Module connector for electrically coupling to module electrode coupling terminal of battery module, module electrode coupling

Abstract

The invention relates to a module connector (10) for electrically coupling to a module electrode connection (12) in a connection direction (R), the module connector (10) comprising: a busbar (14) having a busbar through-hole (14a); a contact sleeve (16) which provides an end face (16e) with a contact surface (36) for electrical contact with the module electrode connection end (12), the contact sleeve (16) having a sleeve opening (16a) which is arranged below the busbar (14) in the connection direction (R) and which is arranged coaxially to the busbar passage opening (14a), such that the fastening means (18, 20) can simultaneously pass through the busbar passage opening (14a) and the sleeve opening (16a) in the connection direction (R). Furthermore, the module connector (10) comprises a housing (24) having an insulating flange (28a) surrounding at least a portion of the busbar (14) and at least a portion of the contact sleeve (16) in a radial direction. In this case, a non-insulating sleeve part (16d) of the contact sleeve (16) protrudes out of the housing (24) in the connection direction (R), said sleeve part comprising an end face (16e) with a contact surface (36).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a module connector for electrically coupling in a connection direction to a module electrode connection of a battery module by establishing a plug-in connection, wherein the module connector comprises an electrically conductive busbar having a busbar through-hole for the passage of a fixing element in the connection direction, an electrically conductive contact sleeve having an uninsulated sleeve portion with an uninsulated end side providing a contact face for electrically contacting the module electrode connection, wherein the contact sleeve has a sleeve opening arranged below the busbar in the connection direction and oriented coaxially to the busbar through-hole, so that the fixing element can pass through the busbar through-hole and the sleeve opening simultaneously in the connection direction. Furthermore, the module connector comprises an electrically insulating housing having an insulating flange surrounding at least a portion of the busbar and at least a portion of the contact sleeve in a radial direction. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a module electrode connection and to a connection assembly. BACKGROUND

[0002] In order to protect persons from electric shock, it is advantageous to provide anti-touch protection on the electrical plug-in connections of high-voltage batteries, module electrodes and their electrical connection elements, also referred to as high-voltage connectors and herein as module connectors, in order to simplify assembly or in order to enable assembly without special protective clothing. Usually, the anti-touch protection of existing connection systems is achieved here by means of a plurality of special components, such as protection pins, contact sleeves, electrically insulating flanges or covers, on both plug-in connection partners.

[0003] For example, DE 20 2018 100 111 U1 describes a module connector having two coupling parts which can be electrically conductively connected to one another, on which coupling parts respectively at conductor sites conductor elements can be mounted, and which respectively have fixing elements which are compatible with one another, wherein each coupling part has an anti-touch protection on its connection side respectively facing the other coupling part, which has an outer electrically insulating flange and an electrically insulating protection pin surrounded by the flange, wherein in at least one coupling part between the flange and the protection pin an electrical bridge is provided which electrically connects the two conductor sites, which electrical bridge is overhanging from the flange and the protection pin, wherein the electrical bridge is designed as a contact sleeve.

[0004] In order to provide touch protection, it is generally provided that the contact elements are surrounded and overhung in the radial direction by an insulating flange. This generally requires a complex design of the two plug-in part partners to be connected and, in addition, requires a very large installation space in the connection direction, since the respective insulating part must overhang the contact face considerably in order to provide the respective touch protection. In addition, similar connection assemblies are described in EP 3 419 119 B1, DE 10 2020 212 760 A1 and DE 10 2020 208 149 A1.

[0005] In addition, DE 10 2020 100 919 A1 describes a touch-protected rotary contact device comprising a busbar and a connecting bolt having a threaded section and a fixing section and extending through a busbar recess in the busbar along a connection axis in a connection direction from a first side to a second side of the busbar. Here, an insulating element is arranged in the connection direction between the busbar and the connecting bolt, whereby the connecting bolt is electrically insulated with respect to the busbar.

[0006] Such an insulating element is typically made of plastic. A disadvantage of plastic, in particular when using a threaded connection, is that plastic can begin to creep over time, whereby the threaded connection loosens. A significant disadvantage, in particular when connecting high-voltage couplings electrically, is that, due to the increased contact resistance thereby, greater conduction losses occur and the busbar is additionally heated, which can have a negative effect on the operation of the battery module. SUMMARY

[0007] It is an object of the present application to provide a module connector, a module electrode coupling end and a connection assembly which enable an as efficient and simple as possible design.

[0008] The object is achieved by a module connector, a module electrode coupling end and a connection assembly having the features according to the respective independent claims. Advantageous refinements of the application are described in the dependent claims, the description and the figures.

[0009] The module connector for electrically coupling to a module electrode connection of a battery module in a connection direction by establishing a plug connection according to the application comprises an electrically conductive busbar having a busbar through-hole for the passage of a fixing element in the connection direction, an electrically conductive contact sleeve having an uninsulated sleeve portion having an uninsulated end side which provides a contact surface for electrical contact with the module electrode connection, wherein the contact sleeve has a sleeve opening which is arranged below the busbar in the connection direction and is oriented coaxially with the busbar through-hole, so that the fixing element can pass through the busbar through-hole and the sleeve opening simultaneously in the connection direction. Furthermore, the module connector comprises an electrically insulating housing having an insulating flange which surrounds at least a portion of the busbar and at least a portion of the contact sleeve in a radial direction. Here, the uninsulated sleeve portion of the contact sleeve protrudes outside the housing in the connection direction, the sleeve portion comprising the end side with the contact surface.

