Floating Prismatic Battery Cells Module Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional lithium-ion battery modules require bulky and heavy clamping mechanisms to mitigate cell swelling, which affects power density and efficiency, and these mechanisms occupy valuable space and add weight, limiting module design and manufacturing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Lithium-ion battery modules with a floating assembly design, where prismatic battery cells are suspended by fixed protrusions along their periphery, reducing or eliminating swelling and eliminating the need for clamping mechanisms, allowing for air gaps and enhanced manufacturing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If clamping mechanisms are used to mitigate cell swelling, then cell position stability is improved, but device weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the clamping mechanism entirely from the battery module design. Instead of using mechanical clamps to hold cells, the invention uses a housing with recesses that receive the cells in a floating arrangement, eliminating the need for separate clamping components and thereby reducing module weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing structure is designed to integrate multiple functions: it provides structural support, contains the battery cells, and replaces the function of separate clamping mechanisms through its recess design. The housing and cell retention features are merged into a single integrated component.
2Stability of the object's composition
If clamping mechanisms are used to mitigate cell swelling, then cell position stability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the clamping mechanism, the patent simplifies the manufacturing process. The housing with integrated recesses can be manufactured as a single piece or pre-assembled unit, eliminating the need for separate clamping component assembly steps and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions simultaneously: structural support, cell containment, and cell retention through its recess design. This multi-functionality reduces the number of different components needed and simplifies the overall manufacturing process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If clamping mechanisms are used to mitigate cell swelling, then cell swelling is controlled, but power density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent accepts that some cell swelling occurs during operation but designs the floating arrangement to accommodate this swelling naturally. The recesses provide clearance for swelling without requiring active mitigation, converting the potential harm of swelling into a design feature where cells can expand freely without compromising module integrity or power density.
4Stability of the object's composition
If clamping mechanisms are used to mitigate cell swelling, then cell swelling is controlled, but module volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
By eliminating the clamping mechanism, the patent removes the additional volume required for clamps and their mounting structures. The floating arrangement in recesses uses minimal space, allowing cells to be packed more efficiently within the module volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing recesses are designed to accommodate cell swelling in the vertical dimension while maintaining compact horizontal dimensions. This allows the module to maintain a smaller overall volume by managing swelling in one dimension rather than requiring additional space in all dimensions.
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.