Battery pack comprising a pack of cells and a battery management system

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery pack comprising a pack of cells (4), each cell comprising two opposing polarities, each polarity being electrically coupled to a first connector (57) situated in line with a first cooperating portion (47), the system comprising an electronic management casing (5) configured to be mounted removably on the pack of cells (4) and comprising second connectors (67) electrically coupled to a battery management system (6) and situated in line with second cooperating portions (77), the battery pack being configured such that the mounting of the casing (5) on the pack of cells (4) brings about mechanical cooperation between each first cooperating portion (47) and one of the second cooperating portions (77) that achieves seal-tightness while at the same time electrically coupling each first connector (57) with a second connector (67).

Description

BATTERY PACK INCLUDING A CELL PACK AND A BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to battery packs comprising a cell pack and a battery management system, in particular an electronic card for managing the battery pack. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] The field of batteries powering portable power tools has continued to evolve over the past twenty years. Initially, batteries powered tools requiring relatively low power (electric pruning shears, tying machines, etc.) by providing them with professional autonomy of several hours of work, the batteries then being recharged during the night. However, the energy and power requirements necessary for the operation of such tools have significantly evolved to now power brush cutters, chainsaws, etc. The power requirements of these tools have been made possible by the development of backpack batteries to provide the necessary autonomy and power of the tool over several hours, these characteristics being in fact proportional to the weight of active electrochemical materials in the battery.In this case, a battery with a large amount of energy can then easily provide power to the tool while delivering only a relatively low current, guaranteeing a long battery life. The new generations of active battery materials now make it possible to deliver high currents despite reduced autonomy and low battery weight. This thus allows the development of a battery pack embedded in the tool, comprising a cell pack (i.e. a pack that electrically connects several cells in series and / or parallel via their positive and negative terminals). Such battery packs can then power tools requiring high power, without an electrical connection wire with a backpack battery, allowing autonomy of several minutes or even, where appropriate, several hours in the case of low power use.Several hours of battery life can also be ensured by having several battery packs connected successively to the tool as soon as the previous pack is discharged. Discharged battery packs. can also be quickly charged in parallel. However, these on-board battery packs must be light enough to ensure handling of the tool without causing significant musculoskeletal disorders for the user.

[0003] A significant power supplied by the battery pack to the tool means the presence of high currents, however inducing significant thermal stress on the cells through all conductors, external and internal to the cells, the dissipated thermal power being in fact proportional to the square of the intensity of the current flowing in these conductors. High currents and temperatures then accelerate the aging of the internal electrodes of the cells by reducing their lifespan. When the cells of a battery technology can reach several thousand charge / discharge cycles with low operating currents (this is the case for example with lithium-ion or even lithium iron phosphate LiFePO4 battery technologies), rapid charge / discharge operation with high currents limits their lifespan to a few hundred charge / discharge cycles.

[0004] Battery packs made up of high-performance technology cells require electronic management of each of their cells, the electronic management board being generally called BMS (or "Battery Management System" in English, i.e. battery management system). The electronic components of the BMS of the battery pack are much more tolerant to these high temperatures and currents and therefore have a much longer lifespan than that of the cells. Thus, it is not necessary to recycle the BMS of such a battery at the same time as the associated cell pack. However, the associated BMS of these battery packs are integrated as closely as possible, or even inside the cell pack in such a way that it is impossible to separate the BMS from the cell pack without irreversible damage to the BMS. There is therefore a real problem linked to the recycling of end-of-life battery packs which is that of having to recycle at the same time their BMS, still functional.

[0005] Indeed, the design of such batteries, due to the high currents during charging or discharging, requires a minimum of internal resistance in the various conductors as well as in the interconnections (connectors, welds, etc.) between the BMS and the cells to limit heating in all these resistive parts. The BMS are then generally welded directly onto the connections with the cells constituting the battery pack, which makes it extremely difficult to separate the BMS from the cell pack during recycling and then reusing it by combining it with a new cell pack without damaging it.

