Modular Battery Pack With Shifted Cell Rows And Asymmetric Busbars

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery packs for high-power devices like electric vehicles lack flexibility and expandability to meet varying power and capacity requirements, as they are typically designed with fixed configurations that do not easily adapt to different operational needs.

Innovation Solution

The battery pack design features a modular structure with alternately shifted rows of battery cells and busbars, allowing for easy expansion by connecting multiple packs with complementary shapes and connection mechanisms, enabling flexible power and capacity adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If battery packs are designed with fixed configurations, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but flexibility and expandability to meet varying power and capacity requirements are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility and expandabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery pack is divided into modular components including battery cell modules, busbar assemblies, and case sections. Each module can be independently configured and assembled, allowing the overall system to be scaled and adapted to different power and capacity requirements while maintaining standardized manufacturing processes for each segment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The busbar is designed with universal connection features including protruding connection portions at both ends that can connect to different battery cell configurations. The same busbar structure can serve multiple functions by adjusting the number and arrangement of battery cells, enabling a single design to meet varying power and capacity needs without requiring completely different structures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If battery cells are arranged in fixed rows, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to different power and capacity requirements is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to power and capacity requirementsVSAvoidrow alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The battery cell rows are designed with adjustable positioning features that allow the number of rows and cells per row to be dynamically changed. The case includes guide structures and mounting positions that maintain precise alignment while accommodating different configurations, enabling the same manufacturing process to produce various power and capacity arrangements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If busbar connection portions have different lengths and levels, then expandability and flexibility are improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveexpandabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The busbar connection portions are deliberately designed with asymmetric features including different lengths and levels at different ends. This asymmetric design allows the same busbar component to accommodate various battery cell arrangements and expansion configurations. The asymmetry is built into the standard manufacturing process, allowing easy production of adaptable components that can connect to different configurations without requiring custom manufacturing for each application

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Data Source

PatentEP4024587A1Battery pack
Publication Date: 2022.07.06 SAMSUNG SDI CO LTD
  • EP4024587A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4024587A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4024587A1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A battery pack includes: a plurality of battery cells arranged in a plurality of rows extending in a row direction, the battery cells being arranged such that rows adjacent to each other in a transverse direction crossing the row direction are alternately shifted to forward and backward positions in the row direction; a busbar extending in the row direction, the busbar including: a busbar body portion extending in the row direction; a busbar front connection portion at one end of the busbar; and a busbar rear connection portion at another end of the busbar, the busbar front connection portion and the busbar rear connection portion protruding from the busbar body portion and having different lengths and levels from each other; and a case accommodating the battery cells, the case including a front wall and a rear wall having complementary shapes and facing each other in the row direction with the battery cells therebetween.