Temperature sampling module and battery module

Abstract

The application relates to a temperature sampling module and a battery module, and relates to the technical field of batteries.The temperature sampling module comprises a shell, a temperature sampling element arranged in the shell, an electrical connecting piece partially arranged in the shell and electrically connected with the temperature sampling element, and a potting part arranged in the shell and covering the temperature sampling element and the connecting part of the temperature sampling element and the electrical connecting piece; wherein the electrical connecting piece has an electrical connecting end extending to the outside of the shell; and the shell has a heat conduction part extending to the outside of the shell. The temperature sampling element and the connecting part of the temperature sampling element and the electrical connecting piece are sealed in the shell through the potting part, so that reliable protection is realized for the internal electrical connection; the electrical connecting end is used for signal leading-out, and the heat conduction part is used for high-efficiency thermal contact with an external heat generator; the design solves the problems of easy damage, poor sealing performance and low reliability caused by exposed welding points in the traditional scheme, and improves the overall mechanical strength and long-term stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a temperature sensing module and a battery module. Background Technology

[0002] As new energy battery systems develop towards higher energy density and higher integration, the high-reliability monitoring of the internal temperature of battery modules has become crucial. Currently, using flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) as signal carriers and integrating negative temperature coefficient thermistors (NTCs) is the mainstream battery temperature acquisition solution.

[0003] Existing technical solutions typically involve soldering two independent electronic wires to the pins of the NTC component as leads, and then soldering the other ends of these two electronic wires to corresponding pads on the FPC motherboard to form an electrical connection from the NTC to the motherboard. This solution, using electronic wires for transitional connections, has certain drawbacks in practical applications. Firstly, the FPC is flexible, while the electronic wires soldered to it are relatively rigid and independent. During module assembly or operational vibrations, stress concentration at the solder joints can easily lead to fatigue damage or even breakage, resulting in signal interruption. Secondly, this solution often relies on localized application of adhesive or the addition of insulating sleeves to exposed solder joints, making complete sealing difficult. Corrosive media such as moisture and electrolyte volatiles inside the battery module can easily seep in along the gaps between the electronic wires or through unsealed solder joints, ultimately corroding the NTC chip, causing resistance drift, performance degradation, or functional failure. This severely affects the long-term reliability of temperature monitoring and poses a threat to battery thermal safety management. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the issues of easily damaged solder joints and poor sealing in traditional NTC temperature acquisition solutions that use electronic wires for interconnection, this application provides a temperature acquisition module and a battery module.

[0005] The temperature sensing module and battery module provided in this application adopt the following technical solution: A temperature acquisition module, comprising: case; The temperature sensing element is located inside the housing; An electrical connector, part of which is disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the temperature sensing element; A potting section is provided inside the housing and covers the temperature sensing element and its connection with the electrical connector; The electrical connector has an electrical connection end extending to the outside of the housing; the housing has a heat-conducting portion extending to the outside thereof.

[0006] By adopting the above technical solution, the temperature sensing element and its electrical connector are sealed and protected inside the housing through the potting part, thus achieving reliable protection of the internal electrical connection. The protruding electrical connection end of the electrical connector is used for electrical signal output, while the protruding heat-conducting part of the housing is used for direct and efficient thermal contact with external heating elements (such as battery conductors). Thus, the problems of easy damage, poor sealing and low reliability caused by the exposure of traditional wire harnesses or solder points are improved, and the mechanical strength, environmental tolerance and long-term stability of the temperature sensing module are enhanced. At the same time, the modular design facilitates standardized production and automated assembly.

[0007] In one specific implementation, the housing includes an insulating shell and a metal shell joined to the insulating shell, the metal shell constituting the heat-conducting portion.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, the metal shell serves as both a structural part of the housing and a heat-conducting part for outward heat conduction, resulting in a compact structure and a direct and efficient heat conduction path; the insulating shell ensures the overall electrical insulation performance of the module.

[0009] In one specific implementation, the metal shell and the insulating shell are integrally formed.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, the metal shell and the insulating shell are formed into a seamless integral structure using the one-piece molding process, eliminating the assembly gaps between shell components; enhancing the overall structural strength and sealing integrity of the module, it can more effectively resist external mechanical impact and prevent moisture intrusion, while simplifying the production steps and improving the consistency and reliability of module manufacturing.

