Scalable, modular battery system with improved battery replacement capability

Abstract

Modular battery system (1) comprising at least a battery housing (10) and a battery housing holder (1) receiving the battery housing (10), characterized in that the battery housing (10) - has a cuboid-shaped basic symmetry with a right (15) and a left side wall (16), a top (11) and a bottom (12) as well as a front (13) and a back (14); - has a display unit (17) and a handle element (18) extending along the top surface (11) on the upper surface (11); - has inside a battery compartment (19) for receiving one or more rechargeable battery cells; - in the rear side (14) extending from the lower side (12) towards the upper side (11) has a cuboid recess (20), wherein an electrical contact element (21) for electrical contacting the battery housing (10) is arranged within the cuboid recess (20) at the upper end of the cuboid recess (20); - on the rear side (14) above the cuboid recess (20) and below the handle element (18) has a fixing recess (22), wherein the fixing recess (22) is designed to reversibly receive a mechanical contacting element (47); and the battery housing holder (40) - has a lower rectangular support area (41) designed for mechanical contact with the underside (12) of the battery housing, - on the lower support area (41) has a cuboid guide structure (43) extending perpendicularly from the support area (41), wherein the guide structure (43) has three side areas configured for reversible mechanical interaction with the cuboid recess (20) on the rear of the battery housing (14) and a top (44) with an electrical contacting element (47); - a locking device (45) arranged above the cuboid guide structure (43), wherein the locking device (45) comprises a locking element (46) and a mechanical contacting element (42), wherein the contacting element (42) is configured to engage reversibly in the fixing recess (22) of the battery housing (10) when the locking element (46) is actuated and to lock the battery housing (10) in the battery housing holder (40).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a modular battery system comprising a battery housing and a battery housing holder accommodating the battery housing. The battery housing has a cuboid basic symmetry, a display unit, a handle element, a battery receiving space, a cuboid recess, and a fixing recess, and the battery housing holder has a rectangular support area and a cuboid guide structure extending perpendicularly from the support area, as well as a locking device. Furthermore, the present invention relates to electrically driven devices such as vehicles with a battery system according to the invention, as well as to a battery charging station comprising one or more of the battery systems according to the invention.

[0002] The increasing use of wireless electrical devices and the inevitable rise in the share of electromobility following the foreseeable end to the use of fossil fuels for combustion engines are leading to an increasing focus for industrial and private users on battery solutions that are easy and safe to handle. The focus here is not only on the safe and reliable connection of the replaceable energy storage devices to the electrical devices themselves, but also, with equal importance, on the suitability for quickly replacing discharged batteries and for easily expanding the system's electrical system. This rapid replacement increases the functionality of the electrical device and is therefore an essential quality feature.With these additional points in the requirements profile, the specific mechanical and electrical interactions of the individual battery units with the installation situation in the electrical device and the possible interconnection of several systems also come to the fore. This includes, for example, the installation situation in electrical devices and the possible connection of several systems. In many cases, there is only limited installation space available for cables and connectors, so the systems must be easy to handle when replacing them. Ideally, replacement should be possible with just one hand and "blindly," whereby these advantages form the basis for a long service life of the batteries, even in harsh working environments.

[0003] The patent literature also contains different technical approaches to interchangeable, modular battery storage systems.

[0004] For example, DE 20 2020 103 421 U1 describes a modular battery system at least comprising a battery and a battery holder, characterized in that the battery holder comprises at least a) a frame for receiving one or more battery cells; and b) an upper battery frame end with b1) two power connection sockets; b2) two communication connection sockets; and b3) a carrying handle with a long and a short axis, wherein a power connection socket and a communication connection socket are arranged on each side of the upper battery frame end, separated from one another by the longitudinal axis of the carrying handle, wherein the communication connection sockets and the power connection sockets are arranged offset from one another parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrying handle, wherein the carrying handle is spaced from the upper battery frame end and extends at least partially above the communication connection sockets.

[0005] WO 2021 008 826 A1 describes a battery system, in particular for a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, a pedelec, an e-bike, an electric scooter, a LEV (Light Electric Vehicle) or the like, for supplying energy to an electrical consumer, with a housing having a wall, and with at least one battery and / or rechargeable battery cell located in the housing, characterized in that a clamping element is arranged between the wall and the battery and / or rechargeable battery cell adjacent to the wall, in particular in such a way that an adjustable clamping force can be exerted on the battery and / or rechargeable battery cell.

