Sealing device for a safety valve

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing device (1) for use with a safety valve (2), wherein the sealing device (1) has at least one manually operable actuating mechanism (3). At least in a composite position of the sealing device (1) and the safety valve (2), the sealing device (1) can be transferred between a decoupling state and a coupling state by manipulating the actuating mechanism (3), wherein a respective outlet (4) of the safety valve (2) can be sealed and / or is sealed via the sealing device (1) in the coupling state.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a sealing device for use with a safety valve.

[0002] Leak testing of automotive battery systems is crucial to ensuring the safety, efficiency, and longevity of these essential components. With the growing trend toward electrification of road transport, battery technology is becoming increasingly important. A high-performance battery system forms the heart of every electric vehicle and plays a key role in terms of range and reliability. To ensure these systems function optimally, careful leak testing is essential. This process aims to identify potential leaks that can not only impair battery performance but also pose safety risks.

[0003] However, the presence of emergency venting valves poses a challenging problem when testing battery systems in motor vehicles for leaks. These valves are designed to safely vent excess gases to prevent pressure buildup, for example, during charging and discharging. Without the emergency venting valves closed, it is therefore impossible to verify the leak-tightness of the battery system during a leak test, as the emergency venting valves will inevitably trigger and allow gases to escape. Emergency venting valves are already known in various designs from the prior art.

[0004] For example, US 2017 / 0 352 853 A1 specifies an emergency venting valve that is connected to a battery via an adapter. The adapter is used to adapt the emergency venting valve's bayonet connection to a screw connection formed in the battery housing.

[0005] EP 4 002 571 A1 also discloses another emergency venting valve for a battery, wherein the emergency venting valve comprises a housing, a valve element detachably connected to the housing, at least one seal installed between the housing and the valve element, and a spring element. During normal operation, the spring element ensures a restoring force between the housing and the valve element, whereby the latter is held in position relative to the housing. In the event of emergency venting, however, the spring element also enables an ejection movement of the valve element as soon as the retaining force of the spring element is exceeded. To facilitate inspection and maintenance work in the battery housing, the connection between the spring element and the valve element can be locked or unlocked by means of a bolt, a screw, or a knob.This locking or unlocking allows the valve element to be removed or installed manually.

[0006] The problem of leak testing has also already been discussed in some detail in the prior art. In this context, DE 10 2015 011 663 A1 describes an emergency venting valve for a battery, which is arranged in a housing opening of a battery housing. The emergency venting valve has a gas-tight membrane facing the housing opening, which deforms so much in the event of excess pressure that it is punctured by a mandrel, thus achieving pressure equalization. Since the emergency venting valve is thus unusable once triggered, an indicator is required to detect triggering. For this purpose, the membrane displaces a sleeve when deformed. This sleeve, in turn, has projections that, when moved, protrude through recesses in a cover of the emergency venting valve and are thus visible from the outside.As an additional feature, the sleeve can be used for leak tests on the battery casing. In this case, it can be fixed in a fixed starting position from the outside using a test adapter. The support effect exerted by the sleeve on the diaphragm prevents contact between the diaphragm and the mandrel, thus preventing puncturing of the diaphragm during the leak test and allowing for higher test pressures.

[0007] The contacting process of such test adapters with an emergency degassing valve is usually automated. A battery system is transported, particularly via a workpiece carrier, to a test cell, lifted to a defined end position, and inserted into a reference point system. Subsequently, the respective test points determined by the positions of the emergency degassing valves are approached, a spring-loaded test adapter is moved with a predetermined force, and the leak test is then performed.

[0008] However, this automated process is particularly disadvantageous in test construction, pre-series production, and quality control, as the necessary system technology must be regularly adjusted and tested, which is extremely costly and time-consuming. The automated contacting and sealing of emergency venting valves is only possible using complex mechanics with electromechanical or pneumatic actuators, which also results in disadvantages in terms of reliability. The force required to close emergency venting valves is typically 100 N, but can be up to 400 N depending on the quality of the sealing surfaces, making it relatively high.

[0009] Against this background, the object of the invention is to design the sealing device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that, with increased reliability, a reduced complexity of the sealing device and an improved suitability for test construction are achieved.

[0010] This object is achieved with a sealing device according to the features of patent claim 1. The subclaims relate to particularly expedient developments of the invention.

