Battery Module Bus Bar Cover With Hinged Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery modules face insulation and safety issues due to high-voltage charge/discharge currents, which can lead to short circuits and malfunction, particularly when external or internal structures contact the bus bar.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a bus bar with pivotable connection points and a cover that provides insulation, preventing short circuits by using a hinge portion and insulating materials to isolate the bus bar from external and internal environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a bus bar is used to electrically connect different battery packs, then electrical conductivity and power transmission are improved, but the risk of short circuit and safety accidents increases due to contact with external or internal structures
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating cover is introduced as an intermediary component between the bus bar and the external environment. This cover completely encloses the bus bar, preventing direct contact with conductive structures or foreign objects while allowing the bus bar to maintain its electrical connection function between battery packs.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating cover is designed as a hollow cylindrical shell that completely surrounds the bus bar. This shell structure provides continuous electrical isolation while maintaining a compact design that does not significantly increase the overall space occupation.
2Reliability
If the bus bar is completely covered for insulation, then safety and prevention of short circuits are improved, but accessibility for connection and maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating cover is segmented into a body portion and a cap portion that can be separated. The cap portion can be removed to expose the bus bar terminals, allowing for easy connection and maintenance operations. After maintenance, the cap is reattached to restore complete insulation protection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the bus bar structure is made complex to accommodate different connection heights, then adaptability to different battery pack configurations is improved, but the risk of structural contact and short circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating cover acts as a mediator that decouples the bus bar's structural adaptability from the short circuit risk. The bus bar itself can have any complex shape or height variations to accommodate different battery pack configurations, while the cover provides a simple, continuous insulating barrier that eliminates exposure of conductive parts.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a battery module. The battery module includes: a bus bar including first and second portions electrically connected respectively to different battery packs; and a bus bar cover covering the bus bar to insulate the bus bar, wherein the bus bar cover includes first and second portions covering the first and second portions of the bus bar and a hinge portion providing pivotable connection between the first and second portions. Accordingly, sufficient insulation may be secured for the bus bar electrically connecting different battery packs, and malfunction and safety accidents caused by the short circuit of the bus bar through which a high-voltage charge/discharge current flows may be prevented.