SET OF BATTERY PACKS OF SEPARATE TYPES USING A COMMON INTERFACE CONNECTOR

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly comprising a first battery pack (PB1) of a first type with a first junction box (5) located at the end of a series of electrochemical cell modules (4), and a first interface connector (C1) configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the first battery pack to external equipment, e.g. an on-board charger and / or an electric machine inverter, a second battery pack of a second type with a second junction box located above one of the electrochemical cell modules, and a second interface connector configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the second battery pack to external equipment, the second interface connector being identical to the first interface connector. Figure 3

Description

Title of the invention: SET OF BATTERY PACKS OF DISTINCT TYPES USING A COMMON INTERFACE CONNECTOR

[0001] The invention relates to a set of battery packs for electric motor vehicles.

[0002] Here, an electric vehicle is understood to mean a vehicle equipped with an electric powertrain capable of moving the vehicle in zero-emission mode.

[0003] Such a battery pack comprises one or more electrochemical cell modules, which makes it possible to provide an electrical energy storage function of substantial capacity. The electrical capacity that can be found on a wide variety of electric motor vehicles can range from 20kWh to 120kWh without these values ​​being limiting. The vehicle can be a passenger vehicle, a utility vehicle, without excluding larger vehicles such as vans, 4x4s, pickups or trucks.

[0004] A battery pack for an electric vehicle comprises at least one power connector, also referred to interchangeably in this document as an “interface connector”, which makes it possible to electrically couple a positive pole of the battery pack with a positive line of a high-voltage network of the vehicle and to electrically couple a negative pole of the battery pack with a negative line of the high-voltage network of the vehicle. The high-voltage network supplies in particular an inverter of an electric traction machine. The high-voltage network can also be connected to an on-board charger and / or to a second electric traction machine and / or a voltage converter.

[0005] Such a battery pack comprises a junction box which comprises isolation contactors for opening the electrical distribution circuit which connects the battery pack to the high voltage network outside the battery pack.

[0006] In practice, there may be two power or interface connectors, one at the front of the battery pack and another at the rear of the battery pack. In other configurations, there is only one power connector for the electrical interface.

[0007] The power connector passes tightly through the enclosure housing which contains the electrochemical cell modules. The junction box is also housed inside the enclosure housing in question.

[0008] A portion of the connector is located inside the casing housing and another portion is located outside the casing housing to receive a wiring plug that plugs into the outer portion of the connector. A wiring harness runs from said wiring plug, along the rear or front rising wall of the casing housing which encloses the battery pack. The electrical conductors form a 90° bend in the power electrical plug.

[0009] A technical platform developed by a car manufacturer often offers several body styles and several technical variants, without excluding impactful customer options. In this context, for 100% electric variants, manufacturers offer several levels of autonomy and consequently several levels of electrical energy storage capacity in the battery pack.

[0010] It should also be noted that the weight of the battery pack has a certain proportionality in relation to its electrical energy storage capacity, which leads to defining different optimal solutions for the technical definition of the battery pack in view of the expected performance for the vehicle.

[0011] For a given technical platform developed by an automobile manufacturer, it is desirable to minimize the diversity of the parts of the platform, apart from the style parts and the parts carrying functional options seen by the customer.

[0012] The present invention is particularly concerned with a configuration where a technical platform comprises two or more 100% electric versions, each with a distinct electrical capacity for the battery pack. For information purposes, in a non-limiting manner, a version providing 300 km of nominal autonomy, a version providing 450 km of nominal autonomy, and a version providing 600 km of nominal autonomy may be provided. With regard to these autonomies, a battery pack with a corresponding electrical energy storage capacity is installed in the vehicles, therefore, according to the example, three distinct types of battery pack.

[0013] In the context set out above, the inventors sought to minimize the diversity of parts while proposing several levels of storage capacity corresponding to several levels of functional autonomy of the vehicle.

