Battery Pack Housing with Movable Inner Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery packs for hybrid electric vehicles are large and expensive due to the need for high voltage, which requires hundreds of electrochemical cells and complex electrical systems, and they face challenges in accommodating cell growth that can affect the structural integrity and sealing of the battery pack.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack housing designed with a non-electrically conductive and thermally conductive material that includes a dual-wall structure with movable inner walls to accommodate cell growth, reducing the risk of electrical shorts and enhancing passive cooling, while maintaining dimensional stability and improving sealing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high voltage (400V) is used to achieve better performance, then power output is improved, but component cost and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the voltage parameter from conventional high voltage (400V) to low voltage (less than 60V), fundamentally altering the electrical system architecture. This parameter change enables the use of simpler, less expensive components while maintaining acceptable power output through optimized cell configuration and electrical connections
2Stability of the object's composition
If electrochemical cells are enclosed in a rigid housing, then structural stability is improved, but cell growth causes stress and sealing failures
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a rigid outer housing and a movable inner wall that can independently deform. This segmentation allows the outer housing to maintain structural stability while the inner wall accommodates cell growth, preventing stress transmission that would compromise sealing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The inner wall is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to move and deform in response to cell growth. This dynamic behavior contrasts with the static rigid outer housing, enabling the system to maintain both structural stability and sealing reliability throughout the battery's operational life
3Power
If conventional battery packs are designed for high voltage with hundreds of cells, then voltage output is improved, but battery pack size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the voltage parameter to low voltage operation, the patent eliminates the need for hundreds of cells required in high-voltage systems. This parameter change directly reduces battery pack size while maintaining cost-effectiveness through simplified electrical systems with fewer components
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 allows for a more compact and cost-effective battery pack with reduced material costs, improved heat management, and enhanced reliability by accommodating cell expansion without stressing the outer walls, thus ensuring better operability and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
A battery pack housing designed with a non-electrically conductive and thermally conductive material that includes a dual-wall structure
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack includes a housing and electrochemical cells disposed in the housing. The housing includes a container and a lid that closes an open end of the container. The container has a base, an outer wall the surrounds the base, and a first and a second inner wall disposed inside the outer wall. The first inner wall extends between, and is fixed to, a first portion and a third portion of the outer wall, and is spaced apart from a second portion and a fourth portion of the outer wall. The second inner wall extends between the first portion and the third portion, and is disposed between the first inner wall and the fourth portion. The second inner wall is movable relative to the outer wall such that spacing of the second inner wall from the first inner wall can be changed.