A large-current low-resistance copper-aluminum converter

Abstract

The application discloses a copper-aluminum converter with large current and low resistance, and belongs to the technical field of energy storage. The converter comprises an aluminum terminal and a copper sheet. The aluminum terminal comprises an integral forming stand pipe part and a strip plate part. The stand pipe part is arranged at one end of the strip plate part and is bent at a certain angle with the strip plate part. The stand pipe part is used for connecting a cable. The copper sheet is fixedly attached to the plate surface of the strip plate part and forms an electrode connecting plate together with the strip plate part. A plurality of connecting holes are formed through the electrode connecting plate. The connecting holes are used for allowing bolts to pass through so as to electrically connect the electrode connecting plate with electrodes of a battery. The copper sheet is electrically connected with the battery electrodes, direct contact between aluminum and copper is avoided, and the risk of electrochemical corrosion is eliminated. Meanwhile, the amount of copper material is reduced, and the cost is lowered. The bending design of the stand pipe part is suitable for narrow spaces. The plurality of connecting holes can realize multi-path battery bus connection, reduce the connecting points, and improve the installation efficiency and system reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of energy storage technology, and more specifically, to a copper-aluminum converter for electrical connection between batteries in an energy storage system. Background Technology

[0002] In energy storage systems, numerous electrical connections are required between battery modules and between batteries and busbars. Currently, common connection methods include using pure copper cables or copper busbars. However, the high cost of copper materials keeps the overall manufacturing cost of the energy storage system high.

[0003] To reduce costs, some manufacturers have attempted to connect aluminum alloy cables directly to the copper electrode terminals of the battery. However, this direct contact between dissimilar metals poses safety hazards. Due to the different electrical potentials of aluminum and copper, electrochemical corrosion can easily occur in humid environments or environments containing electrolytes, leading to a gradual increase in contact resistance at the connection point, increased heat generation at the connection, and potentially, in severe cases, a fire.

[0004] Other manufacturers use copper-aluminum transition terminals to solve this problem. Existing copper-aluminum transition terminals are typically made by connecting copper and aluminum tubes via friction welding. The copper tube portion still consumes a significant amount of copper, limiting cost reduction. Furthermore, these terminals are mostly linear structures, requiring considerable horizontal space for installation, making them unsuitable for the compact and complex layouts within energy storage battery packs. In addition, existing terminals usually only allow for the connection of a single cable to a single electrode. When multiple batteries need to be connected in parallel, a large number of terminals and cables are required, leading to cumbersome and costly installation, and the increased number of connection points also increases system resistance and the risk of failure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter. This converter should have the characteristics of high current, low cost, low resistance, high safety and convenient installation.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter includes an aluminum terminal and a copper sheet. The aluminum terminal comprises an integrally formed riser section and a strip section. The riser section is located at one end of the strip section and is bent at a certain angle to the strip section. The riser section is used for connecting cables. The copper sheet is attached and fixed to the surface of the strip section, forming a composite electrode connection plate together with the strip section. Multiple connection holes are formed through the electrode connection plate for bolts to pass through, electrically connecting the electrode connection plate to the electrodes of a battery.

[0008] Preferably, the strip portion has a plurality of first connecting holes, and the copper sheet has a plurality of second connecting holes, wherein the first connecting holes and the second connecting holes correspond one-to-one and are concentrically aligned, together forming the connecting holes.

[0009] Preferably, the connecting hole is an oblong hole or a round hole.

[0010] Furthermore, among the plurality of connecting holes, one connecting hole farther away from the riser is a round hole, and the remaining connecting holes located between the round hole and the riser are oblong holes.

[0011] Preferably, the angle between the riser section and the strip section is 90°.

[0012] Preferably, the copper sheet is attached to the surface of the strip by brazing.

[0013] Preferably, the riser section is provided with a cable crimping hole for crimping and fixing cables.

[0014] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0015] 1. Copper sheets are used only in critical areas that come into contact with the battery's copper electrodes, while the main structure (aluminum terminals) uses inexpensive aluminum, significantly reducing the amount of copper used and effectively lowering manufacturing costs.

[0016] 2. By connecting the copper sheet to the copper electrodes of the battery, direct contact between aluminum and copper is avoided, fundamentally eliminating the risk of electrochemical corrosion and ensuring the stability and safety of the long-term connection. The copper sheet and aluminum terminals are brazed together, resulting in high connection strength (up to 150-220MPa), good conductivity, and low and stable contact resistance.

[0017] 3. The riser section and the strip section are bent at a certain angle (such as 90°), so that the connection direction of the cable is perpendicular to the connection direction of the battery electrode, forming a three-dimensional layout that can adapt to the narrow and irregular space inside the battery pack and make installation more flexible.

[0018] 4. The electrode connection plate has multiple connection holes, which can connect the electrodes of multiple batteries at the same time, realize the current collection function of multiple batteries, reduce the amount of connection terminals and cables used, simplify the system structure, reduce the connection point resistance, and improve installation efficiency and system reliability.