[0006] Furthermore, EP 2 885 170 B1 discloses a battery swapping system comprising: a battery housing located on an underside of an electric vehicle and accessible from the underside of the vehicle, the housing including one or more locking levers which, when engaged, retain within the housing a first battery having first and second contact bars extending along a length of the first battery, the first and second contact bars of the first battery being adapted to engage first and second front contact bars and first and second rear contact bars extending from the vehicle; a drive mechanism for moving the vehicle forward while the first battery is swapped with a second battery;and a swap plate comprising: a bracket on the swap plate for holding the second battery in position on the swap plate as the vehicle moves forward over the swap plate and the second battery, the second battery having first and second contact bars extending along a length of the second battery, the first and second contact bars of the second battery being adapted to engage the first and second front and rear contact bars;and at least one post associated with the swap plate, the post being adapted to release the one or more battery enclosure locking levers as the vehicle moves over the post to drop the first battery and contact bars, such that the first battery is deposited on the swap plate and positioned horizontally adjacent to the second battery, such that as the vehicle moves forward over the swap plate, the front and rear contact bars move from engagement with the contact bars of the first battery to engagement with the contact bars of the second battery, while an electrical charge is provided to the vehicle through these engagements and the at least one post adapted to re-engage the one or more battery enclosure locking levers once the second battery is in position within the battery enclosure.

[0007] Such solutions known from the state of the art can offer further potential for improvement, in particular with regard to electrical scalability, user-friendliness, manageability and the functionality of individual battery systems as well as systems consisting of several interconnected batteries.

[0008] It is therefore the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages known from the prior art. In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved modular battery system that offers improved and simplified handling for battery replacement, secure and rapid connection to electrical consumers and charging stations, and simple interconnection of multiple systems.

[0009] The problem is solved by the features of the independent claims, directed to the modular battery system according to the invention, electrically powered vehicles comprising the modular battery system according to the invention, and battery charging stations comprising the modular battery system according to the invention. Preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims, in the description, or in the figures. Further features described or shown in the subclaims or in the description or in the figures may constitute a subject matter of the invention, individually or in any combination, unless the context clearly indicates the opposite.

[0010] The object is achieved according to the invention by a modular battery system comprising at least one battery housing and a battery housing holder accommodating the battery housing, wherein the the battery case - has a cuboid basic symmetry with a right and a left side wall, a top and a bottom, and a front and a back; - has a display unit on the top and a handle element extending along the top; - has a battery compartment inside it for accommodating one or more rechargeable battery cells; - has a cuboid-shaped recess in the rear side, starting from the bottom towards the top, wherein an electrical contact element for electrically contacting the battery housing is arranged within the cuboid-shaped recess at the upper end of the cuboid-shaped recess; - has a fixing recess on the rear side above the cuboid-shaped recess and below the grip element, wherein the fixing recess is designed to reversibly accommodate a mechanical contacting element; and the battery housing holder - has a lower rectangular support area designed for mechanical contact with the bottom of the battery housing, - on the lower support area, a cuboid-shaped guide structure extending vertically from the support area, wherein the guide structure has three side areas configured for reversible mechanical interaction with the cuboid-shaped recess on the back of the battery housing and an upper side with an electrical contacting element; - a locking device arranged above the cuboid-shaped guide structure, wherein the locking device comprises a closure element and a contacting element, wherein the mechanical contacting element is designed to reversibly engage in the fixing recess of the battery housing upon actuation of the closure element and to lock the battery housing in the battery housing holder.

[0011] Surprisingly, it was discovered that the battery system described above can be used to operate both individual batteries and complex battery storage systems consisting of multiple battery systems connected in parallel or in series, electrically and mechanically safely and in a user-friendly manner. Compared to state-of-the-art solutions, these systems offer improved handling and safe mechanical replacement or swapping of discharged batteries. The design also prevents accidental incorrect insertion of the battery into the battery holder due to carelessness or ignorance. Furthermore, the selected design also offers particular advantages in cases where several individual modular battery systems are flexibly interconnected within an application to form a larger battery system.The improved application properties arise in particular from the fact that the structure of the individual parts establishes a specific, functional interaction between the battery housing and the battery housing holder that accommodates the battery housing. The battery housing can be pushed very easily and securely into the battery housing holder and mechanically fixed there blindly. Likewise, the design of the battery housing enables easy removal of the battery housing from the battery housing holder once the batteries in the battery housing have been discharged. In addition to securely holding the battery housing, the battery housing holder can also perform other functions. For example, the battery housing holder can enable an electrical connection of the battery housing to the actual electrical consumers.In this respect, the battery housing holder not only forms a mechanical element for holding the battery housing, but also enables a defined electrical interface, which enables a secure electrical and mechanical connection of the battery housing to the electrical load and a quick exchange, for example, to charge the batteries in the battery housing. Poorly or unreliably conductive electrical connections are reliably avoided, thus ruling out uncontrolled heat generation and premature wear due to thermal stress, for example in the form of melting of the plastic used. The arrangement of the individual functional elements on the battery housing and on the battery housing holder makes it easier to handle large, flexible batteries in difficult working environments.It is also possible to easily create flexibly adaptable systems that can accommodate varying numbers of housings. This simplified operation can be particularly beneficial in the field of electrically powered vehicles, where batteries must provide high energy quantities, are exposed to mechanical vibrations, and downtimes due to battery changes must be kept to a minimum. Thus, the system according to the invention can easily provide individual battery housings that can provide an electrical charge of greater than 1 kWh. The arrangement of the functional elements also facilitates maintenance, with the functional parts, in particular, being particularly effectively protected from contamination.

