A composite spring connector for a battery pack

Abstract

This application discloses a composite spring connector for battery packs, including a base, a main body portion disposed within its mounting groove, a spring contact, a conductive sheet, a spring pin, and an outer spring. The spring contact includes an upper end, a lower end, and a bending elastic portion. The lower end of the spring pin acts on the main body portion, and the upper end acts on the upper end of the spring contact; the lower end of the outer spring acts on the lower end of the spring contact, and the upper end acts on the upper end of the spring contact. The upper end of the spring contact abuts against the inner wall of the base, causing the spring pin and the outer spring to be compressed, thereby jointly providing a downward positive contact force greater than 10N to the conductive sheet. This invention, through the composite elastic structure of the spring contact, spring pin, and outer spring, converges multiple levels of elastic force into a huge positive force, completely solving the problems of insufficient positive force, poor connection reliability, and poor vibration resistance of traditional spring contact connectors, and is especially suitable for power battery packs with extremely high requirements for connection safety and stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electrical connectors, and more particularly to composite spring connectors for battery packs. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy industry, extremely high requirements have been placed on the electrical connection reliability of battery packs (especially power battery packs). As a key component in the battery pack, the performance of electrical connectors directly affects the conductivity stability, safety, and service life of the entire battery system.

[0003] Currently, traditional spring-loaded connectors are widely used in this field. These connectors typically consist of a single, integral metal spring that relies on its bending deformation to provide positive contact force, pressing the conductive sheet against the battery electrode. However, this traditional structure has significant limitations: First, due to the limitations of the material, volume, and deformation of the individual spring, the positive contact force it can provide is usually small, generally only between 1N and 5N. In harsh environments such as vehicle operation where there is continuous vibration and impact, this positive force is insufficient to maintain a stable electrical connection, potentially leading to increased contact resistance, poor current flow, or even arcing and sparking, posing safety hazards. Second, its vibration and shock resistance is poor; the single elastic structure is prone to stress relaxation or fatigue fracture under long-term vibration, leading to connection failure. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a composite spring connector for battery packs that can provide greater positive contact force, higher connection reliability, and excellent vibration resistance, in order to meet the application requirements of battery packs, especially high-power power battery packs.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A composite spring connector for a battery pack includes: a base with a mounting groove; a main body disposed within the mounting groove of the base; a spring sheet including an upper end, a lower end, and a flexible portion connecting the two; a conductive sheet disposed at the bottom of the main body; a spring pin with its lower end acting on the main body and its upper end acting on the upper end of the spring sheet; and an outer spring with its lower end acting on the lower end of the spring sheet and its upper end acting on the upper end of the spring sheet; wherein the upper end of the spring sheet abuts against the inner wall of the base, and the spring pin and the outer spring are compressed between the upper end of the spring sheet and the main body, jointly providing a downward positive contact force for the conductive sheet.

[0007] Furthermore, the outer spring and the spring pin are coaxially disposed on one side of the space enclosed by the bending elastic portion.

[0008] Furthermore, the outer spring and the spring sheet provide a positive force greater than 10N to the conductive sheet.

[0009] Furthermore, the upper surface of the base is provided with an upper opening, which communicates with the mounting groove, and the lower surface of the base is provided with a lower opening, which communicates with the mounting groove, and the conductive sheet can extend out from the lower opening.

[0010] Furthermore, a hook is provided on the right side of the mounting groove of the base, which is used to fix the step portion corresponding to the main body.

[0011] Furthermore, the main body includes a horizontal part and an inclined part extending upward from one side of the horizontal part. The bending elastic part of the spring abuts against the surface of the inclined part. The spring provides a downward positive contact force to the conductive sheet through the cooperation of the upper end and lower end with the spring pin and the outer spring, as well as through the pressure of the bending elastic part against the inclined part.

[0012] Furthermore, protrusions are provided on both sides of the inclined portion of the main body, and the two sides of the bending elastic portion of the spring sheet extend downward to form mounting extension portions, and mounting extension portions are provided with mounting holes that cooperate with the protrusions.

