Battery Module Connection Member Slit Design for Welding Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery modules face issues with stable bonding between the electrode terminal and connection member during resistance welding, leading to potential overcurrent, destruction, and inferior welding quality, especially when multiple welds are required, particularly with high-conductivity materials like copper.
Innovation Solution
A connection member with three or more vertical slits and a horizontal slit is used, allowing for multiple resistance welding units to be bonded to the electrode terminal, detouring reactive current and preventing overcurrent by dispersing it through the slits, thereby ensuring a stable bonding structure despite external impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If resistance welding is performed multiple times to ensure stable bonding, then bonding reliability is improved, but reactive current concentration causes overcurrent and welding quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member is divided into multiple independent resistance welding units by forming slits (first slit, second slit, third slit) that segment the structure. This segmentation allows current to be distributed across multiple separate welding locations rather than concentrating reactive current in a single area, enabling multiple welding operations without overcurrent damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The slits act as intermediaries that guide and distribute the reactive current away from the welding zones. By introducing these slit structures, the harmful reactive current is redirected through the slits rather than concentrating at the welding points, protecting the welding quality during multiple bonding operations.
2Reliability
If connection member is made of high-conductivity material like copper, then electrical conductivity is improved, but reactive current concentration becomes more severe
Solution Approach 1:
Even with high-conductivity copper material, the slits segment the connection member into distinct welding units. This segmentation creates high interface resistance at the slit boundaries, which forces reactive current to flow through the slits rather than concentrating in the high-conductivity copper, thus protecting against overcurrent.
3Reliability
If multiple resistance welding units are bonded, then bonding stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member is segmented into multiple welding units by slits, creating a modular structure that improves bonding stability through redundancy. While this does increase structural complexity, the segmentation into standardized units facilitates systematic manufacturing and assembly processes.
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
This configuration ensures a stable electrical connection between the battery cell and connection member, reducing the risk of bonding failure due to overcurrent and maintaining a desired bonding shape and quality even after multiple welds, enhancing durability against vibrations and impacts.
Implementation Method 1
an active current is applied via the connection member 3a and the electrode terminal 111 which are closely adhered to each other while pressurizing a welded portion W of the connection member 3a which is a welding basic material to the electrode terminal 111 of the battery cell 1a with a pair of welding rods 11 and 12 which are positive and negative and the connection member 3a is caused to be locally melted with a resistance heat generated at this time
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4(a)~5
AI summary
The present invention provides a battery module including: at least one battery cell array in which a plurality of battery cells in which electrode terminals disposed at both ends of the battery cell are located toward the same direction is disposed in a lateral direction to be mounted in a cell frame; and a plurality of connection members which is bonded to the electrode terminal of each battery cell of the battery cell array at an upper portion and/or a lower portion of the battery cell array in which the connection member is a metal plate in which at least three vertical slits which are spaced apart from each other and a horizontal slit crossing at least one of the vertical slits are perforated.