Connector and battery box
By designing a connector that allows for parallel connection of multiple circuits, the complexity and space occupation issues of existing lithium battery packs when multiple circuits are connected are solved, achieving efficient charging and discharging and improved safety of the battery box.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-01
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-03
AI Technical Summary
When existing lithium battery packs need to be connected to multiple circuits simultaneously, the number of terminals needs to be increased, which increases complexity and space occupation, especially in applications such as uninterruptible power supply systems, renewable energy systems, and electric vehicles.
Design a connector that employs a first conductive element and a second conductive element encased in a housing. The first and second conductive elements are respectively arranged inside and outside the battery box, and have multiple wiring terminals and battery connection terminals. A copper busbar structure is used to achieve multi-circuit parallel connection, reducing the number of fence-type terminals.
It enables simultaneous charging and discharging operations within a limited space, improving the flexibility and space utilization of the battery box, reducing installation complexity and cost, and enhancing current transmission efficiency and safety.
Smart Images
Figure CN224082632U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of connector technology, and in particular to a connector and a battery box. Background Technology
[0002] In existing lithium-ion battery pack designs, the current output terminal is a key component ensuring efficient power transfer. Currently, most lithium-ion battery packs typically have only two contacts—positive and negative—with each contact having only one terminal block. While this design meets basic requirements in simple applications, it may necessitate increasing the number of terminals to achieve multi-circuit connections when multiple circuits (such as charging and discharging circuits) need to be connected simultaneously. For example, two sets of barrier terminals are often required, which not only increases complexity but also occupies more space. Utility Model Content
[0003] The main purpose of this application is to provide a connector and battery box that reduces the number of required fence terminals when the battery box needs to be connected to multiple circuits, thereby saving design costs and space.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application proposes a connector for use in a battery box, comprising:
[0005] case;
[0006] A first conductive element and a second conductive element are provided, and the housing covers the first conductive element and the second conductive element. The first conductive element and the second conductive element have a first side and a second side that are disposed opposite to each other. The first side is disposed inside the battery box, and the second side is disposed outside the battery box.
[0007] The first conductive element has a plurality of first wiring terminals on its first side for connecting to external devices, and the first conductive element has a battery connection terminal on its second side for connecting to the positive terminal of a battery.
[0008] The first side of the second conductive element has a plurality of second terminals for connecting to external devices, and the second side of the second conductive element has a battery connection terminal for connecting to the negative terminal of the battery.
[0009] In one embodiment, the first conductive element and the second conductive element are copper busbars.
[0010] In one embodiment, two adjacent walls in the housing are connected by a rounded corner transition.
[0011] In one embodiment, the housing includes a cover plate and a base, the base having a recessed cavity, the cover plate covering the cavity, and the first conductive element and the second conductive element being installed in the cavity.
[0012] In one embodiment, the base includes a base plate and a plurality of sidewalls disposed on the base plate, the plurality of sidewalls and the base plate enclosing the receiving cavity, and the plurality of sidewalls and the base plate being integrally disposed.
[0013] In one embodiment, the base is provided with at least one fixing hole for mounting the connector to the outer shell of the battery box.
[0014] In one embodiment, the number of fixing holes is two, the two fixing holes are arranged opposite to each other, and the fixing holes are threaded holes.
[0015] In one embodiment, the connector further includes a partition for isolating the first conductive element and the second conductive element.
[0016] In one embodiment, the housing is made of plastic material.
[0017] This application proposes a battery box, including a box body and a connector fixed on the box body, wherein the connector is any of the connectors described above, a battery is disposed inside the box body, the positive terminal of the battery is connected to the second side of the first conductive element, and the negative terminal of the battery is connected to the second side of the second conductive element.
[0018] This application discloses a connector for use in a battery box, including a housing, a first conductive element, and a second conductive element. The housing covers the first and second conductive elements. The first and second conductive elements have a first side and a second side disposed opposite to each other. The first side is disposed inside the battery box, and the second side is disposed outside the battery box. The first side of the first conductive element has a plurality of first terminals for connecting to external devices, and the second side of the first conductive element has a battery connection terminal for connecting to the positive terminal of the battery. The first side of the second conductive element has a plurality of second terminals for connecting to external devices, and the second side of the second conductive element has a battery connection terminal for connecting to the negative terminal of the battery.
