Removably mounted to the fuel cell's battery monitoring connector

Abstract

The present application relates to a cell monitoring connector that is removably mounted to a fuel cell. The housing is configured so that at least a portion of the housing can be inserted into a receiving space. A pair of lever operators are configured to be movable in a third direction intersecting a first direction and a second direction by a first external pressure. A plurality of levers are coupled to the pair of lever operators within the housing. The levers include latching protrusions configured to interlock with movement of the lever operators. The latching protrusions are movable between a first position in which the latching protrusions protrude from an outer surface of the housing in the third direction, and a second position in which the latching protrusions do not protrude from the outer surface of the housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments are directed to a cell monitoring connector that is detachably mounted to a fuel cell. Background Art

[0002] A fuel cell stack is a device that supplies electricity generated by an electrochemical reaction between air supplied to one surface of a polymer electrolyte membrane and hydrogen supplied to the other surface of the polymer electrolyte membrane to an external load.

[0003] A fuel cell stack can consist of hundreds of stacked cells. When the cells operate normally, they generate a predetermined voltage. If any one of these cells fails to perform properly, the stack's overall output decreases. If this reverse voltage persists, the stack must be shut down.

[0004] The battery monitoring connector checks the battery's status and continuously monitors its voltage. To this end, the battery monitoring connector can be electrically connected to the battery to check the voltage of each unit cell in the fuel cell stack. Research is ongoing on various structures for securely fastening the battery monitoring connector to the fuel cell stack. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Accordingly, embodiments are directed to a cell monitoring connector detachably mounted to a fuel cell that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

[0006] Embodiments provide a cell monitoring connector detachably mounted to a fuel cell, the cell monitoring connector having improved reliability.

[0007] According to one embodiment, a cell monitoring connector removably mounted to a fuel cell may include a plurality of separators and a plurality of latching members. The separators are spaced apart from each other in a first direction, each separator including a receiving groove formed therein, and each latching member is disposed around the receiving groove. The cell monitoring connector may include: a housing configured such that at least a portion of the housing can be inserted into a receiving space defined by the receiving groove formed in each separator in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a pair of lever operators configured to be movable in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions by a first external pressure; and a plurality of levers, each coupled to the pair of lever operators within the housing. The plurality of levers may include a plurality of latching protrusions configured to interlock with movement of the lever operators, the latching protrusions moving between a first position in which the latching protrusions protrude from an outer surface of the housing in the third direction and a second position in which the latching protrusions do not protrude from the outer surface of the housing, thereby being engaged with or disengaged from the latching members.

[0008] For example, each of a pair of rod operators may include: a first head portion, configured to be subjected to a first external pressure; and a first tail portion, extending from the first head portion to be connected to a plurality of rods, and the plurality of rods may include: a plurality of second head portions, connected to the first tail portion; and a plurality of second tail portions, respectively extending from the plurality of second head portions, each second tail portion being provided with a corresponding latch protrusion.

[0009] For example, a first width of the first header portion in the first direction may be the same as a second width of the battery monitoring connector in the first direction.

[0010] For example, each rod operator may be linearly moved in a second direction between an introduction position and an extraction position by a second external pressure different from the first external pressure, and may be coupled to a plurality of rods.

[0011] For example, the first tail portion may include a first surface facing the plurality of second head portions, and each of the plurality of second head portions may include a second surface facing the first surface. One of the first surface and the second surface may have at least one groove, and the other of the first surface and the second surface may have at least one protrusion having a shape corresponding to the shape of the at least one groove. When each rod operator moves linearly, the at least one groove and the at least one protrusion may be coupled to each other in a sliding manner.

[0012] For example, at least one groove may include a plurality of grooves, and at least one protrusion may include a plurality of protrusions. When each lever operator is located at the introduction position, all grooves may be coupled to all protrusions, and when each lever operator is located at the withdrawal position, a portion of the grooves may be coupled to a portion of the protrusions.

[0013] For example, when the housing is inserted into the accommodation space in the second direction and the plurality of latch protrusions are caught by the plurality of latch members at the first position, each lever operator may be linearly moved from the withdrawn position to the introduced position in the second direction.

[0014] For example, the housing may include a bottom surface facing the housing to be housed therein, and a side surface extending from the bottom surface in the second direction to define the housing together with the bottom surface. The housing may include a front surface facing the bottom surface, a rear surface opposite the front surface, and upper and lower surfaces opposite each other in the third direction between the front and rear surfaces. The outer surface of the housing may correspond to at least one of the upper and lower surfaces.

[0015] For example, the battery monitoring connector may further include a terminal position assurance portion (TPA) that may be disposed between the pair of lever operators. The TPA may include a fixing plate coupled to the housing and a third head portion extending from the fixing plate and disposed on the rear surface of the housing.

[0016] For example, the pair of lever operators may have elasticity, and when the first external pressure is not applied to the pair of lever operators, the pair of lever operators may restore in a direction opposite to the third direction.

[0017] For example, in a state in which the plurality of latch protrusions are not caught by the plurality of latch members, the first head portion may have a width in the third direction to overlap with at least a portion of the third head portion in the second direction.

[0018] For example, when at least a portion of the shell is inserted into the accommodating space, multiple latch protrusions located at the first position can be caught by multiple latch parts, and when a pair of rod operators are located at the introduction position, the first head portion and the third head portion can be set to be opposite to each other in a third direction on the rear surface of the shell.

[0019] For example, when the first head portion and the third head portion are opposite to each other, a spacing distance between the first head portion and the third head portion in the third direction may be greater than zero and may be smaller than the mounting / detachment distance.

[0020] For example, the battery monitoring connector may further include: a first connector and a second connector, which are arranged adjacent to each other in a first direction, the first connector may include a first step portion formed on its side surface, and the second connector may include a second step portion formed on its side surface to match the first step portion.

[0021] For example, a length from a first step portion to an upper or lower edge of the first connector in the third direction may be different from a length from a second step portion to an upper or lower edge of the second connector in the third direction.

[0022] For example, the battery monitoring connector may further include at least one damage prevention member provided to protrude from the front end of the housing in a direction opposite to a direction of the first external pressure applied to each of the pair of lever operators.

[0023] For example, each of the plurality of spacers may be fitted into at least one slit between latch protrusions that are spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the first direction.

[0024] For example, the plurality of rods may be made of an insulating material.

[0025] For example, the at least one slit may include a plurality of slits, the plurality of latch protrusions may have the same thickness in the first direction, and the plurality of slits may have the same width in the first direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Configurations and embodiments may be described in detail with reference to the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, and wherein:

[0027] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the end plate and cell stack of the fuel cell;

[0028] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a separator and a cell monitoring connector included in a fuel cell according to an embodiment;

[0029] Figure 3 Observe in the first direction Figure 2 a cross-sectional view of the partition shown;

[0030] Figure 4A and Figure 4B This is an exploded cross-sectional view of the separator and battery monitoring connector;

[0031] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view for explaining the linear movement of the first lever operator;

[0032] Figure 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a first lever operator and a first lever that can be assembled with each other according to an embodiment;

[0033] Figure 7 According to the embodiment Figure 2 A perspective view of an example of a connecting terminal is shown;

[0034] Figure 8 According to the embodiment Figure 2 A plan view of an example of a connecting terminal is shown;

[0035] Figure 9A and Figure 9B shows the configuration of multiple battery monitoring connectors according to an embodiment;

[0036] 10A to 10D is a cross-sectional view for explaining a process in which a cell monitoring connector according to an embodiment is installed in an accommodation space in a fuel cell; and

[0037] Figure 11A and Figure 11B 1 and 2 are respectively a perspective view and a front view of a battery monitoring connector according to a comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which various embodiments are shown.

[0039] However, the embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make this disclosure more thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of this disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0040] It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being 'on' or "under" another element, it can be directly on / under the element, or one or more intervening elements may also be present.

[0041] When an element is referred to as being 'on' or 'under', 'under the element' as well as 'on the element' can be included based on the element.

[0042] Furthermore, relational terms such as “first,” “second,” “upper,” and “lower” are used merely to distinguish one subject or element from another subject or element without necessarily requiring or involving any physical or logical relationship or order between the subjects or elements.

[0043] Hereinafter, the battery monitoring connector that is detachably mounted to the fuel cell according to the embodiment and comparative example will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For ease of description, the battery monitoring connector that is detachably mounted to the fuel cell will be described using a Cartesian coordinate system (x, y, z). However, other different coordinate systems may be used. In the accompanying drawings, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis of the Cartesian coordinate system are perpendicular to each other. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. That is, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis may intersect with each other. In the following description, the term "first direction" refers to at least one of the +x-axis direction and the -x-axis direction, the term "second direction" refers to at least one of the +y-axis direction and the -y-axis direction, and the term "third direction" refers to at least one of the +z-axis direction and the -z-axis direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction may be perpendicular to each other, or may intersect with each other.

