Composite Battery Tray Molding With Exposed Fiber Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing battery shells with long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics require separate joining steps to achieve the necessary stiffness and strength, which complicates the production process and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A battery shell is molded with a continuous-fiber-reinforced insert, where a significant portion of the insert's surface is not overpressed by the molding compound, allowing for direct integration and stiffening during primary shaping, enhancing reproducibility and positioning accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics are used for battery shells to achieve high stiffness and strength, then mechanical properties are improved, but separate joining steps are required which complicates the production process and increases costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the battery shell molding process with the insert integration process into a single injection molding operation. The continuous-fiber-reinforced insert is placed in the mold cavity before injection, and the molding compound flows around and bonds to the insert in one step, eliminating separate joining operations while achieving the required mechanical strength through the fiber-reinforced structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials consisting of a molding compound (thermoplastic or thermosetting) combined with a continuous-fiber-reinforced insert (such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aramid fiber). This composite structure provides the necessary stiffness and strength for battery shells while enabling integration into a single molding process, resolving the contradiction between mechanical properties and process complexity
2Strength
If the continuous-fiber-reinforced insert is fully overpressed by the molding compound to ensure complete bonding, then bonding strength is improved, but fiber orientation control and positioning accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different levels of overpressing to different regions of the insert. The design specifies that at least 50% of the first surface of the continuous-fiber-reinforced insert remains not overpressed, while other regions may be partially overpressed. This local differentiation maintains positioning accuracy in critical areas while ensuring adequate bonding in other areas, resolving the contradiction between bonding strength and positioning precision
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 efficient, reproducible production of a stiffened battery shell with improved positioning accuracy and reduced process complexity, while maintaining high mechanical properties and allowing for complex geometries and functional elements.
Implementation Method 1
The battery shell is molded from a molding compound and a continuous-fiber-reinforced insert
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a battery shell, in particular a battery shell of a traction battery, the battery shell being molded from a molding compound and a continuous-fiber-reinforced insert, the continuous-fiber-reinforced insert having a first surface of which greater than or equal to 50%, preferably greater than or equal to 60%, and particularly preferably greater than or equal to 75%, is not overpressed by the molding compound.Furthermore, the invention relates to a tool for producing this battery shell and a method for producing the battery shell.The invention also relates to a traction battery comprising said battery shell and to a motor vehicle comprising said battery shell.