Testing device
By designing conductive contact frames that adapt to different sizes and simplifying test circuit connections, the problem of low testing efficiency of BIPV battery modules was solved, enabling efficient and flexible battery module testing.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- WUXI UTMOST LIGHT TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-21
AI Technical Summary
The testing efficiency of existing battery modules in BIPV is not high, especially due to the inefficiency of testing equipment caused by the variety of sizes and heavy weight.
A testing device was designed, comprising a housing, a conductive contact frame, and a wet leakage current tester. The conductive contact frame is adjustable to accommodate battery components of different sizes. The convenient connection between the housing cavity and the conductive contact frame simplifies the construction process of the testing circuit.
It improves the detection efficiency of the testing device, reduces preparation time and operation steps, enhances the accuracy and flexibility of test results, and adapts to battery components of different sizes.
Smart Images

Figure CN224154185U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of photovoltaic cells, and in particular to a testing device. Background Technology
[0002] In related technologies, BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) technology is constantly innovating. For the fields of traditional curtain walls or photovoltaic curtain walls, thin-film solar cell modules have been greatly developed. However, the existing BIPV cell modules are characterized by diverse sizes, large areas, and heavy weights. The testing equipment is not very efficient when testing the cell modules. Therefore, how to improve the testing efficiency of the testing equipment has become the technical problem to be solved in this application. Utility Model Content
[0003] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, one objective of this application is to provide a testing apparatus that can improve the detection efficiency of the testing apparatus.
[0004] A testing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application includes: a housing having a cavity formed therein for accommodating a battery assembly to be tested, the cavity being adapted to contain a detection liquid medium; a conductive contact frame having a conductive portion, the conductive contact frame being fitted and sleeved on the outer ring of the battery assembly, and in a testing state, the conductive contact frame being placed in the detection liquid medium; and a wet leakage current tester having one polarity terminal electrically connected to the conductive portion on the conductive contact frame, and the other polarity terminal of the wet leakage current tester being electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery assembly.
[0005] According to an embodiment of this application, a testing device is provided. By setting a conductive contact frame, the conductive contact frame is fitted onto battery components of different sizes, avoiding the trouble of frequently changing different connecting accessories or redesigning the connection method for battery components of different sizes in traditional testing. This greatly saves the time required for connection. Through the housing cavity for housing the battery components, the convenient connection between the conductive contact frame and the battery components, and the construction of the wet leakage current tester circuit, the preparation time before testing and the operation steps during testing are reduced, thereby effectively improving the testing efficiency of the testing device for battery components.
[0006] According to some embodiments of the present application, the test apparatus includes a conductive contact frame comprising: a frame having an accommodating space formed therein suitable for accommodating a battery assembly, the frame being selectively deformable to adjust the size of the accommodating space; and a conductive portion disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the frame, the conductive portion having a mating surface formed on the side facing the accommodating space suitable for mating with the battery assembly.
[0007] According to some embodiments of the present application, the test apparatus includes: a sub-frame, wherein multiple sub-frames are configured such that adjacent sub-frames can be close to or far from each other; and a telescopic portion, wherein the telescopic portion is connected to two adjacent sub-frames respectively, and each sub-frame moves relative to the telescopic portion to adjust the size of the accommodating space.
[0008] According to some embodiments of the test apparatus of this application, a first sliding member is formed on one of the telescopic portion and the sub-frame, and a second sliding member is formed on the other of the telescopic portion and the sub-frame for cooperating with the first sliding member, so as to facilitate the sliding of the sub-frame in the extension direction of the telescopic portion.
[0009] According to some embodiments of the present application, the test apparatus has a cavity formed within the sub-frame for accommodating the telescopic part, and the telescopic part moves along the extension direction of the cavity to adjust the distance between two adjacent sub-frames.
[0010] The testing apparatus according to some embodiments of this application further includes: a buckle, the buckle being movably disposed on the sub-frame, the buckle having a first limiting portion formed thereon; wherein the telescopic portion is provided with a plurality of second limiting portions arranged in the extension direction of the telescopic portion, the first limiting portion being selectively cooperating with any one of the second limiting portions to limit the displacement of the telescopic portion relative to the sub-frame.
[0011] According to some embodiments of the test apparatus of this application, the first limiting part is constructed as a limiting tooth, and the second limiting part is constructed as a plurality of limiting holes or limiting grooves spaced apart in the extending direction of the telescopic part.
[0012] According to some embodiments of the test apparatus of this application, the conductive part is constructed as conductive cotton, which extends along the contour of the inner peripheral wall of the frame.