[0012] The modular battery system comprises at least one battery housing and a battery housing holder that accommodates the battery housing. The structure of the modular battery system is therefore at least two parts, with one system part, the battery housing, containing one or more batteries that fulfill the task of storing and releasing power. The batteries contained in the battery housing can be batteries known from the prior art. For example, the battery can be a rechargeable alkaline-ion battery. Furthermore, it is also possible for a lead-acid accumulator to be used as the battery. The actual power storage devices are protected by the battery housing and mechanically separated from the environment. The battery housing holder can enclose or frame the battery housing completely or only partially.The battery housing holder can be made of metal, plastic, or mixtures thereof, for example. The modular battery system is a modular system in that a single battery system can be flexibly connected to one or more additional battery systems of the same design. It is not necessarily necessary for the battery system according to the invention to always be in the form of several individual battery systems. A single battery system with the structure according to the invention also falls under the definition of a modular battery system. A system according to the invention can, for example, have dimensions greater than 10 cm x 50 cm x 30 cm (W x H x D, viewed from the front).

[0013] The battery housing has a cuboidal basic symmetry with a right and a left side wall, a top and a bottom, and a front and a back. The battery housing has a box-shaped structure with the corresponding sides, wherein the top side is the side which has the handle element described below. Preferably, the side surfaces can have a significantly larger area than the top and bottom and the front and a back. Preferably, the surface area of ​​the side surfaces can be larger than the sum of the surfaces of the top and bottom and the front and a back. Preferably, the sum of the surface areas of the side surfaces has an area at least twice as large relative to the surface area of ​​the other surface of the battery housing.

[0014] Furthermore, the battery housing has a display unit on the top side and a handle element extending along the top side. For improved mechanical handling of the battery housing for insertion and removal from the battery housing holder, the battery housing can, by definition, have a handle element on the top side. A handle element can be designed in the form of a holding device which extends from two points on the surface of the battery housing and which offers the possibility of reaching between the holding device and the surface of the battery housing with one or both hands. For example, the handle element can be made of a thermoplastic material which is firmly connected to the other parts of the surface of the battery housing. A display unit can be designed in the form of a display on which information about the operating status of the batteries in the battery housing can be shown.However, it is also possible for the display unit to be designed in the form of individual, possibly colored LEDs.

[0015] The battery housing has a battery compartment inside it for accommodating one or more rechargeable battery cells. The actual electrical energy sources are located inside the battery housing. The batteries can be located in the battery housing itself or in a separate container within the interior of the battery housing. The rechargeable battery cells can preferably be rechargeable Li-ion batteries. The battery compartment has an electrical connection to the electrical contact element described below.

[0016] The battery housing additionally has a cuboid-shaped recess on the rear, extending from the bottom towards the top, wherein an electrical contact element for electrically contacting the battery housing is arranged within the cuboid-shaped recess at the upper end of the recess. For the mechanical interaction between the battery housing and the battery housing holder, the battery housing has a box-shaped recess on the rear. The box-shaped or cuboid-shaped, elongated recess extends from the lowest point on the rear towards the top. The recess does not extend over the entire area of ​​the rear up to the top of the battery housing. Preferably, the recess can extend centrally on the rear of the battery housing.The recess extends within the battery housing surface and forms a surface at the upper end that runs parallel to the underside of the battery housing. An electrical connection point for electrically connecting and contacting the batteries within the battery housing can preferably be formed on this surface. The electrical contact element can be designed in the form of an electrical plug or an electrical socket.

[0017] The battery housing has a fixing recess on the rear side above the cuboid-shaped recess and below the handle element, wherein the fixing recess is designed to reversibly accommodate a mechanical contacting element. Near the recess, the rear side of the battery housing has a further recess in the surface of the battery housing, wherein both recesses, the cuboid-shaped recess and the fixing recess, have no connection to each other below the surface of the battery housing and are thus separated from each other. The fixing recess can, for example, have a square or rectangular basic shape and extend over an area of ​​greater than or equal to 5 cm 2 and less than or equal to 30 cm 2extend. The fixing recess can have additional structures which enable a reversible, mechanical fixing of a contacting element. For this purpose, the fixing recess can have further engagement elements in the recess which extend within the fixing recess. For example, active fixing elements are also possible in the fixing recess which can mechanically or electrically hold objects inserted into the fixing recess via an electrical or mechanical mechanism. For the purposes of the invention, however, it is sufficient if a further part can be fitted into the fixing recess. The fixing recess can preferably have a depth of greater than or equal to 2 cm and less than or equal to 20 cm, more preferably of greater than or equal to 5 cm and less than or equal to 10 cm.With these depths of the fixing recess, even large battery cases with a heavy battery load can be held securely.