[0010] Thus, the uninsulated sleeve portion of the contact sleeve, which comprises an end side with a contact face, can in principle be designed touchably. Here, the application is based on the knowledge that, on the one hand, there are installation situations in which no touch protection has to be provided by the module connector itself, since, for example, in such installation situations there is no possibility of touching the uninsulated, protruding sleeve portion anyway due to space constraints. In other words, the installation situation itself can ensure the corresponding touch protection, in which case no additional touch protection has to be implemented by the module connector itself. Furthermore, the application is based on the knowledge that the module connector is used to connect two module electrodes of two battery modules. As long as such a module connector is still in a state not coupled with the module electrodes, no voltage is applied on the busbar. Thus, in this case, too, no touch protection has to be ensured, since the uninsulated portion of the contact sleeve is not electrically live anyway. Thus, the assembly on the first module electrode coupling end is designed particularly simply. In the assembled state, that is to say when the module electrode coupling end is connected to the module connector in the conventional manner and is fixed thereon, sufficient and complete touch protection is ensured by the electrically insulating housing of the module connector and / or by the corresponding electrically insulating housing of the module electrode coupling end. Furthermore, the application is based on the knowledge that the contact sleeve, at least in the unassembled state, can optionally be designed electrically insulated from the busbar, as will be explained in detail later. In this case, too, the contact sleeve is not electrically live, since it is not in contact with the busbar, and the contact sleeve accordingly does not have to be additionally touch-protected. These pieces of knowledge in turn enable the contact sleeve to be designed such that the uninsulated sleeve portion protrudes with the end side and the contact face outside the housing. This has the significant advantage that the contact with the module electrode coupling end, in particular the structural design of the module electrode coupling end itself, is significantly simplified. Thus, the contact face protruding outside the housing can be inserted significantly more simply into the corresponding recess provided by the module electrode coupling end in order to make electrical contact with the corresponding second contact face of the module electrode coupling end. This recess can be provided, for example, by a small hole in the second housing of the module electrode coupling end in order to locally expose the module electrode busbar received in this second housing. Here, on the module connector side and on the module electrode coupling end side, an insulating flange that protrudes significantly in the axial direction can be omitted, whereby a significant saving in structural space in the axial direction is achieved. All of this enables a particularly simple and nevertheless efficient design of the module connector, in particular of the corresponding module electrode coupling end.

[0011] A module connector serves for electrically conductive connection of two module electrodes of two battery modules. Each of the module electrodes can be configured with a corresponding module electrode coupling end. When the module connector is coupled in a conventional manner with the module electrode coupling end, the two module electrodes can be electrically conductively connected by means of a busbar in each case. In the conventional operation of the module connector, current is thus conducted from a battery electrode via the busbar to a further battery electrode of a further battery module. Here, the module connector is furthermore preferably applied in the high-voltage sector. Accordingly, the module connector can be designed for conducting very high currents. Furthermore, the module connector can for example have a first coupling region which comprises a part of an electrically conductive busbar with a busbar through-hole and an electrically conductive contact sleeve with a sleeve opening and an insulating flange. Furthermore, the module connector can also have a further such coupling unit, namely an additional second coupling unit, which can be designed in principle completely analogously to the first coupling unit described. In this case, the first coupling unit can for example be in electrically conductive contact with a first module electrode coupling end, and the second coupling unit in a corresponding manner with a second module electrode coupling end. Here, the two coupling units are connected to one another in each case by means of an intermediate part of the busbar and a part of a housing which encloses the intermediate part of the busbar. The electrically insulating housing can be made of an electrically insulating material, for example plastic. Furthermore, this applies to all electrically insulating components described below. The busbar is made of an electrically conductive material, in particular a metallic material, for example copper. The busbar through-hole can be designed as a bore in the busbar. This bore is preferably designed annularly. The sleeve opening can also be designed as a bore in the contact sleeve. This sleeve opening preferably also has a circular cross-section perpendicular to the connection direction. The contact sleeve can be designed as an annular metallic component with a central through-hole which provides the sleeve opening. The contact sleeve can for example also be referred to as a contact sleeve. In principle, the contact sleeve, in particular on the peripheral side, can be designed in any geometric shape, for example polygonal.

[0012] The connection direction is defined in such a way that a plug connection between the module connector and the corresponding module electrode coupling end can be achieved by plugging the two components together in the connection direction. Here, the connection direction can also correspond to or run parallel to an axial direction which extends through the centre of the busbar through-hole and the sleeve opening. Here, the axial direction extends substantially parallel to an axis of the fixing element which can be passed through the respective through-hole. The radial direction is accordingly perpendicular to the axial direction and extends away from such a central axis which extends through the respective through-hole. The non-insulated end side with the contact face is preferably designed planarly or flatly. In a certain sense, the end side lies in a plane which is perpendicular to the axial direction. A planar contact can thus be established with a corresponding second contact face of the module electrode coupling end. By using the fixing element which is explained in more detail later, the contact, in particular the corresponding contact faces, can be fixed to one another by means of a high contact pressure.

[0013] In a particularly advantageous design of the application, the module connector has a spring element which is resilient in the direction of connection and which can be compressed and / or can be stretched, wherein the module connector can be transferred from a first state into a second state, wherein in the first state the contact sleeve is kept at a distance from the busbar by means of the spring element and is electrically insulated therefrom, and in the second state the contact sleeve, with the spring element compressed, is applied in electrically conductive contact to the busbar.

[0014] The design has the significant advantage that the contact sleeve is not electrically charged even if the busbar is already energized, since the contact sleeve is kept electrically insulated from the busbar in the first state. There is thus no electrically conductive contact between the contact sleeve and the busbar in the first state. In the second state, on the other hand, there is an electrically conductive contact, which enables the conduction of current to the module electrode terminal or likewise in the reverse direction, depending on the direction of current flow, via the busbar and correspondingly via the contact sleeve. The contact sleeve can advantageously be kept at a corresponding distance from the busbar by means of the spring element in order to maintain the electrical insulation between these components. The contact sleeve accordingly does not have to be designed electrically insulated, since it is not in electrically conductive connection with the busbar. This electrically conductive connection is only established if the module connector has been arranged in the conventional manner on the module electrode terminal, so that in this case the touch protection is already provided by the housing of the module connector and / or the housing of the module electrode terminal, and in this case the contact sleeve cannot be touched in any case.

[0015] In a further advantageous design of the application, the module connector comprises an insulating sleeve made of electrically insulating material, wherein the insulating sleeve is arranged in the busbar through-hole, in particular on the hole wall which defines the busbar through-hole in the radial direction, wherein the fixing element is electrically insulated from the busbar by means of the insulating sleeve in the state of passing through the busbar through-hole. The fixing element can thus also advantageously pass through the busbar electrically insulated. In this case, the electrically conductive contact between the fixing element and the contact sleeve is accordingly not a problem, since the fixing element can also be electrically insulated from the busbar in a simple manner.

