BATTERY PACK WITH REINFORCING ELEMENTS

Abstract

A battery pack having a plurality of reinforcing elements disposed between cell holders and separating the cell connectors of the battery pack. Thereby, the battery pack according to the invention provides improved protection against short circuits during manufacture.

Claims

1. A battery pack (10), comprising: a plurality of cell holders (3, 3a, 3b) for receiving battery cells (2, 2a, 2b) which are arranged in N rows and M columns and are integrally connected to one another so that a flat battery cell holder (1) is formed, with M and N each >3, wherein said cell holders (3, 3a, 3b) are open in the vertical direction such that both poles of a battery cell (2, 2a, 2b) stored therein can be contacted, a plurality of battery cells (2, 2a, 2b) stored in said cell holders (3, 3a, 3b) with equal polarity within the N rows and opposite polarity within the M columns, respectively, a plurality of cell connectors (5, 5a, 5b) which are arranged on both sides (1a, 1 b) of said battery cell mount (1) in a staggered manner over two of the N rows, respectively, and interconnect said battery cells (2, 2a, 2b) with one another, and a plurality of reinforcing members (4, 4a, 4b) which are arranged between the N rows at an interval of two rows and are formed higher in a longitudinal direction than said cell holders (3, 3a, 3b) such that they separate two cell connectors (5, 5a, 5b) arranged over the respective two of the N rows.

2. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein M and N each are >10.

3. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing elements (4, 4a, 4b) are integrally connected to said cell holders (3, 3a, 3b).

4. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein said reinforcing elements (4, 4a, 4b) are configured as reinforcing ribs (6) with at least one indentation (7).

5. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein said cell holders (3, 3a, 3b) and said reinforcing elements (4, 4a, 4b) are made of plastic.

6. The battery pack (10) according to claim 5, wherein said plastic is acrylic butadiene styrene (ABS).

7. The battery pack (10) according to claim 5, wherein said cell holders (3, 3a, 3b) and said reinforcing elements (4, 4a, 4b) are manufactured by means of injection die casting or vacuum casting.

8. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein pin-shaped spacers (8) are arranged alternately with said reinforcing elements (4, 4a, 4b) in the row direction on said cell holders (3, 3a, 3b).

9. The battery pack (10) according to claim 8, wherein said reinforcing elements (4, 4a, 4b) extend up to below said spacers (8) in the longitudinal direction.

10. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein said battery cells (2, 2a, 2b) are connected M in parallel and N in series.

11. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein said battery cells (2, 2a, 2b) are plastic-coated round cells.

12. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein said battery cells (2, 2a, 2b) are lithium-ferrophosphate cells.

13. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein said cell holders (3, 3a, 3b) are cylindrical in shape.

14. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein said battery pack (10) has at least four passages (9a, 9b) for connecting elements.

15. Use of the battery pack (10) according to claim 1 in a battery module for home applications.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2a, 2b schematically show a battery pack according to an embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 3 schematically shows a reinforcing element according to one embodiment.

[0029] FIG. 4 schematically shows a portion of a battery pack with spacers and a reinforcing element according to one embodiment.

[0030] FIG. 5 schematically shows a battery pack with passages for connecting elements according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0031] In the following, examples or exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the attached figures. Identical or similar elements in the figures may be denoted by the same reference symbols, but sometimes also by different reference symbols.

[0032] It should be emphasized that the present invention is in no way limited or restricted to the exemplary embodiments described below and their implementation features, but also includes modifications of the exemplary embodiments, in particular those that are included within the protective scope of the claims via modification of the features of the examples described or by combining one or more features of the described examples.

[0033] FIG. 1 schematically shows a battery pack according to an embodiment. The battery pack 10 includes a plurality of battery cells 2 each surrounded by respective cell holders 3 for storing the battery cells 2 therein. The cell holders 3 are arranged in N rows and M columns and are integrally connected to one another so that a flat battery cell mount 1 is formed, where M and N each >3. The number of N rows and M columns is not restricted according to the invention and may be selected according to the application requirements the battery pack. However, in a preferred embodiment, M and N may each be >10. However, the battery pack 10 may preferably also have N=15 rows and M=16 columns of cell holders 3.

[0034] The cell holders 3 are open in the vertical direction, i.e. toward the upper and lower sides of the battery cell mount 1. The battery cells 2 may be stored in these cell holders 3, for example via corresponding fixing elements (not shown). Because the cell holder 3 is open at the top and bottom, the battery cells 2 stored therein can be contacted on both sides of the battery cell mount 1, i.e. both the positive pole and the negative pole of a battery cell 2 can be contacted.

[0035] The shape of the cell holder 3 is not restricted according to the invention and may be based on the shape of the battery cells 2 to be stored therein. In a preferred embodiment, however, the cell holders 3 may have a cylindrical shape.

[0036] The type and kind of battery cells 2 are also not restricted according to the invention. In a preferred embodiment, the battery cells 2 may be plastic-coated round cells 2.

[0037] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the battery cells 2 may also be lithium-ferrophosphate cells. Lithium-ferrophosphate cells have the advantage that they are less reactive than other battery cells and are therefore safer.

[0038] According to the invention, the battery pack 10 further includes a plurality of cell connectors 5. Cell connectors are generally used to combine battery cells in a battery pack into one battery, with the battery cells being connected in series and in parallel. According to the invention, cell connectors 5 are arranged on both sides of the battery cell mount 1 in a staggered manner over two of the N rows of cell holders 3 and interconnect the battery cells 2 mounted therein. The type of interconnection is not restricted according to the invention and may be selected according to the application requirements for the battery pack. In a preferred embodiment, however, the battery cells 2 may be connected M in parallel and N in series. Particularly preferably, the battery cells 16 may be connected 16 in parallel (16p) and 15 in series (15s).