[0044] The fuel cell to which the battery monitoring connector according to the embodiment is detachably mounted may be, for example, a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (or proton exchange membrane fuel cell) (PEMFC) that has been most widely studied as a power source for driving vehicles.

[0045] The fuel cell may include end plates (pressure plates or compression plates) (not shown) and a cell stack (not shown).

[0046] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 1 An example of a battery stack is described. However, the battery monitoring connector according to the embodiment can be applied to, but not limited to, a specific type of fuel cell or battery stack.

[0047] Figure 1 It is a cross-sectional view of the end plate and cell stack of the fuel cell.

[0048] The battery stack 122 may include a plurality of unit cells 122-1 to 122-N stacked in a first direction. Here, "N" is a positive integer equal to or greater than 1 and may be from tens to hundreds. For example, "N" may be from 100 to 300, and preferably may be 220. However, the present disclosure is not limited to any specific value of "N".

[0049] Each unit cell 122-n (where 1≤n≤N) can generate electricity at 0.6V to 1.0V, with an average of 0.7V. Therefore, "N" can be determined based on the intensity of the power supplied from the fuel cell to the load. Here, "load" can refer to the part of the vehicle that requires power when the fuel cell is used in the vehicle.

[0050] Each unit cell 122 - n may include a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 210 , gas diffusion layers (GDLs) 222 and 224 , gaskets 232 , 234 , and 236 , and separators (or bipolar plates) 242 and 244 .

[0051] The membrane electrode assembly 210 has a structure in which catalyst electrode layers, where electrochemical reactions occur, are attached to both sides of an electrolyte membrane through which hydrogen ions move. Specifically, the membrane electrode assembly 210 may include a polymer electrolyte membrane (or proton exchange membrane) 212, a fuel electrode (hydrogen electrode or anode) 214, and an air electrode (oxygen electrode or cathode) 216. Furthermore, the membrane electrode assembly 210 may further include a subgasket 238.

[0052] The polymer electrolyte membrane 212 is provided between the fuel electrode 214 and the air electrode 216 .

[0053] Hydrogen as a fuel in the fuel cell may be supplied to the fuel electrode 214 through the first separator 242 , and air containing oxygen as an oxidant may be supplied to the air electrode 216 through the second separator 244 .

[0054] The hydrogen supplied to the fuel electrode 214 is decomposed into hydrogen ions (protons) (H + ) and electrons (e -), wherein only hydrogen ions can be selectively transferred to the air electrode 216 through the polymer electrolyte membrane 212, and at the same time, electrons can be transferred to the air electrode 216 through the separators 242 and 244, which serve as conductors. To achieve this, a catalyst layer can be applied to each of the fuel electrode 214 and the air electrode 216. As described above, the movement of electrons causes them to flow through external wires, thereby generating an electric current. In other words, the fuel cell can generate electricity due to the electrochemical reaction between hydrogen as fuel and oxygen contained in the air.

[0055] In the air electrode 216 , hydrogen ions supplied through the polymer electrolyte membrane 212 and electrons transferred through the separators 242 and 244 meet oxygen in the air supplied to the air electrode 216 to cause a reaction that produces water (“condensed water” or “produced water”).

[0056] In some cases, the fuel electrode 214 may be referred to as an anode and the air electrode 216 may be referred to as a cathode. Conversely, the fuel electrode 214 may be referred to as a cathode and the air electrode 216 may be referred to as an anode.

[0057] The gas diffusion layers 222 and 224 are used to evenly distribute hydrogen and oxygen as reactant gases and transfer the generated electrical energy. To this end, the gas diffusion layers 222 and 224 can be respectively provided on both sides of the membrane electrode assembly 210. That is, the first gas diffusion layer 222 can be provided on the left side of the fuel electrode 214, and the second gas diffusion layer 224 can be provided on the right side of the air electrode 216.

[0058] The first gas diffusion layer 222 may be electrically conductive and may diffuse and uniformly distribute hydrogen as a reaction gas supplied through the first separator 242. The second gas diffusion layer 224 may be electrically conductive and may diffuse and uniformly distribute air as a reaction gas supplied through the second separator 244.

[0059] Each of the first and second gas diffusion layers 222 and 224 may be a microporous layer bonded with fine carbon fibers. However, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular configuration of the first and second gas diffusion layers 222 and 224.

[0060] The gaskets 232, 234, and 236 can be used to maintain the airtightness and clamping pressure of the cell stack at an appropriate level relative to the reaction gas and coolant, disperse stress when stacking the separators 242 and 244, and independently seal the flow paths. In this way, since the gaskets 232, 234, and 236 maintain airtightness and watertightness, the flatness of the surface adjacent to the cell stack 122 that generates electricity can be ensured, so that the surface pressure can be evenly distributed on the reaction surface of the cell stack 122. To this end, the gaskets 232, 234, and 236 can be made of rubber. However, the present disclosure is not limited to any specific material for the gaskets.

[0061] Separators 242 and 244 may be used to move reactant gases and cooling media and separate each of the plurality of unit cells from the other unit cells. Separators 242 and 244 may also be used to structurally support membrane electrode assembly 210 and gas diffusion layers 222 and 224, collect generated current, and transfer the collected current to collector plate 112.

[0062] Separators 242 and 244 may be disposed on the outer sides of the gas diffusion layers 222 and 224, respectively. That is, the first separator 242 may be disposed on the left side of the first gas diffusion layer 222, and the second separator 244 may be disposed on the right side of the second gas diffusion layer 224.

[0063] The first separator 242 is used to supply hydrogen as a reactant gas to the fuel electrode 214 through the first gas diffusion layer 222. The second separator 244 is used to supply air as a reactant gas to the air electrode 216 through the second gas diffusion layer 224. In addition, each of the first separator 242 and the second separator 244 can form a channel through which a cooling medium (e.g., a coolant) can flow. In addition, the separators 242 and 244 can be made of a graphite-based material, a composite graphite-based material, or a metal-based material. However, the present disclosure is not limited to any specific material for the separators 242 and 244.

[0064] Figure 1 The end plates 110A and 110B shown may be respectively provided at both ends of the battery stack 122 and may support and fix the plurality of unit cells 122-1 to 122-N. That is, the first end plate 110A may be provided at one end of the battery stack 122, and the second end plate 110B may be provided at the other end of the battery stack 122.

[0065] Each of the end plates 110A and 110B may have a configuration in which a metal insert is surrounded by a plastic injection molded part. The metal insert of each of the end plates 110A and 110B may have high rigidity to withstand internal surface pressure and may be formed by machining a metal material. For example, each of the end plates 110A and 110B may be formed by combining multiple plates. However, the present disclosure is not limited to any specific configuration of the end plates 110A and 110B.

[0066] Collector plate 112 may be provided between cell stack 122 and inner surfaces 110AI and 110BI of end plates 110A and 110B facing cell stack 122. Collector plate 112 collects electrical energy generated by electron flow in cell stack 122 and supplies the electrical energy to a load using a fuel cell.

[0067] Furthermore, the first end plate 110A may include a plurality of manifolds M (or communication portions). Figure 1 Each of the first separator 242 and the second separator 244 shown may include a manifold formed in the same shape and position as the shape and position of the manifold of the first end plate 110A. Here, the manifold may include an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold. Hydrogen and oxygen, which are required reaction gases in the membrane electrode assembly 210, can flow into the cell stack 122 from the outside through the inlet manifold. The gas or liquid in which the reaction gas humidified and supplied to the cell and the condensed water generated in the cell are combined can be discharged to the outside of the fuel cell through the outlet manifold. The cooling medium can flow into the cell stack 122 from the outside through the inlet manifold, and can flow out of the cell stack 122 to the outside through the outlet manifold. As described above, the manifold allows fluid to flow into and out of the membrane electrode assembly 210.

[0068] To determine the performance and malfunction of the battery stack 122, the separators 242 and 244 of each cell can be connected to a control circuit using cell monitoring connectors and wires to measure the voltage of each cell. Here, the control circuit can refer to the circuit that includes the measurement device and the electronic control unit used to operate the fuel cell in the vehicle.