[0016] Furthermore, a further important advantage of the insulating sleeve used, which is in particular also made of electrically insulating material, for example plastic, is that the spring element can also pass through the busbar through-hole electrically insulated from the busbar.

[0017] The insulating sleeve is in principle optional and the electrical insulation can also be ensured in other ways if necessary. The insulating sleeve is for example advantageous in the case of a spring element made of electrically conductive material. In the case of a spring element and / or a busbar through-hole which is coated with an electrically insulating coating and / or a spring element made of non-conductive material, on the other hand, the insulating sleeve is not required.

[0018] A further very advantageous design of the application therefore provides that the spring element is designed as a coil spring, which passes through the busbar through-hole and is electrically insulated from the busbar by means of the insulating sleeve. The spring element is preferably likewise made of a metallic material. As a result, the fatigue ageing of the spring element during the service life is significantly reduced. Thus, by means of the following possibility: the spring element is electrically insulated from the busbar in a simple manner, the spring element itself can advantageously likewise be made of a metallic material. Furthermore very advantageously, the spring element is designed as a coil spring. On the one hand, this can be implemented in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner; on the other hand, this enables a particularly simple and efficient, space-saving arrangement of the spring element, which, as a coil spring, can for example also encircle the neck of the fixing part. In other words, the fixing part can pass through the coil spring. Thus, the coil spring for example encircles the neck of the fixing part in the radial direction, wherein the coil spring in turn is encircled in the height of the busbar by the insulating sleeve, to which the busbar is coupled in the radial direction.

[0019] In a further advantageous design of the application, the contact sleeve has a radially inwardly projecting support flange, on which the spring element is supported in the connection direction with a first spring end. As will be described in more detail below, a further, second spring end can be supported on the bolt head or generally on the widened portion of the fixing part. Thus, the spring element or coil spring can in the connection direction firstly pass through the busbar through-hole and the insulating sleeve and be inserted into the sleeve opening of the contact sleeve over a distance, i.e. until the support flange, against which the first spring end is supported. Thus, the spring element does not completely pass through the sleeve opening. In particular, the spring element does not project out of the sleeve opening in the connection direction on the bottom side. In the radial direction, the spring element is supported partly by the inner wall of the sleeve opening and partly by the insulating sleeve in the busbar through-hole. Advantageously, a lateral slipping under mechanical stress does not occur.

[0020] The first state of the module connector can for example be defined in such a way that the spring element is in a relaxed state in this state, that is to say that the spring element is not or almost not under mechanical stress here. In order to switch the module connector into the second state, the spring element is correspondingly compressed in the connection direction. In the second state, the spring element is correspondingly under mechanical stress. It is also conceivable that the spring element is partly under mechanical stress when the module connector is in the first state. However, this mechanical stress should be considered to be less than the mechanical stress in the second state of the module connector, since the mechanical stress is additionally increased by the compression of the spring element.

[0021] It is furthermore advantageous if the insulation flange also has a fixing flange which protrudes radially inwards and the contact sleeve has a support flange which protrudes radially outwards and which bears against the fixing flange, whereby the contact sleeve is held on the housing and cannot be moved out of the housing in the connection direction. The maximum diameter of the support flange is therefore greater than the inner diameter of the fixing flange. The contact sleeve can advantageously be held in the insulation flange thereby. Advantageously, no falling out occurs in this case. The contact sleeve is additionally pressed onto the fixing flange of the insulation flange by the spring element. In other words, the "support flange moves away from the fixing flange" leads to an increase in the spring force. The position of the contact sleeve can therefore be additionally stabilised by the spring element.

[0022] In a further advantageous design of the application, the module connector has a fixing which is elongate in the connection direction and has a head and a neck which is coupled to the head in the connection direction, wherein the neck passes through the busbar bore and the sleeve opening, wherein the fixing has an end which is opposite the head, in particular which protrudes out of the housing in the connection direction. The fixing can be designed, for example, as a bolt. In this case, the head is a widened bolt head relative to the bolt neck, while the bolt neck corresponds to the neck of the fixing. Such a bolt can have, for example, an external thread. This extends over at least one section of the bolt neck. The module electrode coupling can be configured with a corresponding nut into which the bolt of the module connector can be screwed. It is however also conceivable the other way round, i.e. the neck of the fixing is designed with an internal thread into which a bolt as a component of the module electrode coupling can be screwed. It is advantageous in any case, however, if the fixing is designed elongate in the connection direction and has a head which is designed widened relative to the neck. This prevents the slipping through the said holes, i.e. the busbar bore and the sleeve opening.

[0023] In a further very advantageous design of the application, in the first state of the module connector the head is kept at a distance from the busbar and is insulated therefrom by means of a spring element, and in the second state the head is in electrically conductive connection with the busbar, in particular the head directly abuts against the busbar, or the module connector comprises a metal washer which is arranged between the head and the busbar, the head and the busbar being in electrically conductive connection with one another in the second state by means of the metal washer. Thus, as described for the contact sleeve, the fastening element can also be electrically insulated from the busbar in the first state, whereas in the second state an electrically conductive contact is established between the fastening element and the busbar. This is again achieved by means of the same spring element as described previously. This has a number of, in particular many, advantages: on the one hand, the end of the fastening element, which is opposite the head, for example, does not have to be electrically insulated, or does not have to be designed with an electrically insulating protective cover or the like, even if this end protrudes on the bottom side outside the housing of the module connector. Furthermore, this simplifies the design structure, since the electrically conductive contact of the fastening element with the contact sleeve, for example, by means of a spring, is likewise not a problem in this case. A particularly significant advantage of this design is, inter alia, that the fastening element, in particular the head, is not designed to be permanently electrically insulated from the busbar, for example by means of a plastic washer between the head and the busbar. Thereby, the aforementioned disadvantage can be avoided, which is that the plastic insulation is not durable in the case of a threaded connection due to the high forces and can lead to a loosening of the connection due to the creep properties of the plastic. By means of this design, which has already been described in the context of the application, a hard tightening situation can advantageously be achieved without any plastic intermediate piece being required as a component of such a threaded connection. In the second state, in which the fastening element is in electrical connection or in electrical contact with the busbar, the screw head thus, for example, directly abuts against the busbar, or the screw head directly abuts against a metal washer which in turn directly abuts against the busbar. Thereby, a particularly stable and in particular durable stable threaded connection can be achieved. An increase in the contact resistance in the electrically conductive components can thus advantageously be avoided, or at least minimized.

