Elastic Supporting Piece for Battery Pack Thermal Contact

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing thermal management systems for battery packs face challenges in ensuring effective contact between liquid circulation pipelines and battery modules, leading to inefficiencies in heat transfer.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack design incorporating an elastic supporting piece with an intermediate portion and extending portions that apply external force to a heat exchange piece, ensuring close contact with the battery module, thereby enhancing heat transfer efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a liquid circulation pipeline is arranged around the battery module for heat exchange, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but contact reliability between the pipeline and battery module deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidcontact reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs an elastic supporting piece that acts as a flexible element to maintain continuous contact between the heat exchange piece and battery module. This elastic component can deform and adapt to dimensional changes in the battery module while ensuring reliable thermal contact, resolving the contradiction between maintaining good contact for heat transfer and accommodating battery expansion/contraction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Productivity

If the heat exchange piece is pressed tightly against the battery module to reduce contact resistance, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the risk of damage to battery surface increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidbattery surface damage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the elastic properties of the supporting piece to dynamically adjust the contact pressure. The elastic material allows the system to maintain optimal contact force for heat transfer while automatically reducing pressure when the battery expands or contracts, preventing surface damage. This dynamic parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between needing high contact pressure for heat transfer and avoiding excessive pressure that could damage the battery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 design provides reliable contact between the heat exchange piece and the battery module, reducing heat transfer resistance and improving heat exchange efficiency by leveraging the elastic properties of the supporting piece to apply greater force and increase contact area.

Implementation Method 1

the elastic supporting piece includes an intermediate portion, a first portion and a second portion... under action of the external force, the heat exchange piece is brought into close contact with the battery module by the intermediate portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a heat exchange piece for exchanging heat with the battery module... they exchange heat by means of heat transfer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3422436B1Battery pack
Publication Date: 2020.02.26 CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP3422436B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3422436B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3422436B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present application provides a battery pack. The battery pack includes a case, a battery module placed in the case, an elastic supporting piece, and a heat exchange piece for exchanging heat with the battery module. The elastic supporting piece includes an intermediate portion, a first portion and a second portion respectively extending from the intermediate portion in opposite directions, the intermediate portion protrudes beyond the first portion and the second portion in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first portion and the second portion. An external force is applied on the first portion and the second portion, and under action of the external force, the heat exchange piece is brought into contact with the battery module via the intermediate portion. This solution can reduce the heat transfer resistance between the battery module and the heat exchange piece, and improve the heat transfer efficiency between the heat exchange piece and the battery module.