Assembly and method for automatically detecting electrical hazards prior to assembly work on a high-voltage battery of the storage battery type

Abstract

The invention relates to a component for automatically detecting electrical hazards before carrying out assembly work on a high-voltage battery, wherein the high-voltage battery (1) has at least one conductive battery housing part (1.1) and can be lifted from an apparatus (2) by means of a lifting device (3) and can be conveyed to a manual assembly station. According to the invention, the component is associated with a measuring device (31), by means of which a potential difference between the battery housing part (1.1) and the potential (P1W, P2W, PnW) of a worker (W) during the assembly work can be determined.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement according to the invention for automatically detecting electrical hazards at a high-voltage battery and to a method according to the invention for hazard recognition. Background Art

[0002] High-voltage batteries of the accumulator type are usually manufactured by assembly with the aid of automatic production lines and are widely used as energy storage devices in many technical fields. In particular, high-voltage batteries of the above type are implemented as energy storage devices as rechargeable traction batteries for electric vehicles or partially electrically operated hybrid vehicles. This type of high-voltage battery is usually composed of a plurality of battery cells, wherein each cell has an anode and a cathode, at which electrochemical processes take place during charging or discharging. The two electrodes have contacts to which a voltage can be applied (charging) or at which a voltage can be taken (discharging). In order to cause charging or discharging, an electrolyte is necessary, which acts as an ion conductor and closes the current loop between the anode and the cathode. The separator prevents direct contact between the electrodes and thus prevents short circuits. The electrolyte is a solution of a conductive salt in a solvent or an ionic liquid.

[0003] As mentioned, assembled traction batteries consist of a plurality of battery cells. These battery cells are each surrounded by a casing in an airtight and liquidtight manner, with only the contacts leading outward. The casing is necessary in order to separate the cells from one another and, due to the common use of liquid or pasty electrolytes, to prevent leakage of the electrolyte. During assembly, the high-voltage battery is produced by connecting the battery cells described above in series, wherein the cells are mechanically fastened in a closed housing. The housing is usually also designed to be airtight and liquidtight and has only electrical contacts leading outward for charging or discharging and for control purposes. For reasons of stability, the housing is at least partially made of metal and is therefore conductive.

[0004] Due to the system, the battery cells are already loaded during the assembly process, so that during the largely automated assembly process, when assembling the high-voltage battery, potential electrical hazards may occur to workers when they are working on or in the vicinity of the high-voltage battery. In this regard, it should be ensured in particular that conductive housing parts that normally do not carry voltage due to assembly errors or defective components are not subjected to voltage. In such a case, workers may be exposed to electrical hazards when they are working on or in the vicinity of the high-voltage battery.

[0005] There is an electrical hazard when working on high-voltage systems if voltages between active components of 60 V DC or 30 V AC are present and the short-circuit current at the working point exceeds a value of 3 mA AC or 12 mA DC or an energy of more than 350 mJ.

[0006] Since an error-free assembly process cannot be guaranteed in practice, manual measurements between the conductive housing parts of the high-voltage battery and the potential that the worker has or can have when working on the assembly have been performed to eliminate this risk. However, such manual measurements are time-consuming and unreliable, since errors cannot be excluded during the manual measurement process.

[0007] A component for operating a conventional vehicle battery is known from FR 2858799, wherein the component is used to assemble the battery in a vehicle. In order to ensure that the battery has a minimum load sufficient for the operation of the vehicle, a measuring device with two measuring touchers (Messfuehler) is integrated into the component. Here, the measuring touchers are elastically constructed and arranged so that these measuring touchers are pressed onto the poles of the battery when the operating component is lowered and thus establish electrical contact with these poles. The measuring touchers are part of a measuring device for measuring the battery load. A signal is sent to the worker operating the operating component according to the result of the measurement so that the worker can interrupt the assembly process when the load is insufficient.

