Cell-contacting system for a battery module and method for producing such a cell-contacting system
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023700930
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-05-06
- Filing Date
- 2023-01-12
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-11
AI Technical Summary
Conventional cell contacting systems for battery modules require high manufacturing and assembly costs due to the need for separate temperature detection devices and additional connecting elements, which complicates the integration of temperature sensors and increases the overall height of the system.
The integration of a temperature sensor on a protruding printed circuit board edge section within the cell connector, eliminating the need for additional measuring elements and connecting elements, allows for a simpler and more cost-effective construction with a lower overall height, using a thermally conductive layer for effective heat transfer.
This approach reduces component and assembly complexity, lowers production costs, and enables a more reliable and efficient temperature measurement system, facilitating simpler production and assembly of battery modules with reduced height.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001]Cell contact system for a battery module and method for producing such a cell contact system. The present invention relates to a cell contact system for a battery module with multiple battery cells, a battery module with such a cell contact system, and also a method for producing such a cell contact system. Cell management controllers (CMCs), which monitor the individual battery cells of the battery module in order to carry out, for example, charging processes, balancing of voltages and charge states, temperature control processes, etc. for the battery cells, require a cell contact system for contacting the battery cells in order to obtain corresponding measurement signals of the potentials and temperatures of the battery cells.The cell contact system typically contains several cell connectors for electrically connecting cell terminals of different battery cells and a printed circuit board with several signal lines, each for transmitting measured values at one of the several cell connectors to a signal management circuit or a connection interface. Conventional cell contact systems typically require significant manufacturing and assembly effort for connecting the signal sources to the signal line system formed by the printed circuit board and for inserting temperature sensing devices. In conventional cell contact systems, the temperature sensing devices typically include a temperature sensor mounted on a cell connector or a carrier element attached to the cell connector and coupled to the printed circuit board via a connecting element.As is known, attachments to the cell connector are made, for example, by gluing, screwing, soldering, or welding and / or by means of hooks or springs. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved cell contacting system that can be easily equipped with a temperature sensing device. This object is achieved by the cell contacting system defined in independent claim 1. Particularly advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. The cell contacting system according to the invention for a battery module with multiple battery cells has multiple cell connectors for electrically connecting cell terminals of different battery cells and a printed circuit board with multiple signal lines, each for conducting measured values at one of the multiple cell connectors to a signal management circuit or a connection interface.The multiple cell connectors serve as a power line system, and the circuit board serves as a signal line system. The cell contact system further comprises at least one temperature sensing device for measuring the temperature of the battery cells at one of the multiple cell connectors. According to the invention, this at least one temperature sensing device is formed from a circuit board edge section integrated with the circuit board, which protrudes from the circuit board into a region of the respective cell connector, a temperature sensor mounted on the circuit board edge section, and a cell connector overlap section of the respective cell connector, which overlaps the temperature sensor on the circuit board edge section. The use of a temperature sensing device designed in this way has several advantages.By integrating the temperature sensor into the circuit board using the protruding edge section, neither additional measuring elements separate from the circuit board or on a separate circuit board nor additional connecting elements between the measuring elements and the circuit board are required. Thus, fewer components and fewer assembly steps are required for the installation of the temperature sensing device, enabling a simpler / less complex design of the cell contacting system as well as simpler and more cost-effective manufacture and assembly of the cell contacting system. The temperature sensing device according to the invention also allows for a lower overall height of the cell contacting system compared to conventional systems, as a flat installation structure is possible.The inventive construction of the temperature sensing device is also particularly well suited for use in conjunction with a rigid printed circuit board, which results in further advantages, because a rigid printed circuit board enables simple handling during production and assembly, as well as the mounting of components such as electronic circuit elements. Due to the easier-to-manufacture cell contact system, the entire battery module can also be manufactured more easily and reliably. According to the invention, the cell contact system contains a special temperature sensing device. This concept can in principle be combined with any basic cell connector construction, any printed circuit board (preferably rigid, optionally also flexible printed circuit board), any connection construction between voltage tapping points on the cell connectors and the printed circuit board, and any dimensions of the battery module (i.e.in particular the number and size of the battery cells). Furthermore, the cell contacting system can contain any number of temperature sensing devices designed according to the invention for measuring the temperature at several (at some or even all) of the cell connectors, and the temperature sensing devices can in principle comprise any type of temperature sensor (e.g., NTC temperature sensor, optionally in SMD version). