Plastic Battery Shell Guide-Rail Fastening for Lower Assembly Complexity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traction batteries for motor vehicles face high unit and investment costs due to the complexity and rigidity of metallic battery shells, which require precise tolerances and numerous components, leading to increased manufacturing efforts and costs.

Innovation Solution

A plastic battery shell with a fastening system comprising a guide strip and inner profile, where the guide strip is cohesively or positively connected to the shell, allowing for efficient load transfer and reduced component count, utilizing a guide bar and inner profile with metal or plastic content to enhance mechanical anchoring and reduce production complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a metallic battery shell is used, then structural strength and rigidity are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase due to precise tolerance requirements and numerous components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple functions into a single plastic battery shell component. The shell integrates structural support, fastening features (through integrated guide strips and attachment points), and protective functions, eliminating the need for separate metallic components and fastening systems. This merging reduces device complexity while maintaining structural integrity through optimized plastic design and molding techniques.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from metallic material to plastic material, fundamentally changing the material parameters. This parameter change allows for integrated manufacturing through molding, eliminates the need for post-assembly fastening operations, and reduces tolerance stringency while maintaining adequate structural strength for the application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If a metallic battery shell with precise tolerances is used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to increased manufacturing efforts and cycle time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing precisionVSAvoidproductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates fastening features (guide strips, attachment points, and mounting structures) directly into the battery shell during the molding process. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent fastening operations and assembly steps, significantly reducing manufacturing cycle time and increasing productivity while maintaining adequate positioning precision through the molded-in features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the fastening function from separate metallic components and integrates it directly into the battery shell structure. By taking out the need for separate fasteners and mounting brackets, the design simplifies the manufacturing process and reduces the number of assembly operations required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If numerous components are used in the battery shell, then structural integrity is improved, but the number of components and assembly complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple structural and fastening functions into a single integrated plastic battery shell. The shell includes built-in guide strips, attachment points, and structural ribs that provide both structural integrity and fastening capabilities, eliminating the need for separate metallic components, brackets, and fasteners.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The battery shell is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides structural support, component mounting, protection, and positioning functions. The integrated guide strips and attachment points enable multiple fastening operations through a single component design, reducing the total number of parts while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4078722B1Battery shell, traction battery and motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.08.14 KAUTEX TEXTRON GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4078722B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4078722B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4078722B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a battery shell, in particular a battery shell of a traction battery, wherein the battery shell is formed from plastics material, the battery shell having a fastening system for fastening a component to the battery shell, the fastening system having a guide rail, an inner profile and a fastening element, the guide rail being integrally or interlockingly connected to the battery shell, the inner profile being guided by the guide rail, the fastening element being designed to establish a connection between the component and the inner profile.