Flat multi-wire cable system and battery module comprising same flat cable system

Abstract

In various aspects of the invention, a multi-core flat cable system and a battery module comprising at least one battery cell, a support frame element, and the multi-core flat cable system are provided. According to illustrative embodiments herein, the multi-core flat cable system comprises a multi-core flat cable with a plurality of conductors and an insulating sheath surrounding the plurality of conductors. The plurality of conductors is arranged extending substantially along a longitudinal direction of the multi-core flat cable, and the conductors of the plurality of conductors are arranged substantially parallel to each other in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A first conductor from the plurality of conductors is exposed in at least one section along the longitudinal direction with respect to the insulating sheath, and it is interrupted in each exposed section.Thus, the first conductor in the exposed section has two mutually aligned ends, with at least one fuse section being formed in which the two mutually aligned ends are electrically connected by a fusible conductor.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a multi-core flat cable system and a battery module with a corresponding flat cable system. The invention is suitable, for example, for automotive applications.

[0002] In general, a flat cable, often referred to as a ribbon cable or FFC (flexible flat cable), is a multi-core cable in which the wires or conductors are not arranged in a circular bundle within a round insulating tube, as in a round cable, but are routed parallel to one another. A common application is in connecting multi-pin signal cables used in electronic assemblies and computers. For example, flat cables with up to 96 wires are known.

[0003] One advantage of multi-core flat cables over round cables is that large numbers of wires or cables can be connected with minimal effort using insulation displacement technology with a pin header, a solder adapter, or another connector (e.g., a D-Sub connector), instead of having to isolate them individually and then solder them. Signal crosstalk is also lower in flat cables than in round cables and can be suppressed by appropriately arranging signal lines within the flat cable and using ground lines between critical signal lines.

[0004] Although flat cables in the PC sector have been partially replaced by round cables since the 2000s for aerodynamic reasons (since flat cables impair airflow within a PC's casing much more than round cables), flat cables are increasingly being used in the automotive sector, for example, for connecting batteries in the low-voltage network of vehicles (e.g., at 48 V). One important application here is contact systems for battery management systems, in which cell contact systems are formed using FFC solutions or FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) solutions. FFC and FPC solutions are preferred over round cable solutions because FPC and FFC enable a very flat design, which allows cell connection systems to be adapted to limited installation spaces.

[0005] In the automotive sector, multiple fuses are required for use in cell contact systems for contacting vehicle batteries. Depending on the system, these fuses protect all lines in the cell contact system. Based on existing solutions for protecting lines in flat conductors for cell contact systems, known fuses are known as "multifuses" in the form of lead frames or in a version on printed circuit boards, which are installed in cell contact systems as additional components. However, the disadvantage of using additional components is that they result in higher material and labor costs. Furthermore, additional components make it difficult to adapt to the most compact and spatially limited installation spaces.

[0006] According to document CN 113 161 057 A, a flexible flat cable is known that comprises an upper insulating layer, a lower insulating layer, and at least one conductor layer. The conductor layer is arranged between the upper insulating layer and the lower insulating layer. This known flat cable also comprises a fuse, and each layer of the conductor layer comprises at least a first conductor component and at least one second conductor component. The first conductor component and the second conductor component are arranged side by side and spaced from each other, and both ends of the fuse are connected to the first conductor component and the second conductor component, respectively. The conductor components are connected in series.

[0007] Based on this known background, the task is to provide a flat cable with an electrical fuse function that can be used cost-effectively in battery modules and flexibly even in very limited installation space. Furthermore, the task is to provide a battery module with a compact connection system in which the cables are protected within the connection system.

[0008] The above-mentioned objects are achieved by a multi-core flat cable system according to claim 1 and a battery module according to claim 15. Advantageous embodiments of the flat cable system are defined in the dependent claims 2 to 14.

[0009] In general, the solution to the above objects according to various aspects of the invention is to provide a multi-core flat cable system in which individual conductors of a flat cable are interrupted in such a way that spaced-apart and aligned ends are provided along an interrupted conductor. The multi-core flat cable system further comprises a housing. An interrupted conductor thus has at least two conductor sections in a core, which are separated from each other along the interrupted conductor by a recess in the flat cable. The recess has two mutually facing ends of two conductor sections spaced apart by the recess, between which the recess is defined.In this case, a recess can be provided along an interrupted conductor, defining two conductor sections in the interrupted conductor, or two or more recesses with three or more conductor sections (two conductor sections per recess). An electrically conductive connection between the two ends at each recess in the interrupted conductor is provided by a fusible element as a fuse section. Advantageously, the fuse section can be fixed and protected in a housing.

[0010] The conductor of the flat cable can be made of round wire or flat wire.

[0011] In a first aspect of the invention, a multi-core flat cable system is provided, comprising a multi-core flat cable with a plurality of lines and an insulating sheath surrounding the plurality of lines. In illustrative embodiments herein, the plurality of lines extend substantially along a longitudinal direction of the multi-core flat cable, and the lines of the plurality of lines are substantially parallel to one another in a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A first line of the plurality of lines is exposed in at least one section along the longitudinal direction with respect to the insulating sheath, and the first line is interrupted in the section exposed with respect to the insulating sheath, such that the first line has two mutually aligned ends in the exposed section.At least one fuse section is formed, in which the two aligned ends are electrically connected to each other by a fusible conductor. The first conductor represents an interrupted conductor in the multi-core flat cable.

[0012] In the multi-core flat cable system, at least the first conductor and optionally further individual conductors, for example a second conductor, a third conductor, etc. (correspondingly, a second interrupted conductor, a third interrupted conductor, etc.), are exposed at open points in the insulating sheath of the multi-core flat cable and interrupted at these open points. An open point in a conductor is understood to be a point on the conductor of the multi-core flat cable that has been freed from the insulating sheath, in particular a section of the conductor over which the insulating sheath has been removed.

[0013] The interrupted sections in the line(s) (i.e., the interrupted conductor(s)) are each bridged by a fusible link, so that the ends of the interrupted line(s) are electrically connected to each other at the open points by means of the fusible link. The fusible link has a higher resistance than the lines, so that when current flows through the line, the higher electrical resistance at the fusible link relative to the rest of the line causes the fusible link to heat up.The degree of heating of the fusible element correlates with the magnitude of the electrical current flowing through it. With a suitable design of the fusible element, it is possible to achieve heating of the fusible element until it melts when a critical electrical current is exceeded, for a given electrical current through the fusible element and a given electrical resistance of the fusible element. The fusible element thus serves as a fuse section integrated into the relevant conductor of the multi-core flat cable.

