Multi-contact battery pack with compact structure

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of new energy batteries, in particular to a multi-contact battery pack with a compact structure, which comprises an upper shell, a lower shell, a first PCB (printed circuit board) mounted in the lower shell and a battery side contact element mounted on the first PCB, the outer side wall of the lower shell is provided with a sliding groove used for being connected with a connecting shell of charging and discharging equipment, and the connecting shell is provided with a rib used for being inserted into and sliding in the sliding groove. The battery side contact element is arranged on the first PCB in a tiled mode, and a tool side contact element used for abutting against the battery side contact element is arranged on the side, close to the upper shell, of the connecting shell in a tiled mode. The battery pack has the advantages that the problem that the vertical arrangement of the tool side / battery side contact element occupies a large space of the shell is solved, the size of the battery pack is reduced, and therefore the battery pack and equipment have a larger innovation room in future design.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of new energy batteries, and in particular to a compact multi-contact battery pack. Background Technology

[0002] Lithium-ion batteries boast an energy density of 460-600 Wh / kg, approximately 6-7 times that of traditional lead-acid batteries, allowing them to store significantly more energy for the same weight or volume. They also exhibit low self-discharge rates, maintaining a high level of charge even after prolonged periods of inactivity. Furthermore, lithium-ion batteries support fast charging, drastically reducing charging time and improving efficiency. These characteristics make them a promising candidate for widespread application in electric vehicles, portable devices, and other fields.

[0003] In related technologies, charging and discharging equipment has a connecting housing for connecting a battery pack. A tool-side contact element for connecting to the battery pack is vertically arranged on the connecting housing, and a battery-side contact element is provided on the top side of the housing for cooperating with the tool-side contact element. When the battery pack is connected to the connecting housing, the tool-side contact element inserts into the battery-side contact element to form a closed circuit, thereby realizing the charging / discharging of the battery pack.

[0004] Regarding the aforementioned technologies, due to the vertical arrangement of the tool-side contact elements, the battery-side contact elements of the battery pack housing are also correspondingly vertically arranged. The tool-side contact elements are inserted into the vertical surfaces of the battery-side contact elements to form a closed circuit for charging / discharging. This vertical arrangement of the tool-side / battery-side contact elements occupies considerable housing space, resulting in a relatively large battery pack volume. Therefore, charging / discharging equipment typically requires ample space for connection to the battery pack. This larger volume limits future innovations and modifications to the battery pack and equipment housing. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the issue of excessive space occupied by vertically arranged contact elements on the tool side / battery side, and to reduce the size of the battery pack, thereby allowing for greater room for innovation and change in the future design of the battery pack and equipment, this application provides a compact multi-contact battery pack.

[0006] This application provides a compact multi-contact battery pack using the following technical solution:

[0007] A compact multi-contact battery pack includes an upper housing and a lower housing that are interlocked and threaded together, a first PCB board installed in the lower housing, and battery-side contact elements installed on the first PCB board. The lower housing has a groove on its outer side wall for connecting with a connecting housing of a charging and discharging device. The connecting housing has ribs for inserting and sliding in the groove.

[0008] The battery-side contact element is laid flat on the first PCB board. The connecting housing has a tool-side contact element laid flat on the side near the upper housing for abutting against the battery-side contact element. The connecting housing has a second PCB board on the side away from the upper housing for connecting the tool-side contact element.

[0009] By adopting the above technical solution, the battery-side contact elements are laid flat on the first PCB board, and the tool-side contact elements of the connecting housing are also laid flat accordingly. This horizontal layout significantly reduces the space occupied compared to the traditional vertical layout. The size of the battery pack can be significantly reduced, making it easier to carry and install, and providing more room for future design innovations in battery packs and equipment. The planar contact between the flat tool-side and battery-side contact elements provides a larger contact area compared to vertical insertion, thereby improving the stability and efficiency of the connection. Planar contact also reduces contact problems caused by improper insertion depth or angle deviation. By setting ribs on the connecting housing, it can be inserted and slid into the groove opened in the lower housing of the battery pack, simplifying the connection process between the battery pack and the charging and discharging equipment. Users only need to slide the connecting housing into place along the groove to achieve automatic docking of the tool-side and battery-side contact elements without the need for precise alignment, improving ease of use.