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one temperature sensing device further comprises a heat-conducting layer between the temperature sensor and the cell connector overlap section of the respective cell connector. The heat-conducting layer serves to transfer heat from the cell connector to the temperature sensor. This heat-conducting layer of the temperature sensing device can be attached to the temperature sensor or to the cell connector overlap section of the respective cell connector.The cell connector overlap section of the temperature sensing device preferably (but not necessarily) overlaps the entire circuit board edge section of the temperature sensing device. The construction of the temperature sensing device can preferably be designed such that at least one of the following aspects is met: (i) the cell connector overlap section extends (at least partially) higher than the remaining contact area of the respective cell connector; (ii) the circuit board edge section is positioned in substantially the same plane as the circuit board or lower than the circuit board; and (iii) the circuit board edge section is positioned in substantially the same plane as the respective cell connector or lower than the respective cell connector. These details refer in each case to the upper sides of the aforementioned components facing away from the battery cells.Alternatively or additionally, the construction of the temperature sensing device is preferably also designed such that the circuit board edge section has substantially the same layer thickness as the circuit board or a smaller layer thickness than the circuit board. In one embodiment of the invention, the plurality of cell connectors each have two contact regions, each to a cell terminal of a battery cell, and a compensation region between the two contact regions. In this case, the temperature sensing device is arranged in the region of one of the two contact regions of the respective cell connector. The invention also relates to a battery module having a plurality of battery cells and a cell contacting system of the invention as described above. With this battery module, the same advantages can be achieved as explained above in connection with the cell contacting system according to the invention.The battery cells are connected to one another via the cell connectors of the cell contact system and can be connected to a consumer or a charging system via an electrical connection of the battery module. The battery cells and the cell contact system are preferably both accommodated in a module housing. The invention is not limited to a specific type, number, size, or arrangement of the plurality of battery cells. The invention is particularly applicable to Li-ion battery modules. The battery module generally further comprises at least one battery module controller for operating the battery module, which is connected to the at least one signal management circuit (integrated into the circuit board or connected to the circuit board as an external circuit via a connection interface).The module controller carries out, for example, charging processes, balancing of voltages and charge states, temperature control processes, particularly cooling processes, and the like, at least partially dependent on the measurement signals obtained by the cell contact system. The invention is advantageously applicable to battery modules for vehicles, in particular electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, and in particular motor vehicles and motorcycles, as well as for energy storage systems and other electrical devices (e.g., electronic household appliances).The invention also relates to a method for equipping a cell contacting system for a battery module with a plurality of battery cells, which has a plurality of cell connectors for electrically connecting cell terminals of different battery cells and a printed circuit board with a plurality of signal lines, each for conducting measured values at one of the plurality of cell connectors to a signal management circuit or a connection interface, with at least one temperature detection device for measuring the temperature of the battery cells at one of the plurality of cell connectors, ie a method for producing the cell contacting system explained above.This method comprises: providing the circuit board with at least one integrated circuit board edge section such that, when the cell contacting system is mounted, this edge section protrudes from the circuit board into a region of the respective cell connector; mounting a temperature sensor on the circuit board edge section; and providing the respective cell connector with a cell connector overlap section such that, when the cell contacting system is mounted, this overlap section overlaps the temperature sensor on the circuit board edge section. This method can achieve the same advantages as explained above in connection with the cell contacting system according to the invention. Preferably, the method further comprises inserting a heat-conducting layer between the temperature sensor and the cell connector overlap section of the respective cell connector.Furthermore, the components of the temperature sensing device are designed and positioned as explained above in connection with the cell contacting system. The subject matter of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The above and other features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following description of preferred, non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show, largely schematically: Fig. 1 is a perspective top