[0006] At the end of the battery pack's life, or even when a cell fails, it would be interesting to be able to change only the cell pack while keeping the BMS in order to limit the environmental impact due to recycling. Under these conditions, the same BMS could be reused many times before being recycled in turn.

[0007] This requires, in fact, taking into account different aspects in the production of such a BMS so that it can be recovered quickly and without damage at the end of the life of the cell pack in order to be assembled on a new cell pack. Existing BMS are connected to the cell pack generally by a multitude of conductors, namely measuring conductors in wire form for measuring voltages or temperatures, or power conductors in the form of conductive strips (commonly called "tabs", a word derived from the term used in English) to carry the current from these cells to the tool, these wires or strips being welded between the cells or sensors and the BMS.Part of the connections with the BMS can be made with multiple connectors adapted to each interconnection of the wires or ribbons, however representing on the one hand a significant volume and on the other hand implementing the presence of intermediate metal contacts which must be crimped or soldered, the metals of these contacts often being of a different nature from the materials to be connected, generating additional heating. The cooling of the cells in operation, for example by air, also requires taking into account sufficient sealing at the level of the various contacts in each connection between the BMS and the cell pack in order to avoid degrading them, in particular by corrosion or in any case by a significant increase in contact resistances.Such a level of sealing is often carried over to the battery pack level, to the detriment of the reliability of the battery pack over time, due to sealing that is too complex to achieve around the contacts in the connections between the BMS and the cell pack.

[0008] Power conductors, or tabs, connect the positive and negative poles of the cells in a series / parallel architecture so as to define between the positive and negative terminals of the battery pack a voltage equal to the individual voltage of a cell multiplied by the number of cells connected in series, and to define a capacity of the battery pack (whose unit is the Ampere hour, noted Ah) equal to the capacity of a cell multiplied by the number of cells connected in parallel. Such Power conductors are formed by stainless conductive metal strips (such as Nickel for example) or covered with a stainless coating (nickel-plated steel for example). They are often configured to be soldered at each pole by an appropriate soldering technology (spot welding, laser welding, tin soldering, ...), the two end poles then being connected to the BMS for example with tin solder.

[0009] The measuring conductors have, among other things, the function of taking the voltage measurement as close as possible to the poles of each cell in series to reflect the cell voltage in the charging, discharging or resting phases. Such conductors are often formed by small diameter insulated conductive wires. When there are, for example, N cells connected in series, there is a need to position at least N+1 wires to be able to ensure the voltage measurement of each cell between their positive and negative poles. However, these small diameter wires are fragile and are often difficult to position within the battery pack given the volume constraints of this pack. By friction, or pinching, their insulation can deteriorate and generate a short circuit in the battery.

[0010] For example, all the battery pack connections (power or measurement conductors) can be isolated from a flow of air or a cooling fluid for the battery pack cells. This prevents the various connections of the power or measurement circuits from becoming fragile, particularly through corrosion or dust accumulation, while avoiding the risk of short circuits or significant increases in contact resistance, which would generate untimely heating and reduce the lifespan of the cells. However, the number and nature of the connections to be insulated make this insulation complex to achieve and do not facilitate damage-free disassembly of the BMS at the end of the cell pack's life.

[0011] In order to increase the lifespan of the cell pack, it is also possible to ensure efficient and uniform cooling of the different cells by passing air or a cooling fluid around the cell to evacuate the calories generated during charging or discharging while maintaining a low temperature delta between each cell. However, in this case, it is necessary to minimize the disturbances resulting from the positioning of the BMS in the battery pack so as not to disturb the uniformity of this cooling. Indeed, as soon as a single cell is faulty, for example showing more significant aging than the other cells due to poorly balanced thermal management, the entire cell pack must be replaced.

