Cylindrical Cell Holder Notches to Prevent Impact Short-Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional power storage modules are prone to deformation and safety hazards due to external impacts, which can cause short-circuiting and thermal runaway when the cell holder is crushed, compromising the module's safety.

Innovation Solution

A power storage module design featuring a cell holder with a retainer that includes notches along its side surfaces and inner container edges, which helps absorb and distribute impact forces, reducing the risk of damage to the power storage devices by thinning out potentially damaging triangular pieces and preventing short-circuits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the cell holder is designed with a solid retainer structure to ensure strength, then the structural strength is improved, but the retainer may form triangular pieces upon impact that can pierce the power storage device and cause short-circuiting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidimpact damage to power storage device

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer structure is segmented by introducing notches that divide the potential triangular fracture zones into smaller, controlled segments. These notches create predetermined weak points that guide fracture propagation away from the power storage device, preventing the formation of harmful triangular piercing pieces while maintaining overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The notches convert the harmful triangular fracture pieces into beneficial controlled fracture patterns. By intentionally creating notches in the retainer, the design transforms what would otherwise be dangerous sharp triangular fragments into a protective mechanism where the notches guide the fracture path to occur in a controlled manner that prevents piercing of the power storage device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Strength

If the retainer wall thickness is increased to prevent deformation during impact, then the resistance to deformation is improved, but the weight and material usage of the cell holder increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to deformationVSAvoidcell holder weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly increasing the wall thickness throughout the retainer, the notches are strategically placed in specific locations where fracture is most likely to occur during impact. This local modification approach provides the necessary fracture control and impact resistance only where needed, rather than adding material throughout the entire structure, thereby minimizing weight increase while achieving the desired protective effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20240170783A1Power storage module

Publication Date: 2024.05.23 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

A power storage module includes at least one cylindrical power storage device, and a cell holder that houses the power storage device. The cell holder includes a retainer that holds a lower side in an axial direction of the power storage device, and a side wall that covers a side peripheral surface of the power storage device. The retainer includes a container which houses a lower end side of the power storage device, and a notch that is formed on a side surface of the retainer along an inner surface of the container.