[0069] Hereinafter, a cell monitoring connector (hereinafter referred to as "connector") 300 for checking a state (eg, voltage) of each unit cell included in a fuel cell and a fuel cell to which the connector 300 is detachably mounted according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0070] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a separator 600 and a cell monitoring connector 300 included in a fuel cell according to an embodiment, Figure 3 Observe in the first direction Figure 2 The cross-sectional view of the partition 600 is shown, Figure 4Aand Figure 4B 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the partition plate 600 and the battery monitoring connector 300 .

[0071] For ease of description, Figures 2 to 4B Only the separator 600, the latch members 410 and 420, and the anti-drift member 430 are shown as parts of the fuel cell to which the connector 300 according to the embodiment can be detachably mounted. In the fuel cell to which the connector 300 according to the embodiment can be detachably mounted, other components besides the separator 600, the latch members 410 and 420, and the anti-drift member 430 can be embodied in various configurations, and the present disclosure is not limited to any specific configuration of the other components.

[0072] The partition 600 may correspond to Figure 1 As shown, the partitions 242 and 244, the latch components 410 and 420 may correspond to Figure 1 The pads 232, 234 and 236 are shown. Optionally, the latch components 410 and 420 may be Figure 1 The illustrated pads 232, 234, and 236 are distinct individual pads. Hereinafter, the latch components 410 and 420 will be described as being implemented as pads. However, the following description may also apply to a case where the latch components 410 and 420 are implemented as separate components other than pads.

[0073] The plurality of partitions 600 may be spaced apart from each other in the first direction. Each of the plurality of partitions 600 includes a receiving groove H1 formed on a side thereof. The receiving groove H1 may have a shape that is recessed inward from an outer edge 600E of each of the plurality of partitions 600 .

[0074] The receiving groove H1 may include a first side surface H1S1 , a second side surface H1S2 , and a bottom surface H1B.

[0075] The first side surface H1S1 and the second side surface H1S2 may be opposite to each other in the third direction and may extend from the bottom surface H1B in a direction parallel to the second direction. The bottom surface H1B may be formed between the first side surface H1S1 and the second side surface H1S2 and may face the housing 310 when the housing 310 of the connector 300 is assembled into the receiving groove H1. The first side surface H1S1, the second side surface H1S2, and the bottom surface H1B may define the receiving groove H1.

[0076] The plurality of separators 600 included in the cell stack 122 may be a portion of all separators included in the fuel cell. For example, all separators included in the fuel cell may be grouped into a plurality of unit groups, and each unit group may be composed of at least one separator 600 or a plurality of separators 600. For example, Figure 2The illustrated cell group may include ten separators 600. In this case, a connector 300 may be provided for each cell group of the fuel cell. The connector 300 may be fastened (attached, coupled, inserted, installed, or assembled) to the fuel cell, or may be detached (separated or disassembled) from the fuel cell.

[0077] Furthermore, the first side surface H1S1, the second side surface H1S2, and the bottom surface H1B of the accommodating groove H1 formed in each of the plurality of partitions 600 may be arranged to overlap with each other in the first direction. In this way, the plurality of accommodating grooves H1 formed in the plurality of partitions 600 belonging to the unit group define an accommodating space into which the connector 300 is assembled. That is, the accommodating grooves H1 arranged in the first direction form an accommodating space.

[0078] The latch member may be provided on an opposite surface of each of the plurality of partitions 600 (eg, a latch member to be described later) around the receiving groove H1. Figure 8 600S1 and 600S2 shown in FIG, and may have a hook shape. Here, the hook shape is Figure 4A and Figure 4B The latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB (described later) are shown in FIG. Figures 2 to 4B As shown, the hook shape may be an "L" shape, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0079] For example, the gasket serving as the latch member may include a first gasket 410 and a second gasket 420. The first gasket 410 and the second gasket 420 may be disposed to face each other in a third direction relative to the accommodation groove H1, the third direction being a direction of external force applied to a lever operator to be described later.

[0080] The hook shapes of the first gasket 410 and the second gasket 420 may be symmetrical with each other with respect to the receiving groove H1. Figure 3 , the “L” shapes of the first gasket 410 and the second gasket 420 may be symmetrical to each other in the third direction with respect to the center line CL of the accommodating groove H1.

[0081] A first end of each of the first gasket 410 and the second gasket 420 facing the receiving groove H1 may be spaced apart from the receiving groove H1, and a second end of each of the first gasket 410 and the second gasket 420 facing the outer edge 600E of the separator 600 may be spaced apart from the outer edge 600E. For example, a first end 410E1 of the first gasket 410 facing the receiving groove H1 may be spaced apart from the first side surface H1S1 of the receiving groove H1 by a first gap G1, and a second end 410E2 of the first gasket 410 facing the outer edge 600E of the separator 600 may be spaced apart from the outer edge 600E by a second gap G2.

[0082] If the first end 410E1 and the second end 410E2 of the first liner 410 are positioned so as to contact the first side surface H1S1 of the receiving groove H1 and the outer edge 600E without being spaced apart from each other, or if the first end and the second end of the second liner 420 are positioned so as to contact the second side surface H1S2 of the receiving groove H1 and the outer edge 600E without being spaced apart from each other, the first liner 410 and the second liner 420 may protrude into the receiving groove H1 or may protrude outside the outer edge 600E. In addition, the process of manufacturing the first liner 410 and the second liner 420 in a manner that avoids the above-mentioned problems may become complicated. Therefore, according to an embodiment, the first end and the second end of each of the first liner 410 and the second liner 420 are spaced apart from the first side surface H1S1 of the receiving groove H1 and the outer edge 600E by a first gap G1 and a second gap G2, respectively, thereby preventing the above-mentioned problems.

[0083] In addition, each of the opposing surfaces of each partition 600 may include first to third areas A1 to A3 surrounding the receiving groove H1. The first area A1 is an area formed by the first liner 410 and is an area connected to the first side surface H1S1 of the receiving groove H1. The second area A2 is an area formed by the second liner 420 and is an area connected to the second side surface H1S2 of the receiving groove H1 while being opposite to the first area A1 in the third direction. The third area A3 is an area connected to the bottom surface H1B of the receiving groove H1 between the first area A1 and the second area A2. Figure 3 As shown, each of the first side surface H1S1 and the second side surface H1S2 may have a shape that is concave in the third direction, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Figure 3 Unlike the illustrated configuration, both the first side surface H1S1 and the second side surface H1S2 may not have a concave shape.

[0084] The fuel cell according to the embodiment may further include an anti-drift component. The anti-drift component may be provided in the third area A3 of the partition 600 around the bottom surface H1B of the accommodating groove H1. The anti-drift component may be implemented by a gasket. In this case, the fuel cell according to the embodiment may further include a third gasket 430 for implementing the anti-drift component. The third gasket 430 may be formed in the third area A3 and extend in a direction (e.g., the second direction) that intersects with the direction (e.g., the third direction) in which the connector 300 may deviate. Referring to the accompanying drawings, the third gasket 430 may be provided in the shape of an elongated straight line (-) in the direction in which the housing 310 of the connector 300 is inserted (e.g., the second direction), and may be formed in the shape of a protrusion protruding in the first direction.

[0085] The housing 310 may include an anti-drift groove H2 formed therein to allow an anti-drift component (e.g., the third gasket 430) provided on the partition 600 to be inserted therein in the second direction. Although the anti-drift groove H2 is not visible from the outside, for ease of understanding, Figure 4B The anti-deviating groove H2 is shown by a dotted line in FIG. 14 . Thus, when the third gasket 430 is inserted into the anti-deviating groove H2 , the connector 300 coupled to the fuel cell can be prevented from deviating in the third direction.

[0086] When a fuel cell is installed in a vehicle, if vibrations and shocks caused by driving cause connector 300 to wobble in the third direction, accurate voltage measurements cannot be made. This means the measured voltage fluctuates erratically, reducing the reliability of the measured value. In severe cases, connector 300 may even separate from separator 600. However, according to embodiments, the third gasket 430 and anti-drift groove H2, acting as an anti-drift component, prevent connector 300 from drifting in the third direction, thereby preventing this problem.

[0087] In addition, the third end 430E of the third liner 430 facing the bottom surface H1B of the receiving groove H1 may be spaced apart from the bottom surface H1B of the receiving groove H1 by a third gap G3 .

[0088] The first to third gaps G1 , G2 , and G3 may be the same as or different from each other.

[0089] If the third end 430E of the third liner 430 is positioned so as to contact the bottom surface H1B of the receiving groove H1 without being spaced apart from each other, the third liner 430 may protrude beyond the bottom surface H1B of the receiving groove H1 into the receiving groove H1. Therefore, the process of manufacturing the third liner 430 in a manner that avoids the above-mentioned problem may become complicated. Therefore, according to an embodiment, the third end 430E of the third liner 430 is spaced apart from the bottom surface H1B of the receiving groove H1 by a third gap G3, thereby preventing the above-mentioned problem.