[0008] The above-mentioned solution proposal is considered for monitoring the assembly process of the battery in the vehicle in order to ensure that the assembled battery is sufficiently loaded. In order to ensure that the housing of the high-voltage battery is de-energized during the assembly process, the operating assembly or the measuring method specified by the application of the operating assembly is not suitable. Summary of the invention

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement and a method by means of which electrical hazards can be detected before installation work, in particular on a high-voltage battery of the rechargeable type.

[0010] This object is achieved by the features according to the invention.

[0011] For a better understanding of the following embodiments, it should be pointed out in advance that the components in question are components consisting of mechanical and electronic components, such as are used, for example, in production or in maintenance. Such components usually include a computer-aided control system, which processes control instructions stored in a memory by means of a processor. In particular, the control devices mentioned below and the control processes and evaluation devices implemented by them are control instructions that are summarized into command routines (Befehlsroutine), which control instructions (processed by one or more processors) implement the control objectives associated with the control instructions by means of input devices or output devices, sensors, actuators and transmission devices that are effectively connected to the processor. The control devices and evaluation devices mentioned below are not separable hardware units in normal circumstances, but only exist virtually and temporarily in the framework of the computer-aided control system.

[0012] An arrangement for automatically detecting electrical hazards before assembly work on a high-voltage battery, in particular of the rechargeable type, starts with a lifting device, by means of which the high-voltage battery having at least one conductive housing part can be lifted from the device and conveyed to a manual assembly station.

[0013] According to the invention, it is proposed that the lifting device has at least one measuring spindle, which is connected to the measuring device, and the lifting device is further configured such that the at least one measuring spindle is automatically electrically connected to at least one conductive housing part when the high-voltage battery is lifted from the device. It is further proposed that a control device is provided, which is operatively connected to the measuring device and the evaluation device, wherein the control device is configured such that the control device directly or indirectly determines the potential difference between at least one housing part and at least one potential that a worker has or may have during assembly work by means of the measuring device and the at least one measuring spindle connected to the measuring device during at least one measuring process, and compares it with a preset value by means of the evaluation device. It is further proposed that the control device has an operative connection to at least one peripheral device and is configured such that the control device prevents access to a hazardous area resulting from a potential electrical hazard by correspondingly actuating at least one peripheral device when a preset value is exceeded, and allows access to a hazardous area resulting from a potential electrical hazard by correspondingly actuating the peripheral device when a preset value is exceeded.

[0014] The arrangement according to the invention advantageously achieves that the absence of an electrical hazard is automatically ensured before a worker can enter a hazardous area potentially caused by an electrical hazard. In the event of an electrical hazard, the worker can be prohibited from entering the hazardous area.

[0015] In a further development of the assembly, it is provided that the lifting device has a plurality of measuring spindles, which are automatically electrically connected to at least one conductive housing part when raised, wherein the plurality of measuring spindles are used to determine a potential difference or a measured value equivalent to the potential difference by means of a plurality of independent measuring processes. This measure advantageously achieves that, on the one hand, the measurement result can be guaranteed by the multiple measurements. On the other hand, for the case where different housing parts, which are electrically isolated, for example due to assembly errors, and thus may have different potentials, are advantageously detected together by a plurality of measuring processes. In such a case, the measuring process will also be carried out between two measuring spindles in each case, so that the detection of electrical hazards due to a potential difference between two electrically isolated housing parts can be reliably excluded in an advantageous manner.

[0016] In a further advantageous embodiment of the assembly according to the invention, the control device can be designed in such a way that, for checking the measuring device, it arranges a test measurement process before and / or after the actual measurement process, the results of which for a correctly functioning measuring device are stored in the form of a permissible value range. In this case as well, the control device arranges a comparison of the measurement result with the permissible value range by means of the evaluation device and, in the event of a discrepancy between the measured value and the value of the permissible value range, prevents the entry into the danger zone given by the electrical hazard by means of the control device. If a measurement for determining the potential difference has already been carried out at this point in time, the control device rejects this measurement, and if this determination has not been carried out, the control device does not carry out this determination.

