Battery Cell Holder Structure for Expansion Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

As secondary battery applications require larger capacities, leading to increased battery cell sizes, damage from volume changes during charging becomes a significant issue.

Innovation Solution

A battery cell holder with partition walls, support walls, and protrusions is designed to prevent or mitigate damage by suppressing battery cell expansion. The support walls initially contact the battery cell, while the protrusions only contact the cell when it expands.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If battery cell size is increased to increase energy density, then capacity is improved, but damage from volume changes during charging worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery capacityVSAvoiddamage from volume changes
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The battery cell holder is divided into multiple partition walls that create individual insertion holes for each battery cell. Each partition wall can independently manage the expansion of adjacent battery cells, preventing expansion in one cell from affecting neighboring cells. This segmentation approach allows larger battery cells to be used while controlling the harmful effects of volume changes during charging.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The partition walls are designed with asymmetric structures featuring protrusions on one side and flat surfaces on the other. The protrusions are positioned at specific distances from the center of insertion holes to provide localized support where needed. This local quality differentiation allows the holder to accommodate volume changes in specific areas while maintaining overall structural integrity, enabling larger battery cells without increased damage risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If support structure is added to suppress battery cell expansion, then cell damage is prevented, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell damage preventionVSAvoidholder structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The partition walls serve multiple functions simultaneously: they define insertion holes for battery cell placement, provide structural support to suppress expansion, and include integrated protrusions for localized constraint. By merging these functions into a single component rather than using separate support elements, the design prevents cell damage while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The partition walls are designed as multi-functional elements that perform insertion guidance, structural support, and expansion constraint functions. The same partition wall structure that defines the insertion hole also provides the protrusions for suppressing cell expansion. This universality reduces the number of separate components needed, maintaining simplicity while achieving reliable cell protection.

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

Data Source

PatentEP4521525A1Battery cell holder and battery module including the same
Publication Date: 2025.03.12 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4521525A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4521525A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4521525A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery cell holder includes a plurality of partition walls defining an insertion hole into which a battery cell is inserted, a plurality of support walls positioned between the plurality of partition walls, and a plurality of protrusions formed on the plurality of partition walls, wherein a distance between a center of the insertion hole and the plurality of support walls may be less than a distance between the center of the insertion hole and the plurality of protrusions.