Abstract
A battery cell contacting device for a battery module having a plurality of battery cells electrically coupled to one another via a plurality of cell connectors has a rigid printed circuit board, which, in the region next to the plurality of cell connectors, is arranged over the battery cells and is connected to the plurality of cell connectors via a plurality of contact elements. For the purpose of making fitting easier and more reliable, each of the plurality of contact elements is formed from an electrically conductive wire. The wire, at the first end section of the contact element, is electrically conductively connected to the printed circuit board and, at the opposite, second end section of the contact element, can be electrically conductively connected to the respective cell connector and/or is coupled to a sensor element which can be brought into contact with the respective cell connector.
Claims
1. A battery cell contacting device for a battery module having a plurality of battery cells and/or battery cell groups electrically coupled to one another via a plurality of cell connectors, the battery cell contacting device comprising: a plurality of contact elements; a sensor; a printed circuit board which, in a region next to the plurality of cell connectors, is disposed over the battery cells and/or the battery cell groups and is connected to the plurality of cell connectors via said plurality of contact elements; wherein each of said plurality of contact elements has a first end section in a direction towards said printed circuit board and a second end section, being opposite said first end section, in a direction towards a respective one of the plurality of cell connectors; and wherein each of said plurality of contact elements is formed from an electrically conductive wire, wherein said electrically conductive wire runs between said first and said second end sections of a respective one of said contact elements, wherein, at said first end section of said respective contact element, said electrically conductive wire is electrically conductively connected to said printed circuit board, and wherein, at said second end section of said respective contact element, said electrically conductive wire is electrically conductively connected to the respective cell connector and/or is coupled to said sensor which is brought into contact with the respective cell connector.
2. The battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, wherein: said printed circuit board has a plurality of plated-through holes formed therein; and said electrically conductive wire of each of said plurality of contact elements is electrically conductively connected to said printed circuit board at said first end section of said respective contact element in at least one of said plated-through holes through said printed circuit board.
3. The battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive wire of each of said plurality of contact elements is configured to be able to be welded to a surface of the respective cell connector at said second end section of said respective contact element.
4. The battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one said electrically conductive wire of said plurality of contact elements runs in single-phase fashion between said first and said second end sections of said respective contact element, wherein one end of said electrically conductive wire is electrically conductively connected to said printed circuit board at said first end section of said respective contact element, and another end of said electrically conductive wire is electrically conductively connected to the respective cell connector at said second end section of said respective contact element.
5. The battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one said electrically conductive wire of said plurality of contact elements runs in polyphase fashion between said first and said second end sections of said respective contact element, wherein ends of said electrically conductive wire are electrically conductively connected to said printed circuit board at said first end section of said respective contact element, and a bend in said electrically conductive wire is electrically conductively connected to the respective cell connector at said second end section of said respective contact element.
6. The battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, wherein at least one said electrically conductive wire of said plurality of contact elements runs in polyphase fashion between said first and said second end sections of said respective contact element, wherein a bend in said electrically conductive wire is electrically conductively connected to said printed circuit board at said first end section of said respective contact element, and ends of said electrically conductive wire are electrically conductively connected to the respective cell connector at said second end section of said respective contact element.
7. The battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one signal management circuit mounted on said printed circuit board or is connected to said printed circuit board.
8. The battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, wherein said printed circuit board has at least one ventilation opening formed therein.
9. The battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one contact panel disposed on a surface of said printed circuit board; wherein said printed circuit board has a plurality of plated-through holes formed therein; and wherein said electrically conductive wire of each of said plurality of contact elements is electrically conductively connected to said printed circuit board at said first end section of said respective contact element in at least one of said plated-through holes through said printed circuit board or at said at least one contact panel.
10. A battery module, comprising: a plurality of battery cells and/or battery cell groups disposed next to one another and each having electrode terminals including at least one positive electrode terminal and at least one negative electrode terminal; a plurality of cell connectors each electrically connecting said electrode terminals of adjacent ones of said plurality of battery cells and/or said battery cell groups to one another; and a battery cell contacting device according to claim 1, wherein, in said region next to said plurality of cell connectors, said printed circuit board is disposed over said battery cells and/or said battery cell groups, and, at said second end section of said respective contact element, said electrically conductive wire of each of said plurality of contact elements is electrically conductively connected to said respective cell connector and/or are coupled to said sensor in contact with said respective cell connector.