[0013] The testing apparatus according to some embodiments of this application further includes: terminals, wherein the terminals are configured to correspond one-to-one with the battery assembly, and the terminals are electrically connected to both the positive and negative terminals of the battery assembly simultaneously; the polarity terminal of the wet leakage current tester can be selectively electrically connected to different terminals.
[0014] The testing apparatus according to some embodiments of this application further includes: a support base, wherein a support area for placing a battery assembly is formed inside the support base, and the support area accommodates at least one set of the conductive contact frames.
[0015] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description
[0016] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the testing device according to an embodiment of this application;
[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the conductive contact frame in the test device according to an embodiment of this application;
[0019] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified structural diagram of point A in the middle.
[0020] Figure label:
[0021] 100. Testing equipment;
[0022] 1. Box body; 11. Receiving cavity;
[0023] 2. Conductive contact frame;
[0024] 21. Conductive part;
[0025] 22. Border; 221. Sub-frame; 222. Telescopic part; 2221. Second limiting part;
[0026] 23. Buckle; 231. First limiting part;
[0027] 3. Wet leakage current tester;
[0028] 4. Wiring terminals;
[0029] 5. Support base; 51. Hook. Detailed Implementation
[0030] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.
[0031] The following is for reference. Figures 1-3 A test apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of this application is described.
[0032] A testing device 100 according to an embodiment of this application includes a housing 1, a conductive contact frame 2, and a wet leakage current tester 3. The housing 1 has a receiving cavity 11 formed inside to accommodate the battery assembly to be tested. The receiving cavity 11 is adapted to contain a test liquid medium. The conductive contact frame 2 includes a conductive part 21. The conductive contact frame 2 is used to fit and be sleeved on the outer ring of the battery assembly. In the test state, the conductive contact frame 2 is placed in the test liquid medium. One polarity of the wet leakage current tester 3 is electrically connected to the conductive part 21 on the conductive contact frame 2, and the other polarity of the wet leakage current tester 3 is electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery assembly.
[0033] The housing 1 has a cavity 11 that can hold the test liquid medium. The battery assembly is placed inside. The cavity 11 can accommodate battery assemblies of different sizes. The conductive contact frame 2 is fitted onto the outer ring of the battery assembly and can be placed in the test liquid medium during testing. This makes the connection between the conductive contact frame 2 and the battery assembly simple and efficient, eliminating the need for complex wiring or connection steps. For battery assemblies of different sizes, simply fitting the conductive contact frame 2 avoids the problem of frequently changing different connection accessories or redesigning the connection method for different sized battery assemblies in traditional testing, further saving connection time. (Wet leakage current testing) One polarity of the tester 3 is electrically connected to the conductive part 21 of the conductive contact frame 2, and the other polarity is electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery assembly. The connection method forms a complete test circuit. Due to the ease of connection between the conductive contact frame 2 and the battery assembly, the wet leakage current tester 3 can quickly establish the test circuit, avoiding the need for debugging the circuit connection in traditional testing. Through the housing cavity 11 of the box 1 for housing the battery assembly, the convenient connection between the conductive contact frame 2 and the battery assembly, and the establishment of the test circuit of the wet leakage current tester 3, the preparation time before testing and the operation steps during testing are greatly reduced, thereby effectively improving the testing efficiency of the test device 100 for the battery assembly.
[0034] It should be noted that the conductive contact frame 2 is adjustable or universally adaptable. The conductive contact frame 2 can be made of an elastic material for its frame, or at least a portion of the conductive contact frame 2 can be stretched, contracted, or adjusted. When dealing with small battery components, the conductive contact frame 2 can fit snugly against its outer ring, ensuring good contact between the conductive part 21 and the periphery of the battery component, laying the foundation for the construction of subsequent test circuits. When encountering large battery components, the conductive contact frame 2 can be easily fitted onto the outer ring of the battery component through its own structural changes, still ensuring accurate connection of the conductive part 21, without the need to spend time searching for a device suitable for the large component.
[0035] According to some embodiments of the present application, the test apparatus 100 includes a conductive contact frame 2, which includes a frame 22 and a conductive portion 21. The frame 22 has a receiving space suitable for accommodating a battery assembly. The frame 22 can be selectively deformed to adjust the size of the receiving space. The conductive portion 21 is disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the frame 22. The conductive portion 21 has a mating surface suitable for cooperating with the battery assembly on the side facing the receiving space.