[0019] This configuration, with terminals (either the first or second terminal) on the first side of the first and second conductive components, allows simultaneous connection to two external devices (a charging device and a load device), enabling the battery pack within the battery box to perform simultaneous charging and discharging operations, thus improving the battery box's flexibility. Compared to traditional multi-barrier terminal designs, this reduces space occupation and cost, and lowers installation and maintenance complexity. Attached Figure Description
[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.
[0021] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of an embodiment of the connector of this application;
[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the connector of this application;
[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of conventional terminals in the battery box interface of related technologies;
[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the connector in the battery box interface of this application.
[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the connector in this application.
[0026] Explanation of icon numbers:
[0027] 1. Housing; 2. First conductive component; 3. Second conductive component; 4. First terminal; 5. Second terminal; 6. Battery connection end; 7. Rounded corner; 8. Cover plate; 9. Base; 10. Bottom plate; 11. Side wall; 12. Fixing hole; 13. Partition plate.
[0028] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation
[0029] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0030] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this application involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.
[0031] In existing lithium-ion battery pack designs, the current output terminal is a key component ensuring efficient power transfer. Currently, most lithium-ion battery packs typically have only two contacts—positive and negative—with each contact having only one terminal block. This means that only one circuit can be connected at a time. While this design meets basic requirements in simple applications, it may necessitate adding more terminals to achieve multi-circuit connections when multiple circuits (such as charging and discharging circuits) need to be connected simultaneously. To simultaneously connect charging and discharging circuits, an additional set of fence-type terminals is usually required, meaning two sets of fence-type terminals are needed to meet the requirements. Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of conventional terminals in the battery box interface. This not only increases the complexity of the manufacturing and assembly process, but also occupies more installation space.
[0032] Understandably, the need for battery packs to simultaneously connect to both discharge and charging circuits primarily arises in applications such as uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, renewable energy storage systems, and electric vehicles. For example, in UPS systems, batteries not only store electrical energy for unforeseen needs (such as power outages) but also require charging when the grid supply is normal. Therefore, when the grid supply is normal, the battery is charging; when the grid fails, the battery immediately switches to discharging mode to provide power to the load. This bidirectional operation ensures continuous system operation. Similarly, in renewable energy systems such as solar or wind power, the battery's role is to store excess electrical energy and release it when needed. Because renewable energy generation is intermittent, the battery needs to charge when there is energy input and discharge when needed. For example, during the day when there is ample sunlight, the electricity generated by photovoltaic panels can charge the battery. At night or on cloudy days, the battery discharges to power the load. Or, in electric vehicles, the battery management system (BMS) needs to handle charging and discharging under various conditions. When the vehicle decelerates, the electric motor reverses its operation, converting kinetic energy into electrical energy and storing it in the battery. This is essentially a charging process. The battery continuously powers the electric motor; this is the discharging process. Traditional fence-type terminals have only one terminal block per node. When multiple circuits need to be connected, the number of terminals needs to be increased, which increases the difficulty and cost of installation and occupies more panel space.
[0033] Therefore, this application proposes a connector, with reference to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 The connector is used in the battery box and includes:
[0034] Casing 1;
[0035] A first conductive element 2 and a second conductive element 3 are provided. The housing 1 covers the first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3. The first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3 have a first side and a second side that are disposed opposite to each other. The first side is disposed inside the battery box and the second side is disposed outside the battery box.
[0036] The first conductive element 2 has a plurality of first wiring terminals 4 for connecting to external devices on its first side, and the first conductive element 2 has a battery connection terminal 6 for connecting to the positive terminal of the battery on its second side.
[0037] The first side of the second conductive element 3 has a plurality of second terminals 5 for connecting to external devices, and the second side of the second conductive element 3 has a battery connection terminal 6 for connecting to the negative terminal of the battery.
[0038] In this embodiment, the housing 1 provides physical protection for the internal first conductive element 2 and second conductive element 3, preventing dust, moisture, and other contaminants from the external environment from entering and ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection. Simultaneously, the housing 1 can be made of a non-conductive material to prevent short circuits between different conductive elements and ensure the independence of the circuits. Optionally, the housing 1 may also be provided with mounting holes or a fixing structure to facilitate the secure installation of the connector in the battery box or other equipment, preventing loosening or damage caused by vibration or external force.