[0013] Furthermore, the upper end of the spring piece is an upper horizontal part, which is provided with a through groove for accommodating the upper end of the spring needle; the lower end of the spring piece is a lower horizontal part, which is provided with a mounting hole for mounting the lower part of the spring needle; the bending elastic part includes a first inclined part and a second inclined part, and the surface of the first inclined part is provided with an upwardly protruding reinforcing structure.

[0014] Furthermore, the conductive sheet has multiple positioning portions extending outward from its side, and the side of each positioning portion is provided with a U-shaped groove.

[0015] Furthermore, the spring needle includes an outer needle seat, an inner spring, and an inner needle seat. The outer needle seat is sleeved outside the inner needle seat. The upper end of the inner spring is located inside the outer needle seat, and the lower end is located inside the inner needle seat. It can drive the outer needle seat and the inner needle seat to move relative to each other.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows:

[0017] (1) This application achieves a multiplication of positive contact force through a composite elastic structure of "spring sheet, spring pin, and outer spring". The principle is as follows: the spring pin is compressed between the upper end of the spring sheet and the main body, and its internal spring provides the first level of elastic force; the outer spring is also compressed between the upper end and the lower end of the spring sheet, providing the second level of elastic force; at the same time, the bending elastic part of the spring sheet deforms itself, providing the third level of elastic force. These three elastic forces converge through the lever effect of the spring sheet and are applied together to the conductive sheet at the bottom of the main body, generating a downward-directed comprehensive positive contact force that is much greater than that of traditional spring sheet connectors. This huge positive force ensures extremely low contact resistance and a stable and reliable physical connection between the conductive sheet and the battery electrode, which is particularly suitable for power battery pack applications that require the transmission of large currents, and fundamentally avoids safety hazards such as overheating and arcing caused by poor contact.

[0018] (2) The composite elastic structure design of this application brings excellent dynamic stability. The principle is as follows: First, the outer spring and spring pin, as the core elastic elements, have a fatigue life far exceeding that of structures that rely solely on the bending deformation of metal spring sheets, resulting in a longer service life. Second, when subjected to vibration or impact, the kinetic energy of this composite structure is absorbed and buffered in stages by the three elastic components (spring sheet, inner spring, and outer spring). The fine structure inside the spring pin can effectively absorb high-frequency micro-amplitude vibrations, while the outer spring and spring sheet can cope with larger-amplitude low-frequency vibrations or impacts. This multi-stage buffering mechanism enables the entire connector to maintain stable contact force between the conductive sheet and the electrode even under harsh mechanical vibration environments, preventing instantaneous connection interruption or force attenuation caused by vibration, and greatly improving the reliability of the product in dynamic environments such as automotive applications.

[0019] (3) This application ingeniously integrates multiple elastic elements into a compact unit. The outer spring and spring pin are coaxially arranged on one side of the space enclosed by the bending elastic part of the spring piece, making full use of the idle space inside the spring piece, thereby achieving a leap in performance without significantly increasing the overall size of the connector. This design allows the large positive force connector to adapt to the limited installation space inside the battery pack, facilitating layout and assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a composite spring connector for a battery pack provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 2 A top view of a composite spring connector for a battery pack provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Sectional view at AA;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a composite spring connector for a battery pack with its base concealed, according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 5 This is an exploded structural diagram of a composite spring connector for a battery pack provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0026] 1. Base; 2. Main body; 3. Spring; 4. Conductive sheet; 5. Spring pin; 6. Outer spring;

[0027] 11. Mounting slot; 12. Top opening; 13. Bottom opening; 14. Hook; 15. First limit block;

[0028] 21. Stepped section; 22. Horizontal section; 23. Inclined section; 24. Protrusion; 25. Second mounting groove; 26. Support plate; 27. Limiting groove;

[0029] 31. Upper end; 32. Lower end; 33. Bending elastic part; 34. Mounting extension; 35. Through groove; 36. Mounting hole;

[0030] 331. First inclined section; 332. Second inclined section; 333. Reinforcing structure;

[0031] 41. Positioning part; 42. U-shaped groove;

[0032] 51. Outer needle seat; 52. Inner spring; 53. Inner needle seat; Detailed Implementation

[0033] 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 some embodiments of this application, and not all 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.

