Thermoplastic Busbar Retainer Clips for Battery Pack Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrified vehicle battery packs, busbars experience vibration and noise due to their large span, which can lead to material contact with enclosure surfaces, hindering functionality and causing unwanted noise, vibration, and harshness issues.
Innovation Solution
The use of thermoplastic retainer clips with retention and positioning legs, secured by abrasion-resistant tape, to securely hold busbars in place within the battery pack, reducing noise, vibration, and harshness by preventing material contact between busbars and enclosure surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If busbars are positioned with large span in battery pack, then electrical connection functionality is achieved, but noise and vibration increase due to contact with enclosure surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces retainer clips as intermediary components between the busbar and the battery pack enclosure. These clips hold the busbar in a suspended position, preventing direct contact with the enclosure surfaces that would cause noise and vibration. The retainer clips serve as mediators that maintain the electrical connection functionality while eliminating the harmful contact-induced noise and vibration.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If retainer clips are used to secure busbars, then noise and vibration are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer clips are made from thermoplastic material, which allows them to be formed through injection molding processes. This parameter change in material selection enables mass production of complex-shaped clips with multiple legs and features, reducing per-unit complexity costs despite the increased structural complexity of the overall assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The retainer clip is segmented into multiple functional legs: retention legs that grip the busbar, positioning legs that locate the clip within the enclosure, and mounting features that attach to the battery pack structure. This segmentation allows each leg to be optimized for its specific function while being manufactured as a single integrated component.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure details exemplary battery pack designs for use in electrified vehicles. An exemplary battery pack may include one or more busbar retainer clips adapted for securing busbars within the battery pack. The retainer clips may secure the busbars in a manner that prevents material contact between the busbars and surrounding enclosure surfaces and substantially reduces any noise, vibration, and harshness issues.