[0014] To this end, the present invention proposes an assembly comprising: - a first battery pack of a first type with a first junction box located at the end of a series of electrochemical cell modules, and a first interface connector configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the first battery pack to external equipment, e.g. an on-board charger and / or an electric machine inverter, - a second battery pack of a second type with a second junction box located above one of the electrochemical cell modules, and a second interface connector configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the second battery pack to external equipment, characterized in that the second interface connector is identical to the first interface connector.

[0015] Thanks to the provisions promoted above, a common interface connector is used for two very different geometric configurations in the battery pack. This advantageously reduces technical diversity.

[0016] The electrochemical cell modules are arranged flat one after the other, so that the vertical thickness of the battery pack is not much greater than the vertical thickness of an electrochemical cell module. The case of the second battery pack is an exception because at the location of a front or rear end of the battery pack, the thickness is greater due to the presence of the junction box, but this extra thickness is local.

[0017] The term “external equipment” means equipment external to the battery pack, namely for example an on-board charger and / or an electrical machine inverter or a voltage converter.

[0018] It is noted that the number of distinct types of packs can be two or more.

[0019] It should also be noted that, since the first interface connector is identical to the second interface connector, one or the other can be called simply "interface connector" in the rest of the document.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the first pin of the interface connector is longer than the second pin of the interface connector, with a length difference of at least 20 mm.

[0021] Thanks to which, although the second spindle is located above the first spindle, access to the screwing zone of the first spindle is preserved. The difference in length allows the passage of screwdriver sockets. Screwing can also be simultaneous on the first screw and on the second screw.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the second battery pack comprises a first intermediate bus bar for connecting the positive terminal of the second junction box with the first pin of the second interface connector, and a second intermediate bus bar for connecting the positive terminal of the second junction box with the second pin of the second interface connector.

[0023] The first intermediate bus bar and the second intermediate bus bar make it possible to make the electrical connection between the junction box and the connector which are located at a distance from each other. Indeed, the junction box is located above the end battery module. It is therefore necessary to compensate for a gap in Z, a gap in X and also a gap in Y. The intermediate bus bars thus follow a three-dimensional path which makes it possible to go from a terminal of the junction box to the corresponding pin of the connector.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the first intermediate bus bar comprises a first end portion, extending in a first direction of elongation and coming to contact from above the first pin of the interface connector, the first direction of elongation being perpendicular to the axis of the first pin, and the second intermediate bus bar comprises a first end portion, extending in a second direction of elongation and coming to approach from above the second pin of the interface connector, the second direction of elongation being parallel to the axis of the second pin.

[0025] The intermediate bus bars are placed one above the other, which provides good compactness in X. The two intermediate bus bars run side by side between along the rearmost battery module. According to an embodiment option, one of the intermediate bus bars may include an axial twist of a quarter turn.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the first end portion of the first intermediate bus bar comprises an oblong hole with a major axis parallel to the first direction of elongation.

[0027] This allows for taking into account the dispersions along Y.

[0028] According to one embodiment, in the first battery pack, the first junction box is coupled directly with the first pin and the second pin of the interface connector, without an intermediate bus bar.

[0029] According to one embodiment, a system is provided for centering the junction box relative to the interface connector, providing centering in the transverse direction.

[0030] It is thus possible to cleverly take into account the dispersion of positioning of the junction box along the transverse axis.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the first or second interface connector is fixed to a connector support which is mounted on a front or rear rising wall of an envelope housing enclosing the first or second battery pack.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the connector support is made of aluminum alloy, and it is fixed by screws to the wall of the housing. According to one embodiment, for information and non-limiting purposes, the connector itself is made of insulating plastic, for example based on polypropylene or polyethylene.

[0033] According to one embodiment, it is provided that an inner end zone of the first pin of the interface connector comprises a first orifice equipped with a first crimped nut, and an inner end zone of the second pin of the interface connector body comprises a second orifice equipped with a second crimped nut.

