Mobile power supply unit with a sensor element and method for mounting a sensor element on a power supply unit
The mobile power supply device uses a mounting frame with a contact section to adjust the sensor element's shape for precise positioning, addressing inaccuracies in temperature measurement by compensating for tolerances and enabling direct detection of cell unit states.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102024139599P0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-23
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-25
Smart Images

Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
The present invention lies in the field of electrical power supply technology and relates to a mobile power supply device with at least one sensor element. The present invention further relates to a method for mounting the at least one sensor element to a mobile power supply device. Mobile power supply systems with at least one cell unit or with multiple cell units (also referred to as "cells") must meet a variety of requirements and are configured depending on their application area and purpose. Mobile power supply units, for example, require temperature monitoring during charging. This monitoring is typically achieved through a battery management system in conjunction with at least one temperature sensor. The temperature sensor and the battery management system, along with their respective electrical / electronic components, are usually mounted on a circuit board (PCB) within the power supply unit. Mobile power supply systems often use so-called NTC sensors ("NTC" stands for "Negative Temperature Coefficient") to measure temperature. An NTC sensor is a semiconductor device whose electrical resistance changes with temperature. A typical NTC sensor consists of a sensor head and two electrical conductors, each usually made of a single wire, which serve to connect and mount the sensor to the circuit board. An NTC sensor is inserted into a pocket in the cell holder, which is filled with thermal paste. The pocket is positioned on the cell holder corresponding to a cell unit and also includes openings. The thermal paste can pass through these openings and make contact with the cell unit. Heat generated in the cell unit is transferred to the thermal paste. The temperature within the thermal paste can then be measured using the NTC sensor. In such a known arrangement, the position of the NTC sensor, i.e., the sensor head, is usually not precisely defined. Due to the design, a precise, and especially sufficiently accurate, temperature measurement cannot be guaranteed. The sensor head can, for example, be positioned at varying distances from the cell unit within the thermal paste. This can lead to inaccuracies and / or a delay in the temperature measurement. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile power supply device with a sensor element which enables improved, and in particular more accurate, detection of at least one operating state of at least one cell unit by means of a sensor element. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for mounting a sensor element on a mobile power supply device. The problem is solved by the features of independent claims 1 and 10. Further embodiments and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and are explained in more detail in the following description with partial reference to the figures. According to a first general aspect, the present invention relates to a mobile power supply device with a mounting frame for arranging at least one cell unit essentially in one mounting direction, wherein the mounting frame comprises at least one mounting structure for a sensor element for detecting at least one operating state of the at least one cell unit, wherein the at least one mounting structure comprises a contact section which is configured to adjustably change the shape of the sensor element, in particular section by section along a longitudinal direction of the sensor element, at least section by section, and to arrange the sensor element with its shape changed at least section by section in a defined position relative to the at least one cell unit in order to be able to detect the at least one operating state (directly, immediately) at the at least one cell unit. The present invention provides a mobile power supply device characterized by a more precise arrangement of the sensor element, in particular a sensor head of the sensor element, in relation to the at least one cell unit (also referred to as "cell"). This enables improved (more accurate) detection of the at least one operating state of the at least one cell unit. For the sake of simplicity, the term "mobile" will be omitted in connection with the power supply device in the following text. The present invention allows, for example, manufacturing tolerances of the sensor element and / or assembly tolerances to be substantially compensated for. In other words, the present invention ensures that manufacturing tolerances and / or assembly tolerances play a less significant or subordinate role. The contact section of the mounting structure of the power supply unit's retaining frame allows the shape of the sensor element to be adjusted, at least partially, during assembly, and / or is already adjusted, thus ensuring that the sensor element is positioned in a defined orientation relative to the at least one cell unit. The defined position can include a position and / or orientation of the sensor element, in particular a sensor head of the sensor element, in which the sensor element directly contacts the at