Battery Housing With Segmented Assembly Flanges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery housings for electric vehicles face challenges in maximizing on-board battery volume without increasing manufacturing complexity or cost, while ensuring safety and moisture protection to prevent short circuits and fires.
Innovation Solution
The battery housing design features assembly flanges with varying widths, where sections of maximum width engage with reduced-width sections of adjacent flanges, allowing for a more efficient connection and increased battery volume, achieved through a toothed design that reduces material usage and simplifies the assembly process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the assembly flange width is increased to maximize battery volume, then the battery capacity and range are improved, but the manufacturing complexity and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly flange is segmented into multiple width sections (first width section with larger width, second width section with smaller width) along the side wall. This segmentation allows the flange to provide sufficient engagement surface area for battery volume while reducing material usage and manufacturing complexity in non-critical areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the assembly flange are assigned different widths based on local functional requirements. The first width section provides enhanced engagement where needed, while the second width section reduces material usage where full width is not required, optimizing the balance between battery volume and manufacturing complexity.
2Strength
If the assembly flange width is increased to ensure structural integrity and safety, then the connection strength is improved, but the weight and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly flange is divided into width sections that provide sufficient connection strength at critical engagement points while reducing material and weight in non-critical areas, achieving the required structural integrity without excessive weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange width is optimized locally - larger width where connection strength is critical for safety, smaller width where full strength is not required - thereby minimizing overall weight while maintaining necessary structural integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the assembly flange design is simplified to reduce manufacturing cost, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the battery volume optimization capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The assembly flange is segmented into different width sections that can be manufactured using standard extrusion processes, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while optimizing battery volume through the varied width configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange design incorporates local quality variations in width that are achieved through conventional manufacturing methods, allowing battery volume optimization without requiring complex or expensive manufacturing processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery housing for an electric-motor-driven vehicle comprising a tub part. The tub part has a bottom, side walls formed thereon, and an assembly flange which protrudes outward from the side walls. The assembly flange of at least one side wall reaches the maximum width thereof only in some sections. In contrast, the assembly flange has only a reduced width in the other sections. In addition, the battery housing comprises at least two tub parts, which are brought into engagement by means of the assembly flanges thereof facing each other.