Connecting assembly, liquid cooling pipeline, battery pack and vehicle

Abstract

The utility model discloses a connecting assembly, a liquid cooling pipeline, a battery pack and a vehicle, the connecting assembly comprises a three-way pipe type joint main body, the joint main body comprises a one-way joint, a two-way joint and a three-way joint which are communicated with one another; the inlet and outlet pipe is arranged on the one-way pipe in a communicating manner; the connecting pipe is arranged on the two-way joint in a communicating manner; the accommodating pipe is arranged on the tee joint in a communicating manner; the temperature sensor is arranged at the position of the containing pipe and comprises a sensing section, a connecting section and an external connecting section which are connected in sequence, the sensing section extends into an inner cavity of the containing pipe, the connecting section is connected with the containing pipe in a sleeved mode, the external connecting section is exposed out of the containing pipe, and the external connecting section is connected with the sensing section in a sleeved mode. The connecting assembly can assist in completing receiving and conveying of the cooling medium, can also serve as a basic arrangement part of the temperature sensor and is used for arranging the temperature sensor to the front edge beam of the battery pack, so that the surplus space in the front edge beam of the battery pack is fully utilized, and interference between the connecting assembly and other parts of the battery pack is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of vehicle manufacturing, and in particular to a connection component, a liquid cooling pipeline, a battery pack and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the transformation of the global energy structure and the improvement of environmental protection awareness, electric vehicles, as an important development direction of the automotive industry, have become the focus of attention for their performance and reliability. As the "heart" of electric vehicles, the performance and life of batteries directly affect the performance and reliability of the entire vehicle. Therefore, the importance of battery thermal management systems has become increasingly prominent.

[0003] Liquid cooling technology is an efficient heat dissipation method in the battery thermal management system. Liquid cooling technology removes the heat generated by the battery through the circulation of liquid media (such as water, ethylene glycol solution, etc.), thereby maintaining the battery operating within a suitable temperature range. This technology has excellent heat conduction capabilities and stable temperature control performance, significantly improving the efficiency of heat absorption and removal, ensuring the stable operation of the battery and full performance.

[0004] Structurally, the liquid cooling pipeline serves as a delivery channel for the cooling medium, with one end connected to the outside and the other end connected to the liquid cooler of the battery pack. The temperature sensing component is arranged on the other end of the liquid cooling pipeline to sense the temperature of the cooling medium. This arrangement may cause spatial interference between the temperature sensing component and the internal parts of the battery pack, increasing the difficulty of installation. Specifically, in order to improve the space utilization in the power battery pack, the various components are arranged compactly in the battery pack. For example, the accessory space where the liquid cooler is connected to the liquid cooling pipeline is provided with high-voltage relays, left and right side beams of the box, front cross beam and other parts.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to design a connection assembly, a liquid cooling pipeline, a battery pack and a vehicle to avoid interference between the liquid cooling pipeline in the liquid cooling technology and other parts in the battery pack, thereby alleviating the space pressure of the battery pack. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of the utility model is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a connection assembly, a liquid cooling pipeline, a battery pack and a vehicle. The joint body of the connection assembly is constructed in a tee shape, and a temperature sensor can be integrated thereon. After use and installation, the connection assembly is close to the front side beam of the battery pack, and the abundant space in the front side beam of the battery pack can be fully utilized to avoid interference between the connection assembly and other parts of the battery pack.

[0007] According to one aspect of the utility model, there is provided a connection assembly, comprising:

[0008] A three-way pipe joint body, the joint body comprises a first, second and third joints which are interconnected.

[0009] The inlet and outlet pipes are connected to the one-way pipe.

[0010] A connecting pipe is connected to the two-way pipe.

[0011] A receiving tube is connected and arranged on the tee.

[0012] A temperature sensor is arranged at the containing tube, and the temperature sensor includes a sensing section, a connecting section and an external connecting section which are connected in sequence, wherein the sensing section extends into the inner cavity of the containing tube, the connecting section is sleeve-connected to the containing tube, and the external connecting section is exposed from the containing tube.

