Battery Module Insulative Base Rib for Electrical Safety Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery modules face safety concerns due to insufficient electrical safety clearance between output terminals and end plates, which can lead to electrical hazards and reduced structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
The battery module incorporates an insulative base with a ribbed installation groove and accommodating groove structure, increasing the electrical safety clearance and creepage distance between the output terminal and end plate, ensuring enhanced safety and structural strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the output terminal is positioned close to the end plate for compact design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the electrical safety clearance and creepage distance are insufficient leading to safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
An insulating base with a rib structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the output terminal and the end plate. The rib protrudes from the bottom of the installation groove to define an accommodating groove, which receives and positions the output terminal. This intermediary structure simultaneously provides electrical insulation, increases creepage distance, and maintains a compact overall design, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and electrical safety.
2Reliability
If the safety clearance between output terminal and end plate is increased for safety, then the electrical safety is improved, but the device occupies more space increasing the overall dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the horizontal distance between the output terminal and end plate, the solution utilizes the vertical dimension by introducing a rib structure that protrudes from the bottom of the installation groove. The rib defines an accommodating groove that positions the output terminal in a three-dimensional space, thereby increasing the creepage distance and safety clearance without significantly increasing the horizontal footprint of the device.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple installation groove structure is used, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the creepage distance and electrical safety clearance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The installation groove is segmented into multiple functional regions by introducing a rib structure that protrudes from the bottom. The rib divides the single groove into an installation groove and an accommodating groove, with the rib itself defining a third region. This segmentation allows the structure to simultaneously provide easy manufacturing (as a single integrated base) and sufficient creepage distance (through the multi-region configuration), resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and electrical safety.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a battery module and an energy storage apparatus. The battery module includes: a main body including a plurality of batteries that are electrically connected to each other, the main body having an output terminal; at least one end plate disposed on at least one end of the main body and isolated from the main body by an insulating member; and an insulative base installed on the at least one end plate, the base having an installation groove defined thereon, the installation groove having a rib protruding from a bottom thereof, the rib defining an accommodating groove. A circumferential side wall of the base has an installation opening in communication with the accommodating groove, at least a part of the output terminal extends into the accommodating groove through the installation opening, and the output terminal is electrically connected to the at least one end plate.