Sensor-Actuated Battery Venting Unit for Harmful Gas Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing venting systems for machinery spaces, particularly battery housings, are passive and mechanically operated, lacking active monitoring and control mechanisms to safely vent harmful gases and maintain atmospheric pressure balance.
Innovation Solution
A venting unit with a base body, fluid permeable passageway, and an actuator mechanism activated by sensors to open and close a semipermeable membrane for venting harmful gases when thresholds are exceeded, ensuring reversible operation and protection against liquid and solid intrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If passive mechanical venting systems are used, then the structure is simple, but the safety control and harmful gas venting capability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces passive mechanical venting with an active mechatronic system. Sensors detect harmful gases and trigger an actuator to open a valve, substituting purely mechanical pressure-based venting with an electronically controlled system that actively monitors and responds to gas conditions, thereby improving safety control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that continuously monitor the machinery space for harmful gases and provide feedback to the control unit. When gas concentrations exceed thresholds, the control unit activates the actuator to open the valve. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables proactive safety control rather than passive response.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the venting system opens the passageway to vent gases, then harmful gases are released, but liquid and solid intrusion may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a membrane as the closure element for the passageway. This flexible thin film can be selectively opened by the actuator to vent gases while its material properties and design allow it to resist or filter out liquids and solids, thereby protecting the machinery space from contamination during the venting process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically controls the passageway opening based on real-time gas detection. The valve remains closed during normal operation and only opens when harmful gas concentrations exceed predefined thresholds. This dynamic control minimizes the time the passageway is open, reducing the risk of liquid and solid intrusion while still enabling effective gas venting when needed.
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
Enhances safety by actively monitoring and venting harmful gases, maintaining pressure balance, and preventing dust intrusion, thereby increasing battery health and passenger safety in vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
The opening section (24) includes a membrane (26) closing the fluid permeable passageway (22) and spanned across the fluid permeable passageway (22), in particular transversely to the axial direction (16) of the base body (10). In particular, the membrane (26) may be a semipermeable membrane configured to enable passage of gaseous media from an environment into the machinery space (60) and in reverse, and to prevent passage of liquid media and/or solids.
Implementation Method 2
The actuator (30) includes an actuation element (32) configured to open the opening section (24) when the actuator (30) receives, from the at least one sensor (40), a signal indicating a presence of an amount of at least one harmful gas above a desired threshold.
Implementation Method 3
at least one sensor (40) coupled to the actuator (30) and configured to sense at least one harmful gas in the machinery space (60)
Data Source
AI summary
A venting unit for venting a machinery space includes a base body mountable in a substantially fluid tight manner to an opening of the machinery space, the base body including a fluid permeable passageway for venting and an opening section configured to close the fluid permeable passageway and being attached to the base body in a substantially fluid tight manner. The venting unit further includes an actuator attached to the base body, and at least one sensor coupled to the actuator and configured to sense at least one harmful gas in the machinery space. The actuator includes an actuation element configured to open the opening section when the actuator receives, from the at least one sensor, a signal indicating a presence of an amount of the at least one harmful gas above a desired threshold.