ACCUMULATOR ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

An accumulator arrangement for a motor vehicle may include a receiving space configured to receive at least one battery module, a supply arrangement arranged in the receiving space, and a protective cover at least partially closing the receiving space. The supply arrangement may be configured to supply the at least one battery module. The receiving space may be defined by a recess disposed in a chassis of the motor vehicle. The supply arrangement may be formed directly on an underside of the chassis. The supply arrangement may have at least one first interface operatively connected to the at least one battery module via at least one second interface of the battery module. One of the at least one first interface and the at least one second interface may be insertable into the other one of the at least one first interface and the at least one second interface.

Claims

1.-19. (canceled)

20. An accumulator arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising: a receiving space configured to receive at least one battery module; a supply arrangement arranged in the receiving space, the supply arrangement configured to supply the at least one battery module; a protective cover at least partially closing the receiving space; the receiving space defined directly by a recess disposed in an underside of a chassis of the motor vehicle; the supply arrangement formed directly on an underside of a wall of the chassis delimiting the recess, and having at least one first interface operatively connected to the at least one battery module via at least one second interface of the at least one battery module structured in a complementary manner to the at least one first interface; and wherein one of the at least one first interface and the at least one second interface is insertable into the other one of the at least one first interface and the at least one second interface.

21. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the at least one first interface and the at least one second interface respectively include at least one of: at least one electrical connection line for an electrical on-board supply system; at least one electrical signal line for a battery management system; at least one electrical signal line for a thermal management system; at least one pipeline for directing a fluid; and at least one fastening arrangement.

22. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the at least one first interface and the at least one second interface respectively include at least one electrical line and at least one pipeline for directing a fluid.

23. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 22, wherein: the fluid is a cooling liquid; the at least one battery module includes a cooling structure through which the cooling liquid is flowable; and the cooling structure is fluidically connected to the at least one second interface.

24. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 23, wherein the receiving space includes a dry space surrounding the at least one battery module, and wherein the dry space is free of the cooling liquid.

25. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 24, further comprising a fastening arrangement structured as a detent connection, the fastening arrangement coupling the at least one battery module on the supply arrangement.

26. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the at least one battery module is insertable into and removable from the receiving space in a Z direction extending along the wall of the supply arrangement delimiting the recess.

27. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, further comprising a fastening arrangement disposed on the supply arrangement, the fastening arrangement structured as at least one of a detachable form-fitting operative connection and a force-fitting operative connection.

28. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 27, wherein the protective cover is coupled via a holding device on the underside of the chassis.

29. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 28, wherein: the at least one battery module includes a plurality of battery modules; and via a screw of a screw connection between the protective cover and the at least one battery module, an electrical connection between at least two battery modules of the plurality of battery modules is establishable based on an extent of screwing-in of the screw.

30. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 28, wherein the holding device is structured as a screw connection.

31. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 27, further comprising a seal disposed between the protective cover and the underside of the chassis.

32. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 31, wherein the seal is structured as a closed circumferential ring seal.

33. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the protective cover closes the receiving space in a fluid-tight manner.

34. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the protective cover is disposed directly against the underside of the chassis and covers at least a region of the recess.

35. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the protective cover includes a positioning arrangement disposed on a side of the protective cover facing the recess in a region of the receiving space, the positioning arrangement configured to align the at least one battery module in the receiving space.

36. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 35, wherein the positioning arrangement is disposed in a region of the at least one battery module and is configured to at least partially secure the at least one battery module in the receiving space.

37. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the at least one battery module is secured on the protective cover via at least one screw connection.

38. The accumulator arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the protective cover is arranged between the chassis and a motor vehicle underride protection.

39. A motor vehicle, comprising an accumulator arrangement according to claim 20 and a motor vehicle underride protection, wherein the protective cover is at least one of (i) integrally provided as a single piece with the motor vehicle underride protection and (ii) structured monolithically with the motor vehicle underride protection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] There are shown, respectively diagrammatically,

[0031] FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of an accumulator arrangement according to the invention with a receiving space, closed by a protective cover, for receiving at least one battery module,

[0032] FIG. 2 the schematic diagram of FIG. 1 with a protective cover arranged in a non-closed manner and with battery modules arranged in a detached manner,

[0033] FIG. 3 a variant embodiment of the accumulator arrangement according to the invention, wherein the protective cover is formed in one piece or respectively monolithically with a motor vehicle underride protection,

