Battery Module Expansion Portion Disconnects Tabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery modules face safety risks due to abnormal conditions such as overcharging and short-circuiting, leading to excessive temperature rise and expansion, which can result in hazardous situations.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design incorporating a battery unit with two batteries and an expansion portion that disconnects the tabs from the circuit board when excessive gas or heat is generated, utilizing a capsule with gassing or foaming agents to exert force and prevent further charging and discharging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the battery module continues to operate under abnormal conditions (overcharging, short-circuiting), then the battery can maintain charging and discharging functionality, but the temperature rises exceptionally and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the harmful expansion force generated by battery abnormal conditions (overcharging, short-circuiting) to activate the expansion portion, which in turn exerts force on the tabs to disconnect them from the circuit board. The harmful thermal expansion is converted into a beneficial safety mechanism that automatically stops charging and discharging when abnormal conditions occur.
2Reliability
If the expansion portion is designed to disconnect tabs under excessive expansion, then safety performance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expansion portion is designed to automatically activate and disconnect the tabs from the circuit board when battery expansion exceeds a certain threshold. The system serves itself by using the battery's own abnormal expansion as the triggering mechanism, eliminating the need for external sensors or control systems to detect and respond to abnormal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The expansion portion acts as an intermediary element between the battery bodies/tabs and the circuit board. It transmits the expansion force from the batteries to the tabs, mediating the interaction and enabling automatic disconnection when the expansion force exceeds the holding force of the tab-circuit board connection.
3Force
If the capsule thickness is increased to contain gassing material, then the expansion force is sufficient to disconnect tabs, but the volume of the battery module increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the capsule thickness parameter within a specific range (100-1000 μm) to achieve the necessary expansion force while minimizing volume increase. The gassing material's decomposition characteristics are also optimized to generate sufficient pressure within the constrained capsule volume, balancing force generation with space efficiency.
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 effectively stops the battery module from charging and discharging, thereby enhancing safety performance by preventing continued use under hazardous conditions and reducing the risk of thermal runaway.
Implementation Method 1
When the temperature rises to a value higher than 90° C., the Na3N solid is decomposed to produce nitrogen
Implementation Method 2
When the battery module generates excessive gas or heat, the expansion portion expands to exert an acting force
Implementation Method 3
The foaming agent in the capsule is exposed and contacts moisture in the air and expands, thereby exerting an acting force
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes a battery unit, a circuit board, and an expansion portion. The expansion portion is disposed between a first body and a second body and/or between a first tab and a second tab of the battery unit, and the expansion portion is configured to disconnect the first tab and/or the second tab from the circuit board.