[0034] The invention further relates to an assembly comprising a first motor vehicle comprising a first battery pack of a first type with a first junction box located at the end of a series of electrochemical cell modules, and a first interface connector configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the first battery pack to external equipment, a second motor vehicle comprising a second battery pack of a second type with a second junction box located above one of the electrochemical cell modules, and a second interface connector configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the second battery pack to external equipment, characterized in that the second interface connector is identical to the first interface connector.

[0035] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: [Fig.l] shows, in schematic elevation view, an electric vehicle with the battery pack located in the lower part of the chassis; [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in longitudinal vertical section, the principle of electrical coupling between the terminals of the junction box and the pins of the connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [Fig.3] schematically illustrates in top view a battery pack of a first type, intended to equip an electric vehicle; [Fig.4] schematically illustrates, in longitudinal vertical section, the principle of electrical coupling between the junction box and the pins of the connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with the first type of battery pack; [Fig.5] schematically illustrates in top view a battery pack of a second type, intended to equip an electric vehicle; [Fig.6] schematically illustrates, in longitudinal vertical section, the principle of electrical coupling between the junction box and the pins of the connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with the second type of battery pack; [Fig.7] schematically illustrates, in perspective view, an example of electrical coupling between the junction box and the connector pins with two intermediate bus bars for the second type of battery pack.

[0036] In the various figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements. For reasons of clarity of the description, certain elements are not necessarily represented to scale.

[0037] [Fig.l] illustrates an electric vehicle VH. The vehicle VH comprises a battery pack denoted PB1 of a first type having an electrical storage capacity of a first value. The battery pack PB1 comprises a plurality of modules 4, each module comprising a plurality of electrochemical cells.

[0038] According to a vehicle variant, a second vehicle comprises a battery pack denoted PB2 of a second type having an electrical storage capacity of a second value, different from the first in the context of a technical platform with multiple variants as explained in the introductory part. The second battery pack PB2 also comprises a plurality of modules 4, possibly in different numbers and / or with electrochemical cells of different technology.

[0039] In the following description, up to the specific sections of a first or a second exemplary embodiment, the disclosure applies to the battery pack PB 1 of a first type and to the battery pack PB2 of a second type, collectively and generically denoted PB.

[0040] The vehicle VH is referenced in space relative to an orthonormal reference frame comprising a vertical axis Z, a longitudinal axis X corresponding to a front-rear axis of the vehicle, and a transverse axis Y perpendicular to the vertical axis and to the longitudinal axis and corresponding to a left-right axis of the vehicle.

[0041] The PB battery pack comprises an external casing 10 forming mechanical protection and delimiting a confined internal space.

[0042] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the battery pack PB is arranged in the lower part of the vehicle chassis. According to a particular embodiment, the battery pack PB is arranged under the structural floor of the vehicle VH. It occupies a large part of the floor area. The battery pack must be protected from the mechanical, physical and chemical environment, and therefore it is encapsulated in a casing called here casing envelope 10.

[0043] The PB battery pack must be replaceable and therefore must be disassemblable from the lower chassis structure of the vehicle. The battery is attached by attachment means to the chassis which are not shown in the figures in this document.

[0044] According to a particular embodiment, the casing 10 comprises a tray 8 and a cover 9.

[0045] The tank 8 comprises a bottom wall 7 and rising walls 6. The tank 8 may be a single-piece lower shell, e.g. a stamped sheet metal part. The tank may alternatively be a multi-piece type tank, e.g. with a bottom and a side perimeter assembled together. Stiffeners may be provided to support the weight of the modules 4.

[0046] According to an alternative embodiment, the rising walls 6 can be separate pieces assembled on the bottom wall 7.

[0047] The casing 10 is preferably made of metallic material. It forms a hermetic casing. The interior volume is configured to receive the plurality of electrochemical cell modules as well as a member which will be of particular interest, namely a junction box 5 with as an auxiliary a battery management computer otherwise called in practice BMS from the Anglo-Saxon name Battery Monitoring System.