least one cell unit or is arranged at a defined distance from the at least one cell unit. This allows for more precise detection of the at least one operating state, for example, a temperature, of the at least one cell unit. By configuring the contact section of at least one mounting structure, the sensor element can be positioned in the defined location without any additional components. In particular, no additional elements or devices are required for positioning and / or aligning the sensor element during the assembly process. The contact section can be arranged on the mounting structure and / or configured to deform the sensor element, at least partially, during an assembly process, for example, to deform it substantially reversibly or irreversibly. The contact section can be configured, for example, as a ramp, a rib, a groove, and / or a channel. In the assembled state, the sensor element's shape is adjustable, at least partially, and thus its shape is altered. In other words, the contact section is configured to deform the sensor element partially in the assembled state. With respect to the sensor element, the contact section is a deformation section. Additionally or alternatively, the contact section can be configured as an alignment section for aligning the sensor element, in particular at least a section of the sensor element.The contact section can essentially be plate-shaped. Additionally or alternatively, the contact section can be arranged and / or designed at an angle to the mounting direction. The at least one operating state includes, in particular, a temperature and / or a change in temperature. The sensor element can, for example, be designed and / or configured as a sensor element for detecting a temperature. The sensor element can include a sensor head with a sensor chip. The sensor element can include two sensor holders in the form of wires as connecting and / or mounting wires. In a manufacturing state of the sensor element, the two wires can be arranged substantially parallel to each other and / or spaced apart from each other and / or connected to the sensor head. The sensor holders can be configured, among other things, to support a sensor head of the sensor element. The sensor holders can be partially sheathed with an insulating material. Temperature detection can take place directly (immediately) at the at least one cell unit in the defined position of the sensor element. The sensor element can be designed, in particular, as a so-called NTC sensor (NTC being an abbreviation for "Negative Temperature Coefficient") to detect a temperature by measuring a change in the resistance of the NTC sensor. The sensor element can be designed as an NTC sensor known from the prior art. The power supply unit is, in particular, a handheld, portable, manually mountable / dismountable, interchangeable, and / or rechargeable power supply unit that can be assembled / disassembled without tools. In other words, the power supply unit can be designed as a so-called battery pack. The power supply unit can, for example, comprise a single cell unit or multiple cell units. The single cell unit or multiple cell units can be based on lithium-ion battery technology. The power supply unit can be configured to provide electrical power to an electrical device, in particular a handheld power tool. The assembly state is, in particular, a manufacturing state of the energy supply device in which the sensor element is arranged in the defined position relative to the at least one cell unit and is characterized by a shape that is at least partially modified in the defined position. It is possible that in the assembly state the sensor element is mechanically fastened and / or electrically contacted by means of a carrier material structure for at least one unit of the power supply device, in particular for an electronic processing unit of the power supply device for processing the detected at least one operating state of the at least one cell unit, or by means of a housing section of a housing of the power supply device, wherein the carrier material structure or the housing section is each connected to the mounting frame by an assembly operation in the assembly direction, wherein in the assembly state the sensor element, in particular at least one sensor head of the sensor element, is received in the mounting structure, wherein the mounting structure is arranged opposite the carrier material structure or the housing section in the assembly direction. The substrate material structure can be designed as a circuit carrier. The substrate material structure can be designed as a printed circuit board (PCB). The substrate material structure can be, in particular, plate-shaped and / or flat. The electronic processing unit can be configured, in particular, to evaluate at least one detected operating state. The electronic processing unit for processing the detected operating state can be a component of a battery management system of the power supply unit. The electronic processing unit can be arranged on the carrier material structure and connected to the sensor element. The sensor element can be attached to the carrier material structure or to the housing section. Sensor holders for the sensor element, for example in the form of wires, can be attached to the carrier material structure as connecting and / or mounting wires. The attachment can be achieved, for example, by means of at least one of the following connections: a substantially positive connection (for example, a plug connection or a snap-fit connection), a substantially friction-fit connection (for