Ductile Service Panel for Battery Enclosure Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrified vehicle battery designs face challenges in providing easy access to serviceable parts while maintaining moisture resistance, often requiring complex and costly sealing mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A battery assembly with a removable service panel featuring a ductile portion, including a tear strip and pull tab, that can be irreversibly removed to access internal components, eliminating the need for expensive sealing gaskets and fasteners, and a replacement panel for resealing the enclosure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sealing mechanisms (gaskets and fasteners) are used to maintain moisture resistance, then moisture protection is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The service panel is integrally formed with the cover as a single unit, eliminating the need for separate gaskets and fasteners. The cover and service panel form an integrated assembly that maintains moisture resistance while simplifying the overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The service panel is designed as a removable portion that can be separated from the cover for access to serviceable parts, then replaced to restore the sealed enclosure. This extracts the service access function from the sealed enclosure without compromising the sealing integrity.
2Ease of operation
If the service panel is made removable for easy access to serviceable parts, then ease of operation is improved, but moisture resistance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The service panel is pre-formed as an integral part of the cover during manufacturing, with predetermined removal and reinstallation procedures. This preliminary integration ensures that when the panel is removed and reinstalled, the moisture-resistant seal is restored without requiring additional sealing components.
3Reliability
If complex sealing mechanisms are used to maintain moisture resistance, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The service panel and cover are integrally formed as a single component, eliminating the need for separate gaskets, fasteners, and associated sealing mechanisms. This integration reduces the total number of parts and assembly steps, thereby lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining moisture resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an enclosure assembly defining an interior and a service panel integrally formed in the enclosure assembly. The service panel includes a ductile portion that is removable to access the interior.