Stackable Battery Module Housing With Tool-Free Locking and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery systems for electric vehicles require additional fasteners and tools for assembly, leading to increased costs, weight, and complexity, as well as potential errors and risks of short circuits during assembly and disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A stackable battery module design that uses centering elements on the outside of the module housing to securely attach and center the modules within the battery system housing, eliminating the need for screws and tools, and incorporating a groove spring principle for efficient cooling without additional seals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If screws and fasteners are used to secure battery modules, then the connection strength and stability are improved, but the device complexity, weight, and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the fastening function directly into the module housing structure by forming attachment protrusions that engage with corresponding recesses in the battery system housing. This merging of the fastening function into the structural component eliminates the need for separate screws and fasteners, reducing device complexity while maintaining connection strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary fastening components (screws, nuts, bolts) from the assembly, retaining only the essential structural attachment features integrated into the housing. This extraction reduces weight and simplifies the assembly process while maintaining adequate connection strength through the integrated attachment protrusions.
2Reliability
If screws and tools are used for assembly, then the connection reliability is improved, but the loss of time and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment protrusions and corresponding recesses are pre-formed as integral features of the module housing and battery system housing during manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the need for assembly-time fastening operations, significantly reducing assembly time while maintaining connection reliability through the precision-engineered integrated features.
Solution Approach 2:
The module housing and battery system housing are designed to self-align and self-secure through the complementary attachment protrusions and recesses. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external tools and manual fastening operations, reducing assembly time and labor costs while ensuring reliable connections through the inherent design of the attachment features.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additional fasteners and components are added, then the connection stability is improved, but the weight of the battery system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the structural housing with the fastening function by integrating attachment protrusions directly into the module housing. This merging eliminates the need for separate metal fasteners and components, reducing the overall weight of the battery system while maintaining assembly stability through the integrated structural features.
4Manufacturing precision
If manual or automated screwing processes are used, then the fastening precision is improved, but the productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment protrusions and recesses are pre-formed with precise dimensions and tolerances during the housing manufacturing process. This preliminary action ensures fastening precision is achieved during manufacturing rather than during assembly, enabling rapid assembly operations that significantly improve productivity without sacrificing connection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The complementary geometric shapes of the attachment protrusions and recesses provide self-aligning and self-positioning characteristics during assembly. This self-service mechanism ensures precise fastening without requiring complex positioning tools or procedures, dramatically improving assembly productivity while maintaining manufacturing precision through the inherent geometric constraints of the integrated features.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates to a stackable battery module for a battery system of a battery-powered vehicle, comprising: a plurality of battery cells; a battery module housing arranged around the plurality of battery cells; wherein, when several battery modules are stacked to form a battery module stack, the battery module housings of the respective battery modules interlock and laterally enclose the battery module stack. According to a first aspect, the battery module comprises one or more centering elements arranged on one or more outer surfaces of the battery module housing. The centering elements are configured to secure and center the stacked battery module within a housing of the battery system.According to another aspect, the battery module housing has a laterally circumferential spring element and a laterally circumferential groove element which corresponds to the spring element, whereby when the battery module is stacked with another battery module to form a battery module stack, the spring element of the battery module engages in the groove element of the other battery module and forms a coolant channel between the battery module and the other battery module.