[0012] For example, patent application DE102013220119 discloses a battery case comprising a base case, which is arranged to receive at least one battery cell, a case cover, which is arranged to be connected to the base case, and battery electronics mounted on an inner side of the case cover. The case cover has a plurality of screw holes arranged along the periphery of the case cover, for fixing the cover to the base case, by mounting screws. In addition, the battery cells are electrically connected to the battery electronics by connecting screws connecting contact elements to connection rails. Such a battery case requires the use of several screws, and specific tools, which makes the assembly or disassembly of the assembly long and tedious.Furthermore, the box does not allow the voltage at the terminals of the cells to be measured; it only reveals the two terminals of the set of cells coming out of the basic box and connected in a removable manner by a mechanical assembly between the basic box and the battery electronics.

[0013] An object of the present invention is therefore to propose a solution to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above, and in particular, to propose means to improve the thermal, electrical and electronic safety of a battery pack comprising a cell pack and a BMS, while facilitating tool-free connections and disconnections between the BMS and the cell pack.

[0014] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. It is understood that other advantages may be incorporated. SUMMARY

[0015] To achieve this objective, a battery pack is proposed, comprising a cell pack comprising at least two cells electrically coupled in series, each cell comprising two opposite polarities, each polarity being electrically coupled to a first connector via at least one conductive connection, the cell pack comprising first cooperation portions associated with the first connectors, each first connector being located at right angles to a first cooperation portion.

[0016] The battery pack comprises an electronic management box configured to be removably mounted on the cell pack and to house at least one battery management system, denoted BMS, the BMS comprising a measurement circuit configured to measure parameters relating to the cell voltages, and: - the electronic management box comprises second connectors electrically coupled to the BMS, and second cooperation portions, each second connector being located in line with a second cooperation portion, and - the battery pack is configured so that the mounting of the electronic management box on the cell pack causes mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion with one of the second cooperation portions, the mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion with one of the second cooperation portions operating in a sealed manner while electrically coupling each first connector with a second connector.

[0017] Thus, the electronic management box is made removable to, in particular, facilitate the recycling of the BMS it contains. In addition, when the electronic management box is mounted on the cell pack and the cooling of the latter requires air circulation around the cells, the sealed mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion with one of the second cooperation portions limits the corrosion of the electrical connections between the cell pack and the BMS. A main effect is to facilitate the assembly and disassembly without damage of the electronic management box, including during recycling operations so as to reuse it, or at least to reuse the BMS it contains, while greatly limiting the corrosion of the contacts and the increase in contact resistance inherent in the aging of the battery.Thus, the same BMS can be connected to both a cylindrical and prismatic cell pack, each cell pack having its own voltage characteristics and further comprising first cooperation portions compatible with the second cooperation portions of the electronic management box. In other words, the electronic management box can be quickly separated from the cell pack to facilitate cell recycling without damaging the BMS, which retains its functionalities for association with a new cell pack.

[0018] The sealing function of the various contacts in the connections between the BMS and the cell pack is understood to mean a seal limiting the passage of the cell cooling fluid at the contacts, with the function of limiting corrosion of these contacts, and therefore an increase in contact resistance, by abnormal and unwanted circulation of this cooling fluid around the contacts. For example, in the case of a air-cooled cell pack requiring openings in the battery pack to allow air circulation, waterproofing also covers the use of this pack in rainy weather where water may splash onto the contacts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0019] The aims, objects, as well as the characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description of an embodiment thereof which is illustrated by the following accompanying drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig.1] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a battery pack having a visible connector side.

[0021] [Fig.2] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the battery pack of Figure 1, showing one side of a visible display interface.

[0022] [Fig.3] Figure 3 represents a view of the contents of a first embodiment of the battery pack of figures 1 and 2, including a pack of cells in cylindrical format assembled with its electronic management box.

[0023] [Fig.4] Figure 4 shows the electronic management box of Figure 3 disassembled from the cell pack.

[0024] [Fig.5] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the electronic management box from the side of its connection with the cell pack and with a tool connector.

