Battery Pack Cell Connector Fixing for PCB Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery packs face issues with cell misalignment during assembly, leading to potential damage from vibrations and impacts, and the need for improved monitoring of cell parameters to prevent failure.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design where cell connectors serve a dual function, providing electrical connection and mechanical fixation to ensure proper alignment and facilitate current measurement, with a printed circuit board monitoring electrical parameters and cell connectors having a holding and fixing portion to secure the PCB relative to the physical cell connection assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional separate mechanical and electrical connection assemblies are used, then assembly steps are simplified, but alignment precision and connection reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the mechanical connection function and electrical connection function into a single integrated cell connector assembly. The cell connector includes both a mechanical retention portion that physically secures the cell to the PCB and an electrical contact portion that establishes electrical connection, eliminating the need for separate mechanical and electrical connection components and improving alignment precision between mechanical and electrical interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The cell connector is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs mechanical retention, electrical connection, and alignment functions. This universal connector integrates the roles of previous separate mechanical fixtures and electrical contacts, reducing the number of assembly steps while maintaining or improving connection reliability through unified design.
2Power
If cells are arranged in series/parallel configurations, then desired output characteristics are achieved, but cell interaction risks and failure propagation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements individual cell monitoring through separate measurement circuits for each cell connected to the PCB. Each cell has its own electrical connection path and monitoring capability, allowing the system to detect and isolate failing cells before they can propagate damage to other cells in the series/parallel configuration, thus maintaining reliability while achieving desired power output.
3Ease of manufacture
If welding or soldering is performed during assembly stages, then electrical connections are established, but misalignment susceptibility and joint failure risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cell connector is pre-assembled with the PCB in a fixed alignment relationship before final welding or soldering operations. The mechanical retention portion and electrical contact portion are positioned and secured to the PCB during intermediate assembly stages, ensuring proper alignment is established before thermal processing. This preliminary positioning prevents misalignment during welding/soldering and reduces joint failure risk from thermal expansion and contraction.
Data Source
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AI summary
A battery pack may include a plurality of cells arranged substantially adjacent to each other such that longitudinal centerlines of each of the cells are aligned substantially in parallel with each other in a first direction, a physical cell connection assembly that includes a cell-retaining portion disposed to contact each of the cells to hold the cells in a housing, an electrical cell connection assembly that includes a plurality of cell connectors disposed to contact at least selected ones of the cells in groups to facilitate electrical connection of the cells associated with each of the groups, a contact portion of each of the cell connectors being disposed to electrically connect electrodes of at least two of the cells, and a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to monitor electrical parameters associated with the cells based on electrical communication between the PCB and the electrical cell connection assembly. At least one cell connector of the cell connection assembly may include a holding portion that engages the physical cell connection assembly and a fixing portion that extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the PCB to engage the PCB to facilitate holding of the PCB relative to the physical cell connection assembly.