[0010] Furthermore, the battery-side contact element includes a positive electrode terminal, a negative electrode terminal symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first PCB board, and a signal terminal disposed between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal. The positive electrode terminal, the negative electrode terminal, and the signal terminal are each provided with multiple contact points, and each contact point faces one side of the upper housing. The upper housing has a terminal slot for each contact point to pass through and protrude.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the battery-side contact element includes positive electrode terminals and negative electrode terminals symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first PCB board, and a signal terminal located between them. This layout maintains structural symmetry, which helps improve the internal space utilization of the battery pack and facilitates connection with external charging and discharging equipment. The positive electrode terminals, negative electrode terminals, and signal terminal all have multiple contact points, significantly increasing the contact area between the tool-side and battery-side contact elements, thereby improving the efficiency and stability of current transmission. Multiple contact points can also disperse current to a certain extent, reducing safety hazards caused by single-point overheating.

[0012] Furthermore, each contact point on the positive electrode terminal, the negative electrode terminal, and the signal terminal is arranged along the length direction of the first PCB board.

[0013] By adopting the above technical solution, the contact points are arranged along the length of the PCB board, which facilitates the uniform distribution and rapid transmission of current on the PCB board, reduces the tortuosity and intersection of current paths, lowers resistance and energy loss, and thus improves the overall current transmission efficiency. Arranging the contact points along the length direction allows for more efficient use of space on the PCB board, helping to further reduce the size of the battery pack, improve space utilization, and provide more possibilities for the integration of other electronic components or functions. Two, four, six, or even more contact points can be set along the length of the first PCB board, providing flexibility for battery pack design and allowing the contact points of the battery-side contact elements to be infinitely expanded according to the length of the battery pack.

[0014] Furthermore, the tool-side contact element includes two electrode contact terminals for contacting the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal respectively, and an identification terminal for contacting the signal terminal. The two electrode contact terminals are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connecting housing along the length direction of the connecting housing, and the identification terminal is arranged along the length direction of the connecting housing and located between the two electrode contact terminals.

[0015] By adopting the above technical solution, the two electrode contact terminals are symmetrically arranged on both sides along the length of the connecting housing, which helps maintain the balance of current transmission and improves the stability and reliability of the connection between the tool-side contact element and the battery-side contact element, reducing the risk of failure due to poor connection. The identification terminal is arranged along the length of the connecting housing and located between the two electrode contact terminals, allowing the identification terminal to be closer to the signal terminals inside the battery pack, thereby more accurately receiving and transmitting battery pack status information, such as charge, temperature, and faults. At the same time, the relative position of the identification terminal and the electrode contact terminals also facilitates unified management and control of the battery pack by the charging and discharging equipment.

[0016] Furthermore, each of the battery-side contact elements is provided with a plurality of first claws on the side near the first PCB board, and the first PCB board is provided with a plurality of first pre-opening holes for cooperating with the first claws.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, the cooperation between the first claw and the first pre-drilled hole ensures that the battery-side contact element can be firmly fixed on the first PCB board, preventing loosening or detachment. The assembly process of the battery-side contact element becomes simpler and faster; simply align the first claw of the battery-side contact element with the first pre-drilled hole and apply appropriate pressure to complete the assembly, reducing assembly costs and improving assembly efficiency. This robust connection method helps reduce the risk of failure due to poor contact or loosening, ensuring the continuity and stability of current transmission during battery pack charging and discharging, avoiding resistance and heat generated by poor contact, thereby improving the reliability and lifespan of the battery pack.

[0018] Furthermore, each of the tool-side contact elements is provided with a second claw at both ends, and the connecting housing is provided with a positioning groove on the side away from the second PCB board for mounting and positioning the tool-side contact elements. The connecting housing and the positioning groove are provided with through holes for the second claws to pass through.

[0019] By adopting the above technical solution, the engagement of the second claw with the through hole ensures that the tool-side contact element is firmly fixed in the positioning groove of the connecting housing, preventing loosening or detachment and ensuring the stability and reliability of the tool-side contact element during charging and discharging. The positioning groove provides a clear installation position and orientation for the tool-side contact element, enabling it to accurately align with the battery-side contact element. This helps reduce poor contact caused by insertion angle deviation or positional offset, improving the connection efficiency and stability of the battery pack. Through the engagement of the second claw with the through hole and the guidance of the positioning groove, assembly can be completed simply by inserting the tool-side contact element into the positioning groove, allowing the second claw to pass through the through hole and engage, thus reducing assembly costs and time.

