Plastic Pressure Plate for Vehicle Battery Stacks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing battery designs for motor vehicles are complex and costly to manufacture, particularly due to the use of aluminum pressure plates which require machining and additional insulation elements, leading to increased complexity and expense.
Innovation Solution
A battery design that uses a plastic pressure plate arranged between two stacks of battery cells, which is simpler and less expensive to produce, with integrated features such as coolant line passages for protection and metal inserts for component fixation, allowing for efficient manufacturing and reduced costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If aluminum pressure plates are used, then electrical conductivity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases due to machining requirements and insulation element provisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive aluminum pressure plates with inexpensive plastic pressure plates. Although plastic is not electrically conductive, the overall system reliability is maintained through alternative electrical connection designs. The plastic plates eliminate machining requirements and insulation element provisions, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity while keeping the battery functional.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter of the pressure plate from metal (aluminum) to plastic. This material substitution fundamentally alters the electrical conductivity parameter, requiring compensatory design changes in the electrical connection system. The parameter change enables simpler manufacturing while maintaining system functionality through design adaptation.
2Strength
If aluminum pressure plates are used, then structural strength is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to machining and insulation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes expensive aluminum pressure plates with cheap plastic pressure plates. The plastic material significantly reduces manufacturing cost by eliminating machining operations and insulation element requirements. The structural strength requirement is met through optimized plastic material selection and pressure plate design, achieving cost-effective manufacturing without compromising structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material strategies by using plastic for the pressure plate body and combining it with other materials for electrical connections and structural reinforcement where needed. This composite approach allows the pressure plate to achieve both mechanical strength and electrical functionality through material combination rather than relying on expensive monolithic aluminum construction.
3Quantity of substance
If more battery cells are arranged in each module, then energy density is improved, but the number of pressure plates required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the pressure plate to serve multiple functions: mechanical pressure application, structural support, and integration with electrical connection systems. This multi-functional design allows a single pressure plate type to be used across different module configurations, reducing the variety and total number of pressure plates needed even as battery cell arrangements evolve to improve energy density.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs modular pressure plate designs that can be segmented or configured in different arrangements depending on the battery module size and cell count. This segmentation allows scalable solutions where pressure plates can be added or removed based on the specific energy density requirements, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while accommodating varying battery capacities.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery for a motor vehicle includes a first stack of battery cells, a pressure being applied to the battery cells in the stack direction of the battery cells in the first stack, and a second stack of battery cells, the second stack being arranged adjacently to the first stack in the stack direction. A pressure is also applied to the battery cells of the second stack in the stack direction. A pressure plate, to which the pressure is applied in the stack direction, is arranged in an intermediate space formed between the first stack and the second stack, and the pressure plate is made of plastic at least in the contact regions where the pressure plate contacts the first stack and the second stack.