view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective partial top view of a cell contacting system according to an embodiment of the invention for the battery module of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective partial top view of Fig. 2 without a cell connector already in place in the area of the temperature sensing device; and Fig. 4 is a perspective top view of a cell connector of Fig.2, which is placed in the area of the temperature detection device. With reference to Figs. 1 to 4, an exemplary embodiment of a battery module with a cell contacting system according to the invention is explained by way of example. The battery module 10 has a plurality of battery cells (e.g. Li-ion battery cells) 12. In this exemplary embodiment, the battery cells 12 are arranged next to one another in the top-bottom direction of Fig. 1 and each have a negative terminal in the left or right end region in Fig. 1 and a positive terminal in the right or left end region in Fig. 1, wherein the negative and positive terminals of the battery cells 12 are arranged alternately, so that a negative terminal of a battery cell is located next to a positive terminal of an adjacent battery cell. The battery module 10 further has a cell contacting system 15, which is arranged above the battery cells 12, preferably on a carrier plate 14.The battery cells 12, together with the cell contact system 15, are typically arranged in a module housing (not shown). The cell contact system 15 has a plurality of cell connectors 16 that form a power line system. In this exemplary embodiment, the cell connectors 16 each have two contact regions 16a, 16b and a (preferably elastic) compensation region 16c between the two contact regions 16a, 16b and are attached to the battery cells 12 such that, via their two contact regions 16a, 16b, they each couple the negative terminal of a battery cell 12 to the positive terminal of an adjacent battery cell 12, resulting in a series connection of the battery cells 12 in the battery module 10. The battery cells 12 can also be connected to a consumer or a charging system via an electrical connection of the battery module 10.The cell contacting system 15 further comprises a (preferably rigid) printed circuit board 18, which forms the signal line system and is arranged above the battery cells 12 in the area between the two rows of cell connectors 16 over the entire length of the battery cell arrangement. The shape and size of the printed circuit board 18 can in principle be adapted to any battery module design, in particular to any arrangement, size, and number of battery cells. In this exemplary embodiment, the printed circuit board 18 is essentially rectangular. As shown in Fig. 1, the printed circuit board 18 preferably also has several holes as ventilation openings 19 to support a cooling process of the battery cells 12 located underneath. Although in Fig.1 (not shown for the sake of simplicity and clarity), the circuit board 18 has several signal lines, each connecting a signal source of a cell connector 16 to an electronic signal management circuit 20. The signal management circuit 20 is designed, for example, to carry out the voltage measurement method and evaluate the measurement signals received from the signal sources of the cell connectors 16. In this exemplary embodiment, the signal management circuit 20 is integrated on the circuit board 18 and connected to a connection interface 22, via which the signal management circuit 20 can be connected to a battery module controller. This battery module controller serves, for example, to carry out charging processes, balancing the voltages and charge states, temperature control processes, such as, in particular, cooling processes, etc., wherein these processes are carried out at least partially dependent on the measurement signals received by the cell contacting system 15 or the measured values obtained by its signal management circuit 20. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the signal management circuit 20 can also be designed externally to the circuit board 18. In this case, the signal lines of the circuit board 18 are connected directly to the connection interface 22 and the external signal management circuit is coupled to the connection interface 22 of the circuit board 18 and also coupled to the battery module controller via a further connection interface. The cell contacting system 15, the signal management circuit 20 and the battery module controller can together also be referred to as a cell management controller (CMC). As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there are two types of signal sources in this cell contacting system 15.Firstly, all (optionally only a majority of) cell connectors 16 each have a voltage tapping point 24 as a first type of signal source for measuring the voltage of the battery cells 12. In addition, a few (optionally also all) cell connectors 16 each have a temperature measuring device 30 as a second type of signal source for measuring the temperature of the battery cells 12. The voltage tapping points 24 can each be formed directly by a contact area 16a, 16b of a cell connector 16. To connect the voltage tapping points 24 to the signal lines of the circuit board 18, at least one (in this exemplary embodiment, two) connecting element 26 is coupled to corresponding contact points 28a, 28b on the circuit board 18 and on the cell connector 16. The structures of these connecting elements 26 are fundamentally arbitrary within the scope of the invention. As shown in Fig.2 to 4, the connecting elements 26 can be designed, for example, as press-fit connecting elements that are made of metal and are pressed into corresponding contact points 28a in the form of holes on the circuit board 18 and into corresponding contact points 28b in the form of holes on the cell connectors 16. If the top side of the circuit board 18 and the top sides of the contact areas 16a, 16b of the cell connector 16 are positioned on substantially the same plane, then the connecting section of the connecting element 26 is designed, for example, such that the