[0013] In one embodiment, a circumferentially extending snap-in groove is provided on the outer wall of the connecting section, and an inside-outside communicating snap-in hole is provided on the wall of the accommodating tube. A snap spring passes through the snap-in hole and snaps into the snap-in groove.

[0014] In one embodiment, an anti-circumferential rotation assembly is provided between the connecting section and the containing tube, and the anti-circumferential rotation assembly includes an anti-circumferential rotation groove and an anti-circumferential rotation key circumferentially engaged with the anti-circumferential rotation groove, wherein one of the anti-circumferential rotation groove and the anti-circumferential rotation key is provided on the connecting section and the other is provided on the inner wall of the containing tube.

[0015] In one embodiment, the connecting section is bonded and fixed to the containing tube.

[0016] In one embodiment, a flange is provided on the outer wall of the inlet and outlet pipes, a nut is provided on the flange, an annular sealing groove is provided on the surface of the flange away from the joint body, and a sealing ring protruding from the notch of the sealing groove is provided in the sealing groove.

[0017] In one embodiment, the joint body, the inlet and outlet pipes, the connecting pipe, the receiving pipe and the flange are integrally formed by injection molding.

[0018] In one embodiment, the circumscribing section is configured in a shell shape.

[0019] According to another aspect of the utility model, a liquid cooling pipeline is provided, comprising:

[0020] The above connection components,

[0021] a liquid cooling pipe, one end of which is connected to the connecting pipe of the connecting assembly in a communicating manner;

[0022] A quick-connect connector is connected to the other end of the liquid cooling pipe in a communicative manner.

[0023] According to a third aspect of the present utility model, there is provided a battery pack, comprising:

[0024] Battery module,

[0025] A front side beam fixedly arranged on the battery module,

[0026] A liquid cooler for dissipating heat for the battery module, the liquid cooler comprising a liquid cooling inlet, a liquid cooling channel and a liquid cooling outlet connected in sequence,

[0027] The above-mentioned liquid cooling pipeline,

[0028] Among them, the quick-plug connector of one of the liquid cooling pipelines is connected to the liquid cooling inlet, the quick-plug connector of another of the liquid cooling pipelines is connected to the liquid cooling outlet, and each of the connecting components is fixed to the front side beam.

[0029] According to a fourth aspect of the utility model, a vehicle is provided, comprising the above-mentioned battery pack.

[0030] The above technical solution has the following beneficial effects: the joint body of the connection assembly is three-way, one of which is connected to the inlet and outlet pipes for connecting to an external cold source or a recovery cold source, the second is provided with a connecting pipe for connecting to a liquid cooling pipe to transport a cooling medium, and the three is provided with a receiving pipe for setting a temperature sensor. It can be seen that the connection assembly can not only assist in receiving and transporting the cooling medium, but also serve as a basic component for setting a temperature sensor, so as to enable the temperature sensor to be set at the front side beam of the battery pack, so as to make full use of the abundant space in the front side beam of the battery pack and avoid interference between the connection assembly and other parts of the battery pack. In addition, the structure of the temperature sensor itself can better ensure the accuracy of monitoring. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The disclosure of the present invention will become easier to understand with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these drawings are only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0032] Figure 1 A three-dimensional exploded view of a connection assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 A three-dimensional diagram showing a portion of a connection assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 For Figure 2 A magnified image of point A;

[0035] Figure 4 A liquid cooling circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0036] Figure 5The arrangement of a liquid cooling pipeline on the same battery pack according to an embodiment of the utility model is shown;

[0037] Figure 6 The figure shows the connection between the liquid cooling pipeline and the front side beam according to an embodiment of the utility model.

