Composite Battery Mounting PCB for Replaceable Cell Packs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite batteries and battery packs lack the ability for end users to easily, cost-effectively, and reliably replace defective cells, leading to unnecessary disposal and environmental impact, as well as limitations in configuring cells for different voltage, power, and shape requirements.
Innovation Solution
A mounting device with a printed circuit board and housing that allows for secure, releasable connection of battery cells, featuring electrical contacts, safety instruments like overcurrent fuses, and modular design for flexible configuration in series or parallel connections, enabling users to assemble and reconfigure composite batteries and battery packs without specialized tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cells are firmly connected by spot welding in composite batteries, then functional reliability and safety are improved, but repairability and cell replacement capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is segmented into modular composite batteries, each with independently replaceable cells. The housing is divided into first and second housing parts that can be separated, allowing individual cell access and replacement without affecting other cells or the entire battery pack structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The permanent mechanical connection (spot welding) is replaced with a releasable mechanical connection system. Cells are held in place by the housing structure with releasable connections, allowing mechanical removal and replacement of individual cells without specialized welding equipment while maintaining structural integrity during operation.
2Strength
If cells are molded in a plastic matrix for structural stability, then mechanical strength is improved, but cell replacement and reconfiguration capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of molding all cells together in a single plastic matrix, the housing is segmented into first and second housing parts that can be separated. Each cell is individually positioned and held by the housing structure, allowing cells to be removed, replaced, or reconfigured while maintaining structural support during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure transitions from a static, permanent mold to a dynamic system where the first and second housing parts can be separated and reconnected. This allows the battery pack to adapt its configuration by enabling cell replacement and re arrangement while providing structural stability during normal operation.
3Reliability
If protective electronics are permanently integrated, then safety monitoring is improved, but flexibility in cell replacement and reconfiguration deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protective electronics are designed with universal, standardized electrical connections that work with any cell configuration. The control unit can monitor and manage multiple cell arrangements (series, parallel, or combinations) through standardized interfaces, allowing the same safety system to support various user-configured battery layouts.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary between the cells and the user interface. It manages the electrical connections and safety monitoring while allowing users to reconfigure cells through simple mechanical operations, mediating between the permanent safety functions and the flexible user-configurable aspects of the battery pack.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If composite batteries are designed as sealed units, then protection against environmental factors is improved, but accessibility for cell replacement and diagnostics deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealed unit is segmented into a first housing part and a second housing part that can be separated. This segmentation allows the battery pack to maintain environmental protection when closed while providing easy access to cells when the housing parts are separated, eliminating the need for complex disassembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The separable housing structure acts as an intermediary between the environmental protection requirement and the cell accessibility requirement. When closed, it provides environmental sealing; when opened, it allows easy cell access without requiring specialized tools or complex procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a mounting device (1) for a composite battery (7) consisting of a plurality of battery cells (71), comprising a printed circuit board (2) with electrical lines and switch elements for connecting the battery cells in parallel or series connection, a safety device with safety instruments (51) for the overcurrent protection of each battery cell, a housing with two housing parts (61, 62), having contact regions (63) for fixing the battery cells, wherein the contact regions of at least one housing part are designed as enclosures (64) for embracing a battery cell, the circuit board comprises recesses (23) for receiving and contacting (31, 32) in each case one battery cell in a respective enclosure, and wherein each recess embraces an enclosure with a battery cell in its maximum cross-sectional area. The mounting device makes it possible to provide a composite battery with exchangeable battery cells of different design, power and operating voltage in series or parallel connection with overcurrent protection at the cell level and a battery pack (8) with correspondingly configured composite batteries in a safe, simple and cost-effective manner by a user.