example, a press fit), and / or a substantially material-fit connection (for example, a welded or soldered connection). According to a further aspect of the present invention, the sensor element may comprise two sensor holders which extend substantially in a longitudinal direction of the sensor element from a sensor head of the sensor element and are arranged opposite each other and / or spaced apart from each other, wherein, in particular, to maintain a distance between the two sensor holders, a spacer element may be arranged between the two sensor holders, which is slidably mounted substantially along the longitudinal direction of the sensor element and thus along the longitudinal direction of the sensor holders in order to set a defined variability of a shape of the sensor element. Each sensor holder can be pen-shaped, pin-shaped, cylindrical, wire-shaped, and / or needle-shaped. Each sensor holder can be essentially dimensionally stable at least in certain sections and / or essentially dimensionally variable at least in certain sections and / or deformable at least in certain sections. Each sensor holder can be essentially reversibly deformable in certain sections, for example, spring-elastic, and / or essentially irreversibly deformable (plastic). Each sensor holder is, in particular, made of a metallic material. The sensor element of the power supply unit undergoes a partial change in shape during the assembly process and is therefore characterized by a shape that is altered, at least in some sections, in the assembled state. This altered shape is particularly evident in the area of the sensor holders. In other words, the sensor element has a different shape in its initial state than in its assembled state. The spacer element can, for example, be arranged as a clamping element between the two sensor holders, positioning the sensor holders at a defined distance from each other. In other words, the spacer element forms a support element between the sensor holders. The sensor element can comprise at least two sensor holders. It is possible that the contact section is arranged and configured opposite and / or spaced apart from the at least one cell unit to deform, in particular reversibly deform, and / or displace, the sensor element at least section by section in the direction of the at least one cell unit as a result of an assembly movement along the assembly direction. The contact section is particularly configured to guide a sensor head of the sensor element towards the cell unit, i.e., in the direction of the cell unit. The contact section can be, for example, plate-shaped and / or essentially flat. The contact section can be configured both to guide the sensor element and to deform the sensor element section by section, particularly if the sensor element is moved essentially linearly (translationally) along the assembly direction during the assembly process. The assembly movement is, in particular, a linear (translational) movement by which the sensor element is moved towards the assembly section and thus towards the contact section, essentially in the assembly direction. For this purpose, the sensor element is already attached to the carrier material structure. By means of the assembly movement, the sensor element, in conjunction with the contact section, can be positioned in the defined location, whereby the sensor element is adjustable, at least partially, to change its shape once the assembly state is reached. The adjustable, section-by-section shape change of the sensor element can be formed particularly in the area of the sensor holder of the sensor element. According to a further aspect of the present invention, it can be provided that the contact section comprises a contact surface which is assigned to the sensor element and is configured to support the sensor element, in particular a sensor head of the sensor element, in the assembly state in at least one direction, in particular to exert a pressure force on the sensor element to contact the sensor element with the at least one cell unit. The contact surface can be a deformation surface with respect to the sensor element, which is configured to deform the sensor element at least partially as a result of a movement essentially in the mounting direction, and thus to change the shape of the sensor element at least partially. It is possible that the contact section comprises a contact surface which is assigned to (facing) the sensor element, wherein the contact surface, in particular depending on the configuration of the sensor element, for example a sensor head of the sensor element, is characterized by at least one of the following designs: essentially planar (flat), essentially tapering along the mounting direction, wedge-shaped, trapezoidal, concave, channel-shaped, trough-shaped; in order to guide and / or position and / or align the sensor element, in particular a sensor head of the sensor element, in the defined position in the mounting state. The contact surface is, in particular, the surface by means of which a sensor head of the sensor element makes contact and which arranges the sensor head in the defined position relative to the at least one cell unit. A substantially planar (flat) contact surface can be arranged and / or aligned at an angle to the mounting direction. According to a further aspect of the present invention, it can be provided that the mounting structure is characterized by one of the following configurations: cage-shaped, pocket-shaped, pot-shaped, trough-shaped; and that the contact section is arranged within the mounting structure and transitions