Flexible Bus Bar Fire-Resistant Bandage for Short-Circuit Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible bus bars used in battery packs are prone to short circuits when their insulating tubes are destroyed by fire, causing the metal bar to contact surrounding metal objects.
Innovation Solution
A bus bar design featuring a metal bar surrounded by a bandage member made of metal wires coated with insulative and fire-resistant materials, such as mica, silica, or ceramic, and an insulating tube made of transparent silicone, which prevents direct contact with surrounding metal objects even if the exterior sheath is destroyed by fire.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible bus bar with an insulating tube is used, then the bus bar can be deformed to connect battery modules with different vibration axes, but the insulating tube may be destroyed by fire causing the metal bar to contact surrounding metal objects and cause a short circuit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the bandage member inside the insulating tube, creating a layered protective structure. The bandage member is wrapped around the metal bar first, then the insulating tube is placed over it, forming concentric protective layers that maintain insulation even when the outer layer fails
Solution Approach 2:
The bandage member with fire-resistant coating serves as a pre-prepared protective barrier that activates when fire occurs. The fire-resistant coating on the bandage member provides beforehand cushioning against fire damage, preventing the metal bar from contacting surrounding objects even when the insulating tube is destroyed
2Volume of moving object
If the insulating tube is made thin to reduce size, then the bus bar compactness is improved, but the insulating tube becomes more susceptible to fire damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining the insulating tube material with the fire-resistant coating material on the bandage member. This composite protective structure provides enhanced fire resistance without significantly increasing the overall size, as the coating material forms a thin but effective barrier layer
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 bus bar configuration effectively prevents short circuits by maintaining the bandage member's insulation and fire resistance, ensuring the metal bar does not contact surrounding metal objects, even if the insulating tube is destroyed, thereby preventing fire accidents from spreading.
Implementation Method 1
a bandage member surrounding the metal bar except for both ends of the metal bar; and an insulating tube surrounding both the metal bar and the bandage member. The bandage member may be made of one or more metal wires and a surface of the one or more metal wires may be coated with an insulative and fire resistant coating material
Data Source
AI summary
A bus bar, which includes a metal bar made of an electrically conductive metal material; a bandage member configured to surround the metal bar except for both ends of the metal bar; and an insulating tube configured to surround the metal bar and the bandage member together, wherein the bandage member is made of a metal wire having a surface coated with a coating material having insulation and fire resistance.