[0011] In one specific implementation, the electrical connector is a flexible circuit board.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) are used as electrical connectors. Their thin and flexible characteristics make them easy to arrange compactly inside the module and can be well adapted to potting materials and integrally molded shells. Flexible printed circuit boards can be easily connected to temperature sensing elements in a stable and efficient manner, which improves the reliability of internal electrical connections and is conducive to the miniaturization of the module.

[0013] In one specific implementation, the temperature sensing element is a thermistor.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, using thermistors (such as NTC) as temperature sensing elements, their resistance values ​​are sensitive to temperature changes and have a fast response speed, which can accurately sense the temperature changes transmitted from external heat-conducting parts; thermistor technology is mature and cost-controllable, and by embedding and sealing them in the module, a stable and reliable temperature sensing solution is provided.

[0015] A battery module includes a cell assembly, a circuit board, and a temperature acquisition module as described above; wherein the temperature acquisition module is thermally connected to the cell assembly via the heat-conducting part; and the temperature acquisition module is electrically connected to the circuit board via an electrical connector.

[0016] By adopting the above technical solution, the temperature acquisition module is integrated into the battery module. Its heat-conducting part directly contacts the heat-generating part of the cell component to collect temperature data, and the signal is transmitted to the circuit board through the electrical connection terminal, which can then be processed by the battery management system (BMS). This solution upgrades the scattered and fragile temperature acquisition points into a robust and sealed independent module, which significantly improves the reliability, safety and production assembly efficiency of the entire battery module temperature monitoring system.

[0017] In one specific implementation, the battery cell assembly includes a battery cell group and a conductive busbar disposed on the battery cell group, the conductive busbar being electrically connected to the battery cell group, and the heat-conducting part being in contact with the conductive busbar.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, the conductive busbar is a key component for series / parallel connection of battery cells and one of the main heat sources. By directly attaching or pressing the heat-conducting part of the temperature sensing module onto the conductive busbar, its working temperature can be accurately sensed, indirectly reflecting the temperature status of the battery cell. The installation position is reasonable and the temperature measurement is representative.

[0019] In one specific implementation, a signal output terminal is also included, which is located on the circuit board.

[0020] By adopting the above technical solution, a unified and convenient external power connection interface is provided for the monitoring signals of the battery module by utilizing the signal output terminals located on the circuit motherboard.

[0021] In one specific implementation scheme, a pressure sampling module is also included. The pressure sampling module is a metal sheet, one end of which is connected to the battery cell assembly, and the other end is connected to the circuit board.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution and using a metal sheet as the voltage acquisition path (voltage acquisition module), a simple and reliable acquisition path for the cell voltage signal is realized.

[0023] In one specific implementation, a mounting bracket is also included, through which the circuit board is fixed to the cell assembly.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, the mounting bracket provides stable mechanical fixation and support for the circuit board, which can firmly install the circuit board on the cell module frame, preventing it from shifting, vibrating, or short-circuiting with other components, and ensuring the stability and safety of the entire electrical connection system.

[0025] In summary, the beneficial technical effects of this application are as follows: The temperature acquisition module of this application adopts an integrated structure including a shell, a potting section, and outwardly extending electrical connectors, which completely seals and protects the temperature acquisition element and its electrical connection points within the shell, fundamentally solving the problem that traditional exposed solder joints are susceptible to mechanical damage and media corrosion; the extended heat-conducting parts achieve efficient and direct contact with the heating element, ensuring the response speed and accuracy of temperature acquisition; this modular design not only significantly improves the mechanical strength, environmental sealing, and long-term working stability of the temperature acquisition unit itself, but also provides a standard, reliable, and easily automated core component for the temperature monitoring system of the battery module, achieving a balance of reliability, manufacturability, and integration. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature sampling module in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 2 This is an exploded view used to display the temperature sensing module.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the temperature sensing module installed in the battery module.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram used to demonstrate the temperature sensing module and the main circuit board.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Temperature sensing module; 2. Housing; 21. Insulating shell; 211. Slot; 22. Metal shell; 222. Snap-fit ​​structure; 3. Temperature sensing element; 4. Electrical connector; 5. Encapsulation part; 6. Battery module; 7. Cell assembly; 71. Cell group; 72. Conductor busbar; 8. Circuit board; 9. Signal output terminal; 10. Pressure sensing module; 11. Mounting bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-4 This application will be described in further detail.