[0034] FIG. 4 the illustration of FIG. 3 with a non-closed receiving space and with battery modules arranged in a detached manner,

[0035] FIG. 5 a simplified detail illustration of a screw connection, which is formed on the underride protection, and in the state which is shown separates an electrical connection,

[0036] FIG. 6 the detail illustration of FIG. 5 in a state in which the screw connection closes such an electrical connection,

[0037] FIG. 7 a schematic diagram of an accumulator arrangement known from the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIG. 7, which is described first, shows a schematic diagram of an accumulator arrangement 1 known from the prior art. In the example which is shown, the accumulator arrangement 1 is arranged on an underside 7 of a chassis 8 of a motor vehicle 2. The accumulator arrangement 1 is formed here for example from two battery modules 4, which are arranged in an accumulator housing 28. The battery modules 4 can have several battery cells 29, wherein the battery modules 4 which are shown have, for example, respectively two battery cells 29. Expediently, the respective battery module 4 can have furthermore a cooling structure 16, indicated here by a pipe, for cooling the battery cells 29, which is able to be flowed through by an in particular liquid coolant 18. The accumulator housing 28 has a housing upper shell 30 and a housing lower shell 31, which form a tight receiving space 3 for the battery modules 4. Beneath the housing lower shell 31 in addition a motor vehicle underride protection 27 is arranged, which can be held in particular against the housing lower shell 31 and/or against the chassis 8. For removal of at least one respective such battery module 4, it is necessary to dismantle the entire accumulator housing 28 from the chassis 8 of the motor vehicle 2.

[0039] In FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of the accumulator arrangement 1 according to the invention, in particular for such a motor vehicle 2, is illustrated. The accumulator arrangement 1 is formed with such a receiving space 3, closed by a protective cover 6, for receiving at least one such battery module 4. The receiving space 3 is formed directly by a recess 9 formed on the underside 7 of the chassis 8 of the motor vehicle 2. The receiving space 3, formed by the recess 9 on the chassis 8, is therefore delimited at least partially by the chassis 8 per se. The recess 9 on the chassis 8 can therefore be designated at least as a part of the accumulator housing 28. The receiving space 3 is formed so as to be open only towards an underside of the motor vehicle. In the receiving space 3 a supply arrangement 5 is arranged, which is provided for the supply of the two battery modules 4, arranged by way of example. The supply arrangement 5 can be formed here directly on the underside 10 of a wall 11 of the chassis 8 delimiting the recess 9. Furthermore, the supply arrangement 5 can have at least a first interface 12, which is in operative connection with at least one such battery module 4. It is to be stated that in particular for each battery module 4 a respectively associated first interface 12 can be provided. The battery modules 4 can also have respectively at least a second interface 13, which are formed in a complementary manner to the respective first interfaces 12 of the supply arrangement 5. The first interfaces 12 and the second interfaces 13 can to that effect enable the operative connection between the battery modules 4 and the supply arrangement 5. The respective first interfaces 12 and the second interfaces 13 can be embodied so as to be insertable, so that the operative connection between the battery modules 4 and the supply arrangement 5 can be established simply and quickly. Inter alia, the first interfaces 12 and the second interfaces 13 can have at least one of the following connections; an electrical connection line 14 for an electrical on-board supply system, an electrical signal line 15 for example for a battery management system and/or for a thermal management, a pipeline, see the cooling structure 16, for directing a fluid, see the coolant 18, in particular for cooling the individual battery modules 4, a fastening arrangement 17 for fixing the individual battery modules 4 to the supply arrangement 5. In particular the respective second interface 13 can therefore be coupled in a communicating manner fluidically with the above-mentioned cooling structure 16 of the respective battery module 4. Through the integration, provided here, of the cooling into the battery modules 4, a through-flow of the receiving space 3 with the coolant 18 can be dispensed with. Therefore, in the receiving space 3 a dry space, not designated in further detail, can be formed, which is free of coolant and which surrounds the battery modules 4.

[0040] The protective cover 6 can lie directly against the underside 7 of the chassis 8. For a desired fluid-tight closing of the receiving space 3, the protective cover 6 can project in area over the recess 9 which at least partially forms the receiving space 3, so that the receiving space 3 is closed on all sides. The fixing of the protective cover 6 can take place by means of a holding device 20, which can be formed as a screw connection 21. Here, the protective cover 6 can be screwed onto the underside 7 of the chassis 8. In addition, a seal 22 can be arranged between the protective cover 6 and the underside 7 of the chassis 8. The seal 22 can preferably be formed as a ring seal 23 which runs around the recess 9 and is closed, so that the receiving space 3 is sealed toward the exterior. Moreover, the seal 22 can be at least partially pressed between the protective cover 6 and the underside 7 of the chassis 8.