[0025] [Fig.6] Figure 6 shows another view of the electronic management box of Figure 5 without the tool connector.

[0026] [Fig.7] Figure 7 schematically represents a section of the battery pack of Figure 1, showing a connection of first measurement connectors to a cell.

[0027] [Fig.8] Figure 8 schematically represents a partial section of the cell pack and electronic management box of Figure 3, comprising first and second connectors and showing a junction of the first and second cooperating portions.

[0028] [Fig.9] Figure 9 represents a view of the contents of a second embodiment of the battery pack of figures 1 and 2, including a prismatic cell pack disassembled with its electronic management box.

[0029] The drawings are given by way of example and are not limiting of the invention. They constitute schematic representations of principle intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention and are not necessarily to the scale of practical applications. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Before starting a detailed review of embodiments and implementations of the invention, optional features are set out below which may possibly be used in association or alternatively.

[0031] For example, each first cooperation portion is watertight and is crossed by a first connector.

[0032] For example, each second cooperation portion is waterproof and is crossed by a second connector.

[0033] For example, one of the first and second cooperating portions forms a male portion, and the other of the first and second cooperating portions forms a female portion shaped to mechanically cooperate with the male portion.

[0034] For example, the first cooperation portions are arranged so that each first cooperation portion is located in line with one of the second cooperation portions when the electronic management box is mounted on the cell pack.

[0035] For example, the mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion with one of the second cooperation portions causes the electronic management box to be held on the cell pack.

[0036] For example, the battery pack is configured so that the assembly of the electronic management box on the cell pack is carried out manually, preferably without tools.

[0037] In the following description, when it is indicated that an element A is located to the right of another element B, this means that element A is located at the level of B, opposite B, or opposite B.

[0038] Figures 1 and 2 represent an external view of a battery pack 1, of generally prismatic shape and comprising an external casing, in the form of a shell 2 onto which a cover 3 is screwed, within which are housed a cell pack 4 and an electronic management box 5 comprising a battery management system 6, noted BMS, in the form of an electronic card for managing the cell pack 4. This battery pack is intended to be connected to a tool, not shown, by means of a tool connector 7, in connection with the electronic management box 5. The battery pack further comprises a display interface 8 for the state of charge of the cell pack, also in connection with the electronic management box. The cover 3 further comprises ventilation openings 9 allowing the circulation of an air flow to cool the cells of the cell pack.Such vents may also be present on the hull 2 ​​to reinforce the circulation of the cooling air flow.

