Abstract
A battery module comprises a plurality of electrically interconnected battery cells, a module cover, and a battery cell monitoring unit. The battery cells include at least one terminal cover. The battery cell monitoring unit is positioned on an inner face of the at least one terminal cover.
Claims
1. A battery module, comprising: a module body; a plurality of battery cells that are positioned in the module body and that each include at least one connection terminal; at least one cell connector that electrically interconnects the plurality of battery cells via the at least one connection terminal of each battery cell; and a module cover configured to cover the module body in a closed position, and that includes: at least one terminal cover detachably mounted in the module cover such that, in the closed position of the module cover, the at least one terminal cover covers the at least one cell connector; and a battery cell monitoring unit detachably mounted in an installation space on an inner face of the at least one terminal cover such that, in the closed position of the module cover, the battery cell monitoring unit contacts at least one of the at least one cell connector and the at least one connection terminal.
2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell monitoring unit is clipped into the installation space.
3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one terminal cover has at least one latching element in a region of the installation space that is configured to mechanically fix the battery cell monitoring unit to the at least one terminal cover; and the at least one terminal cover having an elasticity that enables the battery cell monitoring unit to clip into and out from the at least one latching element.
4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell monitoring unit includes at least one spring contact.
5. The battery module according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor positioned on the inner face of the at least one terminal cover.
6. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein: the battery cell monitoring unit includes a printed circuit board; and the at least one spring contact is positioned on a side of the printed circuit board facing at least one of the at least one cell connector and the at least one connection terminal.
7. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one terminal cover is formed from an electrically insulating material.
8. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one terminal cover includes a tapered material portion; and the tapered material portion defines a bending line that runs along the tapered material portion and that enables releasing the battery cell monitoring unit from the at least one terminal cover via bending the at least one terminal cover along the bending line.
9. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein the at least one latching element is at least one encircling latching element.
10. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the at least one terminal cover is detachably mounted in the module cover of the battery module by being clipped in the module cover of the battery module.
11. A battery module, comprising: a module body; a plurality of battery cells that are positioned in the module body and that each include at least one connection terminal; at least one cell connector that electrically interconnects the plurality of battery cells via the at least one connection terminal of each battery cell; and a module cover configured to cover the module body in a closed position, and that includes: at least one terminal cover detachably mounted in the module cover such that, in the closed position of the module cover, the at least one terminal cover covers the at least one cell connector, wherein the at least one terminal cover includes a tapered material portion that defines a bending line running along the tapered material portion; and a battery cell monitoring unit positioned on an inner face of the at least one terminal cover such that, in the closed position of the module cover, the battery cell monitoring unit contacts at least one of the at least one cell connector and the at least one connection terminal, wherein the tapered material portion of the at least one terminal cover enables releasing the battery cell monitoring unit from the at least one terminal cover via bending the at least one terminal cover along the bending line.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the drawings:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of two battery cells,
(3) FIG. 2 shows a side view of a battery cell,
(4) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a battery module having a plurality of battery cells,
(5) FIG. 4 shows a side view of a battery cell monitoring unit, which is illustrated by way of example, with spring contacts integrated in a terminal cover,
(6) FIG. 5 shows a further side view of a printed circuit board, which is integrated in a terminal cover, of a battery cell monitoring unit,
(7) FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a battery module having a terminal cover in an embodiment, and
(8) FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a battery module with shortened multipartite terminal covers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(9) The illustration in FIG. 1 shows the plan view of two battery cells 10, 12 which are in electrical contact with one another. The two battery cells 10, 12 bear against one another and make electrical contact with one another by means of a cell connector 14 which is in the form of a connecting lug which is composed of copper (Cu), aluminum (Al) or a copper/aluminum alloy. An electrical insulation between the two cell housings of the battery cells 10, 12 is not depicted. The individual cell connectors 14 are connected to one another at weld seams 16 by way of connection terminals 22 of the two battery cells 10, 12. This can also be seen in the side view of the battery cell 10 according to FIG. 2. The cell connectors 14 are preferably provided as connecting lugs which are composed of copper, aluminum or a copper/aluminum alloy.
