Battery Temperature Estimation via PCB Heat Transfer Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for temperature measurement in energy storage devices often require special attachment structures for temperature sensors, making them difficult to attach and increasing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A temperature sensor is placed on a thermally separated circuit board, using a metal heat transfer structure to estimate the energy storage device's temperature from a coupling site, allowing easy attachment and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a temperature sensor is attached directly to the energy storage device case, then temperature measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase due to special attachment structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat transfer structure as an intermediary component between the energy storage device and the circuit board. This metal heat transfer structure transfers heat from the energy storage device to the circuit board, allowing the temperature sensor to indirectly measure the energy storage device temperature through the coupling site on the circuit board, thereby eliminating the need for direct attachment to the energy storage device case
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a thermal copy of the energy storage device temperature at the coupling site on the circuit board. By transferring heat through the heat transfer structure, the coupling site becomes a thermal replica that reflects the energy storage device temperature, allowing measurement without direct contact with the original device
2Measurement precision
If a temperature sensor is attached to the energy storage device case, then temperature detection accuracy is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to special attachment structures
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer structure serves as a mediator that enables temperature measurement through the existing circuit board assembly process. This approach integrates temperature sensing into the standard manufacturing workflow without requiring special attachment procedures, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit board serves multiple functions: it provides electrical connections and also acts as a mounting platform for the temperature sensor through the heat transfer structure. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate attachment structures, reducing both cost and complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If a temperature sensor is provided on the circuit board, then ease of manufacture and design freedom are improved, but temperature measurement accuracy may deteriorate due to thermal separation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating thermal conductivity at the coupling site where the heat transfer structure contacts the circuit board. This localized high thermal conductivity path ensures efficient heat transfer from the energy storage device to the temperature sensor location, maintaining measurement accuracy despite overall thermal separation
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses composite thermal pathways: the heat transfer structure (metal with high thermal conductivity) combined with the circuit board (substrate material). This composite approach creates an effective thermal link while maintaining electrical and thermal separation between the energy storage device and the circuit board
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
This method enables accurate temperature estimation of energy storage devices without special attachment structures, contributing to miniaturization, cost reduction, and improved design freedom.
Implementation Method 1
a heat transfer structure made of metal to transfer heat of the energy storage device to the circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
An energy storage apparatus includes an energy storage device, a circuit board being thermally separated from the energy storage device, a heat transfer structure made of metal to transfer heat of the energy storage device to the circuit board, a temperature sensor provided on the circuit board to be electrically insulated from a coupling site on the circuit board to which the heat transfer structure is coupled to measure a temperature of the coupling site, and an arithmetic device including a processor and a memory, the memory including a program that is executable by the processor to estimate a temperature of the energy storage device based on the temperature of the coupling site measured by the temperature sensor.