[0090] In some cases, the anti-drift member (eg, third gasket 430 ) and the anti-drift groove H2 may be omitted from the fuel cell.

[0091] Hereinafter, the configuration of the connector 300 that may be detachably mounted to the fuel cell according to the embodiment will be described in detail.

[0092] like Figure 2 、 Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, the connector 300 may include a housing 310 , lever operators 312A and 312B, levers 314A and 314B, and a connection terminal 320 .

[0093] Hereinafter, the connector 300 will be described as including a pair of lever operators 312A and 312B. However, the following description may also be applied to a case where the connector 300 includes only one of the lever operators 312A and 312B.

[0094] As will be described later Figure 10C As shown, at least a portion of the housing 310 can be accommodated in an accommodation space defined by a plurality of accommodation grooves H1 of a plurality of partitions 600 included in the unit group. The housing 310 can be inserted into the accommodation space formed by the plurality of accommodation grooves H1 arranged in the first direction, and thus at least a portion of the housing 310 can be accommodated in the accommodation space.

[0095] The housing 310 may include a front surface FS, a back surface BS, an upper surface US, and a lower surface LS. The front surface FS of the housing 310 may be a surface facing the bottom surface H1B of the accommodation groove H1 before the housing 310 is inserted into the accommodation space, the back surface BS may be a surface opposite to the front surface FS, and the upper surface US and the lower surface LS may be surfaces opposite to each other in the third direction between the front surface FS and the back surface BS.

[0096] In addition, the housing 310 may include a plurality of slits (hereinafter referred to as "first slits") 318 formed on its front surface FS. The partitions 600 located on the bottom surface H1B of the plurality of accommodating grooves H1 forming the accommodating space may be assembled into each of the first slits 318. Unlike the configuration shown in the drawings, the first slits 318 may be divided into two parts opposite to each other in the third direction. In the partition 600, odd (or even) partitions may be assembled into one of the two parts, and even (or odd) partitions may be assembled into the other of the two parts. In this way, when adjacent partitions 600 are alternately assembled into the first slits 318 of different parts from each other, the size of the gap between adjacent partitions 600 in the first direction may be reduced. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. As shown in the drawings, the first slit 318 may include only one part in which a plurality of partitions 600 are assembled sequentially.

[0097] The first and second lever operators 312A, 312B may be positioned opposite and spaced apart from each other in a direction (e.g., a third direction) intersecting the direction in which the plurality of separators 600 are stacked (e.g., the first direction) and the direction in which the connector 300 is inserted into the fuel cell (e.g., the second direction). Each of the first and second lever operators 312A, 312B may be moved in the third direction intersecting the first and second directions by pressure from an external force (hereinafter referred to as "first external pressure"), and at least a portion of each of the first and second lever operators 312A, 312B may be coupled to the housing 310. For example, each of the first and second lever operators 312A, 312B may be implemented as a locking device made of plastic, referred to as a connector position assurance portion (CPA).

[0098] The rods may be provided in the housing 310 and coupled to the first and second rod operators 312A and 312B, respectively. For example, a plurality of rods may be coupled to a single first rod operator 312A, and a plurality of rods may be coupled to a single second rod operator 312B.

[0099] Furthermore, each of the plurality of rods may include at least one latching protrusion. Figure 4A and Figure 4B , one rod (hereinafter referred to as “first rod”) 314A may include a latching protrusion 314PA, and the other rod (hereinafter referred to as “second rod”) 314B may include a latching protrusion 314PB.

[0100] Reference Figure 4A and Figure 4B , the first rod operator 312A is shown as being coupled to one first rod 314A. However, a plurality of first rods 314A provided to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the first direction may be coupled to one first rod operator 312A. Similarly, referring to Figure 4A and Figure 4B , the second lever operator 312B is shown as being coupled to one second lever 314B. However, a plurality of second levers 314B provided to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the first direction may be coupled to one second lever operator 312B.

[0101] Therefore, the latch protrusions 314PA of each of the plurality of first bars 314A may also be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the first direction, and the latch protrusions 314PB of each of the plurality of second bars 314B may also be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the first direction. Figure 2 , it can be seen that the plurality of latch protrusions 314PA1 , 314PA2 and 314PA3 are coupled to one first lever operator 312A.

[0102] Each of the plurality of partitions 600 may be fitted into at least one slit (hereinafter referred to as a "second slit") located between a plurality of latch protrusions spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the first direction.

[0103] For example, refer to Figure 2 , one of the plurality of partitions 600 may be fitted into the second slit SL11 between the plurality of latch protrusions 314PA1 and 314PA2 , and another one of the plurality of partitions 600 may be fitted into the second slit SL12 between the plurality of latch protrusions 314PA1 and 314PA3 .

[0104] When the first rod 314A and the second rod 314B are made of an insulating material, the two facing inner surfaces (e.g., 314S1 and 314S2) of the adjacent latch protrusions (e.g., 314PA1 and 314PA2) forming the second slit SL11 can be insulated. To this end, the housing 310 including the plurality of latch protrusions (e.g., 314PA1, 314PA2, and 314PA3) can be implemented in the form of an insulating plastic injection molding. However, the present disclosure is not limited to any specific material for the housing 310.

[0105] Typically, each of the adjacent separators 600 is conductive. In this case, the insulating latch protrusions 314PA1, 314PA2, and 314PA3 can electrically isolate the separators 600 fitted into each of the plurality of second slits SL11 and SL12 from each other to play an insulating role, thereby preventing the risk of short circuit between the adjacent separators 600.

[0106] Furthermore, the latch protrusions 314PA1, 314PA2, and 314PA3 can have the same thickness st in the first direction, and the second slits SL11 and SL12 can have the same width sw in the first direction. Thus, due to the same thickness st and the same width sw, the plurality of separators 600 can be arranged at uniform or equal intervals in the first direction, and thus, the stacking tolerance of the plurality of separators 600 in the first direction can be compensated. Consequently, the arrangement of the plurality of separators 600 included in the battery stack 122 is improved, and the plurality of accommodating recesses H1 forming the accommodating space can be arranged so as to be aligned with each other. Thus, the connector 300 can be easily assembled to the separator 600. Furthermore, when the connector 300 is mounted to the separator 600, the inner edge of the connector 300 that contacts the first side surface H1S1, the second side surface H1S2, and the bottom surface H1B of each accommodating recess H1 can be prevented from bending (deforming) or being damaged.

[0107] The housing 310 may further include at least one anti-damage component. The at least one anti-damage component is configured to prevent damage to the first and second lever operators 312A, 312B when the first and second lever operators 312A, 312B are operated in a direction opposite to the direction of the first external pressure applied to the first and second lever operators 312A, 312B. In other words, the at least one anti-damage component may be configured to limit movement of the first and second lever operators 312A, 312B after the first external pressure is applied to the first and second lever operators 312A, 312B and, as a result, the connector 300 is inserted into the fuel cell.

[0108] To this end, the damage prevention member may be provided to protrude from the front end of the housing 310 in a direction opposite to the direction of the first external pressure applied to the first and second lever operators 312A and 312B. However, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular shape or arrangement of the damage prevention member.

[0109] For example, Figure 2 、 Figure 4A and Figure 4B As shown, two damage prevention components 316A may be provided adjacent to the first lever operator 312A and spaced apart from each other in the first direction at the front end of the upper surface US of the housing 310, and two damage prevention components 316B may be provided adjacent to the second lever operator 312B and spaced apart from each other in the first direction at the front end of the lower surface LS of the housing 310. The damage prevention components may be particularly useful when the connector 300 is used for narrow-pitch products.

[0110] like Figure 4A As shown, the first lever operator 312A can be moved in a third direction (e.g., the −z-axis direction) by a first external pressure caused by an external force F1 applied in the direction indicated by the arrow, and the second lever operator 312B can be moved in a third direction (e.g., the +z-axis direction) by a first external pressure caused by an external force F2 applied in the direction indicated by the arrow. In this case, when the first external pressure caused by the external forces F1 and F2 is removed, the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B can return to their original positions before the pressure was applied. To this end, the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B can be made of an elastic material. That is, when the first external pressure caused by the external force F1 is removed, the first lever operator 312A can have elasticity that allows it to return to the +z-axis direction, and when the first external pressure caused by the external force F2 is removed, the second lever operator 312B can have elasticity that allows it to return to the −z-axis direction.