substantially along the mounting direction into a recess for the passage of the sensor element, in particular a sensor head of the sensor element, to which at least one cell unit. The specific design of the mounting structure allows, for example, a comparatively compact design to be achieved. Conversely, such a design of the mounting structure can, for example, protect the sensor element. It is possible that the contact section is designed and configured as a tongue, a rib, a ramp, a clip, a bridge or as a lever, in the assembly state to arrange the sensor element with the at least one cell unit, forming an essentially backlash-free contact connection. This ensures a relatively simple assembly and arrangement of the sensor element, and in particular, no additional or further elements or components are required. According to a further aspect of the present invention, it can be provided that the mounting structure is designed to hold at least one cell unit substantially in the mounting direction in order to arrange the at least one cell unit in a defined position and / or orientation relative to the mounting structure. The defined position of the sensor element can include a position in which the sensor element, in particular a sensor head of the sensor element, contacts a lateral surface (outer surface) of the at least one cell unit or forms a defined distance to a lateral surface (outer surface) of the at least one cell unit. According to a further aspect of the present invention, it can be provided that the mounting structure together with the retaining frame is integrally formed as a single component, in particular by at least one of the following processes: a casting process, an injection molding process, a sintering process, a 3D printing process; a curing process, a shrinking process; and / or that in the assembled state the mounting structure is filled with a substantially dimensionally stable filling material, which is characterized by a defined yield point region. The power supply unit can be characterized by a reduced number of parts due to the integral, one-piece design of the mounting structure together with the mounting frame. The filler material can be a thermally conductive paste. According to a second general aspect, the present invention relates to a method for mounting a sensor element for detecting at least one operating state of at least one cell unit of a mobile power supply device with a holding frame for arranging the at least one cell unit in a mounting direction, wherein the holding frame comprises at least one mounting structure with a contact section for the sensor element, comprising the method steps: • Moving the sensor element substantially in the mounting direction, in particular linear (translational) movement of the sensor element;• Sectionally changing the shape of the sensor element by the contact section as a result of moving the sensor element, and / or • Positioning and / or aligning the sensor element, which has at least been partially reshaped, by the contact section as a result of moving the sensor element, until essentially a defined position is reached in order to be able to detect the at least one operating state at the at least one cell unit (directly and / or immediately). The method according to the present invention can be a method for manufacturing a mobile energy supply device. To avoid repetition, features relating solely to the device of the energy supply unit according to the invention and / or disclosed in connection therewith shall also be deemed to be disclosed in accordance with the method and be claimable, and vice versa. The embodiments and features of the present invention described above can be combined arbitrarily or expediently. Further details and advantageous effects of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the mobile power supply device according to the present invention in a perspective view, with a sensor element and a cell unit of the power supply device highlighted; Figure 2 shows the sensor element of the mobile power supply device from Figure 1 in a front view (main view); Figure 3 shows an enlarged section of the mobile power supply device from Figure 1 in a sectional view, with the sensor element shown in a first state; Figure 4 shows an enlarged section of the mobile power supply device from Figure 1 in a sectional view, with the sensor element shown in a first and a second state; Figure 5 shows an enlarged section of the mobile power supply device from Figure 1 in a top view of the mounting structure of the power supply device; Figure 6 shows the mounting structure of the power supply device.6 an arrangement with a plurality of cell units of the power supply device from Fig. 1, which are arranged on a holding frame. Identical or functionally equivalent components or elements are identified in the figures with the same reference numerals. To avoid repetition, reference is sometimes made to the descriptions of other embodiments and / or figures for their explanation. The following detailed description of the embodiments shown in the figures serves to illustrate or clarify the invention in no way limiting its scope. Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the mobile power supply unit 1 according to the present invention in a perspective view. A sensor element 20 and a cell unit 30 (also referred to as a "cell") of the power supply unit 1 are shown in highlighted detail. The mobile power supply unit 1 is a handheld, hand-operated, manually tool-free assembled / disassembled, interchangeable and / or rechargeable mobile power supply unit 1. For the sake of simplicity, the term "mobile" will be omitted in connection with the power supply unit 1 in the following text. The power supply unit 1 can comprise a single cell unit 30 or a plurality of cell units 30. The power supply unit 1 is described below in conjunction with a (single) cell unit 30. The power supply unit 1 can be configured as a rechargeable battery pack in which the cell unit 30 is based on and / or designed using lithium-ion storage technology. Other electrochemical storage technologies are possible. The power supply unit 1 can be configured to form a plug connection with a charging device and with an electrical device. The power supply unit 1 can be configured to provide electrical power to an electrical device in the form of a handheld power tool. The power supply unit comprises the housing 50 to accommodate the cell unit 30 and other units and / or elements. The housing 50 may be made of an insulating material based on a plastic. The housing 50 includes housing sections in the form of walls and / or wall sections. To detect at least one operating state of the power supply unit 1, the power supply unit 1 includes the sensor element 20. This at least one operating state can, in particular, include a temperature and / or a change in the temperature of the cell unit 30. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one operating state can, for example, include a voltage of the cell unit 30. The power supply unit 1 is described below with reference to the sensor element 20, which is configured to detect a temperature of the cell unit 30. The cell unit 30 is designed as a so-called cylindrical cell and is characterized by its cylindrical shape. The cell unit 30 comprises the outer surface 300. The cell unit 30 extends essentially along the longitudinal direction L30. The sensor element 20 extends essentially along a longitudinal direction L20 and comprises a sensor head 220 and two sensor holders 211 and 212, of which sensor holder 211 is visible and labeled in Fig. 1. The section of the sensor holders 211, 212 forms a mounting section 210 of the sensor element 20, which is described in more detail below. Fig. 2 shows the sensor element 20 of the power supply unit 1 from Fig. 1 in a front view (main view). The sensor element 20 is designed, in particular, as a so-called NTC sensor (“NTC” being an abbreviation for “Negative Temperature Coefficient”) to detect a temperature by measuring a change in resistance. The sensor element 20 comprises a sensor head 220. A sensor chip can be integrated into the sensor head 220. The sensor head 220 is designed, in particular, to be substantially dimensionally stable and substantially rigid, especially preferably substantially rigid. Starting from the sensor head 220, the sensor holders 211 and 212 extend essentially along the longitudinal direction L20 of the sensor element 20. The longitudinal direction L20 can be a direction in and / or along which the sensor element 20 extends to its maximum and thus its longest extent. The sensor head 200 is configured to detect a temperature and / or a change in temperature. Each of the sensor holders 211 and 212 is cylindrical, in particular pin-shaped. Each of the sensor holders 211 and 212 can, for example, be designed as a so-called wire pin. Each of the sensor holders 211 and 212 serves both for the mechanical mounting of the sensor element 20 and for providing an electrical connection for operating the sensor element 20. The sensor holders 211 and 212 are each made of an electrically conductive material based on a metallic material and / or a metallic alloy. The metallic material or metallic alloy is deformable, in particular, substantially reversibly deformable in sections and / or irreversibly deformable. In an initial state (state before assembly) and in an assembled state, the sensor element 20 is essentially dimensionally stable and remains in the defined position. To maintain the distance between the sensor holders 211 and 212, particularly along the longitudinal direction L20, a spacer element 230 can be arranged between the sensor holder 211 and the sensor holder 212. The spacer element 230 is arranged between the sensor holders 211 and 212, creating a preload. The sensor holders 211 and 212 are each characterized by a deformation zone 211.1 and 212.1, in which a change in the shape of the sensor element 20 occurs during an assembly process and in the assembled state, as described in more detail below. The sensor holders 211 and 212 are part of the mounting section 210 of the sensor element 20, which transitions into the sensor head 220. Fig. 3 shows a schematic representation of an enlarged section of the mobile power supply unit 1 from Fig. 1 in a sectional view. The sensor element 20 is in a first state. The first state represents a state in which the sensor element 20 is not yet arranged in a defined position relative to the cell unit 30. The sensor element 20 is attached to a support material structure 40 of the power supply unit 1 via the sensor holders 211 and 212, of which sensor holder 211 is visible and labelled in Fig. 3. The attachment of the sensor element 20 to the support material structure 40 can be achieved, among other things, particularly by a substantially bonded connection, for example, in the form of a soldered joint. Due to the extension of the sensor holders 211 and 212, the sensor head 220 is spaced apart from the support material structure 40. The sensor head 220 is arranged at a defined distance from the support material structure 40. As previously described, the sensor holders 211, 