Floating Battery Cell Module Design for Swelling Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional lithium-ion battery modules face issues with battery cell swelling during charging and discharging, which requires bulky clamping mechanisms to maintain cell position and efficiency, adding weight and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The use of lithium-ion battery modules with a floating assembly design, where battery cells are suspended by fixed protrusions, reducing swelling and eliminating the need for clamping mechanisms, and employing specific chemistries like NMC/LTO cells that minimize swelling, allowing for a gap between cells and enhanced manufacturing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional clamping mechanisms are used to maintain battery cell position, then cell stability is improved, but device weight and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the clamping mechanism entirely from the battery module structure. Instead of using external clamps to secure cells, the design relies on the cells' own structural integrity and the modular tray configuration to maintain position stability, thereby eliminating the complex clamping system while preserving cell stability
Solution Approach 2:
The battery cells are designed to be self-securing within the modular tray structure. The cells maintain their own position through the tray's geometric constraints and interlocking features, without requiring additional active clamping components. This self-service approach reduces overall device complexity while maintaining stability
2Stability of the object's composition
If clamping mechanisms are used to prevent cell movement, then cell position is maintained, but manufacturing cost and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the clamping mechanism from the manufacturing process. By designing a modular tray system where cells are naturally secured through geometric fitting and structural integration, the complex assembly steps involving clamp installation and adjustment are removed, significantly simplifying manufacturing and reducing assembly time
Solution Approach 2:
The battery module is divided into independent modular trays, each capable of being assembled separately with pre-positioned cells. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing where cells are placed into trays without requiring complex clamping operations, and the modules can be independently manufactured and then combined
3Quantity of substance
If battery cells are tightly packed to maximize energy density, then space utilization is improved, but cell swelling causes operational issues and requires additional compression structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic cell retention system using elastic retention features that can flex and adapt to cell dimensional changes during charging cycles. As cells swell during charging, the elastic retention members compress slightly to accommodate the volume increase while maintaining secure retention, preventing operational issues without requiring rigid compression structures
Solution Approach 2:
The retention mechanism utilizes changes in elastic parameters to adapt to cell swelling. The elastic retention members are designed with specific material properties that allow them to deform within a controlled range, accommodating cell volume changes while maintaining sufficient retention force to prevent cell movement and ensure reliable operation
Data Source
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AI summary
Present embodiments include a lithium ion battery module having a lineup of prismatic lithium ion battery cells positioned within a cell receptacle area of a housing of the lithium ion battery module. The prismatic battery cells of the lineup are spaced apart from one another in a spaced arrangement by fixed protrusions extending from internal surfaces of the housing forming the cell receptacle area, and the fixed protrusions extend inwardly to form a plurality of discontinuous slots across a width of the cell receptacle area.