Bus Bar Frame with Hinged Upper Plate for Battery Module Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mono-frame type battery modules face challenges in maintaining energy density while ensuring safe and space-efficient wire connections and stable cell stack support, particularly due to the mechanical stiffness of pouch-type battery cells and tight assembly tolerances that complicate production.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a bus bar frame with vertical plates, an upper plate, and a mono-frame structure that allows for efficient electrical connections and sensing, with stoppers and hinges to manage assembly tolerance and prevent damage during assembly, while minimizing the number of components and maintaining energy density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If pouch-type battery cells are stacked with high degree of integration to reduce size and weight, then energy density is improved, but mechanical stiffness is insufficient requiring additional supporting units that increase volume
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar frame is merged with the cell support function. The vertical plates of the bus bar frame serve dual purposes: providing electrical connection through bus bars and supporting the cell stack mechanically. This eliminates the need for separate supporting units, maintaining high energy density while providing necessary mechanical stiffness.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus bar frame structure performs multiple functions simultaneously: electrical connection (through bus bars), mechanical support (through vertical plates), and structural stability (through the frame configuration). This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for additional components that would increase volume.
2Quantity of substance
If assembly tolerance is minimized to maximize energy density, then energy density is improved, but assembling becomes difficult leading to decreased production yield
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge connects the upper plate to the vertical plates, allowing dynamic adjustment during assembly. This flexibility compensates for tolerance variations, making assembly easier while maintaining the compact design for high energy density. The hinge enables the upper plate to adapt to positional variations without requiring precise pre-alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism changes the rigidity parameter of the bus bar frame during assembly. When assembly is in progress, the hinge allows movement to accommodate tolerance variations. Once assembled, the structure becomes rigid to maintain compact dimensions for high energy density.
3Reliability
If multiple wires are used to connect bus bars spaced apart for electrical connection and voltage sensing, then electrical connection is achieved, but assembling space utilization is restricted and short circuit risk increases under external impact
Solution Approach 1:
The bus bar frame merges the electrical connection function with the structural support function. The vertical plates provide both mechanical support and electrical connection through integrated bus bars, eliminating the need for separate wire connections. This reduces device complexity and eliminates short circuit risks while maintaining reliable electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire connection function is extracted and replaced by the bus bar frame structure. Instead of using flexible wires to connect bus bars, the rigid bus bar frame provides direct structural and electrical connection, eliminating the harmful aspects of wire connections (space restriction and short circuit risk) while maintaining electrical functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module includes a cell stack including stacked pouch-type secondary battery cells, which have electrode leads in opposite directions; a bus bar frame having first and second vertical plates and an upper plate connected to the first and second vertical plates to be hinged to at least one of the first and second vertical plates; and a mono-frame having a rectangular tube shape with an inner space in which the cell stack mounted to the bus bar frame is disposed. A plurality of bus bars are provided at outer surfaces of the first and second vertical plates, and the electrode leads of the cells are electrically connected to the corresponding bus bars through slots formed in the first and second vertical plates. A sensing member electrically connected to the bus bars of the vertical plates to sense electrical characteristics of the cells is disposed at the upper plate.