[0011] According to the invention, a sealing device is provided for use with a safety valve, in particular a safety valve of a battery system, wherein the sealing device has at least one manually operable actuating mechanism. At least in a composite position of sealing element and safety valve, the sealing device can be transferred between a decoupling state and a coupling state by manipulating the actuating mechanism. According to the invention, in the coupling state, a respective outlet of the safety valve can be sealed by the sealing device and / or is sealed by the sealing device.By designing the sealing device with a manual actuation mechanism, by means of which the safety valve and a respective outlet, in particular an opening and / or overflow opening of the safety valve, can be sealed and / or is sealed, it is advantageously possible to avoid the use of complex mechanics, in particular with electromechanical or pneumatic drives, in order to contact the safety valve with a test adapter and subsequently carry out a leak test. In contrast, the sealing device according to the invention has a low, in particular mechanical, complexity, which also results in increased reliability of the sealing device. In addition, the sealing device can advantageously be attached to the safety valve, in particular manually, and locked via the manual actuation mechanism by transferring the sealing device into the coupling state. Subsequently, ieAfter transferring to the coupling state, a leak test can be performed on the safety valve itself or on a device containing the safety valve, e.g., a battery system. Due to the manual attachment and handling of the actuating mechanism, the sealing device according to the invention is also more suitable for test construction. The actuating mechanism can be designed, for example, as a toggle clamp or as a rotary knob with an anti-twist device, or can have such designs.

[0012] It should also be noted that the sealing device and the safety valve, e.g., an emergency degassing valve, at least abut one another in the coupled position, whereby the sealing device and the safety valve are movable relative to one another in at least one spatial direction in the uncoupled state. In the coupled state, however, the sealing device and the safety valve are connected to one another in a force-locking and / or positive-locking manner in all spatial directions.

[0013] In a particularly advantageous development of the invention, the sealing device additionally comprises a sealing mechanism that can be displaced at least between a decoupling position and a coupling position via the actuating mechanism. In this way, the decoupling state and the coupling state can be achieved in an advantageously simple manner by manipulating the actuating mechanism. The sealing mechanism is preferably arranged displaceably inside the sealing device, in particular within a housing of the sealing device. For this purpose, the sealing mechanism can be mounted for rotational movement, but preferably for linear movement. The sealing mechanism is essentially rotationally symmetrical and / or, in particular, cylindrical.Particularly within the scope of this further development, but also in general, in addition to the force and / or form fit established via the sealing element - or taken on its own - a force and / or form fit can also be formed directly between the sealing device, in particular the housing of the sealing device and / or the sealing structure of the sealing mechanism.

[0014] An embodiment of the invention is also advantageous if the sealing device can be and / or is transferred into the coupling state by moving the sealing mechanism into the coupling position. The transfer into the coupling position occurs in particular from the decoupling position. This also means that the sealing device is preferably transferred from the decoupling state to the coupling state by the transfer. These flexible movement sequences contribute not only to easy handling but also to reliable functionality of the sealing device, which overall improves the efficiency and versatility of the sealing device.

[0015] A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the sealing mechanism has at least one sealing element, for example an O-ring, by means of which the respective outlet of the safety valve can be sealed and / or is sealed in the coupled state and / or the coupled position. The implementation of a sealing element advantageously represents a tried and tested method of sealing with low susceptibility to errors, which increases the reliability of the sealing device. Preferably, it is provided that the sealing element is arranged at the end and / or in the end region of the sealing mechanism, in particular a sealing structure such as a sealing sleeve or a sealing pot of the sealing mechanism, which and / or which, in the composite position, is at a smaller distance from the safety device and / or faces the safety device.

[0016] Furthermore, a further development of the invention is advantageous if the sealing element exhibits a reversible, particularly elastic, deformation in the coupled state and / or in the coupled position. Due to the presence of the reversible, particularly elastic deformation of the sealing element in the coupled state and / or in the coupled position, several functions can be advantageously integrated by the sealing element, thus increasing the functional density of the sealing device.

[0017] In an embodiment of the invention based on the above-described further development, but also in general, it is further provided that the respective outlet of the safety valve can be sealed and / or is sealed due to the deformation of the sealing element. Thus, the sealing element advantageously bears against the outlet of the safety valve with an increased sealing effect, so that, in particular, the occurrence of creep leaks is minimized. The sealing element thus fulfills a first function, in particular its main function.

[0018] In a further, equally highly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the coupling state is established by a force-fit and / or form-fit connection formed between the sealing device and the safety valve due to the deformation of the sealing element. This has the advantage that the sealing element not only fulfills the function of sealing the outlet of the safety valve, but also the function of connecting the sealing device and the safety valve and the associated formation of the coupling state. The sealing element thus fulfills a further, second function, in particular a secondary function.

[0019] It is further advantageous if an embodiment of the invention is designed such that the deformation of the sealing element can be and / or is effected by a force, in particular a clamping force, which acts on the sealing element due to the displacement of the sealing mechanism into the coupling position, and consequently also in the coupling state and / or in the coupling position. This makes it possible to apply a defined force, in particular a defined clamping force, via which the deformation is effected. This not only offers the possibility of providing an effective seal but also enables variable adaptation depending on the specific requirements of a leak test of the safety valve and / or a device comprising the safety valve, such as a battery system.