[0020] Furthermore, the connecting housing has a second PCB board on the side away from the upper housing. The second PCB board has a plurality of second pre-drilled holes for cooperating with the second claw. The through holes and the second pre-drilled holes are vertically corresponding. The second claw passes through the through holes and the second pre-drilled holes in sequence and is fixedly connected to the second PCB board.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the second claw is simultaneously fixedly connected to the connecting housing and the second PCB board. This significantly improves the connection strength between the tool-side contact element and the entire battery pack structure. The dual-fixation method enhances the stability of the tool-side contact element, contributing to improved stability and reliability of the entire battery pack under complex environments such as vibration and impact. The second PCB board provides more possibilities for the internal circuit design of the battery pack. Through reasonable layout and connection, it further optimizes the current transmission path within the battery pack, reduces resistance and energy loss, and improves the charging and discharging efficiency and performance of the battery pack. The vertical alignment of the through-hole and the second pre-drilled hole makes the insertion and fixing process of the second claw smoother and more accurate.

[0022] Furthermore, the connecting housing includes a mounting plate for mounting the tool-side contact element and connecting plates perpendicularly disposed on both sides of the mounting plate. The ribs are symmetrically arranged and integrally connected to the opposite sides of the two connecting plates.

[0023] By adopting the above technical solution, the two connecting plates not only provide support for the mounting plate but are also key components connecting to the battery pack housing. The connecting plates provide a connection interface for the ribs to connect with the battery pack housing. The ribs are located on the connecting plates, which position them at the sliding grooves on the lower housing, providing a foundation for the assembly of the battery pack and the connecting housing. The ribs also have a certain buffering and shock absorption function. When the battery pack is subjected to external impact or vibration, the ribs can absorb some energy, reducing damage to the internal components of the battery pack, thereby improving the durability and safety of the battery pack.

[0024] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:

[0025] 1. By laying the battery-side contact elements flat on the first PCB board, and correspondingly laying the tool-side contact elements connecting the housing flat as well, this horizontal layout significantly reduces the space occupied compared to the traditional vertical layout, greatly shrinking the battery pack's size, making it easier to carry and install. It also provides greater flexibility for future design innovations in battery packs and equipment. The flat tool-side and battery-side contact elements form a planar contact, which has a larger contact area compared to vertical insertion, thus improving connection stability and efficiency. Planar contact also reduces contact problems caused by improper insertion depth or angle deviation.

[0026] 2. The contact points are arranged along the length of the PCB board, and multiple contact points can be flexibly set (such as 2, 4, 6 or even more), which significantly increases the contact area between the tool-side contact elements and the battery-side contact elements, improves the efficiency and stability of current transmission, and realizes the infinite expansion of contact points to meet the needs of battery packs of different sizes.

[0027] 3. By incorporating ribs on the connecting housing, allowing it to be inserted and slid into the grooves in the lower housing of the battery pack, the connection process between the battery pack and the charging / discharging equipment is simplified. Users simply slide the connecting housing into place along the grooves to achieve automatic docking of the tool-side contact element and the battery-side contact element, eliminating the need for precise alignment and improving ease of use. The cooperation between the first claw and the first pre-drilled hole ensures the battery-side contact element is securely mounted on the first PCB board; the second claw simultaneously passes through the through hole and the second pre-drilled hole, providing a double-fixed connection with the connecting housing and the second PCB board, significantly enhancing the connection strength between the tool-side contact element and the entire battery pack structure, improving stability, and reducing the risk of failure due to loosening or detachment. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the compact multi-contact battery pack and the connecting housing in the embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the compact multi-contact battery pack and the connecting housing in an unfitted state in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the upper shell, lower shell, and connecting shell in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 .

[0031] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the upper shell, lower shell, and connecting shell in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 .

[0032] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the compact multi-contact battery pack and the connecting housing in a mating state, as described in the embodiments of this application.

[0033] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure in which the battery-side contact element and the tool-side contact element in part A cooperate.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Upper housing; 11. Terminal slot; 2. Lower housing; 21. Slide groove; 3. First PCB board; 31. First pre-drilled hole; 4. Battery side contact element; 41. Positive electrode terminal; 411. First claw; 412. Contact point; 42. Negative electrode terminal; 43. Signal terminal; 5. Connecting housing; 51. Mounting plate; 511. Positioning groove; 512. Through hole; 52. Connecting plate; 521. Rib; 53. Second PCB board; 531. Second pre-drilled hole; 54. Tool side contact element; 541. Electrode contact terminal; 5411. Second claw; 542. Identification terminal. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of this application clearer, the following description is provided in conjunction with the appendix. Figure 1-6 The present application will be further described in detail with reference to the embodiments.