[0017] A preferred embodiment advantageously provides that at least one measuring spindle has a measuring tip which is spring-loaded relative to the measuring point. Such a measuring spindle can be advantageously designed in such a way that the measuring tip is guided in a linear guide, wherein the linear guide is held in the housing and the measuring tip is electrically insulated from the outside of the housing by an insulating intermediate layer and projects out of the housing with its tip. In a measuring spindle designed in this way, it is provided that the measuring tip is connected at its end facing away from the tip to a measuring line which itself is led out of the housing.

[0018] In order to ensure that the measuring tip rests securely at the measuring position, it is advantageous if the measuring tip is preloaded relative to the housing by means of a spring in the direction of its tip protruding from the housing, and the housing has a first resting portion, against which the measuring tip under the action of the spring rests in a stationary state by means of a second resting portion arranged thereon.

[0019] For using the assembly according to the invention, a method sequence is provided which advantageously comprises the following features:

[0020] When the high-voltage battery is lifted from the device, the control device arranges the measuring process so that the measuring device directly or indirectly determines the potential difference or a related measured value between at least one measuring spindle arranged on the lifting device and conductively resting on at least one housing part and the potential that the worker has or can have during the assembly work. The control device then compares the determined potential difference or a measured value equivalent to the potential difference with a stored preset value by means of an evaluation device. In the case of exceeding the preset value, the control device prevents entry into the danger zone resulting from the electrical hazard by correspondingly controlling peripheral devices for emitting acoustic signals and / or for emitting optical signals and / or for mechanical barriers. In the case of falling below the preset value, the control device enables entry into the danger zone resulting from the electrical hazard by controlling peripheral devices for emitting acoustic signals and / or for emitting optical signals and / or for mechanical barriers.

[0021] An advantageous improvement of the method can be arranged to extend the method so that the measuring device is subjected to a test before and / or after the actual measuring process. For this purpose, the control device performs a test measuring process before and / or after the actual measuring process in order to check the measuring device. For this purpose, it can be advantageously arranged that the control device connects the measuring device to a test current loop and determines the measured value in this way. The control device then performs a comparison of the measured value with a stored preset value or value range by means of an evaluation device, wherein the stored value or value range represents a correctly functioning measuring device. In the case where the measurement result is inconsistent with the value of the value or value range, the control device prevents entering the hazardous area resulting from the electrical hazard by manipulating the peripheral device for emitting an acoustic signal and / or for emitting an optical signal and / or for mechanical isolation. If a measurement for determining the potential difference has been performed at this point in time, the control device rejects the measurement result.

[0022] In the case of this method, it can be advantageously provided that the measuring process consists of a plurality of individual measurements and that the individual measurements are carried out one after the other under control of the control device. In this case, the control device can advantageously control the measuring device in such a way that each measurement is carried out with a different measuring spindle. Furthermore, a measuring process can be provided between the measuring spindles in order to detect potential differences between electrically isolated housing parts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The following further describes other designs and advantages of the present invention in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a component for automatically determining an electrical hazard at a high-voltage battery of the storage battery type is shown,

[0025] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the method flow is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In accordance with Figure 1 In the illustration, an example of a component for automatically determining electrical hazards in a high-voltage battery of the battery type is shown in a simplified schematic diagram, which is integrated into a flow production facility and in which an at least partially assembled high-voltage battery 1 is raised from a device 2 by means of a lifting device 3 in order to transport it to a manual processing table (not shown).

[0027] Flow production facilities (including Figure 1 4 (only the relevant parts are shown here) is controlled by a computer-based control system 4, which virtually and temporarily constructs a control device 30 for different control purposes by means of command routines provided in the control system 4, by having these command routines processed by means of one or more processors (not shown), and wherein the data from the input means 5 and the sensors 6 are incorporated into the processing, and wherein via the output means 7 by means of actuators 7.n act on parts of the flow production facility and peripheral devices 7.1, 7.2, 7.3. Since the control system 4 is also used for purposes other than those observed here, it is shown in the figure with dot-dash lines.

