Battery Stack Wiring Terminal With Tolerance-Compensating Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing wiring units for high-voltage battery packs in electric vehicles face challenges due to manufacturing tolerances in the bending and welding of electrode leads, leading to poor electrical connections between the electrode leads and module terminals.

Innovation Solution

The proposed wiring unit includes a terminal with a connecting portion and a bent plate portion that can move within a recess in the protector, allowing for reliable contact with electrode leads even with manufacturing tolerances, thereby ensuring a stable electrical connection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If electrode leads are bent and welded to connect adjacent battery cells, then the wiring unit can eliminate bus bars and reduce structural complexity, but manufacturing tolerance increases leading to poor electrical connection reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewiring unit structureVSAvoidelectrical connection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The terminal is designed with a movable connecting portion that can shift in the front-rear direction to accommodate manufacturing tolerances of the electrode leads. This dynamic adjustment capability ensures reliable electrical connection while maintaining the simplified wiring structure without bus bars.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The terminal's connecting portion is designed to change its position parameter (front-rear direction) to match the actual position of the electrode leads. This parameter adjustment compensates for manufacturing tolerances and ensures optimal contact for electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If module terminals are connected to electrode leads with large manufacturing tolerance, then the wiring unit can accommodate variations in electrode lead position, but full contact between terminals and electrode leads cannot be achieved leading to poor electrical connection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetolerance accommodationVSAvoidelectrical connection quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting portion of the terminal is designed to move dynamically in the front-rear direction to track and maintain contact with the electrode leads despite their position variations. This dynamic adaptation ensures both tolerance accommodation and reliable electrical connection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The movable connecting portion provides automatic feedback adjustment where the terminal position adapts to the actual electrode lead position, ensuring optimal contact is achieved regardless of manufacturing variations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 configuration enhances the reliability of the electrical connection between the terminal and electrode leads, addressing the issue of manufacturing tolerances and ensuring consistent performance.

Implementation Method 1

the bent plate portion being inserted into the recess so as to be movable in the first direction, so that the connecting portion can come into contact with the electrode leads

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical movement:

Data Source

PatentEP4535020A1Wiring unit
Publication Date: 2025.04.09 ENVISION DYNAMICS TECH (JIANGSU) CO LTD
  • EP4535020A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4535020A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4535020A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is a wiring unit (20) having excellent reliability of electrical connection between a terminal (30) and electrode leads (12, 12A). The wiring unit (20) is mounted on a battery stack (11L), which is formed by stacking a plurality of laminated batteries (11) including electrode leads (12, 12A, 12B), and includes a joining portion (13) for joining the electrode leads (12, 12A) of the laminated batteries (11) in a mutually overlapping manner, the wiring unit (20) comprising: a terminal (30); an electric wire (45) that is connected to the terminal (30); and a protector (50) that holds the terminal (30) and the electric wire (45), the terminal (30) including: a main body portion (31); a connecting portion (32) that is configured to extend from the main body portion (31) and is oppositely connected, in a first direction, to the electrode leads (12, 12A) forming the joining portion (13); and at least one bent plate portion (33) that extends from the main body portion (31) to the side of the laminated batteries (11) in the first direction, and the protector (50) including: a protector main body (51); and at least one recess (52A) that is recessed towards the side of the laminated batteries (11) in the first direction relative to the protector main body (51) and accommodates the bent plate portion (33), the bent plate portion (33) being inserted into the recess (52A) so as to be movable in the first direction, so that the connecting portion (32) can come into contact with the electrode leads (12, 12A).