Feed-through

Abstract

A feed-through through a housing part of a housing, for example of a battery or a capacitor made of a metal, wherein the housing part has at least one opening, through which at least one conductor is fed in a glass or glass ceramic material, and wherein the conductor has at least two sections in the axial direction, a first section made of a first material, e.g. aluminium, and a second section made of a second material, e.g. copper, as well as a transition from the first to the second material, and wherein the transition from the first to the second material is located in the region of the glass or glass ceramic material, said glass or glass ceramic material being adapted to the metal of the housing in such a way that a compression glass-to-metal seal is formed.

Claims

1. A feed-through through a housing part of a housing of a storage device including a battery or a capacitor made of a metal including a light metal composed of at least one of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, AlSiC, magnesium, a magnesium alloy, titanium, steel, stainless steel, and high grade steel, said housing part has at least one opening, the housing has an outside and an inside, said feed-through comprising: at least one glass or glass ceramic material configured to seal the at least one opening of the housing part; and at least one conductor passing in the at least one glass or glass ceramic material through the at least one opening of the housing part, said at least one conductor including: at least two sections in an axial direction including a first section consisting of a first material and a second section consisting of a second material, said first material is a light material composed of at least one of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, AlSiC, magnesium, and a magnesium alloy, and a transition from the first material to the second material, said transition is located in a region of said at least one glass or glass ceramic material, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material is selected such that a compression glass-to-metal seal is provided, wherein the second material is composed of copper or a copper alloy, wherein the first material is directed toward the outside of the housing and the second material is directed toward the inside of the housing.

2. The feed-through according to claim 1, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material has a thermal coefficient of expansion in the range of 13.Math.10.sup.6/K to 25.Math.10.sup.6/K.

3. The feed-through according to claim 2, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material is selected so that the thermal coefficient of expansion is in the range of at least one of 13.Math.10.sup.6/K to 23.Math.10.sup.6/K, 13.Math.10.sup.6/K to 20.Math.10.sup.6/K, 13.Math.10.sup.6/K to 19.Math.10.sup.6/K, and 13.Math.10.sup.6/K to 18.Math.10.sup.6/K.

4. The feed-through according to claim 1, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material comprises the following components in mol-%: TABLE-US-00003 P.sub.2O.sub.5 35-50 mol-% Al.sub.2O.sub.3 0-14 mol-% B.sub.2O.sub.3 2-10 mol-% Na.sub.2O 0-30 mol-% M.sub.2O 0-20 mol-%, wherein M = K, Cs, can be Rb PbO 0-19 mol-% Li.sub.2O 0-45 mol-% BaO 0-20 mol-% Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 0-10 mol-%

5. The feed-through according to claim 1, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material comprises the following components in mol-%: TABLE-US-00004 P.sub.2O.sub.5 39-48 mol-% Al.sub.2O.sub.3 2-12 mol-% B.sub.2O.sub.3 4-8 mol-% Na.sub.2O 0-20 mol-% M.sub.2O 12-20 mol-%, wherein M = K, Cs, can be Rb PbO 0-9 mol-% Li.sub.2O 0-40 mol-% BaO 0-20 mol-% Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 1-5 mol-%

6. The feed-through according to claim 1, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material comprises the following components in mol-%: TABLE-US-00005 P.sub.2O.sub.5 39-48 mol-% Al.sub.2O.sub.3 2-12 mol-% B.sub.2O.sub.3 4-8 mol-% Na.sub.2O 0-20 mol-% M.sub.2O 12-20 mol-%, wherein M = K, Cs, can be Rb PbO 0-9 mol-% Li.sub.2O 17-40 mol-% BaO 5-20 mol-% Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 2-5 mol-%

7. The feed-through according to claim 1, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material is a single material that has a thermal coefficient of expansion that is adapted to the first material of the first section of the at least one conductor and to the second material of the second section of the at least one conductor.

8. The feed-through according to claim 1, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material consists of two materials including a first glass or glass ceramic material and a second glass or glass ceramic material, wherein the first glass or glass ceramic material is adapted to a thermal coefficient of expansion of the first section of the at least one conductor and the second glass or glass ceramic material is adapted to a thermal coefficient of expansion of the second section of the at least one conductor.