[0014] In this way, according to the multi-core flat cable system, it is possible in a simple and cost-effective manner to equip at least one of the plurality of lines in the multi-core flat cable with an electrical fuse function, without having to install an electrical fuse as an additional component with the flat cable. In the case of multiple lines, each equipped with only one fuse section, the fuse sections can be arranged side by side or offset, depending on the grid spacing of the fuse sections. A grid spacing of the fuse section is understood to mean a distance between individual fuse sections, in particular a distance between individual reference points of the fuse sections.For example, a reference point can be represented by a centroid of area in a top view of a fuse section, a connection point between a fuse section and a conductor end, or a volume center of gravity of a fuse section. A distance measurement can also be obtained by averaging or averaging individual distance measurements between the reference points.

[0015] The multi-core flat cable system according to the first aspect further comprises a housing in which the at least one fuse section is accommodated. By incorporating the at least one fuse section into the housing, fixation and protection of the fusible conductors are provided in a simple manner.

[0016] In one illustrative example, the housing can be an injection-molded plastic element. A housing designed as an injection-molded element represents a simple type of housing that can be mass-produced cost-effectively. For example, the multi-core flat cable can be easily overmolded by injection molding at the at least one fuse section to form a housing to protect the at least one fuse section from external influences. The housing provides mechanical protection for the flat cable at a section of the flat cable where structural weakening of the flat cable caused by open areas at the fuse sections is compensated by the housing.In illustrative embodiments herein, the housing allows mechanical tensile stresses that may occur on the flat cable along a longitudinal direction of the flat cable to be absorbed by the housing and prevents corresponding mechanical stresses from occurring on the fuse sections.

[0017] In some illustrative embodiments of the first aspect having a housing, the housing is not necessarily provided as an integral component on the flat cable that is permanently provided on or formed integrally with the flat cable, but it may be provided as a repeatedly mountable and removable housing on the flat cable.

[0018] In some illustrative embodiments herein, the housing may have one or more recesses or one or more cavities corresponding to the at least one fuse section, such that the at least one fuse section is received in the at least one recess or the at least one cavity such that there is no direct mechanical contact between each fuse element and the housing. As a result, the housing may be thermally decoupled from the fuse sections, especially the fuse elements thereof. For example, the at least one recess or the at least one cavity is formed in a housing body of the housing such that the housing forms a solid body apart from the recesses or cavities.

[0019] In further illustrative embodiments herein, the housing can comprise at least two separate housing parts that are attached to the multi-core flat cable. For example, a multi-part housing can be formed from a plurality of separate housing parts, wherein, upon mounting the housing on the flat cable, individual housing parts are arranged on the flat cable and connected to one another. In a preferred embodiment of two separate housing parts, these housing parts can be clipped or plugged onto the flat cable as a clip system, so that the at least two housing parts arrange the flat cable on the at least one fuse section and surround it, as specifically also described in the previous paragraph.

[0020] In further illustrative embodiments herein, at least one through-hole can be formed at least between the first line and at least one adjacent second line, which through-hole engages with a corresponding pin element in the housing. For example, the housing can have a receiving portion for receiving the flat cable, wherein in the receiving portion of the housing at least one pin element protrudes into the receptacle towards the flat cable. During assembly of the flat cable to the housing or of the housing to the flat cable, the housing is arranged on the flat cable in such a way that the at least one pin element engages with the through-hole in the flat cable, ensuring an oriented assembly of the housing on the flat cable.In the case of multiple pin elements, each of which engages with an associated through-hole in the flat cable, efficient absorption of tensile stresses can be achieved by means of the pin elements, so that mechanical stress caused by relative movement between the housing and the flat cable is prevented, and localized mechanical stresses on the flat cable at the fuse sections are avoided. In this way, the pin elements can be used to divert mechanical stresses such as tensile stresses along the flat cable at the pin elements away from the fuse sections. This prevents damage to the flat cable, preferably at the fuse sections, and the mechanical stability of the flat cable at the structural weaknesses caused by the fuse sections can be at least partially compensated by the housing.

[0021] In illustrative examples of these illustrative embodiments, the at least one pin element can be formed on a first housing section of an inner wall of the housing, wherein the housing can be formed in one piece or in multiple parts. For example, in a one-piece housing, a slot can be provided which completely extends through the housing to accommodate the flat cable, such that the flat cable is threaded through the housing and mounted at the point on the flat cable at which the at least one pin element engages with the at least one through-hole. In this case, after the flat cable has been threaded through the housing, the through-hole(s) present in the flat cable can engage with one or more associated pin elements when the flat cable is pulled through the housing and pulled taut.The pin element(s) may be provided on an inner wall of the housing defining the slot passing through the housing as pin elements projecting partially into the slot, which provide a gap for threading the flat cable through between the pin element and the opposite inner wall of the housing in the slot of the housing.

[0022] If the housing is designed as a multi-part housing instead of the one-part housing described above, the first housing section can be formed in a first housing part, wherein the at least one pin element mechanically contacts a second housing section on an inner wall of a separate second housing part. In these examples with a multi-part housing, the at least one pin element can be formed on the first housing part and, in exemplary embodiments herein, at least one pin element thereof can snap into or engage with a counterpart receptacle on another second housing part or, when the housing is assembled, can bear against an inner wall of the second housing part, thus preventing the housing from slipping along the flat cable.For example, at least one pin element can be designed as a locking lug or plug pin on a housing part in order to enter into a locking connection or engagement with a counterpart receptacle on another housing part, so that the at least one pin element in the form of a locking lug or plug pin functions as an additional locking element when connecting the multiple housing parts, wherein a mechanical dissipation of mechanical tensile stresses along a longitudinal direction of the flat cable is improved, since pin elements are stably held against tensile stresses by engagement with the counterpart receptacles. For example, an advantageous clip fastening system between the housing sections can be achieved in a simple manner by the pin elements with the openings as counterparts. Alternatively, at least one pin element orthe pin elements can only rest on a housing section in a one-piece housing or multi-piece housing, or in a one-piece housing there can be no counterpart to at least one pin element, so that only a slip protection of the housing mounted on the flat cable is provided.

[0023] In illustrative embodiments of the first aspect, the fusible element can be formed as a wire with a thickness of less than 200 µm, preferably at most 150 µm, and more preferably less than 100 µm. This provides advantageous configurations of the fusible element for applications with a rated current of less than 2 A.

[0024] In illustrative embodiments of the first aspect, the fusible conductor can be formed from a resistance alloy, which preferably comprises copper and / or nickel. More preferably, the resistance alloy can be formed as a copper-nickel alloy with a nickel content of 5% to 50%, and / or the resistance alloy can more preferably contain additions of manganese and / or aluminum and / or iron and / or tin.

