FIXING OF BUSBARS IN A WELDING PROCESS

Abstract

A cell holder for holding cylindrical battery cells in a battery module for forming a high-voltage battery, for example a traction battery for a vehicle, includes a positioning element that is configured to position a busbar for contacting battery cells held in the cell holder.

Claims

1. A cell holder for holding cylindrical battery cells in a battery module for forming a high-voltage battery comprising: a positioning element that is configured to position a busbar, wherein the busbar is configured to contact the cylindrical battery cells held in the cell holder.

2. The cell holder of claim 1, wherein the positioning element is formed as a pin that is configured to position the busbar in at least one spatial plane.

3. The cell holder of claim 1, wherein the positioning element is configured to position the busbar in a horizontal spatial plane.

4. The cell holder of claim 1, wherein the positioning element has a shape configured to block rotation in at least one direction in a spatial plane relative to the cell holder.

5. The cell holder of claim 1, wherein the positioning element is formed as an integral part of the cell holder.

6. The cell holder of claim 1, wherein the positioning element is formed as a separate component of the cell holder.

7. The cell holder of claim 1, wherein the high-voltage battery comprises a traction battery for a vehicle.

8. A battery module comprising the cell holder of claim 1.

9. A busbar for contacting cylindrical battery cells held in a cell holder in a battery module for forming a high-voltage battery comprising: contacting connections configured to contact the cylindrical battery cells; and a receiving element configured to receiving a positioning element of the cell holder, wherein the positioning element is configured to position the busbar relative to the cell holder.

10. The busbar of claim 9, wherein the busbar comprises a flat material.

11. The busbar of claim 9, wherein the busbar comprises aluminum.

12. The busbar of claim 11, wherein the aluminum has a thickness of about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm.

13. The busbar of claim 12, wherein the aluminum has a thickness of 0.3 mm.

14. The busbar of claim 9, wherein the high-voltage battery comprises a traction battery for a vehicle.

15. A battery module comprising the busbar of claim 9.

16. A method for connecting a busbar to a cell holder, comprising: bringing together a positioning element of the cell holder and a receiving element of the busbar, wherein the positioning element is configured to position the busbar with respect to the cell holder.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the positioning element is further configured to position the busbar in a spatial plane.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising: holding down the busbar with at least one hold-down device; pressing a contacting connection of the busbar to contact a battery cell; and welding the contacting connection to the battery cell.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the contacting connection is pressed onto the battery cell via a welding head.

20. A battery module formed by the method of claim 16, comprising: the cell holder; and the busbar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0032] Further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a detail of a battery module for a high-voltage battery with cell holder, busbar, battery cells and positioning element as well as receiving element;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows schematic side views of cell holders with a positioning element, as well as schematic plan views of the cell holders with the corresponding positioning elements;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of a busbar with different designs of receiving elements; and

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a method for connecting a busbar to a cell holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In the following, exemplary embodiments are described on the basis of the figures. In this context, identical, similar or similarly acting elements are provided with identical reference signs in the different figures, and a repeated description of these elements is partially omitted in order to avoid redundancies.

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a detail of a battery module 100 for a high-voltage battery which has a cell holder 1, a busbar 3, battery cells 7 and a positioning element 4 as well as a receiving element 6. Furthermore, two hold-down devices 5 and a welding head 2 are shown schematically as examples. The hold-down devices 5 hold down the busbar 3 here as an example, so that the welding head 2 can weld a contacting connection 3a to one of the battery cells 7. In the process, the busbar 3, which is made of flat material, is pressed down by the welding head 2 onto the contacting surface of the corresponding battery cell 7 and welded. The welding is sufficient to hold the busbar 3 and to provide sufficient contacting.

[0039] The contacting connections 3a at the rear in perspective in the figure are shown here as already welded, the contacting connections 3a at the front in perspective are shown here by way of example in a partially pressed-down position. A welding head 2 is shown here only as an example for pressing down a contacting connection 3a before the actual welding. For example, one or more contacting connections can be pressed down or welded at the same time.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows schematic front views of cell holders 1 in the upper part of the figure. In the lower part of the figure, the corresponding plan views of the cell holders 1 located above are shown. The cell holders 1 each comprise a positioning element 4. The left-hand illustration of a cell holder 1 shows an example of a positioning element 4, which is round in a plan view and is embodied as a separate component.

[0041] A positioning element 4, which is embodied as a separate component, can, for example, be connected to the cell holder 1 in an interlocking and/or integrally bonded manner. The exemplary illustration on the left side in FIG. 2 schematically shows a positioning element 4 which can secure a positioning of a busbar with corresponding receiving element relative to the cell holder 4 in a spatial plane. A spatial plane is here, for example, parallel to the upper edge of the cell holder 1 shown above (left) in FIG. 2. A rotation of the busbar around the positioning element 4 cannot be prevented with the positioning element 4 shown here as an example due to its rotational symmetry. For example, two or more positioning elements can be included in the cell holder 1, so that rotation of the busbar about an axis of rotation normal to the receiving surface of the cell holder 1 is prevented.

[0042] The exemplary illustration on the right-hand side in FIG. 2 schematically shows a cell holder 1 with integrated positioning element 1 in a front view (top) and a plan view (bottom). The positioning element 4 shown here as an example is embodied as a polygon. In a plan view, a positioning element can have a geometric shape, such as a triangle, quadrilateral or polygon. A positioning element can have a geometric shape in a plan view, such as a circle, an ellipse or the like. The positioning element can have this shape as a separate component or can be an integral part of the cell holder. For example, a positioning element can be configured to prevent rotation of a receiving element about an axis of the positioning element. If a cell holder comprises at least two positioning elements, it can be made possible, for example, to prevent rotation of the receiving element (of the busbar) in a horizontal spatial plane.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows, by way of example, a plurality of designs of receiving elements 6.1 to 6.4 of a busbar 3 with contacting connections 3a. These various exemplary designs of receiving elements are each shown separated by a vertical wavy line. The dashed line indicates that only a part of a busbar is shown and the other part is not shown. Receiving elements 6.1 to 6.4 are each configured so that a positioning element corresponding to the shape of the corresponding receiving element (6.1 to 6.4) can be received.

[0044] The receiving element 6.1, as shown in FIG. 3, can for example receive a positioning element with a rectangular cross-section in a plan view. Receiving elements 6.2 and 6.3 can, for example, receive a positioning element as shown on the left side in FIG. 2. For example, the exemplary receiving element 6.4 can receive the positioning element shown on the right side of FIG. 2. Other forms of receiving elements are not excluded herewith.

[0045] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a method 40 for connecting a busbar to a cell holder. For example, the method 40 can comprise bringing together 41 a positioning element of a cell holder and a receiving element of a busbar to position the busbar with respect to the cell holder. In one or more embodiments, positioning the positioning element of a cell holder and a receiving element of a busbar to position the busbar with respect to the cell holder refers to a positioning in a spatial plane.

[0046] By way of example, the method further comprises holding down 42 the busbar with at least one hold-down device, pressing 43 a contacting connection for contacting a battery cell onto a battery cell, and welding 44 the contacting connection to the battery cell. The method 40 can further comprise pressing 43 the contacting connection onto a battery cell using a welding head.

[0047] As far as applicable, all individual features shown in the exemplary embodiments can be combined and/or interchanged without departing from the scope of the invention.