Side Bus Bar Assembly for Battery Tabs Under Tolerance and Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for assembling battery modules, particularly in high-output hybrid vehicles, face challenges such as difficulty in inserting electrode tabs into bus bars due to tolerance issues and increased manufacturing costs and time, as well as structural rigidity concerns when dealing with non-uniform electrode tab arrangements and external vibrations.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a battery module design where bus bar assemblies have openings with insertion portions that allow electrode tabs to be slidely inserted perpendicular to their drawing direction, supported by bus bar supports with grooves and convex portions, maintaining structural rigidity and facilitating easy assembly even with non-uniform tab arrangements, and are integrated with an upper assembly and cooling plate for enhanced stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrode tabs are inserted into holes formed in a bus bar using conventional methods, then electrical connection is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase due to tolerance issues in electrode tab arrangement
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar is divided into multiple modular units, each with its own opening for receiving electrode tabs. This segmentation allows each module to be assembled independently and then connected in series, eliminating the need for precise alignment across the entire bus bar length and reducing tolerance accumulation issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening in the bus bar is designed to receive electrode tabs from a direction perpendicular to the drawing-out direction of the tabs. This dimensional change in insertion approach allows for easier positioning and reduces sensitivity to tolerance variations in tab arrangement.
2Strength
If welding process is used to connect case members in module housing, then structural integrity is achieved, but manufacturing cost and quality control burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple case members are merged into a single integrally formed housing structure. This eliminates the need for welding or other joining processes between separate case members, reducing manufacturing complexity and quality control requirements while maintaining structural integrity.
3Ease of manufacture
If bus bar structure is simplified for easier assembly, then manufacturing cost decreases, but structural rigidity under vibration and shock may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar openings are pre-formed with precise dimensions and orientations to accommodate electrode tabs. This preliminary preparation allows for simple assembly operations while maintaining the structural rigidity of the bus bar, as no complex field modifications are needed during assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module which includes: a battery stack formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells respectively including electrode tabs on each other; and bus bar assemblies located on sides of the battery stack, from which the electrode tabs are drawn out, to electrically connect the plurality of battery cells to each other through a plurality of electrode tabs, wherein each of the bus bar assemblies includes a plurality of openings configured to hold the plurality of electrode tabs, and each of the plurality of openings includes an insertion portion formed by opening one side thereof so that the electrode tab is slidely inserted in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the electrode tabs are drawn out.