[0018] The battery housing holder includes a lower rectangular support area designed for mechanical contact with the battery housing's underside. Thus, when inserted into the battery housing holder, the battery housing's underside contacts a rectangular support area located on the top of the battery housing holder.

[0019] This area of ​​mechanical contact is retained in the battery case during operation of the batteries.

[0020] The battery housing holder further comprises, on the lower support region, a cuboid-shaped guide structure extending vertically from the support region. The guide structure comprises three side regions configured for reversible mechanical interaction with the cuboid-shaped recess on the rear side of the battery housing and a top side with an electrical contacting element. For further mechanical fixing of the battery housing in the battery housing holder, in addition to a contact via the rectangular support region, a further mechanical element is also provided by the battery housing holder. This further element is a cuboid-shaped structure configured to be inserted into the fixing recess of the battery housing.The insertion results in further fixation of the battery housing, preventing lateral displacement of the battery housing due to the insertion of the cuboid guide structure into the fixation recess. For this purpose, the cuboid guide structure can be configured to be slightly smaller in width than the fixation recess. Preferably, the width of the fixation recess can be greater than or equal to 0.5 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 1.0 mm and less than or equal to 2 mm, compared to the width of the cuboid guide structure.

[0021] The battery housing holder has a locking device arranged above the cuboid-shaped guide structure, wherein the locking device comprises a closure element and a contacting element, wherein the mechanical contacting element is configured to reversibly engage in the fixing recess of the battery housing upon actuation of the closure element and to lock the battery housing in the battery housing holder. For mechanically fixing the battery housing in the battery housing holder, the battery housing holder has a locking device which mechanically fixes the battery housing during use and releases it again when the battery housing, including the batteries, is changed. The change between mechanical fixing and release of the battery housing takes place via the closure element, which can be actuated electrically or mechanically.The locking element interacts with the contact element and can insert it into or remove it from the battery housing's retaining recess. After removal, the battery housing can be lifted off the battery housing holder. Lifting is not possible if the contact element is still within the retaining recess.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the battery system, the battery housing can have further recesses in the front and / or underside, wherein the recesses are designed for the mechanical fixation of the battery housing in the battery housing holder. For further, secure mechanical fixation of the battery housing in the battery housing holder and to achieve improved blind operability, further guide structures can be provided on the battery housing, which prevent further displacement of the battery housing after the battery housing has been inserted onto the battery housing holder. For this purpose, the battery housing can have further recesses and the battery housing holder can have further protruding areas. This further mechanical fixation has proven particularly suitable for relatively large battery housings.The battery housings can also benefit from these additional structures in unfavorable application situations, for example with strong vibrations. These additional recesses can preferably be designed as elongated slots, wherein these recesses can have, for example, a width of greater than or equal to 2 mm and less than or equal to 10 mm, further preferably greater than or equal to 3 mm and less than or equal to 5 mm. These additional recesses can, for example, have a length of greater than or equal to 2 cm and less than or equal to 20 cm, preferably greater than or equal to 5 cm and less than or equal to 15 cm. Within this range, a significant further stabilization of the position of the battery housing in the battery housing holder can be achieved without any loss of handleability of the battery housing. Alternatively, the recesses can also be pyramidal, wherein the pyramid has, for example, a base area of ​​5 cm. 2and can have a height of 1 cm. Preferably, the additional recesses can be located on both the front and bottom of the battery housing.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the battery system, the locking element of the locking device can be designed in the form of a mechanical button, and the mechanical contacting element of the locking device can be designed in the form of a mechanical pin, wherein the button is connected to the pin via a lever connection. For robust and uncomplicated handling of the system, it has proven advantageous for the locking of the battery housing in the battery housing holder to be achieved via a mechanical operation using a button. The button acts on the lever connection, which locks the pin into the corresponding fixing recess in the battery housing or removes it from it again.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, a battery management device can be arranged in the battery housing, wherein the battery management device comprises at least one sensor for detecting an electrical parameter of the battery cells in the battery housing, a storage unit, a communication unit for communicating with one or more further battery housings and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the charging and / or discharging of the battery cells in the battery housing as a function of the electrical parameter detected by the sensor. To improve the ability to easily and efficiently interconnect multiple battery housings to form larger units, it has proven particularly suitable for each battery housing to have the technical means that enable control of the charging and discharging process, even in conjunction with multiple battery housings.For example, the battery management system integrated into the housing can preferentially discharge those battery cases that have a specific charge status. These could be the batteries that are still as fully charged as possible. This can protect the batteries from unnecessary deep discharge. It also ensures that the electrochemical stress on the individual batteries in the assembly is as even as possible. Overall, this increases the service life of the individual batteries in the housing. The same applies to the charging process; for example, the most deeply discharged batteries in this specific housing are given priority. This order of charging / discharging of the individual housings can be achieved, for example, using a voltage sensor that can determine the voltage of the batteries in a housing.However, other or additional parameters can also be used, such as remaining or already used current or even the temperature of the unit. The communication unit can exchange the electrical status values ​​between the individual battery housings. The storage unit can be set up to store and retrieve current or past values. The control unit can also be set up to define a current cell priority, which can be exchanged between the individual control units of the individual housings. This cell priority can then determine the order for charging and discharging processes. This decentralized control in the individual housings can be more efficient and simpler than a central control system and promotes the quick replacement of individual units. The management system can also be set up to transmit the charging status to the battery housing holder.

