Integrated Battery Pack Structure for Higher Cell Packing Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs for electric vehicles face challenges in maximizing energy density due to the inclusion of non-essential components for heat dissipation, insulation, and protection, which reduce the volume available for batteries.
Innovation Solution
The battery pack design minimizes non-essential components by integrating the endplate portion, extension member, and tray portion to form a compact structure that maximizes the volume occupied by batteries, thereby enhancing energy density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple components for heat dissipation, insulation, and protection are included in the battery pack, then the battery pack provides adequate thermal management and protection, but the energy density of the battery pack deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The endplate portion integrates multiple functions into a single component: it provides structural support, thermal management pathways, electrical insulation, and protection for the battery stack. By combining these previously separate components into one integrated endplate, the patent eliminates redundant parts while maintaining all necessary functions, thereby improving energy density without sacrificing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The endplate portion is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs structural support, thermal dissipation, electrical insulation, and mechanical protection. This universal design allows a single component to replace multiple specialized components, reducing overall pack volume occupied by non-battery elements while ensuring all necessary protection and management functions are maintained
2Reliability
If the battery pack includes components for heat dissipation, cooling, insulation, and protection, then the battery operates safely and reliably, but the volume available for batteries is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The endplate portion consolidates structural support, thermal management, insulation, and protection functions into one integrated component. This merging eliminates the need for separate housings, insulation layers, and protection barriers, thereby maximizing the volume available for battery cells while ensuring safe and reliable operation through the integrated design
3Ease of manufacture
If the battery pack is manufactured by sequentially manufacturing batteries, battery modules, and battery packs, then each component can be manufactured independently, but the energy density deteriorates due to overlapping functions
Solution Approach 1:
The endplate portion integrates multiple functions that were previously distributed across separate components in the sequential manufacturing process. By combining thermal management, structural support, and protection functions into one component manufactured as part of the battery pack assembly, the patent eliminates overlapping functions while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The endplate portion serves multiple purposes simultaneously, replacing several specialized components that would otherwise be manufactured and assembled separately. This multi-functional design reduces the total number of parts and assembly steps while improving energy density, demonstrating that integrated manufacturing can achieve both ease of production and higher efficiency
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery pack includes a battery sub-pack including a battery stack including a structure in which a plurality of batteries including electrodes and separators is stacked in one direction, and an endplate portion tightly attached to the battery stack, an extension member provided to be tightly attached to the endplate portion, and a tray portion accommodating the battery sub-pack and the extension member, in which the endplate portion, the extension member, and the tray portion are fixedly coupled to one another.