Flexible Connecting Pipe for Vehicle Battery Cooling Pipes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle battery packs face reliability issues due to displacement of cooling pipes during vehicle travel, leading to potential damage and degradation of cooling performance.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle battery pack configuration that allows relative position displacement between cooling pipes through a connecting pipe, which absorbs bending or tensile stress, ensuring reliable cooling performance by having the cooling pipes abut battery modules and utilizing an urging member for efficient cooling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If cooling pipes are mutually connected by a connecting pipe in a specified shape to prevent displacement, then the stability of the cooling pipe positions is improved, but the reliability of the cooling system deteriorates due to bending or tensile stress applied to the cooling pipes when displacement occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition stability of cooling pipesVSAvoidreliability of cooling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting pipe is designed with flexibility to dynamically adapt to position changes. Instead of being rigidly fixed in a specified shape, the connecting pipe can bend and deform to accommodate displacement of cooling pipes during vehicle travel, thereby maintaining connection integrity while preventing stress concentration that would damage the pipes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The connecting pipe employs a flexible structure that can deform elastically to absorb position variations. This flexibility allows the connecting pipe to accommodate displacement without transmitting excessive bending or tensile stress to the cooling pipes, thus preventing damage while maintaining the sealed connection for refrigerant flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Manufacturing precision

If cooling pipes are fixed at specified attachment positions, then the manufacturing precision and assembly ease are improved, but the adaptability to position changes during vehicle travel deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment position precisionVSAvoidadaptability to position displacement

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from a static, rigid connection to a dynamic, flexible connection. The connecting pipe can change its shape and length to adapt to position variations, allowing the cooling pipes to be securely attached during manufacturing while accommodating displacement during vehicle operation without compromising the connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Manufacturing precision

If the connecting pipe is made rigid to maintain specified shape, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the reliability deteriorates when displacement occurs during vehicle travel

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnecting pipe shape precisionVSAvoidreliability of cooling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting pipe utilizes a flexible construction that can deform to absorb displacement while maintaining its sealing function. This flexibility prevents the transmission of stress to the cooling pipes during position changes, thereby maintaining reliability even though the pipe's shape changes from its original specified configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 reduces the risk of cooling pipe damage and maintains reliable cooling performance by allowing relative position displacement and ensuring effective contact between cooling pipes and battery modules.

Implementation Method 1

the connecting pipe connects in a manner to allow displacement of a relative position between the first cooling pipe and the second cooling pipe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a first cooling pipe that cools the first battery module when being supplied with a refrigerant; a second cooling pipe that cools the second battery module when being supplied with the refrigerant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11417921B2Vehicle battery pack

Publication Date: 2022.08.16 MAZDA MOTOR CORP

AI summary

A vehicle battery pack capable of reducing a possibility of damage to a cooling pipe and suppressing reliability of cooling performance from being degraded. A vehicle battery pack includes two battery modules that are arranged at mutually adjacent positions; and a connecting pipe that communicates between two cooling pipes for respectively cooling the two battery modules. The connecting pipe connects in a manner to allow displacement of a relative position between the two cooling pipes.