Battery Module Vibration-Resistant Terminal Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-capacity rechargeable batteries used in hybrid and electric vehicles face issues with terminal loosening due to external vibrations, leading to increased contact resistance and reduced output and cycle life, and existing welding methods struggle with bonding different materials.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a connecting member with access protrusions and pressurizers that securely engage with terminals, preventing loosening and ensuring stable electrical connections without the need for welding, using a configuration that includes hooks and supporters to maintain contact under various orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a nut is used to fix the electrode terminal to the cap plate, then the terminal can be easily assembled, but the nut may be loosened by continuous external vibration or shock causing contact resistance increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional nut-based mechanical fastening system with a deformation-based mechanical locking system. The connecting member includes a deformation portion that is elastically deformed during assembly to engage with the terminal, creating a friction-based lock that resists vibration and shock without requiring nuts or threads.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting member incorporates curved or bent geometric features, particularly the deformation portion that bends to engage with the terminal. This curved geometry provides mechanical interlocking and elastic retention, allowing the connection to accommodate vibrations while maintaining stable contact.
2Strength
If resistance welding or ultrasonic welding is used to connect the connecting member to terminals, then strong bonding can be achieved, but it is difficult to bond different materials due to different melting points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal and ultrasonic welding processes with a purely mechanical deformation-based connection system. The connecting member uses elastic deformation to create a friction fit and mechanical interlock with the terminal, eliminating the need for material melting or specialized welding equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the connection mechanism from thermal/ultrasonic parameters (temperature, vibration frequency) to mechanical parameters (deformation amount, contact pressure, elastic modulus). This allows the same connection method to work with different material combinations without changing process parameters.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the connecting member is made of a different material from the terminals, then design flexibility increases, but bonding becomes difficult due to different melting points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces material-dependent bonding processes with a universal mechanical deformation connection that works regardless of material composition. The elastic deformation mechanism relies on mechanical properties (flexibility, contact pressure) rather than thermal properties, enabling connection of dissimilar materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting member design serves multiple functions: electrical conduction, mechanical support, and vibration resistance, all achieved through a single deformation-based mechanism that is material-agnostic. This universal approach allows the same connection structure to work with various material combinations.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module including: a plurality of rechargeable batteries including a first terminal and a second terminal; and a connecting member electrically connecting rechargeable batteries of the plurality of rechargeable batteries through the first and second terminals, the connecting member including an access protrusion protruded toward the first terminal, and the first terminal includes a pressurizer configured to press the access protrusion toward a part of the first terminal.