[0111] Hereinafter, only the first rod 314A and the second rod 314B will be described. However, the plurality of rods connected to the first rod operator 312A have the same structure as the first rod 314A and operate in the same manner as the first rod 314A, and the plurality of rods connected to the second rod operator 312B have the same structure as the second rod 314B and operate in the same manner as the second rod 314B.

[0112] At least one latch protrusion formed on each rod can be linked with the movement of each of the rod operators 312A and 312B, and can be moved between a first position in which the latch protrusion protrudes from the outer surface of the shell 310 in a third direction and a second position in which the latch protrusion does not protrude from the outer surface of the shell 310, so that the latch protrusion can be caught by the latch parts 410 and 420 or disengaged from the latch parts 410 and 420.

[0113] For example, when the first rod operator 312A moves in a third direction (e.g., the -z axis direction), the latch protrusion 314PA can move from a first position where the latch protrusion 314PA protrudes from the outer surface of the shell 310 to a second position where the latch protrusion 314PA is located inside the shell 310 and does not protrude from the outer surface of the shell 310.

[0114] In addition, when the second rod operator 312B moves in a third direction (for example, the +z axis direction), the latch protrusion 314PB can move from a first position where the latch protrusion 314PB protrudes from the outer surface of the shell 310 to a second position where the latch protrusion 314PB is located inside the shell 310 and does not protrude from the outer surface of the shell 310.

[0115] For example, Figure 4A As shown, the first position is a position where the latch protrusion 314PA of the first lever 314A is in a state of protruding from the outer surface of the housing 310, particularly the upper surface US of the housing 310. Figure 4B As shown, the second position is a position in which the latch protrusion 314PA of the first lever 314A is located inside the housing 310 without protruding from the upper surface US of the housing 310 .

[0116] Similarly, if Figure 4A As shown, the first position is a position where the latch protrusion 314PB of the second rod 314B is in a state of protruding from the outer surface of the housing 310, particularly the lower surface LS of the housing 310. Figure 4B As shown, the second position is a position in which the latch protrusion 314PB of the second lever 314B is located inside the housing 310 without protruding from the lower surface LS of the housing 310 .

[0117] As described above, the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB protrude from the outer surface of the housing 310 when located at the first position, and the outer surface of the housing 310 may be at least one of the upper surface US and the lower surface LS of the housing 310 .

[0118] Furthermore, according to an embodiment, each of the first and second lever operators 312A and 312B may include a first head portion HD1 and a first tail portion T1 .

[0119] The first head portion HD1 may be a portion subjected to a first external pressure. The first head portion HD1 may include a surface touched by an operator applying an external force to attach the connector 300 to the fuel cell (hereinafter referred to as a "touch surface"). The first tail portion T1 may extend from the first head portion HD1 in a second direction during insertion of the connector 300 into the fuel cell and may be a portion connected to a corresponding one of the first rod 314A and the second rod 314B.

[0120] like Figure 2 As shown, the first header portion HD1 has a first width W1 in the first direction, and the connector 300 has a second width W2 in the first direction. For example, the first width W1 and the second width W2 may be the same, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0121] Each of the first and second rods 314A and 314B may include a second head portion HD2 and a second tail portion T2. ​​The second head portion HD2 may be connected to the first tail portion T1, and the second tail portion T2 may extend from the second head portion HD2 and be provided with a corresponding one of the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB.

[0122] Figure 5A and Figure 5B 312A is a cross-sectional view for explaining the linear movement of the first lever operator 312A. Although not shown, the second lever operator 312B can perform the same linear movement as the first lever operator 312A.

[0123] The first rod operator 312A may be coupled to the first rod 314A to linearly move in a second direction between the introduction position and the withdrawal position by external pressure (hereinafter referred to as "second external pressure") caused by external forces F3 and F4 applied in a second direction (e.g., the +y-axis direction or the -y-axis direction), wherein the second direction is substantially the same as the first rod 314A. Figure 4AThe third directions of applying the external forces F1 and F2 are shown to be different. In this case, the first lever operator 312A can be coupled to the first lever 314A in a variable fitting manner. Here, "fitting" can refer to press fitting or snap fitting, and "variable fitting" can refer to a coupling method in which the coupling state of the components assembled to each other can be changed.

[0124] like Figure 5A The illustrated introduction position is the position of the first lever operator 312A after the first lever operator 312A is pressed in the +y-axis direction by the second external pressure caused by the external force F3 applied in the +y-axis direction. Figure 5B As shown, the pulled-out position is a position of the first lever operator 312A after the first lever operator 312A is pulled out in the −y-axis direction by the second external pressure caused by the external force F4 applied in the −y-axis direction.

[0125] The first lever operator 312A can be moved from the first lever operator 312A by a second external pressure caused by the external force F3. Figure 5B The lead-out position shown moves straight to Figure 5A Alternatively, the first lever operator 312A may be moved from the position indicated by the second external pressure caused by the external force F4. Figure 5A The introduction position shown moves straight to Figure 5B The withdrawal position shown, in which the direction of the applied external force F4 is opposite to the direction of the applied external force F3.

[0126] Similar to the first lever operator 312A, the second lever operator 312B can also be linearly moved between the introduction position and the withdrawal position.

[0127] When the first lever operator 312A moves in the third direction, the first lever 314A may move in conjunction with it. However, when the first lever operator 312A moves linearly in the second direction, the first lever 314A may remain stationary and not move in conjunction with it. Furthermore, when the second lever operator 312B moves in the third direction, the second lever 314B may move in conjunction with it. However, when the second lever operator 312B moves linearly in the second direction, the second lever 314B may remain stationary and not move in conjunction with it.

[0128] Furthermore, the first and second lever operators 312A and 312B may be mounted to the first and second levers 314A and 314B, respectively, in any of a variety of ways to achieve linear movement.

[0129] Figure 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a first lever operator 312A and a first lever 314A that may be assembled with each other according to an embodiment.

[0130] According to an embodiment, the first lever operator 312A and the first lever 314A may be used Figure 6 To this end, the first tail portion T1 of the first lever operator 312A may include a first surface S1 facing the second head portion HD2 of the first lever 314A, and the second head portion HD2 may include a second surface S2 facing the first surface S1.

[0131] One of the first and second surfaces S1 and S2 may have at least one groove, and the other of the first and second surfaces S1 and S2 may have at least one protrusion having a shape corresponding to that of the at least one groove.

[0132] For example, Figures 5A to 6 As shown, the at least one groove may include a plurality of grooves R1, R2, and R3, and the at least one protrusion may include a plurality of protrusions PT1, PT2, and PT3. For example, the first surface S1 may have a plurality of protrusions PT1 to PT3 formed thereon, and the second surface S2 may have a plurality of grooves R1 to R3 formed therein, the plurality of grooves R1 to R3 having shapes corresponding to the shapes of the plurality of protrusions PT1 to PT3.

[0133] Optionally, according to another embodiment, Figures 5A to 6 Unlike the illustrated configuration, the first surface S1 may have a plurality of grooves formed therein, and the second surface S2 may have a plurality of protrusions PT1 to PT3 formed thereon, the plurality of protrusions PT1 to PT3 having shapes corresponding to those of the plurality of grooves.

[0134] When the first and second rod operators 312A and 312B move linearly in a second direction (e.g., the +y-axis direction or the -y-axis direction), the plurality of grooves R1 to R3 and the plurality of protrusions PT1 to PT3 can be slidably engaged with each other. In this case, the degree of engagement between the first and second rod operators 312A and 312B and the first and second rods 314A and 314B when the first and second rod operators 312A and 312B are in the introduction position can be greater than the degree of engagement between the first and second rod operators 312A and 312B and the first and second rods 314A and 314B when the first and second rod operators 312A and 312B are in the withdrawal position. In other words, the degree of engagement can vary depending on the position of the rod operators 312A and 312B.

[0135] For example, Figure 5A As shown, when the first lever operator 312A is located at the introduction position, all the grooves R1 to R3 can be fitted to all the protrusions PT1 to PT3, respectively. Figure 5BAs shown, when the first rod operator 312A is in the lead-out position, only a portion of the multiple grooves (e.g., R2 and R3) can be respectively assembled to a portion of the multiple protrusions (e.g., PT1 and PT2), and the remaining grooves (e.g., R1) may not be assembled to the remaining protrusions (e.g., PT3).

[0136] Although not shown, the second lever operator 312B may also be configured similarly to Figure 5A and Figure 5B The slide shown is assembled to the second rod 314B.

[0137] Figure 7 and Figure 8 According to the embodiments Figure 2 A perspective view and a plan view of one of the connection terminals 320 are shown.