[0024] In another advantageous design of the application, the contact sleeve is arranged in permanent electrical contact on the busbar and / or is formed integrally with the busbar, in particular wherein the securing element is in permanent electrically conductive connection with the busbar. Thus, according to this embodiment the spring element described above can be omitted. In this embodiment, the contact sleeve and the securing element are in a state of permanent contact with the busbar. Thus, if a voltage is applied on the busbar, the contact sleeve and the securing element are also correspondingly energized. The advantage of this embodiment is that this embodiment not only enables a particularly simple design of the module electrode connection, as is the case with the aforementioned variant of the module connector with a spring element, but also enables a simpler design of the module connector itself. This design of the module connector is particularly suitable in cases in which, for example, due to the installation situation, it is not possible to touch the contact sleeve at all, so that a corresponding touch protection can be omitted, or in which, however, the busbar is not energized at all in the respective installation situation, so that no touch protection for the contact sleeve is required here.

[0025] As mentioned in the introduction, the module connector can have two coupling units, wherein each coupling unit can be coupled with a respective module electrode connection of a respective battery module. Here, the two coupling units of the module connector can also be designed differently. One of the coupling units can be configured, for example, with a contact sleeve that permanently contacts the busbar, and the other of the two coupling units can be configured instead with a spring element that keeps the contact sleeve at an electrically insulating distance from the busbar in the first state of the module connector and only establishes electrical contact with the busbar after switching to the second state. Thus, the different embodiments described in connection with the module connector can also be combined by a single module connector.

[0026] In another advantageous design of the application, the spring element has a second spring end which is supported on the head of the fixing part and / or on the spacer, in particular wherein the spring element can be compressed and the module connector can be transferred from the first state into the second state by moving the head of the fixing part in the connection direction while the contact sleeve is kept in its position. The significant advantage here is that the module connector is automatically transferred from the first state into the second state as soon as the module connector is fixed to the corresponding module electrode connection end by means of the fixing part. Thus, if the fixing part is a screw, the module connector is automatically transferred from the first state into the second state by the screwing-in process of the screw into the corresponding nut of the module electrode connection end, since the screw head is moved in the connection direction, in particular in the direction of the contact sleeve, by screwing in the screw, while the contact sleeve is kept in its position by abutting against the corresponding contact element of the module electrode connection end. Thus, the head is moved by the screw movement in the direction of the contact sleeve, whereby the spring loaded between the screw head and the contact sleeve is compressed and thereby loaded or additionally loaded. Here, the screw can be screwed in to such an extent that the screw head finally comes into electrical contact with the busbar, in particular by abutting directly on the busbar or by means of the spacer, and that the contact sleeve comes into direct electrical contact with the busbar. The spring does not have to be in the maximum compression state in this second state. Preferably, the second state is reached before the spring reaches its maximum compression state. Thus, the electrical contact between the contact sleeve and the busbar can be ensured in any case in the second state.

[0027] Furthermore, the application also relates to a module electrode connection end for electrically coupling to a module connector according to the application or one of its embodiments. Thus, the module electrode connection end according to the application is designed for electrically coupling with the aforementioned module connector and for electrically coupling to the module connector.

[0028] Here, the module electrode connection end comprises a module electrode busbar having a contact area which can be electrically contacted in the connection direction with the contact surface of the module connector, a housing which is designed electrically insulating, in which the module electrode busbar is received, wherein the housing has a housing wall which has a cutout area having at least one cutout for exposing at least a part of the contact area of the module electrode busbar, wherein the housing wall has a cutout edge area which surrounds the cutout area in the radial direction, wherein the housing wall radially encloses an electrically insulating insulation ring within the cutout area, which is connected to the cutout edge area by at least one insulation web.

[0029] This enables a particularly simple and advantageous, in particular also space-saving, design of the module electrode connection end.

[0030] By providing at least one insulating web extending from the central insulating ring to the gap edge region surrounding the gap region of the housing, the effective gap area can be reduced or divided into sectors, whereby a touch protection can likewise be advantageously provided in a significantly more space-saving manner, i.e. compared to the form of a circumferential insulating flange projecting substantially in the axial direction or a central insulating pin projecting substantially in the axial direction. In order to be able to contact the module connection end, the corresponding module connector can have a gap or slit-like recess on the end side of the contact sleeve corresponding to the at least one web. If such a module connector and the corresponding module connection end are in electrically conductive connection with one another, the at least one electrically insulating insulating web is accordingly located in the gap of the module connector. In this case, a rotation between the module connector and the module connection end can accordingly no longer be implemented or within certain torques, since the insulating web overcomes the torque. This in turn results in that the screw connection between such a module connection end and the corresponding module connector can be designed with a significantly higher torque, whereby a significantly stronger pressing force can be implemented between the contact surface of the module connection end and the contact surface of the module connector. This likewise leads to a minimization of the contact resistance and an increase in efficiency. Furthermore, this reduces the heat input into the battery module, which in turn has a positive effect on the service life and performance. A significantly more stable connection between such a module connection end and the corresponding module connector can thus also be provided over the service life. Furthermore, another significant advantage is that no additional separate component is required to ensure the corresponding protrusion, which has to be in contact with the contact area of the module electrode busbar. Such a protrusion can be omitted, since the module connector is configured with a contact sleeve projecting from the housing. In general, a particularly simply designed module electrode connection end can be provided here, which nevertheless provides a touch protection and this can also be implemented in a particularly space-saving and efficient manner.

