BATTERY MODULE AND TRACTION BATTERY

Abstract

A battery module for a traction battery, in particular for a battery electric vehicle includes a battery cell stack and a module housing. The module housing has a first housing part and a second housing part and surrounds an interior in which the battery cell stack is arranged. The battery cell stack is formed from several battery cells, which are arranged adjacent to one another in a stacking direction. The module housing can be flowed through in particular directly by a coolant, such that the battery cells in the interior come directly in contact with the coolant. The battery module has a locking device, which secures the battery cell stack within the interior in a form-fitting manner at least to one of the housing parts, in particular to the first housing part. The disclosure also relates to a traction battery for a battery electric vehicle with the battery module.

Claims

1. A battery module for a traction battery, in particular for a battery electric vehicle, the battery module comprising: a battery cell stack; and a module housing, wherein the module housing has a first housing part and a second housing part and surrounds an interior, in which the battery cell stack is arranged, wherein the battery cell stack is formed from several battery cells, which are arranged adjacent to one another in a stacking direction, wherein the module housing in particular can be able to be flowed through directly by a coolant, in such a way that the battery cells in the interior come directly in contact with the coolant, and wherein the battery module has a locking device, which secures the battery cell stack within the interior in a form-fitting manner at least to one of the housing parts, in particular to the first housing part.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: the locking device has at least one slider, which is held within the battery cell stack, the respective slider is displaceable between a locking position and an unlocking position, and the respective slider in the locking position is in engagement with a latch structure formed on the one housing part, in particular on the first housing part, and in the unlocking position is free of the respective latch structure.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: the respective slider is displaceable between the locking position and the unlocking position transversely to the stacking direction in a widthwise direction of the battery cell stack, and the respective slider and the respective latch structure are able to be brought into engagement in such a way that tractive forces running transversely to the stacking direction in tractive force direction are able to be transferred between the one housing part, in particular the first housing part, and the battery cell stack.

4. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the respective slider cooperates with a return spring, which drives the respective slider into the unlocking position.

5. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: the locking device has at least one securing element which is displaceable between a securing position and a releasing position, and the respective securing element cooperates with at least one such slider in such a way that the respective slider moves through the securing element into the locking position, and is secured in the latter, when the respective securing element is displaced into its securing position.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein: the securing element is displaceable between the securing position and the releasing position transversely to the stacking direction in tractive force direction, and the respective securing element cooperates with at least one such slider in such a way that the respective slider is displaceable transversely to the stacking direction in width-wise direction into the locking position.

7. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the securing element is accessible from a side of the battery cell stack facing the second housing part, such that the slider, which is inaccessible from the exterior, is able to be actuated from the exterior.

8. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the respective securing element in the securing position connects the first housing part transversely to the stacking direction in tractive force direction with the second housing part.

9. The battery module according to claim 8, wherein: the securing element is a tie rod with a head and with a shaft, and the head rests on an outer side of the second housing part facing away from the first housing part and the shaft engages into the first housing part in a form-fitting manner, penetrating the interior.

10. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein: for locking the battery cell stack with the one housing part, in particular with the first housing part, two such sliders and one such securing element are provided, the two sliders move oppositely in widthwise direction and the securing element moves in tractive force direction, and the two sliders cooperate with the same securing element and are displaced into their respective locking position and are secured in the latter when the securing element is displaced into the securing position.

11. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: the battery module has at least one intermediate plate, which is arranged in the battery cell stack between two adjacent battery cells, and the locking device is held at least partially in this intermediate plate.

12. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the respective slider is received in the intermediate plate and is displaceable within the latter transversely to the stacking direction in widthwise direction.

13. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: the battery cell stack within the interior is secured in a form-fitting manner with the locking device on the first housing part and on the second housing part, or the battery cell stack within the interior is secured in a form-fitting manner with the locking device on the first housing part and is undetachably connected with the second housing part, or the battery cell stack within the interior is secured in a form-fitting manner with the locking device only on the second housing part.

14. A traction battery for a battery electric vehicle, wherein the traction battery has at least one battery module according to claim 1.

15. The traction battery according to claim 14, wherein: the traction battery has a single battery module, such that the battery module represents the traction battery, or the traction battery has several battery modules, wherein the respective module housings of the battery modules are represented by a shared battery housing of the traction battery, or the traction battery has several battery modules, wherein the battery modules are accommodated with their module housings in a shared battery housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a battery module with a released locking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the battery module shown in FIG. 1 with the locked locking device;

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a view of a battery cell stack of the battery module according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; and

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a view of the battery cell stack of FIG. 3, which is connected with a second housing part in a non-detachable manner.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated in the drawings and are explained further in the following description, wherein the same reference numbers refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.

[0029] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show sectional views of a battery module 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure for a traction battery 2 of a battery electric vehicle on a locking device 7. In this exemplary embodiment, the battery module 1 represents the traction battery 2 entirely. The battery module 1 has a battery cell stack 3 and a module housing 4. The battery cell stack 3 is cuboid-shaped and consists of several battery cells 5, as is shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The battery cells 5 are arranged against one another in stacking direction SR and are braced with one another, wherein the stacking direction SR coincides with a longitudinal axis of the battery cell stack 3. Furthermore, in the battery cell stack 3 a widthwise direction BR and a tractive force direction ZR are defined, which are aligned perpendicularly to the stacking direction SR and to one another.