11. The battery module according to claim 10, wherein said electrically conductive wire of each of said plurality of contact elements is welded to said respective cell connectors at said second end section of said respective contact element by means of an ultrasound welding method.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0022] FIG. 1A is a diagrammatic, plan view of a battery cell contacting device in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the invention used in a battery module;
[0023] FIG. 1B is a plan view of the battery cell contacting device in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the invention used in a battery module;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a possible arrangement of a plurality of battery cells beneath the battery cell contacting device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;
[0025] FIGS. 3 and 4 are partial, perspective views of the battery cell contacting device shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;
[0026] FIGS. 5 to 8 are perspective detail views of in each case one contact element in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;
[0027] FIG. 9 is an illustration of a jumper wire for possible use for the contact elements;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a perspective detail view of the contact element having a sensor element in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and
[0029] FIGS. 11 to 13 are perspective detail views of in each case one contact element in accordance with various further embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIGS. 1A-4 thereof, there is shown basic built-on accessories of a battery module 10 and a battery cell contacting device 20 according to the invention will now be explained in more detail by way of example.
[0031] The battery module 10 has a multiplicity of battery cells 12 (optionally at least partially in the form of a plurality of battery cell groups) arranged in a module housing 11. In this exemplary embodiment, the battery cells are arranged next to one another in the right-to-left direction in FIGS. 1A and 1B and each have a positive electrode terminal 13 and a negative electrode terminal 14 in the upper end region. The positive and negative electrode terminals 13, 14 of the battery cells 12 are arranged alternately so that a positive electrode terminal 13 of a battery cell 12 is located next to a negative electrode terminal 14 of an adjacent battery cell 12, as is illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0032] As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a multiplicity of cell connectors 16 is arranged on the battery cell arrangement, each of which cell connectors has two contact regions 16a, 16b and a (preferably elastic) compensation region 16c between the two contact regions 16a, 16b. The cell connectors 16 each couple, via their two contact regions 16a, 16b, the positive electrode terminal 13 of a battery cell 12 to the negative electrode terminal 14 of an adjacent battery cell 12 so that, in this exemplary embodiment, a series circuit of the battery cells 12 in the battery module 10 results. This systematics of a battery module 10 with battery cells 12 coupled electrically via cell connectors 16 is known in principle to a person skilled in the art, and the invention is not restricted to a specific construction thereof, for which reason it is possible to dispense with a more detailed illustration and description.
[0033] As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the battery module 10 also contains a battery cell contacting device 20 which is arranged above the battery cells 12 and the cell connectors 16 in the module housing 11. The battery cell contacting device 20 consists substantially of a rigid printed circuit board 21, which can preferably be in the form of a multilayered printed circuit board. In these exemplary embodiments, the printed circuit board 21 has a substantially rectangular basic shape and is dimensioned such that it extends substantially over the entire length of the battery cell arrangement and fits between the two rows of cell connectors 16.
[0034] As indicated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the printed circuit board 21 or its signal lines are electrically conductively connected to the cell connectors 16 via a multiplicity of contact elements 30. The contact elements 30 are provided on the two long side edges of the printed circuit board 21. The number of contact elements 30 corresponds to the number of cell connectors 16, and the contact elements 30 are each connected to a contact region 16a or 16b of a cell connector 16. Thus, the potentials of the electrode terminals 13, 14 of the battery cells 12 of the battery module 10 can be detected via the contact elements 30.
[0035] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the contact elements 30 each have a first end section 31a in the direction towards the printed circuit board 21 and a second end section 31b, which is opposite the first end section 31a, in the direction towards a respective cell connector 16. The contact elements 30 each consist substantially of an electrically conductive wire 32, which runs between the two end sections 31a, 31b of the contact element 30. The electrically conductive wire 32 is preferably a metal wire. The wire 32 is electrically conductively connected to the printed circuit board 21 (more precisely to a signal line of the printed circuit board) at the first end section 31a of the contact element 30, and the wire 32 is electrically conductively connected to a contact region 16a or 16b of a respective cell connector 16 at the second end section 31b of the contact element 30. The connection of the wire 32 to the printed circuit board 21 takes place as early as during the production process of the printed circuit board 21, whereas the connection of the wire 32 to the cell connector 16 takes place once the printed circuit board 21 has been positioned onto the battery cell arrangement in the battery module 10.