9. The feed-through according to claim 1, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material includes at least one cover layer in the form of at least one of a glass layer, a cover glass layer, a plastic layer, and a barrier coating.

10. The feed-through according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a housing thickness dw, and in a region of the at least one opening includes a reinforcement component or a reinforcement section each respectively having a thickness so that the housing thickness and the reinforcement component thickness or respectively the reinforcement section thickness provide a glass-seal length of the at least one glass or glass ceramic material into the housing.

11. A housing for an electric storage device including a battery or a capacitor, said housing having at least one opening, the housing having an outside and an inside, and comprising: a feed-through, including: at least one glass or glass ceramic material configured to seal the at least one opening of the housing; and at least one conductor passing in the at least one glass or glass ceramic material through the at least one opening of the housing, said at least one conductor including: at least two sections in an axial direction including a first section consisting of a first material and a second section consisting of a second material, said first material is a light material composed of at least one of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, AlSiC, magnesium, and a magnesium alloy, and a transition from the first material to the second material, said transition is located in a region of said at least one glass or glass ceramic material, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material is selected such that a compression glass-to-metal seal is provided, wherein the second material is composed of copper or a copper alloy, wherein the first material is directed toward the outside of the housing and the second material is directed toward the inside of the housing.

12. A storage device including a battery or a capacitor, having a housing with at least one opening, the housing has an outside and an inside, said storage device comprising: a feed-through, including: at least one glass or glass ceramic material configured to seal the at least one opening of the housing; and at least one conductor passing in the at least one glass or glass ceramic material through the at least one opening of the housing, said at least one conductor including: at least two sections in an axial direction including a first section consisting of a first material and a second section consisting of a second material, said first material is a light material composed of at least one of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, AlSiC, magnesium, and a magnesium alloy, and a transition from the first material to the second material, said transition is located in a region of said at least one glass or glass ceramic material, wherein said at least one glass or glass ceramic material is selected such that a compression glass-to-metal seal is provided, wherein the first material is directed toward the outside of the housing and the second material is composed of copper or a copper alloy and is directed toward the inside of the housing.

13. The storage device according to claim 12, further including an arrangement having at least two storage devices connected electrically or mechanically with a connecting piece in the form of a plate consisting of a connecting material.

14. The storage device according to claim 13, wherein the connecting material is aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a feed-through according to the present invention in a battery housing with a two-part conductor and a two-part glass material; and

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a battery cell housing with a feed-through according to the present invention, with a two-part conductor and a single glass material.

(4) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates a feed-through 1 according to the present invention, that is introduced into a housing, for example into a housing cover 3 of a storage cell housing, such as a battery cell housing.

(6) The thickness of the housing cover is identified with dw. The battery cell housing or respectively housing cover 3 may be reinforced in the region of feed-through 1. In other words, it may feature a reinforcement region 12 whose thickness is considerably greater than the thickness of housing part dw. The thickness in the reinforcement region 12 is dv. The thickness dv of the reinforcement region 12 in this embodiment provides the glazing length for glass material 200.

(7) In order to provide the necessary compression force, the reinforcement region 12 is wider in the region of the feed-through than the thickness dw. This means that width By of the reinforcement region 12 is greater than thickness dw of the housing cover 3.

(8) In feed-through 1 that is connected to the cathode, the pin-shaped conductor is two-part, namely having a first section 100.1 and a second section 100.2. The first section 100.1 may consist of aluminum, and the second section 100.2 of the pin-shaped conductor may consist of copper. The copper pin directed in the storage device or respectively the battery cell may be connected to a cathode. A transition point 110 of pin-shaped conductor 20 consisting of two sections 100.1, 100.2 is provided in the region of glass-to-metal seal 200. The glass to metal seal 200 is made of at least one of a glass or glass ceramic material configured to seal an opening of the housing cover 3. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, glass-to-metal seal 200 consists of two materials. Namely, a first glass material 210.1 that is adapted to the material of first section 100.1 of the pin-shaped conductor, and a second glass material 210.2 that is adapted to second section 100.2 of pin-shaped conductor 20. Adaptation of the glass material occurs in such a way that, on the one hand, due to the compressive pressure of the glass material a reliable hermeticity is provided and that on the other hand cracks in the glazing are avoided.

