Energy storage assembly with separate holding part for connector component

Abstract

Energy storage assembly for an electric bicycle (1), with a holding element (4) for an energy storage device (3) of the electric bicycle (1), which holding element comprises a connection area for a plug-in connector component (53) via which the energy storage device (3) can be electrically connected to at least one connection cable (5) of the electric bicycle (1). A through-opening (4030) is formed in the connection region of the holding element (4), and a holding part (6) engages in the through-opening (4030), which is fixed to the holding element (4) and to which the connector component (53) is fixed.

Description

The proposed solution relates to an energy storage assembly for an electric bicycle.An energy storage assembly of the generic type comprises a holding element for an energy storage device of an electric bicycle, typically in the form of a rechargeable battery. The holding element has a connection region for a plug connector component, via which the energy store can be electrically connected to at least one connection cable of the electric bicycle. Thus, the energy store can be connected to a wiring of the electric bicycle via the at least one plug connector component in order to connect the energy store, for example, to an electric motor drive of the electric bicycle and further electronic components. A corresponding holding element is then provided, for example, on a frame part of the electric bicycle, to which frame part the energy store is to be fixed.In previously known wiring on an electric bicycle, the installation of corresponding plug connector components is comparatively complicated. Thus, the connecting cable with the plug connector component, which can be part of a cable harness for the electric bicycle, typically has to be threaded manually through frame-side and holding element-side through-openings in order finally to fix the plug connector component on the holding element in an accessible manner for the connection of the energy store and to seal the through-opening.Thus, there is a need for improvements in this regard to an electric bicycle.This object is achieved with an energy storage assembly of claim 1 and a proposed assembly method.A proposed energy storage assembly forms a through opening on the connection region of the holding element, in which a separate holding part engages. The plug connector component is fixed to this holding part, which is configured and provided for the connection of the energy store to the at least one connection cable of the electric bicycle. The separate holding part is in turn fixed to the holding element forming the connection region.The basic idea of the proposed solution is thus an at least two-part embodiment of a plug connector assembly with a holding part and a plug connector component for connecting the energy store to a wiring of the electric bicycle. With the use of a separate holding part to which the plug connector component is fixed and which in turn is fixed to the holding element, there is no need to fix the plug connector component directly to the holding element. This makes it possible to dispense with passing the connection cable and the plug connector component through the passage opening on the retaining element side even during assembly. The assembly can thus be considerably simplified.In particular, in this context, it can be provided that a cross-sectional area of the passage opening of the holding element is reduced via the holding part engaging into the passage opening of the holding element, so that, before the mounting of the holding part, cabling and in particular the at least one connection cable can be passed through the passage opening of the holding element in a comparatively simple manner or is at least more easily manually accessible. A larger through-opening can therefore be provided, since it no longer has to be closed solely by the plug connector component and the plug connector component can therefore easily fit completely through the through-opening of the retaining element.In one embodiment variant, it is provided, for example, that the holding part engages into the through-opening of the holding element from one side of the through-opening and the plug connector component is mounted on the holding part from an opposite side of the through-opening. As a result of the at least two-part embodiment of the plug connector assembly, the holding part and the plug connector component can consequently be mounted on the holding element from different sides. Since the holding element is typically provided on the electric bicycle fixed to the frame, the plug connector component can thus be mounted on the holding element from the frame interior, while the holding element can be mounted on the through opening of the holding element from a battery compartment provided for the energy storage.The holding part can have at least one fastening section, by means of which the holding part is fixed on an end face of a wall of the holding element having the through-opening, for example by means of at least one screw connection. A corresponding fastening section of the holding part can protrude, for example, radially with respect to an engagement direction on the holding part, along which the holding part engages into the through-opening from the one side. A corresponding fastening section can be formed, for example, by a web extending radially to the engagement direction or a circumferential fastening edge.For example, the holding part has an engagement section with which the holding part engages in the through-opening. The at least one plug connector component