A staged fusing battery tab

Abstract

This utility model relates to a staged melting battery connector for electrically connecting a battery cell and a cover plate. It includes a connector body made of conductive metal and at least one intermediate connecting segment. The connector body includes a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion, and an intermediate conductive portion connecting the first and second conductive portions. Each intermediate connecting segment is disposed between the first and second conductive portions, and both ends of each intermediate connecting segment are electrically connected to the first and second conductive portions, respectively. The cross-sectional areas of each intermediate connecting segment are unequal and all smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate conductive portion. The battery connector of this application has a high current-carrying capacity at normal operating temperature and effectively avoids additional heat generation caused by an excessively small current-carrying area. In the event of overcurrent due to faults such as short circuits, the intermediate connecting segments are melted sequentially until the intermediate conductive portion melts, while the overall melting speed still meets the requirement for rapid melting, improving equipment operating safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a battery connector with a staged melting mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles and energy storage equipment, the safety performance requirements of battery modules are becoming increasingly stringent. Battery connectors, as key components for current transmission within battery modules, are used to connect the battery cells to the battery cover, and their overcurrent protection capability directly affects system safety. Traditional integrated metal connectors typically achieve overcurrent protection under fault conditions such as short circuits through a melting mechanism. These connectors rely on highly conductive metals (such as copper and aluminum), which generally have high melting points (e.g., copper 1083°C, aluminum 660°C). When the battery experiences overcurrent or a short circuit, the heat buildup is slow, and the connector cannot melt in time before thermal runaway (usually requiring several seconds to tens of seconds). This leads to a rapid rise in the internal temperature of the battery, potentially causing further serious incidents such as fire or explosion.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues and improve the fusing speed of the connector under overcurrent conditions, existing technologies have implemented certain measures. A common method is to create openings in the connector to reduce the overcurrent capacity of the open area. When an overcurrent or short circuit occurs, the open area heats up faster than the conventional area, accelerating the fusing speed and helping to fuse before thermal runaway. However, this structure introduces a new problem: if the current-carrying area of ​​the open area is too small, it will heat up significantly during normal use, affecting cell thermal management and potentially causing fusing before a safety fault occurs; conversely, if the current-carrying area of ​​the open area is too large, the fusing time under overcurrent conditions will still be long, failing to meet safety requirements.

[0004] Therefore, how to optimize the structure of the battery connector to overcome the defects of traditional connectors is the technical problem that this application aims to solve. Utility Model Content

[0005] One of the main objectives of this invention is to overcome at least one of the aforementioned defects and to provide a staged melting battery connector that can improve the overcurrent melting speed of the connector and enhance the operational safety of the battery system without affecting its normal operation.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: This utility model provides a staged fusion-type battery connector for electrically connecting a battery cell and a cover plate. It includes a connector body made of conductive metal and at least one intermediate connecting segment. The connecting piece body includes a first conductive part, a second conductive part, and an intermediate conductive part connecting the first conductive part and the second conductive part, wherein the intermediate conductive part is strip-shaped. Each intermediate connecting segment is disposed between the first conductive part and the second conductive part, and the two ends of each intermediate connecting segment are electrically connected to the first conductive part and the second conductive part, respectively. The cross-sectional areas of each intermediate connecting segment are not equal, and are all smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate conductive part.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first conductive part and the second conductive part are arranged in parallel and there is a gap between them, and the intermediate conductive part and the intermediate connecting section are both disposed in the gap.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first conductive part is rectangular, the second conductive part is U-shaped or L-shaped, the long side of the first conductive part is parallel to the long side of the second conductive part and is spaced apart, and the gap is located between the long sides of the first conductive part and the second conductive part.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the intermediate conductive portion is perpendicular to the long side of the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, and the intermediate conductive portion is integrally formed with the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each intermediate connecting segment is disposed within the gap, and each intermediate connecting segment is strip-shaped, the thickness of each intermediate connecting segment being equal to the thickness of the intermediate conductive portion.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, each intermediate connecting segment is disposed on both sides of the intermediate conductive part and is disposed continuously.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a heat-resistant base is provided below the intermediate conductive part and each intermediate connecting section.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the melting point of each intermediate connecting segment is lower than the melting point of the connecting piece body.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the material used for the connector body is any one of Al, Cu, Ni and Ti, or an alloy composed of two or more of them.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the material used for each intermediate connecting section is any one of Zn, Pb, Sn and Cr, or an alloy composed of two or more of them.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and beneficial effects of the heat exchange device and power electronic equipment of this utility model patent application are as follows: The battery connector of this application with staged fusing mechanism consists of a first conductive part, a second conductive part, and an intermediate conductive part (strip-shaped). The two ends of the intermediate connecting section are connected to the first and second conductive parts, respectively. The cross-sectional areas of these intermediate connecting sections are all smaller than and unequal to those of the intermediate conductive part. This difference in cross-sectional area results in a gradient distribution of resistance. During overcurrent, the connector melts sequentially in the order of "smallest cross-sectional area → second smallest cross-sectional area," forming segmented current paths and achieving multi-stage fusing. Therefore, the battery connector of this application not only has a high current-carrying capacity at normal operating temperature (≤65℃) but also effectively avoids the additional heat generated by an excessively small current-carrying area. In the event of overcurrent due to faults such as short circuits, the intermediate connecting sections melt sequentially until the intermediate conductive part melts, while the overall fusing speed still meets the requirements for rapid fusing, improving equipment safety. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the present invention in a detailed manner by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or components. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA direction in the battery connector shown; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a battery connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows: 1. Connecting piece body; 11. First conductive part; 12. Second conductive part; 13. Intermediate conductive part; 2. Intermediate connecting segment; 21. First intermediate connecting segment; 22. Second intermediate connecting segment; 3. Heat-resistant base. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solution of this utility model will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0020] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this utility model described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0021] Example 1: This embodiment describes a staged fuse battery connector for electrically connecting a battery cell to a cover plate, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes a connecting piece body made of conductive metal and an intermediate connecting segment 2, wherein, The connecting piece body 1 includes a first conductive part 11, a second conductive part 12, and an intermediate conductive part 13 connecting the first conductive part 11 and the second conductive part 12. The intermediate conductive part 13 is strip-shaped. The first conductive part 11 is connected to the cover plate, and the second conductive part 12 is connected to the battery cell. The intermediate connecting segment 2 is disposed between the first conductive part 11 and the second conductive part 12, and the two ends of the intermediate connecting segment 2 are electrically connected to the first conductive part 11 and the second conductive part 12 respectively; The cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate connecting section 2 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate conductive part 13.