[0025] Forming the fusible element from a resistance alloy represents an advantageous option for providing a fusible element with a predetermined electrical resistance. Resistance alloys comprising copper and / or nickel are particularly advantageous in this regard, as they have both advantageous electrical properties and advantageous thermal properties. The non-limiting illustrative example of the resistance alloy, given as a copper-nickel alloy, represents a cost-effective and advantageous embodiment in that setting the nickel content from 5% to 50% enables advantageous electrical and thermal properties of the copper-nickel alloy, with a nickel content of 44% or 45% being considered very advantageous, as this achieves both a very advantageous electrical resistance and a very advantageous thermal conductivity of the copper-nickel alloy.Additionally or alternatively, advantageous additions to the resistance alloy of manganese and / or aluminum and / or iron and / or tin are very advantageous, as they enable the desired electrical and thermal properties of the resistance alloy to be adjusted. Especially in the illustrative, non-limiting example of a copper-nickel alloy, additions of at least one of manganese, aluminum, iron, and tin are very advantageous for adjusting the desired electrical and / or thermal properties, particularly advantageously in the nickel content range of 5% to 50%.

[0026] In further illustrative embodiments of the first aspect, at least the fusible element of the first line can be configured such that an electrical resistance of the fusible element relative to the total resistance of the corresponding line is in a range of 80% to 99%. This provides a reliable electrical safety function of the fusible element in a simple manner.

[0027] In a second aspect of the invention, a battery module is provided with at least one battery cell and the multi-core flat cable system according to the first aspect, wherein the at least one battery cell and the multi-core flat cable system are electrically conductively connected. In illustrative embodiments, the at least one battery cell and the multi-core flat cable can be arranged on a carrier element, and the first line can be connected to a voltage tap terminal of the battery cell provided for this purpose on the battery cell.

[0028] The various aspects of the present invention allow the production of complete and complex cell contact systems that utilize the smallest possible installation spaces and optimize the weight of the setup cable harness. The various aspects of the present invention enable high flexibility in the integration of contact connections, and can increase the transmission or contact density in a very small installation space. Flat cable systems according to the first aspect also allow for a hybrid technology in which copper and aluminum conductors are made possible in a flat cable.

[0029] In illustrative embodiments of the second aspect, the battery module may be provided for use in the automotive sector, thereby providing reliable and compact battery modules for use in the automotive sector with an integrated fuse function.

[0030] Further advantages and features of the invention are described in more detail below in connection with the accompanying figures, in which: Fig. 1 schematically illustrates in an enlarged perspective view a portion of a multi-core flat cable according to various embodiments; Fig. 2 schematically illustrates, in a partially exploded view, a flat cable system according to illustrative embodiments of the invention; Fig. 3 schematic of the flat cable system Fig. 2 in a state with the housing assembled; Fig. 4 schematic sectional view of the flat cable system from Fig. 3 along line XX in Fig. 3 represents; and Fig. 5 a battery module according to illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0031] In connection with the various aspects of the invention, as described above and also in connection with the illustrative embodiments described below, a multi-core flat cable system with a multi-core flat cable is understood, for example, as FFC or FPC, wherein the plurality of lines in the multi-core flat cable designates a planar conductor arrangement of adjacently arranged conductors in the surrounding insulating sheath. In particular, the lines of the plurality of lines of the multi-core flat cable are routed side by side essentially parallel to one another along the longitudinal direction of the flat cable, such that individual lines run along a width direction oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction at a substantially constant distance along the length of the flat cable in the longitudinal direction.

[0032] With reference to Fig. 11 shows a schematic, enlarged perspective view of a portion of a multi-core flat cable 1a that may be provided in a multi-core flat cable system according to illustrative embodiments. The multi-core flat cable 1a comprises at least a first line L1 and a second line L2, which extend substantially parallel to one another along a longitudinal direction L of the multi-core flat cable 1a. The first line L1 and the second line L2 are spaced apart by a distance along a width direction B perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, wherein this distance may be substantially constant along the longitudinal direction L, or different distances may also exist between two or more lines.

[0033] According to illustrative embodiments, the multi-core flat cable 1a may comprise any desired number of lines, for example seven lines, as shown in the illustration of Fig. 1This does not constitute a limitation, and, however, it is also possible to provide only two lines, three lines, four lines, or more than four lines, and in particular more than seven lines, for example more than 20 lines, more than 30 lines, or more than 90 lines.

[0034] In some illustrative embodiments, the conductors of the multi-core flat cable 1a can all be formed from copper or a copper alloy, or from aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In some illustrative embodiments, the multi-core flat cable 1a can be provided according to a hybrid technology, wherein at least one conductor is formed from copper or a copper alloy, while at least one other conductor is formed from aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The use of aluminum or an aluminum alloy can save weight and cost in the multi-core flat cable 1a, while copper or copper alloys can provide a better electrical connection due to their higher electrical conductivity compared to aluminum and aluminum alloys (the conductivity of aluminum is approximately two-thirds that of copper).Especially for signal lines, it can therefore be advantageous to use copper or copper alloys.

[0035] The multi-core flat cable 1a further comprises an insulating sheath M surrounding the plurality of conductors. The sheath M can be made of an insulating material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PEC) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) in various thicknesses. For example, the insulating sheath M can be formed by lamination of a lower insulating layer and an upper insulating layer, with the plurality of conductors sandwiched between the lower and upper insulating layers.

[0036] In some illustrative embodiments, the multi-core flat cable 1a may have a thickness perpendicular to the width direction B and the longitudinal direction L of 300 µm, wherein the top-side insulating layer and the bottom-side insulating layer made of PEC or PEN may have a thickness of 50 µm, the plurality of lines may each have a thickness of 100 µm, and an adhesive layer having a thickness of 50 µm may be provided between each line and the top-side and bottom-side insulating layer.

[0037] In illustrative embodiments, the multi-core flat cable 1a may further comprise at least one through-opening 3a and / or 3b and / or 3c, which extend completely through the multi-core flat cable 1a perpendicular to the width direction B and the longitudinal direction L. This does not constitute a limitation, and the at least one through-opening 3a to 3c may also be omitted.