can be fixed to this engagement section. The plug connector component can thus be fixed to the engagement portion located within the through-opening and therefore does not have to be fixed to the holding element by means of a portion.The engagement portion can be formed in particular hollow-cylindrical. For example, the engagement portion has a circular cross-sectional area for this purpose. A cross-sectional area of a hollow cylindrical engagement portion deviating from the circular shape is of course likewise possible. In a hollow cylindrical embodiment of the engagement section, the engagement section can surround the entire circumference on the inside of the through-opening and thus define a holding-part-side through-opening for the plug connector component.A through-opening of the engagement section can in this case fundamentally have a cross-sectional area which is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the through-opening of the holding element.For a simplified and preferably tool-free mounting of the plug connector component on the holding part, one embodiment variant provides that the at least one plug connector component is latched on the engagement section engaging into the through-opening of the holding element. If the plug connector component reaches an intended position relative to the holding part during assembly and in particular its engagement portion, a latching element can snap into an provided latching opening to form at least one latching connection and thus fix the plug connector component to the holding part in a form-fitting manner. For example, at least one latching connection is provided, in which a radially protruding latching element, for example a latching nose, engages on an outer lateral surface of the plug connector component in a latching opening on an inner wall of the engagement section.The holding element can basically be mounted or mountable as a separate component on a part of a frame of the electric bicycle. For example, this is a holding frame for a battery (with at least one rechargeable battery) of the electric bicycle. Such a holding frame is then mounted, for example, in a battery compartment of a down tube of the electric bicycle, in which compartment the energy store is to be removably fixed. Alternatively, the holding element is formed by part of a frame of the electric bicycle itself.The plug connector component can in principle be part of the at least one connecting cable in order to establish the electrical connection to the energy store therewith. Alternatively, the plug connector component is provided only for an electrical connection to the connection cable. In the latter case, for example, an additional plug connector component is then provided on the connection cable, which can be connected to the plug connector component.For example, the at least one connection cable is formed by a cable harness.Part of the proposed solution is likewise an electric bicycle with a variant embodiment of a proposed energy storage assembly. Such an electric bicycle also has, for example, an energy storage device, for example with at least one battery, held on a frame of the electric bicycle via the energy storage assembly and connected to a wiring of the electric bicycle.The proposed solution further relates to an assembly method. Within the scope of a proposed assembly method, it is provided that a holding part is assembled from one side (along a first assembly direction) to a through opening of a holding element which defines a connection region for an energy store. A plug connector component for connecting the energy store to at least one connecting cable of the electric bicycle is mounted to the holding part from an opposite side of the through-opening (along a second mounting direction).In a proposed assembly method, an at least two-part plug connector assembly is thus also provided, via which an energy store of the electric bicycle can be connected to at least one connection cable of the electric bicycle. An embodiment variant of a proposed assembly method can thus be implemented in particular with an embodiment variant of a proposed energy storage assembly. Features and advantages explained above and below for embodiment variants of a proposed energy storage assembly thus also apply to embodiment variants of a proposed assembly method and vice versa.In particular, an embodiment variant of a proposed mounting method can provide that the holding part is fixed to the holding element before or after the plug connector component is mounted to the holding part. For example, the plug connector component can thus be guided completely through the holding element-side passage opening from a frame interior of the electric bicycle and connected to the holding element before the holding part (with the plug connector component already fixed thereto) is fixed to the holding element. Alternatively, the holding part is inserted onto the through-opening and fixed to the holding element before the plug connector component is subsequently inserted onto the holding part and fixed to the holding part.In principle, the holding part can be inserted into the through-opening of the holding element with an engagement section, wherein the plug connector component is fixed to the engagement section inserted into the through-opening, for example via at least one latching connection.The appended figures illustrate by way of example possible variants of the proposed solution.The following are shown here: FIG. 1 shows a detail of a frame-fixed holding element having a through opening, on which a connection region for an energy store of an electric bicycle is defined and on which a two-part plug