[0034] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," etc., are used only for the convenience of describing this application and for 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 on this application. In particular, the understanding of the term "upper" following a noun in the claims should be understood as meaning that the entire inner and outer surfaces of the structure referred to by the noun conform to the definition of "upper."

[0035] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, describes the specific implementation methods, structures, features, and effects provided in this application.

[0036] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, a composite spring connector for a battery pack includes: a base 1 with a mounting groove; a main body 2 disposed within the mounting groove 11 of the base 1; a spring 3 including an upper end 31, a lower end 32, and a flexible portion 33 connecting the two; a conductive sheet 4 disposed at the bottom of the main body 2; a spring pin 5, the lower end of which acts on the main body 2 and the upper end of which acts on the upper end 31 of the spring 3; and an outer spring 6, the lower end of which acts on the lower end 32 of the spring 3 and the upper end of which acts on the upper end 31 of the spring 3; wherein the upper end 31 of the spring 3 abuts against the inner wall of the base 1, and the spring pin 5 and the outer spring 6 are compressed between the upper end 31 of the spring 3 and the main body 2, jointly providing a downward positive contact force for the conductive sheet 4.

[0037] like Figure 3 As shown, the outer spring 6 and the spring pin 5 are coaxially arranged on one side of the space enclosed by the bent elastic part 33. The coaxial arrangement makes full use of the unused space inside the spring piece 3 enclosed by the bent part, making the overall structure very compact and saving the lateral dimension of the connector. At the same time, the coaxial arrangement ensures that the spring force can be efficiently transmitted along the same axis, avoiding the additional bending moment caused by the offset arrangement, making the force transmission more direct and stable, and ensuring that the conductive sheet 4 is subjected to uniform force.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, the outer spring 6 and the spring sheet 3 provide a positive force greater than 10N to the conductive sheet 4. A force greater than 10N is a key indicator to ensure the absolute reliability of the battery pack connection under high current and strong vibration conditions, providing strong substantive support for the novelty and inventiveness of this patent.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, the upper surface of the base 1 is provided with an upper opening 12, which is connected to the mounting groove. The lower surface of the base 1 is provided with a lower opening 13, which is connected to the mounting groove. The conductive sheet 4 can extend out from the lower opening 13. The left side wall of the mounting groove extends to the right with a first limiting block 15, which is used to limit the main body 2.

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, a hook 14 is provided on the right side of the mounting groove of the base 1. The hook 14 is used to fix the corresponding step 21 of the main body 2. The cooperation between the hook 14 and the step 21 realizes a simple and quick snap-fit ​​installation, which can firmly lock the main body 2 into the base 1 without screws or complicated tools, preventing it from loosening or shifting during use, thus improving production efficiency and structural stability.

[0041] like Figure 3As shown, the main body 2 includes a horizontal portion 22 and an inclined portion 23 extending upward from one side of the horizontal portion 22. The flexible portion 33 of the spring 3 abuts against the surface of the inclined portion. The spring 3, through the cooperation of its upper end 31 and lower end 32 with the spring pin 5 and the outer spring 6, and through the pressure of the flexible portion 33 against the inclined portion, provides a downward positive contact force to the conductive sheet 4. The design of the inclined portion allows the flexible portion 33 of the spring 3 to directly apply a downward component force to it. This force is superimposed and integrated with the force provided by the spring pin 5 and the outer spring 6, acting together on the main body 2.

[0042] like Figure 4 As shown, protrusions 24 are provided on both sides of the inclined portion of the main body 2, and mounting extensions 34 are formed on both sides of the bending elastic portion 33 of the spring piece 3. Mounting extensions 34 are provided on the mounting extensions 34 to mate with the protrusions 24. The mating of the protrusions 24 and the mounting holes 36 ensures precise pre-positioning between the spring piece 3 and the main body 2, preventing slippage during assembly. More importantly, it effectively prevents lateral misalignment between the spring piece 3 and the main body 2 due to vibration throughout the product's entire lifespan, ensuring the long-term stability of the force transmission path.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, the surface of the horizontal part 22 is provided with a mounting surface for mounting the spring pin 5; the bottom surface of the horizontal part 22 is provided with a second mounting groove 25 for mounting the conductive sheet 4; the front and rear sides of the surface of the horizontal part 22 extend upward to form support plates 26 for supporting the bottom of the spring sheet 3; the front and rear sides of the inclined part are respectively provided with limiting grooves 27 for limiting the spring sheet 3.