212 are pin-shaped and can be deformed when made of a suitable material, in particular a metallic material. For this purpose, the sensor holders 211 and 212 comprise the deformation zones 211.1 and 212.1 (see also Fig. 2), which are configured to at least partially change the shape of the sensor element 20 as a result of an assembly condition. The carrier material structure 40 is designed as a printed circuit board (PCB). In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier material structure 40 is plate-shaped. The carrier material structure 40 serves to support electrical / electronic components. These electrical / electronic components can, for example, be part of a so-called battery management system of the power supply unit 1. The battery management system is configured to control and / or regulate and / or monitor the charging process of the power supply unit 1. The carrier material structure 40 serves, among other things, to mount and / or secure an electronic processing unit 60. The electronic processing unit 60 is connected to the sensor element 20.The electronic processing unit 60 is configured, for example, to detect changes in the resistance of the sensor head 220 of the sensor element 20 in order to determine, and in particular calculate, a temperature and / or a change in temperature. The power supply unit 1 comprises the mounting frame 10 for arranging the cell unit 30. The mounting frame 10 forms a support structure for the cell unit 30. The mounting frame 10 can constitute a housing section and thus a wall and / or a wall section of the housing 50 of the power supply unit 1 (see also Fig. 1). The mounting frame 10 can, for example, be made of a substantially dimensionally stable plastic as an insulating material. The mounting frame 10 can, for example, be designed as a separate component. The mounting frame 10 comprises at least one receiving section by means of which the cell unit 30 is arranged in a defined position and / or orientation in and / or along a mounting direction M on the mounting frame 10. The mounting frame 10 comprises the mounting structure 100, which is configured to receive and / or arrange the sensor element 20. The mounting structure 100 is essentially cage-shaped or cup-shaped and can, in particular, be an integral part of the mounting frame 10. The mounting structure 100 comprises the contact section 110, which is a wall or at least a wall section. The contact section 110 is arranged and / or formed within the mounting structure 100. The contact section 110 is arranged opposite and / or spaced apart from the cell unit 30. The contact section 110 comprises the contact surface 111 as a wall section. The contact surface 111 is essentially planar. The contact surface 111 is arranged and / or oriented at an angle or inclination to the mounting direction M, forming an angle of inclination α. The angle of inclination α of the contact surface 111 can, for example, be in a range between approximately 20° and approximately 50°. Alternatively, the contact surface 111 can be tapered, wedge-shaped, trapezoidal, concave, channel-shaped, or trough-shaped along the mounting direction M. The contact surface 111 serves, on the one hand, to guide the sensor head 220 of the sensor element 20. On the other hand, the contact surface 111 is configured to allow the shape of the sensor element 20 to be adjusted, at least partially, in an assembly state. The shape refers in particular to the geometric design of the sensor element 20. As already described, the sensor element 20 is a partially deformable sensor element, especially in the area of the mounting section, i.e., the sensor holders 211 and 212, since the sensor head 220 is comparatively relatively rigid or, in particular, essentially rigid. The adjustable, section-by-section change in the shape of the sensor element 20 occurs during or in the course of an assembly process of the carrier material structure 40 onto the mounting frame 10, essentially in the assembly direction M, as described in more detail below. During the assembly process, the carrier material structure 40 is moved with an essentially linear (translational) movement along the assembly direction M towards the mounting frame 10 and thus towards the mounting structure 100 with the contact surface 111. After a certain distance, the contact surface 111 makes contact with the sensor head 220. During further movement of the carrier material structure 40, the sensor head 220 slides more or less along the contact surface 111, essentially along the mounting direction M. Simultaneously with this movement, essentially along the mounting direction M, the sensor head 220 is aligned, i.e., guided by the design and / or arrangement of the contact surface 111 towards the cell unit 30. In other words, the sensor head 220 is gradually guided along a sliding direction R110 of the contact section 110 by the linear (translational) movement of the carrier material structure 40 in the mounting direction M through the contact surface 111 and, in particular, is thereby simultaneously deflected, especially pressed, towards the cell unit 30. During this process, the sensor holders 211 and 212 are deformed at deformation zones 211.1 and 212.1. The shape of the sensor element 20 is therefore adjustable section by section. The sensor holders 211 and 212 are subjected to a bending process during assembly. The carrier material structure 40 and the arrangement of the sensor element 20 on the carrier material structure 40 are configured in such a way that when the carrier material structure 40 is moved, essentially in the