[0138] The connection terminal 320 may be inserted into a connection terminal insertion hole in the housing 310 and may be connected to a corresponding partition 600. To this end, the housing 310 may include a connection terminal insertion hole formed in a rear surface thereof and communicating with the first slit 318.

[0139] Each connection terminal 320 may include a terminal connection portion 322 and a wire holding portion 324. The terminal connection portion 322 is inserted into the corresponding connection terminal insertion hole to be connected to the corresponding separator 600. The wire holding portion 324 extends from the terminal connection portion 322 and is wound around the wire (electrical wire) to hold the wire (electrical wire).

[0140] The terminal connection portion 322 may include connecting pieces 322a and 322b that elastically expand and contact opposing surfaces 600S1 and 600S2 of the separator 600. The connection points P1 and P2 of the connecting pieces 322a and 322b may be arranged to intersect with each other. Thus, according to an embodiment, since the connection points P1 and P2 of the connecting pieces 322a and 322b intersect with each other, when the separator 600 is inserted into the third slit 322S formed by the two connecting pieces 322a and 322b, the contact force between the separator 600 and the connecting pieces 322a and 322b can be increased, and the separator 600 can be more elastically supported. Therefore, even when the separator 600 is implemented as an ultra-thin film having a thickness of 0.1 mm or less, the connection terminal 320 can be prevented from arbitrarily separating from the separator 600. That is, the force holding the connection terminal 320 to the spacer 600 may be increased, which leads to improved reliability of the product.

[0141] The terminal connection portion 322 of the connection terminal 320 may have a rectangular parallelepiped shape including an opening at a front side thereof, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0142] In addition, the connection terminal 320 may further include a locking protrusion 326. The locking protrusion 326 may have a shape protruding from the bottom surface of the terminal connection part 322 toward the wire holding part 324. The locking protrusion 326 may have a shape bent downward and extending from the bottom surface of the terminal connection part 322.

[0143] In addition, the connection terminal 320 may further include a connection guide portion 328. The connection guide portion 328 may prevent the connection terminal 320 connected to the diaphragm 600 through the case 310 from being separated from the diaphragm 600.

[0144] In addition, the connector 300 may further include a terminal position assurance portion (TPA) 330. The TPA 330 may be detachably assembled to a TPA terminal insertion hole (eg, a terminal insertion hole to be described later) located on the rear surface BS of the housing 310. Figure 9A and Figure 9B 330S1 and 330S2 shown in the figure), and can be pressed through the connection terminal insertion hole (for example, the connection terminal to be described later) located on the rear surface BS of the housing 310 Figure 9A and Figure 9B The TPA 330 is inserted into the housing 310 through the connection terminal 320 (shown as 330T). Specifically, the TPA 330 can increase the insertion force of the connection terminal 320, prevent incorrect assembly by correctly positioning the connection terminal 320, and continuously sense voltage values ​​with high electrical reliability despite the narrow pitch between the spacers 600. To this end, the housing 310 may include a connection terminal insertion hole and a TPA terminal insertion hole formed above the connection terminal insertion hole.

[0145] Reference Figure 4A and Figure 4B The TPA 330 may be disposed between the first and second lever operators 312A and 312B in the third direction and may include fixing pieces 330U and 330D and a third head portion HD3.

[0146] The third head portion HD3 may extend from the fixing pieces 330U and 330D and may be disposed on the rear surface BS of the housing 310 in a state in which the connector 300 is coupled to the fuel cell.

[0147] The fixing pieces 330U and 330D may be coupled to the housing 310 in an insertion manner and may be located inside the housing 310. Figure 2 , the fixing pieces 330U and 330D may include an upper surface fixing piece 330U and a lower surface fixing piece 330D.

[0148] Figure 9A and Figure 9B A configuration of a plurality of connectors 300 - 1 and 300 - 2 according to an embodiment is shown.

[0149] Figure 9A 3 is a diagram showing a separated state of a first connector 300 - 1 and a second connector 300 - 2 adjacent to each other in a first direction, Figure 9B 1 is a diagram illustrating a coupled state of a first connector 300 - 1 and a second connector 300 - 2 adjacent to each other in a first direction.

[0150] Figure 9A and Figure 9B Each of the illustrated first connector 300-1 and second connector 300-2 may correspond to the embodiment of the connector 300 described above. Thus, the 1-1 lever operator 312A-1 and the 1-2 lever operator 312B-1 of the first connector 300-1 may correspond to the embodiments of the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B, respectively, of the connector 300 described above. Furthermore, the 2-1 lever operator 312A-2 and the 2-2 lever operator 312B-2 of the second connector 300-2 may correspond to the embodiments of the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B, respectively, of the connector 300 described above. Furthermore, each of the first housing 310-1 of the first connector 300-1 and the second housing 310-2 of the second connector 300-2 may correspond to the embodiment of the housing 310 of the connector 300 described above.

[0151] also, Figure 9A and Figure 9B Each of the illustrated housing 310 - 1 of the first connector 300 - 1 and the housing 310 - 2 of the second connector 300 - 2 may include first holes 330S 1 and 330S 2 and a second hole 330T formed therein.

[0152] Each of the upper surface fixing piece 330U and the lower surface fixing piece 330D may be inserted into a corresponding one of the two first holes 330S1 and 330S2 corresponding to the TPA terminal insertion hole, and the connection terminal 320 may be inserted into the second hole 330T corresponding to the connection terminal insertion hole.

[0153] In the first and second connectors 300-1 and 300-2 adjacent to each other, the first connector 300-1 may include a first step portion ST1 formed at a side surface thereof, and the second connector 300-2 may include a second step portion ST2 formed at a side surface thereof to match the first step portion ST1.

[0154] According to an embodiment, a first length Z1 from the first step portion ST1 of the first connector 300-1 to the upper edge UE1 in a direction parallel to the third direction (e.g., the +z-axis direction) may be different from a second length Z2 from the second step portion ST2 of the second connector 300-2 to the upper edge UE2 in a direction parallel to the third direction (e.g., the +z-axis direction). For example, the first length Z1 may be greater than the second length Z2.

[0155] In addition, a third length Z3 from the first step portion ST1 of the first connector 300-1 to the lower edge LE1 in a direction parallel to the third direction (e.g., the -z-axis direction) may be different from a fourth length Z4 from the second step portion ST2 of the second connector 300-2 to the lower edge LE2 in a direction parallel to the third direction (e.g., the -z-axis direction). For example, the fourth length Z4 may be greater than the third length Z3.

[0156] Optionally, different from the configuration shown in the drawings, when the first length Z1 is smaller than the second length Z2, the fourth length Z4 may be smaller than the third length Z3.

[0157] As described above, since the first length Z1 and the second length Z2 are different from each other, or the third length Z3 and the fourth length Z4 are different from each other, the problem of the first connector 300-1 and the second connector 300-2 adjacent to each other being incorrectly assembled with each other can be physically prevented.

[0158] In addition, the upper portion of the first connector 300-1 and the lower portion of the second connector 300-2 may have the same color as each other, and the lower portion of the first connector 300-1 and the upper portion of the second connector 300-2 may have the same color as each other. For example, the 1-1 lever operator 312A-1 of the first connector 300-1 and the 2-2 lever operator 312B-2 of the second connector 300-2 may have the same color as each other, and the 1-2 lever operator 312B-1 of the first connector 300-1 and the 2-1 lever operator 312A-2 of the second connector 300-2 may have the same color as each other.

[0159] Therefore, it is possible to visually prevent a problem in which the first connector 300 - 1 and the second connector 300 - 2 adjacent to each other are incorrectly assembled with each other.

[0160] Hereinafter, a process of detachably mounting the connector 300 having the above-described configuration to the fuel cell will be described.

[0161] 10A to 10D is a cross-sectional view for explaining a process in which the connector 300 according to the embodiment is installed in the accommodation space in the fuel cell.

[0162] Reference Figure 10A In order to insert the connector 300 into the accommodation space, the housing 310 is moved toward the accommodation space in the second direction indicated by the arrow AR1.

[0163] Then, refer to Figure 10B To move first latch protrusion 314PA of first lever 314A and second latch protrusion 314PB of second lever 314B from the first position to the second position, first lever operator 312A is pressed in a third direction indicated by arrow AR2 (e.g., the -z-axis direction), and second lever operator 312B is pressed in a third direction indicated by arrow AR3 (e.g., the +z-axis direction). When first latch protrusion 314PA and second latch protrusion 314PB move from the first position to the second position, at least a portion of housing 310 of connector 300 can be accommodated within the accommodation space. Subsequently, when the pressing stops, first lever operator 312A and second lever operator 312B return to their original positions due to their own elasticity.

