Device for removing thermal paste residues during the filling of a battery module housing with thermal paste

Abstract

Device (2) for removing residues of a thermal paste (20) during the filling of a housing (4) of a battery module with a thermal paste (20), comprising a base body (6) with an opening (8) for arrangement above an inlet opening (4a) of the housing (4) of the battery module, a bearing (10) for controlled pressure of the base body (6) against the housing (4) of the battery module and a suction passage (12) arranged within the base body (6) for suctioning residues of the thermal paste (20) from the base body (6).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for removing residues of a thermal paste when filling a housing of a battery module with a thermal paste, as well as to a system and a method for filling a housing of a battery module with a thermal paste.

[0002] High-performance high-voltage battery modules, which comprise a large number of interconnected battery cells, are used to power electric vehicles. To achieve better thermal bonding between the battery cells and the housing wall of a high-voltage battery module or high-voltage battery, it is common practice to inject a thermally conductive paste—a so-called gap filler—into the gap between the battery cells and the housing through an inlet opening in closed housings.

[0003] Unfortunately, due to the pressure required for injection, thermal paste inevitably leaks from the inlet opening after the injection process is complete and the injection device is disconnected. This leakage is undesirable, and the leaked thermal paste must be removed.

[0004] Typically, the thermal paste residue that escapes from the inlet opening at the end of the injection process is removed mechanically. Gap filler residue can also be removed by applying an adhesive tape over the filler hole. This tape, which also has an opening, is removed from the housing and discarded after the injection process is complete.

[0005] However, all known methods involve additional labor, which should be avoided. Furthermore, additional materials (cleaning wipes, adhesive tape, etc.) are unnecessarily used to remove the thermal paste residue, which is disadvantageous both from a cost and environmental perspective. Finally, the known cleaning methods are difficult to integrate into an automated process.

[0006] It is therefore the object of the present invention to at least partially remedy the disadvantages described above, in particular it is the object of the present invention to provide a device for removing residues of a thermally conductive paste when filling a housing of a battery module with a thermally conductive paste, which device enables a complete and reliable removal of residues of a thermally conductive paste when filling a housing of a battery module with a thermally conductive paste in a simple, cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.

[0007] The above object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1, a system according to claim 7, and a method according to claim 9. Further features and details emerge from the subclaims, the description, and the drawings. Technical features disclosed for the device according to the invention also apply in connection with the system according to the invention or the method according to the invention, and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention, reference is always made to each other. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0008] According to the invention, a device is provided for removing thermal paste residues when filling a battery module housing with thermal paste. The device according to the invention comprises a base body with an opening for placement over an inlet opening of the battery module housing, a bearing for controlled pressing of the base body against the battery module housing, and a suction duct arranged within the base body for suctioning thermal paste residues from the base body.

[0009] According to the invention, the device in question is designed, particularly through the arrangement of the base body, the mounting, and the suction duct arranged within the base body, to guarantee the complete and reliable removal of thermal paste residues when filling a battery module housing with thermal paste in a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly manner. The base body enables, for example, a controlled and easily removable absorption of thermal paste residues. The mounting guarantees, for example, a simple and flexible sealing arrangement at a filling opening of a battery module housing. Finally, the suction duct enables a structurally simple form of removal of thermal paste residues.

[0010] It is understood that the device in question can also be used to remove other fluid materials, particularly paste-like materials, from a surface. The base body in question can preferably be designed and / or used in the form of a cover, thus regulating the flow of the thermal paste.

[0011] In order to minimize the adhesion of escaping thermal paste to the surface of the base body and to facilitate the removal of thermal paste residues, the invention advantageously provides for the base body to have a coating to reduce the bonding capacity of the thermal paste. The coating is preferably in the form of a hydrophobic coating and / or a lotus effect coating. The coating can preferably be in the form of fluoropolymers, in particular per- and polyfluorinated compounds.

[0012] With a view to ensuring a structurally simple and cost-effective controlled pressing of the base body against the housing of the battery module, it can advantageously be provided in particular that the bearing for the controlled pressing of the base body against the housing of the battery module is designed in the form of a spring bearing and has a plurality of guide pins and return springs arranged around the guide pins, wherein the guide pins are preferably cylindrical and the return springs are designed in the form of spiral springs. The spring-loaded mounting of the base body makes it possible, in particular, for the base body to remain attached to the housing while, for example, an injection nozzle for filling the battery module with a thermal paste is already being withdrawn from the housing or the housing opening.

[0013] Alternatively, it can also be provided that the bearing is designed in the form of a pneumatic bearing or a hydraulic bearing or an electromechanical bearing.

