Modular EV Battery Compartment with Horizontal Sliding Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric vehicles face high purchase prices due to costly lithium-ion battery systems, which also increase vehicle weight and consumption, limiting their range and requiring complex battery swap solutions that are not efficiently implemented.
Innovation Solution
A modular energy storage system comprising a battery with a compartment that allows easy manual or automated insertion and removal, integrating electrical connection, communication, and cooling systems, using a rectangular prism design with heat conductive bases and insulating sides, and a compartment that moves horizontally for seamless integration with vehicle structures without complex equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If the size of the energy storage system is increased to provide greater range, then the range is improved, but the vehicle weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The energy storage system is divided into a permanently-installed battery and removable temporary batteries. The permanently-installed battery provides baseline range for usual rides, while temporary batteries can be added only when needed for longer trips, avoiding the need to carry excessive battery capacity that would permanently increase vehicle weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy storage configuration is made dynamic and adaptable. The vehicle can adjust its total battery capacity by adding or removing temporary batteries based on the specific trip requirements, transforming the static weight problem into a flexible solution where weight is optimized for each usage scenario.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the size of the energy storage system is increased to provide greater range, then the range is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The energy storage system is divided into a permanently-installed battery and removable temporary batteries. The permanently-installed battery provides baseline range for usual rides, while temporary batteries can be added only when needed for longer trips, avoiding the need to carry excessive battery capacity that would permanently increase vehicle weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The energy storage configuration is made dynamic and adaptable. The vehicle can adjust its total battery capacity by adding or removing temporary batteries based on the specific trip requirements, transforming the static weight problem into a flexible solution where weight is optimized for each usage scenario.
3Loss of time
If a quick battery swap system is implemented to restore energy, then the energy restoration speed is improved, but the infrastructure complexity and investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the battery swap function from complex automated infrastructure and implements it as a simple manual removal process. The temporary batteries are designed to be easily removed by users themselves, eliminating the need for sophisticated automated swap stations and their associated complex infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to perform battery removal themselves without requiring automated machinery or complex infrastructure. The temporary batteries are designed with features that facilitate easy user removal, transforming a previously infrastructure-dependent process into a self-service operation.
4Reliability
If complex battery removal or insertion processes are used, then the battery can be secured properly, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The temporary batteries and compartment are designed with asymmetric features including specific geometric shapes, positioning elements, and connection geometries that enable intuitive correct placement while preventing incorrect insertion. This asymmetric design provides foolproof security without requiring complex procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to perform battery removal themselves without requiring automated machinery or complex infrastructure. The temporary batteries are designed with features that facilitate easy user removal, transforming a previously infrastructure-dependent process into a self-service operation.
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
Enables efficient energy storage and supplementation for electric vehicles, reducing the need for large, heavy batteries, allowing longer ranges with simpler battery swaps and reduced operational effort, while maintaining vehicle design integrity and safety.
Implementation Method 1
heat conductive bases
Implementation Method 2
insulating sides
Data Source
AI summary
An energy storage system for vehicles is provided which is formed by a battery and a compartment for its accommodation which allows the insertion and removal of batteries and their connection to the electrical system of the vehicle with ease, quickly and at a low cost, both manually and based on auxiliary tools with different degrees of automation; the battery includes electrical connection elements and communication connection elements and is inserted in or removed from the compartment with a horizontal movement. The compartment includes electrical connection elements and communication connection elements complementary to those of the battery and allows cooling the battery; in this way, an electric vehicle can incorporate batteries as needed, adjusting its cost to its real use and reducing the waiting times due to charging its energy storage.