Modular Battery Polymeric Compression Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modular batteries for hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles require high power delivery with a high surface-to-volume ratio, necessitating a secure and efficient method to maintain electrical contact between planar battery cells while minimizing weight, cost, and manufacturing complexity, especially at high voltages where safety hazards like electrical arcing are a concern.
Innovation Solution
A modular battery design using compressible interconnectors between planar battery cells, held in a compressed state by a polymeric material such as shrink wrap or sealant, ensuring consistent electrical contact and easy disassembly for service or recycling, with the option to use a thermally conductive and electrically insulating shrink wrap material for compression and sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If compressible interconnectors are used to maintain electrical contact between battery cells, then electrical resistance is reduced, but the structure becomes less stable over time due to compression relaxation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the polymeric material from uncured (viscous/liquid) to cured (solid/rigid) through a chemical transformation. This parameter change allows the material to transition from a state suitable for initial compression to a state that maintains stable compression force over time, resolving the contradiction between initial contact stability and long-term compression consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining compressible interconnector material with polymeric material. The compressible interconnector provides initial electrical contact and conductivity, while the polymeric material provides structural stability and maintains compression force. This composite approach allows both electrical contact stability and long-term compression consistency to be achieved simultaneously.
2Power
If multiple battery cells are connected in series to deliver high power, then power delivery capability is improved, but safety hazards such as electrical arcing increase at high voltages
Solution Approach 1:
The polymeric material acts as an intermediary between the battery cells and the external environment. It provides electrical insulation that prevents arcing while maintaining mechanical compression of the interconnectors. This intermediary function allows high power delivery through series connection while mitigating the safety hazards of electrical arcing at high voltages.
Solution Approach 2:
The cured polymeric material creates an electrically insulating environment around the high-voltage connections between battery cells. This inert electrical environment prevents harmful electrical discharges and arcing, allowing the battery pack to safely deliver high power through series-connected cells.
3Power
If heavy-duty conductors are used to handle high current, then power delivery is improved, but device weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electrical insulation function from the conductor design and places it in the polymeric material that is already present for mechanical compression. By taking out the insulation requirement from the conductor specification, lighter-gauge conductors can be used that still provide adequate current carrying capacity without the added weight and cost of heavy-duty insulated conductors.
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
This design effectively maintains low electrical resistance and safety by ensuring consistent compression and sealing of the battery stack, reducing the need for high-current conductors, lowering manufacturing costs, and facilitating efficient recycling and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a compressible interconnector connecting the first battery cell and the second battery cell, and a polymeric material holding the first battery cell against the second battery cell with the interconnector in a compressed state
Implementation Method 2
maintains low electrical resistance and safety by ensuring consistent compression and sealing of the battery stack
Data Source
AI summary
A modular battery includes: a first battery cell having a first electrode surface; a second battery cell having a second electrode surface; a compressible interconnector connecting the first battery cell and the second battery cell; and a polymeric material holding the first battery cell against the second battery cell with the interconnector in a compressed state. A method is also provided.