[0036] The frame 22 can selectively deform to adjust the size of the accommodating space. When encountering a small battery module, the frame 22 can deform inward to reduce the accommodating space, allowing the conductive part 21 to fit tightly against the outer periphery of the battery module. When facing a large battery module, the frame 22 can expand outward to increase the accommodating space, ensuring that the conductive part 21 is effectively connected to the large battery module. This avoids the trouble of frequently changing test equipment due to different battery module sizes, saves time and costs in preparing for the test, and significantly improves test efficiency. The conductive part 21 is located on the inner peripheral wall of the frame 22 with its mating surface facing the accommodating space, ensuring efficient electrical connection. After the frame 22 adjusts the accommodating space according to the battery module size, the mating surface of the conductive part 21 can contact the battery module. During the test, the current can be more smoothly conducted from the conductive part 21 to the battery module, improving the transmission efficiency and accuracy of the test signal.
[0037] According to some embodiments of the present application, the test apparatus 100 has a frame 22 including a sub-frame 221 and a telescopic part 222. The sub-frame 221 is configured to be multiple, and adjacent sub-frames 221 can be close to or far from each other. The telescopic part 222 is connected to two adjacent sub-frames 221 respectively, and each sub-frame 221 moves relative to the telescopic part 222 to adjust the size of the accommodating space.
[0038] The frame 22 includes multiple sub-frames 221 and telescopic portions 222, enabling the testing device 100 to adapt to battery assemblies of different sizes. Since adjacent sub-frames 221 can move closer to or further away from each other, and each sub-frame 221 can move relative to the telescopic portion 222, the size of the accommodating space can be changed by adjusting the position of the sub-frames 221. For small battery assemblies, adjacent sub-frames 221 can move closer to each other, making the accommodating space smaller and thus tightly surrounding the battery assembly. For large battery assemblies, the sub-frames 221 can move relatively far apart, expanding the accommodating space to fit the size of the battery assembly. This size adaptability means that the testing device 100 is no longer limited to one or a few specific sizes of battery assemblies, improving the versatility of the testing device 100. In practical applications, there is no need to prepare multiple dedicated testing devices 100 or accessories for battery assemblies of different sizes, saving equipment costs and storage space, while also improving the flexibility of testing work.
[0039] According to some embodiments of the present application, a test apparatus 100 has a first sliding member formed on one of the telescopic portion 222 and the sub-frame 221, and a second sliding member formed on the other of the telescopic portion 222 and the sub-frame 221 to cooperate with the first sliding member, so as to adapt the sub-frame 221 to slide in the extending direction of the telescopic portion 222.
[0040] The cooperation of the first and second sliding members allows the sub-frame 221 to slide smoothly along the extension direction of the telescopic part 222, providing great flexibility for adjusting the size of the accommodating space. During testing, different battery components have different sizes, and this structure allows for positional adjustments to the sub-frame 221. When a slightly larger battery component needs to be accommodated, the sub-frame 221 can slide precisely outward along the extension direction of the telescopic part 222, gradually expanding the accommodating space in small increments until it can just tightly accommodate the battery component. Conversely, for smaller battery components, the sub-frame 221 can slide inward to reduce the accommodating space, better adapting to battery components of different sizes. This improves the adaptability of the testing device 100 to multi-size battery components, ensuring that the battery component can be stably placed in the accommodating space during testing, laying the foundation for accurate test results.
[0041] According to some embodiments of the present application, the test apparatus 100 has a cavity formed in the sub-frame 221 for accommodating the telescopic part 222, and the telescopic part 222 moves along the extension direction of the cavity to adjust the distance between two adjacent sub-frames 221.
[0042] The sub-frame 221 has a cavity for accommodating the telescopic part 222. By utilizing the internal space of the sub-frame 221, the structure of the entire testing device 100 becomes more compact. The telescopic part 222 moves along the extension direction within the cavity to adjust the distance between adjacent sub-frames 221, enabling smooth adjustment. Since the cavity provides a stable movement track for the telescopic part 222, the telescopic part 222 will not experience jamming or shaking during movement. This allows for control over the distance changes between adjacent sub-frames 221. When testing battery packs of different sizes, the extension length of the telescopic part 222 can be accurately adjusted according to the specific dimensions of the battery pack, ensuring that the size of the accommodating space matches the battery pack. This ensures that the battery pack is in the optimal testing position during testing, improving the reliability and consistency of the test results.
