Composite End Plate for Battery Module Structural Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional battery modules with integral end plates suffer from low structural strength due to deformation and displacement caused by inflation of batteries, leading to failure of the welding bead between the end plate and side plate.
Innovation Solution
A composite end plate design featuring a rigid substrate and a rigid connecting plate made of different materials, where the connecting plate is welded to the side plate, incorporating a hook portion embedded in a positioning groove of the substrate, enhancing tensile stress resistance and structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an integral end plate structure is used with welding fixation, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the structural strength is low and the welding bead fails due to inflation deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The end plate is divided into a substrate and a connecting plate, which are separately manufactured and then assembled. The substrate provides overall structural support while the connecting plate is specifically designed for welding to the side plate, allowing each component to be optimized for its specific function and reducing the risk of welding failure under deformation stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The end plate uses a composite structure combining the substrate and connecting plate made of different materials or with different structural properties. This composite design allows the connecting plate to have superior welding characteristics and deformation resistance, while the substrate provides overall structural integrity, thereby improving structural strength without complicating the manufacturing process.
2Device complexity
If the end plate and side plate are fixed by welding, then the assembly process is simple, but the welding bead fails when batteries inflate causing deformation
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the end plate into substrate and connecting plate, the welding operation is concentrated on the connecting plate which is specifically designed for this purpose. This segmentation allows the welding joint to be optimized for reliability while keeping the assembly process simple, as the connecting plate with its positioning groove ensures accurate alignment during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting plate acts as an intermediary component between the substrate and the side plate. It provides a dedicated welding interface that is optimized for joining to the side plate, while the positioning groove ensures proper alignment. This intermediary structure improves welding bead reliability by isolating the welding operation from the deformation stresses affecting the overall end plate.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a composite end plate with different materials is used, then the adaptability and structural strength are improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite end plate uses different materials for the substrate and connecting plate, allowing optimization of each component for its specific function. The substrate can be made from materials with high structural integrity while the connecting plate uses materials with superior welding characteristics. This material differentiation improves adaptability and structural strength without significantly increasing manufacturing complexity, as each component can be manufactured separately using appropriate processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Segmenting the end plate into separate substrate and connecting plate components made of different materials allows each part to be manufactured independently using material-optimized processes. This segmentation reduces the manufacturing complexity compared to creating a monolithic composite structure, while still achieving the benefits of material versatility and improved structural strength through the specialized connecting plate design.
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 composite end plate design significantly improves the structural strength and resistance to inflation deformation forces, preventing movement and deformation of the battery module, and allows for flexible material selection for the rigid substrate, enhancing adaptability.
Implementation Method 1
the rigid substrate includes a positioning groove which is shaped to match the hook portion and extends in a height direction of the rigid substrate, the hook portion is inserted into the positioning groove of the rigid substrate along the height direction to connect the rigid connecting plate to the rigid substrate
Implementation Method 2
the rigid connecting plate, which is made of the same material as the side plates and is fixedly connected to the side plates by welding
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a composite end plate (1) and a battery module. The composite end plate (1) comprises a rigid substrate (3), which has a first surface (3a) and a second surface (3b) that are opposite in a thickness direction (X) of the rigid substrate (3), the first surface (3a) is disposed facing batteries; a rigid connecting plate (4), which comprises a connecting portion (41) and a hook portion (42) that is bent toward the connecting portion (41), the hook portion (42) is embedded in the rigid substrate (3) to connect the rigid connecting plate (4) to the rigid substrate (3), the connecting portion (41) is located on the second surface (3b) for connecting and fixing with an external structural member, and a material of the rigid connecting plate (4) is different from that of the rigid substrate (3). The composite end plate according to the present disclosure can improve the structural strength of the battery module.