[0020] Building on this, a further development provides for the sealing element to be supported on at least one abutment to form the deformation. This not only ensures control over the deformation of the sealing element but also contributes to ensuring a consistent sealing effect under the relevant operating conditions. A sealing structure, such as a sealing sleeve or a sealing pot of the sealing mechanism, and / or the safety valve can be designed as an abutment.

[0021] A further advantageous development of the invention is based on the fact that the sealing device and / or the sealing mechanism has a cavity for receiving the safety valve, wherein the sealing device and / or the sealing mechanism and the safety valve in the composite layer enclose a part of the cavity designed as a test chamber. The cavity advantageously enables at least partial reception and thus at least partial enclosure of the safety valve in the composite layer, so that the sealing of the outlet of the safety valve is simplified. The formation of the test chamber in the composite layer also makes it possible to fill it with a test pressure or counterpressure and thus avoid creep leaks during a leak test, so that the leak test is not falsified.The cavity and / or the test chamber are preferably formed in the sealing structure described above, in particular the sealing sleeve or sealing pot of the sealing mechanism. The sealing structure, or the sealing sleeve or sealing pot, would accordingly be essentially hollow-cylindrical.

[0022] Furthermore, an embodiment of the invention is considered advantageous in which the cavity and / or the test chamber is connected to a fluid connection, in particular a coupling, preferably a quick-action coupling, of the sealing device via a fluid-permeable line. This allows, in an advantageously simple design, the filling of the test chamber with a test pressure and / or counterpressure. Furthermore, the sealing device can be integrated into a measuring circuit of a test system and / or the test pressure can be applied automatically.

[0023] The invention permits numerous embodiments. To further clarify its basic principle, some of them are shown in the drawing and are described below. The drawing shows in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 a first embodiment of the sealing device with safety valve and an actuating element comprising a toggle lever clamp; Fig. 3 a second embodiment of the sealing device with a safety valve and a fluid connection on the sealing device; Fig. 4 the sealing device of the first embodiment with safety valve in perspective view; Fig. 5 a third embodiment of the sealing device with fluid connection and an actuating element having a rotary knob.

[0024] The Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the sealing device 1 for use with the safety valve 2. The sealing device 1 comprises the manually operable actuation mechanism 3, which includes the toggle lever clamp 12.

[0025] Furthermore, the sealing device 1 comprises the sealing mechanism 5, which is connected to the actuating mechanism 3, in particular the sealing plunger 13 of the actuating mechanism 3, and is thereby moved via the actuating mechanism 3 between a decoupling position not shown in detail and the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The sealing mechanism 5, in turn, has the sealing structure 14 designed as a sealing pot, as well as the sealing element 6, which is formed at the end of the sealing mechanism 5 and / or in particular of the sealing structure 14 facing away from the actuating mechanism 3. In this context, it should be noted that the sealing structure 14, in the decoupling position, is spaced from the safety valve 2 in such a way, for example, that it is in abutment with the housing 15 of the sealing device 1, that the sealing structure 14 and the safety valve 2 are not in engagement with one another.

[0026] The sealing device 1 and the safety valve 2 are, as shown, also in a connected position in which they at least abut one another. In this connected position of the sealing device 1 and the safety valve 2, the sealing device 1 can be switched by handling the actuating mechanism 3 between a decoupling state (not shown in detail), in which the sealing device 1 and the safety valve 2 are movable relative to one another in at least one spatial direction, and the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. In the coupling state, the sealing device 1 and the safety valve 2 are connected to each other in all spatial directions in a force-locking and / or form-locking manner.

[0027] The transfer of the sealing device 1 into the coupling state takes place by moving the sealing mechanism 5 from the decoupling position into the illustrated coupling position by means of the actuating mechanism 3. As in particular the Fig. 2, the force F acts on the sealing element 6 due to the displacement of the sealing mechanism 5 into the coupling position indicated by the arrow P. The force F causes a reversible, in particular elastic deformation of the sealing element 6, which consequently also occurs in the coupling state of the sealing device 1. The deformed sealing element 6 engages, on the one hand, in the outlet 4 of the safety valve 2, so that, due to this engagement and / or, on the other hand, due to the deformation of the sealing element 6 as such, a force and / or form fit is formed between the sealing device 1 and the safety valve 2. This force and / or form fit accordingly establishes the coupling state of the sealing device 1. To form the deformation, the sealing element 6 is supported on the abutment 7 formed by the safety element 2. It should also be explained that the deformation of the sealing element 6 in the Fig. 2 is exaggerated for improved presentation.

