Winged Battery Cell Spacer for Multi-Directional Pack Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery pack assemblies face challenges in maintaining consistent spacing and proper alignment of battery cells, which affects electrical isolation and accommodation of cell expansion, leading to complexities in assembly and component integration.
Innovation Solution
A winged spacer assembly with a primary section extending in one direction and wing sections transverse to it is used to constrain and position battery cells in multiple directions, ensuring electrical isolation and accommodating expansion, while being electrically insulative and secured with adhesive.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional spacers are used to maintain battery cell spacing, then electrical isolation between cells is achieved, but the alignment precision and multi-directional constraint capability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer assembly is divided into a primary section and multiple wing sections, where the primary section provides multi-directional constraints along the stack axis and the wing sections extend perpendicular to the primary section to constrain adjacent cell stacks. This segmentation allows each section to perform specific spacing functions, achieving precise alignment while maintaining structural clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The wing sections extend in a direction transverse to the primary section, adding a second dimension of constraint capability. This dimensional expansion enables the spacer to constrain battery cells not only along the stack axis but also between adjacent cell stacks, thereby improving alignment precision without requiring multiple separate spacers.
2Ease of operation
If multiple spacers are used to constrain battery cells in multiple directions, then alignment and spacing are improved, but the assembly complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The primary section and multiple wing sections are merged into a single integrated spacer assembly. The primary section extends along the stack axis to constrain battery cells in vertical directions, while the wing sections extend perpendicular to the primary section to constrain adjacent cell stacks horizontally. This merging reduces the number of separate components and simplifies assembly while maintaining multi-directional constraint capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously: the primary section provides spacing and electrical isolation along the stack axis, while the wing sections provide spacing and alignment between adjacent cell stacks. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate spacers for different directions, thereby reducing component count and simplifying assembly.
3Productivity
If battery cells are tightly packed to maximize energy density, then space utilization is improved, but the accommodation of cell expansion and thermal management are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer assembly provides localized spacing and expansion accommodation at critical interfaces between battery cells and between cell stacks. The primary section maintains consistent spacing along the stack axis to accommodate vertical expansion, while the wing sections provide localized spacing between adjacent cell stacks. This localized quality control allows tight packing in non-critical areas while ensuring expansion accommodation where needed.
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 winged spacer assembly effectively maintains consistent spacing and alignment, facilitating assembly and electrical isolation of battery cells, and accommodating their expansion, thereby enhancing the structural integrity and efficiency of the battery pack.
Implementation Method 1
an adhesive that secures the winged spacer assembly to at a plurality of battery cells
Data Source
AI summary
A traction battery assembly includes a winged spacer assembly having a primary section extending in a first direction, and at least one wing section extending from the primary section in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction. A battery cell holding method includes constraining movement of a first battery cell in a first direction using a primary section of a spacer assembly. The first battery cell is within a first cell stack. The method further includes constraining movement of the first battery cell in a second direction using at least one wing section of the winged spacer assembly. The method still further includes constraining movement of a second battery cell in the first direction using the primary section of the winged spacer assembly. The second battery cell is within a second cell stack.