Battery Pack Coupling Structure Using a Stiff Dummy Cell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems face challenges in varying the position of fixing elements, leading to limited design freedom and degradation of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance due to fixed internal structures, which complicates integration with vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A battery system design that includes battery cells overlapping in rows and columns, with a dummy cell of predetermined stiffness mounted at fixing positions, and a fixing element extending through the dummy cell to secure it to the casing, allowing flexible positioning and enhanced coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If members and through mountings are removed to enable battery cells to fill the entirety of the battery space, then battery integration is increased, but stiffness of the battery is reduced and NVH performance is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
A dummy cell is introduced as an intermediary component between the battery cells and the fixing elements. This dummy cell serves as a mediator that transmits fixing forces from the fixing elements to the surrounding battery cells, enabling battery integration without members and through mountings while maintaining sufficient stiffness through the dummy cell's structural properties
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy cell is designed with specific stiffness parameters that differ from conventional battery cells. By controlling the dummy cell's stiffness to be greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the system achieves the necessary structural rigidity while removing traditional stiffening members, thus resolving the contradiction between integration and stiffness
2Stability of the object's composition
If positions of internal members and through mountings are determined during battery development, then structural stability is achieved, but design freedom for vehicle coupling is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fixing structure is segmented into modular components: battery cells arranged in rows and columns, dummy cells positioned at specific fixing locations, and fixing elements that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows the battery pack to maintain structural stability through its modular arrangement while enabling flexible positioning of fixing elements to adapt to different vehicle coupling requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The dummy cell serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a structural element for fixing, a spacer for maintaining cell positions, and a load distribution component. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate members and through mountings, providing structural stability while enhancing design freedom for various vehicle coupling configurations
Data Source
AI summary
A battery system configured for enhancing design freedom of a battery coupling structure through easy variation of a position of a fixing element configured to fix a battery cell is disclosed. The battery system includes battery cells mounted in an accommodation space formed in a battery casing for a battery so that the battery cells overlap one another in a row direction and a column direction, a dummy cell having a predetermined stiffness or more than the predetermined stiffness and mounted in the accommodation space to substitute for a battery cell disposed at a position required for fixing to the battery casing among the battery cells, and a fixing element fixed to the battery casing while extending through the dummy cell.