Assembled Battery Inner Outer Frame Sandwich Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of high-voltage or large-capacity batteries using multiple unit cells is complex and costly, with issues such as increased part costs, weight, and difficulty in replacing defective cells, due to the need for numerous conductive connections and the challenge of managing thermal and vibrational stresses, as well as ensuring reliable electrical connections and cooling airflow.
Innovation Solution
A battery design featuring a frame structure with an inner and two outer frames that sandwich unit cells for easy assembly and cooling, with bus bars and voltage detection lead wires fixed to the inner frame, allowing for simplified assembly, reduced part complexity, improved cooling, and enhanced vibration resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If direct welding or plastic deformation is used to connect bus bars to reduce the number of conductive members, then the number of parts and assembly cost are reduced, but reliability decreases because all unit cells must be handled as defective if one cell has a defect
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into modular units where each unit cell can be independently connected and disconnected. The conductive members are designed to allow individual cell replacement without affecting the entire battery system, enabling segmentation of the electrical connection system into replaceable modules.
2Reliability
If multiple screw connections are used to allow replacement of defective unit cells, then reliability is improved, but part cost, assembly cost, and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple fastening functions are merged into a single integrated conductive member structure. The conductive member combines electrical connection and mechanical fastening functions, eliminating the need for separate screw connections while maintaining the ability to replace individual unit cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductive member is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as an electrical conductor and as a mechanical fastening element. This universal component performs multiple functions simultaneously, reducing the total number of parts required in the system.
3Volume of moving object
If unit cells are tightly packed to reduce volume, then space efficiency is improved, but cooling performance deteriorates because cooling air cannot pass through spaces between unit cells
Solution Approach 1:
The battery assembly uses local quality variation by providing different spacing configurations in different regions. Critical areas maintain adequate spacing for cooling airflow, while non-critical areas are compacted to reduce overall volume. The frame structure creates localized cooling channels where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling approach transitions from relying solely on inter-cell spacing to utilizing a three-dimensional cooling framework. The frame structure introduces vertical and lateral cooling pathways, allowing cooling air to flow through multiple dimensions rather than only through horizontal gaps between cells.
4Ease of manufacture
If a single outer frame is used to hold unit cells, then assembly is simplified, but vibration resistance and structural stability are insufficient for high-power mobile applications
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure is segmented into an outer frame and an inner frame that are positioned at different locations. This segmentation allows each frame component to perform specific structural functions, with the inner frame providing additional support and vibration resistance while maintaining assembly simplicity through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner frame is nested within the outer frame structure, creating a layered framework system. This nested configuration provides enhanced structural stability and vibration resistance while maintaining a compact overall form factor and facilitating straightforward assembly through hierarchical positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an assembled battery with reduced weight and high reliability that can achieve improvement of assembling easiness at low cost. An assembled battery is provided with a frame holding a plurality of unit cells 14 having positive polarity at one end and negative polarity at the other end. The frame is composed of two outer frames 2 having the same shape and an inner frame 3. The unit cells 14 constituting an assembled battery 1 are disposed on both sides of the inner frame 3, and one outer frame 2 and the other outer frame 2 are disposed such that the unit cells are sandwiched between the former outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3 and between the latter outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3. The two outer frames 2 are joined to the inner frame 3 through side face coupling portions 23 and vertical coupling portions 24. The inner frame 3 is fixed with positive electrode bus bars 5, negative electrode bus bars 6, and inter-unit cell bus bars 7 for electrically connecting the unit cells 14 in series, and lead wires for voltage detection with a connector 4 for detecting voltages of the unit cells 14.