assembly direction M, the sensor head 220 in particular is moved towards a defined position. The defined position can include a position of the sensor head 220 in which the sensor head 220 contacts a measuring point 301 on the lateral surface 300 of the cell unit 30, in particular contacting it essentially without play. Fig. 4 shows, for further illustration, a schematic representation of the enlarged section of Fig. 3, in which the sensor element 20 is shown in a second state in addition to the first state. The second state represents a condition in which the sensor element 20 undergoes a partial deformation due to the movement of the carrier material structure 40 during the assembly process. This partial deformation of the sensor element 20 is achieved by the deformation zones on the sensor holders 211 and 212, of which deformation zone 211.1 on sensor holder 211 is visible and labeled in Fig. 4. Within deformation zones 211.1 and 212.1, for example, a substantially reversible partial deformation can occur, generating a preload force in the sensor element 20. In other words, the partial deformation of the sensor element 20 allows, in particular, the sensor head 220 to be pressed against the contact surface 111, while maintaining a contact connection between the sensor head 220 and the contact surface 111 at all times.The contact surface 111 serves, among other things, to support the sensor head 220, which is indicated by a white arrow in Fig. 4. As the carrier material structure 40 moves, essentially in the assembly direction M, which is partially symbolized by black arrows in Fig. 4, the sensor element 20, and in particular the sensor head 220, reaches the defined position in which the sensor head 220 is positioned at least opposite the measuring point 301 on the outer surface 300. In particular, as already described, the defined position includes a position of the sensor element 20 in which the sensor head 220 contacts the measuring point 301 and thus the cell unit 30, in particular contacting it without play. It is also possible that the sensor head 220 contacts the measuring point 301 with a comparatively low pressing force. Alternatively, it is possible that the defined position includes a position in which the sensor head 220 is positioned opposite the measuring point 301 at a defined distance. To guide the sensor element 20, in particular the sensor head 220, towards the cell unit 30, the contact section 110 within the mounting structure 100 extends along the mounting direction M into the recess 120 and passes through the recess 120 towards the cell unit 30. It is understood that in the mounted state of the sensor element 20, the carrier material structure 40 is attached to the retaining frame 10 in a defined mounting position. The sensor element 20 is housed within the mounting structure 100 and arranged on the cell unit 30. Additionally, the housing space of the mounting structure 100 can be filled with a filler material 130. The filler material 130 can, for example, be a thermal paste. Fig. 5 shows a schematic representation of an enlarged section of the mobile power supply unit 1 from Fig. 1 in a top view of the mounting structure 100. The sensor element 20 is hidden in this representation. The integration of the mounting structure 100 with the contact section 110 into the retaining frame 10 is clearly visible. The pot-shaped configuration of the mounting structure 100 enables a protected arrangement of the sensor element 20 within the power supply unit 1 and thus, for example, between adjacent cell units 30. Fig. 6 additionally shows an arrangement with a plurality of cell units 30 of the power supply device 1, which are arranged on a holding frame 10. The mounting structure 100 for receiving and arranging the sensor element 20 is integrated into the retaining frame 10 in a comparatively space-saving manner and ensures that the sensor element 20 is arranged in a defined position. An operating state, in particular a temperature and / or a change in temperature, of the cell unit 30 can be detected more precisely with the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Rather, a multitude of variants and modifications are possible, which also make use of the inventive concept and therefore fall within the scope of protection. Preferably, the present invention also claims protection for the subject matter and features of the dependent claims independently of the referenced claims. Reference symbol list 1 Power supply unit 10 Mounting frame 20 Sensor element 30 Cell unit 40 Carrier material structure 50 Housing 60 Processing unit 100 Mounting structure 110 Contact section 111 Contact surface 120 Recess 130 Filler material 210 Mounting section 211 Sensor holder 211.1 Deformation zone 212 Sensor holder 212.1 Deformation zone 220 Sensor head 230 Spacer element 300 Circumferential surface 301 Measuring point L20 Longitudinal direction L30 Longitudinal direction M Mounting direction R110 Sliding direction α Angle of attack
Claims
