Portable Battery Pack Housing With Spring Suspension Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable battery-based power supply systems face challenges in harsh environments due to exposure to corrosive and damaging elements, as well as physical impacts, which can lead to component breakage and battery fouling.
Innovation Solution
A durable housing encloses the battery pack with a carriage suspended by springs to protect internal components, and an internal switch mechanism using spring-biased contact rods that are compressed to activate the electric outlet, ensuring the switch is protected from external damage and allowing for easy battery replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the battery pack is enclosed within a durable housing to protect internal components from environmental damage and physical impacts, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into modular components including a removable carriage that can be independently accessed through a breakaway cap. This segmentation allows the protective housing to be simplified while maintaining reliability, as critical components are isolated in separate accessible modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage is pre-positioned within the housing with breakaway caps designed to separate upon impact. This preliminary arrangement ensures that protective structures are already in place before damage occurs, reducing the need for complex active protection mechanisms.
2Reliability
If the carriage is suspended by springs to protect batteries from impact forces, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Spring elements are pre-installed between the carriage and housing to provide automatic cushioning upon impact. This beforehand preparation of protective elements absorbs impact forces without requiring complex active control systems or sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring suspension system is self-actuating, automatically compressing and expanding in response to impact forces without external control. This self-service mechanism protects batteries from impact while maintaining simple overall system architecture.
3Ease of operation
If spring-biased contact rods are used to establish electrical circuit connection, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability worsens due to exposure to external damage
Solution Approach 1:
The switchgear (contact rods) is extracted from external exposure by being housed within the protected carriage structure. The breakaway cap design allows the contact rods to remain shielded during normal operation while still enabling easy battery connection when the cap is removed.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact rods are pre-positioned within the carriage housing, ready to make contact with batteries upon insertion. This preliminary positioning ensures reliable electrical connection without requiring the switchgear to be externally accessible, thus protecting it from damage.
4Ease of operation
If the battery pack is compressed to close the internal switch and energize the electric outlet, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression mechanism utilizes the natural spring bias of the contact rods themselves. When batteries are inserted, their physical presence automatically compresses the springs to close the circuit, eliminating the need for separate compression actuators or complex switching mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The function of battery insertion and switch activation are merged into a single action. The physical act of inserting batteries simultaneously provides the compression force needed to close the circuit, combining two functions into one simple user action.
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 provides enhanced protection against environmental and physical stresses, ensuring reliable operation and easy maintenance of the battery pack, even in harsh conditions, by isolating internal components and allowing for the replacement of spent batteries.
Implementation Method 1
The carriage can be suspended by springs between a support structure so as to be at least partially protected from impact forces
Implementation Method 2
A carriage is disposed of within the housing, and the carriage is configured to support the plurality of batteries and a plurality of contacts that are biased into electrical contact with the batteries
Implementation Method 3
spring-biased contact rods physically support the opposite poles of the batteries and establish an electrical circuit connection
Data Source
AI summary
A battery-based portable power supply includes a battery pack that is configured to protect the batteries and components therewithin. An outer tube protects inner components from impacts that can be expected in transport and usage. A suspension system within a battery pack of the power supply protects the batteries from jolts and bumps. The batteries can be removed and replaced. A switch structure for actuating the electrical outlet is disposed within the battery pack. The switch structure is actuated by compressing the battery pack from outside.