Battery Pack Enclosure With Conductive Layer for Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs do not contribute to the overall thermal management of portable electronic devices, leading to potential malfunctions due to overheating and prolonged charging times at low temperatures, as they lack thermally conductive materials to dissipate heat generated by components or warm up battery cells.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design incorporating a stainless steel enclosure with a layer of materials like aluminum, copper, or graphene for enhanced thermal conductivity, which captures and diffuses heat across its surface, creating a new thermal pathway between heat-generating components and the battery cell, and can extend to capture heat from external sources, thereby improving thermal management and charging efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional battery packs use standard enclosure materials, then manufacturing cost and simplicity are maintained, but thermal management capability is insufficient leading to overheating and prolonged charging times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the enclosure structure with thermal management functionality by integrating a thermally conductive layer directly onto the battery enclosure. This combination allows the enclosure to simultaneously serve as both structural housing and heat dissipation component, eliminating the need for separate thermal management systems and reducing overall device complexity while improving temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining a base enclosure material with a thermally conductive coating layer. This composite structure integrates the mechanical properties of the enclosure material with the thermal conductivity of the coating, achieving effective heat dissipation while maintaining structural integrity and avoiding the need for completely redesigning the enclosure from scratch.
2Productivity
If thermally conductive materials are added to the battery enclosure, then heat dissipation and charging efficiency are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The thermally conductive layer is applied to the enclosure during the manufacturing process before final assembly, allowing the thermal management functionality to be built-in from the outset. This preliminary action ensures that the charging efficiency benefit is achieved without requiring complex post-manufacturing modifications or additional assembly steps that would increase manufacturing complexity.
3Reliability
If stainless steel enclosure is used, then corrosion resistance is maintained, but thermal conductivity is insufficient for effective heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a thermally conductive coating layer onto the stainless steel enclosure, creating a composite structure where the stainless steel base provides corrosion resistance and structural strength, while the outer thermally conductive layer provides efficient heat dissipation. This composite approach allows both corrosion resistance and thermal conductivity requirements to be satisfied simultaneously without compromising either property.
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
This design effectively dissipates heat generated by components, reduces the risk of overheating, and accelerates battery charging in low-temperature environments by utilizing captured heat, while maintaining temperature limits and protecting the thermally conductive layer from corrosion.
Implementation Method 1
The second material may comprise aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof and may have a greater thermal conductivity than the first material
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure involve various battery packs. In general, the battery pack includes a battery cell and an enclosure. The enclosure includes a first portion and a plurality of walls that extend perpendicularly from the first portion. The enclosure includes a second portion connected to the plurality of walls to form a body enclosing the battery cell. The first portion, the second portion, and the plurality of walls are a first material comprising stainless steel. The enclosure includes a layer of a second material covering at least a portion of at least one of the first portion, the second portion, and one of the plurality of walls. The second material comprises aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof and has a greater thermal conductivity than the first material.