Battery Module Assembly with Flexible Cooling Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery assembly methods for motor vehicles face challenges in efficiently connecting battery modules to cooling means and frames, leading to issues with thermal conductivity, weight, cost, and complex fastening processes due to the use of gap fillers and compensating elements.
Innovation Solution
A battery assembly method where the battery module is attached to a cooling means with an adhesive layer on a flexible separating element, allowing the frame to be mounted without direct attachment to the cooling means, which compensates for tolerances and eliminates the need for gap fillers and additional fastening elements, enabling a stable and efficient connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If gap filler is used to eliminate air gaps between battery module and housing bottom, then thermal contact is improved, but weight and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the gap filler substance entirely from the system. Instead of using thermal grease or gelled substances to fill air gaps, the invention creates a mechanical tolerance compensation system that allows direct metal-to-metal contact between the battery module and housing bottom, eliminating the need for thermal filler materials while maintaining thermal contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the housing bottom and battery module mounting surfaces. By designing specific tolerance ranges and surface geometries that accommodate variations without requiring filler materials, the system achieves reliable thermal contact through controlled parameter variations rather than through filler substances.
2Temperature
If gap filler is used to ensure thermal contact, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the assembly process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gap filler application step from the assembly process. By designing the housing bottom and battery module interfaces with built-in tolerance compensation features, the system eliminates the need for applying, spreading, and curing gap filler materials, significantly simplifying the assembly process while maintaining cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates tolerance compensation features directly into the housing bottom and battery module designs during the manufacturing stage. This preliminary action ensures that thermal contact is achieved through the mechanical design itself, eliminating the need for subsequent gap filler application steps and reducing assembly complexity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional fastening methods are used to attach battery module to frame, then structural stability is achieved, but additional tolerance compensating elements are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the housing bottom to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, enables thermal contact between the battery module and cooling means, and compensates for manufacturing tolerances. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate tolerance compensating elements in the fastening system, reducing fastening complexity while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the tolerance compensation function with the housing bottom structure and fastening system. By integrating these functions into a single design, the system achieves structural stability without requiring additional separate compensating elements, thereby simplifying the overall fastening complexity.
4Temperature
If thick gap filler layer is used to compensate for uneven surfaces, then contact coverage is improved, but thermal conductivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the gap filler layer entirely from the system. By designing the housing bottom and battery module interfaces with built-in tolerance compensation features, the system achieves complete surface contact without requiring any filler materials, thereby maintaining optimal thermal conductivity while ensuring full contact coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates surface geometry design and tolerance compensation features during the manufacturing stage to ensure complete contact between the battery module and housing bottom. This preliminary action eliminates the need for thick gap filler layers that would otherwise be required to compensate for surface unevenness, preserving thermal conductivity while achieving full contact coverage.
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 method enhances cooling efficiency, reduces weight and cost, and simplifies the assembly process by eliminating gap fillers and compensating elements, allowing for larger battery modules and flexible module sizes, while maintaining a stable connection between the battery module and frame.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one battery module is attached to a first side of the cooling means using an adhesive layer between the at least one battery module and a module support region of the first side of the cooling means
Implementation Method 2
For attaching the at least one battery module on the first side of the cooling means, the at least one battery module is affixed on a module support region of the first side of the cooling means
Data Source
AI summary
A battery assembly method for providing a battery arrangement having at least one battery module, a cooling means, and a frame. For attaching the at least one battery module on a first side of the cooling means, the battery module is affixed in a module support region of the first side without the frame being attached to the cooling means, wherein the cooling means comprises a separating element which provides the first side, which element has an edge region and a transition region which connects the edge region to the module support region, wherein the separating element is elastically flexible, at least in the transition region, and wherein, after affixing the battery module, the frame is mounted such that at least a portion of the frame rests on the edge region of the separating element.