(10) The plan view according to FIG. 3 shows a battery module 24 which comprises a number of battery cells 10, 12, not illustrated in any detail. The individual battery cells 10, 12 are electrically connected to one another by means of the cell connectors 14, wherein the cell connector 14 extends between in each case two connection terminals 22 of two battery cells 10, 12 with which electrical contact is to be made. The battery module 24 comprises a module cover 26 which has a cutout 28 for degassing purposes above each of the battery cells 10, 12 which are held within the battery module 24. The battery module 24 is closed by means of the module cover 26. The module cover 26 further has terminal covers 30 which extend above the connection terminals 22 or over cell connectors 14. As shown in the illustration according to FIG. 3, connecting lines 32, 34 extend through the interior of the battery module 24, said connecting lines up until now establishing a connection between the individual battery cells 10, 12 which are accommodated in the battery module 24 and the battery cell monitoring unit, not designated in any more detail in FIG. 3.
(11) The illustration according to FIG. 4 shows a first side view of a battery battery cell monitoring unit 36 which is integrated on the bottom face of a terminal cover 30.
(12) The illustration according to FIG. 4 shows that an installation space 44 is formed in the terminal cover 30 on the inner face 58 of said terminal cover. A battery cell monitoring unit 36 which is of substantially flat design is clipped into said installation space 44, it being possible for said battery cell monitoring unit to comprise, for example, a printed circuit or printed circuit board 38 (PCB). As shown in the side view according to FIG. 4, the printed circuit 38 of the battery cell monitoring unit 36 is fixed to lug-like projections by means of, for example, encircling latching means 42 and 40. On account of the latching means 40 and 42 extending in an encircling manner, the battery cell monitoring unit 36 is protected against mechanical damage and is securely mechanically fixed on all sides. In this case, the battery cell monitoring unit 36 or the printed circuit 38 also comprises, in addition to electronic components which are not illustrated in any more detail here, a temperature sensor by means of which the temperature in individual battery cells 10, 12 or in the interior of the battery module 24 can be detected.
(13) As shown in the illustration according to FIG. 4, the at least one terminal cover 30 is, for its part, detachably mounted in a module cover 26, which is not illustrated in FIG. 4 but is illustrated in FIG. 3, of the battery module 24 by means of a latching means 54. In the mounted state of the at least one terminal cover 30, spring contacts 46 which are formed on the bottom face of the battery cell monitoring unit 36 make contact with the cell connectors 14. The individual connection terminals 22 of the battery cells 10, 12 which are to be electrically interconnected with one another are electrically connected to one another by means of the cell connectors 14 which can be in the form of, for example, aluminum, copper or aluminum/copper alloy lugs. If the at least one terminal cover 30 is installed in the module cover 26 of the battery module 24, direct electrical contact is made by engagement of the spring contacts 46 between the cell connectors 14 and the battery cell monitoring unit 36 and, in particular, the printed circuit board or printed circuit 38 (PCB) of said battery cell monitoring unit. The spring contacts 46 have a certain degree of elasticity, and therefore firstly tolerances can be compensated in the installed state and electrical contact can be established between the cell connectors 14 and the two connection terminals 22 by the electronic components which are held on the printed circuit 38 (PCB). However, it is also possible to make direct contact—without the interposition of cell connectors 14—with connection terminals 22 of battery cells 10, 12 directly by means of the spring contacts 46 which are formed on the bottom face of the printed circuit 38 of the battery cell monitoring unit 36.
(14) The illustration according to FIG. 5 shows a further side view of a battery cell monitoring unit 36 which is integrated on the bottom face of a terminal cover 30.
(15) The illustration according to FIG. 5 also shows that the printed circuit 38 of the battery cell monitoring unit 36 is enclosed on all sides by the material of the terminal cover 30, that is to say is protected against mechanical damage. The side view according to FIG. 5 further shows how electrical contact is made with a top face 48 of the cell connector 14, which is designed in the form of a lug, by the at least one spring contact 46 on the bottom face of the printed circuit 38 (PCB). The cell connector 14 for its part makes contact with a top face 52 of the connection terminal 22. FIG. 5 furthermore shows that the terminal cover 30 is mounted on the module cover 26, not illustrated in any more detail in FIG. 5, of the battery module 24 by means of the latching means 54.