[0044] like Figure 3 As shown, the upper end 31 of the spring piece 3 is an upper horizontal portion 22, which has a through groove 35 for accommodating the upper end of the spring pin 5; the lower end 32 of the spring piece 3 is a lower horizontal portion 22, which has a mounting hole 36 for mounting the lower part of the spring pin 5; the bending elastic portion 33 includes a first inclined portion 331 and a second inclined portion 332, and the surface of the first inclined portion 331 has an upwardly protruding reinforcing structure 333. The design of the through groove 35 and the mounting hole 36 enables precise guidance and positioning of the spring pin 5. The reinforcing structure 333 (usually a stamped rib) can significantly improve the bending stiffness of the first inclined portion 331, preventing it from undergoing plastic deformation or fracture under long-term large-amplitude cyclic stress, thereby improving the durability and service life of the spring piece 3.

[0045] like Figure 5 As shown, the conductive sheet 4 has multiple positioning portions 41 extending outward from its side, and the side of the positioning portion 41 is provided with a U-shaped groove 42.

[0046] like Figure 5As shown, the spring needle 5 includes an outer needle seat 51, an inner spring 52, and an inner needle seat 53. The outer needle seat 51 is sleeved outside the inner needle seat 53. The upper end of the inner spring 52 is located inside the outer needle seat 51, and the lower end is located inside the inner needle seat 53. It can drive relative lifting and lowering movements between the outer needle seat 51 and the inner needle seat 53. Its advantage is that it can automatically compensate for minor dimensional tolerances and flatness errors. The internal independent spring structure allows it to perform high-frequency, micro-amplitude extension and retraction movements independently of the outer spring 6 and the spring 3, which is specifically designed to absorb minute vibrations and ensure that the needle tip and the spring 3 always maintain stable electrical contact.

[0047] The working principle of this application is as follows:

[0048] The working principle of this connector lies in its composite elastic structure and lever mechanics structure. This structure efficiently converges and transmits the elastic forces of the spring piece 3, spring pin 5, and outer spring 6, ultimately converting them into a huge positive contact force acting on the conductive sheet 4. Its working process can be divided into two stages: assembly pre-compression and working force application.

[0049] During assembly, the spring piece 3 needs to be pressed down. This process is the pre-compression and energy storage stage of this connector: an external force is applied to press down the spring piece 3, and the upper end 31 (upper horizontal part 22) of the spring piece 3 serves as the force point, overcoming the resistance of the spring pin 5 and the outer spring 6 to move downward. This action compresses two elastic elements simultaneously:

[0050] Compression of spring needle 5: The upper end of spring needle 5 is pressed down by the upper end 31 of spring piece 3, and the inner spring 52 inside is compressed to store the first layer of elastic energy.

[0051] Compression of the outer spring 6: The lower end 32 (lower horizontal part 22) of the spring piece 3 is relatively fixed, and the upper end 31 is pressed down, causing its bending elastic part 33 to deform, thereby shortening the distance between the upper and lower ends 32, which is equivalent to compressing the outer spring 6 sleeved between the two, storing the second layer of elastic energy;

[0052] When the spring piece 3 is pressed to the designated position (e.g., the upper end 31 is pressed against the inner wall of the upper part of the base 1) and the external force is removed, the spring piece 3 cannot fully rebound due to the restriction, so that both the spring pin 5 and the outer spring 6 remain in a pre-compressed state. This pre-compression is the basis for providing them with a huge working contact force;

[0053] After final installation onto the battery pack, the conductive sheet 4 contacts the battery electrodes. At this point, the entire composite elastic system begins to function: the pre-compressed outer spring 6 tends to push the upper end 31 of the spring sheet 3 upward and the lower end 32 of the spring sheet 3 downward. Simultaneously, the pre-compressed spring pin 5 tends to push the upper end 31 of the spring sheet 3 upward. These forces act together on different parts of the spring sheet 3; the upper end 31 of the spring sheet 3 is limited by the inner wall of the base 1 and cannot move upward, thus becoming a fulcrum. The upward pushing force of the spring pin 5 and the upward pushing force of the outer spring 6 are converted into a downward pressing force on the main body 2 due to the presence of the fulcrum; in addition, the deformation of the bending elastic part 33 of the spring sheet 3 itself also generates a downward pressure on the inclined part of the main body 2.

