Battery Pack Corner Case Structure for Impact Absorption

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery packs with large charge/discharge capacity and weight are susceptible to damage from impacts like dropping, leading to significant economic loss due to increased susceptibility and high assembly costs from complex impact-absorbing structures.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design featuring an outer covering case with impact-absorbing walls and gaps at convex corners, allowing the case to absorb impacts by deforming and dispersing them, enhancing impact strength without complex assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If an impact-absorbing gap with an elastic spring is used in the battery pack, then impact strength is improved, but component cost and assembly cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpact strengthVSAvoidcomponent cost and assembly cost
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the elastic spring from the impact-absorbing structure, retaining only the impact-absorbing gap between the inner case and outer case. This eliminates the need for additional components while maintaining impact protection functionality, thereby reducing component cost and assembly complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The impact-absorbing gap utilizes the inherent compressibility of the battery cells themselves to absorb impact forces. The cells act as their own cushioning element, eliminating the need for separate elastic springs or cushioning components, thus reducing both component cost and assembly effort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Strength

If an inner wall with impact-absorbing gap is provided, then local impact protection is improved, but the entire core pack remains vulnerable to strong impacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocal impact protectionVSAvoidoverall impact protection
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the impact protection function into multiple segments: the outer case structure provides overall impact absorption, while the inner case provides additional protection layers. This segmented approach ensures that impacts are absorbed at multiple levels, protecting the entire core pack rather than just local areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention provides comprehensive cushioning by positioning the impact-absorbing gap between the inner and outer cases, creating a pre-established protection zone that surrounds the entire core pack. This prior cushioning structure ensures that strong impacts are absorbed before reaching the cells, improving overall reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 effectively absorbs impacts, protecting the core pack and maintaining structural integrity, reducing damage risk and assembly complexity while maintaining high impact strength.

Implementation Method 1

an impact-absorbing wall provided to a case

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImpact Force: Impact Force

Implementation Method 2

the outer peripheral wall provided at each convex corner of each of the pair of surface plates includes an impact-absorbing wall that is an outside surface, a main body wall disposed at an inner side of the impact-absorbing wall

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP4235926B1Battery pack
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 PANASONIC ENERGY CO LTD
  • EP4235926B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4235926B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4235926B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery pack allows an outer covering case to absorb an impact acting on a core pack housing a plurality of cells, and increases impact strength. Abattery pack includes core pack (2) housing a plurality of cells, and outer case (1) housing core pack (2). Outer covering case (1) is formed in a box shape by connecting outer peripheral wall (4) to an outer peripheral edge of a pair of surface plates (3), and outer peripheral wall (4) provided at each convex corner (3a) of each of surface plates (3) include impact-absorbing wall (5) that is an outside surface, main body wall (6) disposed at an inner side of impact-absorbing wall (5), and impact-absorbing gap (7) separating impact-absorbing wall (5) and main body wall (6) from each other at a predetermined interval. Impact-absorbing gap (7) opens toward surface plates (3).