[0038] With reference to the presentation in Fig. 1 Each through-hole 3a, 3b, and 3c is formed at a location in the multi-core flat cable 1a that is located in the sheath M between two adjacent wires. For example, each of the through-holes 3a, 3b, and 3c is located in the area between the wire L2 and a directly adjacent wire L3, so that each of the through-holes 3a, 3b, and 3c does not touch or expose any of the wires L2 and L3. In particular, the cross-section of a wire, especially the electrical properties of a wire, is not changed by the presence of the through-hole(s) 3a, 3b, 3c, and the mechanical design of a wire is not influenced by the presence of the through-hole(s) 3a, 3b, 3c. The through-openings 3a, 3b and 3c can be designed as circular through-openings, as shown by the through-openings 3c, or as oval openings or as elongated holes, as shown by the through-openings 3a and 3b in Fig. 1 is shown schematically. However, this does not represent a limitation of the present invention, and other suitable through-openings may be formed, such as cross-shaped or slot-shaped openings.

[0039] With further reference to Fig. 1a plurality of fuse sections 5a to 5g are shown, which are collectively referred to as fuse sections 5. The fuse sections 5 are formed in exposed sections 6a to 6g, which represent sections of the multi-core flat cable 1a, in each of which one of the lines is partially exposed. The exposed sections 6a to 6g represent open points that are exposed in the insulating sheath M of the multi-core flat cable and at which the lines of the multi-core flat cable 1a are interrupted. An open point of a line is understood to be a point on the line of the multi-core flat cable that has been freed from the insulating sheath M, in particular a section of the line over which the insulating sheath M has been removed. Thus, in the exposed section 6g, the line L1 is partially exposed, while in the exposed section 6a, the line L2 is exposed.Furthermore, in the exposed section 6d, the line L3 is exposed and, accordingly, in the sections 6b, 6c, 6e and 6f, one line each of the multi-core flat cable 1a is shown in the illustration of . Fig. 1 exposed.

[0040] According to the presentation in Fig. 1The exposed sections 6a to 6f can be formed in a staggered arrangement, wherein the exposed sections 6a to 6g are formed such that directly adjacent exposed sections, which partially expose directly adjacent lines in the multi-core flat cable 1a, cf., for example, the exposed sections 6a and 6d, which partially expose the adjacent lines L2 and L3, are arranged offset along the longitudinal direction. Thus, exposed sections of directly adjacent lines are spaced apart from each other by a distance in both the width direction B and the longitudinal direction L. This does not represent a limitation of the present invention, since instead of the plurality of staggered exposed sections 6a to 6g, a single exposed section can alternatively be provided, which jointly exposes the lines in the multi-core flat cable 1a, i.e., a single exposed portion (not shown) is formed which extends along the entire width in the width direction B of the multi-core flat cable 1a.

[0041] According to illustrative embodiments, the exposed sections 6a to 6g may be formed by means of punching and / or etching techniques in order to expose desired lines of the multi-core flat cable 1a in sections.

[0042] Although according to the Fig. 1 illustrated embodiment of the multi-core flat cable 1a, each line in the multi-core flat cable 1a has an exposed section of the exposed sections 6a to 6g, this does not represent a limitation of the present invention and it can only be provided for a subset of the plurality of lines in the multi-core flat cable 1a to form exposed sections for these lines.

[0043] In the exposed section 6a to 6g, the partially exposed line is also interrupted, so that a part of the line in the exposed section of the exposed sections 6a to 6g is removed. As a result, in each of the exposed sections 6a to 6g, two line ends or ends of the exposed line are formed for each partially exposed line, which are aligned with one another in the exposed section. In particular, the two exposed ends of each line in the associated exposed section are aligned with one another along the longitudinal direction L and spaced from one another. As a result, in particular, each line with an exposed section is interrupted in the exposed section.

[0044] In each of the exposed sections, the associated fuse section from the fuse sections 5a to 5g now represents a bridging of the interruption, so that each fuse section 5a to 5g connects the interrupted ends of a line to one another in an electrically conductive manner by means of an associated fuse conductor.

[0045] According to illustrative embodiments, the fusible element of each fuse section 5a to 5g can be manufactured by welding, soldering or a cold joining process (crimping, pressing, etc.).

[0046] According to illustrative embodiments, each fusible conductor of the fuse sections 5a to 5g can be formed as a wire with a thickness of less than 200 µm, preferably at most 150 µm and more preferably less than 100 µm.

[0047] In illustrative embodiments, each fusible element of the fuse sections 5a to 5g can be formed from a resistance alloy, wherein the resistance alloy preferably comprises copper and / or nickel. More preferably, the resistance alloy can be formed as a copper-nickel alloy with a nickel content of 5% to 50% and / or additions of manganese and / or aluminum and / or iron and / or tin. In illustrative examples, a nickel content in the copper-nickel alloy can be in the range of 40% to 50%, for example 44% or 45%. At 45% nickel, a copper-nickel resistance alloy has a maximum in electrical resistance. In the range of 40% to 50%, in particular at 44% to 45%, there is also a minimum in the temperature coefficient of the electrical resistance of a copper-nickel resistance alloy.

[0048] In some illustrative embodiments, at least one additive may be added to the resistance alloy, in particular the copper-nickel alloy.

[0049] For example, by adding aluminum to a resistance alloy, the strength, seawater and scale resistance of a resistance alloy can be increased.

[0050] For example, manganese can be added to achieve deoxidation of a melt during the production of a resistance alloy. This is advantageous because manganese binds the sulfur, which is harmful to hot forming of a resistance alloy, as a harmless manganese sulfide, thus improving the casting properties of resistance alloys during production and increasing the final hardening temperature.

[0051] For example, the addition of iron to resistance alloys can increase corrosion resistance and improve the formation of a firmly adhering, uniform protective layer in water. Furthermore, the addition of iron can therefore improve the corrosion resistance of the resistance alloy. The solubility of iron in a copper-nickel alloy depends on the nickel content of the alloy and increases with increasing nickel content, reaching a maximum at 30% nickel and decreasing again as the nickel content increases further. It is therefore particularly advantageous to add iron to copper-nickel alloys for a nickel content of 20% to 50%, preferably in a range of 20% to 40%, more preferably in a range of 25% to 35%, and most preferably at about 30%. In specific and non-limiting examples, the addition of iron can be in the range of 0.01% to 6%, preferably up to 5%, more preferably up to 4%, or at most 2%.

[0052] For example, the addition of tin can increase the tensile strength, tarnish resistance, and wear resistance of a resistance alloy. For example, a tin addition can generally be up to 10%, and at around 2%, it can exhibit very good relaxation resistance.

[0053] In various illustrative embodiments herein, a resistance alloy may comprise at least one additive selected from Mn and / or Al and / or Fe and / or Sn.

[0054] In illustrative embodiments, the fusible element of each fuse section 5a to 5g can be configured such that an electrical resistance of the fusible element in each of the fusible element sections 5a to 5g lies in a range of 80% to 99% relative to the total resistance of each associated line. For this purpose, a material and a shape of the fusible element can be selected and adapted accordingly to set a desired resistance value for the fusible element.

