Staggered Battery Cell Layout for Undercarriage Impact Diffusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing volume of battery packs in electric vehicles to enhance driving range lowers the vehicle's undercarriage, making it susceptible to collisions that can cause deformation, short circuits, and thermal runaway due to concentrated impact energy.
Innovation Solution
A staggered arrangement of battery cells within the battery pack, where rows and columns are offset relative to each other, dispersing impact energy and reducing the risk of damage and thermal runaway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the battery pack volume is increased to achieve longer driving range, then the driving range is improved, but the undercarriage collision risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple battery modules, each containing battery cells arranged in a staggered configuration. This segmentation allows the impact energy to be distributed across multiple modules rather than concentrated in a single location, reducing the harmful effects of undercarriage collisions while maintaining the required battery pack volume for extended driving range.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery cells within each module are arranged in an asymmetric staggered pattern rather than a symmetric aligned grid. This asymmetric arrangement creates offset rows and columns that facilitate energy diffusion during impact events, allowing the battery pack to maintain its volume for driving range while reducing collision risks through the irregular energy distribution path.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the undercarriage is lowered to accommodate larger battery pack, then the driving range is improved, but the impact susceptibility increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack structure is segmented into multiple modules with staggered cell arrangements. This segmentation enables the structure to absorb and distribute impact forces more effectively, improving impact resistance while maintaining the lowered undercarriage position necessary for accommodating large battery capacity and achieving extended driving range.
Solution Approach 2:
The staggered arrangement of battery cells in offset rows and columns creates a three-dimensional energy diffusion pathway. When impact occurs, the energy propagates through multiple dimensions rather than being confined to a single plane, enhancing the structure's ability to resist impact forces while maintaining the required battery volume for driving range.
3Ease of manufacture
If the battery cells are arranged in a conventional aligned grid, then the manufacturing is simplified, but the impact energy concentration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery cells are arranged in an asymmetric staggered pattern with offset rows and columns instead of a conventional symmetric aligned grid. This asymmetric arrangement diffuses impact energy more effectively by creating irregular energy propagation paths, while the modular design maintains reasonable manufacturing simplicity through standardized module assembly procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The spatial parameters of battery cell arrangement are changed from a regular aligned grid to a staggered configuration with specific offset distances. This parameter change optimizes the balance between manufacturing feasibility and impact energy diffusion, reducing energy concentration while maintaining ease of manufacture through systematic module assembly.
4Reliability
If the battery cells are staggered arranged to diffuse impact energy, then the safety is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex staggered arrangement is managed by dividing the battery pack into multiple standardized modules. Each module contains a simplified staggered configuration that is easier to manufacture and assemble, while the overall pack achieves the desired safety performance through the combined effect of multiple modules. This segmentation reduces structural complexity while maintaining improved safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The staggered module design serves multiple functions: it provides impact energy diffusion for safety improvement, maintains space efficiency for adequate battery capacity, and enables standardized assembly for manufacturing. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional complex safety components, thereby limiting the increase in overall structural complexity while achieving improved reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack is provided, including at least one layer of battery cells in a height direction thereof. Each layer of battery cells includes either or both of a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of battery cells. The battery cells in each row are arranged end-to-end in a length direction of the battery pack. The rows are arranged in a width direction of the battery pack. At least a part of the battery cells in each row are staggered with corresponding battery cells in an immediately adjacent row of battery cells. The battery cells in each column are arranged end-to-end in the width direction of the battery pack. The columns are arranged in the length direction of the battery pack. At least a part of the battery cells in each column are staggered with corresponding battery cells in an immediately adjacent column of battery cells.