connector assembly of a proposed energy store assembly is mounted; FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram for an embodiment variant of a proposed assembly method for assembling an energy storage assembly of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 3 schematically shows an electric bicycle with an embodiment variant of a proposed energy storage assembly; FIG. 4 shows a cable harness with a plurality of connection cables and an embodiment variant for a plug connector component of FIG. 1 ; FIG. 5 shows a detail of a down tube of the electric bicycle of FIG. 3 with a variant embodiment of a proposed energy storage assembly according to FIG. 1 and an energy storage device to be mounted thereon; FIG. 6 shows a holding element in the form of a battery holding frame for the attachment of the energy store of FIG. 5 in a detailed view, with the plug connector component of the cable harness of FIG. 4 attached thereto.FIG. 3 illustrates an electric bicycle 1 with an electromotive drive unit A. The electric bicycle 1 has a frame 10, which here comprises, for example, an upper tube 10.1, a down tube 10.2 and a seat tube 10.3, and to which the drive unit A is fastened in the region of an intersection point of the seat tube 10.3 and the down tube 10.2. Part of the drive unit A is an electronic control unit SE and a sensor device 15, for example designed with a torque sensor and a position sensor, for the sensory detection of a torque introduced on a drive shaft in the form of a bottom bracket shaft AT of the drive unit A in a muscle-powered manner. The sensor device 15 can alternatively or additionally comprise a rotational speed sensor, by means of which the rotational speed of the bottom bracket shaft AT can be detected.An output element of the drive unit A, for example a hollow output shaft mounted coaxially with the bottom bracket shaft AT, is connected to a rear wheel 12 of the electric bicycle 1 via a belt or a chain 13 as a force transmission member in order to be able to drive the electric bicycle 1. This rear wheel 12 is assigned, by way of example, a wheel sensor 14 for determining a travel speed of the electric bicycle. Of course, the wheel sensor 14 may instead be provided on a front wheel 11 of the electric bicycle 1.The drive unit A is part of a drive system of the electric bicycle 1, which further comprises an operating part 2. In FIG. 5, the operating part 2 is fastened, for example, in the region of a steering arm of the electric bicycle 1 and is connected to the control electronics SE of the drive unit A, in the present case via a plurality of connecting cables of a cable harness 5. For example, the operating part 2 further comprises at least one display for transmitting a user of the electric bicycle 1the current operating state of the drive unit A, for example with regard to a set support stage,a state of charge of an energy store supplying the drive unit A with electrical energy in the form of a battery unit 3 which contains at least one (rechargeable) battery, in particular a rechargeable battery, and / orinforming a set gear which specifies the transmission ratio with which a drive torque introduced on the pedal bearing shaft AT in a muscle-powered manner is transmitted to the output element of the drive unit A,to inform.For connecting the battery unit 3 to the operating part 2 and for transmitting signals between the operating part 2 and the control chronology SE of the drive unit A, the connecting cables of the cable harness 5 are provided. This wire harness 5 comprises a plurality of connectors 50 to 55 for connection to the various electronic components of the electric bicycle 1 and the battery unit 3 which is fixed to the down tube 10.2 via a battery holding frame 4.The battery holding frame 4 is here C-shaped and accordingly has a longitudinally extended central part 402 which is connected at its longitudinal ends to two first and second end pieces 401, 403 oriented perpendicularly thereto. The battery holding frame 4 defines a mounting location for the battery unit 3 between the two end pieces 401 and 403, so that the battery unit 3 mounted and locked as intended on the battery holding frame 4 is connected to both end pieces 401, 403. For this purpose, a connection region with the plug 53 is provided on a second end piece 403, for example on a side of the second end piece 403 facing the opposite, first end piece 401. The battery unit 3 can be plugged onto this connection region in order to establish an electrical connection between the at least one battery of the battery unit 3 and the cable harness 5. On the other, first end piece 401, a locking device 42 is again provided. This locking device 42 serves for mechanically locking the battery unit 3 mounted as intended on the battery holding frame 4.If a battery unit 3 which is here exemplarily rectangular and elongated is attached and locked to the battery holding frame 4 as intended (cf. FIG. 5 ), the battery unit 3 extends parallel to the elongated central part 402 of the battery holding frame 4.FIG. 5 shows the state of the battery holding frame 4 mounted on the down tube 10.2, which is shown in FIG. 6 with the cable harness 5 in a single view. In FIG. 5, the battery holding frame 4 is inserted into a battery compartment 1020 of the down tube 10.2 and is thus accommodated within a cavity of the down tube 10.2 which is open on one side. Via the down tube 10.2, which is open on one side-in the present case, for example, on an underside-the battery unit 3 can subsequently be inserted into the battery compartment 1020, wherein the battery unit 3 is initially plugged with one end side onto the connection region and is subsequently