Battery contact unit with locking geometry

Abstract

The invention relates to a cell contact unit (100) of a fuel cell for making electrical contact with a contact device of a fuel cell stack (20) of the fuel cell having a housing (15), the fuel cell stack having electrical contact sockets (21) arranged in one or more rows and / or in one or more columns, according to the invention, the battery contact unit (100) has spring contact elements (11), which are formed by conductor loops and extend away from the battery contact unit (100) in the insertion direction (S), at respective locations, the spring contact elements (11) being designed as pinhole-shaped conductor loops (12), which are elastically compressed when inserted into the contact sockets (21), the spring contact element (11) has a contact socket (21), in which the contact socket (21) is inserted, such that two conductor ring sections (12a, 12b) of the conductor ring (12) of the spring contact element (11) are pressed transversely to the insertion direction (S) against the contact socket (21) in a spring-loaded manner, and the contact socket (21) has a locking mechanism (23) which fixes the conductor ring (12) in the inserted state.

Description

[0001] manual:

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery contact unit CVP, also called a battery voltage collector.

[0003] The battery contact unit CVP (cell voltage collector) is a multi-channel potential tap used to record the cell voltage on the battery or fuel cell stack and bipolar plate. Depending on the battery stack used, different design principles are adopted.

[0004] Such a device is known in the prior art, for example JP002002313398A. The unit is used to measure the cell voltage and can easily measure the voltage of all cells in a fuel cell stack at the same time. To this end, the unit includes a plurality of probes for voltage measurement and a needle-shaped voltage measurement connector with a pointed side protruding from the unit, and the unit also includes a spring installed in the unit, which biases the needle-shaped voltage measurement connector onto the side surface of the separator of the fuel cell stack by elastic force.

[0005] The disadvantages of this solution are the complex design, the possibility of damage to the contacts or contact sockets during insertion, and the high insertion and extraction forces, especially when a large number of fuel cell connections are required.

[0006] The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and to develop a solution for a fuel cell stack in order to safely, quickly and reliably contact a large number of bipolar plates stacked in parallel, in particular automatically, in order to measure the cell voltage and then transmit it to the measuring and evaluation electronics. Furthermore, it must be ensured that the corresponding contacts can make contact with the correct contact openings in the bipolar plates without damage and that a good contact force can be achieved there.

[0007] Another object is to provide a reliable and secure contact which cannot accidentally come loose, especially during operation.

[0008] This object is achieved by the combination of features described in patent claim 1 .

[0009] The basic idea of ​​the invention is that a special elastic contact part with a "ring" shape springs in laterally when inserted into the corresponding contact groove of the ring segment. For this purpose, the wire loop width of the ring segment is greater than the opening width of the matching contact part on one side to achieve a safe contact. Due to the ring design, deflection can be achieved on both sides. Optionally, before reaching the end position, the wire loop can also be elastically deflected through the slot transversely to the insertion direction. In this way, the connection can be made with a small but clear plug-in force and a large contact force can be generated in the fully inserted state.

[0010] Optionally, in order to achieve better fixing, pre-centering can be achieved by the housing, which is provided with guide legs or guide ribs for this purpose.

[0011] Therefore, according to the present invention, a battery contact unit is provided, i.e., a contact device having a shell for making electrical contact with a fuel cell stack, wherein the fuel cell stack has electrical contact sockets arranged in one or more rows and / or in one or more columns, wherein the battery contact unit has a spring contact element at a corresponding position, wherein the spring contact element extends away from the battery contact unit in the insertion direction (S), wherein the spring contact element is constructed with a pinhole-shaped wire coil ring at its insertion side end, wherein the wire coil ring is elastically compressed when the spring contact element is inserted into the contact socket, so that two wire coil ring sections of the wire coil ring of the spring contact element are pressed toward the contact socket in a spring-loaded manner transversely to the insertion direction (S), wherein the contact socket (preferably integrated) has a locking mechanism, which fixes each wire coil ring in the inserted state.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the contact socket has a cavity corresponding to the shape of the conductor loop or a correspondingly formed receiving space, in which cavity or receiving space the conductor loops are electrically contacted with the contact socket in the inserted state partially or along the entire conductor loop section (but here basically constructed as a ring with a central opening).

[0013] It is further advantageous if, in the inserted state, a locking dome, a locking nose or a projection (as a locking mechanism) arranged in the region of the cavity at least partially or completely passes through the opening of the conductor loop and protrudes from it. In this embodiment, the loop can be wound around the dome so that the dome engages with the opening of the loop in a fixed manner.