[0055] With reference to the Fig. 2 to 4 An embodiment of a multi-core flat cable system 1 with a multi-core flat cable according to the one described with reference to the Fig. 1 described above, wherein the flat cable system 1 further comprises a housing 7 which is arranged above the Fig. 1described multi-core flat cable 1a is provided in such a way that it accommodates the fuse sections 5 in the housing 7. As a result, the fuse sections 5 are housed and protected by the housing 7. The housing 7 is preferably an injection-molded element made of plastic. Additionally or alternatively, the housing 7 can have a shielding element and / or be formed from a material that provides electrical and / or magnetic shielding of the Fig. 1 multi-core flat cable 1a described above is permitted.

[0056] With reference to Fig. 2 A partial exploded view of the housing 7 is shown, according to which the housing 7 represents a multi-part housing formed from two housing parts 7a and 7b. This does not represent a limitation, and a one-part housing may be provided instead of the explicitly illustrated multi-part housing 7.

[0057] In the Fig. 2In the embodiment shown, the housing part 7a is a lower housing into which the Fig. 1 The flat cable 1a described above is inserted. The housing part 7a has a plurality of pin elements 8, for example the pin elements 8a and 8b, which are formed in the housing part 7a in such a way that they consist of a support surface for the Fig. 1 The inner wall of the housing part 7a serving as the flat cable 1a described above protrudes vertically along a direction corresponding to a thickness direction perpendicular to the width direction B and longitudinal direction L of the flat cable 1a inserted into the housing part 7a. By means of the pin elements 8, an aligned arrangement of the flat cable 1a in the housing part 7a can be ensured such that the exposed sections 6a to 6g of the flat cable 1a and, accordingly, the securing sections 5 are arranged within the housing part 7a.

[0058] With further reference to Fig. 2 the upper housing part 7b is designed as a cover element which is placed or plugged onto the lower housing part 7a.

[0059] With reference to Fig. 3 The housing 7 is shown in an assembled state, in which the housing parts 7a and 7b are mounted on the flat cable 1a and thus form the multi-core flat cable 1a with a housed fuse. For this purpose, the housing part 7b has, as shown in Fig. 2 Latching hooks N1, which protrude from an inner side of the housing part 7b facing the flat cable 1a perpendicularly along a direction perpendicular to the width direction B and the longitudinal direction L of the flat cable 1a towards the housing part 7a. The latching hooks N1 are guided in grooves on the housing part 7a when the housing part 7b is plugged onto the housing part 7a and hook into recesses in the housing part 7a, as with regard to the Fig. 4which shows a cross section along the line XX in Fig. 3 In relation to Fig. 4 It can be seen that the locking hooks N1, which are received by the grooves N2 in the housing part 7a when the housing part 7b is plugged onto the housing part 7a and are guided therein along the housing part 7a, engage or lock into a locking recess in the housing part 7a.

[0060] With reference to Fig. 4 is also a cross-section through the exposed sections 5d, 5e and 5f from Fig. 1of the flat cable 1a after mounting the housing 7 on the flat cable 1a. Recesses or depressions are shown in the housing parts 7b and 7a, which are formed in alignment with the exposed sections 5f, 5e, and 5d, so that, corresponding to the exposed sections 5f, 5e, and 5d in the flat cable 1a, spaces surrounding the fuse sections 5d, 5e, and 5f are still formed in the housing 7 after enclosure in the housing 7. As a result, the fuse sections 5d, 5e, and 5f are spaced apart from the inner walls of the housing 7, in particular the inner walls of the housing parts 7a and 7b. This provides thermal insulation by preventing contact between the fuse sections 5d, 5e, and 5f and the housing 7.

[0061] For better mechanical stabilization, the pin elements 8 can be inserted into openings in the housing part 7b and engage therewith or they can rest against an inner wall of the housing part 7b.

[0062] Although with reference to the Fig. 2 to 4a two-part housing 7 is shown, this does not represent a restriction and instead of a two-part housing a one-part housing can be provided in which the housing parts 7a and 7b are connected to one another and the flat cable 1a is threaded into the housing through openings which are formed at ends along the longitudinal direction L in the housing on opposite sides, and is pulled through the housing, wherein when the fuse sections 5 are introduced into the housing the openings 3a, 3b and 3c can engage with corresponding pin elements of the pin elements 8 if suitably positioned within the housing, for example an engagement of pin element 8a in opening 3a.

[0063] Alternatively, a multi-part housing with more than two housing parts can be provided, in which more than two housing parts are provided and mounted on the flat cable 1a.

[0064] With reference to Fig. 5A battery module 10 will now be described in which a multi-core flat cable 1a or a multi-core flat cable system 1 according to illustrative embodiments of the invention can be used as a cell contacting system in the battery module 10. For illustration, the Fig. 1 The multi-core flat cable 1a shown is shown with a housing 7. The multi-core flat cable can alternatively also be provided as a multi-core flat cable 1 without a housing 7, so that the housing 7 in the battery module 10 is to be considered optional. This optional provision of the housing 7 is to be shown in the illustration in Fig. 5 together with the following description of Fig. 5by the designation "flat cable system 1 / 1a" in that the housing 7 is shown as partially transparent in the illustration, although this is not to be understood as meaning that the housing 7 is necessarily formed from a transparent material, so that no limitation of the material to a corresponding material is intended here, although providing a partially transparent housing 7 offers the possibility that the securing sections in the housing can be visually inspected. Thus, in some illustrative embodiments of the battery module 10, a combination of the housing 7 on the flat cable 1a forms the flat cable system 1 according to the methods described above with reference to the Figures 2 to 4described embodiments, while in other illustrative embodiments a battery module with a safety function is provided without a housing 7, wherein the flat cable system 1 is to be understood as a flat cable 1a without a housing 7 and thus as a flat cable 1a in Fig. 5 Accordingly, the above description regarding the Fig. 1 to 4 directly to the description of the flat cable system 1 / 1a in Fig. 5 applicable and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The representation of the housing 7 in Fig. 5 is therefore not to be interpreted as limiting the battery module 10 shown.

[0065] According to the presentation in Fig. 5 The battery module 10 further comprises at least one battery cell 30, which can be arranged on a carrier element (not explicitly shown). In the illustration of Fig. 5For illustrative purposes, a row of two battery cells is shown in full. This does not represent a limitation of the present invention, and any number of battery cells may be provided, in particular at least one battery cell, at least five battery cells, at least ten battery cells, or at least 20 battery cells.