mechanically locked with its opposite end side onto the locking device 42.For closing and opening the locking device 42, a key 420 is provided, which can be inserted onto a lock cylinder of the locking device 42. This lock cylinder is accessible from the outside when the battery holder unit 4 is mounted in the down tube 10.2 as intended.The cable harness 5 fixed to the connection region of the battery holding frame 4 by the connector 53 has further connector connectors 51, 52, 54 and 55, in accordance with the individual view of FIG. 4. These connector plugs 51, 52, 54, 55 are provided for connection to the electronic components of the electric bicycle 1, for example the operating part 2 and the electric motor drive unit A. If the cable harness 5 has already been mounted on the frame 10 of the electric bicycle 1, the fastening of the plug 53 for the connection of the battery unit 4 has hitherto usually been difficult. Thus, the entire cable harness 5 including the plug 53 can optionally be threaded through a through-opening on the battery holding frame 4 and / or on the frame 10 of the electric bicycle 1, so that the plug 53 subsequently remains accessible in the battery compartment 1020 for the connection of the battery unit 3 and at the same time the through-opening is sealingly closed with respect to the interior of the frame.In the proposed embodiment variant of an energy storage assembly, in contrast, assembly is considerably facilitated by providing an at least two-part plug connector assembly for the connection region of the battery unit 3. This plug connector assembly has a holding part 6 and a plug connector component here in the form of the plug 53 of the cable harness 5, wherein the plug 53 is provided here as a battery plug-in plug 53.As shown in FIG. 1, the holding part 6 is inserted here along a first mounting direction R 1 (therefore an insertion direction) from the battery compartment 1020 into a through-opening 4030 of the second end piece 403 forming the connection region. A hollow cylindrical engaging portion 65 of the holding member 6 then engages with the through hole 4030. A circumferential fastening edge 64 extending on the end face of the holding part 6 radially to the first mounting direction R 1 serves for fixing the holding part 6 to the second end piece 403. For the fixing, several screw connections 7.1, 7.2 are provided by way of example in FIG. 1.If the holding part 6 is inserted as intended onto the through-opening 4030 and fixed to the battery holding frame 4 via the screw connections 7.1, 7.2, the battery insertion plug 53 is inserted into the engagement section 65 of the holding part 6 from the opposite side and thus along an opposite second mounting direction R 2. Here, the battery plug 53 already connected to a plurality of wires 500 of the wire harness 5 is inserted into the holding part 6 along the second mounting direction R 2 such that a plug front 530 of the battery plug 53 protrudes from the engagement portion 65 and is thus accessible for the connection of the battery unit 3 in the battery compartment 1020. A relative position of the battery plug 53 with respect to the holding part 6 predetermined for this purpose is defined here by a plurality of latching openings 650 on the inner wall of the engagement section 65. Snap-in openings 650 formed as recesses in the inner wall of the engagement section 65 can be snapped into these snap-in elements formed as snap-in lugs 531 on an outer circumferential surface of the battery plug-in connector 531. The battery insertion plug 53 inserted along the second mounting direction R 2 onto the holding part 6 already fixed to the battery holding frame 4 consequently latches onto the engagement portion 65 of the holding part 6 inserted within the through-opening 4030.The battery push-in connector 53 is consequently, in the embodiment variant shown, after the holding part 6 has been fixed to the battery holding frame 4, inserted into a through-opening provided by the engagement portion 65 and having a small cross-sectional area in comparison with the through-opening 4030 of the battery holding frame 4 and locked therein. If necessary, the battery push-in plug 53 can be locked to the holding part 6 in a releasable manner and thus in a removable manner. Alternatively, a non-destructively releasable connection between the battery insert plug 53 and the holding part 6 is realized.The different mounting directions R 1 and R 2 for the holding part 6 on the one hand and the battery plug 53 on the other hand make the wiring of the cable harness 5 within the frame 10 of the electric bicycle 1 considerably easier. In particular, this can possibly completely prevent the complete cable harness 5 from being threaded through the through-opening 4030 of the battery holding frame 4. The sealing of the through opening 4030 toward the battery compartment 1020 is taken over via the separate holding part 6, which is designed, for example, in the manner of a plug collar. The battery push-in connector 53 ultimately only needs to be fixed to the engagement portion 65 of the holding part 6.FIG. 2 once again illustrates a flow chart for the assembly of the at least two-part plug connector component 6, 53 corresponding to FIG. 1 Thus, in a first assembly step S 1, it is provided that the holding part 6 is assembled along the first assembly direction R 1 to the end piece 403 with the through-opening 4030. In this case, in particular, the hollow cylindrical engagement portion 65 of the holding part 6 is inserted into the through-opening 4030. Subsequently, the battery plug 53 is mounted on the holding part 6 along the opposite second mounting direction R 2, in this