[0031] The insulating web is generally understood to be an elongated component made of electrically insulating material. The gap edge region surrounding the gap region is coupled to the gap region in particular directly in the radial direction. In a certain sense, the gap edge region delimits the gap region in the radial direction. The gap region is a region of the housing wall in which at least one or more gaps are arranged in particular in the radial direction around the insulating ring. The gap region can be defined by an overall gap. The gaps can be separated by the insulating webs. The gap region is therefore not necessarily a continuous region. The gap region can also be defined such that the gap region comprises at least one or more insulating webs in addition to the gaps. In this case, the gap region is a continuous region, which is penetrated by at least one insulating web.

[0032] The housing wall can be configured substantially flat. It can be slightly raised in the region of the insulation ring, the cutout edge region and the at least one insulation tab, but the insulation ring, the at least one insulation tab and the cutout edge region do not have to be significantly raised relative to the base surface of the housing wall in order to provide the touch protection. Thus, the insulation ring, the at least one insulation tab and the cutout edge region can be raised relative to the base surface of the housing wall, wherein the rise is, for example, in the order of magnitude of the thickness of the housing wall in the region not raised. In other words, the thickness of the housing wall in the region of the insulation ring, the insulation tab and the cutout edge region can be designed to be approximately twice the thickness in the region of the housing wall radially outside the cutout edge region. The rise is thus overall particularly small. Rather, the touch protection can be provided by reducing the aperture in the housing wall that has to be passed in order to be able to contact the contact region by providing the at least one insulation tab. The insulation ring of the housing wall surrounds a circular aperture, in particular a central circular aperture. A fixing, for example a bolt, can be inserted into the aperture in order to fix the module electrode connection end on a corresponding module connector. It is thus not necessary to provide an additional insulation pin in the insulation ring that is significantly higher in the axial direction than the base surface of the housing wall. This in turn significantly saves structural space.

[0033] Here, the module electrode connection end can be a component of a battery module. Here, the battery module, in particular a battery module for a high-voltage battery of a motor vehicle, can have two such module electrode connection ends. Each of the two module electrode connection ends can be associated with one of the two potentials, namely the positive potential and the negative potential, of such a battery module. A high-voltage battery for a motor vehicle can comprise a plurality of battery modules. These battery modules can be electrically connected to one another and correspondingly switched on by means of corresponding module connectors. To this end, a first module electrode connection end of a first battery module can be electrically connected to a second module electrode connection end of a second battery module, for example, by means of such a module connector.

[0034] Here, the at least one cutout is designed as a through-hole of the housing wall. In other words, the cutout is to be understood as an aperture in the housing wall. Thereby, if the module electrode busbar is in a state received in the housing in a conventional manner, the contact region of the busbar can be accessible from the outside of the housing via the cutout and can thus be contacted by means of a corresponding second contact region of the module connector.

[0035] By providing the at least one insulation tab, it is now not only possible to provide a separate, ring-shaped closed cutout in the region of the cutout, but it is also possible, for example, to divide and subdivide the cutout into a plurality of cutout sectors. The size of the individual cutouts can thereby be significantly reduced. It is thereby possible, for example, to improve the touch protection, but also to increase the maximum torque, which can be supported overall by the individual insulation tabs.

[0036] Furthermore, the invention also relates to a connection assembly for a battery module, wherein the connection assembly has a module connector according to the invention or one of its embodiments, and a module electrode terminal according to the invention or one of its embodiments.

[0037] The above-mentioned advantages apply in the same way to the connection assembly according to the invention and to its embodiments.

[0038] Furthermore, the invention also relates to a battery, in particular a high-voltage battery, for a motor vehicle, which has a connection assembly according to the invention or one of its embodiments. Furthermore, the battery can have one or more battery modules. The battery modules can in turn comprise one or more battery cells.

[0039] Furthermore, the invention also relates to a motor vehicle having a battery according to the invention or one of its embodiments.

[0040] The invention also comprises improvements of the module electrode terminal according to the invention and of the connection assembly according to the invention, which have the features as already described in connection with the improvements of the module connector according to the invention. For this reason, the respective improvements of the module electrode terminal according to the invention and of the connection assembly according to the invention are not described here again.

[0041] The motor vehicle according to the invention is preferably designed as a car, in particular as a passenger car or a utility vehicle, or as a bus or a motorcycle.

[0042] The invention also comprises combinations of features of the described embodiments. Thus, the invention also comprises the following implementation solutions, which each have a combination of features of the described embodiments, as long as the embodiments are not described as mutually exclusive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0043] Embodiments of the invention are described below. Shown in the figures are:

[0044] Figure 1 a schematic representation of a module connector according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0045] Figure 2 a schematic perspective view of a module connector in Figure 1

[0046] Figure 3 a schematic perspective view of a module electrode terminal according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0047] Figure 4 a schematic cross-sectional view of a module electrode terminal in Figure 3

[0048] Figure 5 ​​schematic perspective view of a connection assembly according to an embodiment of the application with a module electrode coupling end and a module connector;

[0049] Figure 6 schematic cross-sectional view of a connection assembly according to an embodiment of the application with a module electrode coupling end and a module connector; Figure 5

[0050] Figure 7 schematic cross-sectional view of a module connector according to another embodiment of the application;

[0051] Figure 8 schematic view of a connection assembly according to another embodiment of the application with a module electrode coupling end and a module connector; Figure 7 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] The embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the application. In the embodiments, the described components of the embodiments are respectively individual features of the application which can be considered independently of one another and which respectively improve the application independently of one another. The disclosure should therefore also include combinations of features which differ from the shown combinations of features of the embodiments. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by other features of the application which have already been described.

[0053] In the drawings, identical drawing references respectively denote identical elements.

[0054] Figure 1 schematic view of a module connector 10 according to an embodiment of the application. Here, the module connector 10 is shown on the right-hand side in a cross-sectional view in Figure 1 and on the left-hand side in an exploded view in Figure 1 . Here, the module connector 10 is designed for establishing an electrically conductive plug connection with a module electrode coupling end 12 (cf. Figure 3 and Figure 4 ) in a connection direction R which is parallel to an axis A of the module connector 10. Correspondingly, the connection direction R can also be referred to as axial direction. A radial direction is defined perpendicular to the axis A.