[0022] Since the dimensions of the first conductive part 11 and the second conductive part 12 are generally much larger than those of the intermediate connecting section 2 and the intermediate conductive part 13, the current carrying capacity of the battery connector in this embodiment is determined by the intermediate connecting section 2 and the intermediate conductive part 13. The current carrying capacity of the battery connector = cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate conductive part 13 * current carrying coefficient of the intermediate conductive part 13 + cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate connecting section 2 * current carrying coefficient of the intermediate connecting section 2.

[0023] If the intermediate conductive part 13 and the intermediate connecting section 2 are made of the same metal material, and their cross-sectional areas are controlled so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate connecting section 2 is smaller than that of the intermediate conductive part 13, then in the event of a short circuit, the intermediate connecting section 2 will melt before the intermediate conductive part 13, and then the intermediate conductive part 13 will melt quickly, achieving a two-stage melting. This design allows the battery connector to have a high current-carrying capacity at normal operating temperature (≤65℃) and effectively avoids the additional heat generated by an excessively small current-carrying area. In the event of overcurrent due to a short circuit or other fault, the intermediate connecting section 2 melts sequentially until the intermediate conductive part 13 melts, and the overall melting speed still meets the requirement for rapid melting, improving equipment safety. Furthermore, if system-level short-circuit control, tripping, and disconnection of the battery circuit can be achieved after the intermediate connecting section 2 melts, the system can also achieve this.

[0024] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the first conductive part 11 and the second conductive part 12 are arranged parallel to each other, with a gap between them. The intermediate conductive part 13 and the intermediate connecting section 2 are both disposed within the gap. The first conductive part 11 is rectangular, and the second conductive part 12 is U-shaped. The long side of the first conductive part 11 is parallel to the long side of the second conductive part 12 and is spaced apart. The gap is located between the long sides of the first conductive part 11 and the second conductive part 12. The intermediate conductive part 13 is perpendicular to the long sides of the first conductive part 11 and the second conductive part 12, and the intermediate conductive part 13, the first conductive part 11, and the second conductive part 12 can be integrally formed by stamping, laser cutting, or metal cutting. The intermediate connecting section 2 is disposed within the gap, and the intermediate connecting section 2 is strip-shaped. The thickness of the intermediate connecting section 2 is equal to the thickness of the intermediate conductive part 13. It can be formed by hot casting, or the intermediate connecting section 2 can be pre-processed and then connected to the two conductive parts by ultrasonic welding.

[0025] To prevent molten metal droplets from dripping onto the battery cell and causing secondary damage if the intermediate connecting section 2 and the intermediate conductive part 13 melt, a heat-resistant and fire-retardant base 3 can be installed at the bottom of the connecting piece to catch any dripping molten metal droplets. The heat-resistant base 3 is fixed below the intermediate conductive part 13 and the intermediate connecting section 2, and its material can be ceramic. The heat-resistant base 3 can be molded together with the battery connecting piece or directly fixed in the battery pack, as long as it ensures that the heat-resistant base 3 can be stably held below the intermediate conductive part 13 and the intermediate connecting section 2 after the battery pack is assembled; both methods should be protected under this application.