[0038] In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same components. The drawings are not drawn to scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The specific implementation of the utility model is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0040] An embodiment of the present invention provides a connection assembly. Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the connection assembly 100 includes a joint body 110, an inlet and outlet pipe 120, a connecting pipe 130, a receiving pipe 140 and a temperature sensor 150. The joint body 110 is constructed in a three-way shape, and specifically includes a first pass 111, a second pass 112 and a three-way 113 that are interconnected. The inlet and outlet pipe 120 is connected to the first pass 111. The inlet and outlet pipe 120 is used to connect to an external cold source to receive a cooling medium, or to connect to an external recovery cold source to transport a cooling medium. The connecting pipe 130 is connected to the second pass 112. The connecting pipe 130 is used to connect the liquid cooling pipe 200 in the liquid cooling pipeline 20. The receiving pipe 140 is connected to the three-way 113. The receiving pipe 140 can be used as an installation base to set the temperature sensor 150. The temperature sensor 150 is used to sense the temperature of the cooling medium and transmit the temperature signal to complete the purpose of monitoring the temperature information of the cooling medium. The temperature sensor 150 includes a sensing section 151, a connecting section 152 and an external section 153 which are connected in sequence. The sensing section 151 extends into the inner cavity of the receiving tube 140 to contact the cooling medium to sense the temperature and improve the monitoring accuracy. The connecting section 152 is connected to the receiving tube 140 to fix the temperature sensor 150 to the receiving tube 140. The external section 153 is exposed from the receiving tube 140 to facilitate the connection of external components. For example, the external section 153 is connected to the plug terminal of the battery management system (BMS) to transmit the temperature signal.

[0041] Therefore, the connection assembly 100 can not only assist in the delivery of the cooling medium, but also serve as a basic component for the installation of the temperature sensor 150, so that the temperature sensor 150 can be installed at the front side beam 10 of the battery pack (not shown in the figure), which can not only make full use of the abundant space in the front side beam 10 of the battery pack, but also avoid installing the temperature sensor at the end of the liquid cooling pipeline close to the liquid cooler, thereby effectively avoiding the situation where the temperature sensor is installed at the end of the liquid cooling pipeline 20 and causes interference with other parts of the battery pack. In addition, the structural characteristics of the temperature sensor 150 itself can ensure the accuracy of monitoring.

[0042] In one embodiment, the axial direction of the two-way 112 is in the same straight line as the axial direction of the three-way 113. The axial direction of the single-way 111 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the two-way 112. That is, the joint body 110 is generally constructed in a "T" shape, with the two-way 112 and the three-way 113 in the same straight line, and the single-way 111 in another straight line. This arrangement simplifies the manufacture and installation of the joint body 110. Specifically, as Figure 5 As shown, in the actual production process, a battery pack includes two liquid cooling pipes 20, one of which is connected to a cold source to serve as a channel for the cooling medium to enter the battery pack, and the other is connected to a recovery cold source to serve as a channel for the cooling medium to exit the battery pack. Regardless of whether the liquid cooling pipe 20 serves as an input channel or an output channel, the structure of the connector body 110 in the liquid cooling pipe 20 is the same, and it only needs to be flipped over during the installation process. It can be seen that the connection assembly 100 in the present application can be adapted to the liquid cooling pipe 20 as an input, and it can also be adapted to the liquid cooling pipe 20 as an output pipe. In particular, when the connection assembly 100 is an injection molded part, this arrangement can effectively reduce the number of molds, thereby reducing the production cost.

[0043] The external structure of the temperature sensor 150 is a shell-like structure, that is, the sensing section 151, the connecting section 152 and the external connecting section 153 are set as a hollow structure. A temperature sensing chip (not shown in the figure) is encapsulated in the shell-like structure of the temperature sensor 150. During operation, the temperature sensing chip senses the temperature of the cooling medium from the sensing section 151 and transmits the temperature signal to the battery management system.