[0025] In a further preferred embodiment of the battery system, the cuboid-shaped recess on the battery housing can extend over greater than or equal to 50% and less than or equal to 80% of the length of the rear side of the battery housing. Within these dimensions of the recess in the battery housing, very good mechanical stabilization and guidance of the battery housings on the battery housing holder can result, even for very large and very heavy battery housings with very powerful batteries. The battery housings do not tilt when inserted into and removed from the battery housing holder, and the mechanical forces for locking and unlocking are also reliably absorbed. In this embodiment, the width of the recess can preferably be greater than or equal to 25% and less than or equal to 70% based on the width of the battery housing. More preferably, the width of the recess can preferably be greater than or equal to 30% and less than or equal to 60%.Within these dimensions, the battery housing is held securely and easy to handle when inserting and removing it.

[0026] In a preferred aspect of the battery system, the fixing recess of the battery housing can be arranged greater than or equal to 2 cm and less than or equal to 10 cm from an upper end of the cuboid-shaped recess. Close spatial proximity between the fixing recess and the cuboid-shaped recess can enable better mechanical handling of the battery housing when inserting and removing it from the battery housing holder. This relatively short distance enables efficient stabilization of the mechanical situation near the fixing point and can protect the fixing mechanism even in the event of strong mechanical loads. Preferably, the distance between the cuboid-shaped recess and the fixing recess can be greater than or equal to 2.5 cm and less than or equal to 8 cm.

[0027] In a further preferred aspect of the battery system, magnets can be arranged on the battery housing and / or on the battery housing holder, wherein the magnets are designed to create a mechanically detachable connection between the battery housing holder and the battery housing. The use of magnets has proven to be very advantageous for improving the blind connection capability between the housing and the holder. The magnets enable a simple and secure guided coupling to be created between the two parts of the system. This additional connection option can also be easily separated again, thus facilitating the "blind" insertion and replacement of the individual housings. One or two magnets can be arranged on the housing and on the holder. The number of magnets can depend on the size of the individual housing.The magnet(s) can be arranged near the electrical contact element or near the electrical contacting element. Preferably, they can be magnets with a rectangular surface, with the surface area preferably being greater than or equal to 1 cm. 2 and less than or equal to 10 cm 2 Within these size ranges, the magnets exert mechanical forces that securely hold the system together and allow the individual parts to be separated safely and easily.

[0028] In a preferred characteristic of the battery system, the top side of the battery housing can have at least two areas with different heights, wherein the handle element is designed to compensate for the two different heights and provide a flat surface of the battery housing. An angled profile of the handle element to adapt to the different height ranges can improve the handling of the battery housing when inserting and removing it from the battery housing holder. This profile enables improved insertion, especially in the case of very large battery housings, even when installed horizontally. This improves the flexibility of the battery system. Particularly advantageously, the attachment points of the handle element can be located greater than or equal to 2 cm and less than or equal to 10 cm, further preferably greater than or equal to 3 cm and less than or equal to 8.5 cm, relative to the top side of the battery housing.