[0036] The use of a wire for the contact element 30 naturally, i.e. without any further additional measures, generates an elasticity of the contact element, i.e. a possible movement of the second end section 31b relative to the first end section 31a on the rigid printed circuit board 21 both in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the rigid printed circuit board and in a plane parallel to the plane of the rigid printed circuit board. As a result, the contact elements 30 can compensate for both swellings and movements of the battery cells 12 in various orientations which can occur, for example, during charging and discharge cycles.
[0037] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the battery cell contacting device 20 can also have a pair of contact elements 30, in the case of which the wire 32 is coupled to a sensor element 34 (for example temperature sensor) at the second end section 31b. In this case, the sensor element 34 is in contact with a contact region 16b of the respective cell connector 16.
[0038] In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1A, an electronic signal management circuit 22 is additionally mounted on the printed circuit board 21, and the contact elements 30 are connected to said electronic signal management circuit via the signal lines (not illustrated) of the printed circuit board 21. The signal management circuit 22 is configured, for example, to perform the voltage measurement method and to evaluate the measurement signals obtained by the contact elements 30. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the signal management circuit 22 can be connected to a battery module controller 24 via a connection interface 23. This battery module controller 24 serves to, for example, perform charging processes, balancing of the voltages and the states of charge, temperature adjustment processes such as, in particular, cooling processes, etc., wherein these processes are performed in a manner which is at least partially dependent on the measurement signals obtained by the battery cell contacting device 20 or measured values obtained by the signal management circuit 22 thereof.
[0039] The exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1B differs from that in FIG. 1A in that there is no signal management circuit 20 integrated in the printed circuit board 21, but rather a connection interface 25 to an external signal management circuit 22′ is provided on the printed circuit board 21. The external signal management circuit 22′ is likewise connected to a battery module controller 24 via a connection interface 23.
[0040] As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the printed circuit board 21 in these exemplary embodiments has in each case a plurality of holes as ventilation openings 26 for assisting a cooling process of the battery cells 12 located underneath. As an alternative or in addition, the printed circuit board 21 can also have, as ventilation opening 26, at least one ventilation slit which extends over a large proportion of the length of the rigid printed circuit board. These ventilation openings 26 are used to assist a cooling process of the battery module 10.
[0041] In the text which follows, various specific embodiments of the contact elements 30 of the battery cell contacting device 20 will now be described in more detail by way of example.
[0042] FIGS. 5 to 8 each show an embodiment in which the wire 32 is inserted into a plated-through hole 36 in the printed circuit board 21 at the first end section 31a of the contact element 30 and is electrically conductively connected to the printed circuit board 21 or the respective signal line in this plated-through hole 36, for example by means of soldering. At the second end section 31b of the contact element 30, the wire 32 is electrically conductively connected, for example welded (preferably by means of an ultrasound welding method), in each case to a surface of a contact region of the respective cell connector 16.
[0043] The wire 32 of the contact element 30 can optionally be inserted into the plated-through hole 36 on the upper side of the printed circuit board 21 which is remote from the battery cells 12 (see, for example, FIGS. 5, 7, 8) or can be inserted into the plated-through hole 36 on the lower side of the printed circuit board 21 which faces the battery cells 12 (see, for example, FIG. 6).
[0044] The wire 32 can run in single-phase fashion between the two end sections 31a, 31b of the contact element 30 (see, for example, FIG. 8), i.e. can have a substantially I shape with a single connecting line. In this case, one end of the wire 32 is inserted into a plated-through hole 36 in the printed circuit board 21 at the first end section 31a of the contact element 30 on the upper side of the printed circuit board 21 and soldered, and the other end of the wire 32 is welded to the respective cell connector 16 at the second end section 31b of the contact element 30. Optionally, the wire 32 can also, in the variant embodiment shown in FIG. 8, be inserted into the plated-through hole 36 at the first end section 31a on the lower side of the printed circuit board 21 which faces the battery cells 12.
[0045] Alternatively, the wire 32 can run in polyphase fashion between the two end sections 31a, 31b of the contact element 30 (see, for example, FIGS. 5, 6, 7), i.e. have, for example, a substantially U shape with two connecting lines. In this case, the two ends of the wire 32 are inserted into two plated-through holes 36 in the printed circuit board 21 at the first end section 31a of the contact element 30 and soldered, and the curved bend (FIGS. 5, 6) or the substantially straight bend (FIG. 7) in the wire 32 is welded to the respective cell connector 16 at the second end section 31b of the contact element 30. By virtue of this polyphase course, a redundant voltage measurement can be achieved via the contact element 30.
[0046] Preferably, a jumper wire can be used for the contact elements 30 illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, as is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 9.
