Battery Module Bus Bar Structure for Visible Multi-Tab Laser Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules face challenges in efficiently connecting multiple battery cells due to unstable contact between bus bars and electrode tabs, difficulty in visual confirmation of connection states, and safety risks during laser welding, which slow down the manufacturing process and increase the risk of errors.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring bus bars with openings and protrusions that allow adjacent electrode tabs to be inserted and welded simultaneously, enabling visual confirmation of connections and preventing direct laser irradiation of battery cells, thus ensuring stable and efficient electrical connections and improved production speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a U-shaped bus bar is used to connect electrode tabs, then electrical connection between battery cells is achieved, but the contact becomes unstable and welding visibility is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar is segmented into multiple flat bars, each with a separate opening, allowing individual electrode tabs to be inserted and welded independently. This segmentation improves contact stability for each connection while maintaining welding visibility for each tab
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar structure is modified to have different local characteristics: flat bars provide stable contact surfaces, while openings provide visibility and access for welding. Each local region of the bus bar is optimized for its specific function
2Productivity
If one bus bar connects two electrode tabs at a time, then welding visibility is maintained, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple electrode tabs are combined into a single assembly that can be welded simultaneously to one bus bar. The bus bar has multiple openings that accommodate multiple tabs, allowing parallel welding operations to reduce total connection time
3Productivity
If laser welding is performed on electrode tabs, then connection speed increases, but battery cells may be directly irradiated causing safety problems
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar serves as an intermediary component between the laser welding process and the battery cells. The flat bar structure with openings allows the laser to weld the electrode tabs to the bus bar while the bus bar itself shields the battery cells from direct laser irradiation
4Productivity
If multiple electrode tabs are welded simultaneously, then production efficiency improves, but uniform melting of tabs becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Each opening in the bus bar is designed with specific local characteristics optimized for its associated electrode tab. The flat bars provide uniform contact surfaces, and the openings are positioned and sized to ensure consistent laser access and welding conditions for each tab, enabling uniform melting even when welding multiple tabs simultaneously
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for stable and uniform welding of multiple electrode tabs at once, improving production speed and safety by preventing direct laser exposure to battery cells and facilitating clear visual confirmation of connection states, thereby enhancing the manufacturing efficiency and reducing errors.
Implementation Method 1
when performing laser welding
Implementation Method 2
uniformly melting electrode tabs
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention provides a battery module, which includes: a plurality of battery cells which include electrode tabs, respectively; and one or more bus bars connected to the electrode tabs for electrically connecting the plurality of battery cells with each other, wherein each of the one or more bus bars includes a plate having one or more openings formed therein, and a plurality of adjacent electrode tabs among the electrode tabs are inserted into any one of the one or more openings of the plate to be electrically connected with each other.