[0044] In one embodiment, a clamping groove 154 is provided on the outer wall of the connecting section 152. The clamping groove 154 extends along the circumference of the connecting section 152. At the same time, a clamping hole 141 communicating inside and outside is provided on the wall of the receiving tube 140. The clamping hole 141 also extends along the circumference of the receiving tube 140. It can be understood that the clamping holes 141 are preferably two and are distributed in intervals in the circumferential direction. After the connecting section 152 is inserted into the inner cavity of the receiving tube 140 and in place, the clamping groove 154 corresponds to the position of the clamping hole 141, and the clamping groove 154 can be exposed at the clamping hole 141. At this time, the clamping spring 155 can be inserted into the clamping groove 154 after passing through the clamping hole 141, so that the clamping spring 155 limits the movement of the temperature sensor 150 relative to the receiving tube 140. Specifically, the clamping spring 155 is made of spring steel. The shape of the clamping spring 155 itself can be roughly "U" shaped. Preferably, the open end of the clamping spring 155 can be configured to be flared so that the clamping spring 155 can be installed smoothly. In addition, the middle section of each side of the clamping spring 155 can match the shape of the connecting section 152, and is generally configured as an arc section, so that the two sides are more shape-fittingly clamped to the clamping groove 154 to clamp the temperature sensor 150. Under the clamping effect of the clamping spring 155, the temperature sensor 150 cannot move axially relative to the axial direction of the housing tube 140, and the temperature sensor 150 cannot rotate relative to the axial direction of the housing tube 140.

[0045] In addition, in order to ensure the connection stability of the temperature sensor 150, an anti-circumferential rotation component can also be provided between the connecting section 152 and the housing tube 140. Specifically, the anti-circumferential rotation component contains an anti-circumferential rotation groove 156 and an anti-circumferential rotation key 157 that is circumferentially engaged with the anti-circumferential rotation groove 156, wherein one of the anti-circumferential rotation groove 156 and the anti-circumferential rotation key 157 is provided on the connecting section 152 and the other is provided on the inner wall of the housing tube 140. A specific embodiment is given in the figure, that is, an axially extending anti-circumferential rotation groove 156 is provided on the connecting section 152, and an anti-circumferential rotation key 157 is provided on the inner wall of the housing tube 140. The anti-circumferential rotation groove 156 is a groove provided on the connecting section 152, extending along the axial direction of the connecting section 152, and circumferentially intercepts the engaging groove 154. The anti-circumferential rotation key 157 is a protrusion provided on the inner wall of the housing tube 140 in a protruding manner. During the process of inserting the connecting section 152 into the receiving tube 140, the anti-circumferential rotation groove 156 cooperates with the anti-circumferential rotation groove 156 to serve as an installation guide for the connecting section 152. After the connecting section 152 is inserted into place, the anti-circumferential rotation groove 156 engages with the anti-circumferential rotation groove 156 to more stably prevent the temperature sensor 150 from rotating relative to the receiving tube 140.

[0046] It is easy to understand that a sealing ring 158 is sleeved on the outer wall of the temperature sensor 150 at the connection position between the connecting section 152 and the sensing section 151. After the temperature sensor 150 is inserted into the receiving tube 140, the sealing ring 158 can seal the temperature sensor 150 and the receiving tube 140.

[0047] It can be seen that the connection method between the temperature sensor 150 and the containing tube 140 is simple in structure and easy to implement. In particular, the temperature sensor 150 can be easily removed from the containing tube 140 for maintenance or replacement. Of course, the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned connection method. For example, the connecting section 152 can also be connected to the containing tube 140 by filling with potting glue. This bonding method has relatively fewer parts, lower production costs, and can also take into account the functions of connection and sealing. However, compared with the connection method of the retaining spring 155, it cannot be disassembled.

[0048] A sleeve-type fixed flange 160 is mounted on the outer wall of the inlet and outlet pipe 120. A nut 161 is embedded in the flange 160. The material of the flange 160 is preferably PA66 plastic plus 30% glass fiber (PA66+GF30), which is formed by injection molding. The nut 161 is preferably a carbon steel nut with a galvanized surface. The inner diameter of the nut 161 is generally between 4mm-6mm, and the thread depth is generally 8mm-10mm. A plurality of nuts 161, for example four, are arranged on the flange 160. The nut 161 can be a through-hole thread or a blind-hole thread. During injection molding, the nut 161 and the flange 160 are injection molded as one. The flange 160 plays the role of fixing the connection assembly 100. Specifically, during the connection process, the flange 160 can be abutted against the front side beam 10 of the battery pack, and then the front side beam 10 and the nut 161 are connected by connecting bolts, so as to fix the connection assembly 100 to the battery pack to achieve the position limitation of the connection assembly 100. This screw connection method is easy to connect and disassemble, and the operation is simple; the connection stability is high, and it is not easy to cause the connection component 100 to fall off; in particular, it can effectively avoid some problems in the prior art of welding the inlet and outlet pipes to the front side beam, for example, the material requirements for the inlet and outlet pipes are high, the inlet and outlet pipes and the joint body are split, the connection of components is complicated, it is difficult to ensure airtightness, the welding operation is complicated, and it is difficult to control the process quality.

