Cell Holder Structure with Elastic Pillars for Battery Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cell holder structures for rechargeable battery packs face challenges in securely holding battery cells, particularly in preventing axial and radial displacement, and ensuring even support across the array, leading to potential mechanical stress and instability.
Innovation Solution
The cell holder structure incorporates base and cover parts with axially extending pillars and circumferential securing walls that positionally secure rechargeable battery cells, featuring conical and dome-shaped designs for improved fit and support, along with hollow pillars for elastic yielding and bearing projections for enhanced retention, ensuring secure holding and even pressure distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional spring tongues and spring webs are used for holding battery cells, then axial and radial spring forces are provided, but the structure becomes complex and manufacturing outlay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The holder base part is segmented into multiple individual cell supporting pillars, each independently providing radial spring force through elastic yielding. This segmentation replaces the conventional unified spring web structure with discrete, simpler pillar elements that collectively achieve the same holding function with reduced complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the cell supporting pillars are selected to provide elastic yielding behavior, transforming the rigid support structure into a flexible one that automatically adapts to battery cell dimensions. This parameter change in material elasticity eliminates the need for complex spring mechanisms while maintaining reliable holding stability
2Reliability
If cell receiving spaces are tightly configured to hold battery cells securely, then displacement is prevented, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cell supporting pillars are designed to be elastically deformable rather than rigid, allowing them to dynamically adapt to variations in battery cell dimensions. This dynamic response compensates for manufacturing tolerances in both the holder and battery cells, maintaining positional security without requiring tight dimensional tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic modulus and geometric dimensions of the supporting pillars are optimized to provide appropriate compliance. This parameter optimization allows the pillars to yield elastically under normal operational variations, securing battery cells reliably while accommodating manufacturing tolerances
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform pillar dimensions are used across the array, then manufacturing is simplified, but even pressure distribution cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The cell supporting pillars are designed with different cross-sectional dimensions at different locations within the array. Pillars in regions requiring higher support force have larger cross-sections, while those in regions requiring less force have smaller cross-sections. This local differentiation achieves even pressure distribution across the battery cell array while remaining manufacturable through standard molding techniques
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
This configuration provides reliable, play-free holding of rechargeable battery cells, preventing axial and radial displacement, and ensuring consistent support across the array, even under conditions like shaking or impact, making the battery pack suitable for portable devices.
Implementation Method 1
The inserted rechargeable battery cell can press radially elastically yielding securing wall regions of the hollow pillars against its circumferential surface, wherein the hollow pillars have a radially elastic yielding hollow pillar structure
Data Source
AI summary
A cell holder structure for holding a plurality of battery cells includes a holder base part and a holder cover part forming an array of cell-receiving spaces and cell intermediate spaces lying inbetween. The holder base part has one or more base side cell supporting pillars extending axially from a base plane of the holder base part into cell intermediate spaces and has a circumferential side securing wall region abutting in an axially and radially position securing manner against a circumferential surface of battery cells to be accommodated in the cell receiving spaces, and/or the holder cover part has one or more cover side cell-supporting pillars which extend axially from a cover plane of the holder cover part into the cell intermediate spaces and have a circumferential side securing wall region abutting in an axially and radially position securing manner against a circumferential surface of the rechargeable battery cells.