[0029] In a further preferred embodiment, the battery housing can have further mechanical locking means on its underside, wherein the further mechanical locking means are arranged such that they mechanically contact the battery housing holder diagonally opposite the locking device. In very challenging application situations, it can be helpful if, in addition to the basic mechanical connection between the housing and the holder, there is also a further mechanical fixing option. This further mechanical fixing can, for example, be mechanically coupled to the basic fixing. The further fixing results in the housing being fixed diagonally in the holder at least once. This type of fixing is extremely mechanically stable and can be brought about and removed very easily.In principle, it is also possible for this additional, diagonally arranged fixing point to be separated via a separate switch. A mechanical connection can be achieved through a positive fit or through an active retaining element. The spatial tolerances required for easy insertion and removal of the battery are reliably eliminated by a mechanical locking device which, once the lock is activated, prevents any movement of the battery relative to the battery holder in the x, y, and z directions. This creates spatial tolerances for installation, which are significantly reduced during operation by the locking mechanism. This measure can prevent wear and failure even under prolonged exposure to vibration and shock loads.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the battery system, a power supply can be arranged in the lower support area of ​​the battery housing holder, wherein the power supply is configured to supply the battery housing with power via the cuboid-shaped guide structure. For a compact design of the system with an integrated option for supplying power to the battery housing, it has proven particularly advantageous to accommodate a power supply in the form of a transformer beneath the surface of the battery housing holder. The power can then be conducted via the guide structure into the battery housing and thus into the batteries. This design enables short electrical paths and improved system manageability.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the battery system, the cuboid-shaped guide structure can be designed so that it can be reversibly removed from the support area and reattached. To increase the flexibility of the battery system, including for the use of a large number of different battery housings, it has proven advantageous for the guide structure to be designed so that it can be exchanged and removed. On the one hand, removing the structure can increase compactness during transport. On the other hand, the interchangeability can lead to different battery housings with different cutouts being able to be attached. On the one hand, this can be done while maintaining the symmetry, whereby, for example, the height of the guide structure can be varied. On the other hand, other symmetries can also be used for the guide structure, which then fit correspondingly to other cutouts in the battery housing.This expands the application scope of the battery case holder and prevents incompatible battery cases from being inserted incorrectly. This can be particularly advantageous if the battery case holder also has a charging module that isn't designed to charge all compatible battery cases. In this case, specially selected recesses for a specific battery type can prevent incorrect charging or incorrect insertion.

[0032] Furthermore, the invention provides an electrically driven device having a battery storage device, wherein the device has a battery system according to the invention. The simple and reliable battery system can be used particularly advantageously as a decentralized energy source for supplying electrical consumers. The high-performance battery system comprising a battery housing and a battery housing holder can be used in particular in vehicles. Here, the secure mechanical holding of the battery housing in the battery housing holder can contribute to an improved service life, since the range of movement of the battery housing during operation is efficiently reduced to a minimum. In addition, the individual battery housings can be easily replaced. For this purpose, the battery housing is removed from the battery housing holder, for example by actuating a lever which acts on a pin in the fixing recess.For further advantages of the battery system according to the invention in vehicles, explicit reference is made to the advantages described in the context of the battery system itself. Vehicles such as cars, delivery vehicles, forklifts, electrically powered two- or three-wheelers, and aircraft can be reliably supplied with electrical energy using the system according to the invention.

[0033] Furthermore, the invention provides a battery charging station comprising a housing and an electrical connection to a power grid, wherein the battery charging station has one or more of the battery systems according to the invention. The modular battery systems are particularly suitable for being combined in the form of battery charging stations. For this purpose, more than two of the systems according to the invention can be placed in one housing. The battery housing holders can be permanently installed in the housing for this purpose. The charging process is started by inserting the battery housing into the corresponding battery housing holder. After, for example, the display indicates that charging is complete, the battery housing can be removed and used as an energy storage device in an electrical consumer.The flexible design of the recesses in the battery housing allows different battery types of the same dimensions to be used in different battery housing holders with different cuboid-shaped guide structures. This prevents incorrect insertion of a battery housing into the wrong battery housing holder, which could, for example, result in an undesired charging current or an inappropriate charging voltage. Furthermore, the charging system can incorporate additional means for electrically communicating with the battery systems and ensuring controlled charging of the individual systems.

[0034] Further advantages and advantageous embodiments of the inventive subject matter are illustrated by the examples and drawings and explained in the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are for descriptive purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0035] The figures show: Fig. 1 a schematic view of a battery system according to the invention comprising a battery housing and a battery housing holder; Fig. 2 a schematic view of a battery housing in a side view; Fig. 3 a schematic view of a battery housing in a plan view; Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of a battery housing holder; Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of a battery housing holder with power supply; Fig. 6 a schematic view of a battery system according to the invention comprising a battery housing and a battery housing holder with an integrated power supply; Fig. 7 a schematic view of a battery charging station according to the invention comprising several battery housings and battery housing holders in one housing.

[0036] The Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a battery system 1 according to the invention, comprising a battery housing 10 and a battery housing holder 40. The battery system 1 comprises or consists of two separate units, which can be mechanically and electrically reversibly connected to and separated from one another via a possibly blind insertion process. The actual electrical energy source is the battery housing 10, which delivers the electrical energy to the actual end user (not shown) via the battery housing holder 40. This system is particularly suitable for supplying high amounts of current, for example for powering electric vehicles. In this respect, the battery housing 10 can be designed to be relatively large and provide electrical energy quantities of greater than or equal to 1 kWh. The dimensions of the system 1 can be easily adapted and can comprise different quantities of batteries depending on the application.The functional relationships between the individual components of Battery System 1 result in a modular, manually manageable energy supply that is easy to maintain and manage. System 1 can also be easily scaled to the required energy quantities by interconnecting multiple units.