[0036] This application discloses a compact multi-contact battery pack. The charging and discharging equipment includes a charging device and a discharging device, wherein the discharging device requires power from the battery pack, and the charging device replenishes the battery with power. (Refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 The compact multi-contact battery pack includes an upper housing 1, a lower housing 2, a first PCB board 3, and battery-side contact elements 4 mounted on the first PCB board 3. The upper housing 1 and the lower housing 2 can be interlocked and fixedly connected by screws.

[0037] The charging and discharging equipment has a connecting housing 5 for connecting a battery pack. The connecting housing 5 includes a mounting plate 51, connecting plates 52 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the mounting plate 51, a second PCB board 53 disposed on the upper side of the mounting plate 51, and a tool-side contact element 54 mounted on the second PCB board 53 and used to abut against the battery-side contact element 4.

[0038] The lower housing 2 has symmetrically provided sliding grooves 21 on both sides, and the sliding grooves 21 are arranged along the length direction of the lower housing 2. Two connecting plates 52 are vertically arranged and integrally connected to both sides of the mounting plate 51. The distance between the two connecting plates 52 is the same as the width of the upper housing 1 and the lower housing 2. Ribs 521 for cooperating with the sliding grooves 21 are provided along the length direction on the opposite side surfaces of the two connecting plates 52. The ribs 521 are integrally connected to the side of the connecting plate 52 away from the side connected to the mounting plate 51.

[0039] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The battery-side contact element 4 is laid flat on the first PCB board 3. The battery-side contact element 4 includes a positive electrode terminal 41, a negative electrode terminal 42, and a signal terminal 43. The positive electrode terminal 41 and the negative electrode terminal 42 are respectively installed on both sides of the first PCB board 3. In this embodiment, the number of signal terminals 43 is preferably two. The two signal terminals 43 are arranged at intervals along the width direction of the first PCB board 3 and are both located between the positive electrode terminal 41 and the negative electrode terminal 42.

[0040] The positive electrode terminal 41, the negative electrode terminal 42, and the signal terminal 43 are provided with a plurality of first claws 411 on the side near the first PCB board 3. The first PCB board 3 is provided with a first pre-opening hole 31 that cooperates with each of the first claws 411. Each of the first claws 411 passes through the first pre-opening hole 31 in a corresponding manner to fix the positive electrode terminal 41, the negative electrode terminal 42, and the signal terminal 43 to the first PCB board 3.

[0041] In this embodiment, the positive electrode terminal 41, the negative electrode terminal 42 and the signal terminal 43 each have multiple bends, and each bend position forms a contact point 412 for abutting against the corresponding male electrode terminal. Each contact point 412 faces one side of the upper housing 1.

[0042] The positive electrode terminal 41 and the negative electrode terminal 42 each have four contact points 412 arranged at intervals along the length direction, and the signal terminal 43 has two contact points 412 arranged at intervals along the length direction. The number of contact points 412 on each battery-side contact element 4 can also be expanded to six, eight or even more according to actual needs.

[0043] The upper housing 1 has multiple terminal slots 11 through which each contact point 412 is inserted. Each contact point 412 can protrude from the top side of the upper housing 1 through the terminal slot 11, thereby abutting against the tool-side contact element 54.

[0044] The tool-side contact element 54 is laid flat on the side of the connecting housing 5 near the upper housing 1 for contacting the battery-side contact element 4. The tool-side contact element 54 includes two electrode contact terminals 541 for contacting the positive electrode terminal 41 and the negative electrode terminal 42 respectively, and two identification terminals 542 for contacting the signal terminal 43. The second PCB board 53 is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 51 on the side away from the upper housing 1 by screws. Each tool-side contact element 54 is vertically arranged at both ends and integrally connected with two second claws 5411, which are located on the side of each tool-side contact element 54 near the second PCB board 53.

[0045] The mounting plate 51 has a positioning groove 511 on the side away from the second PCB board 53 for mounting and positioning the tool-side contact element 54. The mounting plate 51 has through holes 512 at both ends of each positioning groove 511 for each second claw 5411 to pass through. The second PCB board 53 has multiple second pre-drilled holes 531 for cooperating with the second claws 5411. The positions of the through holes 512 and the second pre-drilled holes 531 are vertically corresponding to the second claws 5411. The second claws 5411 pass through the through holes 512 and the second pre-drilled holes 531 in sequence to fix each tool-side contact element 54 to the second PCB board 53.

[0046] Reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 When the rib 521 slides and is inserted into the corresponding groove 21, the tool-side contact element 54 abuts against the battery-side contact element 4 to form a closed circuit, thereby enabling charging and discharging.

