Battery Pack Sensing Cable Assembly for Higher Energy Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing battery pack structures face challenges in simplifying the installation of voltage sensing lines, leading to increased weight, thickness, and energy density loss due to the use of wire harnesses, which also compromise the rigidity of the cross beam in vehicle applications.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design utilizing large-area flexible printed circuits or flat cables to connect battery modules directly to the battery management system, eliminating the need for wire harnesses and optimizing the placement of sensing lines within a pack tray with partitions and a cross beam to reduce volume and enhance rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire harnesses are used to connect battery modules to BMS, then electrical connection is achieved, but weight and thickness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional wire harness mechanical connection system with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) that integrates electrical connection functions directly into a thin, lightweight flexible substrate. This substitution eliminates the need for separate wires, connectors, and harness assemblies, achieving the same electrical connection reliability with dramatically reduced weight and thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple separate components (wires, connectors, harness structure) into a single integrated flexible printed circuit board. The FPC combines conductive traces, connection points, and structural support into one unified component, reducing overall weight while maintaining electrical connection functionality.
2Reliability
If wire harnesses are used to connect battery modules to BMS, then electrical connection is achieved, but space occupied increases and energy density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the bulky wire harness mechanical system with a thin flexible printed circuit board that occupies minimal space. The FPC's flat, flexible nature allows it to be routed through tight spaces and conform to the battery pack structure, dramatically reducing the volume required for electrical connections and thereby increasing energy density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional wire harness structure to a two-dimensional flexible circuit board layout. This dimensional change allows the electrical connection system to be flattened and integrated within the battery pack's existing structure, minimizing space occupation and maximizing energy density.
3Reliability
If wire harness volume is increased, then connection capacity is improved, but cross beam inner space requirements increase and rigidity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the voluminous wire harness with a thin flexible printed circuit board that requires minimal space within the cross beam. This substitution allows the cross beam to maintain its full structural integrity and rigidity, as the FPC occupies negligible space and does not compromise the beam's load-bearing capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible printed circuit board as a thin film structure that can be routed through the cross beam's internal spaces without compromising structural rigidity. The FPC's flexibility allows it to conform to the cross beam's geometry while occupying minimal volume, preserving the beam's strength and stiffness.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a pack tray defining an inner space; a plurality of battery modules accommodated in the pack tray; a battery management system (BMS) accommodated in the pack tray; a first cable assembly configured to connect the BMS a first module group from among the plurality of battery modules, the first cable assembly being located adjacent to first module group; and a second cable assembly configured to connect the BMS to a second module group from among the plurality of battery modules, the second cable assembly being located adjacent to second module group.