Some battery packs are installed inside the device, and a shrink PVC sleeve is ok. In other cases, battery packs are mounted externally and serve a mechanical function, such as a handle or base for the device. At the same time, the battery housing must also protect the battery cells and the electronics from the harsh operating environments of temperature extremes, water ingress, humidity and vibration in which these batteries work. Our extensive experience in designing battery enclosures of all types allow us to enhance the functional design of the product while assuring that the battery passes any shock, vibration and environmental testing required for your application.
Injection Molded Plastic
Enclosures made from injection molded plastics are most commonly used for battery packs. For these enclosed pack designs, two or more plastic parts are molded and then assembled with the battery pack and accompanied protection circuitry. They can be sealed with glue, mechanical fasteners (Screws) or ultrasonic welding. The product cost can be reduced by using insert moldings in which the interconnection strips and the terminals are molded into the plastic parts to eliminate both materials and assembly costs, and also improve the waterproof level.
In some designs, the battery pack can form part of the outer case of the end product, and usually requires a mechanical latch to hold the battery in place. This latch as well as the terminals must interface with plastic parts from the device itself, so high precision and tight tolerances are essential.
The simplest and least expensive packaging for small batteries is shrink wrap or vacuum formed plastic. These solutions are only suitable if the battery is intended to be completely enclosed by the finished product.
Other Considerations
Thermal effects need to be taken into account and, tolerances must allow for potential swelling of the cells. Some Lithium pouch cells may swell as much as 10% or more over the lifetime of the cell. For this reason, enclosures may be designed with vent holes to dissipate generated heat or exhaust vented gases from cells. Multiple vent holes may be used to increase airflow in and out of the pack.
Please Contact Us to discuss with PERMA Battery team about your desired battery housing. Thank you.
