Fluid-Sealed Battery Interconnects for Vibration and Corrosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems face challenges in maintaining non-permanent connections between battery cells, which are prone to temporary disconnection due to vibrations, leading to oxidation and corrosion, and pose risks from leaking chemicals, making it difficult to replace individual cells while ensuring electrical conductivity and safety.
Innovation Solution
A modular system with fluid-filled reservoirs to dampen vibrations and mitigate corrosion, using conductive or non-conductive fluids to maintain contact and neutralize corrosive substances, allowing for easy replacement of cells while maintaining electrical connectivity in series or parallel configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If non-permanent connections are used to enable easy replacement of battery cells, then ease of repair is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to temporary disconnection from vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by introducing a viscous fluid into the bulkhead cavity that surrounds the electrical connection between the conductor and battery terminal. This fluid acts as a dampening medium that absorbs vibration forces before they can cause disconnection, thereby maintaining reliable electrical contact while allowing the connection to remain non-permanent for easy replacement.
2Ease of operation
If non-permanent connections are used to permit cell replacement, then ease of operation is improved, but object-generated harmful factors worsen due to oxidation and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates an inert environment by filling the bulkhead cavity with a viscous fluid that displaces air from the electrical connection interface. This fluid barrier prevents oxygen and moisture from reaching the conductor and battery terminal, thereby eliminating oxidation and corrosion while maintaining the non-permanent nature of the connection for easy replacement.
3Reliability
If conductive grease is used to mitigate corrosion, then reliability is improved, but object-generated harmful factors worsen as it does not prevent loss of contact from vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two previously separate functions into a single viscous fluid medium: (1) corrosion protection through displacement of air and creation of an inert environment, and (2) vibration dampening through viscous forces that prevent loss of contact. This unified approach simultaneously addresses both electrical conductivity maintenance and mechanical connection stability.
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 system effectively reduces the likelihood of disconnection and corrosion, enhances the safety by neutralizing harmful chemicals, and facilitates easy replacement of battery cells, thereby improving the reliability and maintenance of battery systems.
Implementation Method 1
the forces experienced by the electrical components due to vibrations and the like are dampened
Implementation Method 2
introducing a viscous fluid into the bulkhead cavity
Implementation Method 3
air can be displaced from the fluid reservoirs as they are filled with the fluid, thus mitigating oxidation of the electrical contacts of the module and the terminals of the electrical components
Data Source
AI summary
A module for interconnecting electrical components such as batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, and resistors. The module has a body for retaining the electrical components, and terminal bulkheads capable of coupling with the body. The terminal bulkheads have cavities that define fluid reservoirs when the terminal bulkheads are coupled with the body, and gaskets that seal the fluid reservoirs. Electrical contacts of the terminal bulkheads contact the electrical components within the sealed fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoirs are filled with a fluid such that forces applied to the electrical components are dampened, and oxidation of electrical connections is mitigated through displacement of oxygen. The fluid can also be selected to neutralize chemicals that may leak from the electrical components. The electrical contacts can be interconnected with conductor buses such that the electrical components are connected in series, parallel, or a mixture of both.