[0030] The module housing 4 has a first housing part 4a and a second housing part 4b, which are screwed to one another. The first housing part 4a here is a housing upper shell which is open on one side, and which is provided for fastening to a vehicle underbody of the battery electric vehicle. The second housing part 4b is a plate-shaped housing cover, which closes the housing upper shell from the open side. When the battery module 1 is mounted on the battery electric vehicle, the stacking direction SR and the width-wise direction BR are arranged in an XY plane of the vehicle, and the tractive force direction ZR corresponds to the Z direction of the vehicle. The module housing 4 surrounds an interior 6, in which the battery cell stack 3 is arranged so as to be able to be flowed around by the fluid coolant. The battery cell stack 3 is secured within the interior 6 on the first housing part 4a detachably in a form-fitting manner and is glued to the second housing part 4b. Thereby, the module housing 4 is reinforced, so that a bulging of the module housing 4 during flowing through by the coolant can be effectively counteracted.

[0031] For securing the battery cell stack 3 on the first housing part 4a, the battery module 1 has a locking device 7, which has two sliders 8a and 8b and a securing element 9 cooperating with these. The two sliders 8a and 8b and the securing element 9 are received in an intermediate plate 10, which is arranged between two adjacent battery cells 5 and approximately centrally in the battery cell stack 3, as is shown in FIG. 3. The sliders 8a and 8b are displaceable here between an unlocking positionas is shown in FIG. 1and a locking positionas is shown in FIG. 2. The securing element 9 is displaceable between a securing positionas is shown in FIG. 2and a releasing positionas is shown in FIG. 1.

[0032] With reference to FIG. 2 the securing element 9 can be displaced from the releasing position into the securing position by a movement in tractive force direction ZR towards the first housing part 4a. The sliders 8a and 8b are displaced here oppositely in widthwise direction BR and are thereby brought from the unlocking position into the locking position. The movement directions of the sliders 8a and 8b and of the securing element 9 are indicated by arrows in FIG. 2. In the locking position, the slider 8a or respectively 8b is brought into engagement with a latch structure 11a or respectively 11b. For this, the latch structure 11a or respectively 11b has an undercut, into which the respective slider 8a or respectively 8b engages. The latch structure 11a or respectively 11b is formed on the first housing part 4a, such that in the locking position the battery stack 3 is secured on the first housing part 4a in a form-fitting manner and tractive forces are able to be transferred between the first housing part 4a and the battery cell stack 3 in tractive force direction ZR. As long as the securing element 9 is in the securing position, the sliders 8a and 8b cannot pass into the unlocking position and are secured in the latter. For example, the securing element 9 can be screwed to the first housing part 4a and can thereby be fixed in the securing position.

[0033] With reference to FIG. 1, the sliders 8a and 8b are displaced from the locking position into the unlocking position by return springs 12a and 12b. Here, the sliders 8a and 8b shifted oppositely in width-wise direction BR. However, this is only possible when the securing element 9 is displaced into the releasing positiontherefore is brought away from the first housing part 4a in tractive force direction. The return springs 12a and 12b are received in the intermediate plate 10 and cooperate respectively with the sliders 8a and 8b. In the unlocking position, the slider 8a or respectively 8b is free of the respective latch structure 11a or respectively 11b and the battery cell stack 3 is released from the first housing part 4a.

[0034] As can be seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the securing element 9 can be displaced from the exterior out of the releasing position into the securing position, such that the two sliders 8a and 8b and the two latch structures 11a and 11b do not have to be accessible from the exterior. Thereby, the mounting and the dismantling of the battery module 1 or respectively of the battery cell stack 3 in the module housing 4 can be distinctly simplified. In this exemplary embodiment, the latch structure 11a and 11b is formed within the interior 6 opposite the open side of the first housing part 4a or respectively the open side of the housing upper shell or respectively the second housing part 4b. When the battery cell stack 3 is arranged in the first housing part 4a, the sliders 8a and 8b and the latch structures 11a and 11b are not accessible from the exterior. The securing element 9, on the other hand, is accessible from a side of the battery cell stack 3 facing away from latch structures 11a and 11b, or respectively from the open side of the first housing part 4a or respectively from the open side of the housing upper shell, and can actuate the respective sliders 8a and 8b.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a view of the battery cell stack 3 of the battery module 1 from a side facing the second housing part 4b. As already mentioned above, the battery cell stack 3 has several battery cells 5, which are stacked adjacent to one another in stacking direction SR. At opposite stack ends 14a and 14b, clamping plates 15a or respectively 15b are arranged. The battery cells 5 are braced with one another in stacking direction SR by two clamping bands 13, wherein the clamping bands 13 rest onto the two clamping plates 15a and 15b. The intermediate plate 10 is arranged between two adjacent battery cells 5 approximately centrally in the battery cell stack 3. Furthermore, an opening 16 is visible here in the intermediate plate 10, through which the securing element 9 can be guided onto the opposite side of the battery cell stack 3 towards the first housing part 4a.

[0036] In FIG. 4, a view is shown of the battery cell stack 3 from a side facing the first housing part 4a. Here, the battery cell stack 3 is shown with the second housing part 4b. As already explained above, the battery cell stack 3 is glued with the second housing part 4b, such that the second housing part 4b together with the battery cell stack 3 can be mounted on the first housing part 4a. Here, on the second housing part 4b also mounting openings 17 for mounting screws are visible, through which the second housing part 4b can be screwed to the first housing part 4a.

[0037] In summary, the battery cell stack 3 is fixed in a form-fitting and detachable manner by the locking device 7 within the module housing 4 on the first housing part 4a. Furthermore, the second housing part 4b is glued with the battery cell stack 3. Thereby the module housing 4 is reinforced by the stable structure of the battery cell stack 3 and its stability is increased. In particular, thereby the unwanted bulging of the module housing 4 can be prevented and a mechanical damage to the module housing 4, occurring in an extreme case, can be effectively counteracted.

[0038] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims.