Battery Strap Retention Assembly for Traction Battery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for retaining traction battery cells and heat exchange structures in electrified vehicles are inefficient, often requiring multiple fasteners and resulting in increased packaging footprint and potential motion-related deformation.
Innovation Solution
A retention assembly using a strap that pulls together the heat exchange structure and battery cells, with optional anchors and tensioning devices to secure the assembly, reducing the need for fasteners and enhancing structural stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If multiple fasteners are used to retain battery cells and heat exchange structures, then the structural stability is improved, but the packaging footprint increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple fastening functions into a single strap that circumferentially surrounds and secures both the battery cells and heat exchange structure simultaneously. This merging of multiple fasteners into one continuous strap reduces the packaging footprint while maintaining structural stability through distributed tension along the entire perimeter of the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The strap serves multiple functions: it acts as a retention mechanism, a tensioning element, and a structural connector all in one component. By making the strap multi-functional, the patent eliminates the need for separate fasteners, anchors, and retention structures, thereby reducing the overall packaging footprint while maintaining adequate structural stability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple fasteners are used to retain battery cells and heat exchange structures, then the structural stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple discrete fastening components into a single integrated strap system. Instead of using separate fasteners, anchors, and retention structures, the continuous strap provides all necessary retention functions in one simple component, significantly reducing device complexity while maintaining structural stability through its circumferential configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary fastening components from the assembly. By removing multiple fasteners, anchors, and complex retention structures, the design achieves structural stability with a single strap, thereby reducing device complexity to the essential minimum required for functional retention.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a strap circumferentially surrounds battery cells, then lateral and vertical motion is minimized, but the strap may contact and potentially damage the battery cells
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary protective layer or spacing structure between the strap and the battery cells. This intermediary element allows the strap to maintain circumferential tension for motion restriction while preventing direct contact that could damage the battery cell surfaces or edges, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and harm prevention.
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary retention assembly includes a plurality of battery cells, a heat exchange structure, and a strap that pulls together the heat exchange structure and the plurality of battery cells.