Battery components, methods for manufacturing battery components, and motor vehicles

Abstract

This invention relates to a battery assembly comprising a plurality of energy storage cells having connection terminals. To interconnect the energy storage cells, cell connectors are fixed, in particular welded, to the connection terminals. The energy storage cells are connected to a contact system formed by a circuit board having cover layers on both sides. The circuit board is arranged between the connection terminals and the cell connectors such that the fixing parts, in particular the welding parts, are protected from external influences by the cover layers. The cell connectors are indirectly connected to the connection terminals via the circuit board through the fixing parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery assembly, such as a battery module, a method for manufacturing a battery assembly, and a motor vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] The battery assembly of the aforementioned type comprises multiple energy storage cells, such as circular or prismatic cells, which are electrically interconnected to form an energy accumulator, such as a high-voltage accumulator. During operation, the energy storage cells must be monitored, for example, by detecting their voltage and temperature. For this purpose, wiring harnesses are used to connect to the energy storage cells. Typically, a carrier plate is used, which is arranged on the energy storage cells. The wiring harness is integrated into this carrier plate. In addition, cell connectors are arranged in the carrier plate for connection to the connection terminals / pole of the energy storage cells. The arrangement or fixing of different components / elements is not without problems because different materials are interconnected and corrosion issues can occur. For example, the cell connectors are made of aluminum, while the aforementioned signal lines are made of copper. This problem is also mentioned in DE102018298340A1. This published document relates to a single-unit contact portion for an energy storage module, the energy storage module comprising at least one energy storage unit, wherein each storage unit has at least two connection terminals, wherein the single-unit contact portion has a carrier plate that can be arranged on the energy storage module, a wire harness with multiple signal lines carried by the carrier plate, and multiple single-unit connectors placed in or integrated into the carrier plate, the single-unit connectors being designed to connect the connection terminals of the storage unit and the signal lines of the wire harness, wherein a connecting element is provided, the connecting element having a first end that can be connected by means of a signal conductor and a second end that can be connected to the single-unit connector, wherein the carrier plate and / or the single-unit connector has at least one spatial orientation element, the spatial orientation element determining the spatial orientation between the connecting element and the single-unit connector and / or the carrier plate. The additional connecting element and orientation element enable quick, simple, and precise placement between the signal lines and the single-unit connector. However, this also increases construction and assembly costs. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a battery assembly, a method for manufacturing the battery assembly, and a motor vehicle that are simply and cost-effectively constructed and thereby meet the highest requirements for corrosion protection.

[0004] According to the present invention, a battery assembly includes a plurality of energy storage cells, wherein each energy storage cell has a connecting electrode. To interconnect the energy storage cells, a cell connector is fixed, particularly in a material-locking manner, or preferably welded, to the connecting electrode, thereby forming a fixing / welding portion. The energy storage cells are connected to a contact system formed by a circuit board having a cover layer on both sides. The circuit board is arranged between the connecting electrode and the cell connector such that the fixing portion, particularly the welding portion, is protected from external influence by the cover layer. The cell connector is indirectly connected to the connecting electrode via the circuit board through the fixing portion. Each energy storage cell includes two connecting electrodes, i.e., a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The energy storage cells are not limited to a specific structural form. Typical structural forms include, for example, circular or prismatic cells. The energy storage cells are electrically interconnected via the connecting electrode and the cell connector, for example, in series. The contact system is provided and designed for, in particular, detecting the voltage of the cells; in other words, it is designed to monitor the energy storage cells. In particular, the contact system is suitably designed to detect the temperature of each energy storage cell. Currently, the aforementioned voltage taps and devices for temperature detection are appropriately integrated into the circuit board.

[0005] A circuit board (also known as a printed circuit board or PCB) is a carrier for electronic components. Circuit boards are used for mechanical fixation and electrical connection. Suitably, a circuit board includes a carrier or carrier material comprising conductor rails for contact and connection of energy storage units, sensors, etc. To insulate the circuit board, cover layers are suitably provided on the upper and lower sides, or the cover layers are formed directly through the carrier material. These insulating or cover layers are currently suitably used to protect fixed parts, or especially soldered parts, from corrosion. This arrangement is suitably carried out such that the circuit board rests against the connecting pole, and the corresponding unit connector is indirectly fixed to the corresponding connecting pole via the circuit board, especially by soldering. With this arrangement, the fixed / soldered parts are automatically insulated via the cover layer. In other words, the fixed parts are embedded in or surrounded by the cover layer.

[0006] Suitablely, the cover layer is made of plastic, which acts as an insulating layer. Advantageously, these cover layers are ultimately part of the circuit board, thus eliminating the need for separate corrosion protection. By arranging the circuit board between the connecting poles and the individual connectors, insulation of the fixed parts can be automatically achieved or caused.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the circuit board has a carrier made of an electrically insulating material with conductive connections (conductor rails) adhered thereto. The electrically insulating material can be plastic.