[0066] In the Fig. 5In the battery module 10 shown, the multi-core flat cable system 1 / 1a and the battery cell 30 on the support frame element 20 are each connected to one or more associated cores or lines of the flat cable system 1 / 1a. A first line of the multi-core flat cable system 1 / 1a is connected to the battery cell 30 via a voltage tap K1. The voltage tap K1 is connected to a voltage tap connection (not shown) of the battery cell 30. The voltage tap K1 has a cross connection Q3a to the multi-core flat cable system 1 / 1a, which connects the battery cell 30 to the flat cable system 1 / 1a at the voltage tap connection (not shown). For example, the voltage tap connection (not shown) of the battery cell 30 can be designed as a contact surface for contacting the battery cell 30, such as a pole surface exposed for contacting (not shown).The cross-connection Q3a can be formed by exposing a line or wire of the flat cable system 1 / 1a intended for contacting the battery cell 30 and, if necessary, shortening it to a desired length. One end of the line is exposed to form the voltage tap K1. The exposed end of the line is then folded transversely to the longitudinal direction L of the flat cable system 1 / 1a, for example, along the width direction B. This allows a spatial spacing between the voltage tap connection (not shown) of the battery cell 30 and the flat cable system 1 / 1a to be bridged.

[0067] According to some illustrative embodiments, the battery cell 30 may include a temperature sensing terminal (not shown) that may be connected to a temperature sensor (not shown) for sensing a temperature of the battery cell 30. In illustrative examples not shown, the flat cable system 1 / 1a may provide a multi-pole cross-connection to each battery cell, enabled by any number of adjacent exposed lines. In one illustrative example herein, the voltage tap terminal (not shown), as well as the temperature sensing terminal (not shown), of the battery cell 30 may be connected to the multi-conductor flat cable system 1 / 1a by welding and potting.

[0068] According to illustrative embodiments, a voltage tap of the battery cell 30 is made via the contact K1, which is connected to a first line, for example the line L1 of the flat cable 1a in the Fig. 1 to 3 above, is connected.

[0069] In illustrative and non-limiting examples, a sensor signal, for example a signal at the temperature sensing terminal (not shown), may be tapped via a second line different from the first line.

[0070] In the case of flat cable systems 1 / 1a with hybrid technology, the resulting bimetallic connections between copper and aluminum, or between copper alloy and aluminum alloy cables, can be protected by welding and potting, while taps between the contact and the cable made of the same material are simply welded, eliminating the risk of contact corrosion. This provides a reliable electrical connection in the battery module 10 between at least one battery cell in the battery module 10 and the flat cable system 1 / 1a. Accordingly, contacting of the other battery cells can be achieved by means of additional contacts corresponding to the contact K1 described above.

[0071] With further reference to Fig. 5 the flat cable system 1 / 1a may comprise a fuse function section 5' having fuse sections corresponding to the fuse sections 5, as described with reference to the Fig. 1 to 4 as described above.

[0072] According to illustrative embodiments, the support element for supporting each battery cell, such as battery cell 30, may be formed from an insulating material, for example, a plastic. In one illustrative example, the support element (not shown) is manufactured by injection molding, allowing for simple and reproducible production.

[0073] According to the presentation in Fig. 5 The multi-core flat cable system 1 / 1a can have a contact strip 40 into which connection areas are accommodated. For example, connection areas of the lines of the multi-core flat cable system 1 / 1a can each be connected to dedicated connectors 41 of the contact strip 40.

[0074] The Fig. 5The battery module 10 shown is designed as a compact, low-profile component, with the multi-core flat cable 1 / 1a capable of having a maximum number of wires, with one conductor assigned to each connection area. This allows the number of wires and connections to be increased without increasing the dimensions of the flat cable.

[0075] The Fig. 5 The battery module 10 shown can be used in illustrative applications in the automotive sector.

[0076] Although parallel lines are shown and described in the flat cable with regard to the figures, this does not represent a limitation and lines can be arranged in any orientation to one another in the sheath M, for example as a so-called FPC cable, which is a special form of a flexible printed circuit board.

[0077] Although with regard to the Figures 1 to 4Although conductors of a flat cable are illustrated as flat wires, this does not constitute a limitation, and alternatively, at least one conductor in a flat cable according to the embodiments described herein may be provided as a round wire. In general, a multi-core flat cable as described herein may comprise at least one conductor independent of the fuse, wherein the conductor is embodied as a flat wire or is formed by a flat wire, and / or comprise at least one conductor that is embodied as a round wire or is formed by a round wire. Thus, flat cables with conductors formed solely by flat wires as interrupted conductors, or flat cables with conductors formed solely by round wires as interrupted conductors, or flat cables with conductors formed by flat wires and round wires as interrupted conductors are disclosed.Furthermore, interrupted conductors in a hybrid design are also conceivable, for example with a conductor section of the interrupted conductor formed by a round wire and a conductor section provided in the same interrupted conductor formed by a flat wire independent of the fuse. Explicit examples 1 and 2

[0078] In the following, explicit embodiments 1 and 2 are described, which are provided according to the flat cable systems described above in connection with various aspects and illustrative embodiments of the invention.

[0079] In the explicit embodiment 1, a flat cable 1 in a flat cable system 1 / 1a (not limited to the battery module 10 described above) is disclosed. Fusible link sections 5 are each formed by a fusible conductor in the form of a fusible wire made of a resistance alloy made of CuNi44 with a diameter (Ø) of 0.060 mm.

[0080] In the explicit embodiment 2, a flat cable 1 in a flat cable system 1 / 1a (not limited to the battery module 10 described above) is disclosed. Fusible link sections 5 are each formed by a fusible conductor in the form of a fusible wire made of a resistance alloy made of CuNi44 with a diameter (Ø) of 0.150 mm.

[0081] With regard to the explicit embodiments 1 and 2, the inventors estimated the line characteristics and the current carrying capacity of the line connectors, taking into account a clear structure with the following dimensions of the structure: Width of a line: 0.70 mm; width of an exposed section 6a to 6g along the width direction B: 1.8 mm; length of an exposed section 6a to 6g along the length direction L: 8.0 mm; length of a fuse wire along the length direction L: 7.0 mm; pitch between two adjacent lines along the width direction B: 1.8 mm; pitch between two adjacent exposed sections along the width direction B: 3.6 mm; diameter of a through hole 3a, 3b, 3c: 0.900 mm.

[0082] These dimensions are taken into account as limit values in the fuse design by the inventors in connection with the embodiments 1 and 2.