[0043] The testing apparatus 100 according to some embodiments of this application further includes a buckle 23, which is movably disposed on the sub-frame 221, and a first limiting portion 231 is formed on the buckle 23; wherein, the telescopic portion 222 is provided with a plurality of second limiting portions 2221 arranged in the extension direction of the telescopic portion 222, and the first limiting portion 231 can selectively cooperate with any one of the second limiting portions 2221 to limit the displacement of the telescopic portion 222 relative to the sub-frame 221.
[0044] The latch 23 is movably mounted on the sub-frame 221, and the first limiting part 231 on the latch 23 can selectively engage with multiple second limiting parts 2221 arranged along the extension direction of the telescopic part 222. This allows the telescopic part 222 to be positioned and fixed by the latch 23 after adjusting the distance between adjacent sub-frames 221. When the telescopic part 222 is adjusted to a suitable extension length to accommodate the battery assembly, the first limiting part 231 on the latch 23 engages with the corresponding second limiting part 2221, restricting the telescopic part 222 from displacement relative to the sub-frame 221 due to external forces or vibrations during testing. In tests requiring stable placement of the battery assembly, such as wet leakage tests, this precise positioning and stable fixing function ensures the battery assembly remains in place, guaranteeing good contact between the conductive part 21 and the battery assembly, thereby ensuring stable transmission of test signals and improving the accuracy and reliability of test results.
[0045] According to some embodiments of the present application, the test apparatus 100 has a first limiting part 231 configured as a limiting tooth and a second limiting part 2221 configured as a plurality of limiting holes or limiting grooves spaced apart in the extending direction of the telescopic part 222.
[0046] When the first limiting part 231 is configured as a limiting tooth and the second limiting part 2221 is configured as a plurality of limiting holes or limiting grooves spaced apart in the extension direction of the telescopic part 222, the cooperation between the limiting tooth and the limiting hole (or limiting groove) can achieve stable limiting. The tooth shape design of the limiting tooth allows it to be embedded in the limiting hole or limiting groove to form an engagement. During the test, whether it is the vibration generated by the battery assembly or other external forces, the engagement structure can effectively prevent the telescopic part 222 from displacing relative to the sub-frame 221, thereby ensuring that the size of the housing space where the battery assembly is located remains unchanged, maintaining a good contact state between the conductive part 21 and the battery assembly, and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the test results. Moreover, since the limiting holes or limiting grooves are spaced apart, multiple precise positioning points can be provided according to different adjustment requirements, and the telescopic part 222 can be accurately fixed in a suitable position according to the specific size of the battery assembly.
[0047] According to some embodiments of the present application, in the test apparatus 100, the conductive part 21 is constructed as conductive cotton, which extends along the contour of the inner peripheral wall of the frame 22.
[0048] The conductive part 21 is constructed of conductive cotton. The conductive cotton material is soft and elastic, allowing it to fit tightly against the inner peripheral wall of the frame 22 and extend along the contour of the inner peripheral wall. When the battery assembly is placed in the receiving space of the frame 22, the conductive cotton can deform and fit to a certain extent according to the shape contour of the battery assembly, ensuring full contact with the outer peripheral surface of the battery assembly. This improves the adaptability of the testing device 100 to battery assemblies of different shapes, avoids testing errors caused by poor contact, ensures stable transmission of test signals, and thus improves the accuracy of test results. At the same time, the conductive cotton acts as a buffer between the battery assembly and the frame 22. During the placement of the battery assembly in the receiving space and during the testing process, the battery assembly may be subjected to certain impact forces due to operation or external vibrations. The buffering effect of the conductive cotton can effectively reduce the damage of these impact forces to the battery assembly, protect the appearance and internal structure of the battery assembly from damage, extend the service life of the battery assembly, and also help maintain the stable position of the battery assembly during the testing process, further improving the accuracy of the test results.
[0049] The test apparatus 100 according to some embodiments of this application further includes a terminal block 4, which is configured to correspond one-to-one with a battery assembly. The terminal block 4 is electrically connected to both the positive and negative terminals of the battery assembly. The polarity terminal of the wet leakage current tester 3 can be selectively electrically connected to different terminal blocks 4.
[0050] The terminal blocks 4 are designed to correspond one-to-one with the battery components, and there are multiple of them. They are electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery components. The polarity of the wet leakage current tester 3 can be selectively connected to different terminal blocks 4, providing great flexibility. When different battery components need to be tested, the testers do not need to rearrange complex wiring connections. They only need to connect the polarity of the wet leakage current tester 3 to the corresponding terminal block 4 of the battery component. When testing multiple battery components of different specifications at the same time, the test connections can be quickly switched, which greatly shortens the test preparation time, improves the test efficiency, and makes the test process more convenient and efficient.