[0014] For simple, quick, and effective extraction of thermal paste residues from the base body, it can also be advantageous if the extraction duct for extracting thermal paste residues is arranged laterally to the opening within the base body, preferably perpendicular to the opening within the base body. In this way, extraction can begin even if an injection nozzle for filling the battery module with thermal paste, for example, has not yet been completely removed from a housing of the battery module. It goes without saying that a suitable pump or the like can be arranged on the extraction duct for extraction.

[0015] To generate a constant suction pressure for extracting thermal paste residues, the suction passage for extracting thermal paste residues can furthermore be provided with a constant cross-section, wherein the constant cross-section is preferably circular. The suction passage can advantageously be provided in the form of a suction bore or the like, to which, for example, a pump or the like can be arranged. A constant suction pressure or a constant cross-section not only enables simple production but also minimizes the likelihood of blockages at narrow points or the like.

[0016] With regard to a simple, quick and effective suction of residues of a thermal paste from the base body, it can also be advantageous if the opening is funnel-shaped for arrangement above an inlet opening of the housing of the battery module, wherein the opening preferably has a conical cross-section.

[0017] The invention furthermore relates to a system for filling a housing of a battery module, comprising a device as described above for removing residues of a thermally conductive paste and a filling unit for filling the housing of the battery module with a thermally conductive paste. Thus, the system according to the invention has the same advantages as those already described in detail with regard to the device according to the invention.

[0018] With a view to a simple, rapid and precisely controllable filling of a housing of a battery module with a thermally conductive paste, it can advantageously be further provided that the filling unit for filling the housing of the battery module has an injection nozzle.

[0019] The invention further relates to a method for filling a housing of a battery module, in particular using a system described above. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of arranging an opening in a base body of a device for removing residues of a thermal paste via an inlet opening in a housing of a battery module, a controlled pressing of a bearing of the base body of the device against the housing of the battery module, filling the housing of the battery module with a thermal paste via a filling unit, and suctioning residues of the thermal paste from the base body via a suction duct arranged within the base body. Thus, the method according to the invention has the same advantages as have already been described in detail with regard to the device or system according to the invention.

[0020] With a view to a simple, fast, clean and precisely controllable filling of a housing of a battery module with a thermally conductive paste and a well-coordinated implementation of the individual method steps of the method according to the invention, it can advantageously further be provided that the filling unit for filling the housing of the battery module has an injection nozzle, wherein the injection nozzle moves into the inlet opening of the housing before filling the housing of the battery module with a thermally conductive paste and moves out of the inlet opening of the housing after filling the housing of the battery module, wherein preferably only after moving out of the inlet opening of the housing is the residues of the thermally conductive paste sucked off the base body.It is also understood in this case that individual, several, or all mandatory and / or optional steps of the method according to the invention can be carried out in the proposed order, but also deviating from the proposed order. Individual, several, or all mandatory and / or optional steps of the method according to the invention can be carried out repeatedly, for example, cyclically. It is further understood that individual, several, or all of the mandatory and optional steps of the method according to the invention can also be carried out at least partially automatically or in an automated manner, in particular by a computer.

[0021] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which describes exemplary embodiments of the invention in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may be essential to the invention individually or in any combination.

[0022] It shows schematically: Fig. 1 shows a system according to the invention for filling a housing of a battery module according to a first exemplary embodiment during filling of the housing at a first time (left) and a subsequent second time (right), Fig. 2 the individual steps of a process for filling a housing of a battery module.

[0023] Fig. 1 shows a system 1 according to the invention for filling a housing 4 of a battery module according to a first exemplary embodiment during a filling of the housing 4 at a first time (left) and a subsequent second time (right).

[0024] As per Fig. 1, the system 1 according to the invention comprises a device 2 for removing residues of a thermal paste 20 and a filling unit for filling the housing 4 of the battery module with a thermal paste 20, which has an injection nozzle 18. The injection nozzle 18 of the filling unit is in Fig. 1 on the right side has already been pulled out slightly from the inlet opening 4a of the housing 4. Due to the pressure relief, some thermal paste 20 will inevitably run out of the inlet opening 4a.

[0025] As per Fig. 1, the device 2 for removing residues of a thermal paste 20 when filling a housing 4 of a battery module with a thermal paste 20 comprises a base body 6 with an opening 8 for arrangement over an inlet opening 4a of the housing 4 of the battery module, a bearing 10 in the form of a spring bearing for the controlled pressing of the base body 6 onto the housing 4 of the battery module and a suction feedthrough 12 arranged within the base body 6 for suctioning residues of the thermal paste 20 from the base body 6.