[0048] The junction box 5 comprises two isolation contactors, namely a contactor isolation switch to interrupt the positive voltage supply line and another isolation contactor to interrupt the negative voltage supply line. In practice these isolation contactors may take the form of relays. The isolation devices are known in the art and therefore not described in detail here.

[0049] The junction box 5 is equipped with two power terminals, i.e. a positive terminal and a negative terminal. Once the battery pack PB is assembled, the positive terminal of the junction box is electrically coupled, directly or indirectly, with the pin of the connector intended to carry the positive voltage of the high voltage network and the negative terminal of the junction box is electrically coupled with the pin of the connector intended to carry the negative voltage of the high voltage network.

[0050] The various elements which are contained in the casing of the PB battery pack are fixed to a lower part of the casing called here 'tray', with a positioning tolerance of a few millimeters.

[0051] It should be noted here that the battery pack generally occupies almost the entire width of the vehicle. The electrical output, i.e. the interface connector, must therefore be located on the rear wall or the front wall without protruding upwards or downwards.

[0052] As illustrated in the figures, the interface connector 3 is configured to receive by coupling an electrical power plug 82 containing two conductors and two clips adapted to each respectively plug into the outer end 61, 62 of the power connector 3. The electrical conductors form a 90° bend in the electrical power plug 82.

[0053] It is noted that the power electrical harness 83 connected to the power electrical plug 82 has a path at the rear of the battery pack generally parallel to the Y direction. This facilitates the integration of the battery pack PB and the wiring connected to it into the architecture of the vehicle. This also explains the arrangement of the pins of the connector 11, 12 one above the other.

[0054] First type of battery pack

[0055] In the specific case of the first type of battery pack, the junction box 5 is located at the end of the series of modules 4 and the interface connector 3 is denoted CL

[0056] In other words, the junction box is located at the rear of the module 4 placed furthest to the rear.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment, the junction box could be located at the front of the frontmost module.

[0058] In the specific case of the first type of battery pack, the first junction box 5 is coupled directly with the first pin 11 and the second pin 12 of the interface connector, without an intermediate bus bar.

[0059] A system is provided for centering the junction box 5 relative to the interface connector 3, providing centering in the transverse direction Y.

[0060] Turning to [Fig.2], we notice that the first pin 11 of the connector body is longer than the second pin 12 of the connector body, with a difference in length noted D1.

[0061] In practice, a value of at least 20 mm is chosen for the distance Dl.

[0062] This offset allows access, from above, that is to say in the Z direction, to the end zone of the first pin on the inside, despite the presence of the second pin which is located above the first pin, but set back.

[0063] A screwdriver can thus be used to screw or unscrew the screw marked V1 which allows the first pin 11 to be mechanically coupled with the first terminal 51 of the junction box 5. A screwdriver socket can also be used to screw or unscrew the screw VI.

[0064] The screw marked V2 makes it possible to mechanically couple the second pin 12 with the second terminal 52 of the junction box 5.

[0065] The first pin is spaced from the second pin in the vertical direction Z by a second distance denoted D2 determined by the standard of the two-way power connector. D2 can typically range from 15 mm to 30 mm without these values ​​being limiting.

[0066] As can be seen from Figures 2 and 4, the first pin 11 comprises an orifice marked TL. Similarly, the second pin 12 comprises an orifice marked T2. The T1 orifice and / or the T2 orifice can be round or oblong in shape with the major axis depending on the local elongation direction of the busbar.

[0067] In the example illustrated, the first pin 11 and the second pin 12 are formed as a flat bar. Other shapes, in particular a round section, are also possible, provided that the end zone where the holes T1 and T2 are drilled is crushed and flattened.

[0068] The first pin 11 extends along a first pin axis XL. The second pin extends along a second pin axis X2.

