Battery Housing Regulating Members for T-Shape Pack Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs with T-shape cross sections, such as those with three battery cells arranged in a triangular manner, often lead to incorrect orientation during insertion into the battery housing portion, reducing user efficiency due to the similarity in cross-sectional shape between two and three cell configurations, making it difficult for operators to correctly align the battery pack.
Innovation Solution
The battery pack features a T-shape cross section with a pair of grooves defining right-angular corners, and corresponding regulating members within the battery housing portion that ensure correct orientation by preventing insertion in the wrong orientation, along with a stepped positioning convex portion and engaging members for secure fixation, minimizing handle size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a battery pack with T-shape cross section (three battery cells arranged in triangular manner) is used, then the battery capacity is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in correct orientation during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces asymmetric features (regulating members with right-angular corners and grooves) on the battery pack and battery housing portion to create an asymmetric mating relationship. This asymmetric design ensures that the battery pack can only be inserted in the correct orientation, eliminating the problem of incorrect insertion while maintaining the T-shape cross section configuration for improved battery capacity.
2Ease of operation
If regulating members are added to ensure correct orientation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding regulating members only at specific locations (the open end of the battery housing portion) where orientation control is needed, rather than redesigning the entire structure. The regulating members with right-angular corners and corresponding grooves are localized features that provide orientation guidance without requiring complex mechanisms throughout the entire battery pack or housing.
3Quantity of substance
If the battery pack is designed with T-shape cross section, then the battery capacity is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirement increases to ensure proper fit with regulating members
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the orientation control function into distinct regulatory members (protrusions with right-angular corners) on one side and corresponding grooves on the other side. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently with standard tolerances, and the fit is achieved through the geometric complementarity of the protrusions and grooves rather than requiring high-precision machining of the entire battery pack.
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery housing portion S includes regulating members 30 adapted to fit grooves of a battery pack having a T-shape cross section, so that the battery pack can be housed in the battery housing portion S in the state that the both regulating members 30 fit the grooves. The regulating members 30 regulate housing orientation of the battery pack 20, so that misjudgment about orientation of the battery pack 20 is prevented. In addition, if the orientation has been misjudged, an operator can notice such misjudgment immediately, thereby improving the operability during mounting the battery pack 20.