[0054] All the downward forces mentioned above are ultimately applied together to the main body 2. The main body 2 transmits these forces without loss to the conductive plate 4 at its bottom, thereby generating a comprehensive downward positive contact force that far exceeds that of traditional connectors, pressing the conductive plate 4 tightly against the battery electrode to form a low-resistance, stable, and reliable electrical connection.

[0055] When external vibration or impact attempts to separate the conductive sheet 4 from the electrode: the minute displacement generated by the vibration will further compress or release the spring pin 5 and the outer spring 6; the fine spring structure inside the spring pin 5 can effectively absorb high-frequency micro-amplitude vibration; the large stroke and linear elastic characteristics of the outer spring 6 can buffer large-amplitude low-frequency vibration or impact; this multi-stage, parallel elastic system design makes the entire connector a highly efficient "shock absorber", which can quickly absorb and dissipate vibration energy, thereby maintaining the dynamic stability of the contact force and preventing the connector from loosening or failing due to vibration.

Claims

1. A composite spring connector for a battery pack, comprising: include: The base has a mounting slot; The main body is disposed in the mounting groove of the base; A spring sheet, comprising an upper end, a lower end, and a flexible portion connecting the two; A conductive sheet is disposed at the bottom of the main body. The spring pin has its lower end acting on the main body and its upper end acting on the upper end of the spring piece. And an outer spring, the lower end of which acts on the lower end of the spring piece, and the upper end of which acts on the upper end of the spring piece; The upper end of the spring sheet abuts against the inner wall of the base, and the spring pin and the outer spring are compressed between the upper end of the spring sheet and the main body, together providing a downward positive contact force for the conductive sheet.

2. The composite spring connector for a battery pack of claim 1, wherein, The outer spring and the spring pin are coaxially disposed on one side of the space enclosed by the bending elastic part.

3. The composite spring connector for a battery pack of claim 1, wherein, The outer spring and spring sheet provide a positive force greater than 10N to the conductive sheet.

4. A composite spring connector for a battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper surface of the base has an upper opening that communicates with the mounting groove, and the lower surface of the base has a lower opening that communicates with the mounting groove. The conductive sheet can extend out from the lower opening.

5. The composite spring connector for a battery pack of claim 1, wherein, A hook is provided on the right side of the mounting groove of the base, and the hook is used to fix the step part corresponding to the main body.

6. A composite spring connector for a battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body includes a horizontal part and an inclined part extending upward from one side of the horizontal part. The bending elastic part of the spring abuts against the surface of the inclined part. The spring provides a downward positive contact force to the conductive sheet through the cooperation of the upper end and lower end with the spring pin and the outer spring, as well as through the pressure of the bending elastic part against the inclined part.

7. The composite spring connector for a battery pack of claim 1, wherein, The inclined portion of the main body is provided with protrusions on both sides, and the two sides of the bending elastic portion of the spring sheet extend downward to form mounting extension portions, and the mounting extension portions are provided with mounting holes that cooperate with the protrusions.

8. The composite spring connector for a battery pack of claim 1, wherein, The upper end of the spring piece is an upper horizontal part, which has a through groove for accommodating the upper end of the spring needle; the lower end of the spring piece is a lower horizontal part, which has a mounting hole for mounting the lower part of the spring needle; the bending elastic part includes a first inclined part and a second inclined part, and the surface of the first inclined part has an upwardly protruding reinforcing structure.

9. The composite spring connector for a battery pack of claim 1, wherein, The conductive sheet has multiple positioning portions extending outward from its side, and the side of each positioning portion is provided with a U-shaped groove.

10. The composite spring connector for a battery pack of claim 1, wherein, The spring needle includes an outer needle seat, an inner spring, and an inner needle seat. The outer needle seat is sleeved outside the inner needle seat. The upper end of the inner spring is located inside the outer needle seat, and the lower end is located inside the inner needle seat. It can drive the outer needle seat and the inner needle seat to move relative to each other.

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