Battery Pack Side Supports for Module Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Battery modules stacked without additional support tend to deflect and oscillate due to the weight of unit battery cells, leading to inefficiencies in energy storage and potential safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of side supports with horizontal and vertical components that stabilize the battery modules, reducing deflection and oscillation by providing structural integrity and support to the battery pack.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If battery modules are stacked without additional support, then the device complexity is reduced, but the stability and strength of the battery pack deteriorates due to deflection and oscillation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces side supports as intermediary structural elements between the battery modules and the housing. These side supports act as mediators that transfer and distribute the weight of the stacked battery modules, preventing direct contact and deflection between modules while maintaining structural stability without requiring complex support mechanisms.
2Strength
If side supports are added to reduce deflection, then the stability and strength improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side supports are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide structural strength to prevent deflection, serve as mounting points for battery modules, and integrate with the housing structure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving the desired strength improvement.
3Volume of moving object
If battery modules are stacked vertically to increase energy storage, then the volume efficiency improves, but the deflection and oscillation worsen due to increased weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the stability issue by introducing support structures that extend in a different dimension (horizontally) to counteract the vertical stacking weight. The side supports create a three-dimensional framework that distributes loads across multiple dimensions, preventing deflection in the vertical stacking direction while maintaining high energy storage capacity through vertical arrangement.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack includes a plurality of battery modules stacked together, at least one of the plurality of battery modules having a plurality of unit battery cells stacked together; and a housing including at least one side support comprising a first support having a longitudinal axis extending in a first direction and a second support having a longitudinal axis extending in a second direction crossing the first direction; and a pair of end plates coupled to respective longitudinal ends of the first support.