[0008] According to a preferred embodiment, the circuit board is currently a flexible circuit board (FPC - Flexible Printed Circuit Board). It has been found that complex monolithic interconnect systems can be implemented very quickly and economically using flexible printed circuits. Here, for example, an etched copper-coated film (such as a polyimide film) is used, which constitutes the carrier material mentioned above. Currently, single-sided FPCs, double-sided FPCs, or multi-layer FPCs can be used.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the flexible circuit board has a polyimide layer on the outer side, which is connected to one or more conductor rails constructed therebetween or in the middle via adhesive layers. Currently, the outer polyimide layer—which, if possible, is also referred to as a cover layer along with the corresponding adhesive layer. Depending on the design, single-sided or multi-layer flexible circuit boards can be advantageously used.

[0010] Suitably, the connector has a first contact surface that indirectly contacts a second contact surface of the individual connector via a circuit board. This indirect contact is suitably made via multiple conductor rails or via conductor rails arranged on the circuit board.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the cover layer or at least one cover layer is removed or absent in the area of ​​one or more contact surfaces or at least in the area of ​​one or more fixed locations. In other words, the circuit board is correspondingly "exposed" in the area of ​​the contact surface so as not to cause a negative impact on the soldering result due to the melting of the cover layer.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the contact surfaces are at least partially in contact with the cover layer. Therefore, the cover layer—at least partially—is arranged between the contact surfaces. For the reasons described above, the fixing or welding portion itself suitably does not have a cover layer. However, alternatively, if it is ensured that the cover layer does not affect the welding result, the cover layer in the region of the fixing portion can initially be constructed continuously. In other words, welding is then performed via the cover layer. This can be advantageous if possible, as it is not necessary to remove the cover layer or expose the corresponding portion. Furthermore, this also ensures reliable embedding of the fixing portion.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the covering layer is adjacent to or at least adjacent to the contact surface. Adjacent should be understood as ensuring that the fixed portion is reliably protected from external influences.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the individual connector is fixed to the connecting electrode by fusion welding or pressure welding. Preferred welding methods are currently laser welding or ultrasonic welding.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the connecting electrodes and cell connectors are made of aluminum. The conductor rails of the circuit board are typically made of copper. Potential corrosion problems at the mounting points are advantageously avoided through insulation of the cover layer or by embedding the mounting points within the cover layer. Furthermore, the battery assembly is characterized by its simple structure, as even complex interconnect structures can be well implemented mechanically via the circuit board. The cell connectors for interconnecting the cells are mounted on the circuit board at the desired locations and then indirectly soldered to the connecting electrodes via the circuit board.

[0016] The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a battery assembly, the method comprising the following steps:

[0017] - Arrange multiple energy storage cells to form a battery module;

[0018] - A circuit board is placed on the battery assembly, the circuit board being designed to form or constitute the contact system of the battery assembly, wherein the conductor rails of the circuit board are in contact with the corresponding connection electrodes of the energy storage cells, and the circuit board has a cover layer on both sides.

[0019] - Energy storage cells are interconnected by fixing the cell connector to the connection pole, wherein the cell connector is indirectly fixed to the connection pole via a circuit board, and the fixing part is protected from external influences by a cover layer.

[0020] The advantages and features mentioned in relation to battery components are similar to and correspondingly applicable to the method, and vice versa.

[0021] Advantageously, current single-unit connectors are not directly fixed to the connecting poles, but indirectly fixed via a circuit board. Therefore, an outer layer of the circuit board (which may also be referred to as a cover layer or insulating layer) can be used for insulation or embedding of the fixing points. The cover layer or insulating layer is preferably made of a plastic material. If a flexible circuit board is used, polyimide material is typically involved. The overall structure and method are characterized by their simplicity. Furthermore, low weight can be achieved. Despite the simple structure, a very long service life is ensured because the structure implicitly provides excellent corrosion protection.

[0022] The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one battery assembly according to the invention. Preferred motor vehicles are, in particular, land vehicles such as passenger cars, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles. Battery assemblies of the aforementioned type are suitably arranged or mounted in an energy storage housing. According to one embodiment, such an energy storage housing has a lower housing portion and an upper housing portion, wherein one or more battery assemblies may be arranged in the lower housing portion.

[0023] In one implementation, the energy storage device has multiple battery modules. These battery modules can also be referred to as battery modules. Alternatively, only one (in this case, a very large) battery module may be used. This is typically the case when circular cells are used as the energy storage cells. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Other advantages and features are derived from the following description of embodiments of the battery assembly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] The attached diagram shows:

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic partial view illustrating one embodiment of the battery assembly;

[0027] Figure 2 Another schematic partial view illustrating one embodiment of the battery assembly; and