[0039] Figures 3, 4 and 9 show internal components in more detail of the battery pack 1, in particular the cell pack 4 and the electronic management box 5. The cell pack 4 comprises at least two cells electrically coupled in series. The cell pack 4 comprises, for example, twelve individual electrochemical accumulators 40, 140 assembled here in a series architecture. A cell of the cell pack therefore corresponds here to an accumulator 40, 140. Indeed, one could envisage arranging the twelve accumulators with another architecture, for example by connecting only six cells in series, the cell then comprising two accumulators connected in parallel; or even four cells in series, the cell then comprising three accumulators connected in parallel.According to an embodiment illustrated in figures 3 and 4, the accumulators 40 of the cell pack 4 have a cylindrical format and are for example Li-lon technology accumulators (i.e. lithium ion), commercially available with a standardized format 21700 or 18650 for example. According to another embodiment, illustrated in figure 9, the accumulators 140 of the cell pack 4 have a prismatic format and can also be of Li-lon technology. Advantageously, a cover 141, preferably electrically insulating, is mounted on the accumulators 140 so as to hold them together. Each accumulator 40, 140 has two opposite polarities, namely a positive polarity P and a negative polarity N, arranged at each end of the cylindrical shape of the accumulator, as shown in Figure 7. Each cell of the cell pack, corresponding to one accumulator or several accumulators connected in parallel, therefore has the same positive polarities P and negative polarities N as those of the accumulators, with the same voltage level as that of the accumulators of the cell.As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the accumulators are mechanically held between two flanges 42, 44 made of insulating material, these flanges being open at the cell ends so as to operate and / or check the cell interconnections, the flanges then being covered with a waterproof wall 50, such as an adhesive for example, providing a seal on the ends of each accumulator, so as to make it possible for a flow of cooling air to pass around the majority of their cylindrical side wall. Generally, each polarity of each cell is electrically coupled to a first connector 56, 57, 58 via at least one conductive connection 52, 54, 151, for example in the form of metal strips spot-welded to each accumulator polarity. For example, the connections. conductive connections are positioned in a sealed manner in the flanges 42, 44, or in the cover 141. The configuration of these conductive connections is of course a function of the series / parallel architecture chosen for the cell pack. For example, when the cell pack 4 comprises N cells connected in series, the cell pack 4 comprises at least N+1 first connectors 57, called measurement connectors, and at least N+1 conductive connections to be able to ensure the voltage measurement of each cell between their positive P and negative N polarities. Preferably, the cell pack 4 further comprises two other first connectors 56, 58, called power connectors. The cell pack 4 comprises first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48. Preferably, the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48 are electrically insulating.For example, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the flanges 42, 44 comprise the first electrically insulating cooperation portions 46, 47, 48. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9, the cover 141 comprises the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48. Advantageously, each first connector is located in line with a first cooperation portion, for example each first connector is surrounded by a first cooperation portion. According to one advantage, the first connectors 56, 57, 58 are respectively surrounded by the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48. It is also said that each first cooperation portion is associated with a first connector. For example, the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48 are respectively associated with the first connectors 56, 57, 58.A first main connector 56, called the power connector, corresponds to the negative terminal of the cell pack, connected by a conductive connection to the negative polarity of the first cell in the series assembly. It is located in line with a first main cooperation portion 46. A first secondary connector 58, called the power connector, corresponds to the positive terminal of the cell pack, connected by a conductive connection to the positive polarity of the last cell in the series assembly. It is located in line with a first secondary cooperation portion 48. The first main and secondary connectors 56 and 58 are dedicated to the supply of power, have a larger section, and are notably longer than the other first connectors 57, called the measurement connectors, as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 8 and 9. For the twelve cells in series, thirteen first measurement connectors 57 make it possible to measure the individual voltages of each cell.Each first measuring connector 57 is connected by a conductive connection to one of the polarities of a cell arranged in. the series assembly. The first measurement connectors 57 are each located in line with one of the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48. The first measurement connectors 57 are dedicated to voltage measurement and do not require a large cross-section, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 9. The first connectors can also be formed from the same material, whether to define the positive, negative terminals or the voltage measurements; for example, the first connectors are formed from the same metal strip. This makes it possible to limit the number of contact resistances, whether to conduct a current or measure a voltage. They can also be molded partly in the insulating material of the flanges 42, 44 or the cover 141 so as to ensure their sealing.

[0040] Furthermore, the battery pack 1 comprises an electronic management box 5 configured to be removably mounted on the cell pack 4, preferably without tools. That is to say, the electronic management box 5 is movable between a connected position as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8, in which the electronic management box 5 is in contact with the cell pack 4 and corresponds to a position of the electronic management box 5 and the cell pack 4 inside the battery pack 1; and a disconnected position as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 9, in which the electronic management box 5 is located at a distance from the cell pack 4 in a position where the box 5 is not in contact with the cell pack 4, and the box 5 is outside the battery pack 1.More particularly, when the housing 5 moves from the connected position to the disconnected position, there is no mechanical destruction of either the housing 5 or the cell pack 4. Furthermore, the housing 5 is configured to house the BMS 6 in the form of at least one electronic card. The BMS 6 comprises electronic circuits, at least one of which is configured to measure parameters relating to the voltages of the cells using each of the first connectors 57. It may be noted that the first power connectors 56 and 58 could replace two first measurement connectors 57 in the first cooperation portions 46 and 48, resulting in a lower number of first measurement connectors 57 (namely eleven instead of thirteen in this example of twelve cells in series). However, the voltage measurement of the corresponding cells could be inaccurate when high currents pass through the first power connectors 56 and 58.