[0019] 5. By setting the waist-shaped hole, the connection position can be finely adjusted during installation to compensate for the installation error of the battery electrode or the manufacturing tolerance of the converter itself, making the installation more convenient and accurate.

[0020] 6. Aluminum terminals can be integrally formed by stamping dies, and copper sheets can be fixed by welding. The production process is simple, suitable for mass production, and further reduces costs. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a copper-aluminum converter.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a copper-aluminum converter.

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Top view.

[0025] In the diagram: 1. Aluminum terminal; 11. Riser section; 111. Cable crimping hole; 12. Strip section; 121. First connecting hole; 2. Copper sheet; 21. Second connecting hole. Detailed Implementation

[0026] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter is used in an energy storage battery pack to achieve electrical connections between batteries or between a battery and a bus cable. The converter includes an aluminum terminal 1 and a copper plate 2.

[0027] The aluminum terminal 1 is integrally formed from a single piece of aluminum sheet through processes such as stamping, and includes a riser section 11 and a strip section 12. The riser section 11 is formed at one end of the strip section 12, and is bent to form a certain angle between it and the strip section 12. In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the included angle is 90°, forming an "L" shaped structure. The riser section 11 is provided with a cable crimping hole 111, which is used to achieve electrical connection and mechanical fixation with the conductor part of an external cable (not shown in the figure) by crimping.

[0028] The strip section 12 is a flat plate structure with multiple through first connecting holes 121. These first connecting holes 121 can be round holes or oblong holes. In this embodiment, there are two connecting holes, one oblong hole closer to the riser section 11 and one round hole further away from the riser section 11. The oblong hole design provides a certain adjustment margin for installation.

[0029] The copper sheet 2 is a flat plate or thin sheet with a size approximately equivalent to that of the strip portion 12, and it has second connecting holes 21 that correspond one-to-one with the positions of the first connecting holes 121. The copper sheet 2 is attached and fixed to the surface of the strip portion 12 by brazing. After welding, the copper sheet 2 and the strip portion 12 become an inseparable composite, together forming the electrode connecting plate. At this time, the first connecting holes 121 and the second connecting holes 21 are concentrically aligned, together forming connecting holes for connecting to the battery electrodes.

[0030] During installation and use, place the electrode connection plate of this converter above the electrode of the battery (not shown in the figure), aligning the connection hole with the stud of the positive battery electrode. Then, tighten the bolt (not shown in the figure) through the connection hole and onto the electrode stud, thereby tightly fitting the electrode connection plate (i.e., copper sheet 2) to the copper electrode of the battery, achieving electrical connection. Simultaneously, insert the energy storage system cable (e.g., aluminum cable) into the cable crimping hole 111 of the riser section 11, and crimp it using tools such as hydraulic pliers, thereby achieving electrical connection between the cable and the battery.

[0031] Because the electrode connection plate has multiple connection holes (formed by the first connection hole 121 and the second connection hole 21), one converter can simultaneously connect the electrodes of multiple adjacent batteries. For example, a converter with three connection holes can connect three batteries in series, or connect a single positive / negative cable to three parallel batteries simultaneously, achieving a current-combining function. This greatly reduces the number of connection cables and terminals required in traditional methods.

[0032] In the above embodiment, the riser section 11 and the strip section 12 form a 90° angle, creating a vertical connection structure. The cable is led out from the top, effectively saving horizontal installation space, which is particularly suitable for scenarios where there is ample top space but limited side space within the battery pack. In other embodiments, this angle can be adjusted according to the actual installation space requirements, for example, to 45° or 120°.

[0033] The above embodiments do not limit the present invention in any way. All technical solutions obtained by equivalent substitution or equivalent transformation fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter, characterized in that, include: An aluminum terminal, comprising an integrally formed riser section and a strip section, wherein the riser section is disposed at one end of the strip section and is bent at a certain angle to the strip section, and the riser section is used to connect cables; A copper sheet is attached and fixed to the surface of the strip portion, and together with the strip portion, forms an electrode connection plate. The electrode connecting plate has multiple connecting holes through it, which are used for bolts to pass through in order to electrically connect the electrode connecting plate to the electrodes of the battery.

2. The high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The strip portion has a plurality of first connecting holes, and the copper sheet has a plurality of second connecting holes. The first connecting holes and the second connecting holes correspond one-to-one and are concentrically aligned, together forming the connecting holes.

3. The high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The connecting hole is either an oblong hole or a round hole.

4. The high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter according to claim 3, characterized in that, Of the plurality of connecting holes, one connecting hole farther from the riser is a round hole, and the remaining connecting holes located between the round hole and the riser are oblong holes.

5. The high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the riser section and the strip section is 90°.

6. The high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The copper sheet is attached and fixed to the surface of the strip by brazing.

7. The high-current, low-resistance copper-aluminum converter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The riser section is provided with a cable crimping hole for crimping and fixing cables.

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