Battery Pack End Plate Composite Structure for Rigidity and Weight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery pack end plates face a trade-off between achieving high rigidity and low weight, with metal end plates offering high rigidity but increased weight, and lightweight end plates lacking sufficient rigidity, which is critical for applications like vehicle batteries where both factors impact fuel efficiency and space constraints.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design utilizing end plates composed of two different metal materials, one with low specific gravity and high workability (such as aluminum) and another with high rigidity (such as iron or steel), stacked and connected to enhance rigidity while minimizing weight increase, using an engagement structure and adhesive for integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metal end plate is used to achieve high rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end plate is divided into multiple layers with different metal materials (aluminum alloy layer and steel plate layer), each serving specific functions. The aluminum alloy layer provides lightweight structure and corrosion resistance, while the steel plate layer provides high rigidity and strength, resolving the contradiction between weight and rigidity through functional segmentation
Solution Approach 2:
The end plate uses a composite structure combining aluminum alloy and steel plate materials. This composite material approach allows the end plate to achieve both lightweight properties (from aluminum) and high rigidity (from steel), directly resolving the technical contradiction between weight reduction and rigidity enhancement
2Strength
If the thickness of end plates is increased to improve rigidity, then the rigidity is improved, but the size of the battery pack increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end plate thickness is segmented into multiple functional layers (aluminum alloy layer and steel plate layer) rather than using a single thick plate. This segmentation allows achieving the required rigidity through material composition rather than increasing overall thickness, thus preventing battery pack size expansion
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure of aluminum alloy and steel plate layers provides high rigidity with reduced thickness compared to a single-material thick plate. The steel layer contributes rigidity efficiently, allowing thinner overall design that fits within limited battery pack dimensions
3Weight of moving object
If a lightweight end plate is used to reduce weight, then the weight is reduced, but the rigidity becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The end plate is segmented into a lightweight aluminum alloy layer and a high-strength steel plate layer. The aluminum layer maintains lightweight properties while the steel layer compensates for rigidity deficiency, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and rigidity maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material structure combines lightweight aluminum alloy with high-rigidity steel plate. The aluminum provides weight reduction benefits while the steel provides necessary rigidity, achieving both lightweight and high-rigidity requirements simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack including a lightweight and high-rigidity end plate is provided. The battery pack includes: cell stacked body including a plurality of stacked rectangular cells; first end plate disposed at one end of cell stacked body in the stacking direction of rectangular cells; second end plate disposed at the other end of cell stacked body; and connection member connected to first end plate and second end plate. At least one of first end plate and second end plate includes first member made of a first metal material and second member made of a second metal material different from the first metal material. First member and second member are stacked in the stacking direction of rectangular cells. The rigidity of the second metal material is higher than that of the first metal material. The specific gravity of the first metal material is lower than that of the second metal material.