Sealed Battery Pack Housing with Integrated Latch and Terminal Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery packs are not fully sealed from water and contaminants, leading to potential damage to battery cells and electronics, especially in exposure to rain, snow, and dust.

Innovation Solution

A sealed battery pack design featuring a tongue and groove configuration with O-rings at the parting line, a sealing plate with O-rings between the upper housing and the plate, and an integral latch cavity to prevent water ingress through terminal slots, latch openings, and other paths.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a discrete component is added to create a separate housing for the latch, then water redirection is improved, but the latch receptacle is not truly sealed from the cell cavity and other ingress paths remain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater ingressVSAvoidsealing effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The battery pack housing is divided into multiple sealed compartments: a first sealed compartment containing the latch mechanism and a second sealed compartment containing the battery cells. The segmentation is achieved through a parting line with mating surfaces and integrated sealing features, creating distinct watertight zones that prevent water ingress to both the latch and cell areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing plate integrates multiple sealing functions into a single component: it seals the terminal slots, seals the latch receptacle opening, and creates the parting line seal with the lower housing. This merging of sealing functions ensures comprehensive water protection while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the battery pack is fully sealed to prevent water ingress, then protection of battery cells and electronics is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant protectionVSAvoidsealing structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing plate performs multiple sealing functions simultaneously: it seals the terminal slots from water ingress, seals the latch receptacle opening, and creates the parting line seal with the lower housing. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate sealing components needed while achieving comprehensive protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing features are nested within the housing structure itself. The upper housing includes integrated sealing plates and mating surfaces with the lower housing, creating nested sealing layers that protect different areas (terminal slots, latch receptacle, cell cavity) without requiring external sealing components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS20230223634A1Battery park

Publication Date: 2023.07.13 BLACK & DECKER CORP

AI summary

A battery pack having a battery housing that defines a cavity for receiving a plurality of battery cells. The battery pack cavity is sealed from the air outside the battery pack housing to prevent water and other contaminants from reaching the plurality of battery cells. The battery pack may include a sealing material to create a seal between an upper housing and a lower housing of the battery housing. The battery pack also include a sealing material to create a seal around a terminal block of the battery pack.