[0028] Figure 3 Another schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the battery assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Figure 1 A schematic view showing details of the battery assembly is provided. An area of ​​the energy storage cell 10 along with the connecting electrode 12 can be seen. For example, this is the energy storage cell 10 with a prismatic housing. The second connecting electrode is not shown at this time. Reference numeral 40 indicates a portion of the cell connector, which is welded to the connecting electrode 12 via two solder joints 60 (e.g., two laser weld seams). The connecting electrode 12 has a first contact surface 14, and the cell connector 40 has a second contact surface 42. The first and second contact surfaces are not directly abutting each other. A circuit board 20 is arranged between them, which includes an outer cover layer 26 connected to the conductor rail 22 via an adhesive layer 24. It is schematically shown that the contact surfaces 14 and 42, and especially the fixing portion 60, are insulated, wrapped, or shielded from external influences throughout their circumference by the cover layer 26. Figure 1 As simplified in the diagram, if a flexible circuit board is involved, the outer layer 26 is typically a plastic layer, such as a polyimide layer. It should be noted that the current simplified diagram does not accurately reflect the dimensional proportions. In reality, there is no gap between the second contact surface 42 and the conductor rail 22.

[0030] exist Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the cover layer 26 is adjacent to the contact surfaces 14 and 42. This arrangement achieves embedding or enclosing of the contact surfaces, and therefore also embedding or enclosing of the fixing portions. In the region of contact surfaces 14 and 42, the circuit board is freed from insulation or external cover layers, thereby allowing only metal to be soldered onto metal. Therefore, any possible external polyimide layer does not affect the soldering result.

[0031] exist Figure 2 The following implementation method can be seen from the text, which is basically similar to that of the method described above. Figure 1 Known implementations. However, the outer layer of that circuit board 20 extends into the area of ​​the first contact surface 42. In addition, features are... Figure 1 Known.

[0032] Figure 3 An embodiment is shown in which the outer layer of the circuit board 20 extends not only into the region of the first contact surface 42, but also into the region of the second contact surface 14.

[0033] In both cases, that is, not only according to Figure 2 The implementation method and according to Figure 3 In this implementation method, metals can be welded onto metals.

[0034] A further feasible alternative is to construct the covering layer continuously in the areas of contact surfaces 14 and 42—that is, on the upper and lower sides, respectively. However, it is necessary to check here whether the welding results may be negatively affected, if possible.

[0035] List of reference numerals

[0036] 10 energy storage cells

[0037] 12-connection pole

[0038] 14 First contact surface

[0039] 20 circuit boards

[0040] 22 conductor rails

[0041] 24 adhesive layers

[0042] 26 covering layers

[0043] 40-unit connector

[0044] 42 Second contact surface

[0045] 60 Welding parts, fixing parts

Claims

1. A battery assembly, The battery assembly includes multiple energy storage cells (10). The energy storage cell (10) has a connecting electrode (12). In order to interconnect the energy storage cells (10), a cell connector (40) is fixed on the connecting electrode, thereby forming a fixing part (60). The energy storage unit (10) is connected to a contact system, which is formed by a circuit board (20) having a cover layer (26) on both sides. The circuit board (20) further includes a conductor rail (22) arranged between the cover layers (26), the connecting pole (12) having a first contact surface (14) for contacting the conductor rail (22), and the individual connector (40) having a second contact surface (42) for contacting the conductor rail (22). The first contact surface (14) of the connecting pole (12) is indirectly in contact with the second contact surface (42) of the individual connector (40) through the conductor rail (22) of the circuit board (20). The circuit board (20) is arranged between the connecting pole (12) and the individual connector (40) such that the fixing part (60) is protected from external influence by the cover layer (26), and the individual connector (40) is indirectly connected to the connecting pole (12) through the circuit board (20) via the fixing part.

2. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The covering layer (26) is made of plastic, which serves as an insulating layer.

3. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The circuit board (20) is a flexible circuit board.

4. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The covering layer (26) is removed or absent in the area of ​​the first contact surface (14) and the second contact surface (42) or at least in the area of ​​the fixed part (60).

5. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The first contact surface (14) and the second contact surface (42) are in contact with the covering layer (26) at least partially.

6. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The covering layer (26) is adjacent to at least the first contact surface (14) and the second contact surface (42).

7. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The single connector (40) is fixed to the connecting pole (12) by fusion welding or pressure welding.

8. The battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The connecting pole (12) and the single connector (40) are made of aluminum.

9. The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein, The single connector (40) is soldered onto the connecting electrode.

10. The battery assembly according to claim 9, wherein, The fixed part (60) is the welding part.

11. A method for manufacturing a battery assembly, the battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the method comprising the following steps: - Arrange multiple energy storage cells (10) to form a battery module; - A circuit board (20) is arranged on the battery assembly, the circuit board being designed to form a contact system for the battery assembly, wherein the conductor rail (22) of the circuit board (20) contacts the corresponding connection electrode (12) of the energy storage cell (10), and the circuit board (20) has a cover layer (26) on both sides. - Energy storage cells are interconnected by fixing a cell connector (40) to a connection pole (12), wherein the cell connector (40) is indirectly fixed to the connection pole (12) via a circuit board (20), thereby the fixing part (60) is protected from external influences via a cover layer (26).

12. A motor vehicle comprising at least one battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

Images