[0032] This application discloses a temperature acquisition module, including but not limited to temperature monitoring in a battery management system; it aims to highly integrate temperature sensing, signal transmission and physical protection functions to form an independent, robust and sealed standardized unit to replace traditional decentralized and fragile temperature acquisition solutions.

[0033] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The temperature sensing module 1 mainly includes a housing 2, a temperature sensing element 3, an electrical connector 4, and a potting section 5.

[0034] The housing 2 is the external protection and support structure of the module, and also has a heat conduction function. The housing 2 includes a metal shell 22 as the inner structure and an insulating shell 21 as the outer structure. The metal shell 22 is preferably made of a material with good thermal conductivity and a certain strength, such as nickel sheet. Its interior forms a cavity for accommodating the temperature sensing element 3, electrical connector 4 and potting part 5. The metal shell 22 not only serves as a structural support, but at least a part of it (e.g., the bottom or a side wall) extends outward from the housing 2 to form a heat conduction part. This design allows the metal shell 22 to simultaneously perform the dual functions of structural support and efficient heat conduction, resulting in a compact structure. The insulating shell 21 is preferably an engineering plastic (such as PBT, PA, etc.) that is overmolded onto the outside of the metal shell 22 through an injection molding process. The insulating shell 21 ensures the overall electrical insulation safety of the module.

[0035] Regarding the manufacturing of the housing 2, the metal housing 22 and the insulating housing 21 are preferably integrally molded by injection molding. Specifically, the pre-made metal housing 22 is first placed in the mold cavity, and then molten plastic material is injected, which cools and solidifies on the outside of the metal housing 22 to form the insulating housing 21. This integral molding method makes the metal housing 22 and the insulating housing 21 seamlessly connected, eliminates assembly gaps, enhances the overall structural strength, sealing integrity and consistency of the housing 2, simplifies the production steps, and helps to improve the long-term reliability of the module.

[0036] The temperature sensing element 3 is located inside the internal cavity of the metal shell 22. Preferably, the temperature sensing element 3 is a thermistor (NTC), and more specifically, a negative temperature coefficient thermistor. To further improve performance, the thermistor can adopt a single-ended glass-sealed structure, which itself has excellent waterproof and high-temperature resistance characteristics (can withstand temperatures above 250°C). At the same time, the leads of the thermistor can be gold-plated to improve its corrosion resistance and welding reliability, effectively preventing problems such as resistance drift that may occur during long-term use.

[0037] The electrical connector 4 is used to bring out the electrical signal of the temperature sensing element 3. One part of its structure is located in the cavity of the metal shell 22 and is electrically connected to the temperature sensing element 3; the other part of its structure (i.e. the end not connected to the temperature sensing element 3) extends out of the shell 2 as an electrical connection end for subsequent connection with external circuits.

[0038] In this embodiment, the electrical connector 4 is preferably a small flexible circuit board, i.e., an FPC board. The FPC board has pads that precisely correspond to the pin spacing of the thermistor. Through a soldering process (such as reflow soldering), the pins of the thermistor are firmly soldered to the corresponding pads on the FPC board to form an electrical and mechanical connection. The FPC board replaces the traditional multi-strand electronic wires. The pad spacing can be designed in advance according to the thermistor model, eliminating the tedious steps of manual wire splitting and alignment during soldering, which greatly improves production efficiency and connection consistency. After the FPC board is soldered to the thermistor, the whole assembly is placed in the receiving cavity of the metal shell 22, and its electrical connection end protrudes from the pre-set opening or gap on the metal shell 22.