[0014] Likewise advantageous is a configuration in which an inclined bevel is provided in the region of the cavity in front of the locking mechanism, as viewed in the insertion direction, which serves as an inclined sliding bearing surface for guiding the wire loop when it is inserted into the insertion position.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the cavity also has rounded side walls as lateral support for the conductor loop section which elastically supports the conductor loop. It is particularly advantageous if the cavity and / or the locking dome / locking nose are produced by deep drawing.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that, in the inserted state, a major part of the spring force which presses the conductor loop of the spring contact element against the side wall of the contact socket acts transversely to the insertion direction.

[0017] Further advantageously, the battery contact unit is configured such that when the spring contact element of the battery contact unit is plugged into the contact socket of the fuel cell stack, the conductor loop of the spring contact element is squeezed to an increasing degree during the insertion process due to the shape of the conductor loop. Thus, the insertion and extraction force can be controlled in a targeted manner through the plugging path.

[0018] In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the conductor loop is formed as a closed conductor loop which consists of at least two adjacently extending bent conductor loop sections and a bent section connecting the two conductor loop sections, which is formed at the end on the insertion side.

[0019] In another advantageous embodiment, the spring contact element first enters the contact opening of the contact socket with at least its end-side end during plugging, preferably approximately centered in the contact opening, and then, during further plugging, the two conductor loop sections come into contact with the wall section of the contact socket. Alternatively, an additional force component transverse to the insertion direction can be generated by offsetting two parallel conductor loops.

[0020] Likewise advantageous is a configuration in which the contact socket has a contact cavity which, viewed in the insertion direction, has an initially region with a smaller cross section and then a region with a larger cross section, which in the fully inserted state can clamp the conductor loop.

[0021] A possible variant is also conceivable, namely to configure U-shaped contacts, each of which forms two spring contact elements extending essentially in parallel (arranged in pairs), wherein each spring contact element is provided for being inserted into a corresponding socket on a contact device of the fuel cell stack.

[0022] In another embodiment, the spring contact element may have a locking geometry at its end on the insertion side or at its end close to the insertion side, which engages with a matching locking geometry formed in or at the contact socket. In this way, the contact device can be reliably held.

[0023] Another aspect of the present invention relates to such a contact device, comprising a fuel cell stack with a socket contact portion and a battery contact unit as described above, wherein the battery contact unit is configured to be plugged into the fuel cell stack in an electrical contact manner.

[0024] Another aspect of the present invention also relates to a fuel cell, comprising a fuel cell stack with a plug-in device, wherein the fuel cell stack is constructed with a socket contact portion and a battery contact unit as described above, and the battery contact unit is or can be plugged into the fuel cell stack in an electrically contacting manner.

[0025] As long as it is technically feasible and not contradictory, the features disclosed above can be combined as needed.

[0026] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims or are explained in more detail below together with the description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings.

[0027] in:

[0028] Figure 1 a schematic sectional view showing a detail of a first exemplary embodiment of a battery contact unit according to the invention,

[0029] Figure 2 Schematic sectional view showing a detail of an alternative embodiment of a battery contact unit according to the invention, in the inserted position,

[0030] Figure 3 A perspective sectional view of a battery contact unit according to the invention is shown, which shows a plurality of contacts formed according to the invention,

[0031] Figure 4 A detailed view showing the cavity in which the ring contact is housed, and

[0032] Figure 5 Show Figure 4 Another detailed view of the part.

[0033] Figures 1 to 5 The same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same functions and / or structural features.

[0034] Figure 3 1 shows a perspective view of a battery contact unit 100 designed according to the present invention. The battery contact unit 100 is configured to make electrical contact with electrical contact sockets 21 arranged in multiple rows or columns in the housing 1 of the fuel cell stack 20, wherein the battery contact unit 100 has the spring contact elements 11 shown at the corresponding positions for this purpose. The spring contact elements 11 are inserted in the direction S( Figure 3 The spring contact element 11 is moved away from the battery contact unit 100 in the downward direction in the insertion direction S, wherein guide ribs 27 are arranged on the housing 15 of the corresponding plug-in device of the fuel cell stack 20 in the insertion direction S to ensure pre-centering before the actual insertion process. Reference numeral 22 shows a guide area for pre-centering of the spring contact element 11.

[0035] Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in a schematic sectional view of a section of a cell contacting unit 100 which is connected to a contacting device of a fuel cell stack 20 , namely in the fully plugged-in state, in the assembled position at the end of the insertion process.

[0036] The annular spring contact element 11 formed by the wire is first introduced into the contact opening of the contact socket 21 with at least its end 11a (the bent section 11a of the wire loop 12) at the end during plugging, and is located approximately centrally in each contact opening. Then, the lower annular sections of the two wire loop sections 12a, 12b of the spring contact element 11 are respectively connected to the edge of the opening area of ​​the contact cavity of the contact socket 21 during further plugging.

