Battery Module Reference Plate Layout for Swelling Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery modules face challenges in manufacturing simplicity, safety, and reliability due to manufacturing tolerances that can lead to eccentric fixation of battery cells, resulting in increased pressure and potential burst or explosion during swelling.
Innovation Solution
A battery module configuration featuring a battery cell assembly with a reference plate and two stacks of battery cells, inserted into a frame with specific portions for each stack, allowing for proper alignment and reduced cumulative tolerance, along with elastic members to absorb swelling and tolerance issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If battery cells are stacked and fixed using adhesive resin applied to the inner surface of the frame, then manufacturing cost is reduced and manufacturing process is simplified, but cumulative positioning tolerance increases causing eccentric fixation and increased pressure during swelling
Solution Approach 1:
The battery cell stack is divided into multiple individual battery cells that are stacked vertically. Each battery cell is independently positioned and fixed to the frame, allowing for better distribution and control of positioning tolerances across the stack rather than treating the entire stack as a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
Positioning protrusions are pre-formed on the battery cells during cell manufacturing, and positioning grooves are pre-formed on the frame. These preliminary structural features ensure proper alignment and reduce cumulative positioning tolerance before the adhesive fixing process occurs.
2Reliability
If compression pads and side plates are added to absorb swelling and tolerance, then safety and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing becomes less straightforward
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding comprehensive compression pads and side plates throughout the battery module, the invention applies localized positioning protrusions and grooves only at critical interfaces where swelling and tolerance issues occur. This provides necessary safety functionality while minimizing additional structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery cells themselves provide the compression and tolerance absorption function through their inherent elastic properties and the mechanical interference fit created by the positioning protrusions and grooves. The system uses the battery cells' own characteristics rather than requiring separate dedicated compression components.
3Quantity of substance
If the number of stacked battery cells is increased to meet energy demands, then energy capacity is improved, but cumulative tolerance errors increase leading to higher pressure and safety risks
Solution Approach 1:
The battery cell stack is segmented into multiple individual cells with independent positioning features. This segmentation allows the cumulative tolerance to be distributed and controlled at each interface rather than accumulating across the entire stack, enabling safe scaling to higher energy capacities.
Solution Approach 2:
Positioning protrusions and grooves are preliminarily formed during manufacturing to establish precise alignment before stacking. This preliminary positioning action ensures that even as the number of cells increases, the cumulative tolerance remains controlled through consistent interface geometry throughout the stack.
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
This configuration reduces the cumulative tolerance of battery cell positioning, decreases pressure between cells during swelling, and prevents burst or explosion, while maintaining a simple manufacturing process and ensuring safety and reliability without incurring large costs.
Implementation Method 1
one or more elastic members E that are disposed between the battery cells C of the first stack 120 or the second stack 130 and compressed as the battery cell C is swollen
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a battery module including a battery cell assembly (100) that comprises a reference plate (110) which has a predetermined thickness in a third direction, and a first stack (120) and a second stack (130) which are respectively coupled to a first side surface and a second side surface of the reference plate (110) in the third direction and respectively comprise a plurality of battery cells (C) stacked and coupled to each other in the third direction; and a frame (200) with an inner space (S) in which the battery cell assembly (100) is inserted and accommodated (100). The inner space (S) comprises a predetermined portion (P1) accommodating the reference plate (110), and one side portion (P2) and the other side portion (P3) respectively corresponding to spaces at one side and the other side of the predetermined portion (P1) in the third direction with respect to the predetermined portion (P1) and respectively accommodating the first stack (120) and the second stack (130). A position of the predetermined portion (P1) is determined based on lengths of the first stack (120) and the second stack (130) in the third direction. Thus, the battery module (10) that has a simple configuration and ensures improvement in safety and reliability can be manufactured readily and rapidly without incurring large costs.