[0083] In summary, the dimensions are as follows: Mass Grid [mm] 1,8 Number of poles [-] 7 Total width [mm] 13,8 Flat conductor width [mm] 0,7 Flat conductor thickness [µm] 100

[0084] Based on these technical data for the embodiments 1 and 2, the inventors determined the following load capacity: current carrying capacity (@ 20°C) of 1.5 A at an operating temperature of up to 105 °C.

[0085] The following series of tests are intended to assess the usability and potential application of such a fuse solution: A measurement of the electrical cold resistance across contact ends / constriction produced the following results for the examples 1 and 2: Table A) Example 1 (melting wire: CuNi44; Ø 0.060 mm; 173 Ohm / m) Design Average electrical resistance of total conductor [Ohm] @20°C Manufacturing tolerance (deviation from the mean) MIN / MAX [%] Housed 0,8381 -32,7% / +33,5% Unhoused 0,7735 -25,9% / +14,7% Total scope of testing 0,8163 -30,9% / +37,1%

[0086] The electrical resistance was measured on uncased test specimens of Example 1 using test probes, including between the solder joints, and averaged 0.7526 ohms. This represents 97.3% of the total resistance. Table B) Example 2 (melting wire: CuNi44; Ø 0.150 mm; 27.7 Ohm / m) Design Average electrical resistance of total conductor [Ohm] @20°C Manufacturing tolerance (deviation from the mean) MIN / MAX [%] Housed 0,1425 -17,3% / +10,0% Unhoused 0,1447 -16,6% / +16,1% Total scope of testing 0,1436 -18,0% / +17,1%

[0087] The electrical resistance was measured on uncased test specimens of Example 2 using test probes, including between the solder joints, and averaged 0.1294 ohms. This represents 89.4% of the total resistance.

[0088] Based on the results in Tables A and B, the inventors determined that the finer fuse wire significantly increases manufacturing tolerances during manual assembly due to the more difficult handling. For fuses in a similar application field, a typical tolerance range of ± 15% for the electrical resistance was assumed in order to maintain the characteristic curve gates even in borderline ranges (according to EN 60127-1:1991). It is assumed that this tolerance range is certainly achievable under more precise (mechanical) manufacturing conditions. In such a case, solder joints and thus the effective fuse element length can be kept constant.

[0089] Furthermore, in the test setup for Examples 1 and 2, a circuit fuse in the test holder was energized. Starting with low currents, the current was gradually increased, with a defined waiting time at each level for thermal equilibrium before the measurement. The voltage drop across a test piece and the component temperature at various measuring points (immediate vicinity of the fuse wire, surrounding plastic surfaces / interior of the housing) were measured.

[0090] The comparison of the temperatures generated by the current heat with the continuous temperature strength of the surrounding materials led to the determination of the theoretical nominal current for the embodiments 1 and 2 as follows. Table C: Tabular summary of the determined limit currents for Example 1: T(environment) T(dwelling) I_test remark [°C] [°C] [A] 99 110 0,73 Glows dynamically (melting) 69 82,5 0,65 SL begins glowing 43 50,5 0,43 Housing > 50°C 36 40,5 0,33 Housing > 40°C

[0091] This determined the rated current selected for the fuse to be 0.42 A.

[0092] The fuse wire diameter in the test pieces of Example 1 appears to be so small compared to Example 2 (cf. Table C above with Table D below) that the heat that can escape into the environment (through conduction, radiation and convection) is insufficient to generate critical temperatures in the surrounding parts. The test setup showed that the housing did not sustain any damage during tests in the overcurrent range above the nominal current. Since every test piece in this test setup showed clean melting in the hotspot and the short annealing distance had no influence on the housing and this influence was not detected, a full-range fuse can be implemented with this fusible element within the scope of Example 1. Table D: Tabular summary of the determined limit currents for Example 1: T(environment) T(dwelling) I_test remark [°C] [°C] [A] 190 - 3 Plastic melts, not work area 150 - 2,4 Plastic discolored 147 116 2,25 SL begins glowing 70 50 1,25 Housing > 50°C 50,5 40 0,95 Housing > 40°C This determined the rated current selected for the fuse to be 1.2 A.

[0093] The diameter of the fuse wire in the test specimen of Example 2 generated enough heat to reach critical temperatures for the surroundings. Both the annealing gap and the wire surface are comparatively large and emit a quantity of heat that cannot be absorbed without influence from the surroundings and the housing.

[0094] For Example 2, the rated current was selected according to the same criteria (max. housing temperature 50 °C) as in Example 1 in conjunction with Table C above. In this case, it is determined that the overcurrent range greater than 1.2 A up to approximately 3.5 A (i.e., up to three times the rated current) cannot be defined as the operating range. Thus, this design, in conjunction with Example 2, realizes a so-called "partial range fuse."

[0095] Furthermore, a test was conducted using the so-called "holding current," which demonstrates the effects of a continuously applied load on the voltage drop and temperature of a fuse. The results also show the power loss and the change in cold resistance (aging). The test uses the nominal current as the holding current, and the minimum holding time is set to 4 hours.

[0096] Both examples 1 and 2 successfully completed the aging test. Aging was determined from the change in the voltage drops (cold resistances) measured at 0.1 times the rated current. Actual aging was assumed to be in the low range of 0 to 2.22%.

[0097] For measurements of voltage curves across the fuse element (especially in the housed version) the contact points were tapped.

[0098] A test was conducted at so-called "short-circuit current" on test specimens of embodiments 1 and 2 to demonstrate the effects of the nominal voltage on the melting behavior in the adiabatic range. The test currents were so high that the melting time was short enough (<10 ms) to utilize all the heat generated in the wire for melting the wire material—therefore, losses due to conduction, radiation, and convection were neglected in the inventors' evaluation.

[0099] In addition, the influence of the resulting arc and the energy converted within it were investigated. This primarily served to investigate the arc and its formation.

[0100] The arc formed as the final phase of the shutdown process (after heating, melting, and evaporation of the fusible element). With DC voltage applied, a current could continue to flow as long as a conductive path (e.g., across short contact gaps and metal vapor) existed, as is to be considered in battery technology in the event of a short circuit.

[0101] For evaluation, the result of these measurements was determined as the so-called "melting integral" (I 2 < t-value), which is also found on data sheets as an important fuse characteristic. This indicates the current-carrying capacity of the fuse element in the event of a short circuit (pulse strength). The I 2 < t-value is determined as an area integral without the influence of the resistance (adiabatic range). The value can be determined from the current graph using: ∫ i 2 t dt = 1 R Shunt 2 ⋅ ∫ u 2 t dt

[0102] For a rectangular function, the area under a curve was simplified to: = 1 R Shunt 2 ⋅ u 2 ⋅ t Schmelz

[0103] The results of this evaluation are shown in Tables G and H below.