[0028] according to Figure 1 The illustration in FIG. 1 shows a lifting device 3, which includes a lifting platform 8, which is raised in the direction of the high-voltage battery 1 in the device 2 by means of an output device 7 controlled by a control system 4 by controlling an actuator 7.n (which acts on the lifting platform 8), as indicated by a directional arrow 9. The output device 7 is only symbolically represented as a functional block in the illustration, and its specific design is not important here. A storage buffer 10 is arranged on the lifting platform 8 facing the high-voltage battery held in the device 2, which protects the high-voltage battery 1 in the storage state from damage and is insulated relative to the lifting platform 8 if necessary. In addition, the lifting platform 8 has a recess 11, in which a measuring spindle M1 is arranged. In the same way, other measuring spindles M2 to Mn can also be arranged on the lifting platform 8. This is not shown in detail in the illustration, but only represented by a measuring line 12 drawn in dashed lines. The fixing and construction of the other measuring spindles M2 to Mn are the same as the measuring spindle M1, so that a more detailed description is omitted for this purpose.

[0029] exist Figure 1The measuring spindle M1 shown in the figure is shown in a sectioned manner, as is the lifting platform 8. The sectioning plane extends through the measuring spindle M1 in the middle in the longitudinal direction. As can be seen from the figure, the measuring spindle M1 has a housing 13, which is constructed in the form of a bushing and is composed of an insulating material. A fixing projection 14 is arranged at the periphery of the housing 13, which has a through hole 15, through which the housing 13 is fixed to the lifting platform 8 by means of a bolt 16 and a threaded hole 17 correspondingly arranged in the lifting platform 8. A necking portion 18 is provided in the interior of the housing 13, which is constructed around the boss and divides the housing 13 into two halves.

[0030] In the upper half of the housing 13 shown in the figure, the guide bushing 19 is arranged substantially without play and supported in the axial direction on the constriction 18. At the end facing away from the constriction 18, the guide bushing 19 is fastened in the housing 13 by means of a circumferential groove 20 arranged on the inner circumference of the housing 13 and an inner securing ring 21 arranged therein, so that the guide bushing 19 is fixed in the axial direction. The guide bushing 19 is penetrated in its longitudinal direction by a conductive measuring tip 22 to be guided linearly with little radial play, wherein the measuring tip 22 projects out of the housing 13 in the direction of the upper edge 23 of the storage buffer 10 and extends beyond the upper edge 23 by a distance D.

[0031] The measuring tip 22 is also designed in such a way that it extends through the constriction 18 into the part of the housing 13 facing away from the guide bushing 19. A stop 24 designed as a circumferential boss is arranged on the periphery of the measuring tip 22, which in the rest position rests against the constriction 18 with its side facing the constriction 18 under load. This load is achieved by a preloaded helical compression spring 25, which acts on the other side of the stop 24. The helical compression spring 25 is arranged on the measuring tip 22 with its coils surrounding it and rests against the stop 24. At the end of the helical compression spring facing away from the stop 24, the helical compression spring 25 protrudes beyond the end of the measuring tip 22 facing away from the stop 24 by a stroke D+X and is supported against a screw-on closure 26, which closes the housing 13 with respect to the end facing away from the lifting table 8.

[0032] Here, the travel section D+X represents the travel into which the measuring tip 22 can be retracted at most when an axially directed pressure is applied to the measuring tip from the end of the measuring tip extending through the lifting platform 8. Here, the travel section D is the spring travel that occurs during normal operation and the travel section X is the safety reserve. A measuring line 29 is fixed in the screw closure 26 and is electrically conductively connected to a contact spring element 27 arranged in the screw closure 26. The contact spring element 27 establishes an electrical contact with respect to the measuring tip 22 and can be retracted with a spring travel that corresponds to the free travel D+X of the measuring tip 22, as indicated by the movement arrow 28.

[0033] Unlike the example shown, there is of course the possibility of configuring the helical compression spring 25 itself as a contact spring element, so that the contact spring element 27 shown in this example can be omitted. There is also the possibility of configuring the contact spring element as a loose, movable line reserve of the measuring line 29 and connecting it directly to the measuring tip in an electrically conductive manner.

