Battery Spacer Protrusion Layout for Compact Cell Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional energy storage apparatuses with spacers cannot achieve downsizing due to the spacer's configuration, which increases the width and prevents compact design.
Innovation Solution
The energy storage apparatus includes a spacer with protrusions that face convex portions of the energy storage device, allowing for positioning without sandwiching the device's side surfaces, thereby preventing an increase in width and enabling downsizing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the spacer has side wall portions facing both side surfaces of the energy storage device, then positioning is achieved, but the width increases and downsizing cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary positioning function from the conventional spacer design. Instead of having side wall portions facing both side surfaces (which increases width), the spacer is designed with a protrusion that faces only one specific surface (the first surface with the electrode terminal). This selective extraction of the positioning function to a single-point contact achieves accurate positioning without the penalty of increased width, enabling downsizing of the energy storage apparatus.
2Length of stationary object
If the spacer width is reduced for downsizing, then compact design is achieved, but positioning capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by concentrating the positioning function at a specific location rather than distributing it across the entire spacer width. The protrusion is positioned to face the convex portion on the first surface, creating a localized high-precision positioning point. This localized approach maintains accurate positioning capability while allowing the overall spacer width to be reduced for downsizing and compact design.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional spacer configuration is used, then structural stability is maintained, but material usage increases and downsizing is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential structural elements needed for stability, removing unnecessary portions of the spacer. By designing the spacer with a protrusion that faces only the first surface rather than extending to face both side surfaces, the spacer uses less material while maintaining its structural stability. This extraction of excess material enables downsizing and reduces resource consumption without compromising the structural integrity of the energy storage apparatus.
Data Source
AI summary
An energy storage apparatus includes an energy storage device and a spacer disposed adjacent to the energy storage device in a first direction, in which the energy storage device has a case first surface on which an electrode terminal is disposed, a case second surface adjacent to the case first surface in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a convex portion (gasket) protruding from the case first surface, and the spacer has a first protrusion that faces the convex portion in the second direction and protrudes along the convex portion without having a portion that faces the case second surface.