[0164] Then, refer to Figure 10C After the first latch protrusion 314PA and the second latch protrusion 314PB are caught and fixed by the latch parts 410 and 420, the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B are pressed in the second direction to move from the withdrawn position to the introduced position. Figure 10D As shown, latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are in the first position, and first lever operator 312A and second lever operator 312B are in the introduction position. Specifically, first lever operator 312A is moved from the withdrawal position ① to the introduction position ③ via the intermediate position ② by a second push in the second direction, and second lever operator 312B is moved from the withdrawal position ④ to the introduction position ⑥ via the intermediate position ⑤ by a second push in the second direction, thereby completing the installation of connector 300 on the fuel cell.

[0165] The connector 300 fastened to the separator 600 of the fuel cell may be separated from the fuel cell in a reverse order to the above-described installation order.

[0166] Hereinafter, a configuration according to an embodiment will be described, which is used to enable an operator who installs the connector 300 to a fuel cell to easily determine whether the connector 300 is fully installed to the fuel cell, that is, whether the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are in a state of being caught by the latch parts 410 and 420.

[0167] After the housing 310 is inserted into the accommodation space in the second direction, the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B can be moved from the housing 310 in the second direction. Figure 5B The lead-out position shown moves straight to Figure 5AWhen in the introduced position shown, the operator can determine that the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are captured by the latch members 410 and 420 and that the connector 300 is fully installed to the fuel cell.

[0168] However, after the housing 310 is inserted into the accommodation space in the second direction, when the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B cannot be moved from the housing 310 in the second direction, Figure 5B The lead-out position shown moves straight to Figure 5A When in the illustrated introduced position, the operator can determine that the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are not captured by the latch members 410 and 420 and that the connector 300 has not been installed to the fuel cell.

[0169] The embodiment may be configured such that when the connector 300 has not been mounted to the fuel cell, that is, when the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are not caught by the latch members 410 and 420, the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B cannot be moved in the second direction. Figure 5B The lead-out position shown moves straight to Figure 5A That is, the width of the first head portion HD1 in the third direction and / or the spacing distance between the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 in the third direction may be determined so that whether the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B can move linearly depends on whether the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are completely caught by the latch members 410 and 420. Here, the spacing distance refers to Figure 10A 1 and 2 , when the first and second lever operators 312A and 312B are located at the extended positions, the spacing distance between the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 in the third direction is shown.

[0170] The width of the first head portion HD1 in the third direction and / or the distance between the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 in the third direction can be determined so that when the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are not caught by the latch members 410 and 420, at least a portion of the first head portion HD1 overlaps with the third head portion HD3 in the second direction, thereby preventing the first and second lever operators 312A and 312B from moving linearly from the withdrawn position to the introduced position. For example, the width of the first head portion HD1 in the third direction and / or the distance between the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 in the third direction can be determined so that when the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are not caught by the latch members 410 and 420, as shown in FIG. Figure 4B As shown, the bottom surface 312bs of the first head portion HD1 is in contact with the upper surface H3U of the third head portion HD3.

[0171] In addition, the width of the first head portion HD1 in the third direction and / or the spacing distance between the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 in the third direction can be determined so that the first rod operator 312A located at the lead-out position is restored to its previous position before being pressed in the third direction (for example, the -z-axis direction), and the second rod operator 312B located at the lead-out position is restored to its previous position before being pressed in the third direction (for example, the +z-axis direction), so that when the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are caught by the latch parts 410 and 420, the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 do not overlap in the second direction, so that the first rod operator 312A and the second rod operator 312B can move straightly from the lead-out position to the introduction position. For example, the width of the first head portion HD1 in the third direction and / or the spacing distance between the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 in the third direction can be determined so that when the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB are caught by the latch parts 410 and 420, the bottom surface 312bs of the first head portion HD1 does not contact the upper surface H3U of the third head portion HD3.

[0172] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, Figure 10D As shown, in a state where at least a portion of the shell 310 is inserted into the accommodating space, when the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB located in the first position are caught by the latch parts 410 and 420 and the first rod operator 312A and the second rod operator 312B are located in the introduction position, the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 can be set to be opposite to each other in a third direction on the rear surface BS of the shell 310.

[0173] Reference Figure 10B In one embodiment, when the first lever operator 312A is pressed in a third direction (e.g., the -z-axis direction) to attach or detach the connector 300 to or from the fuel cell, the first lever operator 312A moves a first predetermined distance PDS1 or greater, thereby enabling the latch protrusion 314PA to move from the first position to the second position. Furthermore, in another embodiment, when the second lever operator 312B is pressed in a third direction (e.g., the +z-axis direction) to attach or detach the connector 300 to or from the fuel cell, the second lever operator 312B moves a second predetermined distance PDS2 or greater, thereby enabling the latch protrusion 314PB to move from the first position to the second position. Here, each of the first predetermined distance PDS1 and the second predetermined distance PDS2 is defined as the minimum distance required to move the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B to attach or detach the connector 300 to or from the fuel cell (hereinafter referred to as the "attachment / detachment distance").

[0174] With this configuration, refer to Figure 10D After the connector 300 is mounted on the fuel cell, a first spacing distance DS1 between the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 of the first lever operator 312A, which are opposed to each other, in the third direction can be greater than zero and can be less than a first predetermined distance PDS1, i.e., an installation / removal distance. Furthermore, after the connector 300 is mounted on the fuel cell, a second spacing distance DS2 between the first head portion HD1 and the third head portion HD3 of the second lever operator 312B, which are opposed to each other, in the third direction can be greater than zero and can be less than a second predetermined distance PDS2, i.e., an installation / removal distance.

[0175] In the case where the first separation distance DS1 and the second separation distance DS2 are determined as described above, Figure 10D As shown, after the connector 300 is mounted to the fuel cell, even if at least one of the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB or the latch members 410 and 420 is damaged, the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB can be prevented from being separated from the latch members 410 and 420.

[0176] Hereinafter, a fuel cell according to a comparative example and a connector according to an embodiment will be described.

[0177] Figure 11A and Figure 11B They are respectively a perspective view and a front view of a connector 30 according to a comparative example.

[0178] Figure 11A and Figure 11B The connector 30 shown includes a housing 31 and unlocking lever pressing members 38 and 39. Figure 11A and Figure 11B The illustrated connector 30 , housing 31 , and unlocking lever pressing members 38 and 39 respectively perform the same functions as the connector 300 , housing 310 , and lever operators 312A and 312B according to the embodiment.

[0179] In the comparative example, the third width W3 of each of the unlocking lever pressing parts 38 and 39 in the first direction is smaller than the second width W2 of the connector 30 in the first direction. In particular, in the case where the connector 30 is used to measure the voltage of a battery stack having a narrow pitch, the third width W3 of each of the unlocking lever pressing parts 38 and 39 in the first direction is further reduced. The third width W3 of each of the unlocking lever pressing parts 38 and 39 corresponds to the width of the touch surface touched by the operator. When the third width W3 is reduced, it may be more difficult for the operator to install the connector 30 to the fuel cell or remove the connector 30 from the fuel cell, and the operator's grip may be deteriorated.

[0180] On the other hand, refer to Figure 2 , the connector 300 according to the embodiment can be configured so that the first width W1 of each of the first lever operator 312A and the second lever operator 312B in the first direction is the same as the second width W2 of the connector 300 in the first direction. Therefore, because the touch surface is larger than that of the comparative example, the operator can more easily attach or detach the connector 300 to or from the fuel cell compared to the comparative example, and the operator's grip can be improved. In particular, when it is desired to use the connector 300 to measure the voltage of a cell stack having a narrow pitch, the operator can more easily attach or detach the connector 300 according to the embodiment compared to the comparative example.

[0181] Furthermore, in the case of the connector 30 according to the comparative example having a locking structure that locks to the fuel cell using a lever-type locking member, when the connector 30 is repeatedly attached to and detached from the fuel cell, pressure may be repeatedly applied to the lever-type locking member, thereby damaging or deforming the locking member. Consequently, the connector 30 may become detached from the fuel cell, and contact resistance may increase during evaluation of vehicle vibration.

[0182] On the other hand, as described above, since the connector 300 according to the embodiment is configured so that the first spacing distance DS1 and the second spacing distance DS2 are greater than zero and less than the attachment / detachment distances PDS1 and PDS2, even when at least one of the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB or the latch members 410 and 420 is damaged after the connector 300 is attached to the fuel cell, the latch protrusions 314PA and 314PB can be prevented from being separated from the latch members 410 and 420. Therefore, despite changes in the external environment, such as vehicle vibration, the connector 300 can monitor the battery without being separated from the fuel cell, thereby improving the reliability of the battery monitoring.