[0039] In one embodiment, the housing 1 is made of a plastic material, such as polyamide, polycarbonate, or polybutylene terephthalate. Plastic materials possess excellent electrical insulation properties, effectively preventing current leakage, ensuring the independence of each circuit, and avoiding short circuits and other electrical faults. Furthermore, plastic materials can be efficiently manufactured into complex shapes through processes such as injection molding, making them suitable for mass production. In addition, plastic materials can be used in mold design to achieve complex geometries and functional integration, such as one-piece sealing structures and mounting holes, meeting diverse design requirements.
[0040] In this embodiment, the first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3 serve to provide a current transmission path and enable the connection of the battery with other external devices (such as charging devices, load devices, etc.). Specifically, the battery connection terminal 6 on the second side of the first conductive element 2 can be at least one, used to connect to the positive terminal of the battery, ensuring that current can flow out of the battery. Multiple first terminals 4 on the first side of the first conductive element 2 are used to connect to different external devices, such as charging devices, load devices, etc. For example, one first terminal 4 of the first conductive element 2 can be connected to the positive terminal of the charging device, and another first terminal 4 of the first conductive element 2 can be connected to the positive terminal of the load device, thus achieving multi-loop parallel operation. Similarly, the battery connection terminal 6 on the second side of the second conductive element 3 can be at least one, used to connect to the negative terminal of the battery, ensuring that current can flow into the battery. Multiple second terminals 5 on the first side of the second conductive element 3 are used to connect to different external devices, such as charging devices, load devices, etc. For example, one second terminal 5 of the second conductive element 3 can be connected to the negative terminal of the charging device, and another second terminal 5 of the second conductive element 3 can be connected to the negative terminal of the load device, thus achieving multi-loop parallel operation.
[0041] Optionally, the first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3 can be made of materials with excellent conductivity, such as copper, copper alloys, and aluminum, to ensure efficient current transmission.
[0042] In this embodiment, the first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3 are copper busbars. The explanation will be based on the example where the first conductive element 2 is the first copper busbar and the second conductive element 3 is the second copper busbar. Figure 1As shown, the first and second copper busbars have a U-shaped structure. The first copper busbar consists of a first connecting section, a second connecting section, and a third connecting section. The first connecting section, located on the first side of the first copper busbar, has two through holes. Two first terminals 4 can be connected to the positive terminals of external devices (charging devices, load devices) through these through holes. For example, the first terminals 4 can be screws (first screws), with at least two screws embedded in the through holes and in close contact. The positive terminal of the external device can be wound around the first screw with a wire. The second connecting section connects the first and third connecting sections. The third connecting section has one through hole, through which the battery connection terminal 6 can be connected to the positive terminal of the battery. For example, the battery connection terminal 6 can also be implemented using screws (second screws), embedded in the through holes and in close contact. The positive terminal of the battery can be wound around the second screw with a wire. Thus, the first copper busbar enables the connection of the battery positive terminal to the positive terminals of two external devices: one a charging device providing a charging circuit, and the other a power-consuming device providing a discharging circuit. Similarly, the second copper busbar consists of a fourth connecting section, a fifth connecting section, and a sixth connecting section. The fourth connecting section, located on the first side of the second copper busbar, has two through holes. Two second terminals 5 can be connected to the negative terminals of external devices (charging devices, load devices) through these two through holes. For example, the second terminals 5 can be screws (third screws), with at least two third screws embedded in the through holes and in close contact. The negative terminal of the external device can be wound around the third screw with a wire. The fifth connecting section connects the fourth and sixth connecting sections. The sixth connecting section has one through hole, through which the battery connection terminal 6 can be connected to the negative terminal of the battery. For example, the battery connection terminal 6 can also be implemented using screws (fourth screws), with the fourth screw embedded in the through hole and in close contact with the through hole of the sixth connecting section. The negative terminal of the battery can be wound around the fourth screw with a wire. Thus, the second copper busbar enables the connection of the battery negative terminal to the negative terminals of two external devices, one of which is a charging device providing a charging circuit, and the other is a power-consuming device providing a discharging circuit.
[0043] refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connector structure of the battery box interface of this application. It has two first terminals 4 and two second terminals 5 for connecting the charging device and the load device. The internal battery connection terminals 6 are still one each, without the need for internal parallel connection, which facilitates assembly and maintenance.
