Battery Module Intermediate Bracket Design for Rigidity and Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power supply devices using secondary battery cells face challenges with increased length and weight due to the need for stronger binding bars and misalignment issues as the number of cells increases, leading to higher costs and potential damage from shear loads.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a power supply device configuration that includes a plurality of secondary battery cells stacked with separators, end plates, and intermediate brackets, where the battery fastening members are designed with bent boards for enhanced rigidity and a strong fixing structure, and the intermediate bracket is made of resin with metal screw portions to reduce weight and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the number of secondary battery cells is increased to increase output, then the power supply capacity is improved, but the length of the module increases and misalignment occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The module is divided into multiple sub-modules, each containing a specific number of battery cells (e.g., 6 cells per sub-module). These sub-modules are connected in parallel to achieve the desired power output without excessively increasing the length of individual modules. This segmentation allows flexible configuration to meet different power requirements while maintaining manageable module dimensions.
2Power
If the number of secondary battery cells is increased, then the power supply capacity is improved, but misalignment of battery cells occurs largely
Solution Approach 1:
Positioning structures (such as positioning protrusions and positioning grooves) are introduced as intermediary elements between battery cells and the module housing. These positioning structures guide and constrain the battery cells during assembly, ensuring precise alignment even when stacking many cells. The positioning structures act as mediators that compensate for manufacturing tolerances and prevent misalignment.
3Strength
If the hardness of binding bars is increased to correspond to stress, then the structural strength is improved, but the weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The binding bars are constructed using composite material structures, combining different materials with complementary properties. For example, aluminum alloy binding bars provide sufficient strength while being lighter than traditional steel binding bars. The composite structure allows optimization of the strength-to-weight ratio, achieving the required structural strength without excessive weight or cost.
4Manufacturing precision
If section boards are disposed between end plates to suppress misalignment, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the rods for fastening may be damaged due to shear load
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using section boards that create shear loads on fastening rods, the invention inverts the approach by using positioning structures integrated into the module housing that guide battery cells during assembly without requiring additional fastening rods. This eliminates the shear load problem while still achieving precise alignment. The positioning structures work passively during assembly rather than actively constraining during operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply device includes: a plurality of secondary battery cells; separators having insulation property which are interposed between the adjacent secondary battery cells in a state where the plurality of secondary battery cells are stacked; end plates disposed at both end surfaces of a battery stacked body where the secondary battery cells and the separators are alternatively stacked; a pair of battery fastening members which fasten the end plates each other; and an intermediate bracket interposed at an intermediate portion of the battery stacked body. The pair of battery fastening members have fastening member-side fixing portions for fixing the intermediate bracket at an intermediate portion in a longitudinal direction of each of the pair of battery fastening members, the intermediate bracket has bracket-side fixing portions which are fixed to the fastening member-side fixing portions.