[0051] The test apparatus 100 according to some embodiments of this application further includes a support 5, the support 5 having a support area for placing a battery assembly inside, and the support area accommodating at least one set of conductive contact frames 2.
[0052] The support base 5 has an internal support area for placing battery modules, providing a clear and stable placement space. During testing, the battery modules can be placed within this area, avoiding testing errors caused by inaccurate placement. The support area can accommodate at least one set of conductive contact frames 2, allowing multiple battery modules to be prepared for testing simultaneously on the same support base 5. For batch testing, multiple battery modules can be placed in the support area at the same time and engage with the corresponding conductive contact frames 2. This allows testers to connect and test multiple battery modules at once, significantly improving testing efficiency, reducing waiting time and number of operations during testing, increasing test output per unit time, and meeting the needs of large-scale production testing.
[0053] In some embodiments of this application, hooks 51 are provided at intervals on the outer peripheral wall of the support seat 5. The hooks 51 are suitable for use with a crane to facilitate the transfer of the support seat 5 into the housing 1.
[0054] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
[0055] In the description of this application, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.
[0056] In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more.
[0057] In the description of this application, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or it may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact through another feature between them.
[0058] In the description of this application, the terms "above," "over," and "on top" for the first feature and the second feature include the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicate that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature.
[0059] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.
[0060] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A testing device, characterized in that, include: The housing (1) has a cavity (11) inside which a battery assembly to be tested is formed, and the cavity (11) is adapted to contain a test liquid medium. A conductive contact frame (2) is provided, the conductive contact frame (2) includes a conductive part (21), the conductive contact frame (2) is used to fit and be sleeved on the outer ring of the battery assembly, and in the test state, the conductive contact frame (2) is placed in the test liquid medium; A wet leakage current tester (3) is provided, with one polarity of the wet leakage current tester (3) electrically connected to the conductive part (21) on the conductive contact frame (2), and the other polarity of the wet leakage current tester (3) electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery assembly.
2. The test device of claim 1, wherein, The conductive contact frame (2) includes: The frame (22) has a receiving space formed within it, which is suitable for accommodating the battery assembly. The frame (22) can be selectively deformed to adjust the size of the receiving space. A conductive part (21) is disposed on the inner peripheral wall of the frame (22), and the conductive part (21) has a mating surface on the side facing the receiving space that is suitable for mating with the battery assembly.
3. The test device of claim 2, wherein, The border (22) includes: Sub-frames (221), wherein multiple sub-frames (221) are constructed, and adjacent sub-frames (221) may be close to or far from each other; The telescopic part (222) is connected to two adjacent sub-frames (221), and each sub-frame (221) moves relative to the telescopic part (222) to adjust the size of the accommodating space.
4. The test device of claim 3, wherein, A first sliding member is formed on one of the telescopic portion (222) and the sub-frame (221), and a second sliding member is formed on the other of the telescopic portion (222) and the sub-frame (221) to cooperate with the first sliding member, so as to allow the sub-frame (221) to slide in the extension direction of the telescopic portion (222).
5. The test device of claim 3, wherein, The sub-frame (221) has a cavity for accommodating the telescopic part (222), and the telescopic part (222) moves along the extension direction of the cavity to adjust the distance between two adjacent sub-frames (221).
6. The test device of claim 4 or 5, wherein, Also includes: A buckle (23) is movably disposed on the sub-frame (221), and a first limiting part (231) is formed on the buckle (23); wherein, The telescopic part (222) is provided with a plurality of second limiting parts (2221) arranged in the extension direction of the telescopic part (222). The first limiting part (231) can selectively cooperate with any one of the second limiting parts (2221) to limit the displacement of the telescopic part (222) relative to the sub-frame (221).
7. The test device of claim 6, wherein, The first limiting part (231) is constructed as a limiting tooth, and the second limiting part (2221) is constructed as a plurality of limiting holes or limiting grooves spaced apart in the extension direction of the telescopic part (222).
8. The test device of claim 2, wherein, The conductive part (21) is constructed as conductive cotton, which extends along the contour of the inner peripheral wall of the frame (22).
9. The test device of claim 1, wherein, Also includes: The wiring terminal (4) is configured to correspond one-to-one with the battery assembly, and the wiring terminal (4) is electrically connected to the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the battery assembly at the same time; The polarity of the wet leakage current tester (3) can be selectively electrically connected to different terminals (4).
10. The testing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The carrier (5) has a bearing area inside for placing the battery assembly, and the bearing area accommodates at least one set of the conductive contact frames (2).