Battery Pack Cover Receptacle for Circuit Board Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery packs for electric power tools face challenges in protecting monitoring circuits from vibrations and environmental effects, which can lead to damage and inefficiency.

Innovation Solution

A receptacle within the housing cover of the battery pack is designed to securely house the circuit board, filled with a cured potting compound, providing mechanical fixation and protection from environmental influences, with spacers and a locking mechanism ensuring precise positioning and complete enclosure of electronic components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the monitoring circuit is disposed in the battery pack housing on a circuit board, then the monitoring function is provided, but the circuit is vulnerable to vibrations and environmental effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of monitoring circuitVSAvoidvibrations and environmental effects

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The circuit board is placed inside a receptacle formed in the housing cover, creating a nested structure where the monitoring circuit is housed within a protective cavity. This nesting provides mechanical protection and isolation from external environmental factors while maintaining the monitoring function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

A potting compound is applied to the circuit board within the receptacle, creating a protective encapsulation that seals the electronic components. This potting provides vibration damping, environmental sealing, and mechanical stabilization without requiring rigid protective structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Manufacturing precision

If the circuit board is secured in the receptacle with spacers and locking devices, then the positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning of circuit boardVSAvoidsecuring mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The securing mechanism is divided into separate functional elements: spacers for spacing and positioning, holding-down devices for securing the circuit board to the receptacle bottom, and locking devices for final fixation. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The circuit board itself is used as part of the securing mechanism through its edge geometry, which engages with the holding-down devices and locking devices. The board's own structure contributes to its fixation, reducing the need for additional complex securing components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8546012B2Battery pack with electronic monitoring device integrated in the housing cover

Publication Date: 2013.10.01 ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO KG

AI summary

A battery pack for an electric power tool has a housing and a housing cover that closes off the housing. Battery cells are arranged in the housing and electrically conductingly connected to one another. An electronic circuit for monitoring operating parameters of the battery cells is provided wherein the electronic circuit is mounted on a circuit board and is arranged in the housing. The housing cover has an inner side facing the battery cells. The inner side has a receptacle that is delimited by an outer receptacle rim. The circuit board is received in the receptacle and is spaced from a bottom of the receptacle so that a filling space is provided between circuit board, bottom of the receptacle, and the receptacle rim. A cured potting compound fills out the filling space.