Battery Pack Metal Mesh Vent Flame Shielding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery packs face challenges in compact design and weight reduction while ensuring safety from overheating, overcharging, and potential fires, as existing solutions either increase casing size or weight, compromising portability and safety.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design featuring a metal mesh member covering ventilation holes to absorb heat and discharge gases externally, preventing flame ejection and maintaining compact size and lightweight characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a filter unit is used to adsorb flammable matter in ejected battery content, then safety is improved, but the casing size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidcasing size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the flame-blocking function from a bulky filter unit and implements it using a metal mesh member with heat-resistant properties. The metal mesh is positioned at the ventilation hole to block flames while allowing gas passage, eliminating the need for a thick filter unit and reducing overall casing size while maintaining safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a metal mesh member with porous structure at the ventilation hole. The porous metal mesh allows combustion gases to pass through while blocking flames due to its heat-resistant properties and pore structure, achieving both safety and compact design requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Reliability

If a metal casing is used to ensure non-flammability, then safety is improved, but the battery pack weight increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenon-flammabilityVSAvoidbattery pack weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies metal material locally only at the ventilation hole area where flame blocking is needed, rather than making the entire casing from metal. This localized application provides non-flammability where critical while keeping the rest of the casing lightweight, resolving the weight-safety contradiction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite structure combining metal mesh (for flame blocking) with the main casing material. This composite approach provides the necessary non-flammability at the ventilation hole while maintaining overall lightweight characteristics of the battery pack

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If ventilation holes are provided to release combustion sources, then safety is improved, but flame may be discharged to the outside

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidflame discharge

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses the heat-resistant property of metal mesh to convert the ventilation hole from a potential flame discharge path into a flame-blocking barrier. The metal mesh allows combustion gases to escape (beneficial) while blocking flames (harm prevention), effectively converting the ventilation function into a dual-purpose safety feature

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The metal mesh member acts as an intermediary element at the ventilation hole, mediating between the internal combustion environment and the external atmosphere. It allows gas passage while blocking flame transmission, serving as a protective interface that enables ventilation without flame discharge

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 metal mesh member effectively shields flames, discharges combustion sources, and enhances safety without increasing the battery pack's size or weight, addressing the safety concerns while adhering to compact design and weight reduction trends.

Implementation Method 1

a metal mesh member for covering at least the ventilation hole is provided at the side of the casing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a metal mesh member for covering at least the ventilation hole is provided at the side of the casing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical containment through porous structure: Porosity

Data Source

PatentUS8426048B2Battery pack, electronic apparatus equipped with the same and electronic apparatus equipped with battery housing part

Publication Date: 2013.04.23 PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORP

AI summary

A battery pack including at least a battery and a casing for accommodating the battery, in which the casing has a ventilation hole communicating with the outside of the casing, and a mesh member made of metal for covering at least the ventilation hole is provided at the side surface of the casing. Preferably, the mesh member is coated with an insulating resin.