Battery Pack Fixing Member Coupling Strength

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery packs face issues with coupling strength between bare cells and circuit accessories, leading to separation due to external forces like bending, twisting, and falling, and suffer from unstable electrical connections and corrosion of exposed terminals.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design featuring a fixing member protruding from the bare cell, coupled with a fixing member hole on the circuit accessory formed by injection molding, which enhances the coupling strength and prevents separation, while also using a connector-type external terminal to improve stability and prevent corrosion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If resin molding method is used to couple bare cell and protection circuit board, then coupling strength is improved, but electronic components of the protection circuit board are damaged due to high temperature and high pressure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoupling strengthVSAvoiddamage to electronic components
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the resin molding method (thermal/chemical process) with a mechanical coupling method using a holder and fixing members. The holder physically secures the protection circuit board to the bare cell through mechanical means such as clips, lugs, or protrusions, eliminating the need for high-temperature resin injection that damages electronic components while maintaining coupling strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If pad-type external terminal is used for electrical coupling, then ease of manufacture is improved, but electrical connection becomes unstable due to surface contact cutting off by external shock

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidstability of electrical connection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a static pad-type terminal with surface contact to a dynamic connector-type terminal that can accommodate movement and external shocks. The connector design allows for insertion and extraction while maintaining electrical contact, providing resilience against bending, twisting, and falling forces that would otherwise cut off the connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If pad-type external terminal is directly exposed to outside of battery pack, then ease of operation is improved, but terminal becomes corroded by moisture in air over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidcorrosion resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a connector housing or shell structure that encloses the external terminal while allowing electrical connection. This protective enclosure shields the terminal from moisture and air corrosion, preventing degradation over time while maintaining operational ease through the connector interface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

4Reliability

If multiple push contacts are applied to pad-type external terminal, then electrical coupling is achieved, but coating layer on external terminal peels off or cracks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical couplingVSAvoidintegrity of coating layer
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The connector-type terminal replaces the rigid pad structure with a more resilient design that can accommodate contact forces without causing coating damage. The connector's structure distributes mechanical stress more evenly and allows for controlled deformation, preventing the peeling and cracking that occurs with repeated push contacts on rigid pads.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively increases the coupling strength between the bare cell and circuit accessory, preventing separation and maintaining stable electrical connections, and reduces the risk of power interruption and corrosion, thus enhancing the reliability and durability of the battery pack.

Implementation Method 1

coupling the circuit accessory and the bare cell by an expanding deformation of the fixing member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExpanding deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP1926160B1Battery pack and fabricating method thereof
Publication Date: 2014.06.11 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP1926160B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1926160B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1926160B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed are a battery pack and a fabricating method which can increase the coupling strength of a bare cell and a circuit accessory and prevent the circuit accessory from being separated from the bare cell due to external forces such as bending, twisting and failing of a battery, by forming a fixing member protruding from the upper part of the bare cell, and coupling the fixing member with a fixing member hole of the circuit accessory formed in advance by injection molding in the type of the fixing member being laid across the fixing member hole. The battery pack includes: a bare cell having a cap plate on the upper part of the bare cell; and a circuit accessory coupled with the upper part of the bare cell, wherein a fixing member is formed to protrude from the outer surface of the cap plate, a fixing member hole corresponding to the fixing member is formed on the circuit accessory, and the fixing member is inserted in and is coupled with the fixing member hole.