Method for producing a traction battery of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A method for producing a traction battery (10) of a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps: providing a housing (11) with a first housing part (12) and a second housing part (13), wherein the first and second housing parts (12, 13) define an interior space (14) at least in sections when assembled, and wherein the first housing part (12) and / or the second housing part (13) carries at least one circumferential seal (16) which, when the first and second housing parts (12, 13) are connected to one another, circumferentially seals a separation point between the first and second housing parts (12, 13). Providing a plurality of battery cells (15) or a plurality of battery modules each comprising a plurality of battery cells. Arranging the battery cells (15) or battery modules in the first housing part (12).Arranging the second housing part (13) on the first housing part (12) in such a way that the at least one seal (16) initially only partially seals the gap or the separation point between the first and second housing parts (12, 13), so that during the subsequent further arrangement of the second housing part (13) on the first housing part (12), air escapes past the at least one seal (16) into the environment before the at least one seal (16) circumferentially seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13). Connecting the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13).

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a traction battery of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.Traction batteries of a motor vehicle known from practice have a housing which has at least a first, in particular trough-like housing part and a second, in particular lid-like housing part. In the connected state of the housing parts, the same define an interior space of the housing in which either a plurality of battery cells or a plurality of battery modules each comprising a plurality of battery cells are arranged. It is known to arrange sealing elements between the housing parts in order to seal a gap or a separating point between housing parts in a circumferential manner.DE 10 2020 106 586 A1 discloses a battery module having a battery module housing and having battery cells accommodated in the battery module housing. Between the housing and a cover of the housing, a circumferentially closed sealing channel is formed, in which a sealing compound is accommodated.EP 2 171 777 B1 discloses a solid-state battery of a motor vehicle having an energy generating element and a battery housing in which the energy generating element is arranged. A flowable sealant is arranged in the battery housing, wherein the energy generating element is immersed in the flowable sealant. The flowable sealant may be a hydrophobic liquid such as liquid paraffin or a dispersion.WO 2017 / 173 412 A1 discloses a battery module having a battery module housing and having battery cells accommodated in the battery module housing.As already stated, in traction batteries of a motor vehicle known from practice, it is known to arrange a circumferential seal between two housing parts for sealing a gap or a separating point between the housing points. When the two housing parts are arranged on top of one another with the seal being arranged between them, air is displaced in this case, which is intended to escape into the environment. However, this can be prevented or made more difficult by the at least one encircling seal, with the result that, in particular when the seal is formed from a viscous sealing material, the air flows outwards into the environment through the viscous sealing material and forms bubbles in the sealing material in the process. This then leads to leaks.There is a need for a method for producing a traction battery of a motor vehicle, with which such leaks between housing parts, between which at least one circumferential seal is arranged, can be prevented.It is an object of the invention to provide a corresponding method for producing a traction battery of a motor vehicle. This object is achieved by a method for producing a traction battery of a motor vehicle according to Claim 1.According to the invention, the second housing part is arranged on the first housing part in such a way that the at least one seal initially only partially seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part and the second housing part, so that during the subsequent further arrangement of the second housing part on the first housing part, air escapes in particular from the interior of the housing past the at least one seal into the environment, before the at least one seal peripherally seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part and the second housing part.With the method according to the invention, air which is discharged into the environment in a defined manner when arranging two housing parts of a traction battery, without the seal being damaged in this case. In particular, there is no risk that, if the respective seal is formed from a viscous sealing material, bubbles will form in the sealing material, which will lead to leaks.Preferably, the second housing part is initially arranged at an angle on the first housing part, so that the at least one seal initially only partially seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part and the second housing part, wherein subsequently the second housing part is arranged on the first housing part via a rolling movement or lowering movement or tilting movement until the at least one seal circumferentially seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part and the second housing part. This allows particularly advantageous production of the traction battery while avoiding leaks between the housing parts.Preferred developments of the invention are evident from the dependent claims and the following description.Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, without being restricted thereto. The following shows: FIG. 1 shows a highly schematic cross section through a traction battery of a motor vehicle, FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a first housing part of the traction battery, FIG. 3 shows the procedure known from practice in the production of the traction battery, FIG. 4 shows the procedure according to the invention during the production of the traction battery.FIG. 1 shows a highly schematic view of the structure of a traction battery 10 of a motor vehicle. The traction battery 10 has a battery housing 11, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is formed by a first, in particular trough-like housing part 12 and a second, in particular lid-like housing part 13.The housing parts 12, 13 together define an interior 14 of the battery housing 11, in which either a plurality of battery cells 15 or a plurality of battery modules each comprising a plurality of battery cells are arranged. If a plurality of battery cells 15 are arranged in the battery housing 11, the traction battery 10 can also be referred to as a battery module.At least one circumferential seal 16 is arranged between the first housing part 12 and the second housing part 13 of the housing 11 of the traction battery 10. The at least one encircling seal 16 serves for sealing a gap or a separation point between the housing parts 12, 13; FIG. 2 shows in a highly schematic manner a plan view of the first housing part 12, namely of an encircling wall 17 of the first housing part 12, along which two encircling seals 16 are arranged in a nested manner. When the second housing part 13 is arranged on the first housing part 12, these encircling seals 16 seal the separation point between the housing parts 12, 13 in an encircling manner.FIG. 3 visualizes the procedure known from practice when arranging the second housing part 13 on the first housing part 12, wherein FIG. 3 shows a section of the first housing part 12 and the second housing part 13 in the region of a section of the wall 17.The second housing part 13 is shown in FIG. 3 in two different states, namely in a state arranged on the first housing part 12, in which the second housing part is identified by the reference numeral 13, and in a state lifted from the first housing part 12, in which the second housing part is identified by the reference numeral 13'.According to practice, according to FIG. 3, the second housing part 13 is arranged on the first housing part 12 in such a way that it comes to rest circumferentially simultaneously on all sections of the seals 16. Air, which is to escape from the interior 14 of the housing 10 outwards into the environment or from the free space 18 located between the two seals 16 into the environment, for example, must flow over the seals 16, wherein bubbles 19 can be caused in the sealing material if the respective encircling seal 16 consists of a viscous sealing material. These bubbles 19 impair the sealing of the housing parts 12, 13 and can thus lead to leaks at the traction battery.FIG. 4 shows the procedure according to the invention for producing the traction battery, wherein FIG. 4 shows the second housing part 13 in three different states. The reference numeral 13 designates the second housing part when it is arranged completely on the first housing part 12. Reference numerals 13' and 13" show positions of the second housing part which it assumes when it is arranged on the first housing part 12 in the sense of the invention.According to the invention, the second housing part 13 is arranged on the first housing part 12 in such a way that the at least one seal 16 initially only seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part 12 and the second housing part 13 in sections. According to FIG. 4, for this purpose the second housing part 13 is initially arranged at an angle on the first housing part 12 so that the at least one seal 16 only seals the gap or the separation point between the housing parts 12, 13 in sections. Subsequently, when the second housing part 13 is arranged further on the first housing part 12, air escapes from the interior space 14 or the free space 18 past the at least one seal 16 into the environment before the at least one seal 16 seals the gap or the separation point between the housing parts 12, 13 in a circumferential manner.According to FIG. 4, following the angular arrangement of the second housing part 13 on the first housing part 12, the second housing part 13 is arranged on the first housing part 12 via a rolling movement or arcuate lowering movement or tilting movement visualized by the arrow Y, namely until the seals 16 seal the gap or the separating point between the housing parts 12, 13 in a circumferential manner.There is no longer any risk that, when arranging the second housing part 13 on the first housing part 12, air which is intended to escape in particular from the interior 14 of the housing 11 into the environment or from the free space 18 between the seals 16 into the environment flows through the sealing material of the seals 16 and in the process causes bubbles therein which can lead to leaks at the traction battery 10.As already stated, the respective seal 16 is manufactured in particular from a viscous sealing material, for example from a butyl sealing material or silicone sealing material.The invention accordingly proposes a method for producing a traction battery 10 of a motor vehicle, in which a housing part 13 is initially placed or attached only in sections onto another housing part 12 in order subsequently to be deposited continuously on the housing part 12 via a tilting movement or arcuate lowering movement or rolling movement until the same rests completely on the housing part 12 and thus the at least one encircling seal 16 arranged between housing parts 12, 13 completely seals the separation point between the housing parts 12, 13. In this way, it is avoided that air flows into the environment via the preferably viscous sealing material of the at least one circumferential seal 16 and thus causes bubbles in this sealing material, which would lead to leaks.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 10 2020 106 586 A1

