Battery Stack Pressing Structure for Cell Position Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power supply devices with stacked battery cells struggle to maintain each battery cell at an ideal position due to manufacturing dimensional errors and varying expansion rates during charging and discharging, leading to positional displacement and potential damage.

Innovation Solution

The use of bind bars with pressing pieces and elastomer moldings to press the upper surfaces of battery cells, ensuring they are positioned accurately and protected from vibration and impact, while absorbing energy and preventing excessive force that could damage the cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If bind bars with bent pieces are used to hold battery cells at predetermined positions, then vertical positional displacement is prevented, but battery cells cannot be always disposed at optimum positions due to manufacturing dimensional errors and expansion variations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevertical positional stabilityVSAvoidpositioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing piece is designed with elastic deformation capability, allowing it to change its pressing parameters dynamically. This enables the pressing force to adapt to dimensional variations in battery cells while maintaining precise positioning, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and positioning precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The pressing piece transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamic elastic structure that can deform and adapt. This dynamic characteristic allows the system to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and expansion variations while maintaining precise cell positioning throughout charging cycles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Quantity of substance

If battery cells are stacked with large number of cells to increase capacity, then power supply capacity is improved, but positional displacement occurs due to difference in expansion amounts of each cell

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebattery capacityVSAvoidcell position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing mechanism is segmented into multiple pressing pieces, each independently pressing individual battery cells. This segmentation allows each cell to be pressed according to its specific expansion characteristics, preventing positional displacement even when cells expand at different rates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The elastic pressing piece acts as an intermediary between the bind bar and battery cells. It mediates the force transmission while accommodating variations in cell expansion, thereby maintaining positional stability across the entire battery stack during charging and discharging cycles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If rigid pressing is applied to battery cells to maintain position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but damage may occur due to excessive force during expansion and contraction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidcell integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic pressing piece provides beforehand cushioning by absorbing expansion forces before they can cause damage to battery cells. The elastic deformation capacity acts as a protective buffer, maintaining positioning accuracy while preventing cell damage during repeated charging and discharging cycles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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

The solution enables precise positioning of battery cells, protecting them from damage and vibration, and maintaining their functionality over time, even with varying expansion rates, thus enhancing the reliability and longevity of the power supply device.

Implementation Method 1

pressing piece 15l elastically presses the upper surface of battery cell 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12394853B2Power supply device, and electric vehicle and electrical storage device each equipped with same

Publication Date: 2025.08.19 SANYO ELECTRIC CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is a power supply device that is configured to dispose each of battery cells at an ideal position while stacking the battery cells to form a battery stack, the power supply device including: battery cells each having an outer covering can in a prismatic shape and having a constant cell thickness; end plates paired for covering both side end surfaces of the battery stack in which battery cells are stacked; and bind bars that are disposed on opposite side surfaces of the battery stack and coupled to the end plates. Bind bar includes pressing piece for pressing an upper surface of each of battery cells adjacent to each other. The power supply device further includes elastomer molding disposed between pressing piece and an upper surface of battery cell, and pressing piece elastically presses the upper surface of battery cell with elastomer molding.