Bus Bar Mechanical Fuse for Collision Force Isolation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional bus bars in electric vehicles can cause damage to neighboring battery cells during collisions due to the propagation of forces, leading to potential thermal runaway and costly replacements.

Innovation Solution

Incorporation of a mechanical fuse or sacrificial joint in the bus bar design that fails at a defined strength limit, preventing force propagation and separating to protect adjacent cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a traditional bus bar is used to connect battery cells, then good electrical connectivity and mechanical strength are achieved, but force propagation during collision causes damage to neighboring battery cells

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical connectivityVSAvoidforce propagation damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bus bar is segmented into multiple sections by introducing a mechanical fuse that can separate under excessive force. This segmentation allows the bus bar to maintain electrical connectivity during normal operation while preventing force propagation during collision by allowing controlled separation at the fuse location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical fuse acts as an intermediary element between the rigid bus bar sections. It mediates the force transmission by providing a controlled failure point that absorbs impact energy through separation, thereby protecting neighboring battery cells from direct force propagation while maintaining electrical connectivity under normal conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If the bus bar is made stronger to prevent separation during normal operation, then mechanical strength is improved, but the risk of thermal runaway increases during collision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidthermal runaway risk

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical fuse introduces a controlled parameter change in the bus bar structure by creating a localized weak point with specific geometric features (grooves, notches, reduced thickness). This allows the bus bar to maintain high overall strength for normal operation while having a predetermined location that will fail at a lower stress threshold during collision, preventing thermal runaway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If a mechanical fuse is added to the bus bar, then protection against force propagation is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision protectionVSAvoidbus bar structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical fuse functionality is merged directly into the bus bar structure itself rather than being a separate component. The fuse is formed by modifying the bus bar geometry (adding grooves, notches, or reducing thickness in specific regions), combining the electrical conductor and mechanical protection functions into a single integrated element.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20260024879A1Bus bar having a mechanical fuse

Publication Date: 2026.01.22 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

A bus bar comprising a first end and a second end spaced from the first end, a first side and a second side spaced from the first side, a first surface extending between the first and second ends and the first and second sides, a second surface extending between the first and second ends and the first and second sides, a thickness between the first surface and the second surface, and a mechanical fuse arranged between the first and second ends and including an upper strength limit.