[0055] ​​The module connector 10 comprises here an electrically conductive busbar 14. The electrically conductive busbar has a busbar through-hole 14a in turn. Furthermore, the module connector 10 has an electrically conductive contact sleeve 16. The electrically conductive contact sleeve also has a sleeve opening 16a in the form of a through-hole 16a in the connection direction R. The contact sleeve 16 is arranged here below the busbar 14 in the connection direction R, i.e. the busbar through-hole 14a and the sleeve opening 16a are oriented or aligned coaxially with respect to one another. As a result, the fixing element 18, in this example a bolt 20, can pass through both holes 14a, 16a with its bolt neck 20a at the same time. In addition to the bolt neck 20a, the bolt 20 also comprises a head 20b. The head widens in the radial direction with respect to the bolt neck 20a. Optionally, a washer, in particular a metal washer 22, can also be provided. The washer serves to distribute the pressure more uniformly onto the busbar 14 by means of the bolt head 20b. Furthermore, the module connector 10 comprises a housing 24, which comprises a housing upper part 26 and a housing lower part 28 in this example. The housing upper part and the housing lower part can be assembled into the housing 24, for example by means of a snap-in connection. The housing lower part 28 can be divided into regions again and can comprise, for example, an insulating flange 28a which surrounds at least a portion of the contact sleeve 16 and the busbar 14 in the radial direction. The remainder of the housing 24 serves primarily to electrically insulate the busbar 14. Furthermore, the housing upper part 26 can have a through-hole 26a in the region of the bolt head 20b in order to enable access for a tightening tool.

[0056] The module connector 10 has advantageously in this example a spring element 30 in the form of a coil spring 32. The coil spring surrounds the bolt neck 20a in the radial direction. Furthermore, the spring 32 is located between the contact sleeve 16 and the bolt head 20b. Furthermore, the spring 32 not only passes through the busbar through-hole 14a but also projects a distance into the sleeve opening 16a. The contact sleeve 16 has a support flange 16b in this example, which projects radially inwards in the sleeve opening 16a and on which the spring 32 bears with a spring end 32a downwards, so that the spring 32 cannot fall downwards, i.e. in the connection direction R, through the contact sleeve 16.

[0057] The opposite second end 32b of the spring 32 is supported in this example by the washer 22. If the washer is not present, the spring 32 can be supported similarly on the bolt head 20b. Furthermore, the module connector 10 comprises an insulating sleeve 34. The insulating sleeve is arranged in the busbar through-hole 14a and insulates the busbar 14 from the bolt 20 and the spring 32. The sleeve 34 can be clicked, for example, into the through-hole 14a of the busbar 14. The sleeve 34 can be held frictionally and / or form-locked in the through-hole 14a.

[0058] Furthermore, the insulating flange 28a likewise comprises a fixing flange 28b which protrudes radially inwards by a distance, and the contact sleeve 16 has a positioning flange 16c which rests against the fixing flange 28b of the housing 28. Thereby, the contact sleeve 16 can be held in the housing 26, in particular in the insulating flange 28a, and is prevented from falling out downwards, i.e. in the connection direction R.

[0059] By virtue of the provision of the spring 32, it is now advantageously possible for the contact sleeve 16 and additionally, in this example, the bolt 20 to be electrically insulated from the busbar 14 in the first state Z1 of the module connector 10 (shown in Figure 1 here). Here, the spring 32 keeps the contact sleeve 16 at a distance from the busbar 14, so that there is no electrically conductive contact between the contact sleeve 16 and the busbar 14. Correspondingly, the spring 32 also keeps the bolt 20, in particular the bolt head 20b, at a distance from the busbar 14, so that there is also no electrically conductive contact between the bolt 20 and the busbar 14. Furthermore, the electrical insulation between the spring 32 and the bolt neck 20a (on the one hand) and the busbar 14 (on the other hand) is also ensured by the insulating sleeve 34. Thus, the bolt 20 and the contact sleeve 16 can be touched without danger in the first state Z1 shown here, since even if the busbar 14 is live, there is no electrically conductive contact with the bolt 20 and the contact sleeve 16.

[0060] The contact sleeve 16 has a non-insulated sleeve portion 16d which comprises the end side 16e of the contact sleeve 16, wherein the end side 16e simultaneously provides the contact face 36. Here, this sleeve portion 16d protrudes out of the housing 26, in particular the insulating flange 28a, in the connection direction R, at least in the first state Z1 and in particular also in the second state Z2, albeit to a reduced extent. In other words, the non-insulated sleeve portion 16d protrudes out of the housing 16. This in turn enables a significantly simpler design of the corresponding module electrode terminal 12, as will be explained in detail below. However, in this example, there is no risk of electric shock when "touching the contact sleeve 16", since the contact sleeve 16 is electrically insulated from the busbar 14 in the first state Z1. In this example, the bolt 20 can also further protrude out of the contact sleeve 16 by a distance without further touch protection structures being required for this purpose. Since the bolt 20 is electrically insulated from the busbar 14 in the first state Z1 of the module connector 10.

[0061] Figure 2 A schematic perspective view of the module connector 10 in Figure 1 is shown again.

[0062] Figure 3 A schematic view of a module electrode terminal 12 according to an embodiment of the application is shown, and Figure 4 A schematic view of a module electrode terminal 12 according to an embodiment of the application is shown, and Figure 3Fig. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the module electrode connection end 12 in the module connector 10. The module electrode connection end 12 is designed to electrically contact the module connector 10, in particular by means of a plug-in connection, in the plug-in direction R as described above.

[0063] The module electrode connection end 12 likewise has a busbar 37, namely a module electrode busbar 37. Furthermore, the module electrode connection end 12 comprises a housing 38, which surrounds the busbar 37. Furthermore, the busbar 37 has a contact area 37a, which is in electric contact and electrically contactable with the contact face 36 of the module connector 10, if the module electrode connection end 12 is connected to the module connector 10 in a conventional manner. Now advantageously, the housing 38 has a housing wall 40, which has a recess area 40a with at least one recess 42 for exposing at least a portion of the contact area 37a of the module electrode busbar 37. Furthermore, the housing wall 40 comprises a recess edge area 44, which surrounds the recess area 40a in a radial direction with reference to the central axis A'. Furthermore, the housing wall 40 radially surrounds an electrically insulating insulation ring 46 within the recess area 40a, which is connected to the recess edge area 44 by means of at least one insulation web 48, in the present example two insulation webs 48.

