Battery Module Sensor Nesting for Height Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing battery modules for electric vehicles face a significant height increase due to the placement of sensor devices on top of the cell-stacked body, which is a concern for compact design requirements.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design that incorporates a sensor device with a downward bulging portion and a low-height portion on the cell-stacked body's upper surface, allowing for a nested structure that reduces the overall height by accommodating the sensor bulging portion within the cell-stacked body's low-height area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the sensor device is disposed on the upper portion of the cell-stacked body, then the sensor device can detect the voltage of each cell, but the height dimension of the battery module significantly increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevoltage detection capabilityVSAvoidheight dimension

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor device is nested within a recess formed in the upper portion of the cell-stacked body. The sensor device includes a sensor housing that receives the sensor components, and this housing is positioned within the recess area, allowing the sensor device to be accommodated without significantly increasing the overall height dimension of the battery module.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of placing the sensor device on the top surface of the cell-stacked body (vertical dimension), the design utilizes the horizontal recess area in the upper portion. This shifts the accommodation strategy from vertical stacking to horizontal integration, thereby maintaining compact height while preserving detection functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the sensor device is disposed on the upper portion of the cell-stacked body, then the sensor device is easily accessible, but the battery module height increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensor device accessibilityVSAvoidheight dimension

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor device is nested within a recess formed in the upper portion of the cell-stacked body. The sensor device includes a sensor housing that receives the sensor components, and this housing is positioned within the recess area, allowing the sensor device to be accommodated without significantly increasing the overall height dimension of the battery module.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS11038217B2Battery module

Publication Date: 2021.06.15 HONDA MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A battery module includes: a cell-stacked body constituted by stacking a plurality of cells; and a sensor device configured to detect a voltage of each cell. The sensor device is disposed on an upper portion of the cell-stacked body. The sensor device is provided with a sensor bulging portion which bulges downward, and the upper portion of the cell-stacked body is provided with a low-height portion accommodating the sensor bulging portion.