[0037] The Fig. 2 shows a schematic side view of a battery housing 10. The battery housing 10 has a cuboidal basic symmetry and is bounded by a right side wall 15, a left side wall 16 (not shown), a top side 11, a bottom side 12, a front side 13, and a rear side 14. A display unit 17 and a handle element 18 are arranged on the battery housing top side 11. The handle element 18 extends along the battery housing top side 11. The display unit 17 can, as shown, be designed in the form of LEDs or a display and can provide information about the charge status of the actual batteries in the battery receiving space 19 (not shown). The handle element 18 preferably runs from the battery housing front side 13 to the rear side 14 and can be in the form of a plastic part.On the rear side 14 of the battery housing there is a cuboid-shaped recess 20 which extends from the bottom side 12 of the battery housing towards the top side 11 of the battery housing. This cuboid-shaped recess 20 guides the battery housing 10 during insertion and removal from the battery housing holder 40 (not shown). Within this cuboid-shaped recess 20 is an electrical contact element 21 which can connect the battery housing 10 to the battery housing holder 40. The electrical contact element 21 is preferably arranged at the upper end of the cuboid-shaped recess 20 so that it does not become dirty during operation. A variety of different electrical contact elements 21 can be used. One possibility is the arrangement of an electrical socket or a plug.Above the cuboid-shaped recess 20 and below the battery housing top 11 and below the handle element 18, there is a further fixing recess 22, which is used to mechanically fix the battery housing 10 within the battery housing holder 40. For this purpose, a mechanical contact element 47 (not shown) can be inserted into the fixing recess 22 and removed therefrom. Depending on the position of the mechanical contact element 47, the battery housing 10 is released or locked in the battery housing holder 40.

[0038] The Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a battery housing 10 in a front view. In this figure, the same elements as in the Fig. 1 in a different perspective. The battery housing 10 is shown with its top side 11, bottom side 12, front side 13 and back side 14. The handle element 18 and the display unit 17 are arranged on the top side. The elements arranged on the back side 14 of the battery housing are not shown. In addition to the Fig. 1, the battery housing front side 13 has a further recess 23, which, similar to the cuboid-shaped recess 20 on the battery housing rear side 14, can be used for secure mechanical guidance of the battery housing 10 in the battery housing holder 40. In this case, the battery housing holder 40 has corresponding elevations on the surface, which engage in and guide the further recesses 23 when the battery housing 10 is inserted. These further recesses 23 can make the insertion process even easier and more secure against jamming.

[0039] The Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a battery housing holder 40 in a top view. The battery housing holder 40 has a lower rectangular support area 41, which contacts the battery housing underside 12 when the battery housing 10 is inserted. This figure also shows the locking device 45, 46, which has a closure element 46. When actuated, the closure element 46 locks the battery housing 10 in the battery housing holder 40 and also releases it again. The contacting element 42 can be designed in the form of a pin or a cylinder and can be connected to the closure element 46 via a lever connection. By actuating the closure element 46, the pin is inserted into the corresponding fixing recess 22 of the battery housing 10 via the lever, and the battery housing is mechanically locked.However, it is also possible that the locking element 46 does not have to be mechanically actuated to insert the battery housing 10. This can also be actuated by inserting the battery housing 10 itself, and the pin can engage in the fixing recess 22. The battery housing 10 can be removed from the battery housing holder 40 again after actuating the locking element 46. This figure also shows the cuboid guide structure top side 44 with an electrical contact element 47 arranged thereon.

[0040] The Fig. 5 shows a schematic side view of a battery housing holder 40 with power supply 48. This view shows the lower support area 41, from which a cuboid-shaped guide structure 43 extends vertically. The guide structure 43 has three side areas which, upon insertion, reversibly establish mechanical contact with the cuboid-shaped recess 20 on the rear side 14 of the battery housing. An electrical contacting element 47 is attached to the cuboid-shaped guide structure top side 44. This electrical contacting element 47 establishes the electrical connection with the electrical contact element 21 arranged in the cuboid-shaped recess 20 of the battery housing 10 upon insertion of the battery housing 10. In addition, this figure also shows the elements for mechanically securing the inserted battery housing 10 in the form of the mechanical contacting element 42 and the closure element 46.In this embodiment, the locking element 46 is shown as a mechanical button.

[0041] The Fig. Figure 6 shows a schematic rear view of a battery system 1 according to the invention, comprising a battery housing 10 and a battery housing holder 40 with an integrated power supply 48. This figure illustrates an application situation in the form of a single charging station, in which the battery housing 10 is pushed onto the battery housing holder 40. A power supply 48 is integrated into the battery housing holder 10. After actuating the locking system 45, for example by actuating a button, the battery housing 10 can be removed from the battery housing holder 40.

[0042] The Fig. 7 shows a schematic view of a battery charging station 60 according to the invention comprising several battery housings 10 and battery housing holders 40 in a housing 61.