[0064] The recess edge area 44, the insulation ring 46 and the insulation webs 48 can be designed slightly elevated with respect to the surrounding housing wall 40. However, the elevation is in the order of magnitude of the wall thickness of the housing wall 40, as can be seen in Figure 4 In other words, for this embodiment no particularly large amount of structural space is required in the axial direction A'. The touch protection can be achieved by means of the insulation webs 28. Thereby, the exposed area 37a is divided into smaller partial areas. In principle, further webs 48 can also be provided between the surrounding edge area 44 and the insulation ring 46, for example three or four or more webs 48 in total. Thereby, the touch protection can be provided in a particularly simple manner. The contact to the module connector 10 can also be provided particularly simply by means of the contact sleeve 16, which projects with its non-insulated sleeve portion 16d outside the housing 24. Thus, in order to be able to contact the contact sleeve 16, no complex geometry of the module electrode connection end 12 is required.

[0065] Figure 5 Fig. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of a connection assembly 50 according to an embodiment of the application, which has a module connector 10 and a module electrode connection end 12 in a connected state with one another. The module connector 10 and the module electrode connection end 12 can be designed as described above. Figure 6 Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the connection assembly 50 again. Here, the module connector 10 is in a second state Z2, in which the spring 32 has now been compressed or is in contact with the module electrode connection end 12, as described above in connection with Fig. 3. Figure 1The contact sleeve 16 is in the first state Z1 shown in the middle compared to at least further compressed. Now in this second state Z2, there is an electrically conductive contact between the contact sleeve 16 and the busbar 14, and between the bolt 20, in particular the bolt head 20b, the washer 22 and the busbar 14. The transition from the first state Z1 to the second state Z2 is thus achieved in a simple manner, i.e. the module connector 10 is inserted in the connection direction R onto the module electrode terminal 12 in a conventional manner, and then the bolt 20 is screwed into a corresponding nut 52 provided as a component of the module electrode terminal 12. Furthermore, this nut 52 can be flanged or press-fitted, welded or otherwise fixed to the busbar 37 in the region of the through-hole 54 of the busbar 37. The nut 52 can be made of steel, for example, while the busbar 37 is preferably made of copper. In particular, the busbar 37 and the nut 52 can be made of different materials. Thereby, the busbar 37 can be designed with very good electrical conductivity, while the bolt 20 can be provided with the necessary stability and holding force by means of the nut 52. Thus, if the bolt 20 is screwed into the nut 52, the bolt head 20b moves accordingly downwards, i.e. in the connection direction R, while the contact sleeve 16, which rests on the module electrode terminal 12, for example, remains in place. Thereby, the distance between the bolt head 20b and the contact sleeve 14 is reduced, whereby the spring 32 is compressed. A contact closure between the bolt 20, the busbar 14 and the contact sleeve 16 is thereby achieved.

[0066] Furthermore, the contact sleeve 16 can be designed with a gap 56 (see Figure 2 ) on its end side 16e. In this case, the corresponding tab 48 of the module electrode terminal 12 can be received in this gap.

[0067] Thus, the protection against touch on the module electrode, i.e. on the module electrode connection end 12, can be achieved by the geometry of the insulating housing 38. With the embodiment of the high-voltage connector, i.e. the module connector 10, described herein, no further components are required to comply with the protection against touch on the module electrode, i.e. on the module electrode connection end 12. By implementing the protection against touch on the module connector 10, the protection against touch on the module electrode 12 of the high-voltage battery can be implemented very simply and with a small number of parts. The high-voltage connector 10 can likewise be designed in a manner protected against touch. The protection against touch on the high-voltage connector 10 is advantageously achieved by the integrated spring element 30. In the first state Z1, the contact sleeve 16 and the connection elements, i.e. the fixing elements 18, 20 and the spacer 22, if present, are kept separate from the busbar 14 by the spring element 30, whereby the contact sleeve 16 and the connection elements 18 are not electrically connected with the busbar and the protection against touch is thus achieved, or rather the module connector 10 can be considered as a whole to be designed in a manner protected against touch. In the case of connecting the high-voltage connector 10 to the electrical plug-in connection, i.e. the module electrode connection end 12, of the battery, the contact sleeve 16 is connected and pressed against the busbar 14. The electrical contact is thus achieved in the assembled state. By the electrically insulating housing of the module connector 10 and the module electrode connection end 12, the protection against touch is likewise achieved in the assembled state.

[0068] Thus, although the contact sleeve 16 on the high-voltage connector 10 protrudes outside the housing 26 in the unassembled state, the protection against touch is achieved by the spring element 30. In this way, the module electrode 12 can be designed in a manner protected against touch simply and with a small number of components. No additional insulation of the connection elements on the module electrode 12 or on the high-voltage connector 10 is required, and the protection against touch is achieved by the existing housings 26, 38. For the screwing, standard connection elements, such as screws, spacers, press nuts, can advantageously be used.

[0069] Figure 7 A schematic representation of a module connector 10' according to another embodiment of the application is shown in a cross-sectional view, and Figure 8 A schematic representation of a connection assembly 50' according to another embodiment of the application is shown, which comprises a module connector 10' according to Figure 7 . In this example, the spring element 30 described previously has been omitted. In particular, the module connector 10' can be designed as described previously, with the exception of the differences described below. In this example, the screw 20 (on the one hand) and the contact sleeve 16 (on the other hand) are now in permanent electrically conductive contact with the busbar 14. Thus, the module connector 10 does not have a first state and a second state as described previously. The insulating sleeve 34 can likewise be omitted. In this case, the contact sleeve 16 also protrudes downwards, i.e. in the connection direction R, from the insulating flange 28a of the housing lower part 28 by a distance.

