Battery Pack Service Plug Sequencing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs for electric vehicles lack a mechanism to prevent accidental opening of the cover, which can lead to safety hazards when high voltage circuits are inadvertently disconnected.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design where the cover is fixed by a special component, requiring both service plugs to be detached in a specific order to ensure safe access, utilizing a special tool for the first service plug and an annular component with a projecting portion to prevent premature detachment and maintain sealing integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cover is fixed to the case by a special component and service plugs are used to cut off electrical connection, then safety is improved by preventing inadvertent opening, but device complexity increases due to the need for special tools and superimposed positioning mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by requiring the second service plug to be detached before the first service plug can be removed. The superimposed positioning structure pre-prevents the first service plug from being detached unless the second service plug is already removed, ensuring safety protocols are followed before any electrical connection is cut.
Solution Approach 2:
The superimposed positioning structure acts as an intermediary mechanism between the two service plugs. It mediates the detachment sequence by physically blocking the first service plug's removal path until the second service plug is removed, thereby enforcing the safety sequence without requiring complex electronic controls.
2Reliability
If part of the first service plug or first lid is positioned on a deeper side in the superimposed part, then the first service plug cannot be detached unless the second service plug is detached, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by positioning the first service plug or first lid deeper than the second service plug in the superimposed part. This asymmetric positioning creates a physical interference condition where the first service plug cannot be removed until the second service plug is detached, as the deeper positioning blocks its removal path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent solves the sequencing problem by introducing a depth dimension in the superimposed positioning structure. Instead of using complex mechanical linkages or electronic controls, it simply positions components at different depths along the insertion/removal axis, allowing the shallower second service plug to be removed first while the deeper first service plug remains blocked.
Data Source
AI summary
In a battery pack, a cover is fixed to a case by a special component. A first service plug includes a special tool detaching the special component. Part of the first service plug or part of a first lid closing it and part of a second service plug or part of an annular component between a second housing part and a second lid closing it are superimposed together via a superimposed part. In the superimposed part, part of the first service plug or part of the first lid is positioned on a deeper side in a direction where the first service plug and the first lid are detached. Accordingly, the first service plug cannot be detached unless the second service plug is detached, and unless both the first and second service plugs are detached, the cover cannot be detached from the case using the special tool, thus ensuring safety.