[0044] By providing multiple through holes and terminals (including first terminal 4 and second terminal 5) on the first side of the first and second copper busbars, two external devices (one for charging and one for discharging) can be connected simultaneously. This design allows the battery pack inside the battery box to perform simultaneous charging and discharging operations, improving the flexibility of the battery box. Furthermore, the copper busbars have a larger area, enabling them to carry higher currents and reducing the risk of resistance and heat accumulation. Compared to traditional single-terminal designs, this significantly improves current transmission efficiency and safety. Screws are embedded in the through holes and make tight contact, ensuring low impedance characteristics of the electrical connection and further improving the stability and reliability of current transmission. Simultaneously, the rationally designed U-shaped structure of the copper busbars allows for multi-circuit connections within a limited space, improving the space utilization of the battery box. Compared to traditional multi-set fence-type terminal designs, this reduces space occupation and cost, and lowers installation complexity.
[0045] In another embodiment, reference Figure 1 The housing 1 includes a cover plate 8 and a base 9. The base 9 has a recessed cavity, and the cover plate 8 covers the cavity. The first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3 are installed in the cavity.
[0046] The base 9 includes a base plate 10 and a plurality of side walls 11 disposed on the base plate 10. The plurality of side walls 11 and the base plate 10 surround and form the receiving cavity. The plurality of side walls 11 and the base plate 10 are integrally disposed.
[0047] In this embodiment, the cover plate 8 serves to cover and seal the accommodating cavity, preventing dust, moisture, and other contaminants from entering and ensuring the reliability and safety of the electrical connection. It is typically made of the same plastic material as the base 9 (such as polyamide PA, polycarbonate PC, etc.) to ensure good electrical insulation and mechanical strength, and to facilitate injection molding. It is understood that the cover plate 8 can be securely fixed to the base 9 with screws or other fasteners to ensure a tight fit and prevent loosening or detachment. Optionally, a sealing ring or gasket can be provided between the cover plate 8 and the base 9 to further enhance waterproof and dustproof performance.
[0048] In this embodiment, the accommodating cavity is mainly used to accommodate the first and second copper busbars. A well-designed size and shape of the accommodating cavity allows for multi-circuit connections within a limited space, improving space utilization. The base 9 supports and secures the first and second copper busbars, ensuring they do not loosen or shift during use. The base 9 is made of a non-conductive material to ensure electrical isolation between different conductive components, preventing short circuits and other electrical faults. In accordance with the above embodiments, the base 9 typically has mounting holes or other fixing structures to facilitate the secure installation of the connector in the battery box or other equipment, preventing loosening or damage due to vibration or external forces.
[0049] Understandably, the base 9 includes a base plate 10 and multiple side walls 11, which are integrally formed with the base plate 10. The base 9 can be manufactured using injection molding, eliminating the need for assembly and ensuring precise dimensions and good appearance quality. Injection molding can also achieve complex geometries and functional integration, such as mounting holes and sealing structures.
[0050] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the connector. The connector has a square structure, which is more consistent with the shape of other equipment (such as battery boxes, power distribution cabinets, etc.), enhancing uniformity and aesthetics. Optionally, two adjacent walls in the housing 1 are connected by a rounded corner 7. By using a rounded corner 7 transition connection between adjacent walls, the sharp edges of traditional designs are eliminated, reducing the risk of user injury due to accidental contact during operation. The large arc feature makes the connector more comfortable to hold, facilitating installation, disassembly, and maintenance, thus improving the user experience. In addition, the rounded corner 7 transition connection can effectively disperse stress, reducing stress concentration points when subjected to external impact, thereby improving the overall structural strength and impact resistance of the housing 1. Compared with right-angle connections, the rounded corner 7 design reduces the possibility of material fatigue and extends the service life of the housing 1.
[0051] refer to Figure 2 The base 9 is provided with at least one fixing hole 12 for mounting the connector to the outer shell of the battery box.
[0052] It should be noted that the design and number of fixing holes 12 are crucial to ensuring the stability and reliability of the connector during use. A single fixing hole 12 has a simple structure and saves space. However, relying on only one fixing point is insufficient to guarantee the stability of the connector during use, and it is prone to rotation or tilting. Two or more fixing holes 12 can effectively prevent the connector from rotating or tilting, ensuring its stability during use.
[0053] In this embodiment, there are two fixing holes 12, which are arranged opposite to each other, and the fixing holes 12 are threaded holes.
[0054] When using two mounting holes 12, optionally, the two mounting holes 12 can be positioned at opposite ends of the diagonal of the base 9. This diagonal layout maximizes the use of space in the base 9, ensuring good stability of the connector in all directions, and is suitable for square or rectangular bases. Alternatively, the two mounting holes 12 can be arranged in parallel, for example, on opposite sides, facilitating alignment and installation. Simply use a locking mechanism to secure it to the battery compartment housing.