[0026] To ensure that the intermediate connecting segment 2 melts before the connecting piece body 1, the melting point of the intermediate connecting segment 2 is lower than that of the connecting piece body 1. Specifically, the material used for the connecting piece body is any one of Al, Cu, Ni, and Ti, or an alloy of two or more of them. This means that high-melting-point metals such as Al (660℃), Cu (1084℃), Ni (1445℃), and Ti (1668℃) and their alloys can be used. The melting point of the connecting piece body 1 is greater than 600℃. The material used for the intermediate connecting segment 2 is any one of Zn, Pb, Sn, and Cr, or an alloy of two or more of them. This means that low-melting-point metals such as Zn (419℃), Pb (327℃), Sn (232℃), and Cr (321℃) and their alloys can be used. The melting point of the intermediate connecting segment 2 is lower than 450℃.

[0027] Example 2: The overall structure of the battery connector in this embodiment is basically the same, especially the basic structure of the connector body. The difference lies in the number of intermediate connecting segments.

[0028] like Figure 3 As shown, the battery connector in this embodiment has two intermediate connecting segments, which are arranged parallel to each other in the gap between the first conductive part and the second conductive part. The two intermediate connecting segments are respectively arranged on both sides of the intermediate conductive part (they may or may not be in contact with the intermediate conductive part). The cross-sectional areas of the two intermediate connecting segments are not equal. The cross-sectional area of ​​the first intermediate connecting segment 21 is larger than that of the second intermediate connecting segment 22, but the cross-sectional areas of both the first intermediate connecting segment 21 and the second intermediate connecting segment 22 are smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate conductive part.

[0029] It is understandable that the difference in cross-sectional area causes the resistance values ​​of the two intermediate connecting sections to be distributed in a gradient. When there is an overcurrent, the sections melt in the order of "smallest cross-sectional area → second smallest cross-sectional area". That is, the second intermediate connecting section 22 melts first, then the first intermediate connecting section 21 melts, and finally the middle conductive part melts, forming a segmented current path and achieving multi-stage melting.

[0030] In summary, the staged fuse battery connector of this application consists of a first conductive part, a second conductive part, and an intermediate conductive part (strip-shaped). The two ends of the intermediate connecting section are connected to the first and second conductive parts, respectively. The cross-sectional areas of the intermediate connecting section are all smaller than those of the intermediate conductive part and are not equal to each other. The difference in cross-sectional area causes its resistance value to have a gradient distribution. During overcurrent, the connector melts sequentially in the order of "smallest cross-sectional area → second smallest cross-sectional area", forming a segmented current attenuation path and achieving multi-stage fuse breaking. Therefore, the battery connector of this application can not only have a high current carrying capacity at normal operating temperature (≤65℃), but also effectively avoid the additional heat generation caused by an excessively small current carrying area. When overcurrent occurs due to faults such as short circuits, the intermediate connecting section melts sequentially until the intermediate conductive part melts, and the overall melting speed still meets the requirements for rapid melting, improving the safety of equipment operation.

[0031] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this utility model. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this utility model and implement it accordingly. They should not be used to limit the protection scope of this utility model. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A staged fusion-type battery connector for electrically connecting a battery cell and a cover plate, characterized in that, It includes a connecting piece body made of conductive metal and at least one intermediate connecting segment, wherein, The connecting piece body includes a first conductive part, a second conductive part, and an intermediate conductive part connecting the first conductive part and the second conductive part, wherein the intermediate conductive part is strip-shaped. Each intermediate connecting segment is disposed between the first conductive part and the second conductive part, and the two ends of each intermediate connecting segment are electrically connected to the first conductive part and the second conductive part, respectively. The cross-sectional areas of each intermediate connecting segment are not equal, and are all smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the intermediate conductive part.

2. The battery connector with staged fuse according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first conductive part and the second conductive part are arranged in parallel, and there is a gap between them. The intermediate conductive part and the intermediate connecting section are both disposed within the gap.

3. The battery connector with staged fuse according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first conductive part is rectangular, and the second conductive part is U-shaped or L-shaped. The long side of the first conductive part is parallel to the long side of the second conductive part and is spaced apart. The gap is located between the long sides of the first conductive part and the second conductive part.

4. The battery connector with staged fuse according to claim 3, characterized in that, The intermediate conductive portion is perpendicular to the long side of the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion, and the intermediate conductive portion is integrally formed with the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion.

5. The battery connector with staged fusion according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, Each intermediate connecting segment is disposed within the gap, and each intermediate connecting segment is strip-shaped, with the thickness of each intermediate connecting segment being equal to the thickness of the intermediate conductive portion.

6. The battery connector with staged fuse according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each intermediate connecting segment is disposed on both sides of the intermediate conductive part and is disposed continuously.

7. The battery connector with staged fuse according to claim 1, characterized in that, A heat-resistant base is provided below the intermediate conductive part and each intermediate connecting section.

8. The battery connector with staged fuse according to claim 1, characterized in that, The melting point of each intermediate connecting segment is lower than the melting point of the connecting piece body.

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