(16) The terminal cover 30 is preferably injection-molded from a plastic material which has electrically insulating properties. As a result, the terminal cover 30 can be directly provided with the latching means 40, 42—formed as latching lugs in this case. It is possible to configure the latching means 40, 42 in an encircling manner, so that said latching means completely surround the printed circuit 38 of the battery cell monitoring unit 36.
(17) In addition, it is also possible to form the latching lugs 40, 42 as individual discrete latching lugs and to clip the printed circuit 38 of the battery cell monitoring unit 36 into said latching lugs. The terminal cover 30 can, for its part, likewise be clipped into the cover 26, not illustrated in any more detail in FIG. 5, of the battery module 24 by way of the latching means 54. In the case of the terminal cover 30 which is produced during the course of the plastic extrusion-coating method or plastic injection-molding method, it is possible to form a tapered material portion 56. Owing to the tapered material portion 56, a deliberate weakened material portion is produced in the area of the terminal cover 30. A bending line 60 which is indicated in the plan view according to FIG. 6 runs along this weakened material portion 56.
(18) The illustration according to FIG. 6 shows a plan view of one embodiment of the battery module 24 which is proposed according to the disclosure.
(19) As shown in FIG. 6, the terminal cover 30 is of continuous design, that is to say is designed in a long structural form 62, in this embodiment. This means that electrical contact is made with a number of cell connectors 14 or a number of connection terminals 22 of battery cells 10, 12, which are to be electrically interconnected to one another, by one and the same component, that is to say the terminal cover 30 which extends in a continuous manner. The battery cell monitoring unit (CSC) 36 which is illustrated in the side views according to FIGS. 4 and 5 and which is clipped onto the inner face 58, not illustrated in FIG. 6, of the terminal cover 30 in its long structural form 62 in the form of a printed circuit 38 is located on the bottom face of the terminal cover 30 which is illustrated from the outside in the plan view in FIG. 6. Analogously to the illustration according to FIG. 3, the battery module 24 which is illustrated in plan view in
(20) FIG. 6 shows a number of cutouts 28 which are required in the cover 26 of the battery module 24 for degassing purposes for the individual battery cells 10, 12 which are electrically connected to one another. The individual connection terminals 22 of the battery cells 10, 12 which are to be electrically connected to one another are electrically connected to one another by the cell connectors 14, already mentioned several times, which are composed of aluminum material or copper material or an aluminum/copper alloy.
(21) As an alternative to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 7 shows terminal covers 30 which are designed in shortened structural forms.
(22) In contrast to the terminal cover 30 which extends in a continuous manner and has a long structural form 62 according to FIG. 6, the cell connectors 14 between the individual connection terminals 22 or the connection terminals 22 of the individual battery cells 10, 12, not illustrated in any more detail in FIG. 7, can be covered directly by terminal covers 30 which have a first short structural form 64 or a second short structural form 66. Two embodiments of the terminal covers 30 according to the illustration in FIG. 7 share the common feature that battery cell monitoring units 36 or printed circuits 38 of said battery cell monitoring units together with a temperature sensor 68 are located on the inner face of said terminal covers, that is to say not visible in FIG. 7—but shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. When the terminal covers 30 are mounted, spring contacts 46, compare the illustration according to FIGS. 4 and 5, can make direct electrical contact with either the cell connectors 14, designed in the form of lugs, or the connection terminals 22 of battery cells 10, 12. The electrical contact between the battery cell monitoring units 36 and the cell connectors 14 or the connection terminals 22 are immediately interrupted when the terminal covers 30 are removed, be they designed in the long structural form 62 or in one of the short structural forms 64, 66. Electrical signal connections between individual terminal covers 30 are not depicted. These are required since it is not possible to carry signals across a continuous printed circuit 38.
(23) For the sake of completeness, it is noted that the terminal cover 30, in particular the terminal cover 30, illustrated in FIG. 6, which extends continuously along the cover 26 of the battery module 24, comprises a bending line 60 on account of the design of the tapered material portion 56, compare illustration according to FIG. 5. Advantageously the plastic component, terminal cover 30, can be deliberately deformed along said bending line 60, without said component being damaged, for mounting and removal purposes. The tapered material portion 56 acts in the manner of a film hinge to a certain extent and allows deliberate deformation of the terminal cover 30, in particular in one embodiment with a long structural form 62 according to the plan view in FIG. 6.