case then with the battery plug 53 latched on the engagement section 65.In principle, it is of course also possible, in contrast to the above-explained embodiment variants, for the battery plug-in connector 53 to be initially guided completely through the through-opening 4030 along the mounting direction R 2 and inserted into the engagement section 65 of the holding part 6 and locked there, before the holding part 6 is only subsequently plugged onto the through-opening 4030 and fixed to the end piece 403.List of reference characters1 Electric bicycle 10 Bicycle frame 10.1 Upper tube 10.2 Down tube 10.3 Seat tube 1020 Battery compartment 11 Front wheel 12 Rear wheel 13 Belt / chain 14 Wheel sensor 15 Sensor device 2 Operating part 3 Battery unit (energy store) 4 Battery holding frame (holding element) 401 First end piece 402 Middle part 403 Second end piece with connection region 4030 Through opening 42 Locking device 420 Key 5 Cable harness with connection cables 500 Line 51, 52 First connection plug 53 Battery insert plug (plug connector component) 530 Plug front 531 Latching tab 54, 55 Second connection plug 6 Holding part 64 Fastening edge (fastening portion) 65 Engaging portion 650 Latching opening 7.1, 7.2 Screw connection A Drive unit AT Pedal bearing shaft R1, R2 Mounting direction / engaging direction SE Control electronics

Claims

Energy storage assembly for an electric bicycle (1), having a holding element (4) for an energy store (3) of the electric bicycle (1) which comprises a connection region for a plug connector component (53), via which the energy store (3) can be electrically connected to at least one connection cable (5) of the electric bicycle (1), characterized in that a through opening (4030) is formed on the connection region of the holding element (4) and a holding part (6) which is fixed to the holding element (4) and to which the plug connector component (53) is fixed engages in the through opening (4030).Energy storage assembly according to Claim 1, characterized in that the retaining part (6) engages into the through-opening (4030) from one side of the through-opening (4030), and the plug connector component (53) is mounted on the retaining part (6) from an opposite side of the through-opening (4030).Energy storage assembly according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding part (6) has at least one fastening section (64), by means of which the holding part (6) is fixed on an end face of a wall of the holding element (4) which has the through-opening (4030).Energy storage assembly according to Claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the retaining part (6) engages in the through-opening (4030) from one side along an engagement direction (R1), and the at least one fastening portion (64) protrudes radially on the retaining part (6) with respect to the engagement direction (R1).Energy storage assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding part (6) engages with an engagement portion (65) in the through-opening (4030), on which the at least one plug connector component (53) is fixed.Energy storage assembly according to Claim 5, characterized in that the engagement portion (65) is of hollow cylindrical design.Energy storage assembly according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the engagement portion (65) defines a through opening for the at least one plug connector component (53), in which the at least one plug connector component (53) is held and the cross-sectional area of which is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the through opening (4030) of the holding element (4).Energy storage assembly according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the at least one plug connector component (53) is latched to the engagement portion (65) of the holding part (6).Energy storage assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining element (4) is to be mounted as a separate component on a part (10.2) of a frame (10) of the electric bicycle (1) or the retaining element (4) is formed by a part (10.2) of a frame (10) of the electric bicycle (1).Energy storage assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug connector component (53) is part of the at least one connection cable (5) or is provided for electrical connection to the connection cable (5).Energy storage assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one connection cable is formed by a cable harness (5).Electric bicycle with an energy storage assembly according to one of the preceding claims.Method for mounting at least one plug connector component (53) on a holding element (4) for an electric bicycle (1), wherein the plug connector component (53) is provided for connecting an energy store (3) of the electric bicycle (1) to at least one connecting cable (5) of the electric bicycle (1), characterized in that a holding part (6) is mounted on a through opening (4030) of the holding element (4) from one side and the plug connector component (53) is mounted on the holding part (6) from an opposite side of the through opening (4030).Method according to claim 13, characterised in that the holding part (6) is fixed to the holding element (4) before or after the plug connector component (53) is mounted to the holding part (6).Method according to Claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the retaining part (6) is inserted with an engagement portion (65) into the through opening (4030) of the retaining element (4), on which the plug connector component (53) is fixed.Method according to Claim 15, characterized in that the plug connector component (53) is fixed to the engagement portion (65) via at least one latching connection.

Images