two press-in sections of the connecting element are positioned at approximately the same height. Furthermore, it is possible to design the connecting section of the connecting element 26 to be at least partially elastic. With reference to Figs. 2 to 4, the temperature measuring devices 30 will now be explained in more detail by way of example. As best shown in Fig.3, the temperature sensing device 30 has a circuit board edge section 31 integrated with the circuit board 18, which protrudes from the circuit board 18 into an area of the respective cell connector 16 and on which a temperature sensor 32 is mounted. In other words, the circuit board edge section 31 protrudes from the edge of the basic shape of the circuit board 18, which in this exemplary embodiment is essentially rectangular. The temperature sensor 32 is, for example, an NTC resistor or an NTC thermistor, optionally in an SMD version. As best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, the temperature sensing device 30 further has a cell connector overlap section 33 of the respective cell connector 16, which overlaps the temperature sensor 32 on the circuit board edge section 31. This cell connector overlap section 33 preferably overlaps substantially the entire circuit board edge section 31.Since the circuit board edge section 31 with the temperature sensor 32 is a component of the circuit board 18, no additional connecting elements (such as the connecting elements 26 for the voltage tap points 24) to the circuit board 18 are required for the temperature detection signal source. As shown in Fig. 2, the temperature detection device 30 preferably further comprises a thermally conductive layer 34 between the temperature sensor 32 and the cell connector overlap section 33 so that the temperature sensor 32 can measure the temperature of the cell connector (and consequently the temperature of the battery cells) more effectively and reliably. This thermally conductive layer 34 can be attached either to the temperature sensor 32 or to the cell connector overlap section 33 of the respective cell connector 16. The thermally conductive layer 34 covers at least the temperature sensor 32, and optionally also the entire cell connector overlap section 33. As can be seen from Fig.As can be seen from Figures 2 to 4, during assembly of the cell contacting system 15, the printed circuit board 18 (with its integrated printed circuit board edge sections 31 and the temperature sensors 32 thereon) is first placed on the carrier plate 14 above the battery cells 12. Then, the cell connectors 16 are placed on the carrier plate 14 in the areas of the cell terminals 26 of the battery cells 12. The printed circuit board edge sections 31 of the temperature sensing devices 30 are each positioned in a section of a cell terminal 26, in which a contact area 16b of a cell connector 16 is then positioned. Accordingly, the cell connector 16 has the cell connector overlap section 34 in the section of its contact area 16b, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. After the cell connectors 16 have been placed in place, the voltage tap points 24 of the cell connectors 16 are then also connected to the circuit board 18 by coupling the connecting elements 26 to their contact points 28a, 28b.In the exemplary embodiment of Figures 2 to 4, the upper side of the circuit board edge section 31 is positioned in substantially the same plane as the upper side of the circuit board 18, wherein the layer thickness of the circuit board edge section 31 can be somewhat thinner than the layer thickness of the circuit board 18. Particularly in the case of the thinner circuit board edge section 31, its upper side can alternatively also be positioned somewhat lower than the upper side of the circuit board 18. Furthermore, the upper side of the circuit board edge section 31 is preferably positioned somewhat lower than the upper side of the respective cell connector 16, and the cell connector overlap section 33 preferably extends only slightly higher than the remaining contact region 16b of the respective cell connector 16. In this way, a relatively flat design of the cell contacting system 15 in the region of the temperature detection device 30 can be achieved overall.Furthermore, it is possible to design the circuit board edge section 31 and / or the cell connector overlap section 34 at least partially elastically. Such flexibility can, for example, compensate for movements and swelling of the battery cells 12, which can occur, for example, during charging and discharging cycles. The described battery module 10 with the cell contact system 15 according to the invention can be used, for example, for vehicles, in particular electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, and in particular motor vehicles and motorcycles, or for energy storage systems or for other electrical devices (e.g., electronic household appliances). The subject matter of the invention is defined by the appended claims. The exemplary embodiment explained above serves only to improve understanding of the invention, but is not intended to limit the scope of protection defined by the claims.As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, other embodiments are also possible within the scope of the invention, in particular by omitting individual features from or adding additional features to the exemplary embodiment described above. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 10 Battery module 12 Battery cell 14 Carrier plate 15 Cell contacting system 16 Cell connector (power line system) 16a,b Contact areas of the cell connector 16c Compensation area of the cell connector 18 Printed circuit board (signal line system) 19 Ventilation opening 20 Signal management circuit 22 Connection interface 24 Voltage tapping point 26 Connection element 28a Connection element contact point on printed circuit board 28b Connection element contact point on cell connector 30 Temperature detection device 31 Printed circuit board edge section 32 Temperature sensor 33 Cell connector overlap section 34 Heat conducting layer 36 Cell terminal.
