Battery Pack Insulation Member Design for Short Circuit Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs face challenges in preventing undesirable short circuits between battery cells and external electronic devices due to insufficient insulation, which can lead to heat emission efficiency degradation and potential damage during insertion.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design incorporating an insulation member with a seamless, hollow elongated shape that surrounds the battery cell's side surfaces and covers part of the rounded portion, formed from electrically insulative materials like polycarbonate or polypropylene, with added ceramic particles for heat conductivity, ensuring close adhesion and preventing contact with partition walls during insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an insulation member is positioned on the side wall of the case to prevent short circuits, then insulation characteristic is improved, but heat emission efficiency deteriorates due to coverage of the rounded portion
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation member is designed with different coverage levels at different locations: it covers the side wall area where short circuit prevention is critical, but intentionally leaves the rounded portion exposed to maintain heat emission pathways. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction between insulation and heat emission.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation member acts as an intermediary element that selectively isolates electrical components while permitting thermal transfer. By positioning it specifically on the side wall rather than covering the entire case including the rounded portion, it mediates between the need for electrical insulation and thermal management.
2Reliability
If the insulation member covers the rounded portion to ensure insulation, then insulation characteristic is improved, but damage during insertion occurs due to contact with partition walls
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts the insulation function from the rounded portion area, concentrating the insulation member only on the side wall where it is most needed for short circuit prevention. This extraction eliminates the interference with partition walls during insertion while maintaining essential insulation characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation member is locally applied to the side wall area rather than universally covering the entire case. This localized positioning provides insulation where electrically critical while avoiding the rounded portion that contacts partition walls during insertion, thus preventing damage.
3Reliability
If a solid insulation member is used to prevent short circuits, then insulation characteristic is improved, but heat conductivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation member is constructed as a composite material combining electrically insulative polymer base material with thermally conductive ceramic particles. This composite structure simultaneously achieves electrical insulation (preventing short circuits) and improved heat conductivity (maintaining thermal management efficiency).
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 prevents short circuits and ensures efficient heat emission from the battery cell, maintaining insulation characteristics and preventing damage during insertion, thereby enhancing the battery pack's reliability and performance.
Implementation Method 1
an insulation member, wherein the insulation member surrounds side surfaces of the battery cell and covers a lower end of the rounded part
Implementation Method 2
formed from electrically insulative materials like polycarbonate or polypropylene, with added ceramic particles for heat conductivity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A battery pack including a battery cell including an electrode assembly, and a case accommodating the electrode assembly therein and including an end wall at a first end, a side wall connected to the end wall and extending toward a second end opposite the first end, and a rounded portion connected between the end wall and the side wall; and an insulation member including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being on the side wall of the case, and the second portion at least partially covering the rounded portion, an end of the second portion of the insulation member being on the rounded portion.