[0028] In addition to establishing the coupling state, the sealing element 6 also performs its main function, namely sealing the outlet 4 of the safety valve 2. In this embodiment, the sealing of the outlet 4 occurs due to the deformation of the sealing element 6. As a result, the outlet 4 of the safety valve 2 is consequently also sealed via the sealing device 1 itself in the coupling state. Due to the screw connection 17, via which the sealing plunger 13 is connected to the actuating element of the actuating mechanism 5, designed as a toggle lever clamp 12, and the sealing plunger 13 is in turn connected to the sealing structure 14 of the sealing mechanism 5, the design of further sealing elements for sealing the sealing plunger 13 and / or the sealing mechanism 5, here specifically the sealing structure 14, from the housing 15 can be dispensed with.

[0029] From the Fig. 3 also includes a design based on the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 constructive design of the sealing device 1 for use with the safety valve 2. As in the embodiment of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the sealing device 1, and in particular the sealing structure 14 of the sealing mechanism 5, has the design of the Fig. 3 the cavity 8 for accommodating the safety valve 2, wherein the sealing device 1 and the safety valve 2 in the illustrated composite position enclose the part of the cavity 8 designed as a test chamber 9. The cavity 8 and the test chamber 9 are connected via the fluid-permeable line 10 to the fluid connection 11, here a quick-action coupling of the sealing device 1. This makes it possible to fill the test chamber 9 with a test pressure or counterpressure and thus avoid creep leaks during a leak test, so that the leak test is not falsified. A leak test of the safety valve 2 itself, i.e. without integration into a device such as a battery system, is also made possible in this way. Furthermore, the sealing device 1 can be integrated into a measuring circuit of a test system and / or a test pressure application can be carried out automatically.

[0030] From the Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the sealing device 1 and the safety valve 2 of the design of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 with the actuating mechanism 3 designed as a toggle lever clamp 12.

[0031] Furthermore, the Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the sealing device 1 and the safety valve 2 in a perspective view, wherein the actuating mechanism 3, in contrast to the embodiments of Fig. 1 to 4 has a rotary knob 16 with an anti-twist device. Furthermore, the sealing device 1 has the handle 18 to support a manual feed movement of the sealing device 1. In the same or in a comparable position, the Fig. 3 known fluid connection 11 designed as a quick coupling can be arranged. List of reference symbols 1 sealing device 2 safety valve 3 Operating mechanism 4 Exit 5 Sealing mechanism 6 Sealing element 7 abutments 8 Cavity 9 Test room 10 Line 11 Fluid connection 12 toggle clamps 13 sealing stamps 14 Sealing structure 15 housings 16 Rotary knob 17 Screw connection 18 Handle F Force P Arrow QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 4 002 571 A1

[0005] DE 10 2015 011 663 A1

[0006]

Claims

[1] Sealing device (1) for use with a safety valve (2), characterized by that the sealing device (1) has at least one manually operable actuating mechanism (3), wherein the sealing device (1) can be transferred between a decoupling state and a coupling state by manipulating the actuating mechanism (3), at least in a composite position of the sealing device (1) and the safety valve (2), and a respective outlet (4) of the safety valve (2) can be sealed and / or is sealed in the coupling state via the sealing device (1). [2] Sealing device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the sealing device (1) has a sealing mechanism (5) which can be displaced via the actuating mechanism (3) at least between a decoupling position and a coupling position. [3] Sealing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the sealing device (1) can be and / or is transferred into the coupling state by moving the sealing mechanism (5) into the coupling position. [4] Sealing device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sealing mechanism (5) has at least one sealing element (6) by which the respective outlet (4) of the safety valve (2) can be sealed and / or is sealed in the coupled state. [5] Sealing device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sealing element (6) has a reversible deformation in the coupling state. [6] Sealing device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the respective outlet (4) of the safety valve (2) can be sealed and / or is sealed due to the deformation of the sealing element (6). [7] Sealing device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the coupling state is established by a force and / or form fit formed between the sealing device (1) and the safety valve (2) due to the deformation of the sealing element (6). [8] Sealing device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the deformation of the sealing element (6) can be effected and / or is effected by a force (F) which acts on the sealing element (6) due to the displacement of the sealing mechanism (5) into the coupling position, wherein the sealing element (6) is supported on an abutment (7) to form the deformation. [9] Sealing device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the sealing device (1) has a cavity (8) for receiving the safety valve (2), wherein the sealing device (1) and the safety valve (2) in the composite position enclose a part of the cavity (8) designed as a test chamber (9). [10] Sealing device (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the cavity (8) and / or the test chamber (9) is connected to at least one fluid connection (11) of the sealing device (1) via at least one fluid-permeable line (10).

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