Battery Module Bus Bar Positioning via Segmented Recesses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery module assembly faces challenges in achieving a balance between ease of assembly and precision due to thickness errors in battery and interbattery plates, making it difficult to fit positioning bosses into holes accurately.
Innovation Solution
The battery module employs a bus bar plate with projecting and recess portions of varying lengths, where the lengths of the projecting portions are consistent, and the recess portions include a first and second recess with the second recess being longer, positioned in the middle and ends respectively, to absorb dimensional errors and ensure precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a larger number of positioning holes and positioning bosses are provided to enhance positioning precision, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning function is segmented into multiple projection portions and recess portions distributed at different positions on the bus bar plate and holder. Instead of using a single large positioning hole and boss, the positioning is divided into several smaller engagement points, which reduces the size of each individual positioning feature while collectively achieving high positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the bus bar plate and holder have different positioning characteristics. The projection and recess portions are strategically placed at locations where they can most effectively compensate for thickness variations, creating localized quality improvements that enhance overall positioning precision without requiring uniform increases in all positioning features.
2Ease of operation
If the diameter of positioning hole is made larger than positioning boss to enhance ease of assembly, then ease of assembly is improved, but positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The single large positioning hole and boss interface is segmented into multiple smaller projection-recess pairs. Each pair maintains a tight fit for precision, while the distributed arrangement across multiple locations provides assembly tolerance, combining the benefits of both tight fit and ease of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring perfect alignment at all positioning points simultaneously, the design allows partial engagement at some positions while others are being aligned. The multiple projection-recess pairs provide redundant positioning paths, enabling assembly to proceed even if not all positions align perfectly at once.
3Ease of manufacture
If thickness errors of batteries and interbattery plates are not compensated, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to error accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The design anticipates thickness variations in batteries and interbattery plates by providing multiple projection-recess pairs at different positions. These redundant positioning features act as a cushion against error accumulation, ensuring that even if some positions have significant thickness deviations, the overall positioning accuracy is maintained through the collective action of all positioning pairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system utilizes variations in the positions and dimensions of multiple projection and recess portions to compensate for thickness parameter variations in the stacked components. By changing the spatial parameters of the positioning features rather than relying on a single fixed positioning point, the system adapts to manufacturing tolerances without requiring tighter control on individual component thicknesses.
Data Source
AI summary
To connect a bus bar plate to a battery module, a plurality of recess portions provided on a plurality of holders so as to be spaced in the stacking direction are engaged with a plurality of projection portions provided on the bus bar plate to be spaced in the stacking direction. Since the lengths “a” of the plurality of projection portions are the same, and the plurality of recess portions are formed from a first recess portion having a length “a” and a second recess portion having a length “b” larger than the length “a,” the precision of positioning of the bus bar plate can be ensured by engagement between the projecting portion and the first recess portion, and even if the gap between the projecting portions or the recess portions is nonuniform, it is possible to assemble the bus bar plate onto the holder with high precision.