[0043] In an industrial environment, it may be advisable to combine several battery systems 1 comprising battery housings 10 and battery housing holders 40. For this purpose, these can be arranged, for example, next to one another or one above the other in a housing 61. The housing 61 can have a central power supply that distributes the electrical energy to the individual battery systems 1. The charging process for the individual systems 1 can be carried out via a battery management system that is arranged in the individual housings, for example on a PCB. The management system can contribute to communication between the individual systems 1 or with the charging station 60. As a result, for example, those batteries in the battery housings 10 with the poorest charge status can be charged first. This can increase the longevity of the batteries. List of reference symbols 1 battery system 10 Battery housing 11 Battery housing top 12 Battery housing bottom 13 Battery housing front 14 Battery housing back 15 Battery housing right side panel 16 Battery housing left side panel 17 Display unit 18 Handle element 19 Battery compartment 20 cuboid recess 21 electrical contact element 22 Fixing recess 23 additional recesses 40 Battery housing holder 41 support area 42 mechanical contact element 43 cuboid-shaped guide structure 44 cuboid guide structure top 45 locking device 46 locking element 47 electrical contact element 48 Power supply 60 battery charging station 61 housings 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] DE 20 2020 103 421 U1

[0004] WO 2021 008 826 A1

[0005] EP 2 885 170 B1

[0006]

Claims

[1] Modular battery system (1) comprising at least one battery housing (10) and a battery housing holder (1) receiving the battery housing (10), characterized by that the battery housing (10) - has a cuboid basic symmetry with a right (15) and a left side wall (16), a top (11) and a bottom (12) as well as a front (13) and a back (14); - has a display unit (17) on the top side (11) and a handle element (18) extending along the top side (11); - has in its interior a battery receiving space (19) for receiving one or more rechargeable battery cells; - in the rear side (14) starting from the bottom (12) in the direction of the top side (11) has a cuboid-shaped recess (20), wherein an electrical contact element (21) for electrically contacting the battery housing (10) is arranged within the cuboid-shaped recess (20) at the upper end of the cuboid-shaped recess (20); - on the rear side (14) above the cuboid-shaped recess (20) and below the handle element (18) has a fixing recess (22), wherein the fixing recess (22) is designed to reversibly accommodate a mechanical contacting element (47); and the battery housing holder (40) - has a lower rectangular support area (41) designed for mechanical contact with the battery housing underside (12), - on the lower support area (41) has a cuboid guide structure (43) extending vertically from the support area (41), wherein the guide structure (43) has three side areas configured for reversible mechanical interaction with the cuboid recess (20) on the battery housing rear side (14) and an upper side (44) with an electrical contacting element (47); - a locking device (45) arranged above the cuboid-shaped guide structure (43), wherein the locking device (45) comprises a closure element (46) and a mechanical contacting element (42), wherein the contacting element (42) is designed to reversibly engage in the fixing recess (22) of the battery housing (10) upon actuation of the closure element (46) and to lock the battery housing (10) in the battery housing holder (40). [2] Battery system according to claim 1, wherein the battery housing (10) has further recesses (23) in the front (13) and / or underside (12), wherein the recesses (23) are designed for mechanically fixing the battery housing (10) in the battery housing holder (40). [3] Battery system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure element (46) of the locking device (45) is in the form of a mechanical button and the mechanical contacting element (42) of the locking device (45) is in the form of a mechanical mandrel, wherein the button is connected to the mandrel via a lever connection. [4] Battery system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a battery management device is arranged in the battery housing (10), wherein the battery management device comprises at least one sensor for detecting an electrical parameter of the battery cells in the battery housing (10), a storage unit, a communication unit for communicating with one or more further battery housings (10) and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the charging and / or discharging of the battery cells in the battery housing as a function of the electrical parameter detected by the sensor. [5] Battery system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein magnets are arranged on the battery housing (10) and / or on the battery housing holder (40), wherein the magnets are designed to produce a mechanically detachable connection between the battery housing holder (40) and the battery housing (10). [6] Battery system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery housing (10) has further mechanical locking means on its underside (12), wherein the further mechanical locking means are arranged such that they mechanically contact the battery housing holder (40) diagonally opposite the locking device (45). [7] Battery system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a power supply (48) is arranged in the lower support region (41) of the battery housing holder (40), wherein the power supply (48) is designed to supply the battery housing (10) with power via the cuboid guide structure (43). [8] Battery system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cuboid-shaped guide structure (43) is designed to be reversibly removable from the support area (41) and reattachable. [9] Electrically driven device comprising a battery storage, characterized bythat the device comprises a battery system (1) according to one of the preceding claims. [10] Battery charging station (60) comprising a housing (61) and an electrical connection to a power grid, characterized by that the battery charging station (60) has one or more battery systems (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8.

Images