[0049] It is easy to understand that an annular sealing groove 162 is provided on the surface of the flange 160 facing away from the joint body 110. The sealing groove 162 is used to embed the sealing ring 163, so as to seal the flange 160 and the front side beam 10. This arrangement can perform a good sealing effect on the battery pack box and reduce the difficulty of maintaining the airtightness of the battery pack. The material of the sealing ring 163 can be ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). The shape of the sealing ring 163 matches the flange 160. For example, the flange 160 is square, and the sealing ring 163 is also a square ring. Specifically, for example, the sealing ring 163 can be a ring with a square cross-section, the long side dimension of the cross-section is 5mm-8mm, and the short side dimension of the cross-section is 3mm-5mm. There is a boss on the outer wall of the sealing ring 163 for interference fit with the sealing groove 162. It is easy to understand that the present application does not limit the specific shape of the flange 160. That is to say, the flange 160 can be not only a square structure but also an elliptical structure, and the specific shape can be selected according to actual needs.

[0050] The joint body 110, the inlet and outlet pipe 120, the connecting pipe 130, the receiving pipe 140 and the flange 160 are integrally formed by injection molding. This arrangement is simple and easy to implement. For example, the inlet and outlet pipe 120 and the joint body 110 are integrally injection molded, which can relatively reduce the number of joint parts, reduce the number of sealing leakage points, and improve the performance stability of the product.

[0051] The present application also relates to a liquid cooling circuit 20. The liquid cooling circuit 20 includes the above-mentioned connection assembly 100, a liquid cooling tube 200 and a quick connector 300. One end of the liquid cooling tube 200 is connected to the connecting tube 130 in a communicating manner. The liquid cooling tube 200 mainly serves to transport the cooling medium. The quick connector 300 is connected to the other end of the liquid cooling tube 200 in a communicating manner. The quick connector 300 is mainly used to connect to the liquid cooling inlet or liquid cooling outlet of a liquid cooler (not shown in the figure). It can be seen that a connecting pipe between the liquid cooler in the battery pack and the outside world is realized through the liquid cooling circuit 20. The liquid cooling tube 200 can be a corrugated tube. The quick connector 300 can use parts in the prior art. In addition, a bamboo segment is constructed on the outer wall of the connecting tube 130 for stably connecting to the liquid cooling tube 200. Preferably, the liquid cooling tube 200 and the connecting tube 130, as well as the liquid cooling tube 200 and the quick connector 300 can be assembled by cold extrusion. For example, the length of the liquid cooling tube 200 may be not less than 80 mm.

