Bus Bar Coupon Separation Mechanism for EV Battery Modules
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Electrified vehicle battery packs face challenges in efficiently separating and isolating bus bars within electrical modules, leading to potential issues like creepage and loss of isolation due to high voltage differentials and environmental factors.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a bus bar coupon with a separating spike mechanism, where the first and second housings include locating bosses and separating spikes, allowing the bus bar coupon to be automatically separated into individual bus bars as the housings are assembled, utilizing a knife edge to shear carriers and create a gap for isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bus bars are kept connected during assembly for ease of handling, then assembly ease is improved, but electrical isolation and safety are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar coupon is designed as a single integrated component that segments into multiple individual bus bars during assembly. The separating spikes create physical divisions between adjacent bus bars, transforming one connected structure into multiple isolated conductors automatically during the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar coupon is pre-formed as a single connected unit to facilitate easy handling and assembly. The separation into individual bus bars occurs automatically during the assembly process itself, eliminating the need for separate disconnection steps while maintaining safety.
2Reliability
If bus bars are separated into individual components, then electrical isolation is improved, but assembly complexity and time are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual bus bars are merged into a single integrated bus bar coupon that can be assembled as one piece. The coupon includes all necessary bus bar segments connected by carriers, allowing simultaneous installation of multiple conductors in a single assembly operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar coupon is pre-assembled with all bus bar segments and carriers in the correct configuration before installation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming on-site assembly and alignment of individual bus bars during final installation.
3Strength
If carriers connect bus bars for structural integrity, then mechanical strength is improved, but electrical isolation between bus bars is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The carriers are selectively removed or severed from the bus bar assembly during the assembly process. The separating spikes extract the carrier material between adjacent bus bars, eliminating the conductive path while maintaining the structural framework provided by the remaining carrier portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriers are removed only in specific locations where electrical isolation is required between adjacent bus bars. The carriers may remain intact in other areas where structural support is needed, creating different properties in different locations of the same component.
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 solution effectively separates bus bars during assembly, preventing creepage and ensuring reliable isolation between them, thereby enhancing the electrical module's performance and safety within electrified vehicle battery packs.
Implementation Method 1
a separating spike configured to separate portions of the bus bar coupon as the first and second housings are moved together
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure details electrical modules that include integrated bus bar locating and separating features. An exemplary electrical module may include a first housing, a second housing, and a bus bar coupon. The first housing, the second housing, or both may include one or more locating and separating features. The bus bar coupon may be automatically separated into a plurality of individual bus bars by the separating features as the first and second housings of the electrical module are moved together. The electrical module could be utilized within electrified vehicle battery packs or various other electrified components.