Rechargeable Battery Module Swelling Absorption Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rechargeable battery modules face challenges in maximizing output while minimizing space, as the thickness of end supports and end plates, and their relationship with unit cells, limits efficiency and accommodates swelling without increasing external dimensions.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an absorbing portion in the end support and end plate with a concave receiving space and gap to absorb swelling of unit cells, allowing for increased efficiency without expanding the module's size, featuring a design with concave grooves, protrusions, and a gap between the end support and end plate to manage swelling effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thickness of end support and end plate is increased to accommodate unit cell swelling, then the reliability is improved, but the volume of the battery module increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end support incorporates a receiving space with a concave groove structure that functions as a porous-like void space, allowing it to absorb unit cell swelling without requiring increased overall module volume. The concave groove (311) provides internal void volume that expands to accommodate swelling while maintaining compact external dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention absorbs swelling in the first direction (lengthwise) by using a concave groove structure, while maintaining fixed thickness in the third direction (thickness). This dimensional redistribution allows swelling accommodation without increasing the module's external volume, effectively trading one dimensional tolerance for another.
2Volume of moving object
If the thickness of end support and end plate is decreased to reduce module volume, then the volume is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to insufficient swelling accommodation
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving space (311) with concave groove structure provides internal void volume within the end support itself, enabling swelling absorption without requiring increased external thickness. This internal porosity-like structure allows the component to maintain compact external dimensions while providing sufficient internal accommodation space.
3Productivity
If the battery module is designed with fixed end support and end plate dimensions to minimize space, then the productivity is improved, but the adaptability deteriorates due to inability to accommodate swelling
Solution Approach 1:
The end support is designed with a dynamic receiving space (311) that can change its internal volume in response to swelling. The concave groove structure allows the end support to adapt its internal geometry to accommodate varying degrees of swelling while maintaining fixed external dimensions, providing both space efficiency and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the internal parameter (receiving space volume) of the end support while keeping external parameters (thickness, overall dimensions) fixed. The concave groove structure allows internal volume adjustment to accommodate swelling without altering the external form factor, achieving both compact design and swelling adaptability.
4Reliability
If the battery module is designed with increased end support and end plate thickness to accommodate swelling, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements worsen due to tighter tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving space (311) with concave groove structure provides a built-in tolerance buffer for swelling accommodation. By incorporating this internal void space, the design reduces sensitivity to dimensional variations in unit cell swelling, thereby relaxing manufacturing precision requirements compared to a rigid, fully dense end support structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the rechargeable battery module to achieve maximum output within a defined space by absorbing swelling without increasing external dimensions, thereby enhancing efficiency and accommodating the module's growth without additional space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the end support (310) and the end plate (300) comprises an absorbing portion configured to absorb swelling of the unit cells (100) in the first direction
Data Source
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AI summary
A rechargeable battery module including: a plurality of unit cells arranged along a first direction and electrically coupled to each other via a bus bar; an end support configured to respectively support an outermost one of the unit cells along the first direction, the end support including an electrically insulative material; an end plate coupled to an edge of the end support, at least one of the end support and the end plate including an absorbing portion configured to absorb swelling of the unit cells in the first direction; and a plurality of side plates at opposite ends of the unit cells in a second direction crossing the first direction, the side plates being coupled to the end plate.