Pouch Cell Battery Module Structure for Swelling and Vibration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Battery modules in electric vehicles face damage from external impacts and vibrations, leading to potential swelling of cells and excessive load on cell leads due to increased thickness, compromising durability.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a stack of pouch-type cells with holder members, side plates, and busbars that include protruding and recessed portions for flexible assembly, allowing for load dispersion and accommodation of cell swelling, along with a configuration that minimizes stress on cell leads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the battery cell thickness increases to accommodate swelling, then the battery cell can maintain structural integrity during swelling, but excessive load is applied to the cell lead
Solution Approach 1:
The holder member acts as an intermediary component between the battery cell and the cell lead. It includes a holder protruding portion that contacts the battery cell and a holder recessed portion that accommodates the cell lead, allowing the holder to absorb and distribute the mechanical stress generated during cell swelling, thereby protecting the cell lead from excessive load while maintaining cell structural integrity
2Stability of the object's composition
If the battery module is designed with rigid fixed connections, then structural stability is improved, but damage occurs during external impact and vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The battery module employs dynamic connection mechanisms including the holder member with protruding and recessed portions that allow relative movement, and the busbar with bending portions that can flex during impact and vibration. These dynamic elements maintain structural stability under normal conditions while accommodating harmful external forces through controlled deformation and movement
Solution Approach 2:
The holder member and busbar are designed with built-in cushioning features before impact occurs. The holder recessed portion provides pre-formed accommodation space for cell lead movement, and the busbar includes bending portions that can flex to absorb impact energy, thereby cushioning the battery cells against damage from external impact and vibration before such damage can occur
3Manufacturing precision
If the holder member is rigidly fixed to the side plate, then assembly precision is improved, but adaptability to cell swelling is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The holder member is segmented into distinct functional portions: a holder protruding portion that contacts the battery cell, a holder recessed portion that accommodates the cell lead, and connection portions that interface with the busbar and side plate. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function independently, enabling precise assembly while maintaining adaptability to cell swelling through the recessed portion's ability to accommodate lead movement
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a battery module including a battery stack including a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction, and one or more pad members provided between the plurality of battery cells. The battery module further includes at least one holder member provided at one side of the battery stack in a second direction, wherein the second direction intersects the first direction. A busbar may be coupled to the holder member and electrically connected to the battery stack. The battery module also includes an end cap member provided outward of the holder member in the second direction. Moreover, side plates are provided (e.g., respectively) at (e.g., two) opposite sides of the battery stack in the first direction. The holder member is provided to be in contact with the side plate.