[0039] The potting section 5 is a sealing material, preferably epoxy resin, that fills the cavity of the metal shell 22. After the thermistor is soldered to the FPC board and placed in a predetermined position within the metal shell 22, the resin is injected into the cavity, and the resin cures to form the potting section 5. The potting section 5 completely covers and seals the thermistor chip body, pins, and all solder joints with the FPC board. This design provides an excellent barrier against moisture and water vapor intrusion, completely solving the hidden danger of moisture entering the NTC chip along the wire gaps in traditional solutions, leading to failure. Furthermore, the resin in the potting section 5 reinforces, buffers, and releases stress on the internal components and solder joints, effectively resisting vibration and impact, and preventing damage to the solder joints due to mechanical force. In addition, the potting section 5 itself is a good insulator, further enhancing the electrical safety inside the module.

[0040] Through the above design, the temperature acquisition module 1 integrates a glass-sealed NTC thermistor with gold-plated pins. The resistor is connected through an FPC board and protected by the potting part 5 and the housing 2, which is integrally formed by the metal shell 22 and the insulating shell 21. This gives the module extremely high sealing reliability, mechanical strength and insulation performance.

[0041] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 This application also discloses a battery module 6 including the aforementioned temperature sensing module 1; specifically, the battery module 6 mainly includes a cell assembly 7, a circuit board 8, and at least one of the aforementioned temperature sensing modules 1 (for the specific structure of the temperature sensing module 1, please refer to...). Figure 1 and Figure 2 ), as well as components such as mounting bracket 11 and signal output terminal 9 for system integration.

[0042] The cell assembly 7 is the core of the battery module 6, including a cell group 71 composed of multiple individual cells, and a conductive bus 72 for connecting the cells in series and parallel; the conductive bus 72 is preferably an aluminum bus, which is both a current path and one of the main heat-generating components.

[0043] The circuit board 8 serves as the signal acquisition and transmission hub for the battery module 6. It is preferable to use a large flexible circuit board, namely the FPC board. The FPC board has the advantages of being thin, flexible, and having flexible circuit design, making it very suitable for wiring inside the space-constrained battery module 6.

[0044] Temperature acquisition module 1 is integrated into battery module 6 through its unique structure; specifically, the heat-conducting part (i.e. the exposed part of metal shell 22) of each temperature acquisition module 1 is thermally connected to the heat point whose temperature needs to be monitored; in this embodiment, the heat-conducting part is directly attached or pressed onto the surface of conductive busbar 72 (aluminum busbar); in order to optimize thermal contact, a thin layer of thermally conductive silicone grease or thermally conductive tape can be applied between the heat-conducting part and conductive busbar 72; in this way, the heat generated by conductive busbar 72 when it is working can be efficiently transferred to the internal thermistor through metal shell 22 to achieve fast and accurate temperature acquisition.

[0045] The electrical connector 4 of the temperature acquisition module 1 (i.e. the FPC small board part extending out of the housing 2) is electrically connected to the corresponding soldering area on the main circuit board 8 (FPC large board), usually by soldering (such as reflow soldering); a solder resist layer can be designed around the soldering area on the FPC large board to ensure soldering quality and accuracy; through this connection, the temperature signal (resistance change signal) acquired by the temperature acquisition module 1 is transmitted to the FPC large board.

[0046] Mounting bracket 11 provides mechanical support and fixation for the entire electrical connection system. Mounting bracket 11 is made of insulating engineering plastic and is securely mounted on the cell module frame by means of snaps, studs, or a structure that mates with the module frame. The circuit board 8 (FPC large board) is fixed to the predetermined position of mounting bracket 11 by snapping into the slot 211, fitting onto the positioning post, or using screws. The design of mounting bracket 11 allows the FPC large board to unfold flat and stably above the cell assembly 71. In other embodiments, the mounting bracket 11 may also be designed with a special clamping structure (e.g., with elastic claws or blocks) to firmly press the housing 2 of the temperature sampling module 1 (especially its heat-conducting part) onto the conductive busbar 72, ensuring the reliability of thermal contact during long-term use and preventing the module from loosening or falling off.

[0047] Furthermore, the battery module 6 also includes a voltage acquisition module 10 for acquiring cell voltage. The voltage acquisition module 10 can be a simple metal sheet (such as a nickel sheet), one end of which is electrically connected to the cell assembly 7 (conducting bus 72 or cell terminal) whose voltage needs to be acquired through laser welding, screw connection or elastic contact, and the other end is welded or connected to the corresponding voltage acquisition point on the circuit board 8 (FPC board). In this way, the voltage signal is transmitted to the FPC board through the metal sheet. The voltage acquisition module 10 and the temperature acquisition module 1 are independent of each other and together constitute the parameter acquisition system of the battery module 6.

