BATTERY MODULE

Abstract

A battery module for a partially or fully electrically operated vehicle, having a battery housing, which has a main body with at least one open end, and at least one battery cell stack, which has a carrier plate at least at one end. The battery cell stack has been introduced into the main body such that the carrier plate substantially closes off the open end of the main body. On the carrier plate, there is provided an at least sectionally peripheral seal, which projects from the carrier plate and bears at least sectionally against the inner surface of the main body. The seal is of air-permeable form, so that, during the introduction of a fluid of relatively high viscosity into an intermediate space between the battery cell stack and the inner surface of the main body, displaced air can escape from the main body through the seal.

Claims

1. A battery module for a partially or fully electrically operated vehicle, said battery module comprising: at least one battery housing having a main body with at least one open end; at least one battery cell stack within the main body, the battery cell stack including a carrier plate at least at one end of the main body, wherein the battery cell stack is configured to be introduced into the main body such that the carrier plate substantially closes off the open end of the main body; and a peripheral seal on the carrier plate, which projects from the carrier plate and bears at least partially against an inner surface of the main body, wherein the seal is of gas-permeable form, such that, upon introducing a fluid of relatively high viscosity into an intermediate space between the battery cell stack and the inner surface of the main body, displaced air can escape from the main body through the seal.

2. The battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is impermeable to the fluid of relatively high viscosity.

3. The battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier plate is a plastic injection-molded component.

4. The battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is of self-reinforcing form, and/or the seal is either adhesively bonded onto the carrier plate or injection-molded onto the carrier plate.

5. The battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main body is a hollow extrusion profile.

6. The battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid of relatively high viscosity is a curable heat-conducting paste.

7. The battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier plate has a holder for cell tabs, and/or the carrier plate has a holder for conductor rails, and/or the carrier plate serves at least partially as an electrical insulation layer between the battery cell stack and battery housing.

8. The battery module as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in a region into which the fluid of relatively high viscosity is introduced, the wall of the battery housing is formed without any openings.

9. A battery system comprising two or more of said battery modules of claim 1.

10. A method for producing a battery module including at least one battery housing having a main body with at least one open end, wherein the method comprises: inserting into the main body at least one battery cell stack having a carrier plate at least at one end, wherein the carrier plate substantially closes off the open end of the main body, wherein, on the carrier plate, there is provided a gas-permeable peripheral seal, which, following the insertion, bears at least partially against an inner surface of the main body, and introducing a fluid of relatively high viscosity into an intermediate space disposed between the battery cell stack and the inner surface of the main body, wherein the air displaced during the introduction of the fluid of relatively high viscosity can escape through the seal.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the seal is impermeable to the fluid of relatively high viscosity, such that the fluid of relatively high viscosity remains in the intermediate space during the fluid introduction step.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein, upon introducing the fluid of relatively high viscosity into the intermediate space, the method further comprises detecting a pressure of the fluid, and detecting a filling of the intermediate space with the fluid of relatively high viscosity upon exceedance of a defined pressure threshold value.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein, upon exceedance of the defined pressure threshold value, the fluid introduction step is stopped.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Further advantageous configurations emerge from the following description and the drawing. In the drawing, in each case schematically:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a battery system having two battery modules;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a perspective partial view of a battery module;

[0030] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective partial view of a battery cell stack; and

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a partial longitudinal section of a battery module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0032] FIG. 1 schematically shows a cross section through a battery system 100, which has two battery modules 102 in the example. The battery system 100 may be installed in a vehicle (not illustrated) for example in such a way that the central longitudinal axis 104 of the battery system 100 or of the battery modules 102 extends parallel to the vehicle transverse direction y. The vehicle longitudinal direction x is oriented orthogonally to the central longitudinal axis 104 in the example.

[0033] The battery modules 102 each have a battery housing 106 with a main body 107 in which, in the example, in each case two channels 108, 110 are formed, said channels extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis 104 and being separated from one another by a partition 112. The channels 108, 110 are delimited outwardly by a wall 111 (cf. FIG. 2). The channels 108, 110 each have two open ends 114, 116 (cf. FIG. 1). In the example, the main bodies 107 are each designed as a hollow profile in the form of an extrusion profile.

[0034] In the channels 108, 110, there is arranged in each case one battery cell stack 118, which has at both ends in each case one carrier plate 120. The battery cell stacks 118 have been introduced into the main body 107 or the channels 108, 110 in such a way that the respective carrier plate 120 substantially closes off the respective open end 114, 116 of the main body 107.

[0035] The further construction of a battery module 102 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. In the example, the battery cell stacks 118 have a multiplicity of stacked battery cells 122, which are arranged in multiple columns 124 (cf. FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0036] On the carrier plate 120, there is provided in each case one at least sectionally peripheral seal 126, which, in the example, runs around the carrier plate 120 almost completely, for example to an extent of more than 90% (cf. FIG. 3). The seal 126 projects from the carrier plate 102 outwardly toward the main body 107 and bears at least sectionally against the inner surface 128 of the main body 107 or of the channels 108, 110 formed in the main body 107 (cf. FIG. 4). The seal 126 is of air-permeable form, so that, during the introduction of a fluid 129 of relatively high viscosity into an intermediate space or gap 130 (cf. FIGS. 3 and 4) between the battery cell stack 118 and the inner surface 128 of the main body 107, displaced air can escape from the main body 107 through the seal 126.

[0037] The seals 126 are each formed in such a way that they are impermeable to the fluid 129 of relatively high viscosity. Consequently, the seal 126 has a sufficiently high degree of tightness that spreading of the fluid 129 of relatively high viscosity is limited to the desired region (intermediate space 130), and has a sufficiently low degree of tightness that, during the introduction of the fluid 129 of relatively high viscosity, the air can escape through the seal 126.

[0038] In the example, the carrier plates 120 are each in the form of a plastic injection-molded component (cf. FIGS. 2 and 3). The seals 126 are each connected to the carrier plate 120, in particular adhesively bonded onto or injection-molded onto the carrier plate 120.

[0039] Optionally, the seals 126 may in each case be of self-reinforcing form. Consequently, the sealing action can increase through impingement of the fluid 129 of relatively high viscosity on the respective seal 126 (cf. FIG. 4). In the example, the fluid 129 of relatively high viscosity with which the intermediate space 130 is at least partially filled is in the form of a curable heat-conducting paste (gap filler).

[0040] In the example, the carrier plates 120 each have a holder 132 for cell tabs (cf. FIG. 3). This allows cell tabs to be secured in a simple manner directly by means of the carrier plate 120. In the example, the carrier plates 120 each have a holder 134 for conductor rails. In this way, conductor rails can be secured by means of the carrier plate 120. The carrier plates 120 may each serve at least sectionally as an electrical insulation layer between battery cell stack 118 and battery housing 106.

[0041] In the region into which the fluid of relatively high viscosity has been introduced (intermediate space 130), the wall 111 of the battery housing 106 is formed without any openings (cf. FIGS. 2 and 4). Consequently, the wall 111 of the battery housing 106 has no opening.

[0042] The method for producing a battery module 106 and in particular a detection of the fill level of the fluid of relatively high viscosity or heat-conducting paste 129 in the intermediate space 130 may proceed as described above.