(9) The glass material may have a coefficient of expansion in the range of 20 C. to 300 C.13.Math.10.sup.6/K, for example in the range of 13.Math.10.sup.6/K to 25.Math.10.sup.6/K.

(10) The following table illustrates examples of glass compositions that are characterized by a thermal coefficient of expansion in the range of 13.Math.10.sup.6/K to 20.Math.10.sup.6/K. Whereas the thermal coefficient of expansion for examples AB1 and AB8 is clearly greater than that for copper with =18.Math.10.sup.6/Kwhich is why the glasses can be suitable for a hermetic compression glass-to-metal seal. Examples AB2, AB3, AB4, AB5, AB6, AB7 are below 18.Math.10.sup.6/K. Although such a value for a does not encourage expectations of a hermetically sealed feed-through because of shrinkage processes with conductors consisting of copper, it was surprisingly noted that even these materials are suitable for a hermetic compression glass-to-metal seal.

(11) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Examples: Mol-% AB1 AB2 AB3 AB4 AB5 AB5 AB7 AB8 P.sub.2O.sub.5 47.6 43.3 43.3 43.3 37.1 40.0 42.0 46.5 B.sub.2O.sub.3 7.6 4.8 4.7 4.8 4.9 6.0 6.0 7.6 Al.sub.2O.sub.3 4.2 8.6 8.7 2.0 2 12.0 12.0 4.2 Na.sub.2O 28.3 17.3 15.0 16.0 28.3 K.sub.2O 12.4 17.3 17.3 18.0 19.0 12.4 PbO 9.0 BaO 8.7 8.7 15.4 14 Li.sub.2O 17.3 34.6 42.1 Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 5.0 1 Hemispherical 513 554 564 540 625 553 502 Temperature ( C.) (20-300 C.) 19 16.5 14.9 13.7 14.8 16.7 16 19.8 (10.sup.6/K) Tg ( C.) 325 375 354 369 359 392 425 347 Density 2.56 3 3.02 2.63 [g/cm.sup.3] Leaching 18.7 14.11 7.66 12.63 1.47 3.7 29.01 8.43 In Ma-% Weight loss (%) 10.7 0.37 0.1 0.13 0.13 n.B. 0.006/0.001 0.45/0.66 after 70 h in 70 C. water

(12) In addition to low leaching the glasses are also characterized by high water resistance.

(13) Example 1 (AB1) in table 1 can be suitable for aluminum/aluminum-glass seals, that is for sealing an aluminum pin as the conductor into a surrounding aluminum base body.

(14) Example 6 in table 1 can be suitable for Cu/Al-glass seals, that is for sealing a copper pin as the conductor into a surrounding aluminum base body.

(15) Even though some of the examples have a coefficient of expansion that tends to be too low for joining with Cu it has become clear that high Li contents can be dissolved in the melt, without the glass becoming unstable with such a glass composition.

(16) Surprisingly it was shown that the water resistance can be clearly increased with Bi.sub.2O.sub.3. By introducing 1 mol-% Bi.sub.2O.sub.3, ten-times higher water resistance could be achieved in example 8 (AB8) compared to example 1 (AB1) at essentially the same alkali content. This is surprising to the expert.

(17) Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 can also be used in place of PbO, according to example 6 (AB6). Since lead is environmentally harmful, glass compositions may be used that, except for contaminants are free of PbO, which is such where PbO can be set at mol-0%. In this application free of PbO except for contaminants means that less than 100 ppm, for example less than 10 ppm, for example less than 1 ppm of the respective substancefor example leadis contained in the glass.

(18) Feed-through 1 has a cover layer 220 that includes the glass or glass material into which the pin-shaped conductor is glazed with the transition.

(19) Cover layer 220 can include a glass material or a plastic material over a coating. The cover layer ensures that glasses that are susceptible to corrosionsuch as the first glass material 210.1 which can for example be a phosphate glassare protected and are attacked less, for example by water.

(20) It is conceivable, although not illustrated, to arrange a cover glass on the side of the glass that faces inside 300 of the storage device to protect for example second glass material 210.2 against attack of the electrolyte, for example HF.