[0034] The measuring line 29 leads to a measuring device 31, which comprises a control-side part 31.1 and an instrument-related part 31.2, the latter being the actual measuring circuit. Figure 1 In the figure, the relevant instrument part 31.2 implemented as hardware is outside the control device 30 and is shown outside the control system 4 in order to make this clear. The control-side part 31.1 of the measuring device 31 is part of the control device 30, which is virtually and temporarily configured by the control system 4 in the sense described above. The control device 30 contains a virtually and temporarily configured evaluation device 32.

[0035] As explained above, it should be determined during the lifting process, i.e. before the worker W approaches the high-voltage battery, whether there is an electrical hazard for the worker W when he is working at the high-voltage battery. For this purpose, the lifting platform 8 is moved in the direction of the direction arrow 9 to the high-voltage battery 1 held in the device 2 by correspondingly actuating the output means 7 and the actuator 7.n operatively connected thereto, so that on the one hand the measuring tip 22 contacts the housing of the high-voltage battery 1 at the measuring position 33 and is pushed into the housing 13 of the measuring spindle M1 against the force of the helical compression spring 25. When the high-voltage battery 1 is located on the storage buffer 10, the measuring tip 22 is in contact with the measuring position 33 associated with the conductive housing part 1.1 under the force of the helical compression spring 25. The holding device (not shown) of the device 2 is then released, so that there is no longer any contact between the device 2 and the high-voltage battery 1. The lifting platform 8 can now be brought to another position. After the high-voltage battery 1 is released from the device 2, it is checked whether the high-voltage battery 1 is potentially hazardous. For this purpose, the control device 30 arranges the measuring process when the high-voltage battery 1 is lifted from the device 2, so that the measuring device 31 directly or indirectly determines the potential difference between the measuring tip 22 of the measuring mandrel M1, which is arranged on the lifting table 8 and is in conductive contact with at least one conductive housing part 1.1, and the potential P1W or a corresponding measured value. In this case, the potential P1W is the potential that the worker W has or can have during the assembly work. For this purpose, the control device 30 compares the determined potential difference between the measuring tip 22 and the potential P1W or the corresponding measured value with a stored preset value by means of the evaluation device 32.

[0036] In the event that the measured value exceeds the stored preset value, the control device 30 controls the output device 7 so that it acts on the peripheral devices 7.1, 7.2, 7.3. These peripheral devices 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 are an acoustic warning device 7.1, an optical warning device 7.2 and a mechanical barrier 7.3, so that walking into the danger zone resulting from the electrical hazard is prevented by emitting an acoustic signal (for example in the form of a warning sound), by emitting an optical signal (for example in the form of a light signal) and by keeping the mechanical barrier 7.3 closed. In the event that the measured value is below the stored preset value, the control of the peripheral devices 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 is stopped and when the lifting device reaches its final position, the control system 4 then opens the access of the worker W to the high-voltage battery by correspondingly controlling the mechanical barrier 7.3.

[0037] As already indicated above, a plurality of measuring spindles M1, M2, Mn can be provided, for example when there may be a plurality of conductive housing areas which are connected in a non-conductive manner due to defective assembly. In such a case, the control device 30 determines the potential difference between all measuring spindles M1, M2, Mn and between all measuring spindles M1, M2, Mn and the potential P1W which the worker W has or may have, and compares this potential with a stored value. This is done in the case of a measured value which exceeds or falls below a stored value, as described in detail above. To avoid repetitions, reference is made to the paragraph above. If the worker W may have a plurality of different potentials, as in Figure 1 As indicated by the potentials P1W, P2W, PnW in FIG. 1 , the procedure described above should be performed for all potentials P1W, P2W, PnW. To avoid repetitions, reference is also made to the above embodiments.

