Multi-Piece Battery Pack Covers for Serviceable Cell-to-Pack Enclosures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional traction battery packs require complex array support structures and multiple individual battery arrays, which complicate servicing and increase weight and complexity, whereas cell-to-pack systems lack these structures, necessitating innovative enclosure designs for efficient compression and sealing.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece enclosure cover design with individually removable panels that provide tensile support and sealing, allowing for easy access and reassembly while maintaining structural integrity during battery servicing, featuring a cell-compressing opening and supporting ribs to distribute loads effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional traction battery packs use complex array support structures and multiple individual battery arrays, then structural support and cell grouping are achieved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure cover is divided into multiple individually removable panels that can be accessed independently. Each panel provides access to specific battery components, allowing selective servicing without disassembling the entire enclosure. This segmentation reduces the complexity of accessing individual cells while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the support function from separate array support structures and integrates it into the enclosure cover itself. The cover panels and sealing flanges provide both enclosure and structural support functions, eliminating the need for additional array support structures and reducing overall device complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional traction battery packs use multiple individual battery arrays, then cell grouping is achieved, but weight and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cell grouping function with the enclosure structure. The sealing flanges and cover panels serve dual purposes: providing structural enclosure and organizing battery cells into arrays. This integration eliminates separate array support structures, reducing weight while maintaining cell grouping stability.
3Device complexity
If cell-to-pack battery systems lack array support structures, then weight and complexity are reduced, but enclosure design for compression and sealing becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure cover panels serve multiple functions: providing structural support, enabling selective access to battery components, maintaining sealing integrity, and facilitating compression. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall enclosure design by consolidating multiple requirements into a single integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure design incorporates removable and reconfigurable panels that can be dynamically accessed during manufacturing and servicing. The sealing flanges provide flexible sealing solutions that adapt to different panel configurations, making the enclosure easier to manufacture and assemble while maintaining integrity.
4Ease of repair
If enclosure covers use multi-piece design with individually removable panels, then ease of servicing is improved, but structural integrity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure cover is segmented into multiple panels that can be independently removed for servicing specific battery components. The sealing flanges maintain integrity by providing continuous sealing paths across panel joints, allowing selective access without compromising overall enclosure strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing flanges are pre-configured to overlap and interlock with adjacent panels, establishing sealing paths before panels are removed or assembled. This preliminary sealing configuration ensures that structural integrity is maintained during servicing operations and reassembly.
5Reliability
If sealing flanges overlap to seal seams between panels, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged with the panel structure itself. The sealing flanges are integrated into the panel edges, providing both structural connection and sealing functions in a single component. This integration reduces the need for separate sealing mechanisms while maintaining effective sealing across panel joints.
Data Source
AI summary
Multi-piece enclosure covers are disclosed for use on traction battery packs that include cell-to-pack battery systems. An exemplary multi-piece enclosure cover may include a plurality of individually removable cover panels. The cover panels may be positioned in a shingled or overlapping fashion relative to one another for covering the cell-to-pack battery system. Each cover panel may be individually removed relative to the remaining cover panels of the enclosure cover for servicing one or more battery internal components of the traction battery pack. The unremoved cover panels may support a portion of the tensile loads acting upon an enclosure tray of the traction battery pack while another cover panel is removed.