Battery Pack Support Segmentation for Heat Dissipation and Faster Filling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Battery packs face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat generated by densely arranged battery cells, leading to potential overheating and explosion risks, and existing filling materials are difficult to uniformly fill, increasing manufacturing time and cost.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design featuring a frame, cell holders, heat sinks, and supports that adjust the filling material volume by occupying a portion of the space between cells, allowing for reduced filling material usage while ensuring stable cell support and heat dissipation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If filling material is injected to the entire space between battery cells, then heat dissipation and cell fixation are improved, but manufacturing time and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation and cell fixationVSAvoidmanufacturing time and cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The battery pack internal space is segmented into multiple regions by introducing support structures that divide the filling material into separate sections. This segmentation allows the filling material to be injected into smaller, more manageable spaces, improving uniformity of distribution and reducing the overall injection time and material cost while maintaining effective heat dissipation and cell fixation in each segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of filling the entire space between battery cells with filling material, the invention applies partial filling by introducing support structures that occupy portions of the space. The filling material is then injected only into the remaining spaces, achieving adequate heat dissipation and cell fixation with reduced material usage and lower manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Stability of the object's composition

If filling material is used to fix battery cells, then cell stability is improved, but uniform filling becomes difficult and manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecell stabilityVSAvoidfilling uniformity and manufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The introduction of support structures segments the battery pack internal space into multiple smaller regions. This segmentation creates defined boundaries that guide the filling material flow, ensuring more uniform distribution within each segment. The support structures act as physical guides that prevent uneven accumulation and improve overall filling uniformity while maintaining cell stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support structures are installed in the battery pack before the filling material is injected. This preliminary action creates a pre-defined framework that guides the subsequent filling process, ensuring that the filling material is distributed uniformly from the outset. The pre-installed supports prevent common filling defects such as air pockets and uneven distribution, simplifying the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Power

If battery cells are densely arranged to increase output, then power density is improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoutput voltage and currentVSAvoidheat accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The support structures segment the battery pack into multiple regions, creating thermal zones that facilitate heat management. By dividing the densely packed cells into segmented regions, heat generated in each zone can be more effectively managed and dissipated, preventing heat accumulation even when cells are densely arranged to increase power output.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support structures serve as intermediary elements between the densely packed battery cells. These supports create thermal pathways and spacing that facilitate heat transfer from the cells to the surrounding environment, acting as a mediator that enables effective heat dissipation while maintaining the high cell density required for increased power output.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 solution effectively reduces the usage amount of filling material, improves manufacturing efficiency, and enhances heat dissipation, thereby stabilizing the battery pack and reducing the risk of overheating and explosions.

Implementation Method 1

a heat sink installed on the cell holder to cool the battery cells

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a heat sink installed on the cell holder to cool the battery cells

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 3

the filling material may fix the battery cells and easily dissipate the heat generated from the battery cells

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS20230369696A1Battery pack and manufacturing method therefor
Publication Date: 2023.11.16 LG ENERGY SOLUTION LTD
  • US20230369696A1 patent drawing
  • US20230369696A1 patent drawing
  • US20230369696A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A battery pack includes a frame having an inner space; a plurality of battery cells each having one end disposed in the inner space of the frame and the other end protruding to an outside the frame; a cell holder at one side of the frame; a heat sink on the cell holder; a plurality of supports in a portion of a space between the battery cells; and a filling material filled in a remaining space in which the supports are not disposed in the space between the battery cells. Here, an amount of the filling material may be adjusted according to the number of the provided supports.