[0041] The protective cover 6 can have, furthermore, a positioning arrangement 24 on a side facing the recess 9 or respectively the chassis 8, which positioning arrangement is formed in such a way that it can align and fix at least one such battery module 4 in the receiving space 3. The positioning arrangement 24 can be formed as a type of negative contour to the structure of the battery modules 4, so that the individual battery modules 4 can be held in a form-fitting manner against the protective cover 6. For this, an associated positioning arrangement 24 can be provided for each individual battery module 4. The aligning or respectively fixing of the battery modules 4 takes place on closing of the receiving space 3 by the protective cover 6. Substantially, the individual battery modules 4 can be pressed between the protective cover 6 and the supply arrangement 5 in Z direction at least in such a manner that they are arranged in the receiving space 3 in a securely fixed manner.

[0042] Moreover, the individual battery modules 4 can be fixed securely with the protective cover 6 respectively by means of a screw connection 25. For this, for example, a screw 26 of the screw connection 25 can be arranged in a thread, formed in a complementary manner to the screw 26, on the protective cover 6. On a screwing-in of such a screw 26 into the region of the receiving space 3, it presses against at least one such battery module 4 and braces the latter here in Z direction against the supply arrangement 5 or against the underside 10 of the wall 11 of the chassis 8 delimiting the recess 9. Preferably, for each battery module 4, at least one, particularly preferably several such screw connections 25 can be provided with such a screw 26 for fixing the respective battery modules 4.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows the schematic diagram of FIG. 1 with a protective cover 6 arranged in a non-closed manner and with battery modules 4 arranged in a detached manner. The individual battery modules 4 are able to be inserted or respectively removed in Z direction in the receiving space 3 which is provided for this. This means that the battery modules 4, in the application in a motor vehicle 2, are able to be attached to the supply arrangement 5 from the underside 7 of the chassis 8. The fastening arrangement 17 can bring about a pre-fixing of the individual battery modules 4 on the supply arrangement 5. The fastening arrangement 17 can be formed here for example as a spring detent connection 19 between at least one battery module 4 and the supply arrangement 5. The fastening arrangement 17 is preferably designed in such a way that it can bear at least the intrinsic weight of the battery module 4 which is to be fixed or respectively held.

[0044] It is conceivable that the protective cover 6 is clamped between the underside 7 of the chassis 8 and such a motor vehicle underride protection 27. Here, the motor vehicle underride protection 27 can be directly in connection with the underside 7 of the chassis 8 or indirectly through the interposed protective cover 6.

[0045] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a variant embodiment of the accumulator arrangement 1 according to the invention, wherein the protective cover 6 is formed in one piece or respectively monolithically with a motor vehicle underride protection 27. In this variant embodiment, all the previously described features of the protective cover 6 can be transferred directly to the motor vehicle underride protection 27. FIG. 4 represents a dismantled motor vehicle underride protection 27, whereby the removal of a battery module 4 is made possible.

[0046] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show respectively a simplified detail illustration of a screw connection 25, which can be formed on the protective cover 6. The screw connection 25 is shown in two different screw-in states of a screw 26, whereby an electrical connection site 25 is separated or closed.

[0047] In FIG. 5 the screw 26 is illustrated in a screw-in state in which the electrical connection site 34 is separated. Here, respective contact sites 33 of the electrical connection lines 14 are not in direct contact, so that no electrical connection is closed between two battery modules 4. In FIG. 6, on the other hand, the screw 26 is illustrated in a screw-in state in which the electrical connection site 34 is closed. This means that the respective contact faces 33 are directly in connection with one another, so that the two electrical connection lines 14 are electrically connected with one another. It is to be stated that the screw 26 of the at least one screw connection 25 can be used likewise for fixing the protective cover 6. The screw connection 25 can therefore likewise enable the fixing of the protective cover 6 and also the electrical connection between two battery modules 4. The screw 26 can expediently have an insulator 32 at a longitudinal end facing away from the screw head, which insulator keeps the screw 26 free of any potential.