Elastomeric Multi-Cell Carrier for Battery Alignment and Shock Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery pack designs for cordless power tools lack effective alignment, impact resistance, and shock absorption, which can lead to cell damage and inefficient packing, resulting in larger battery pack sizes and potential malfunction due to improper cell connection and contact.
Innovation Solution
The use of semi-rigid elastomeric multi-cell carriers with closely spaced, cylindrical channels and vents, providing alignment, impact resistance, and shock absorption, and featuring upwardly extending members and bumpers for secure assembly within a battery pack housing, allowing for easier electrical connection and protection of cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional rigid holders are used to align battery cells, then alignment precision is improved, but impact resistance and shock absorption deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible elastomeric carrier with cylindrical channels that conform to the battery cells. The elastomeric material provides both alignment through the precisely formed channels and cushioning through its inherent flexibility, resolving the contradiction between rigid alignment and impact protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier uses elastomeric material that combines structural integrity for alignment with shock-absorbing properties. This composite approach integrates both alignment precision and impact resistance into a single component, eliminating the need for separate rigid holders and cushioning elements.
2Volume of moving object
If battery cells are closely packed to reduce battery pack size, then volume efficiency is improved, but cell protection from impact and misalignment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric carrier performs multiple functions simultaneously: it aligns cells through precisely formed channels, cushions them from impact through its flexible material properties, and enables close packing by providing a compact structure. This multi-functionality allows close packing without sacrificing protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible elastomeric carrier with cylindrical channels provides a compact structure that enables close cell spacing while the elastomeric material inherently provides cushioning and protection, resolving the contradiction between volume efficiency and cell protection.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If rigid structural elements are added to protect battery cells from impact, then impact resistance is improved, but device complexity and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the alignment function and protection function into a single elastomeric carrier component. The carrier with cylindrical channels provides alignment while the elastomeric material provides cushioning, eliminating the need for separate rigid holders and cushioning elements, thus reducing assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric carrier serves as both the alignment structure and the protection element simultaneously. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components and simplifies assembly while maintaining both alignment precision and impact resistance.
4Reliability
If battery cells are held firmly to ensure electrical connection, then connection reliability is improved, but ease of assembly and disassembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric carrier provides dynamic holding through its flexible material properties. The channels firmly hold cells for reliable electrical connection during operation, but the flexibility allows for easy insertion and removal, resolving the contradiction between connection reliability and assembly ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric material's ability to deform and recover allows the carrier to adapt between holding cells firmly for electrical connection and releasing them for assembly/disassembly. The material parameters (elasticity, durometer) are selected to provide both firm holding and easy manipulation.
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 solution enables efficient electrical connection, impact resistance, and compact battery pack design by aligning and protecting cells, ensuring reliable operation and reducing the overall size of the battery pack while maintaining ease of assembly and disassembly.
Implementation Method 1
provide integral, impact-resistance, cushion and/or shock absorbance
Implementation Method 2
impact-resistance, cushion and/or shock absorbance, which can help protect the cells
Implementation Method 3
The channels are sized and configured to hold at least a major portion of a length of a respective battery cell
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4
AI summary
Battery cell carriers that have a semi-rigid elastomeric cell carrier body with a plurality of closely spaced apart, substantially parallel and substantially cylindrical channels. Each channel has a length, with neighboring channels sharing a sidewall therebetween. The channels are configured to hold at least a major portion of a length of a respective battery cell.