Flexible Battery Pack Circuit for Cell Temperature and Voltage Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery packs face challenges in efficiently managing state information, such as temperature and voltage, across multiple battery cells, which can lead to inefficiencies and potential abnormalities like overheating or overcharging, particularly in high-power applications like electric vehicles.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design incorporating a flexible circuit board with a corrugated main body and branch portions that extend onto the surfaces of battery cells to collect temperature and voltage information, using thermistors and conductive bonding for accurate state monitoring and transmission to a battery management system.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If multiple battery cells are connected to increase output voltage or current, then the power capacity increases, but the complexity of managing state information across all cells increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoutput voltageVSAvoidstate information management

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines temperature sensing and voltage measurement functions into a single integrated flexible circuit board structure. The main body surrounds multiple battery cells while branch portions extend to contact terminals, merging what would otherwise require separate sensing systems into one unified device that monitors both thermal and electrical parameters across all cells simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible circuit board serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural support element that maintains cell spacing, provides thermal sensing through thermistors positioned at various locations, measures voltage through branch portions contacting cell terminals, and transmits all data to a management system. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate components for each monitoring task.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Stability of the object's composition

If a rigid circuit board is used to monitor battery cells, then the structural stability is good, but the ability to conform to irregular cell arrangements and access multiple surfaces is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidconformation to cell arrangements

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a flexible circuit board instead of a rigid one, allowing the monitoring structure to bend and conform to the three-dimensional arrangement of battery cells. The main body can wrap around cylindrical cell bodies while branch portions extend to reach terminals on opposite ends, providing both adaptability to various cell geometries and stable electrical connections through flexible conductive traces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Measurement precision

If thermistors are placed close to battery cells for accurate temperature sensing, then the measurement precision improves, but the risk of thermal interference and overheating detection errors increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature sensing accuracyVSAvoidthermal interference

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent positions thermistors at specific locations on the flexible circuit board main body that surrounds the battery cells. The thermistors are placed in proximity to cells for accurate sensing but are integrated into the flexible structure that maintains appropriate spacing. This localized positioning with controlled distance provides sufficient thermal sensitivity while preventing direct thermal interference that would cause measurement errors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

Enables efficient and accurate collection of state information across multiple battery cells, allowing for timely detection of abnormalities and proactive protection operations, thereby enhancing the safety and performance of the battery pack.

Implementation Method 1

the corrugated main body of the flexible circuit board extends along outer circumferential surfaces of adjacent ones of the plurality of battery cells, and is configured to obtain temperature information from the outer circumferential surfaces of the plurality of battery cells

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

branch portions extending from the main body onto the first surface or the second surface of the at least one battery cell

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS11799143B2Battery pack

Publication Date: 2023.10.24 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD

AI summary

A battery pack including at least one battery cell including a first surface and a second surface forming opposite ends along a height direction thereof, and an outer circumferential surface connecting the first surface and the second surface; and a flexible circuit board configured to obtain state information of the at least one battery cell, the flexible circuit board including a corrugated main body at least partially surrounding the outer circumferential surface of the at least one battery cell, and branch portions extending from the main body onto the first surface or the second surface of the at least one battery cell.