Battery Module Sealing via Pressurizing Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
High output battery modules with non-aqueous electrolytes face gas leaks due to inadequate sealing, particularly when using heterogeneous materials like metal for battery cells and plastic resin for covers, which fail to form a good contact, leading to gas discharge during electrochemical reactions.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a pressurizing member positioned between a cover and an insulating member with double protrusions along the circumference of openings, creating a hexahedral shape with ribs and fixing protrusions to enhance sealing, ensuring an air-tight seal and preventing gas leaks by forming a flow path for discharged gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cover made of plastic resin is used to cover battery cells made of metal, then the cover can be easily manufactured and installed, but the heterogeneous materials fail to form a good contact, leading to gas leaks
Solution Approach 1:
A pressurizing member is introduced as an intermediary component between the plastic resin cover and the metal battery cell. This pressurizing member applies continuous pressure to maintain intimate contact between the heterogeneous materials, ensuring reliable sealing while allowing the cover to remain easily manufacturable from plastic resin.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing interface is transformed from a static rigid contact to a dynamically pressurized interface. By continuously adjusting and maintaining pressure through the pressurizing member, the sealing reliability is improved without changing the fundamental materials (metal cell and plastic cover), thus maintaining ease of manufacture.
2Ease of operation
If a simple cover design is used, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but gas leaks occur due to inadequate sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The pressurizing member serves as a mediator that automatically maintains sealing without requiring complex operational controls. The cover itself remains simple in design for ease of operation, while the pressurizing member handles the sealing function through continuous pressure application.
3Device complexity
If no pressurizing mechanism is used, then the device complexity is minimized, but gas leaks occur due to poor contact between heterogeneous materials
Solution Approach 1:
A pressurizing member is introduced as a simple intermediary component that bridges the gap between the cover and battery cell. This single component resolves the sealing issue without requiring complex mechanisms, maintaining relatively low device complexity while significantly improving sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism transitions from relying on rigid material contact to utilizing continuous pressure application. This parameter change (from static to dynamic pressure) improves reliability without substantially increasing device complexity, as the pressurizing member can be implemented as a simple elastic or mechanical component.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a battery module capable of preventing gas generated from a battery cell under degassing conditions to the outside. A battery module according to the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells arranged in one direction, each with a vent which discharges gas; wherein the battery module includes an insulating member formed on to correspond to the vents; a cover covering the vents and the insulating member and a pressurizing member formed between the cover and the insulating member. The insulating member may include a first opening at area corresponding to the vent and a double protrusion may be formed along a circumference of the first opening of the insulating member facing the vent. Therefore, the sealing capacity of the space in which gas flow path is formed is improved.