[0047] FIG. 10 shows an embodiment in which the wire 32 which runs in polyphase fashion is inserted into plated-through holes 36 in the printed circuit board 21 at the first end section 31a of the contact element 30 and is electrically conductively connected to the printed circuit board 21 or the respective signal line in these plated-through holes 36, for example by means of soldering, and is coupled to a sensor element 34 (for example a temperature sensor) at the second end section 31b of the contact element 30. The sensor element 34 is brought into contact with the surface of the respective cell connector 16 (for example by means of adhesive bonding) in order to detect, for example, the temperature of the respective battery cell. Optionally, the wire 32 can also run, in the variant embodiment in FIG. 10, in single-phase fashion between the two end sections of the contact element 30 and/or can be inserted into the plated-through hole 36 at the first end section 31a on the lower side of the printed circuit board 21 which faces the battery cells 12.
[0048] FIGS. 11 to 13 each show an embodiment in which the wire 32 is soldered to a contact panel 38 on a surface of the printed circuit board 21, instead of in at least one plated-through hole 36, at the first end section 31a of the contact element 30. At the second end section 31b of the contact element 30, this wire 32 is also electrically conductively connected, for example welded (preferably by means of an ultrasound welding method), in each case to a surface of a contact region of the respective cell connector 16. In the embodiments in FIGS. 11 to 13, the contact panel 38 to which the wire 32 is soldered is provided on the upper side of the printed circuit board 21; alternatively, it would also be possible to provide the contact panel 38 for soldering the wire 32 on the lower side of the printed circuit board 21.
[0049] In the embodiment in FIG. 11, the wire 32 runs in polyphase fashion between the two end sections 31a, 31b of the contact element 30, wherein the two ends of the wire 32 are welded to the respective cell connector 16 at the second end section 31b of the contact element 30, and the substantially straight bend (alternatively the curved bend) in the wire 32 is soldered to the contact panel 38 on the printed circuit board 21 at the first end section 31a of the contact element 30.
[0050] In the embodiment in FIG. 12, the wire 32 likewise runs in polyphase fashion between the two end sections 31a, 31b of the contact element 30. In this case, however, the two ends of the wire 32 are soldered to two contact panels 38 (alternatively to a common contact panel) on the printed circuit board 21 at the first end section 31b of the contact element 30, and the substantially straight bend (alternatively the curved bend) in the wire 32 is welded to the respective cell connector 16 at the second end section 31b of the contact element 30.
[0051] In the embodiment in FIG. 13, the wire 32 runs only in single-phase fashion between the two end sections 31a, 31b of the contact element 30, wherein one end of the wire 32 is soldered to a contact panel 38 on the printed circuit board 21 at the first end section 31b of the contact element 30, and the other end of the wire 32 is welded to the respective cell connector 16 at the second end section 31b of the contact element 30.
[0052] Within the scope of the invention defined in the attached claims, further embodiments of the contact elements 30 which include, for example, other feature variants and/or other combinations of features of the embodiments in FIGS. 5-8 and 10-13 are also conceivable. For example, the embodiments in FIGS. 11, 12, 13 can also be combined with a sensor element 34 in a similar manner to the embodiment in FIG. 10. For example, the wires which run in polyphase fashion in the embodiments in FIGS. 5-7 and 10-12 also include more than two connecting lines, for example approximately in a W shape.
[0053] The described battery modules 10 having the battery cell contacting devices 20 according to the invention can be used, for example, for vehicles, in particular electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles and in particular motor vehicles and motorcycles, or for energy storage systems or for other electrical appliances (for example electronic household appliances).
[0054] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0055] 10 battery module [0056] 11 module housing [0057] 12 battery cells [0058] 13 positive electrode terminals [0059] 14 negative electrode terminals [0060] 16 cell connectors [0061] 16a, 16b contact regions of the cell connectors [0062] 16c compensation regions of the cell connectors [0063] 20 battery cell contacting device [0064] 21 printed circuit board [0065] 22 signal management circuit [0066] 22′ external signal management circuit [0067] 23 connection interface to the battery module controller [0068] 24 battery module controller [0069] 25 connection interface to the external signal management circuit [0070] 26 ventilation openings [0071] 30 contact elements [0072] 31a first end section in the direction towards the printed circuit board [0073] 31b second end section in the direction towards the respective cell [0074] connector [0075] 32 electrically conductive wire [0076] 34 sensor element [0077] 36 plated-through hole [0078] 38 contact panel