[0052] The present application also relates to a battery pack. The battery pack includes a battery module (not shown in the figure), a front side beam 10, a liquid cooler and a liquid cooling pipeline 20. Among them, the front side beam 10 is fixed to the battery module, and is mainly used to limit the battery module as a part of the box. The liquid cooler is used to dissipate heat for the battery module. Structurally, the liquid cooler includes a liquid cooling inlet (not shown in the figure), a liquid cooling channel (not shown in the figure) and a liquid cooling outlet (not shown in the figure) that are connected in sequence. There are two liquid cooling pipelines 20. Among them, one of the quick-connect connectors 300 in the liquid cooling pipeline 20 is connected to the liquid cooling inlet, and at the same time, the inlet and outlet pipes 120 of the liquid cooling pipeline 20 are connected to the cold source, so that the liquid cooling pipeline 20 is used as an input pipeline for the cooling medium. Another quick-connect connector 300 in the liquid cooling pipeline 20 is connected to the liquid cooling outlet, and at the same time, the inlet and outlet pipes 120 of the liquid cooling pipeline 20 are connected to the recovery cold source, so that the liquid cooling pipeline 20 is used as an output pipeline for the cooling medium. Thus, as Figure 5 As shown (the direction of the arrow indicates the flow direction of the cooling medium), the cooling medium in the cold source is transported to the liquid cooling pipeline 20, and enters the liquid cooling channel through the liquid cooling inlet to dissipate heat for the battery module. The cooling medium after heat exchange is transported out of the liquid cooler through the liquid cooling outlet, and then transported to the recovery cold source through the liquid cooling pipeline 20. In the present application, the battery module and the liquid cooler can use parts in the prior art. The inlet and outlet pipes 120 extend through the front side beam 10 for connecting an external cold source or a recovery cold source, and after the flange 160 abuts against the front side beam 10, the connection assembly 100 is fixed to the front side beam 10 by bolts passing through the front side beam 10 and the nut 161.

[0053] The present application also relates to a vehicle, which includes the battery pack described above.

[0054] The above are only the principles and preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, on the basis of the principles of the present invention, several other modifications can be made, which should also be considered as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connection assembly, characterized in that: include: A three-way pipe joint body, the joint body comprises a first, second and third joints which are interconnected. The inlet and outlet pipes are connected to the one-way pipe. A connecting pipe is connected to the two-way pipe. A receiving tube is connected and arranged on the tee. A temperature sensor is arranged at the containing tube, and the temperature sensor includes a sensing section, a connecting section and an external connecting section which are connected in sequence, wherein the sensing section extends into the inner cavity of the containing tube, the connecting section is sleeve-connected to the containing tube, and the external connecting section is exposed from the containing tube.

2. The connection assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: A circumferentially extending clamping groove is provided on the outer wall of the connecting section, and an inner and outer communicating clamping hole is provided on the wall of the accommodating tube. A clamping spring passes through the clamping hole and is clamped to the clamping groove.

3. The connection assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: An anti-circumferential rotation component is provided between the connecting section and the containing tube, and the anti-circumferential rotation component includes an anti-circumferential rotation groove and an anti-circumferential rotation key circumferentially engaged with the anti-circumferential rotation groove, wherein one of the anti-circumferential rotation groove and the anti-circumferential rotation key is provided on the connecting section and the other is provided on the inner wall of the containing tube.

4. The connection assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting section is bonded and fixed to the containing tube.

5. The connection assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: A flange is arranged on the outer wall of the inlet and outlet pipes, a nut is arranged on the flange, an annular sealing groove is arranged on the surface of the flange away from the joint body, and a sealing ring protruding from the notch of the sealing groove is arranged in the sealing groove.

6. The connection assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The joint body, the inlet and outlet pipes, the connecting pipe, the accommodating pipe and the flange are integrally manufactured by injection molding.

7. The connection assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The circumscribed section is configured in a shell shape.

8. A liquid cooling pipeline, characterized in that: include: The connection assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, a liquid cooling pipe, one end of which is connected to the connecting pipe of the connecting assembly in a communicating manner; A quick-connect connector is connected to the other end of the liquid cooling pipe in a communicative manner.

9. A battery pack, characterized in that: include: Battery module, A front side beam fixedly arranged on the battery module, A liquid cooler for dissipating heat for the battery module, the liquid cooler comprising a liquid cooling inlet, a liquid cooling channel and a liquid cooling outlet connected in sequence, The liquid cooling pipeline according to claim 8, Among them, the quick-plug connector of one of the liquid cooling pipelines is connected to the liquid cooling inlet, the quick-plug connector of another of the liquid cooling pipelines is connected to the liquid cooling outlet, and each of the connecting components is fixed to the front side beam.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: Comprising the battery pack according to claim 9.

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