[0047] The implementation principle of a compact multi-contact battery pack according to an embodiment of this application is as follows: When the battery pack is assembled with the connecting housing 5 of the charging and discharging device, the ribs 521 of the connecting housing 5 slide and insert into the grooves 21 of the lower housing 2. At the same time, the contact points 412 of the tool-side contact element 54 and the battery-side contact element 4 abut against each other, forming a closed circuit, allowing current to flow between the battery pack and the charging and discharging device for charging or discharging operations. The battery-side contact element 4 is laid flat on the first PCB board 3, which reduces the space occupied in the upper housing compared to the vertical arrangement. The tool-side contact element 54 is laid flat on the connecting housing 5, which reduces the longitudinal space of the connecting housing 5 in the charging and discharging device compared to the vertical arrangement. The planar contact method significantly reduces the volume of the battery pack, improves space utilization, and also increases the contact area between the tool-side contact element 54 and the battery-side contact element 4, which can improve the stability and efficiency of the connection and reduce problems caused by poor contact. The contact points 412 are arranged along the length of the PCB board, and the number of contact points 412 can be flexibly set (such as four, six, eight, etc.) to improve the flexibility of the battery pack. The setting of multiple contact points 412 allows the battery pack to be expanded according to needs.

[0048] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A compact multi-contact battery pack, characterized in that: The device includes an upper housing (1) and a lower housing (2) that are interlocked with each other, a first PCB board (3) installed in the lower housing (2) and a battery-side contact element (4) installed on the first PCB board (3). The lower housing (2) has a groove (21) on its outer side wall for connecting with a connecting housing (5) of a charging and discharging device. The connecting housing (5) has ribs (521) for inserting and sliding in the groove (21). The battery-side contact element (4) is laid flat on the first PCB board (3). The connecting housing (5) has a tool-side contact element (54) laid flat on the side near the upper housing (1) for abutting against the battery-side contact element (4). The connecting housing (5) has a second PCB board (53) on the side away from the upper housing (1) for connecting the tool-side contact element (54).

2. The compact multi-contact battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery-side contact element (4) includes a positive electrode terminal (41), a negative electrode terminal (42) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the first PCB board (3), and a signal terminal (43) arranged between the positive electrode terminal (41) and the negative electrode terminal (42). The positive electrode terminal (41), the negative electrode terminal (42) and the signal terminal (43) are each provided with multiple contact points (412). Each contact point (412) faces one side of the upper housing (1). The upper housing (1) is provided with terminal slots (11) through which each contact point (412) passes and protrudes.

3. A compact multi-contact battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that: The contact points (412) on the positive electrode terminal (41), the negative electrode terminal (42), and the signal terminal (43) are all arranged along the length direction of the first PCB board (3).

4. A compact multi-contact battery pack according to claim 3, characterized in that: The tool-side contact element (54) includes two electrode contact terminals (541) for contacting the positive electrode terminal (41) and the negative electrode terminal (42) respectively, and an identification terminal (542) for contacting the signal terminal (43). The two electrode contact terminals (541) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the connecting housing (5) along the length direction of the connecting housing (5), and the identification terminal (542) is arranged along the length direction of the connecting housing (5) and located between the two electrode contact terminals (541).

5. A compact multi-contact battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the battery-side contact elements (4) is provided with a plurality of first claws (411) on the side near the first PCB board (3), and the first PCB board (3) is provided with a plurality of first pre-opening holes (31) for cooperating with the first claws (411).

6. A compact multi-contact battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the tool-side contact elements (54) is provided with a second claw (5411) at both ends. The connecting housing (5) is provided with a positioning groove (511) on the side away from the second PCB board (53) for the tool-side contact elements (54) to be installed and positioned. The connecting housing (5) and the positioning groove (511) are provided with through holes (512) at both ends for the second claw (5411) to pass through.

7. A compact multi-contact battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that: The connecting housing (5) has a second PCB board (53) on the side away from the upper housing (1). The second PCB board (53) has a plurality of second pre-drilled holes (531) for cooperating with the second claw (5411). The through hole (512) and the second pre-drilled hole (531) are vertically corresponding. The second claw (5411) passes through the through hole (512) and the second pre-drilled hole (531) in sequence and is fixedly connected to the second PCB board (53).

8. A compact multi-contact battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting housing (5) includes a mounting plate (51) for mounting the tool-side contact element (54) and connecting plates (52) perpendicularly disposed on both sides of the mounting plate (51). The ribs (521) are symmetrically arranged and integrally connected to the opposite sides of the two connecting plates (52).

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