Battery Module Front Cover Switching for Safe External Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Energy storage systems using secondary batteries face safety risks due to high voltages, particularly the risk of short circuits or earth faults at external terminals of battery modules.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design that includes a front cover with a contact terminal, a bus bar for connecting battery sub-modules, a disconnection induction bus bar, and a switching slider that can slide between the bus bar and the disconnection induction bus bar to control the voltage application to the external terminal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a Manual Service Device (MSD) module is used to determine whether high voltage is applied to the external terminal, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the voltage detection function from a complex MSD module and implements it directly through the structural arrangement of bus bars and switching slider. The disconnection induction bus bar and switching slider configuration inherently indicates voltage application state without requiring additional detection devices, thus maintaining safety while reducing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The switching slider and bus bar configuration serves dual purposes: it both switches the circuit and visually indicates the voltage application state. The system self-indicates its state through the physical position of the switching slider relative to the bus bars, eliminating the need for separate detection mechanisms
2Reliability
If a switching mechanism is added to control voltage application to external terminals, then safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The switching slider acts as an intermediary mechanical element that provides both switching function and visual indication. Its intermediate position between the bus bar and disconnection induction bus bar clearly indicates the voltage application state, making operation intuitive and maintaining ease of use while ensuring safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the visual position of the switching slider as an indicator of voltage state. The slider's location (either contacting or disconnected from the bus bar) provides immediate visual feedback about the electrical state, making the operation status easily observable without complex indicators
3Reliability
If the switching slider position is not visually detectable, then safety deteriorates due to inability to check voltage state, but device complexity increases with additional indicators
Solution Approach 1:
The switching slider configuration itself serves as the visual indicator. The slider's physical position relative to the bus bars inherently displays the voltage application state without requiring additional indicator lights, displays, or detection devices. This self-indicating mechanism maintains safety while avoiding increased device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the indication function from separate indicator devices and integrates it into the switching mechanism itself. The visual detectability of the slider position provides state information directly through the existing mechanical components, eliminating the need for additional indication systems
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 design allows for easy switching of the current path to an open or closed state, ensuring safety by preventing exposure of live parts and allowing visual detection of the switching slider's position to check the voltage application state.
Implementation Method 1
The disconnection induction bus bar may be elastically supported on the front plate by an elastic member
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module is proposed. The battery module includes a plurality of battery sub-modules, and a front cover part configured to cover an outermost stacking surface of the plurality of stacked battery sub-modules. The front cover part includes a front plate including a contact terminal electrically connected to an outside, a bus bar electrically connecting the plurality of battery sub-modules to each other, and a disconnection induction bus bar coupled to an inside end of the contact terminal to press and contact the bus bar, and a switching slider configured to slide between the bus bar and the disconnection induction bus bar.