[0038] In order to increase the reliability of the assembly for automatically determining electrical hazards before assembly work on the high-voltage battery, it can be provided that a test measurement is provided before determining the potential difference. For this purpose, the evaluation device 32 is designed so that the results for a correctly functioning measuring device 31 are stored in the evaluation device 32 in the form of a permissible value range and the evaluation device 32 compares the measurement result with the permissible value range. The control device 30 itself is designed so that, in the event that the measured value does not correspond to the value of the value range, the control device prevents entry into the danger zone resulting from the potential electrical hazard by correspondingly actuating the output device 7 and correspondingly actuating the peripheral devices 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 via the output device, and does not perform a measurement for determining the potential difference.

[0039] Of course, there is also the possibility of postponing the determination of the potential difference with a test measurement. If the potential difference has already been determined and the test measurement is placed afterwards, the control device rejects the determined potential difference.

[0040] The test measurement process can be constructed in various ways. In the simplest case, the resistance between two measuring spindles (for example, measuring spindle M1 and measuring spindle M2) is determined, and when both are placed against the same conductive housing part 1.1, the housing part short-circuits the measuring spindles M1, M2. If a short circuit is measured between the measuring spindle M1 and the measuring spindle M2, the measuring assembly is normal, and if a resistance value other than a short circuit is measured, the measuring assembly is abnormal. Of course, there is the possibility of setting up even more complex test measurements. The corresponding operating method is known to the measurement technician, so that a detailed description is omitted for this purpose.

[0041] In order to clarify the technical operation of the method, Figure 2, a schematic diagram for an exemplary method sequence is shown in the form of a flow chart. The method steps carried out in the context of this observation are discussed below, without taking into account preceding and subsequent method steps. The individual method steps are identified by the letter "S" and the number that follows. It is assumed here that two measuring spindles are used, namely measuring spindles M1 ( Figure 1 ) and the measuring mandrel M2 of the same construction (in Figure 1 Since the measuring mandrels M1 and M2 are identical in design, identical components of the two measuring mandrels M1 and M2 are given the same reference numerals below. It is also assumed that the measuring tip 22 of the measuring mandrels M1 and M2 should be raised when the high-voltage battery 1 ( Figure 1 ) at the same conductive housing part 1.1 against the respectively associated measuring point 33. In the following, reference is made to the corresponding terms and reference numerals. Figure 1 and description of belonging, without specifically mentioning this.

[0042] Method steps:

[0043] S1: The control system 4 checks whether the device 2 with the high-voltage battery 1 is in the correct position on the lifting device 3. This can be achieved by means of mechanical end switches or position control devices that work according to other physical principles (for example optical position control devices). Such position control devices are known, so that a more detailed description is omitted for this purpose. If the correct position is reached, the method continues with step S2.

[0044] S2: The control system 4 moves the lifting platform 8 closer to the high-voltage battery 1 by controlling the corresponding actuators 7 .n.

[0045] S3: The control system 4 controls the arrival of the final position, for example, by cyclically querying the final position control device (eg, end switch). If the final position is not reached, the control system 4 continues with step S2, and if the final position is reached, the control system 4 continues with step S4.

[0046] S4: When the end position is reached, the measuring tips 22 of the two measuring spindles M1 and M2 are in contact with their associated measuring locations 33, which, as mentioned above, are located on the same conductive housing part 1.1. The control system 4 now performs a test measurement in order to determine whether the measuring assembly is normal in its entirety. To this end, the control system 4 initiates the application of a measuring voltage to the measuring tips 22 of the measuring spindles M1, M2 and arranges a resistance measurement.

[0047] S5: The control system 4 compares the measured value with a value range predefined in the control system 4. If the resistance is within the preset value range, the control system 4 continues with method step S6. If the resistance is not within the preset range, the control system 4 activates a first alarm mode S5.1.

[0048] S5.1: The control system 4 makes the presence of the defect visible to the personnel, for example by emitting an acoustically and / or visually and / or haptically perceptible signal, and ends the control sequence.

[0049] S6: The control system 4 starts the measuring process, such that a voltage measurement is carried out between a respective one of the measuring spindles M1, M2 and the potential P1W that the worker W has or can have.

