Deformable Battery Enclosure for Side Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrified vehicle traction batteries are vulnerable to side impact loads, which can disrupt the battery arrays within their enclosures due to their relatively large packaging footprint and high loads, leading to potential damage and energy transfer issues.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack enclosure design featuring upper and lower wall deformation areas that are configured to deform in response to side loads, absorbing energy and protecting the battery cell arrays by focusing deformation in specific areas before other parts of the enclosure, thereby reducing disturbances to the cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the battery enclosure uses a rigid structure to maintain structural integrity, then strength is improved, but the enclosure cannot absorb side impact loads effectively, worsening the vulnerability to side impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The upper wall and lower wall of the battery enclosure are segmented into rigid planar sections and compliant deformation areas. The rigid planar sections maintain structural integrity and protect battery cells, while the compliant deformation areas absorb side impact loads through controlled deformation, resolving the contradiction between strength and impact vulnerability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the enclosure walls are assigned different mechanical properties: rigid planar sections provide structural strength and cell protection, while compliant deformation areas provide impact absorption. This local differentiation of material properties allows the enclosure to simultaneously achieve both structural integrity and side impact resistance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the battery enclosure uses a compliant structure to absorb side impact loads, then side impact vulnerability is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure walls are divided into compliant deformation areas for impact absorption and rigid planar sections for structural support. This segmentation allows the compliant areas to deform under side impact loads while the rigid sections maintain overall structural integrity and protect battery cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure employs local quality differentiation where compliant materials or structures are placed in deformation areas to absorb impacts, while rigid materials are used in planar sections to maintain structural strength. This localized approach resolves the contradiction between compliance for impact absorption and rigidity for structural integrity.
3Reliability
If the battery enclosure protects battery cells by positioning them away from impact zones, then reliability is improved, but packaging footprint increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant deformation areas are strategically positioned to absorb side impact loads before they reach the battery cells. By converting the harmful impact energy into controlled deformation of the compliant areas, the battery cells are protected without requiring additional spacing, thus maintaining compact packaging while improving reliability.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the battery enclosure absorbs side impact loads through deformation, then side impact resistance is improved, but energy absorption capacity worsens due to rigid sections
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure is segmented into compliant deformation areas designed to absorb side impact energy through controlled deformation, and rigid planar sections that maintain structural integrity. The compliant areas are positioned to maximize energy absorption while protecting battery cells, resolving the contradiction between impact resistance and energy absorption capacity.
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 controlled deformation of the enclosure effectively absorbs side impact loads, minimizing disruptions to the battery cell arrays and maintaining structural integrity, ensuring the battery pack's safety and functionality under high load conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The upper wall includes an upper wall deformation area that is configured to deform in response to a load applied to the battery enclosure prior to other areas of the upper wall
Implementation Method 2
The controlled deformation of the enclosure effectively absorbs side impact loads
Implementation Method 3
The lower wall includes a lower wall deformation area that is configured to deform in response to the load prior to other areas of the lower wall
Implementation Method 4
The controlled deformation of the enclosure effectively absorbs side impact loads
Data Source
AI summary
An exemplary electrified vehicle assembly includes, among other things, a lower wall of a battery enclosure and an upper wall of the battery enclosure. The upper wall includes an upper wall deformation area that is configured to deform in response to a load applied to the battery enclosure prior to other areas of the upper wall.