[0104] In Tables G and H above, the arc integral was also measured to provide an estimate of the arc behavior in comparison with the I 2< t value. As Tables G and H above show, in both cases, only a small portion of the specific energy used for melting is subsequently converted into the arc.

[0105] In addition to the I 2< t value, the so-called "breaking capacity" is also an important parameter. This indicates the fault current (current, DC or AC and α) at which the fuse can trip within the rated current range without affecting the environment, in the form of: Ensuring the legibility of the marking and the integrity of the housing and surrounding elements

[0106] The breaking capacity is largely determined by the arc characteristics, which is why this is examined in more detail in the tests. Arc behavior is determined by many influencing factors, the most important of which are: the voltage profile, the fuse element structure (material and thickness), the ambient conditions and materials used, and the presence of arc-cooling or arc-extinguishing media.

[0107] In summary, the various embodiments and examples described above provide: (Embodiment Z)

[0108] A multi-core flat cable system comprising: a multi-core flat cable having a plurality of lines and an insulating sheath surrounding the plurality of lines; and at least one fuse section, wherein the plurality of lines extend substantially along a longitudinal direction of the multi-core flat cable and the lines of the plurality of lines are substantially parallel to one another in a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein a first line from the plurality of lines is exposed in at least one section along the longitudinal direction with respect to the insulating sheath and is interrupted in the section exposed with respect to the insulating sheath, so that the first line has two mutually aligned ends in the exposed section, and wherein the at least one fuse section is formed in which the two mutually aligned ends are electrically conductively connected to one another by a fusible conductor.

[0109] In a specific example (Example 1) of the above embodiment Z, this multi-core flat cable system may further comprise a one-piece or single-piece housing. This housing may, for example, be a monolithic housing, such as an injection-molded housing formed separately from the flat cable or formed by overmolding the flat cable.

[0110] In the case of a separately formed housing, the housing according to Example 1, in a further embodiment thereof (Example 2), can have a slot formed therein and completely penetrating the housing. This slot has a slot width (perpendicular to a direction along which the slot penetrates the housing) that is larger than a dimension of the flat cable along the slot width (or an associated slot width direction).

[0111] Herein, the housing according to Example 2, in a further embodiment thereof (Example 3), may comprise at least one pin element formed in the slot on a first housing portion of an inner wall of the housing.

[0112] For example, in the one-piece housing according to Example 3, in a further embodiment thereof (Example 4), the slot completely penetrating the housing can be provided for receiving the flat cable, so that the flat cable can be threaded through the housing. The at least one pin element can be formed in the housing such that it engages with a through-hole formed in the flat cable such that at a location on the flat cable this is formed completely along a direction perpendicular to the slot width and perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the flat cable (ie a direction of the flat cable parallel to a direction along which the flat cable is threaded through the housing), when the flat cable is threaded through the housing.After the flat cable has been threaded through the housing, the through-hole(s) in the flat cable can engage with one or more associated pin elements when the flat cable is pulled through the housing and pulled taut.

[0113] In the housing according to example 4, the at least one pin element can be provided on an inner wall of the housing defining the slot passing through the housing as pin element(s) partially projecting into the slot, which provides / provide a gap for threading the flat cable through in the slot of the housing between the pin element and the opposite inner wall of the housing.

Claims

1. Multi-core flat cable system (1) with a multi-core flat cable (1a) with a plurality of conductors (L1, L2) and an insulating sheath (M) surrounding the plurality of conductors (L1, L2), wherein the plurality of conductors (L1, L2) extend substantially along a longitudinal direction (L) of the multi-core flat cable (1a) and the conductors (L1, L2) of the plurality of conductors (L1, L2) are substantially parallel to each other in a width direction (B) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L), wherein a first conductor (L1) of the plurality of conductors (L1, L2) is exposed in at least one section (6a; 6b; 6c; 6d; 6e; 6f; 6g) along the longitudinal direction (L) with respect to the insulating sheath (M) and is interrupted in the section (6a; 6b; 6c; 6d; 6e; 6f; 6g) exposed relative to the insulating sheath (M), so that the first conductor (L2) has two ends aligned with each other in the exposed section (6a; 6b; 6c; 6d; 6e; 6f; 6g), wherein at least one fuse section (5a; 5b; 5c; 5d; 5e; 5f; 5g) is formed in which the two ends aligned with each other are electrically conductively connected to each other by a fusible conductor, characterized in that the multi-core flat cable system further comprises a housing (7) in which the at least one fuse section (5a; 5b; 5c; 5d; 5e; 5f; 5g) is accommodated.

2. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the housing (7) is a molded element made of plastic.

3. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing (7) has one or more recesses or one or more cavities corresponding to the at least one fuse section (5a; 5b; 5c; 5d; 5e; 5f; 5g) such that the at least one fuse section (5a; 5b; 5c; 5d; 5e; 5f; 5g) is received in the at least one recess or the at least one cavity in such a way that there is no direct mechanical contact between each fuse and the housing (7).

4. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing (7) comprises at least two separate housing parts (71, 7b) which are attached to the multi-core flat cable (1a).

5. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least between the first conductor (L1) and at least one adjacent second conductor (L2) there is formed at least one through hole which engages with a corresponding pin element (8) provided as at least one pin element (8) in the housing (7).

6. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one pin element (8) is formed on a first housing section of an inner wall of the housing (7).

7. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to claim 6, wherein the housing (7) is formed as a multi-part housing and the first housing section is formed in a first housing part (7a), wherein the at least one pin element (8) mechanically contacts a second housing section on an inner wall of a second housing part (7b).

8. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the fusible conductor is formed as a wire with a thickness of less than 200 µm.

9. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to claim 8, wherein the fusible conductor is formed as a wire with a thickness of at most 150 µm or less than 100 µm.

10. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the fusible conductor is formed from a resistance alloy.

11. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to claim 10, wherein the resistance alloy comprises copper and / or nickel.

12. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to claim 11, wherein the resistance alloy is designed as a copper-nickel alloy with a nickel content of 5% to 50%.

13. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the resistance alloy has additives of Mn and / or Al and / or Fe and / or Sn.

14. Multi-core flat cable system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein at least the fusible conductor of the first conductor (L1) is designed such that an electrical resistance of the fusible conductor relative to the total resistance of the corresponding conductor (L2) lies in a range of 80% to 99%.

15. Battery module (10) with at least one battery cell and the multi-core flat cable system (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the at least one battery cell (30) and the multi-core flat cable (1a) are electrically conductively connected to each other.

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