(21) By moving transition 110 from first glass material 100.1 to second glass material 100.2 into the glass or respectively the glass ceramic material 200 it is ensured, that no local element is formed and corrosion occurs on the metals of conductor 20.

(22) Second feed-through 1000 illustrated in FIG. 1 through housing cover whose conductor is connected to the anode does not include a two-part conductor consisting of different materials, but instead one conductor 1020 consisting of one single material, namely aluminum, that can be connected to the anode. The glass material is also one single material and is identified with 1010. This material may also be provided with a cover layer 220.

(23) FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the invention, wherein again a two-part glass pin 20, as shown in FIG. 1 is inserted in a feed-through, wherein the feed-through includes only one single glass or glass ceramic material. Two-part pin 20 includes again two regions 100.1, 100.2a first region 100.1 that can consist of aluminum and a second region 100.2 that can consist of copper and is connected to a cathode.

(24) In this embodiment, the cathode is the positive terminal of a battery cell, since in a battery cell electric energy is transformed at the expense of another energyin this case the chemical energy.

(25) As is the case in the embodiment of the present invention in FIG. 1, housing cover 3 has a thickness dw, that may be thinner than in the region of the glass-metal seal in which a reinforcement region is provided.

(26) Identical components in FIG. 1. and in FIG. 2 are identified with the same reference characters.

(27) The invention provides an incentive feed-through that includes the same materials on the outside of the housing of the storage device, for example aluminum, whereas for materials of the conductor that is directed into the cell, different materials can be used. This has the advantage that on the outside of the housing of a storage device always the same connections can be used. Hereby, aluminum connection can for example be provided on the outside of the battery cell that can easily be welded together with other materials, such as aluminum. If, according to the invention aluminum is used on the outside of the battery, aluminum is welded to aluminum, resulting in high process reliability. Furthermore, a robust stable manufacturing process can be ensured. A connection produced in this manner is especially durable and fatigue-free. By bringing the transition of first and second pin material or respectively conductor material into the glass material, corrosion of the conductor consisting of different materialsthat is contact corrosionis prevented.

(28) The present invention includes the following aspects:

(29) Feed-through (1), in particular through a housing part (3) of a housing, for example of a storage device and for example of a battery or a capacitor made of a metal, in particular a light metal, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy, AlSiC, magnesium, a magnesium alloy, titanium, steel, stainless steel or high grade steel, wherein housing part (3) has at least one opening through which at least one conductor (20) is passed through in a glass or glass ceramic material (200). Characterized in that conductor (20) has at least two sections in axial direction; a first section (100.1) consisting of a first material and a second section (100.2) consisting of a second material, as well as a transition (110) from first to second material.

(30) The first material can be a light material, such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, AlSiC, magnesium, a magnesium alloy or another material.

(31) The second material describe above may be a metal, such as copper or a copper alloy.

(32) The transition (110) from the first material to the second material may be located in the region of the glass or glass ceramic material (200).

(33) The glass or glass ceramic material can be a single material that has a thermal coefficient of expansion that is adapted to the material of first section (100.1) of the conductor and to the material of second section (100.2) of the conductor and that can be in the range of 13.Math.10.sup.6/K to 25.Math.10.sup.6/K.

(34) The glass or glass ceramic material may consist of two materials, a first glass or glass ceramic material (210.1) and a second glass or glass ceramic material (210.2). The first glass material (210.1) may be adapted to the thermal coefficient of expansion of the first section (100.1) and second glass material (210.2) may be adapted to the thermal coefficient of expansion of the second section (100.2).

(35) The glass material (200) can include at least one cover layer (220), for example a glass layer, such as a cover glass layer, a plastic layer or a barrier coating, or a combination of several of the aforementioned layers.

(36) The housing can have a housing thickness dw and in the region of the opening can include a reinforcement component or a reinforcement section so that the housing thickness and the reinforcement component thickness or respectively the reinforcement section thickness provides a glass-seal length (EL) of the glass or glass ceramic material into the housing or the housing component.

(37) The present invention also includes the aspect of a housing, for example a housing for an electric storage device, such as a battery or a capacitor having a feed-through according to any of the aforementioned aspects of the present invention.

(38) The present invention also includes the aspect of a storage device, such as a battery or capacitor, with a housing or housing part according to the aforementioned housing.

(39) While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.