[0026] The base body 6 can advantageously have a coating for reducing the binding capacity of the thermal paste 20, which can be designed, for example, in the form of a hydrophobic coating and / or a lotus effect coating.

[0027] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the spring bearing for the controlled pressing of the base body 6 against the housing 4 of the battery module comprises a plurality of guide pins 14 and a plurality of return springs 16 arranged around the guide pins 14. Alternatively, this pressing function can also be achieved pneumatically, hydraulically, or electromechanically.

[0028] The suction passage 12 for extracting residues of the thermal paste 20 is arranged laterally to the opening 8 within the base body 6, in particular perpendicular to the opening 8 within the base body 6, and has a constant circular cross-section.

[0029] The opening 8 for arrangement above the inlet opening 4a of the housing 4 of the battery module is also funnel-shaped and has a conical cross-section.

[0030] Fig. 2 shows the individual steps of a method for filling a housing 4 of a battery module.

[0031] As per Fig. 2, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of arranging 100 an opening 8 of a base body 6 of a device 2 for removing residues of a thermal paste 20 over an inlet opening 4a of a housing 4 of a battery module, a controlled pressing 200 of a bearing 10 of the base body 6 of the device 2 against the housing 4 of the battery module, a filling 300 of the housing 4 of the battery module with a thermal paste 20 via a filling unit and a suction 400 of residues of the thermal paste 20 from the base body 6 via a suction feedthrough 12 arranged within the base body 6.

[0032] The above explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention exclusively by way of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided they are technically feasible, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

[1] Device (2) for removing residues of a thermal paste (20) when filling a housing (4) of a battery module with a thermal paste (20), comprising: - a base body (6) with an opening (8) for arrangement over an inlet opening (4a) of the housing (4) of the battery module, - a bearing (10) for the controlled pressing of the base body (6) onto the housing (4) of the battery module, - a suction passage (12) arranged within the base body (6) for sucking off residues of the thermal paste (20) from the base body (6). [2] Device (2) according to claim 1, characterized by that the base body (6) has a coating for reducing a binding capacity of the thermal paste (20), wherein the coating is preferably designed in the form of a hydrophobic coating and / or a lotus effect coating. [3] Device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the bearing (10) for the controlled pressing of the base body (6) against the housing (4) of the battery module is designed in the form of a spring bearing and has a plurality of guide pins (14) and return springs (16) arranged around the guide pins (14), wherein the guide pins (14) are preferably cylindrical and the return springs (16) are designed in the form of spiral springs. [4] Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the bearing (10) is designed in the form of a pneumatic bearing or a hydraulic bearing or an electromechanical bearing. [5] Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the suction passage (12) for sucking out residues of the thermal paste (20) is arranged laterally to the opening (8) within the base body (6), preferably perpendicular to the opening (8) within the base body (6). [6] Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the suction passage (12) for sucking out residues of the thermal paste (20) has a constant cross-section, wherein the cross-section is preferably circular. [7] Device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the opening (8) is funnel-shaped for arrangement above an inlet opening (4a) of the housing (4) of the battery module, wherein the opening (8) preferably has a conical cross-section. [8] System (1) for filling a housing (4) of a battery module with a thermally conductive paste (20), comprising a device (2) for removing residues of a thermally conductive paste (20) according to one of the preceding claims and a filling unit for filling the housing (4) of the battery module with a thermally conductive paste (20). [9] System (1) according to claim 8, characterized bythat the filling unit for filling the housing (4) of the battery module has an injection nozzle (18). [10] Method for filling a housing (4) of a battery module with a thermal paste (20), in particular using a system (1) according to one of claims 8 or 9, comprising the steps: - arranging (100) an opening (8) of a base body (6) of a device (2) for removing residues of a thermal paste (20) over an inlet opening (4a) of a housing (4) of a battery module, - controlled pressing (200) of a bearing (10) of the base body (6) of the device (2) onto the housing (4) of the battery module, - filling (300) the housing (4) of the battery module with a thermal paste (20) via a filling unit, - Suction (400) of residues of the thermal paste (20) from the base body (6) via a suction passage (12) arranged within the base body (6). [11] Method according to claim 10, characterized by in that the filling unit for filling the housing (4) of the battery module has an injection nozzle (18), wherein the injection nozzle (18) moves into the inlet opening (4a) of the housing (4) before filling (300) the housing (4) of the battery module with a thermally conductive paste (20) and moves out of the inlet opening (4a) of the housing (4) after filling (300) the housing (4) of the battery module, wherein preferably only after moving out of the injection nozzle (18) from the inlet opening (4a) of the housing (4) is residues of the thermally conductive paste (20) sucked off the base body (6).

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