[0050] S7: The control system 4 compares the measured value with a value range predefined in the control system 4. If the voltage value is within the predefined value range, the control system 4 continues with method step S8. If the voltage value is not within the predefined range, the control system 4 activates a second alarm mode S7.1.

[0051] S7.1: The control system 4 makes the presence of the defect apparent to the personnel, for example by emitting an acoustically and / or visually and / or haptically perceptible signal.

[0052] S7.2: The control system 4 initiates measures for post-processing the high-voltage battery and ends the control sequence.

[0053] S8: The control system 4 opens access to the high-voltage battery by unlocking the mechanical partition 7.3 and ends the control process.

[0054] As already explained at the outset, the above-described assembly and the above-described method can be used not only in production but also in the field of maintenance. In this case, the assembly for automatically determining electrical hazards is not integrated into the production facility but is independent. Otherwise, the method of operation does not change in terms of structure and method technology. The use in maintenance is particularly advantageous in conjunction with the removal of the high-voltage battery from the vehicle.

[0055] Reference numerals list

[0056] 1 High voltage battery

[0057] 1.1 Conductive housing parts

[0058] 2 Devices

[0059] 3 Lifting device

[0060] 4. Control System

[0061] 5 Input devices

[0062] 6 Sensors

[0063] 7 output devices

[0064] 7.1 Acoustic alarm equipment

[0065] 7.2 Optical warning devices

[0066] 7.3 Mechanical partitions

[0067] 7.n Actuator

[0068] 8 Lifting table

[0069] 9 direction arrows

[0070] 10 Storage buffer

[0071] 11 Recess

[0072] 12 Measurement circuits

[0073] 13 (Measuring spindle M1) housing

[0074] 14Fixing protrusion

[0075] 15 through holes

[0076] 16 bolts

[0077] 17 threaded holes

[0078] 18 Neck constriction

[0079] 19 Guide Bushing

[0080] 20 surround slots

[0081] 21 Inner safety ring

[0082] 22Measurement top

[0083] 23 Upper edge (of storage buffer 10)

[0084] 24 stopper

[0085] 25 Helical compression spring

[0086] 26 screw closure

[0087] 27 Contact spring element

[0088] 28 motion arrows

[0089] 29 Measurement lines

[0090] 30 Control devices

[0091] 31. Measuring equipment

[0092] 31.1 Control-side part (of measuring device 31)

[0093] 31.2 (Measuring equipment 31) Part concerning instruments

[0094] 32 Evaluation equipment

[0095] 33 Measurement location

[0096] M1, M2, Mn measuring mandrel

[0097] P1W, P2W, PnW (potentials that worker W may have)

[0098] WWorker

[0099] S1 to S8 control steps.

Claims

1. A component for automatically detecting electrical hazards before performing assembly work at a high voltage battery, wherein: The high-voltage battery (1) has at least one conductive battery housing part (1.1) and can be lifted from the device (2) by means of a lifting device (3) and can be transported to a manual assembly station, characterized in that the component is associated with a measuring device (31), by means of which a potential difference between the battery housing part (1.1) and the potential (P1W, P2W, PnW) of the worker (W) during the assembly work can be determined, wherein the measuring device (31) has at least one measuring spindle (M1, M2, Mn), which is a component of the lifting device (3) and the measuring spindle (M1, M2, Mn) is operatively connected to the measuring device (31).

2. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting device (3) is designed in such a way that the measuring spindle (M1, M2, Mn) is automatically electrically connected to the battery housing part (1.1) at the measuring point (33) when the high-voltage battery (1) is lifted out of the device (2), - a control device (30) is provided, which is operatively connected to the measuring device (31) and the evaluation device (32), the control device (30) is designed in such a way that it determines, during a measurement process, directly or indirectly, a potential difference between the battery housing part (1.1) and the potential (P1W, P2W, PnW) of the worker (W) during the assembly work by means of the measuring device (31) and the measuring spindle (M1, M2, Mn), and compares the potential difference with a preset value by means of the evaluation device (32), - The control device (30) is effectively connected to at least one peripheral device (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) and is constructed in such a way that when the preset value is exceeded, the control device prevents entry into a hazardous area resulting from a potential electrical hazard by correspondingly controlling the at least one peripheral device (7.1, 7.2, 7.3), and when the preset value is lower than the preset value, the control device allows entry into the hazardous area resulting from a potential electrical hazard by correspondingly controlling the peripheral device (7.1, 7.2, 7.3).

