Battery Module Filler Restraint Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery modules for electric vehicles face limitations in restraining the cell-stacked body, leading to increased manufacturing costs and height dimensions due to gaps between the cell-stacked body and side plates, which are addressed by using a filler to secure the module case.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design featuring a module case with side plates, a bottom plate, and a plate member that covers the cell-stacked body's upper surface, with fillers used in gaps between the plate member and the cell-stacked body to prevent movement and reduce height, replacing the need for a spring member to control costs and dimensions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a spring member is used to restrain the cell-stacked body in the cell height direction, then the cell-stacked body movement is restrained, but manufacturing costs increase and height dimension increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverestraint of cell-stacked body movementVSAvoidmanufacturing costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the expensive spring member with a filler material that is injected into the gap between the cell-stacked body and the module case. This filler material is simpler and cheaper to manufacture, eliminating the need for complex spring mechanisms while still achieving the restraint function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the restraint mechanism from a mechanical spring (solid elastic component) to a filler material that can be in liquid or semi-liquid state during injection, then solidifies or expands to fill the gap. This parameter change allows for simpler manufacturing and reduced height dimension.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a spring member is used to restrain the cell-stacked body in the cell height direction, then the cell-stacked body movement is restrained, but the height dimension of the battery module increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverestraint of cell-stacked body movementVSAvoidheight dimension

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The filler material used in the patent occupies minimal space compared to a spring member, as it is injected directly into the existing gap without requiring additional height. This eliminates the need for extra space that would be required to accommodate spring compression and extension movements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the restraint function from a separate mechanical component (spring member) and integrates it into the existing structural gap between the cell-stacked body and the module case. The filler material is simply injected into this pre-existing space, eliminating the need for additional height-dimension components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If gaps are maintained between the cell-stacked body and side plates for assembling property, then assembling is easier, but the cell-stacked body restraint in cell width direction is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembling propertyVSAvoidrestraint in cell width direction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the filler material to the gaps between the cell-stacked body and the side plates during the assembly process. This preliminary action of filling the gaps ensures that the cell-stacked body is restrained in the cell width direction while maintaining the ease of assembly, as the filler is applied after the main assembly is complete.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The filler material acts as an intermediary substance that fills the gaps between the cell-stacked body and the side plates. This intermediary material provides restraint in the cell width direction while allowing the gaps to remain for assembling purposes, effectively mediating between the need for assembly ease and the need for restraint reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11056745B2Battery module

Publication Date: 2021.07.06 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

There is provided a battery module capable of restraining an increase in manufacturing costs and reducing a height dimension of the battery module. The battery module includes a cell-stacked body in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked, and a module case for holding the cell-stacked body. The module case includes a pair of side plates for holding side surfaces of the cell-stacked body, a bottom plate on which the cell-stacked body is loaded, and a plate member installed on an upper end portion of the pair of side plates to cover at least a part of an upper surface of the cell-stacked body. A filler is filled in a first space formed between the plate member and the upper surface of the cell-stacked body and in a second space formed between the side plate and the side surface of the cell-stacked body.