[0039] Moreover, the battery pack 10 according to the invention includes a plurality of reinforcing elements 4. The reinforcing elements 4 are arranged between the N rows of cell holders 3 at in interval of two rows each. In a longitudinal direction, the reinforcing elements 4 are formed higher than the cell holders 3 in such a way that they separate the cell connectors 5 arranged over the respective two of the N rows. In other words, reinforcing elements 4 are arranged alternately at an interval of two rows with respect to the rows connected via cell connectors.

[0040] The reinforcing elements offer the advantage that metal objects that may fall down during manufacture of the battery pack no longer come to lie across several rows of cells, thereby possibly causing a short circuit. The reinforcing elements thus serve as a kind of barrier. In addition, the reinforcing elements may also reinforce the battery pack, in particular the flat battery cell mount, against deformation.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the cell holders 3 and the reinforcing elements 4 may be made of plastic. Particularly preferably, the cell holder 3 and the reinforcing elements 4 may be made of the same plastic. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the plastic may be acrylic butadiene styrene (ABS). In a very particularly preferred embodiment, the cell holders 3 and the reinforcing elements 4 may be manufactured by means of injection die casting or vacuum casting methods.

[0042] In another preferred embodiment, the reinforcing elements 4 may be integrally connected to the cell holders 3. In this way, the stability of the battery cell mount can be increased even further and a possible slip of the reinforcing elements can be avoided.

[0043] As a supplement to FIG. 1, FIGS. 2a and 2b schematically show both sides of a battery pack according to an embodiment. In FIG. 2a, 1a corresponds to an upper side of the battery cell mount, and in FIG. 2b, 1b corresponds to a lower side of the battery cell mount. Corresponding to the side identification, the further reference symbols are identified analogously to FIG. 1 with the indices a and b in FIGS. 2a and 2b. As is apparent in FIGS. 2a and 2b, cell connectors 5a, 5b are arranged offset on both sides 1a, 1b of the battery cell mount over two of the N rows and connect the battery cells 2a, 2b stored in the cell holders 3a, 3b to one another. On each of the two sides 1a, 1b, reinforcing elements 4a, 4b are arranged at an interval of two rows between the N rows, respectively. The reinforcing elements 4a, 4b are each formed higher in a longitudinal direction than the cell holders 3a, 3b such that they separate the cell connectors 5a, 5b arranged above the two of the N rows.

[0044] FIG. 3 schematically shows a reinforcing element according to an embodiment. The reinforcing element is shown in detail here and is configured as a reinforcing rib 6 in this embodiment. As indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 3, a reinforcing rib 6 may be arranged between two adjacent cell holders. The reinforcing ribs 6 may be arranged between the adjacent cell holders in the row direction and may extend over the entire length of a row. The reinforcing ribs 6 may be higher than the cell holders in a longitudinal direction.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the reinforcing elements may be configured as reinforcing ribs with at least one indentation. The reinforcing rib 6 shown in the embodiment in FIG. 3 has an indentation 7. The indentation 7 may in particular be wedge-shaped. The at least one indentation may advantageously function as a type of expansion joint which can prevent deformation of the battery cell mount, for example as a function the temperature. When the cell holder and the reinforcing ribs are formed integrally from plastic, for example, using injection die or vacuum casting, the at least one indentation may prevent deformation of the resulting battery cell mount during the cooling process.

[0046] FIG. 4 schematically shows a portion of a battery pack according to an embodiment with spacers and a reinforcing element. In the embodiment in FIG. 4, the reinforcing element is configured as a reinforcing rib 6 with two indentations 7. In this case, too, the two indentations 7 may in particular be wedge-shaped. In contrast to FIG. 3, the cell holders 3 shown in the embodiment in FIG. 4 each include a pin-shaped spacer 8. The reinforcing ribs 6 may extend below the spacers 8 in the longitudinal direction, preferably in a range from 1.0 mm to 0.2 mm, but particularly preferably up to 0.5 mm below the spacers 8. The pin-shaped spacers 8 may be arranged alternately with the reinforcing ribs 6 in the row direction on the cell holders 3. When the battery pack is installed in a housing, for example, a distance from the housing wall may advantageously be defined by the spacers. In this way, the occurrence of leakage current can be avoided. In addition, the spacers can improve the stackability of the battery packs.

[0047] FIG. 5 schematically shows an embodiment of a battery pack with passages for connecting elements. In a preferred embodiment, the battery pack 10 may have at least four passages 9a, 9b for connecting elements. The four passages may be arranged either in the center 9b on the battery pack 10 or in the area of the corners 9a of the battery pack 10. Advantageously, the battery pack 10 may also have four passages both in the center 9b and in the area of the corners 9a. According to the invention, the passages 9a, 9b are not restricted with respect to the connecting elements. The connecting elements may include plug connections or screw connections, such as screws and nuts, and the passages 9a, 9b may be configured accordingly. However, the passages 9a, 9b may advantageously be configured for screw connections. The battery pack 10 may be connected, for example, to a surrounding housing via the connecting elements routed through the passages 9a, 9b.

[0048] The battery pack of the present invention may be used in a battery module for home applications. In particular, home applications may be modular storage systems which, for example, make one-family or multi-family houses independent of the public power grid and are fed via alternative energy sources such as solar energy.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0049] 10 battery pack [0050] 1 battery cell mount [0051] 1a upper side of the battery cell mount [0052] 1b lower side of the battery cell mount [0053] 2, 2a, 2b battery cell [0054] 3, 3a, 3b cell holder [0055] 4, 4a, 4b reinforcing element [0056] 5, 5a, 5b cell connectors [0057] 6 reinforcing rib [0058] 7 indentation [0059] 8 spacer [0060] 9a, 9b passage