GUIDE TOOL FOR INSERTING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR INTO A BASE OF A BATTERY MODULE OF AN ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a guide tool (1) for inserting an electrical connector into a base of a battery module of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, said module comprising a flat portion and at least a second portion perpendicular to said flat portion, said electrical connector being able to pass through said guide tool (1) to access the module, said guide tool (1) comprising a flat surface having a first portion (4a) and a second portion (4b), said first portion (4a) comprising a wall (5) perpendicular to the flat surface, said guide tool (1) being able to be positioned on said module, said wall (5) comprising an opening (6) intended to be positioned opposite said base, said electrical connector being able to be inserted into said base by passing through said opening (6), said second portion (4b) comprising a tab (7). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: GUIDE TOOL FOR INSERTING AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR INTO A BASE OF A BATTERY MODULE OF A VEHICLE ELECTRIC OR HYBRID CAR

[0001] The invention relates to the batteries of electric or hybrid motor vehicles, and more particularly to the electrical connections between said batteries and the electrical components of these vehicles.

[0002] A battery module is known from the prior art, comprising a base and an electrical connector capable of being plugged into said base. A user blindly positions said electrical connector opposite said base before inserting it. Thus, the user does not know whether said electrical connector is correctly positioned to allow said electrical connector to be plugged into said base. The action must therefore be repeated by said user until plugging is possible. This results in an increase in the assembly time of said battery module and a risk of wear of said electrical connector and said base when the manipulations are repeated excessively.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to allow easy insertion of said electrical connector into said base.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a guide tool for inserting an electrical connector into a base of a battery module of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, said module comprising a flat portion and at least a second portion perpendicular to said flat portion, said electrical connector being capable of passing through said guide tool to access the module, said guide tool comprising a flat surface forming a plane defined by a first longitudinal direction corresponding to the direction of insertion of said electrical connector through said guide tool, a second transverse direction orthogonal to the first direction and a third vertical direction orthogonal to the first direction and to the second direction, remarkable in that said flat surface has a first portion and a second portion,said first part comprising a wall perpendicular to the plane in the third direction, said guide tool is able to be positioned on said module so that said flat surface is able to be positioned on said flat part of said module and said wall is able to be positioned against said vertical part of said module, said wall comprising an opening, said opening being intended to be positioned opposite said base, said electrical connector being able to be inserted into said base by passing through, through said opening, said second part comprising a vertical tab in the third direction, said tab being perpendicular to said wall in the second direction.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the electrical connector is guided into the appropriate position to allow easy insertion of said electrical connector into the base. This limits wear on the electrical connector and the base.

[0006] Advantageously, said opening has a funnel shape.

[0007] Thus, the electrical connector is gradually guided towards the appropriate position for insertion into said base.

[0008] Advantageously, said flat surface has a substantially rectangular shape.

[0009] This shape is suitable for allowing the arrangement of all the elements making up said guide tool.

[0010] Preferably, said flat surface has a length of between 2 cm and 10 cm in the first direction.

[0011] This length is suitable for easy placement of said guide tool on the battery module without causing clutter at the vehicle battery.

[0012] Preferably, said tongue has a height of less than 3 cm in the third direction.

[0013] Such a height allows easy handling of said guide tool to facilitate its placement, without causing clutter in the arrangement of the battery modules.

[0014] Advantageously, said guide tool is made of nylon, polypropylene or thermoplastic polyurethane.

[0015] These materials are among the most widespread materials in the field of 3D printing. 3D printing is useful for quickly producing the guide tool.

[0016] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for connecting an electrical connector into a battery module of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle by means of a previously described guiding tool, remarkable in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of taking hold of said guidance tool by a user at said tab; - a step of placing said guide tool on said module, said opening being positioned opposite said base; - a step of positioning said electrical connector opposite said opening; - a step of inserting said electrical connector into said base by passing through said opening in the first direction.

[0017] The invention also relates to a battery comprising at least one module comprising a previously described guidance tool.

[0018] Finally, the invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a battery as previously described.

[0019] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates, in perspective, a guide tool for inserting an electrical connector into a battery module of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle according to one embodiment of the invention; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in perspective, a cross-section of said guiding tool.

