Battery Pack Plate Member for Vent Gas Case Protection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery packs with discharge valves face the challenge of protecting the case from damage due to high-temperature gas discharge while maintaining a compact size, as traditional solutions require additional space for discharge ducts.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a plate member between the discharge valve and the case, which acts as a barrier to absorb the discharged gas and serves as a reinforcing element, reducing the need for separate components and space, and can be continuously formed with the restraint band to restrain the battery stack.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a discharge duct with a cushioning member is provided to protect the case from gas discharge damage, then the case protection is improved, but the battery pack size increases due to the required placement space

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecase protectionVSAvoidbattery pack size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The plate member is integrated with the restraint band that secures the battery stack, merging the protective function against gas discharge with the structural restraint function. This integration eliminates the need for a separate discharge duct structure, thereby protecting the case from high-temperature gas damage while maintaining a compact battery pack size without increasing overall volume

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The plate member acts as an intermediary barrier positioned between the discharge valve and the case. It intercepts the high-temperature gas discharged from the battery, dissipating the gas flow before it reaches the case, thereby protecting the case from thermal and pressure damage without requiring a large discharge duct structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a plate member is provided between the discharge valve and the case to block gas flow, then the case protection is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecase protectionVSAvoidnumber of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The plate member is integrated with the restraint band that secures the battery stack, merging the protective function against gas discharge with the structural restraint function. This integration eliminates the need for a separate discharge duct structure, thereby protecting the case from high-temperature gas damage while maintaining a compact battery pack size without increasing overall volume

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The restraint band serves dual functions: it mechanically secures the battery stack in place and simultaneously provides a plate member structure that protects the case from gas discharge damage. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of components while maintaining case protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11888175B2Battery pack

Publication Date: 2024.01.30 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

Each cell forming a battery stack has a discharge valve configured to discharge gas in the inside to the outside when an internal pressure increases. A case houses the battery stack. A plate member is provided between each discharge valve and an upper case. The plate member is arranged to overlap with each discharge valve when the battery stack and the plate member are planarly viewed from above.