[0183] As apparent from the above description, a battery monitoring connector that is removably mounted to a fuel cell according to an embodiment can physically prevent adjacent connectors from being misassembled by making the lengths of adjacent connectors different from each other, and visually prevent adjacent connectors from being misassembled by making the upper portion of one adjacent connector and the lower portion of another adjacent connector have the same color, thereby enabling an operator to easily determine whether the battery monitoring connector is fully mounted to the fuel cell. Furthermore, even if at least one of the latch protrusion or the latch component is damaged after the battery monitoring connector is mounted to the fuel cell, the latch protrusion can be prevented from separating from the latch component. Therefore, despite changes in the external environment, such as vehicle vibration, the battery monitoring connector can monitor the battery without separating from the fuel cell, thereby improving the reliability of battery monitoring. Furthermore, due to the larger touch surface of the lever operator, an operator can more easily mount or remove the battery monitoring connector to or from the fuel cell compared to comparative examples, and the operator's grip can be improved.

[0184] Without departing from the purpose of the present disclosure, the above various embodiments can be combined with each other unless contrary to each other. In addition, for any element not described in detail in any one of the various embodiments, the description of the element with the same reference numeral in another embodiment can be referred to.

[0185] Although the present disclosure has been specifically shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the present disclosure, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the basic features of the embodiments set forth herein. For example, the various configurations set forth in the embodiments may be modified and applied. Furthermore, differences in such modifications and applications should be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A battery monitoring connector detachably mounted to a fuel cell, the fuel cell comprising a plurality of separators and a plurality of latching members, the separators being spaced apart from each other in a first direction, each separator including a receiving groove formed therein, each latching member being disposed around the receiving groove, the battery monitoring connector comprising: a housing, at least a portion of which is inserted into an accommodation space defined by the accommodation groove formed in each of the partitions in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a pair of lever operators that are movable in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction by a first external pressure; as well as A plurality of rods are respectively connected to a pair of rod operators inside the housing, wherein the plurality of levers include a plurality of latch protrusions, the latch protrusions being linked to the movement of the lever operator, the latch protrusions being movable between a first position protruding from the outer surface of the housing in the third direction and a second position in which the latch protrusions do not protrude from the outer surface of the housing, thereby being caught by or disengaged from the latch component, In a state where the plurality of latch protrusions are not caught by the plurality of latch members, the first head portion has a width in the third direction so as to overlap with at least a portion of the third head portion in the second direction.

2. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 1, further comprising: a first connector and a second connector, adjacent to each other in the first direction, wherein the first connector includes a first step portion formed on a side surface of the first connector, and The second connector includes a second step portion formed at a side surface of the second connector to mate with the first step portion.

3. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 2, wherein: A length from a first step portion to an upper edge or a lower edge of the first connector in a direction parallel to the third direction is different from a length from a second step portion to an upper edge or a lower edge of the second connector in a direction parallel to the third direction.

4. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 1, further comprising: A damage prevention member protrudes from a front end of the housing in a direction opposite to a direction of the first external pressure applied to each of the pair of lever operators.

5. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of partitions is fitted into at least one slit between the plurality of latch protrusions spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the first direction.

6. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 5, wherein: The plurality of rods are made of insulating material.

7. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 5, wherein: The at least one slit comprises a plurality of slits, The plurality of latch protrusions have the same thickness in the first direction, and The plurality of slits have the same width in the first direction.

8. A battery monitoring connector detachably mounted to a fuel cell, the fuel cell comprising a plurality of separators and a plurality of latching members, the separators being spaced apart from each other in a first direction, each separator including a receiving groove formed therein, each latching member being disposed around the receiving groove, the battery monitoring connector comprising: a housing, at least a portion of which is inserted into an accommodation space defined by the accommodation groove formed in each of the partitions in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a pair of lever operators that are movable in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction by a first external pressure; as well as A plurality of rods are respectively connected to a pair of rod operators inside the housing, Each of the pair of rod operators includes: a first head portion subjected to the first external pressure; and a first tail portion extending from the first head portion to be connected to the plurality of rods, The plurality of levers include a plurality of latch protrusions that are linked to movement of the lever operator, the latch protrusions moving between a first position in which the latch protrudes from the outer surface of the housing in the third direction and a second position in which the latch protrusions do not protrude from the outer surface of the housing, thereby being caught by or disengaged from the latch component, and The plurality of rods include: a plurality of second head portions connected to the first tail portions; and a plurality of second tail portions respectively extending from the plurality of second head portions, each second tail portion being provided with a corresponding one of the latch protrusions. In a state where the plurality of latch protrusions are not caught by the plurality of latch members, the first head portion has a width in the third direction so as to overlap with at least a portion of the third head portion in the second direction.

9. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 8, wherein: A first width of the first header portion in the first direction is the same as a second width of the battery monitoring connector in the first direction.

10. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 8, wherein: Each of the rod operators is linearly moved in the second direction between an introduction position and an extraction position by a second external pressure different from the first external pressure, and is coupled to the plurality of rods.

11. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 10, wherein: The first tail portion includes a first surface facing the plurality of second head portions, each of the plurality of second head portions includes a second surface facing the first surface, One of the first surface and the second surface has a groove, and the other of the first surface and the second surface has a protrusion having a shape corresponding to that of the groove, and When each of the lever operators moves linearly, the groove and the protrusion are coupled to each other in a sliding manner.

12. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 11, wherein: The groove is one of a plurality of grooves, and the protrusion is one of a plurality of protrusions. When each of the lever operators is located at the introduction position, all of the plurality of grooves are coupled to all of the plurality of protrusions, and When each of the lever operators is located at the withdrawn position, a portion of the plurality of grooves is coupled to a portion of the plurality of protrusions.

13. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 10, wherein: When the housing is inserted into the accommodation space in the second direction and the plurality of latch protrusions are caught by the plurality of latch members at the first position, each of the lever operators moves linearly from the withdrawn position to the introduced position in the second direction.

14. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 10, wherein: The receiving groove includes: a bottom surface facing the housing to be accommodated in the accommodation groove; and a side surface extending from the bottom surface in a direction parallel to the second direction to define the accommodation groove together with the bottom surface, The housing comprises: a front surface facing the bottom surface; a rear surface formed opposite to the front surface; and an upper surface and a lower surface formed opposite to each other in the third direction between the front surface and the rear surface, An outer surface of the housing corresponds to at least one of the upper surface and the lower surface.

15. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 14, further comprising: The terminal position assurance portion, i.e., TPA, is provided between a pair of said lever operators, The TPA includes: a fixing plate connected to the housing; and The third head portion extends from the fixing plate and is provided on the rear surface of the housing.

16. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 15, wherein: The pair of lever operators has elasticity, and when the first external pressure is not applied to the pair of lever operators, the pair of lever operators restore in a direction opposite to the third direction.

17. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 15, wherein: In a state where at least a portion of the housing is inserted into the accommodation space, the plurality of latch protrusions located at the first position are caught by the plurality of latch members, and When the pair of lever operators are located at the introduction positions, the first head portion and the third head portion are disposed opposite to each other in the third direction on the rear surface of the housing.

18. The battery monitoring connector according to claim 17, wherein: When the first head portion and the third head portion are opposed to each other, a spacing distance between the first head portion and the third head portion in the third direction is greater than zero and smaller than a mounting / detachment distance.

19. A device comprising: fuel cells; as well as a battery monitoring connector, removably mounted to the fuel cell, The fuel cell comprises: a plurality of partitions disposed spaced apart from each other in a first direction, each of the partitions comprising a receiving groove formed therein; and a plurality of latch components, each of the latch components being arranged around the receiving groove, The battery monitoring connector includes: a housing, at least a portion of which is inserted into an accommodation space defined by the accommodation groove formed in each of the partitions in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a pair of lever operators that are moved in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction by a first external pressure; and A plurality of rods are respectively connected to a pair of rod operators inside the housing, The plurality of levers include a plurality of latch protrusions that are linked to the movement of the lever operator, the latch protrusions moving between a first position protruding from the outer surface of the housing in the third direction and a second position in which the latch protrusions do not protrude from the outer surface of the housing, thereby being caught by or disengaged from the latch component, In a state where the plurality of latch protrusions are not caught by the plurality of latch members, the first head portion has a width in the third direction so as to overlap with at least a portion of the third head portion in the second direction.

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