Clamping device for frame device clamping battery cell pack, frame device and battery

Abstract

The present invention relates to a clamping device (1) for a frame arrangement (2) and a battery (3) equipped with the frame arrangement (2). The clamping device (1) comprises a fixing body (12), a chuck body (16) and a chuck hinge device (20). The clamping device (1) can be fixed to a tightening device (8) of the frame arrangement (2) by means of the fixing body (12). The chuck body (16) is formed so that a battery cell pack (7) is placed thereon. The chuck hinge device (20) connects the fixed body (12) and the chuck body (16) to each other, and the chuck hinge device (20) is configured such that when pressure (21, 37, 38) acting in a direction toward the fixed body (12) is applied to the chuck body (16), the chuck hinge device (20) bends in a predetermined manner, thereby moving the chuck body (16) in the pressure direction (22) toward the fixed body (12).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a clamping device for a frame arrangement configured to clamp (sandwich) a battery cell pack.Furthermore, the present invention relates to a frame arrangement for clamping a battery cell pack, the frame arrangement comprising a clamping device as described above.Furthermore, the present invention relates to a battery comprising the frame arrangement and a battery cell pack, the battery cell pack comprising a number of battery cells arranged side by side, the battery cell pack being clamped in a clamping area. [Background technology]

[0002] At least partially electrically drivable or mobile vehicles, such as hybrid cars and electric cars, are equipped with batteries, in particular secondary batteries, to store and provide electrical energy for driving the vehicle in question by means of an electromechanical energy converter. In this case, the battery is usually formed from many battery cells, each formed as a pouch cell or a prismatic cell, for example. During the running of the vehicle, each battery cell is repeatedly charged (higher charging rate SoC) and discharged (lower charging rate SoC), and each battery cell has different external dimensions, i.e. different spatial extents, when it is in a discharged state (SoC is equal to or close to 0) and when it is in a charged state (SoC is greater than 0). In other words, the battery cell expands from a basic dimension at SoC≈0 to an expanded dimension (SoC>0) due to charging. In addition, the battery cell expands irreversibly with aging, which means that the basic dimension increases with the aging of the battery cell. Moreover, the defective battery cell may expand to or remain in an expanded dimension.

[0003] However, when a conventional rigid frame is used to hold the battery cells, the expansion of the battery cells to the expanded dimensions places a large load on the frame elements, especially the joints of the frame. Furthermore, when a conventional battery is manufactured / produced, if at least one or more battery cells are thicker than the target thickness due to manufacturing tolerances, the battery cells may be undesirably over-tightened. Excessive stress may lead to damage to the electrodes and / or separators, which may result in a premature end of life. Furthermore, until now, it is only possible to visually identify whether a conventional battery or a conventional battery module, i.e., one or more conventional battery cells, are damaged or worn out, but only with considerable effort. For example, as part of vehicle maintenance and / or vehicle repair, a rigid frame gives the service engineer the impression that at least the outside is unchanged, regardless of whether the battery cells have basic dimensions or expanded dimensions. Furthermore, a conventional frame, which is formed rigidly with high strength, is considered an element that cannot be deformed if a vehicle equipped with the battery is involved in an accident. This limits the assembly space available for assembling the battery cells. For crash safety, spaces and / or elements ("crushable zones") must be provided in the vehicle that deform (as much as possible in a controlled manner) in the event of a crash in order to efficiently dissipate the kinetic energy present in the event of a crash. The crushable zones must be free of non-deformable elements (so-called block formers). Furthermore, deformation of the battery or battery modules must be avoided, since otherwise mechanical overloads in the event of a crash could lead to thermal runaway.

