Battery Pack Intake Duct Bending for Collision-Safe Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling structures for battery packs are vulnerable to collision damage, which can expose high-voltage components, increasing the risk of electrical contact during accidents.
Innovation Solution
A cooling structure with an intake duct that has a bent part near the end of the top plate, extending towards the bottom plate, which deforms and remains coupled to the top plate during collisions, keeping the intake port covered and preventing exposure of high-voltage units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the intake duct is made straight and rigid for easy manufacturing and installation, then the manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture are improved, but the reliability and safety during collision are worsened due to exposure of high-voltage components
Solution Approach 1:
The intake duct is designed with a bent configuration instead of a straight shape. The duct includes a bent portion that curves downward, allowing it to deform during collisions and remain coupled to the top plate, preventing exposure of high-voltage components while maintaining manufacturing feasibility
Solution Approach 2:
The structural parameters of the intake duct are changed by introducing bends and curves. This modifies the duct's deformation characteristics during collision, enabling it to absorb impact forces and maintain coverage over the battery pack opening, thereby improving safety without significantly complicating manufacturing
2Reliability
If the intake duct is designed with a bent part that deforms during collision to prevent exposure of high-voltage components, then the reliability and safety are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intake duct incorporates a bent portion with a specific curvature radius that allows controlled deformation during collision. This curved design enables the duct to flex and remain attached to the top plate, preventing exposure of high-voltage components while adding only minimal structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The intake duct is divided into distinct sections: a first portion extending from the opening, a bent portion with a curve, and a second portion extending toward the front. This segmentation allows each section to perform its specific function while keeping the overall design manageable and not overly complex
3Reliability
If the intake duct extends from the intake port to the end of the top plate with a bent part, then the protection against collision is improved, but the length of the duct increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bent portion of the intake duct uses a curved path instead of a straight extension, allowing the duct to cover the necessary distance from the opening to the front of the battery pack while following the contour of the top plate. This reduces the overall length compared to a straight duct that would need to extend further to achieve the same protective coverage
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling structure of a battery pack includes a battery case, an intake duct, and an intake port. The battery case houses a battery module and electronic equipment coupled to the battery module. The intake duct communicates with the battery case and is configured to send cooling air for cooling the battery module. The intake port is disposed in a top plate of the battery case and is configured to send the cooling air into the battery case. The intake duct is coupled to the top plate so as to communicate with the battery case via the intake port and extends from the intake port to an end of the top plate. The intake duct is provided with a bent part that is downwardly bent in a vicinity of the end of the top plate.