[0048] The signal output terminal 9 is located at the end or edge of the circuit main board 8 (FPC board); the signal output terminal 9 integrates the temperature signal path from each temperature acquisition module 1, the voltage signal path from each pressure acquisition module 10, and may also include power paths such as total positive and total negative; it serves as a standardized interface (such as board-to-board connector, wire-to-board connector, etc.) to interface with the main controller of the battery management system (BMS) or external wiring harness, and outputs all monitoring signals in a centralized manner.

[0049] The implementation principle of this application embodiment is as follows: When the battery module 6 is working, the heat generated by the cell assembly 71 and the conductive bus 72 is captured by the heat-conducting part (metal shell 22) of the temperature acquisition module 1 and conducted to the internal thermistor (temperature acquisition element 3). The resistance of the thermistor (temperature acquisition element 3) changes with the temperature. This change is transmitted to the signal output terminal 9 through the circuit formed by the electrical connector 4 (FPC small board) and the circuit main board 8 (FPC large board). At the same time, the voltage of the cell assembly 7 is also transmitted to the FPC large board through the voltage acquisition module 10 (metal sheet) and converged to the signal output terminal 9. The battery management system (BMS) can obtain the temperature and voltage information of key points in the module in real time by connecting to the signal output terminal 9, thereby realizing accurate battery status monitoring, thermal management and safety protection.

[0050] The temperature acquisition module 1 of this application is formed by welding the temperature acquisition element 3 (thermometer) and the electrical connector 4 (FPC small board) together and then sealing the whole with glue. It is then encapsulated in a composite shell 2 formed by an integral metal shell 22 and an insulating shell 21 to form an independent temperature acquisition module 1. The electrical connector 4 (FPC small board) of the temperature acquisition module 1 is then directly welded and integrated with the circuit board 8 (FPC large board) in the battery module 6. This design not only replaces traditional electronic wires with FPC small boards, avoiding damage from exposed solder joints and the tediousness of manual wire alignment, greatly improving connection reliability and production efficiency, but also fundamentally eliminates the risk of water vapor intrusion causing the temperature acquisition element 3 (thermometer) to fail through the modular double sealing structure, thus enhancing insulation. Its compact structure enables miniaturization and lightweight arrangement inside the battery module 6, so that the entire system can significantly improve the space utilization and production assembly efficiency of the battery module 6 while ensuring accurate and reliable temperature acquisition.

[0051] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A temperature acquisition module, characterized in that: include: case; The temperature sensing element is located inside the housing; An electrical connector, part of which is disposed within the housing and electrically connected to the temperature sensing element; A potting section is provided inside the housing and covers the temperature sensing element and its connection with the electrical connector; The electrical connector has an electrical connection end extending to the outside of the housing; the housing has a heat-conducting portion extending to the outside thereof.

2. The temperature acquisition module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The housing includes an insulating shell and a metal shell joined to the insulating shell, the metal shell constituting the heat-conducting part.

3. The temperature acquisition module according to claim 2, characterized in that: The metal shell and the insulating shell are integrally formed.

4. The temperature acquisition module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrical connector is a flexible circuit board.

5. The temperature acquisition module according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature sensing element is a thermistor.

6. A battery module, characterized in that: It includes a battery cell assembly, a circuit board, and a temperature acquisition module as described in any one of claims 1-5; wherein the temperature acquisition module is thermally connected to the battery cell assembly through the heat-conducting part; and the temperature acquisition module is electrically connected to the circuit board through an electrical connector.

7. The battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that: The battery cell assembly includes a battery cell group and a conductive busbar disposed on the battery cell group. The conductive busbar is electrically connected to the battery cell group, and the heat-conducting part is in contact with the conductive busbar.

8. The battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a signal output terminal, which is located on the circuit board.

9. The battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a pressure sampling module, which is a metal sheet. One end of the metal sheet is connected to the battery cell assembly, and the other end is connected to the circuit board.

10. The battery module according to claim 6, characterized in that: It also includes a mounting bracket, through which the circuit board is fixed to the battery cell assembly.

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