[0041] The electronic management box 5 comprises second connectors 66, 67, 68 electrically coupled to the BMS 6, for example via a measuring circuit integrated into the BMS. For example, a second connector 66, 67, 68 may comprise one or more contact pins, illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 6 to 8 configured to removably cooperate with a first connector 56, 57, 58.

[0042] The electronic management box 5 comprises second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78, and each second connector 66, 67, 68 is located in line with a second cooperation portion 76, 77, 78, for example each second connector 66, 67, 68 is surrounded by a second cooperation portion 76, 77, 78. According to one advantage, the second connectors 66, 67, 68 are respectively surrounded by the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78. Preferably, the second cooperation portions are electrically insulating. For example, the electronic management box 5 may be formed from an electrically insulating material.

[0043] In particular, the battery pack 1 is configured so that the mounting of the electronic management housing 5 on the cell pack 4 causes, and preferably maintains, mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion 46, 47, 48 with one of the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78. The mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion 46, 47, 48 with one of the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78 operates in a sealed manner, while electrically coupling each first connector 56, 57, 58 with a second connector 66, 67, 68. In other words, the mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion 46, 47, 48 with one of the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78 makes it possible to seal the electrical coupling between the first and second connectors. The first 46, 47, 48 and second 76, 77, 78 cooperating portions may have a cylindrical or oblong shape.

[0044] For example, the first and second cooperating portions are sealed and allow the first 56, 57, 58 and second 66, 67, 68 connectors to pass through respectively so that they can cooperate in a removable manner. For example, each first cooperating portion 46, 47, 48 is shaped to surround a first connector 56, 57, 58 so as to form a passage for the first connector 56, 57, 58. According to another example, each second cooperating portion 76, 77, 78 is shaped to surround a second connector 66, 67, 68 so as to form a passage for the second connector 56, 57, 58. In other words, the first and second connectors are visible when the electronic management box 5 is in the disconnected position of the cell pack 4.

[0045] Thus, the sealing between the electronic management box 5 and the cell pack 4 is caused by the connected position of the electronic management box 5, that is to say the mounting of the electronic management box 5 on the cell pack 4. The electronic management box 5 can further cooperate with the cover 3 of the battery pack 1 with a seal 30. Thus, when the cell pack 4 is positioned in the shell 2, and the electronic management box is assembled in a connected position, the cover 3 screwed onto the shell 2 cooperates via its seal 30 to maintain the assembly in the connected position, while also ensuring the sealing of the BMS 6 contained in the electronic management box.As illustrated in Figure 7, this assembly shows that the battery pack 1 can be cooled by an air flow circulating between the different air vents 9 while protecting the BMS 6, the first 56, 57, 58 and second 66, 67, 68 connectors as well as the conductive connections 52, 54 from possible dust that could cause short circuits, oxidations; while ensuring air circulation around the accumulators 40 of the cell pack 4 to cool them. In other words, the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78 are also combined with the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 78 in a sealed and removable manner, thus completing the sealing of the electrical and electronic connections between the P, N polarities of each accumulator 40 and the BMS.

[0046] Alternatively, the electronic management box may include additional orifices, not shown for simplification purposes, for ventilation of the interior of the box 5, in order to cool at least part of the BMS 6.

[0047] Advantageously, the battery pack 1 is configured so that the mounting of the electronic management box 5 on the cell pack 4 is carried out manually, preferably without tools.

