Touch-Safe Battery Core Housing With Auto Series Disconnect
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Battery-powered power supplies with high voltage outputs pose a risk of electric shock when their housings are opened for servicing, as the touch points can be at high voltage potential, necessitating a solution to reduce this risk.
Innovation Solution
The battery core is designed with a separable housing that disconnects the conductor connecting two groups of battery cells in series, ensuring that the voltage potential is reduced below 60 Volts when the housing is opened, and includes a mechanical switch and battery management systems to manage and isolate the voltage safely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the housing is made separable for servicing, then ease of repair is improved, but the risk of electric shock increases due to exposed high voltage touch points
Solution Approach 1:
The battery core is divided into two separable housing portions (first and second portions) that can be detached from each other. This segmentation allows the housing to be opened for servicing while ensuring that when separated, the conductor connecting the battery cell groups is also disconnected, thereby reducing voltage potential at touch points to safe levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The conductor is pre-configured to be mechanically connected to the first housing portion and electrically connected to battery cell terminals. This preliminary arrangement ensures that upon separation of the housing portions, the conductor automatically disconnects from at least one terminal, proactively reducing voltage exposure before servicing begins.
2Power
If battery cells are connected in series to produce high voltage, then power output capability is improved, but safety risk increases due to high voltage potential at touch points
Solution Approach 1:
The electrical connection configuration is made dynamic through the separable housing design. When the housing portions are assembled, the conductor connects the first and second groups of battery cells in series, enabling high voltage output. When the housing is separated for servicing, the connection is automatically broken, dynamically switching to a safe voltage state.
Solution Approach 2:
The voltage potential at touch points is changed from high voltage (when housing is assembled) to low voltage (when housing is separated). This parameter change is achieved through the mechanical-disconnect mechanism where separating the housing portions causes the conductor to disconnect from battery cell terminals, thereby changing the electrical state to a safe voltage level.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply includes a core housing having a first housing portion and a second housing portion together forming a cavity. The first housing portion is separable from the second housing portion to access the cavity. A battery core includes a plurality of battery cells received within the cavity. The plurality of battery cells are divided into a first group of interconnected battery cells and a second group of battery interconnected cells. The battery core also includes a conductor mechanically and electrically connecting a first terminal of the first group of interconnected battery cells and a second terminal of the second group of interconnected battery cells thereby connecting the first group of interconnected battery cells in series with the second group of interconnected battery cells. The conductor is disconnected from the first terminal or the second terminal when the first housing portion is separated from the second housing portion.