Improving Electric Vehicle Battery Packaging to Maximize Efficiency and Safety

Securing electronics modules within a traction battery pack assembly by suspending them from the enclosure cover. The battery pack has an enclosure with a removable cover. An electronics support plate is secured to the cover using brackets and fasteners. The electronics modules are mounted on the support plate. This allows the modules to be easily accessed and serviced by removing the cover, without having to disconnect wiring harnesses and other connections.

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A selectable shim system for applying compression to battery cell stacks in a traction battery pack. The shims are inserted between the cell stacks and the pack enclosure walls to provide a desired preload on the cells. By measuring the cell stack and enclosure dimensions, appropriate shims can be selected.

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A battery module system for electric vehicles that provides improved structural rigidity to the vehicle frame while housing the batteries. The system uses a container mounted to the vehicle frame rails to enclose the battery assemblies. This container with higher walls acts as a structural member in the vehicle frame, adding torsional rigidity.

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Traction battery pack for electric vehicles that securely attaches the pack cover to internal components to prevent detachment during vehicle operation. The attachment mechanisms connect the cover directly to separators within the battery pack instead of just the outer housing. This maintains cover retention at interior regions of the battery pack, keeps the cover spaced apart from the cells, and creates a desired amount of pack-level stiffness for load distribution. The attachments can be clips, adhesives, magnets, fasteners, ball-and-socket joints, etc.

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Optimizing the design of battery packs for electric vehicles that house cell stacks within irregularly shaped enclosures, to enable easier insertion of compressed cells into this opening and compression of cells between the irregular surfaces. It involves a block insert that interfaces between the irregular enclosure and cell stack. This insert allows compressing the cells to fit through the opening by providing a flat interface, while transferring compression loads from the enclosure walls to the cells through a curved interface.

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Lithium-ion battery electrodes with a unique non-uniform porous structure that enhances performance compared to conventional electrodes. The positive electrode is made by setting the porosity of the surface layer higher with larger active material particles compared to the inner layer. This non-uniform structure improves battery rate performance and capacity retention by reducing resistance and impedance.

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A battery module with reduced weight containing battery cells, a frame, a busbar frame, and an end plate that covers the busbar frame. The end plate consists of an insulating portion in contact with the busbar frame and a reinforcing portion inserted into the insulating portion. This maintains weldability and rigidity while reducing weight. The battery module is used in battery packs like those for electric vehicles.

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Method of assembling a traction battery pack by engaging an enclosure structure with manufacturing equipment, changing the size of the cell-receiving opening using the manufacturing equipment, inserting at least one cell stack into the opening, and disengaging the manufacturing equipment. The enclosure structure then compresses the cell stack. The opening is changed to allow insertion of the cell stack perpendicular to its axis.

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Method to compress and hold battery cells in a traction battery pack for vehicles. A compressing wall is moved against the cells to apply a compressive force between the wall and the enclosure structure. The wall is then secured to hold the cells in position. This compresses the cells to reduce movement. The compressing wall is positioned within the pack after the cells are loaded.

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Degassing unit for a housing, like a battery, with a base that attaches to the housing and a membrane covering an opening in the base. The membrane has weakened areas that reduce the pressure needed to burst and open the opening. The weakening can be done through localized treatments like laser melting or mechanical scoring. This allows the membrane to have lower bursting pressures than an untreated membrane.

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Assembly method for traction battery packs for electric vehicles. The process involves compressing multiple battery cell stacks using fixtures, then inserting the compressed stacks into an enclosure structure. After insertion, the enclosure compresses the stacks further. This staged compression allows high density packing of the battery cells without damaging them.

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A technique for assembling battery packs that simplifies the process and reduces the risk of damage to components, particularly prismatic cell stacks, during insertion into an enclosure. The technique involves holding the cell stack with a compression machine that engages load plates on either end. The compressed stack is aligned with the enclosure opening and inserted. The compression machine is then disengaged. The compression method prevents stack expansion and distortion when inserting into the enclosure.

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Standoff assembly to separate enclosure cover and battery cells in battery packs for electric vehicles. The standoff assembly maintains a gap between the enclosure cover and battery cell components. It could be positioned between the cover and the cell stack or between the cover and the battery system. The standoffs prevent contact between the battery cells and enclosure and maintain a space for compression of the cells. It allows compressing the cell stack within the pack while avoiding pressure on the cover that could damage the cells.

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Traction battery packs for electric vehicles that include cell-to-pack battery systems. The battery packs have cell row separators that structurally couple adjacent cell stacks together. This allows the battery cells to be compressed prior to insertion into the pack enclosure. The separators are attached to the cell stacks using adhesive or tape.

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Assembling electric vehicle battery packs using cell-stacking techniques that simplify manufacturing and reduce costs. The key idea is to use a modular cell-stacking approach where individual cell stacks are compressed to a desired length, then the compressed stacks are pressed together sideways to form a "cell matrix". This cell matrix is then inserted into the battery pack enclosure as a single unit. This avoids the need for complex internal battery pack frames and supports that are required for conventional battery pack designs with individual cells.

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A simple, efficient, and ergonomic battery mounting system for electric medium or heavy-duty vehicles. The structure allows easy installation and removal of battery packs from the vehicle chassis by sliding them between the rails. The chassis has U-shaped frame rails with an inner and outer rail. There is a channel between them. The battery packs have brackets that slide in the channel to attach the packs to the chassis. The packs can be slid in from the side, avoiding the need for heavy brackets attached to the outside of the frame.

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A method for assembling traction battery packs that include battery systems, such as cell-to-pack battery systems. The method involves inserting one or more cell stacks of the cell-to-pack battery system into a cell-compressing opening of an enclosure tray. The cell stack is compressed to a desired length before inserting. The cell stack compression fixture can include slider plates that provide sliding surfaces to facilitate insertion into the tray.

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Method of assembling a battery pack for electric vehicles that simplifies battery pack assembly and testing. This involves compressing the battery cells into a stack using a dedicated compression fixture, inserting the compressed stack into a surrounding housing, compressing further to secure it, then testing the electrical connections before finalizing the pack.

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Method for assembling a traction battery pack for electric vehicles where the battery cells are positioned within the battery pack. The method involves compressing two cell stacks with different fixtures, inserting them into an enclosure with a spacer sandwiched between them, and then compressing both stacks against the enclosure. By compressing the stacks separately before insertion, it allows for variations in cell sizes. The spacer maintains the gap between the stacks during insertion.

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Sheet metal enclosure for a battery pack that holds and compresses the battery cells when inserted. The enclosure is formed by stamping a sheet metal blank into an enclosure with a cell stack sized receiving area. The cells are then inserted into the enclosure and compressed along their vertical axis by the enclosure structure. A gap between the enclosure and cells can be filled with wedges for better compression. This allows the cells to be preassembled into a stack and then inserted and compressed into the enclosure, rather than assembling the stack inside the enclosure.

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