[0003] EP 2 171 777 B1

[0004]

Claims

Method for producing a traction battery (10) of a motor vehicle, having the following steps: providing a housing (11) having a first, in particular trough-like, housing part (12) and a second, in particular lid-like, housing part (13), wherein the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13), in the mounted state, define an interior space (14) of the housing (11) at least in sections, wherein the first housing part (12) and / or the second housing part (13) carries at least one encircling seal (16) which, when the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13) are connected to one another, peripherally seals a gap or a dividing point between the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13), providing a plurality of battery cells (15) or a plurality of battery modules each comprising a plurality of battery cells, arranging the battery cells (15) or the battery modules in the first housing part (12), Arrangement of the second housing part (13) on the first housing part (12), connection of the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13), characterized in that the second housing part (13) is arranged on the first housing part (12) in such a way that the at least one seal (16) initially only seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13) in sections, so that during the subsequent further arrangement of the second housing part (13) on the first housing part (12), air escapes past the at least one seal (16) into the environment before the at least one seal (16) peripherally seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13).Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the second housing part (13) is initially arranged at an angle on the first housing part (12), so that the at least one seal (16) initially seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13) only in sections, subsequently the second housing part (13) is arranged on the first housing part (12) via a rolling movement or lowering movement or tilting movement until the at least one seal (16) peripherally seals the gap or the separation point between the first housing part (12) and the second housing part (13).Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one encircling seal (16) is formed from a viscous butyl sealing material.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one encircling seal (16) is formed from a viscous silicone sealing material.

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