Claims
AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 13 June 2023 (13.06.2023) 1. Cell contacting system (15) for a battery module (10) with several battery cells (12), comprising: several cell connectors (16) for electrically connecting cell terminals (36) of different battery cells (12); and a printed circuit board (18) with several signal lines, each for transmitting measured values at one of the several cell connectors (16) to a signal management circuit (20) or a connection interface (22), wherein the cell contacting system (15) further comprises at least one temperature sensing device (30) for measuring the temperature of the battery cells (12) at one of the several cell connectors (16), wherein the at least one temperature sensing device (30) is formed from: a printed circuit board edge section (31) integrated with the printed circuit board (18), which projects from the printed circuit board into a region of the respective cell connector (16), a temperature sensor (32) which is mounted on the top side of the printed circuit board edge section (31), wherein the top side of the printed circuit board edge section (31) is positioned lower than the top side of the printed circuit board (18) and lower than the top side of the respective cell connector (16),and a cell connector overlap section (33) of the respective cell connector (16) that overlaps the temperature sensor (32) on the circuit board edge section (31) at its upper side.
2. Cell contacting system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensing device (30) further comprises a thermal conducting layer (34) between the top surface of the temperature sensor (32) and the cell connector overlap section (33) of the respective cell connector (16).
3. Cell contacting system according to claim 2, in which the thermal conducting layer (34) of the temperature sensing device (30) is attached to the temperature sensor (32) or to the cell connector overlap section (33) of the respective cell connector (16).
4. Cell contacting system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cell connector overlap section (33) of the temperature sensing device (30) overlaps the entire printed circuit board edge section (31) of the temperature sensing device (30).
5. Cell contacting system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the cell connector overlap section (33) of the temperature sensing device (30) extends higher than any other contact area (16a, 16b) of the respective cell connector (16).
6. Cell contacting system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed circuit board edge section (31) of the temperature sensing device (30) is positioned in the same plane as the printed circuit board (18) or deeper than the printed circuit board (18).
7. Cell contacting system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed circuit board edge section (31) of the temperature sensing device (30) is positioned in the same plane as the respective cell connector (16) or deeper than the respective cell connector (16).
8. Cell contacting system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed circuit board edge section (31) of the temperature sensing device (30) has the same layer thickness as the printed circuit board (18) or a smaller layer thickness than the printed circuit board (18).
9. Cell contacting system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the multiple cell connectors (16) each have two contact areas (16a, 16b) to a cell terminal (36) of a battery cell (12) and a compensation area (16c) between the two contact areas (16a, 16b), wherein the temperature sensing device (30) is arranged in the area of one of the two contact areas (16a, 16b) of the respective cell connector (16).
10. Battery module (10), comprising: several battery cells (12); and a cell contacting system (15) according to one of the preceding claims.
11. Method for equipping a cell contacting system (15) for a battery module (10) with several battery cells (12), comprising several cell connectors (16) for electrically connecting cell terminals (36) of different battery cells (12) and a printed circuit board (18) with several signal lines, each for transmitting measured values at one of the several cell connectors (16) to a signal management circuit (20) or a connection interface (22), comprising at least one temperature sensing device (30) for measuring the temperature of the battery cells (12) at one of the several cell connectors (16), comprising: Providing the printed circuit board (18) with at least one integrated printed circuit board edge section (31) such that, in the assembled state of the cell contacting system (15), this section projects from the printed circuit board into an area of the respective cell connector (16), Mounting a temperature sensor (32) on the top side of the printed circuit board edge section (31), wherein the top side of the printed circuit board edge section (31) is positioned lower than the top side of the printed circuit board (18) and lower than the top side of the respective cell connector (16), and Providing each cell connector (16) with a cell connector overlap section (33) such that, in the assembled state of the cell contacting system (15), it overlaps the temperature sensor (32) on the circuit board edge section (31) on its upper side.
12. Method according to claim 11, further comprising inserting a heat-conducting layer (34) between the top surface of the temperature sensor (32) and the cell connector overlap section (33) of the respective cell connector (16).
13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the components (31, 32, 33, 34) of the temperature sensing device (30) are designed and positioned as specified in any one of claims 3 to 9.