[0069] The first orifice T1 has an axis A1 and the second orifice T2 has an axis A2. The axes A1 and A2 are substantially parallel to the vertical axis Z, they are spaced apart by the aforementioned distance D1.

[0070] The junction box 5 comprises a first terminal 51 intended to be electrically coupled to the first pin 11 of the connector and comprises a second terminal 52 intended to be coupled to the second pin 12 of the connector 3.

[0071] The first terminal 51 covers the first pin 11 and the second terminal 52 covers the second pin 12.

[0072] The junction box 5 comprises an access well 59 which allows a tool to descend to the screw head VI, both for initial screwing and for possible subsequent disassembly. Depending on the geometric configuration, there may also be a well, less deep, for access to the second screw V2.

[0073] In the coupling zone, the first terminal 51 may comprise an oblong hole T3, the second terminal 52 comprises an oblong hole T4. The large dimension of these oblong holes is parallel to X.

[0074] The oblong shape of these holes makes it possible to take into account a dispersion of positioning of the junction box 5 relative to the connector along the longitudinal direction X.

[0075] Advantageously, any possible dispersion in the positioning of the junction box along the transverse axis Y is cancelled out by the effect of centering ramps provided to realign the position of the junction box 5 along the transverse axis Y.

[0076] Indeed, when the junction box 5 is assembled on the connector assembly, by moving it from top to bottom F3, this causes, thanks to the centering ramps, a resetting / recentering of the junction box along the transverse axis Y relative to the connector assembly.

[0077] In the illustrated example, the centering ramps 26 are symmetrical and are arranged on the connector support 38.

[0078] Bus bars 43 are provided to electrically connect the modules 4 and the junction box 5.

[0079] Second type of battery pack

[0080] In the specific case of the second type of battery pack, the junction box 50 is located above an end module 4 of the plurality of modules, and the interface connector 3 is denoted C2. The functions of the junction box 50 are identical or similar to those already described for the junction box 5.

[0081] The second battery pack PB2 comprises a first intermediate bus bar 21 for connecting the positive terminal 31 of the second junction box with the first pin 11 of the interface connector, and a second intermediate bus bar 22 for connecting the positive terminal 32 of the second junction box with the second pin 12 of the interface connector. The positive and negative polarities could be reversed.

[0082] The first intermediate bus-bar 21 and the second intermediate bus-bar 22 provide the electrical connection between the junction box 50 and the connector 3, which are located at a distance from each other. In fact, the junction box is located above the battery module at the end. It is therefore necessary to compensate for a gap in Z, a gap in X and also a gap in Y. The intermediate bus-bars thus follow a 3-dimensional path which makes it possible to go from a terminal of the junction box to the corresponding pin of the connector.

[0083] The first intermediate bus bar 21 comprises a first end portion 71, extending in a first direction of elongation W1 and coming alongside by the above the first pin 11 of the interface connector. The first direction of elongation is perpendicular to the axis XI of the first pin.

[0084] The second intermediate bus bar 22 comprises a first end portion 72, extending in a second direction of elongation W2 and coming to contact from above the second pin 12 of the interface connector. The second direction of elongation is parallel to the axis X2 of the second pin.

[0085] The two intermediate bus bars run side by side along the rearmost battery module of the series of modules 4. The two intermediate bus bars 21, 22 are formed from flat bars which are bent and twisted to suit the desired path.

[0086] The intermediate bus bars are in their main part between the two end zones, one above the other. At this location the intermediate bus bars can be coated with an insulating layer.

[0087] The first intermediate bus bar 21 comprises a second end portion 85 which comprises a hole T5 provided for the screw fixing of a positive terminal 31 of the junction box 50.

[0088] The second intermediate bus bar 22 comprises a second end portion 86 which comprises a hole T6 provided for the screw fixing of a negative terminal 32 of the junction box 50.

