Battery Module Insulating Cover for Short Circuit Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing battery modules face the challenge of preventing short circuits between electrode terminals and the metal container while maintaining cost-effectiveness, as the insulation properties of the container's inner face need enhancement to avoid such short circuits, leading to increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design that incorporates an insulating cover with tubular wall portions and extended portions to surround and protect the output terminals, preventing contact with the metal container and reducing the need for enhanced insulation, thus avoiding short circuits and maintaining cost efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the insulation properties of the inner face of the metal container are increased to prevent short circuits, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating cover is introduced as an intermediary component between the electrode terminals and the metal container. This cover includes insulating plates with window portions for electrical connection and insulating covers that extend to cover the window portions, preventing contact between the terminals and container while maintaining standard manufacturing processes and costs
2Ease of operation
If the window portions of insulating plates are left exposed for electrical connection, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of short circuits increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating cover is designed with differentiated local properties: insulating plates with window portions that expose electrode terminals for electrical connection, and insulating covers that selectively cover only the window portions of outermost insulating plates. This local differentiation allows electrical connection where needed while preventing short circuits where harmful contact would occur
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided is a battery module in which a stacked body (142) of a plurality of flat batteries (144A-D) stacked on one another is housed. The battery module includes the flat batteries, an output terminal, a metal container, insulating plates and an insulating cover (170). Each of the flat batteries (144A-D) includes a power-generating element (145), an exterior package member (146) for sealing the power-generating element, and electrode terminals (147, 148) led out from the exterior package member. The output terminal is used to provide a parallel or series connection between the electrode terminals of the plurality of flat batteries (144A-D) and to output power therefrom. The metal container is used to house the stacked body. The insulating plates are disposed to hold the electrode terminals of the flat batteries (144A-D) therebetween in such a way to insulate the electrode terminals from one another. The insulating cover (170) includes a terminal guide (186) for holding the output terminal (166) and is attached to the insulating plate (160A, 160E). The output terminal (166) is electrically joined to the electrode terminals (147, 148).