Battery Pack Vent Hole With Audible Gas Warning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery packs lack a mechanism to immediately alert users to gas generation in battery cells, which can lead to safety issues.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design featuring a vent hole with a sound generator that produces an audible alert when gas is generated, utilizing a sound generator with specific structural components to facilitate gas flow and sound production without additional power or sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional battery pack design is used without additional alerting mechanisms, then the device complexity and cost are kept low, but the ability to immediately detect and alert users of gas generation is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety monitoring capabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vent hole structure serves dual functions: it allows gas to escape from the battery cell while simultaneously generating an audible warning sound through the sound generator component. The system monitors and alerts itself without requiring external sensors or power sources, as the gas flow itself activates the sound generation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a visual indication mechanism where the vent hole or associated components change appearance (such as color or transparency) to signal gas generation. This provides immediate visual feedback to users complementing the acoustic alert, enhancing safety monitoring capability through simple optical changes rather than complex electronic displays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If additional sensors and power sources are added to detect gas generation, then the detection capability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas detection capabilityVSAvoidcomponent quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vent hole structure serves dual functions: it allows gas to escape from the battery cell while simultaneously generating an audible warning sound through the sound generator component. The system monitors and alerts itself without requiring external sensors or power sources, as the gas flow itself activates the sound generation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The sound generator acts as an intermediary mechanism that translates the physical presence and flow of gas into an audible signal. Instead of using electronic sensors to detect gas composition or pressure, the patent employs the gas flow itself as the activating force for the sound generator, creating a direct mechanical-acoustic conversion that simplifies the detection system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If the vent hole is kept open to allow gas discharge, then gas safety is maintained, but the ability to generate an audible warning is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas accumulation riskVSAvoidwarning effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The vent hole structure serves dual functions: it allows gas to escape from the battery cell while simultaneously generating an audible warning sound through the sound generator component. The system monitors and alerts itself without requiring external sensors or power sources, as the gas flow itself activates the sound generation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The sound generator utilizes mechanical vibration principles where the flowing gas causes a diaphragm or similar component to vibrate, producing an audible warning sound. This mechanical vibration approach converts the kinetic energy of the escaping gas directly into acoustic energy, ensuring that the warning effectiveness is maintained while the vent hole remains open for continuous gas discharge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #18Mechanical vibration

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

Enables immediate user notification of gas generation, enhancing safety by allowing prompt action without requiring external power or sensors.

Implementation Method 1

the sound generator being configured to generate a sound by the flow of the gas when the gas is discharged from the casing through the vent hole

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow-induced sound generation: Aerophonics

Data Source

PatentEP3758095B1Battery pack
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP3758095B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3758095B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3758095B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a battery pack including a battery cell, a casing configured to receive the battery cell, the casing having formed therein a vent hole configured to allow gas generated in the battery cell to be discharged therethrough, and a sound generator installed in the vent hole so as to block the vent hole, the sound generator being configured to allow the gas to pass therethrough, the sound generator being configured to generate a sound by the flow of the gas when the gas is discharged from the casing through the vent hole.