[0089] As seen in [Fig.7], the first intermediate bus-bar 21 comprises a bent portion 23 which descends along the module and then turns horizontally. The first intermediate bus-bar 21 comprises a quarter-turn axial twist marked 27. The first intermediate bus-bar 21 comprises another bent portion 25 which makes it possible to descend to the Z dimension of the first pin 11 of the connector 3.

[0090] The second intermediate bus bar 22 comprises a bent portion 24 which descends along the module then turns horizontally, and a flat bend zone 26 in the XZ plane, then a final bend to arrive flat from above on the second pin 12 of the connector.

[0091] It should be noted that [Fig.6] presents a schematic solution which does not correspond exactly to the route presented in [Fig.7].

[0092] Concerning the two intermediate bus bars, any other route and way of arriving for docking on the connector pins are of course included within the scope of the present invention.

[0093] The first interface connector 3 is fixed on a connector support 38 mounted on a rising wall 6 front or rear of an envelope casing 10 enclosing the first battery pack PB 1 or the second battery pack PB2.

[0094] For example, the connector support 38 is made of aluminum alloy, and it is fixed by screws 24 to the wall of the housing (see [Fig.2]). For information purposes and without limitation, The connector itself is made of insulating plastic, for example polypropylene or polyethylene.

[0095] The cover 9 is fixed to the tray 8 by means of fasteners 98.

[0096]

Claims

Claims

1. Assembly comprising: - a first battery pack (PB1) of a first type with a first junction box (5) located at the end of a series of modules (4) of electrochemical cells, and a first interface connector (Cl) configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the first battery pack to external equipment, - a second battery pack (PB2) of a second type with a second junction box (50) located above one of the modules (4) of electrochemical cells, and a second interface connector (C2) configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the second battery pack to external equipment, characterized in that the second interface connector is identical to the first interface connector.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the first pin (11) of the interface connector is longer than the second pin (12) of the interface connector, with a length difference (Dl) of at least 20 mm.

3. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the second battery pack comprises a first intermediate bus bar (21) for connecting the positive terminal of the second junction box with the first pin (11) of the second interface connector, and a second intermediate bus bar (22) for connecting the positive terminal of the second junction box with the second pin (12) of the second interface connector.

4. Assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that the first intermediate bus-bar (21) comprises a first end portion (71), extending in a first direction of elongation (Wl) and coming to approach from above the first pin (11) of the interface connector, the first direction of elongation being perpendicular to the axis (XI) of the first pin, and the second intermediate bus-bar (22) comprises a first end portion (72), extending in a second direction of elongation (W2) and coming to approach from above the second pin (12) of the interface connector, the second direction of elongation being parallel to the axis (X2) of the second pin.

5. Assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that the first end portion (71) of the first intermediate busbar (21) comprises an oblong hole with a major axis parallel to the first direction of elongation (Wl).

6. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that in the first battery pack, the first junction box (5) is coupled directly with the first pin (11) and the second pin (12) of the interface connector, without an intermediate bus bar.

7. Assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that a system is provided for centering the junction box relative to the interface connector, providing centering in the transverse direction (Y).

8. Assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first or second interface connector (3) is fixed on a connector support (38) which is mounted on a rising wall (6) front or rear of an envelope casing (10) enclosing the first or second battery pack.

9. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that an inner end zone of the first pin (11) of the interface connector comprises a first orifice (T1) equipped with a first crimped nut (91), and an inner end zone of the second pin (12) of the interface connector body comprises a second orifice (T2) equipped with a second crimped nut (92).

10. An assembly comprising a first motor vehicle comprising a first battery pack (PB1) of a first type with a first junction box (5) located at the end of a series of electrochemical cell modules (4), and a first interface connector (Cl) configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the first battery pack to external equipment, a second motor vehicle comprising a second battery pack (PB2) of a second type with a second junction box (50) located above one of the electrochemical cell modules (4), and a second interface connector (C2) configured to electrically connect the positive and negative lines of the second battery pack to external equipment, characterized in that the second interface connector is identical to the first interface connector.

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