Battery Separator Insulating Rib Creepage Path Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power supply devices with stacked battery cells face issues with electrical leakage due to dew condensation water, particularly because of short creepage distances and inadequate insulation, which can lead to safety concerns and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
The power supply device incorporates a separator with insulating rib parts that protrude from both surfaces and are stacked on the bottom surface of the battery cells, featuring an insertion groove and rib structure to create a U-curved creepage path, thereby extending the distance and narrowing the gap to prevent electrical leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an insulating sheet is used to cover the surface of the exterior can, then insulation is improved, but workability deteriorates and production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating rib part is integrated into the separator structure, combining the insulation function with the separator's primary function. This eliminates the need for separate insulating sheets and reduces production steps, thereby improving workability while maintaining insulation effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating function is extracted from the exterior can surface and transferred to the separator structure. By forming insulating rib parts on the separator, the insulation capability is relocated to where it is most needed (at the joint lines between battery cells) without requiring additional components
2Reliability
If an insulating sheet is used to cover the surface of the exterior can, then insulation is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating rib part is integrated into the separator structure, combining the insulation function with the separator's primary function. This eliminates the need for separate insulating sheets and reduces production steps, thereby improving workability while maintaining insulation effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating function is achieved using the separator material itself rather than expensive additional insulating sheets. The separator, which is already present in the battery assembly, is modified to provide insulation, reducing material costs and simplifying production
3Ease of manufacture
If the creepage distance is shortened, then manufacturing is easier, but electrical leakage prevention deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating rib parts create a U-curved creepage path that extends the electrical insulation distance. The curved structure of the rib parts forces the creepage path to follow a longer route, increasing the effective insulation distance and preventing electrical leakage through the joint lines
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating rib parts add vertical dimension to the separator structure, creating three-dimensional insulation barriers. This vertical protrusion increases the creepage distance in the vertical direction while maintaining a relatively simple two-dimensional separator layout, thus improving electrical leakage prevention without significantly complicating manufacturing
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 effectively prevents electrical leakage by prolonging the creepage distance and enhancing insulation resistance, even when dew condensation water flows down, ensuring safer operation and reducing production costs by eliminating the need for heat shrinkable tubes.
Implementation Method 1
one of the stacked insulating rib parts has an insertion groove, the other of the stacked insulating rib parts has an insertion rib to be inserted into the insertion groove, and the insulating rib parts are stacked on each other on the bottom surface of the battery cell by inserting the insertion rib into the insertion groove
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply device includes battery cells each having a rectangular external shape, a separator disposed between the battery cells, a pair of end plates that are disposed on respective ends of a battery assembly in which the separator and the battery cells are stacked, and a bind bar that binds the pair of end plates. The separator has insulating rib parts that protrude from both surfaces of the separator, and the insulating rib parts of the separator stacked on each surface of the battery cell are stacked on each other on a bottom surface of the battery cell. The insulating rib parts are stacked on each other on the bottom surface of the battery cell by inserting an insertion rib provided in one of the stacked insulating rib parts into an insertion groove provided in the other of the stacked insulating rib parts.