Mobile power supply device (1) with a mounting frame (10) for arranging at least one cell unit (30) in a mounting direction (M), wherein the mounting frame (10) comprises at least one mounting structure (100) for a sensor element (20) for detecting at least one operating state of the at least one cell unit (30), wherein the at least one mounting structure (100) comprises a contact section (110) which is configured to adjustably change the shape of the sensor element (20) at least section by section in a mounting state and to arrange the sensor element (20) with its shape changed at least section by section in a defined position relative to the at least one cell unit (30) in order to detect the at least one operating state of the at least one cell unit (30). Power supply device (1) according to claim 1, wherein in the assembly state the sensor element (20) is mechanically fastened and / or electrically contacted by means of a carrier material structure (40) for at least one unit (60) of the power supply device (1), in particular for an electronic processing unit (60) of the power supply device (1) for processing the detected at least one operating state of the at least one cell unit (30), or by means of a housing section of a housing (50) of the power supply device (1), wherein the carrier material structure (40) or the housing section is each connected to the retaining frame (10) by an assembly operation in the assembly direction (M), wherein in the assembly state the sensor element (20) is received in the assembly structure (100), wherein the assembly structure (100) is arranged opposite the carrier material structure (40) or the housing section in the assembly direction (M). Power supply device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sensor element (20) comprises two sensor holders (211, 212) extending from a sensor head (220) of the sensor element (20) in a longitudinal direction (L20) of the sensor element (20), and arranged opposite each other and / or spaced apart from each other, wherein to maintain a distance between the two sensor holders (211, 212) a spacer element (230) is arranged between the two sensor holders (211, 212), which is slidably mounted in the longitudinal direction (L20) in order to set a defined variability of a shape of the sensor element (20). Energy supply device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact section (110) is arranged and configured opposite and / or spaced apart from the at least one cell unit (30) to deform, in particular reversibly deform, and / or displace the sensor element (20) at least sectionally in the direction of the at least one cell unit (30) as a result of an assembly movement along the assembly direction (M). Power supply device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact section (110) comprises a contact surface (111) which is assigned to and configured for the sensor element (20) to support the sensor element (20), in particular a sensor head (220) of the sensor element (20), in the assembly state in at least one direction, in particular to exert a pressure force on the sensor element (20) to contact the sensor element (20) with the at least one cell unit (30). Power supply device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact section (110) comprises a contact surface (111) which is associated with the sensor element (20), wherein the contact surface (111), in particular depending on the configuration of the sensor element (20), is characterized by at least one of the following configurations: planar, tapering along the mounting direction (M), wedge-shaped, trapezoidal, concave, channel-shaped, trough-shaped; in order to position and / or align the sensor element (20), in particular a sensor head (220) of the sensor element (20), in the defined position in the mounting state. Energy supply device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting structure (100) is characterized by one of the following configurations: cage-shaped, pocket-shaped, pot-shaped, trough-shaped; and wherein the contact section (110) is arranged within the mounting structure (100) and extends along the mounting direction (M) into a recess (120) for the passage of the sensor element (20) to the at least one cell unit (30). Energy supply device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact section (110) is designed and configured as a tongue, a rib, a ramp, a clip, a bridge or as a lever, to arrange the sensor element (20) in the assembly state by forming a backlash-free contact connection with the at least one cell unit (30). Energy supply device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting structure (100) together with the retaining frame (10) is integrally formed as a single component, in particular by at least one of the following processes: a casting process, an injection molding process, a sintering process, a 3D printing process; and / or wherein in the assembled state the mounting structure (100) is filled with a dimensionally stable filling material (140) which is characterized by a defined area of a yield point. Method for mounting a sensor element (20) for detecting at least one operating state of at least one cell unit (30) of a mobile power supply device (1) with a mounting frame (10) for arranging the at least one cell unit (30) in a mounting direction (M), wherein the mounting frame (10) comprises at least one mounting structure (100) with a contact section (110) for the sensor element (20), comprising the method steps: • Moving the sensor element (20) in the mounting direction (M); • Sectionally changing a shape of the sensor element (20) by the contact section (110) as a result of moving the sensor element (20), and / or • Positioning and / or aligning the sensor element (20) with at least a section of its shape changed by the contact section (110) as a result of moving the sensor element (20) until a defined position is reached in order to detect the at least one operating state of the at least one cell unit (30).
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Battery with a large number of individual battery cells
DE102011109250B4
Sensor arrangement, sensor device and corresponding use
DE102021120695A1