[0070] However, the module electrode connection end 12 which can be coupled with the module connector 10' can be designed as described above. In other words, the module connector 10' can also be connected in electric contact with a module electrode connection end 12 as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 for example. Figure 8 The module connector 10' is shown in a state coupled with such a module electrode connection end 12. This embodiment of the module connector 10' also advantageously enables a very simple design of the module electrode connection end 12. However, in the uninstalled state as shown in Figure 7 , no touch protection can be provided for the contact sleeve 16 and the lower part of the screw 20. Such a module connector 10' is suitable for example for installation situations in which the respective touch protection is ensured anyway, that is to say, the screw 20 and / or the contact sleeve 16 are completely inaccessible from a structural space technology point of view, or for installation situations in which the busbar 14 is completely de-energized. However, in the assembled state as shown in Figure 8 , the touch protection is ensured again by the housing 24, 38.

[0071] Overall, the examples show how a touch protection plug-in connection for high-voltage connectors and high-voltage batteries can be provided according to advantageous embodiments of the application.

Claims

1. A module connector (10, 10') for electrically connecting to the module electrode connection end (12) of a battery module in the connection direction (R) by establishing a mating connection, wherein, The module connectors (10, 10') include: - A conductive busbar (14) having a busbar through-hole (14a) for the fasteners (18, 20) to pass through in the connection direction (R). - A conductive contact sleeve (16) having a non-insulated sleeve portion (16d) having a non-insulated end side (16e) providing a contact surface (36) for electrical contact with a module electrode connection end (12), wherein the contact sleeve (16) has a sleeve opening (16a) arranged below the busbar (14) in the connection direction (R) and coaxially oriented with the busbar through hole (14a), so that the fasteners (18, 20) can pass through both the busbar through hole (14a) and the sleeve opening (16a) in the connection direction (R). - An electrically insulating housing (24) having an insulating flange (28a) that surrounds at least a portion of the busbar (14) and at least a portion of the contact sleeve (16) in a radial direction; Its features are, The non-insulated sleeve portion (16d) of the contact sleeve (16) protrudes out of the housing (24) in the connection direction (R), the sleeve portion including an end side (16e) having a contact surface (36).

2. The module connector (10) according to claim 1. Its features are, - The module connector (10) has resilient spring elements (30, 32) that are compressible and / or extendable in the connection direction (R). - The module connector (10) can switch from the first state (Z1) to the second state (Z2). - In the first state (Z1), the contact sleeve (16) maintains a certain distance from the busbar (14) by means of spring elements (30, 32) and is electrically insulated from the busbar. In the second state (Z2), the contact sleeve is in electrical contact with the busbar (14) when the spring elements (30, 32) are compressed.

3. The module connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims. Its features are, The module connector (10) includes an insulating sleeve (34) made of an electrically insulating material, wherein the insulating sleeve (34) is arranged in a busbar through-hole (14a), particularly on the wall of the hole that defines the busbar through-hole (14a) in the radial direction, wherein the fasteners (18, 20) are electrically insulated from the busbar (14) by means of the insulating sleeve (34) while passing through the busbar through-hole (14a), and wherein the spring elements (30, 32) are designed as helical springs (32) that pass through the busbar through-hole (14a) and are electrically insulated from the busbar (14) by means of the insulating sleeve (34).

4. The module connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims. Its features are, The contact sleeve (16) has a radially inwardly projecting support flange (16b), and spring elements (30, 32) are supported on the support flange in the connection direction (R) at a first spring end (32a).

5. The module connector (10, 10') according to any one of the preceding claims. Its features are, The module connector (10, 10') has a fastener (18, 20) which is an elongated fastener (18, 20) extending in the connection direction (R) and has a head (20b) and a neck (20a) connected to the head (20b) in the connection direction (R), wherein the neck passes through a busbar through-hole (14a) and a sleeve opening (16a), wherein the fastener (18, 20) has an end opposite to the head (20b), and in particular, the end protrudes outside the housing (24) in the connection direction (R).

6. The module connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims. Its features are, In the first state (Z1) of the module connector (10), the head (20b) is kept at a certain distance from the bus (14) by means of spring elements (30, 32) and is electrically insulated from the bus (14). In the second state (Z2), the head is electrically connected to the bus (14). In particular, the head is directly attached to the bus (14), or the module connector (10) includes a metal gasket (22) arranged between the head (20b) and the bus (14). In the second state (Z2), the head (20b) and the bus (14) are electrically connected to each other through the metal gasket.

7. The module connector (10') according to claim 1, 5 or 6. Its features are, The contact sleeve (16) is arranged on the busbar (14) and / or integral with the busbar in a permanent electrical contact manner, wherein the fasteners (18, 20) are permanently electrically connected to the busbar (14).

8. The module connector (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 7. Its features are, The spring elements (30, 32) have a second spring end (32b) supported on the head (20b) of the fixing member (18, 20) and / or on the gasket (22). In particular, the spring elements (30, 32) can be compressed and the module connector (10) can be switched from the first state (Z1) to the second state (Z2) by moving the head (20b) of the fixing member (18, 20) in the connection direction (R) while keeping the contact sleeve (16) in its position.

9. A module electrode connection terminal (12) for electrically connecting to a module connector (10, 10') according to any one of the preceding claims. Its features are, - The module electrode connection terminal (12) includes: a module electrode bus (37) having a contact area (37a) that can make electrical contact with the contact surface (36) of the module connector (10) in the connection direction (R); - Housing (38), which is electrically insulated and houses the module electrode bus (37). - Wherein, the housing (38) has a housing wall (40) having a notch region (40a) having at least one notch (42) for exposing at least a portion of the contact region (37a) of the module electrode bus (37). - Wherein, the shell wall (40) has a notch edge region (44) that surrounds the notch region (40a) in the radial direction. - wherein the housing wall (40) radially surrounds an electrically insulating ring (46) within the notch region (44), the insulating ring being connected to the notch edge region (44) via at least one insulating tab (48).

10. A connection assembly (50) for a battery module, wherein, The connection assembly (50) has a module connector (10, 10') according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and a module electrode connection terminal (12) according to claim 9.

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