Cylindrical Battery Pack in Plastic Matrix for Vehicle Energy Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing systems for storing electric energy in hybrid vehicles face challenges in compactness, crash protection, heat management, and weight optimization, particularly in high-performance sports vehicles with limited space, where traditional chemical batteries with cubic shapes are not suitable for placement on the floor due to their thickness.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a pack of lithium-ion batteries with cylindrical shapes arranged in a parallelepiped container on a cooling plate, filled with thermally conductive and insulating plastic, and supported by a deformable plastic matrix that allows for efficient cooling, crash absorption, and reduced weight, with the batteries oriented at acute angles to maximize space and minimize mechanical stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cubic chemical batteries are arranged on the floor, then crash protection and heat management are improved, but the useful height is reduced and the batteries are too thick to fit in low-height vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using cylindrical batteries instead of traditional cubic batteries. The cylindrical shape allows the batteries to be arranged horizontally on the floor with reduced thickness, enabling them to fit within the limited height space of low-profile vehicles while maintaining structural integrity and crash protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from vertical stacking of thick cubic batteries to horizontal arrangement of thin cylindrical batteries on the floor. This dimensional change allows the battery pack to fit within the constrained height of the vehicle while expanding in length and width, effectively utilizing the available floor space.
2Temperature
If cylindrical batteries are arranged vertically on a cooling plate, then heat management is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling plate and support structure into a single integrated component. The cooling plate simultaneously serves as the support base for vertically arranging cylindrical batteries and as the heat dissipation structure, eliminating the need for separate support elements and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plate performs multiple functions: it supports the cylindrical batteries vertically, provides thermal management through heat conduction, and acts as the base structure of the battery pack. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components and simplifies the overall system design.
3Stability of the object's composition
If free spaces between batteries are filled with plastic substance, then structural stability is improved, but the weight of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a plastic substance that cures to form a rigid yet lightweight matrix filling the spaces between batteries. This plastic material provides structural stability and mechanical protection while remaining significantly lighter than metal alternatives, achieving the right balance between stability and weight reduction.
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 system achieves a compact, cost-effective, and safe storage solution with reduced weight and thickness, allowing for efficient energy storage and heat management while maintaining battery integrity during crashes and thermal events.
Implementation Method 1
The free spaces between the chemical batteries are filled with a thermally conductive plastic
Implementation Method 2
supported by a deformable plastic matrix that allows for efficient cooling, crash absorption, and reduced weight
Data Source
AI summary
A method for implementing a system (14) for the storage of electric energy for a vehicle (1) with electric propulsion; the storage system (14) is provided with a pack of chemical batteries (18), which are connected to each other in series and/or in parallel and comprise respective electrochemical cells (19); each chemical battery (18) has a cylindrical shape having a central symmetry axis (20); and a support matrix (22) made of plastic material is provided, inside of which the chemical batteries (18) are arranged.