Two-Material Battery Pack Housing for Insulation and Heat Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Newly designed hybrid vehicles require a DC power source with higher performance capabilities, including increased current output, anti-overheat performance, and reduced size, which existing battery packs struggle to meet, while also needing to save fuel and reduce emissions.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design utilizing a housing made of two different plastic materials, polyphthalamide for insulation and corrosion resistance, and Nylon 66 for mechanical performance, with metal sheets prefabricated and insert-molded into the plastic substrates, and end plates that can deform to accommodate battery expansion, along with an optional fan assembly for heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the housing is made of a single material, then the manufacturing process is simple, but it cannot simultaneously provide adequate insulation, corrosion resistance, and mechanical performance
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is constructed from two different plastic materials with distinct properties: the first plastic material provides insulation and corrosion resistance, while the second plastic material provides mechanical strength and rigidity. This composite structure allows each material to contribute its optimal properties to the housing, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and functional reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the housing are made from different materials based on their specific functional requirements. The first plastic material is used in areas requiring insulation and corrosion resistance, while the second plastic material is used in areas requiring mechanical strength. This localized material selection optimizes the overall performance of the housing.
2Volume of moving object
If the battery pack size is reduced to meet vehicle constraints, then the vehicle fuel efficiency improves, but the heat dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The end plates are designed with deformable characteristics that allow them to flex and accommodate battery expansion while maintaining thermal pathways. This flexibility enables compact packaging without compromising heat dissipation, as the thin plate structures can conform to the battery geometry while preserving thermal contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses heat dissipation in compact volumes by utilizing dimensional optimization - creating specific geometric features and pathways that maximize surface area for heat transfer within the constrained volume, thereby improving thermal performance without increasing overall pack size.
3Strength
If the housing structure is made rigid to protect internal components, then the mechanical strength improves, but the ability to accommodate battery expansion deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The end plates are designed as flexible thin structures that can deform to accommodate battery expansion while the main housing body maintains its rigid protective function. This differentiated flexibility approach allows the housing to protect internal components while accommodating necessary dimensional changes during battery operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure is segmented into rigid and flexible portions - the main housing body provides rigid protection, while the end plates provide flexible accommodation for battery expansion. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function optimally.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2A~2F
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a battery pack including a housing, wherein the housing has a bottom portion, on which are disposed a first length side wall and a second length side wall that extend upward along a length direction of the bottom portion and are oppositely disposed, and a first width side wall and a second width side wall that extend upward along a width direction of the bottom portion and are oppositely disposed; the housing comprises a first step and a second step disposed at two ends of the first length side wall; the housing further comprises a first metal wiring terminal and a second metal wiring terminal, wherein the first metal wiring terminal and the second metal wiring terminal are disposed on the first step and the second step, respectively; a material for bearing the first metal wiring terminal and the second metal wiring terminal is a first plastic material, while other parts of the housing are made of a second plastic material, or most of other parts of the housing are made of the second plastic material. The two materials have different characteristics suitable for a requirement of the battery pack on the material.