Structural Battery Busbar for Lighter EV Pack Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric vehicle battery packs are heavy, which negatively affects vehicle performance and range due to the added mass of structurally supportive enclosures, and lack effective protection against thermal runaway in collisions.
Innovation Solution
A structurally supportive battery busbar that electrically couples battery cells and provides structural rigidity, allowing for a lighter battery tray and incorporating breakaway mechanisms to isolate cells in case of damage, using bands and beams for tensile support and electrical distribution, and a protective sheath to prevent moisture intrusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a heavy structurally supportive battery tray is used, then structural rigidity is improved, but vehicle weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the structural support function and electrical connection function into a single busbar component. The busbar serves dual purposes: providing structural rigidity to the battery pack and enabling electrical connections between battery cells, thereby eliminating the need for a separate heavy battery tray while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The busbar is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously performs structural support and electrical conduction. This universal component replaces the traditional separate battery tray, reducing overall weight while maintaining both structural rigidity and electrical connectivity functions.
2Strength
If a rigid battery tray is used, then structural support is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single component. The busbar integrates structural support, electrical connection, and cell grouping functions, thereby reducing the number of separate components and simplifying the overall battery pack structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-functional busbar serves as a universal component that replaces multiple separate parts (battery tray, electrical connectors, and cell grouping structures), reducing device complexity while maintaining all necessary functions.
3Device complexity
If battery cells are left unprotected, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability decreases during collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The busbar integrates protective functionality into its structural design. The rigid busbar structure provides mechanical protection to battery cells during collisions, eliminating the need for separate protective housings while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid busbar structure is designed to absorb and distribute impact forces before they can reach the battery cells, providing beforehand cushioning against collision damage and preventing thermal runaway events.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces the weight of the battery pack by integrating structural and electrical support into a single component, enhancing vehicle performance and range while providing a safety mechanism to prevent thermal runaway in collisions.
Implementation Method 1
one or more bands configured to band the plurality of battery cells together under a tensile force
Data Source
AI summary
A structurally supportive battery busbar configured to enable distribution of electrical energy amongst a plurality of battery cells and to provide structural rigidity to the plurality of battery cells, the structurally supportive busbar including one or more bands configured to band the plurality of battery cells together under a tensile force to form a battery module, and one or more structural reinforcement beams configured to traverse at least partially along a length or width of the battery module, the at least one of the bands or one or more structural reinforcement beams include an electrically conductive portion configured to couple the plurality of battery cells together for electrical distribution throughout the battery module.