[0048] The mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion 46, 47, 48 with one of the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78 causes the electronic management box 5 to be held on the cell pack 4. In other words, the mechanical cooperation causes mechanical contact to be maintained between the electronic management box 5 and the cell pack 4. For example, the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48 are configured to be brought into contact, with the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78, by friction so as to keep the electronic management box 5 in contact with the cell pack 4. For example, the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48 are configured to be brought into contact, with the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78, when the electronic management box 5 is mounted on the cell pack 4. Thus, bringing the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48 into contact with the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78 makes it possible to seal, in particular to seal against fluids, the electrical coupling between the first and second connectors.

[0049] Advantageously, the first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48 are arranged so that each first cooperation portion 46, 47, 48 is located in line with one of the second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78 when the electronic management box 5 is mounted on the cell pack 4.

[0050] For example, one of the first and second cooperating portions forms a male portion, and the other of the first and second cooperating portions forms a female portion shaped to mechanically cooperate with the male portion. According to the example illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, each first cooperating portion 46, 47, 48 forms a male part, for example a protruding lug of the cell pack 4. In this case, each second cooperation portion 76, 77, 78 forms a female part, for example a through or blind hole provided in a wall of the electronic management box 5. For example, one of the first and second cooperation portions 46, 47, 48 forms a male portion and the other of the first and second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78 forms a female part shaped to surround the male portion when the electronic management box 5 is mounted on the cell pack 4.

[0051] Furthermore, the electronic management box 5 comprises a number of second cooperation portions 76, 77, 78 identical to the number of first cooperation portions 46, 47, 48 of the cell pack 4.

Claims

Claims

1. Battery pack, comprising: - a cell pack (4) comprising at least two cells electrically coupled in series, each cell having two opposite polarities (P, N), each polarity (P, N) being electrically coupled to a first connector (56, 57, 58) via at least one conductive connection (52, 54), the cell pack (4) comprising first cooperation portions (46, 47, 48) associated with the first connectors (56, 57, 58), each first connector (56, 57, 58) being located in line with a first cooperation portion (46, 47, 48), the battery pack comprising an electronic management box (5) configured to be removably mounted on the cell pack (4) and to house at least one battery management system (6), denoted BMS, the BMS (6) comprising a measuring circuit configured to measure parameters relating to the voltages of the cells, - the electronic management box (5) comprising second connectors (66, 67, 68) electrically coupled to the BMS (6), and second cooperation portions (76, 77, 78), each second connector (66, 67, 68) being located in line with a second cooperation portion (76, 77, 78), - the battery pack being configured so that the mounting of the electronic management box (5) on the cell pack (4) causes mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion (46, 47, 48) with one of the second cooperation portions (76, 77, 78), the mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion (46, 47, 48) with one of the second cooperation portions (76, 77, 78) operating in a sealed manner while electrically coupling each first connector (56, 57, 58) with a second connector (66, 67, 68), characterized in that one of the first and second cooperation portions (46, 47, 48; 76, 77, 78) forms a male portion, and the other of the first and second cooperation portions (46, 47, 48; 76, 77, 78) forms a female portion shaped to cooperate mechanically with the male portion.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein each first cooperating portion (46, 47, 48) is shaped to surround a first connector (56, 57, 58) so as to form a passage for the first connector (56, 57, 58).

3. A battery pack according to any preceding claim, wherein each second cooperating portion (76, 77, 78) is shaped to surround a second connector (66, 67, 68) so as to form a passage for the second connector (56, 57, 58).

4. Battery pack according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the first cooperation portions (46, 47, 48) are arranged so that each first cooperation portion (46, 47, 48) is located in line with one of the second cooperation portions (76, 77, 78) when the electronic management box (5) is mounted on the cell pack (4).

5. Battery pack according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the first cooperation portions (46, 47, 48) are configured to be brought into contact, with the second cooperation portions (76, 77, 78), by friction so that the mechanical cooperation of each first cooperation portion (46, 47, 48) with one of the second cooperation portions (76, 77, 78) causes the electronic management box (5) to be held on the cell pack (4).

6. Battery pack according to any one of the preceding claims, configured so that the mounting of the electronic management box (5) on the cell pack (4) is carried out manually, preferably without tools.

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