[0004] Due to the size changes that occur during operation of each battery cell, structural measures must be taken to absorb or compensate for the spatial size changes when the battery cells are assembled. The spatial size changes are manifested in a volume difference of up to 10% per battery cell between the charged and discharged states. For example, US Pat. No. 5,299,433 and US Pat. No. 5,299,433 both disclose battery modules with a clamping device with two support elements that are spaced apart from each other via a wave spring. A conventional battery cell is then clamped between one of these two support elements and a counter support. However, these conventional battery modules are particularly complex in terms of their manufacture, since the clamping device is formed of several parts, which must be prepared separately from each other and then arranged to fit together. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] DE 102018216835 A1 [Patent Document 2] DE 102019201126 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a particularly advantageous means for loading or positioning battery cells whose spatial dimensions change during operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Further possible embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

[0008] According to the invention, a clamping device is proposed which is provided on a frame arrangement which is designed for clamping a battery cell pack. For this purpose, the clamping device is provided with an intervening fastening body, which allows the clamping device to be fastened in a defined manner to a tightening device of the frame arrangement (directly or indirectly). For example, the fastening body of the clamping device can be fastened to a tightening member of the tightening device. In this case, the tightening device can be provided with one tightening member or with several tightening members. In order to connect or fasten the fastening body to the tightening device in a defined manner, the fastening body is provided with, for example, a fastening element. For this purpose, the fastening body is provided with a welding surface and / or at least one other fastening element acting in a friction-, form- and / or material-locking manner. The tightening device, in particular its one or more tightening members, is provided with a fastening element which corresponds to the fastening element of the fastening body.

[0009] The battery cell pack is provided in particular for motor vehicles which can be driven or moved at least partially electrically. The motor vehicles are, for example, passenger cars and / or trucks, buses, motorcycles. Furthermore, the use of the battery cell pack in other types of vehicles (marines, aircraft, rail vehicles, etc.) is not excluded. With the battery cell pack assembled in a defined manner, the battery comprises a battery cell pack. The battery cell pack then comprises a number of battery cells, in particular secondary battery cells, arranged side by side or one above the other. Each battery cell or secondary battery cell is formed, for example, as a solid-state battery cell. The battery cell thus comprises in this case a solid electrolyte. Furthermore, in particular no liquid is present in the battery cells. Battery cells configured in this way are called ASSB cells (ASSB: All-Solid-State-Battery). Solid-state battery cells have the advantage of a particularly high specific energy density and increased operational safety.

[0010] The clamping device further comprises a chuck body configured to be placed (directly or indirectly) on the battery cell pack in a defined manner. In particular, the chuck body comprises a chuck surface that corresponds to the contact surface of the battery cell pack, so that the chuck surface of the chuck body and the contact surface of the battery cell pack come into direct or indirect contact with each other, thereby placing the chuck body on the battery cell pack. The contact surface of the battery cell pack here can be at least a part of the outer surface of the "last" battery cell, with no further battery cells being arranged between this last battery cell and the chuck surface of the chuck body.

[0011] The clamping device further comprises a chuck hinge device, which is used to connect the fixing body and the chuck body to each other (directly or indirectly). For example, the fixing body and the chuck body are fixed to each other via the chuck hinge device by frictional, positive and / or material connection. In other words, the chuck hinge device and the fixing body or the chuck hinge device and the chuck body do not merely abut against each other without being connected by frictional, positive and / or material connection. In other words, at least at the corresponding connecting element, a relative movement between the chuck hinge device and the fixing body and between the chuck hinge device and the chuck body is prevented, in particular in all three spatial directions. This is because the fixing body and the chuck body are connected to each other via the chuck hinge device, i.e. are fixed to each other.

[0012] In any case, the chuck hinge device is configured such that, when pressure acting in a direction toward the fixed body is applied to the chuck body, the chuck hinge device bends in a determined manner, so that the chuck body is moved in the pressure direction toward the fixed body. The clamping device is provided with the chuck hinge device, making the clamping device a compensatory system.

