Battery Pack Rocker Assembly for Cell Compression and Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery pack support systems for electrified vehicles fail to effectively secure and compress battery cells while maintaining necessary clearances during installation, leading to potential misalignment and instability.
Innovation Solution
A rocker assembly with a body portion and pack portion, where the pack portion is positioned vertically beneath the body portion, compressing battery cells and secured using mechanical fasteners, with a hat-shaped cover capturing the cells and a vehicle cross-member for additional support, facilitating alignment and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing battery pack support systems are used, then the battery pack can be mounted to the vehicle, but the battery cells cannot be effectively compressed and alignment cannot be maintained, leading to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is divided into distinct functional segments: the rocker assembly provides structural mounting, the pack portion provides compression, and the cover provides alignment and containment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together to achieve stable battery pack installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The hat-shaped cover is pre-formed with alignment features that guide the battery cells into proper position before compression. The pack portion is pre-configured with compression elements that engage the cells as the battery pack is installed, ensuring alignment is established before the compression force is applied.
2Strength
If the pack portion is positioned vertically beneath the body portion to compress battery cells, then compression is achieved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rocker assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support for mounting the battery pack to the vehicle, positions the pack portion to apply compression force, and works with the cover to maintain alignment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity despite the added compression capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pack portion is nested within or integrated with the rocker assembly structure, and the battery cells are nested within the hat-shaped cover. This nesting arrangement allows the compression mechanism to be incorporated into the existing structural framework rather than adding entirely separate components, thus limiting complexity increase.
3Manufacturing precision
If the cover captures the battery cells between the pack portion and body portion, then alignment is maintained, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed with a hat-shaped cross-section and specific dimensional parameters that enable it to perform multiple functions: providing alignment surfaces for the battery cells, containing the cells during compression, and interfacing with both the pack portion and body portion. By optimizing these geometric parameters, the cover achieves precise alignment functionality while remaining manufacturable as a single formed piece.
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 ensures secure and stable installation of battery packs by maintaining desired clearances and alignment, providing design flexibility and compressing battery cells effectively, thus enhancing the overall structural integrity and operational reliability of the battery pack support system.
Implementation Method 1
the pack portion configured to compress a plurality of battery cells within the battery pack
Implementation Method 2
secured using mechanical fasteners
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack support system includes a rocker assembly that has a body portion and a pack portion. The pack portion is secured to the body portion to connect a battery pack to a vehicle. The pack portion configured to compress a plurality of battery cells within the battery pack.