[0020] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a guide tool 1 for inserting an electrical connector 2 into a base of a battery module 3 of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle. The vehicle comprises electrical components. It is necessary to establish an electrical connection between said battery and said electrical components in order to ensure transmission of the electrical energy stored by said battery. The electrical transmission is ensured by at least one electrical power supply harness comprising the electrical connector 2. The electrical connector 2 is capable of being plugged into said base of the module 3. The module 3 comprises a flat part and at least one vertical part perpendicular to said flat part.The guide tool 1 comprises a flat surface forming an XY plane defined by a first longitudinal direction X corresponding to the direction of insertion of said electrical connector 2 through said guide tool 1, by a second transverse direction Y orthogonal to said first direction X and a third vertical direction Z orthogonal to the first direction X and to the second direction Y. Preferably, said flat surface has a substantially rectangular shape. Advantageously, said flat surface has a length of between 2 cm and 10 cm along the first direction X. The flat surface comprises a first part 4a and a second part 4b. The first part 4a comprises a wall 5. The wall 5 is perpendicular to the XY plane formed by said flat surface along the third direction Z.The guiding tool 1 is able to be positioned on said module 3 so that said flat surface is able to be positioned on said flat part of said module 3 and said wall 5 is able to be positioned against said vertical part. The wall has an opening 6. The opening 6 is intended to be positioned opposite said base. The electrical connector 2. is capable of being introduced into said base by passing through said opening 6. Preferably, said opening 6 has a funnel shape making it possible to improve the guidance of said electrical connector 2 in said base. In addition, said guide tool 1 comprises a tab 7 in order to allow easy handling by a user. Preferably, said tab 7 has a height of less than 3 cm in the third direction Z. Thus, a user can easily grasp said guide tool 1 by the tab 7 without said tab 7 preventing the arrangement of said battery module 3 in the vehicle. Preferably, the guide tool 1 is produced by 3D printing. Thus, advantageously, said guide tool 1 is made of nylon, polypropylene or thermoplastic polyurethane. Indeed, these three materials are among the most widespread in the field of 3D printing.

[0021] Furthermore, the invention relates to a battery comprising at least one module 3 comprising a guidance tool 1 as previously described. The invention also relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising such a battery.

[0022] In [Fig. 2], a cross-section of said guide tool 1 positioned on said battery module 3 is schematically illustrated in perspective. The electrical connector 2 passes through said opening of said guide tool 1 and said electrical connector 2 is plugged into the base. For reasons of clarity, said base is not shown in [Fig. 2]. The guide tool 1 has a funnel shape. The invention also relates to a method for connecting said electrical connector 2 into said battery module 3 of the electric or hybrid motor vehicle. The method comprises a handling step during which the user grasps said guide tool 1 via said tab 7.During a placement step, the user places said guide tool 1 on said module 3, the flat surface being positioned on said flat part of the module 3, said wall 5 being positioned against said vertical part of said module 3 and said opening 6 being positioned opposite said base. During a positioning step, the user positions said electrical connector 2 facing said opening 6. During an insertion step, the user exerts a force on said electrical connector 2 in the first direction X. Thus, the electrical connector 2 is guided by said guide tool 1 until said electrical connector 2 passes through said opening 6. The electrical connector 2 is then perfectly positioned to be easily plugged into said base of the module 3.

Claims

Claims

1. Guiding tool (1) for inserting an electrical connector (2) into a base of a battery module (3) of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, said module (3) comprising a flat portion and at least a second portion perpendicular to said flat portion, said electrical connector (2) being capable of passing through said guiding tool (1) to access the module (3), said guiding tool (1) comprising a flat surface forming a plane (XY) defined by a first longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to the direction of insertion of said electrical connector (2) through said guiding tool (1), a second transverse direction (Y) orthogonal to the first direction (X) and a third vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to the first direction (X) and to the second direction (Y), characterized in that said flat surface has a first portion (4a) and a second portion (4b),said first part (4a) comprising a wall (5) perpendicular to the plane (XY) in the third direction (Z), said guide tool (1) is able to be positioned on said module (3) so that said flat surface is able to be positioned on said flat part of said module (3) and said wall (5) is able to be positioned against said vertical part of said module (3), said wall (5) comprising an opening (6), said opening (6) being intended to be positioned opposite said base, said electrical connector (2) being able to be inserted into said base by passing through said opening (6), said second part (4b) comprising a vertical tab (7) in the third direction (Z), said tab (7) being perpendicular to said wall (5) in the second direction (Y).,

2. Guiding tool (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that said opening (6) has a funnel shape.

3. Guiding tool (1) according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said flat surface has a substantially rectangular shape.

4. Guiding tool (1) according to claim 3 characterized in that said flat surface has a length of between 2 cm and 10 cm in the first direction (X).

5. Guiding tool (1) according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that said tab has a height of less than 3 cm in the third direction (Z).

6. A guiding tool (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ca- characterized in that said guide tool (1) is made of nylon, polypropylene or thermoplastic polyurethane.

7. Method for connecting an electrical connector (2) into a battery module (3) of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle by means of a guide tool (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of gripping said guide tool (1) by a user at said tab (7); - a step of placing said guide tool (1) on said module (3), said opening (6) being positioned opposite said base; - a step of positioning said electrical connector (2) opposite said opening (6); - a step of inserting said electrical connector (2) into said base by passing through said opening (6) in the first direction (X).

8. Battery comprising at least one module (3) comprising a guide tool (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. Electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a battery according to claim 8.

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