Battery Housing

Abstract

A battery housing includes a first housing part and a second housing part that are connected to one another via a screw. The first housing part has a threaded bushing with a thread that is connected to the first housing part. The second housing part has a through hole. The screw is disposed through the through hole and in the threaded bushing. The threaded bushing is at least partially made of a material that melts, softens, or breaks down during a thermal event.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A battery housing (1), comprising: a first housing part (2); and a second housing part (3), wherein the first housing part (2) and the second housing part (3) are connected to one another via a screw (5), wherein the first housing part (2) has a threaded bushing (7) with a thread (9) that is connected to the first housing part (2), wherein the second housing part (3) has a through hole (4), and wherein the screw (5) is disposed through the through hole (4) and in the threaded bushing (7); wherein the threaded bushing (7) is at least partially made of a material (10) that melts, softens, or breaks down during a thermal event.

12. The battery housing (1) according to claim 11, wherein the threaded bushing (7) has a metallic material and a thermoplastic material (10) arranged concentrically.

13. The battery housing (1) according to claim 12, wherein the metallic material comprises the thread (9) and the thermoplastic material (10) forms a connection to the first housing part (2).

14. The battery housing (1) according to claim 13, wherein the connection is a form-fit connection.

15. The battery housing (1) according to claim 13, wherein the connection is a thread (11).

16. The battery housing (1) according to claim 11, wherein the screw (5) provides a seal in relation to the second housing part (3).

17. The battery housing (1) according to claim 11, further comprising a seal (12) made of a thermally resistant material that is disposed between the threaded bushing (7) and the second housing part (3) and around the through hole (4).

18. The battery housing (1) according to claim 11, wherein the threaded bushing (7) has a flange (13) on a side facing the second housing part (3).

19. The battery housing (1) according to claim 11, wherein the second housing part (3) is a housing lid (3).

20. The battery housing (1) according to claim 11, wherein the first housing part (2) is a lower housing part (2).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a screwed connection according to the invention between housing parts of a battery housing in an embodiment according to the invention; and

[0017] FIG. 2 shows the screwed connection according to FIG. 1 after a thermal event has occurred.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the depiction of FIG. 1, a portion of a battery housing 1 relevant to the invention is depicted in a possible embodiment according to the invention. The battery housing 1 comprises a first housing part 2 that is designed as a lower housing part and a second housing part 3 that is here implemented as a housing lid 3. The housing lid 3 has a through hole 4 for a screw 5 for screwing the housing lid 3 to the lower housing part 2. The screw 5 is designed as a so-called sealing screw that guarantees that the through hole 4 will be sealed between the screw head and the housing lid 3 via a continuous seal 6.

[0019] The thread for fixing the screw 5 to the lower housing part 2 is designed in the form of a threaded bushing 7. In the exemplary embodiment depicted here, this threaded bushing 7 consists of an inner part 8 made of a metallic material having a through bore and a thread labelled with 9 here for receiving the screw 5 or the thread of the screw 5.

[0020] The threaded bushing 7 additionally comprises an outer portion labelled with 10, which is produced from a thermoplastic plastic, for example in which the inner part 8 of the threaded bushing 7 is overmoulded with this thermoplastic plastic. The adherence of the thermoplastic plastic on the inner part 8 can be implemented purely via adhesion or adhesive bonding, but, although this is not depicted here, form-fit connecting elements could also be provided. The outer periphery of the outer part 10 made of the thermoplastic plastic then forms a thread 11 in turn, which is correspondingly screwed into the thread of the second housing part 2. The construction is such that a sufficient fixing of the housing lid 3 in relation to the lower housing part 2 with a good seal is generated.

[0021] To improve the sealing with regard to the through hole 4 even further, a seal 12 can additionally be provided, which seals this region, preferably by being clamped between the housing lid 3 and a flange 13 of the threaded bushing 7, wherein this flange 13 is preferably designed as part of the inner part 8 of the threaded bushing 7, and is thus made from the metallic material.

[0022] If a thermal event then arises in the environment of the described screwed connection within the battery housing 1, then the pressure in the battery housing 1 on the one hand and the temperature on the other will rise. After a certain amount of time or from a certain limit pressure onwards, a rupture disc or the like will then typically open to release the excess pressure and the dangerous and possibly burning gases into a region of the environment selected in a targeted manner. To prevent an undesired escape of the gas from arising, in particular through the through holes 4 in the battery lid 3, the described construction of the threaded bushing 7 is now provided. The thermoplastic material 10 of the threaded bushing 7 represents as it were a predetermined breaking point in the event of excess pressure, in particular in combination with an increased temperature due to a thermal event. The thermoplastic material 10 melts or is broken down or softened. The melted or the softened material can then no longer withstand the pressure between the lower part 2 and the battery lid 3, such that the outer region of the threaded bushing 7 fails and the latter detaches from the lower housing part 2. In the depiction of FIG. 2, the construction shown in FIG. 1 is depicted in the event of such a failure of the thermoplastic plastic material 10 of the threaded bushing 7. The battery lid 3 can thus bulge slightly, and thus increase the volume in the interior of the battery housing 1 and alleviate the pressure increase. Above all, however, in the event of such a thermal event and/or excess pressure, it is ensured via the targeted failure in the region of the threaded bushing 7 that the screw 5 remains reliably positioned on the lid 3 and thus that the through opening 4 remains reliably sealed, such that no gases can escape here.

[0023] The seal 12 remains clamped between the flange 13 of the temperature-resistant inner part 8 of the threaded bushing 7 and the housing lid 3, the screw 5 remains in its position and can thus reliably seal the through hole 4 via the seal 6 in addition to the seal 12. The entire housing lid 3 is lifted from the lower housing part, however, due to the failure of the thermoplastic material 10 of the threaded bushing 7. If, for example, these screwed connections are used in a sheet-metal lid, the latter would bulge to achieve the effect already described above. In any case, it can be achieved via this kind of screwed connection via the specific threaded bushing 7 that an undesired escape of gases and, optionally, flames through the through holes 4 of the screwed connection is reliably prevented.

[0024] The components of FIG. 2 have the same reference numerals as the analogous components of FIG. 1. The construction of the lid 3, the inner part 8, the threaded bushing 7 and the screw 5 that is raised in relation to the housing part 2 is correspondingly symbolized by the arrow. The thermoplastic plastic material 10 of the threaded bushing 7 is partially still adhered to the inner part 8 of the threaded bushing 7 and partially still in the region of the thread 11. For clarification, this thermoplastic material is provided with the reference numeral 10 in both positions.