[0055] It should be noted that a PACK is a battery module made by combining multiple individual batteries in parallel and series. As described in the above embodiments, the positive and negative terminals of the batteries need to be connected to the positive and negative terminals outside the battery pack via a first copper busbar and a second copper busbar, respectively. The copper busbars are mainly connected to the positive and negative terminals by bolts. However, the high-voltage copper plates at the bolt locations lack insulation protection, and the current design of the positive and negative terminals on the battery pack casing is adjacent to each other. This results in the copper busbars connecting the positive and negative terminals being extremely close together, posing a significant risk of short circuits.
[0056] Therefore, in one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the connector also includes a partition 13, which is used to isolate the first conductive element 2 and the second conductive element 3.
[0057] In this embodiment, the partition 13 serves to physically isolate the first and second copper busbars, reducing the risk of short circuits caused by their close proximity. Optionally, the partition 13 can be made of the same high-strength engineering plastic as the base 9 (such as polyamide PA, polycarbonate PC, etc.) to ensure good electrical insulation and mechanical strength. To simplify the manufacturing process and enhance structural strength, the partition 13 and the base 9 can be designed as a single piece, i.e., the partition 13 and the base 9 are formed simultaneously during the injection molding process.
[0058] Optionally, the partition 13 is located in the middle of the accommodating cavity of the base 9, perpendicular to the base plate 10, dividing the accommodating cavity into two independent spaces for isolating the first copper busbar and the second copper busbar. The thickness of the partition 13 should be selected according to the actual application requirements, for example, a thickness of 3 mm or more, to ensure sufficient mechanical strength and electrical insulation performance.
[0059] The partition 13 effectively isolates the first and second copper busbars physically, reducing the risk of short circuits due to their close proximity and significantly improving the safety of the battery box. Furthermore, the partition 13 and the base 9 are integrally molded, simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing production costs, and enhancing structural strength.
[0060] This application also proposes a battery box, including a box body and a connector fixed on the box body, the connector being the connector described above, a battery being disposed inside the box body, the positive terminal of the battery being connected to the second side of the first conductive element 2, and the negative terminal of the battery being connected to the second side of the second conductive element 3.
[0061] In this embodiment, the battery is a single cell or a battery pack made up of multiple single cells connected in parallel or series.
[0062] It should be noted that the battery box uses the connector described in any of the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, the battery box adopts all the technical solutions of all embodiments of the above-mentioned connectors, and thus has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above-mentioned embodiments, which will not be elaborated here.
[0063] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the content of the specification and drawings of this application under the concept of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.
Claims
1. A connector, characterized in that, Applications in battery boxes, including: case; A first conductive element and a second conductive element are provided, and the housing covers the first conductive element and the second conductive element. The first conductive element and the second conductive element have a first side and a second side that are disposed opposite to each other. The first side is disposed inside the battery box, and the second side is disposed outside the battery box. The first conductive element has a plurality of first wiring terminals on its first side for connecting to external devices, and the first conductive element has a battery connection terminal on its second side for connecting to the positive terminal of a battery. The first side of the second conductive element has a plurality of second terminals for connecting to external devices, and the second side of the second conductive element has a battery connection terminal for connecting to the negative terminal of the battery.
2. The connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first conductive element and the second conductive element are copper busbars.
3. The connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adjacent walls of the shell are connected by a rounded corner transition.
4. The connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a cover plate and a base. The base has a recessed cavity, and the cover plate covers the cavity. The first conductive element and the second conductive element are installed in the cavity.
5. The connector as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The base includes a base plate and multiple side walls disposed on the base plate. The multiple side walls and the base plate enclose the receiving cavity, and the multiple side walls and the base plate are integrally disposed.
6. The connector as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The base has at least one fixing hole for mounting the connector to the outer shell of the battery box.
7. The connector as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, The number of fixing holes is two, and the two fixing holes are arranged opposite to each other. The fixing holes are threaded holes.
8. The connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The connector further includes a partition for isolating the first conductive element and the second conductive element.
9. The connector as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The shell is made of plastic material.
10. A battery box, characterized in that, The device includes a housing and a connector fixed to the housing, wherein the connector is the connector according to any one of claims 1-9, and a battery is provided inside the housing, wherein the positive terminal of the battery is connected to the second side of the first conductive element, and the negative terminal of the battery is connected to the second side of the second conductive element.