness region) along the stacking direction of battery cells. The first thickness region has a greater thickness to provide enhanced rigidity where needed, while the second thickness region has a reduced thickness to minimize weight. This segmentation allows the frame member to achieve the necessary rigidity for supporting multiple battery cells without uniformly increasing the thickness and weight of the entire frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame member exhibits local quality variations in thickness to optimize the balance between rigidity and weight. The first thickness region is localized at specific positions where structural support is most critical, while other regions maintain reduced thickness. This localized thickening approach provides the necessary rigidity enhancement only where required, rather than increasing the overall weight of the entire frame member.
2Strength
If a frame member with increased rigidity is used to support multiple battery cells, then the weight of battery cells can be withstood, but the complexity of the frame member structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame member is divided into distinct thickness regions along the battery cell stacking direction, creating a stepped configuration. This segmentation into a first thickness region and second thickness region allows the structure to bear the weight of multiple battery cells while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through a straightforward geometric variation rather than complex reinforcements or additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame member utilizes a composite structure combining regions of different thicknesses within a single integrated component. This composite approach to the frame geometry enables the structure to achieve enhanced load-bearing capacity for supporting multiple battery cells without requiring multiple separate parts or complex assembly procedures, thus balancing structural capability with manufacturing simplicity.
3Volume of moving object
If the frame member thickness is reduced to minimize size, then the weight and size are decreased, but the rigidity and protection capability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The frame member is segmented into a first thickness region with greater thickness for protection and a second thickness region with reduced thickness for size minimization. This segmentation allows the frame to provide adequate protection against external impacts at critical locations while maintaining a compact overall size, thus resolving the contradiction between size reduction and protection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame member applies local quality enhancement by concentrating greater thickness in the first thickness region where protection is most needed, while reducing thickness in the second thickness region to minimize overall size. This localized approach ensures that protection capability is maintained at critical areas without requiring uniform thickness throughout, thereby achieving size reduction without proportionally sacrificing protection.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes: a battery cell stacked member in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; a bus bar frame respectively connected to the front and rear surfaces of the battery cell stacked member; and a frame member accommodating the battery cell stacked member to which the bus bar frame is mounted, wherein one side of the bottom part of the frame member includes at least two step regions, at least two step regions are spaced apart in the same direction as the direction in which the battery cells are stacked, and the bus bar frame includes a support positioned to correspond to the step region.