[0037] exist Figure 2 In the alternative embodiment shown, a solution different from the first embodiment is shown, wherein the contact cavity of the contact socket 21 shows a widened contact receiving area at the bottom, in which the wire loop can be elastically relaxed again to a certain extent, that is, the two wire loop sections (or loop sections 12a, 12b) rebound toward the wall of the contact socket 21, transversely to the insertion direction S.

[0038] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The locking principle is explained in more detail. The figure shows the contact cavities 24 of the contact socket 21, each of which has a locking mechanism 23 in the form of a locking dome. The rounded side walls 26 delimit the contact cavities 24. Figure 5 The bevel 25 can be seen. This is located in the region of the cavity 24 in front of the locking mechanism 23, as viewed in the insertion direction, and serves as an oblique sliding bearing surface for the wire loop 12 when it is inserted into the insertion position.

[0039] The side wall 26 serves as a lateral counter support for elastically supporting the wire loop sections 12a, 12b of the wire loop 12. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As can be clearly seen in the figure, the wire loop 12 is wrapped around the dome-shaped locking mechanism 23 and fixed thereto to prevent it from being pulled out of the inserted position or to increase the separation force depending on the geometry of the relevant locking element.

[0040] The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many variants are conceivable, and the solution shown can be used even in substantially different types of embodiments.

Claims

1. A cell contact unit (100) for a fuel cell, for making electrical contact with a contact device having a housing (15) of a fuel cell stack (20) of the fuel cell, the fuel cell stack having electrical contact sockets (21) arranged in one or more rows and / or in one or more columns, wherein: The battery contact unit (100) has a spring contact element (11) formed by a wire loop at a corresponding position, and the spring contact element extends away from the battery contact unit (100) in the insertion direction (S), wherein the spring contact element (11) is constructed as a wire loop (12) that is preferably pinhole-shaped, and the wire loop is elastically compressed when inserted into the contact socket (21), so that the two wire loop sections (12a, 12b) of the wire loop (12) of the spring contact element (11) are pressed toward the contact socket (21) in a spring-loaded manner transversely to the insertion direction (S), and wherein the contact socket (21) has a locking mechanism (23), which holds or fixes the wire loop (12) in its position in the inserted state.

2. The battery contact unit (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The contact socket (21) has a cavity or a receiving space (24) corresponding to the shape of the conductor loop (12), in which each conductor loop (12) is in electrical contact with the contact socket (21) along the entire conductor loop section (12a, 12b) in an inserted state.

3. The battery contact unit (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: In the inserted state, the locking dome, locking nose or projection arranged in the region of the cavity at least partially or completely passes through the opening of the wire loop (12) and protrudes from it.

4. The battery contact unit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that In the region of the cavity (24), an inclined ramp (25) is provided in front of the locking mechanism (23) when viewed in the insertion direction, which ramp serves as an inclined sliding bearing plane for the wire loop when the wire loop (12) is inserted into the insertion position.

5. The battery contact unit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The cavity (24) has rounded side walls (26) serving as lateral support for the conductor loop sections (12a, 12b) of the conductor loop (12) which are elastically supported.

6. The battery contact unit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The cavity (24) and / or the locking dome / locking nose are produced by deep drawing.

7. The battery contact unit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that In the inserted state, the main part of the spring force which presses the conductor ring (12) of the spring contact element (11) against the side wall of the contact socket (21) acts transversely to the insertion direction (S).

8. The battery contact unit (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: When the spring contact element (11) of the battery contact unit is plugged into the contact socket (21) of the fuel cell stack, the conductor ring (12) of the spring contact element (11) is squeezed to an increasing degree during the insertion process due to the shape of the conductor ring (12).

9. The battery contact unit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The conductor loop (12) is formed from the conductor into a closed, elastically deformable conductor loop, comprising at least two adjacently extending curved wire loop sections (12a, 12b) and a curved section (11a) connecting the sections and configured at the end on the insertion side.

10. The battery contact unit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that When plugged in, the spring contact element (11) first enters the contact opening of the contact socket (21) with at least its end face, and is then guided on the sliding bearing plane of the inclined ramp (25), and then the wire loop (12) is pushed onto the locking mechanism (23).

11. A contact device, comprising a fuel cell stack with a socket contact portion (22) and a battery contact unit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery contact unit is configured to be plugged into the fuel cell stack in an electrically contacting manner.

12. A fuel cell comprising a fuel cell stack constructed with a socket contact portion (22) and a battery contact unit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, which is or can be plugged into the fuel cell stack in an electrically contacting manner.

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