Battery Module Angled Connection Fingers Circuit Board

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery modules for electric and hybrid vehicles face challenges in efficiently measuring cell voltages and temperatures across multiple battery cells to prevent overcharging and overheating, which can lead to cell damage.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design featuring interconnected prismatic battery cells with metal cell connectors and a rigid circuit board for voltage and temperature measurement, where angled connection fingers connect to the circuit board, allowing for precise monitoring and secure electrical connections, and a mounting method that aligns the circuit board with the battery module using a guiding frame to ensure accurate placement and connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a measurement unit with wires and sensors is integrated into the battery module, then voltage and temperature measurements can be performed, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoltage and temperature measurement capabilityVSAvoidmeasurement unit with wires and sensors
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the measurement functionality from a separate measurement unit with wires and sensors and integrates it directly into the cell connector. The circuit board is positioned to contact sensing points directly at the cell poles, eliminating the need for separate sensor wires and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement function is merged with the cell connector structure. The circuit board serves dual purposes: electrical connection for current flow and sensing for voltage/temperature measurement. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall battery module architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Quantity of substance

If multiple battery cells are interconnected with cell connectors in an interconnection level, then electrical energy storage capacity increases, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of battery cellsVSAvoidalignment of interconnection level
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit board is pre-positioned and fixed to the holding frame at defined locations before battery cell installation. The sensing points are pre-defined on the circuit board to align with standard cell pole positions. This preliminary positioning ensures that when cells are installed, the electrical and sensing connections align correctly without requiring high-precision manual adjustment during assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If connection fingers are angled with respect to the interconnection level to cross the electronics level, then electrical connection reliability improves, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical connection reliabilityVSAvoidangled connection fingers
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connection fingers are designed with an asymmetric angled configuration rather than perpendicular or parallel arrangements. This asymmetric angle optimizes the electrical contact geometry between the circuit board and cell poles, improving connection reliability by ensuring stable mechanical and electrical contact while accommodating manufacturing tolerances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP3952014A1Battery module and mounting method
Publication Date: 2022.02.09 ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG
  • EP3952014A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3952014A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3952014A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery module (100), comprises a plurality of battery cells (302) electrically interconnected with each other via cell connectors (106) arranged in an interconnection level (108) of the battery module (100) and a rigid circuit board (112) comprising an electric circuit (114) for evaluating voltage measurements in the battery module (100). The rigid circuit board (112) is arranged in an electronics level (110) of the battery module (100) arranged neighboring to the interconnection level (108). At least two of the cell connectors (106) each incorporate a connection finger (118) angled to the interconnection level (108), wherein each connection finger (118) crosses the electronics level (110) and is electrically connected to an individual contact area (214) of the electric circuit (114) on a far side (120) of the rigid circuit board (112) facing away from the battery cells (302)