Battery Cell Carrier and Vent Tray Interlock for Lightweight Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-voltage battery assembly technologies require metal connection points for cell carriers and vent trays, limiting design flexibility and increasing weight.
Innovation Solution
A cell carrier and vent tray arrangement using mortise and tenon-like joints formed by ribs, notches, and cross-members, allowing for plastic materials and eliminating metal connection points, with optional adhesive joining.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal connection points are used to attach cell carrier and vent tray, then structural strength and reliability are improved, but weight increases and design flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes metal connection points from the assembly, extracting the harmful element (metal) while retaining the necessary connection function through alternative means (adhesive bonding and mechanical interlocking of plastic components). This eliminates the weight penalty associated with metal fasteners while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite construction by combining plastic materials with adhesive bonding, creating a hybrid connection system that leverages the advantages of both materials - the design flexibility and corrosion resistance of plastic plus the bonding strength of adhesive - to replace traditional metal connections.
2Strength
If metal connection points are used to attach cell carrier and vent tray, then structural strength is improved, but design flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic/adhesive combination, which fundamentally alters the design space available. This enables continuous surfaces, integrated geometries, and complex three-dimensional forms that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with discrete metal fasteners, thereby dramatically increasing design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the cell carrier and vent tray into a more integrated assembly through adhesive bonding and mechanical interlocking features, allowing the components to function as a unified structure rather than separate parts joined by discrete fasteners, thus enabling more flexible and optimized designs.
3Weight of moving object
If adhesive bonding is used to join tray ribs to carrier body, then design flexibility and weight reduction are improved, but bonding strength must be sufficient to replace metal connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite construction by combining plastic materials with adhesive bonding, creating a hybrid connection system that leverages the advantages of both materials - the design flexibility and corrosion resistance of plastic plus the bonding strength of adhesive - to replace traditional metal connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention divides the bonding interface into multiple discrete locations at the tray ribs, distributing the load across several bonding points rather than relying on a single large bond area. This segmentation allows each individual bond to be optimized and ensures that failure at one location does not compromise the entire structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A cell carrier and vent tray arrangement for high-voltage batteries includes a cell vent tray having a vent tray body having first and second tray ribs extending outward from a top surface of the vent tray body, wherein the tray ribs run along a longitudinal direction and include one or more notches formed in one or both of the tray ribs, and a cell carrier having a carrier body with a plurality of vent holes formed therethrough and a carrier rib extending outward from a bottom surface of the carrier body, wherein the carrier rib runs along the longitudinal direction and includes one or more cross-members extending in the transverse direction. The cell vent tray and cell carrier are configured for engagement with each other in an assembled configuration with the carrier rib being disposed between the first and second tray ribs and the cross-members being seated within the notches.