3. The assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that The lifting device (3) has a plurality of measuring spindles (M1, M2, Mn), which are automatically electrically connected to the at least one conductive housing part (1.1) during the lifting process and are used to determine potential differences by means of a plurality of independent measuring processes.

4. The assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the control device (30) is designed in such a way that it arranges a test measurement process before and / or after the actual measurement process for checking the measuring device (31), the evaluation device (32) is designed in such a way that the measurement results for a correctly functioning measuring device (31) are stored in the evaluation device in the form of a permissible value range and the evaluation device (32) compares the measurement results with the permissible value range, The control device (30) is designed in such a way that, if the measured value does not correspond to a value of the value range, it prevents entry into the danger zone resulting from the potential electrical hazard by correspondingly actuating the peripheral devices (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) and rejects or does not carry out a measurement for determining the potential difference.

5. The assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that The measuring spindle (M1, M2, Mn) has a measuring tip (22) which is spring-loaded relative to the measuring point (33) and / or the measuring tip (22) is guided in a linear guide, wherein the linear guide is held in a housing (13) and the measuring tip (22) is electrically insulated relative to the outside of the housing by an insulating intermediate layer, protrudes from the housing (13) with its tip and is connected at its end facing away from the tip to a measuring line (29), which itself is led out of the housing (13).

6. The assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that The measuring tip (22) is prestressed relative to the housing (13) by means of a spring in the direction of its tip protruding from the housing (13), and the housing (13) has a first abutment portion, against which the measuring tip (22) under the action of the spring abuts in a stationary state by means of a second abutment portion arranged at the measuring tip.

7. The assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The at least one peripheral device (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) is a device for emitting an acoustic signal and / or for emitting an optical signal and / or for opening or closing a mechanical partition.

8. A method for automatically detecting electrical hazards before carrying out assembly work on a high-voltage battery by means of an assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that A potential difference between the battery housing part (1.1) and a potential (P1W, P2W, PnW) present to a worker (W) during the assembly work is determined by means of a measuring device (31).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that - a control system (4) of a control device (30) is configured to arrange a measuring process when the high-voltage battery (1) is lifted from the device (2) in such a way that the measuring device (31) determines a potential difference or a related measured value between a measuring tip (22) which is in conductive contact with the battery housing part (1.1) and the potential (P1W, P2W, PnW) which the worker (W) has during the assembly work, - The control device (30) compares the determined potential difference or the related measured value with the stored preset value by means of the evaluation device (32), and in the case of exceeding the preset value, prevents entering the dangerous area caused by the electrical hazard by controlling the peripheral devices (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) for emitting acoustic signals and / or for emitting optical signals and / or for mechanical isolation, and in the case of falling below the preset value, enables entering the dangerous area caused by the electrical hazard by controlling the peripheral devices (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) for emitting acoustic signals and / or for emitting optical signals and / or for mechanical isolation.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the control device (30) arranges a test measurement process for checking the measuring device (31) before and / or after the actual measuring process, the result of which for a correctly functioning measuring device (31) is known in advance, the control device (30) compares the measurement result with a stored preset value or value range by means of the evaluation device (32), The control device (30) prevents entry into the danger zone resulting from the electrical hazard by actuating peripheral devices (7.1, 7.2, 7.3) for emitting acoustic signals and / or for emitting optical signals and / or for mechanical isolation without exceeding the danger zone, and refuses or does not carry out measurements for determining the potential difference.

Images