Bus Bar Frame Layout With Rotatable Connector Mount for Battery Modules

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional battery modules face challenges in accommodating connectors and electrode leads with increased widths due to spatial constraints, requiring re-arrangement of components when the connector position changes, leading to interference and assembly issues.

Innovation Solution

A battery module design featuring a rotatable connector mount portion on a bus bar frame that allows the connector to be positioned below the cell stack, alongside a horizontal plate for supporting the connector and bus bars, enabling space-efficient arrangement without interference.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If the width of electrode leads and bus bar are increased for rapid charging, then the current carrying capacity is improved, but the available space on the bus bar frame for connector arrangement deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurrent carrying capacityVSAvoidavailable space on bus bar frame
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The connector is repositioned from the traditional upper portion of the bus bar frame to the lower portion, utilizing underutilized spatial dimension. This dimensional relocation allows both wide electrode leads/bus bars and the connector to coexist without interference, resolving the spatial conflict caused by increased current carrying capacity requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Area of stationary object

If the position of connector is changed to accommodate wider electrode leads, then the space efficiency is improved, but the complexity of re-arranging other components deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespace efficiencyVSAvoidcomponent re-arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bus bar frame is segmented into distinct functional zones: an upper portion for electrode leads and bus bars, and a lower portion for the connector. This spatial segmentation allows independent optimization of each zone without requiring comprehensive re-arrangement of all components, thus improving space efficiency while limiting complexity increase

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4199240B1Battery module including bus bar frame for efficient layout of connector, and battery pack including the battery module
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • EP4199240B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4199240B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4199240B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A battery module according to the present disclosure includes: a cell stack in which a plurality of battery cells are stacked; bus bars connected in a pre-determined pattern to electrode leads of the plurality of battery cells; a sensing unit connected to each of the bus bars to sense voltages of the plurality of battery cells; a connector mounted on a side of the sensing unit; and a bus bar frame including a frame main body that covers a side portion of the cell stack and allows the bus bars to be attached to a front surface of the frame main body, and a connector mount portion on which the connector is mounted, wherein the connector mount portion is rotatably provided on an upper end of the frame main body so that the connector is located in front of the bus bars.