[0013] When the chuck hinge device is connected to the clamping device in a determined manner to form a frame device, the chuck hinge device can be compressed at least by expanding at least one battery cell of the battery cell pack clamped by the frame device to an expanded dimension. In this case, the expanded dimension of the corresponding battery cell is larger than the basic dimension of the corresponding battery cell. The expansion of the battery cell from the basic dimension to the expanded dimension is, for example, related to the current state of charge (SoC). Thus, a battery cell in a discharged state (SoC=0) has the basic dimension, whereas a battery cell in a charged state (SoC>0) has the expanded dimension. When the battery cell has the expanded dimension, the battery cell is larger in at least one spatial direction than when the battery cell has the basic dimension. In this case, for example, the corresponding battery cell is thicker. In simple terms, when the battery cell has the expanded dimension, the battery cell is wider and / or longer and / or taller than when the battery cell has the basic dimension.

[0014] When the battery cell in question expands, the expansion of the battery cell exerts a pressure on the chuck body in the direction towards the fixed body, which in turn causes the chuck body to move in the direction of the pressure towards the fixed body and the chuck hinge device to bend in a defined manner, so that the change in size of the battery cell is compensated, absorbed or counterbalanced by the clamping device, in particular the chuck hinge device, in the frame device. In particular, the fixed body and the clamping device remain stationary relative to each other regardless of whether the chuck hinge device is bent or not, so that the expansion of the battery cell is not reflected in the form of a change in size of the frame device on the outside of the frame device. In this way, the geometry and the outer dimensions of the frame device remain constant on the outside, regardless of whether the battery cell has basic dimensions or expanded dimensions. The outer dimensions of the frame device, in particular the outer dimensions of the clamping device and / or the clamping device, therefore do not change during the cyclic use of the battery cell in question (repeated charging and discharging during the defined manner of operation).

[0015] The clamping device also effectively prevents the battery cells from being clamped excessively in an undesired manner, for example due to manufacturing tolerances of the battery cells, since the thickness of the battery cells, which is greater than the target thickness when manufacturing the battery with the frame device, is compensated for by the chuck hinge device. Furthermore, by measuring the angles and / or the distances between the elements of the clamping device, in particular between the elements of the chuck hinge device, it is particularly easy to visually identify whether the battery, in particular one or more battery cells, are damaged or worn out. In particular, when a battery or battery module is approaching the end of its life, it can be particularly well identified when the chuck hinge device is bent so strongly or so much that the elements of the chuck hinge device come into direct or indirect contact with one another, i.e. when the chuck hinge device is bent to the point of becoming a mass.

[0016] In addition, the space between the fixed body and the chuck body, into which the chuck hinge device is inserted, can act as a crushable zone in the event of an accident. As a result, it is no longer necessary to provide a separation between the elements or spaces that deform in the event of a collision and the frame device, in particular the clamping device, since the flexure of the chuck hinge device in the event of a collision effectively dissipates the kinetic energy present in the event of a collision. In this way, for example, it is possible to use further or additional battery cells, which advantageously leads to an increased driving range of a vehicle equipped with a battery as described herein.

[0017] In order to ensure a particularly long service life and a particularly reliable operation of the battery cell pack or its battery cells, in particular the chuck hinge arrangement is provided in such a way that an initial pressure acts on each battery cell even when the battery cell is not expanded, i.e. the chuck hinge arrangement is configured and arranged in such a way that an initial pressure acts on each battery cell even when the battery cell has its basic dimensions.

[0018] In yet another embodiment of the clamping device, the chuck hinge arrangement comprises a deformation of the fixed body, whereby the chuck hinge arrangement is arranged such that the deformation is deformed, in particular bent, and thus flexes in a defined manner. In this case, the deformation of the fixed body may be a flexure of the fixed body. The fixed body, in particular its deformation or flexure, can thus be regarded here as a flexure element or flexure hinge of the chuck hinge arrangement. In this way, the material thickness and / or the material type and / or the geometric form of the fixed body or its deformation can compensate for particularly strong expansions and therefore particularly high pressures.

[0019] According to one development of the clamping device, the chuck hinge device has a first hinge device, which is provided with a first strip member and a second strip member. The hinge device further comprises a fixed body-side pivot hinge, through which the fixed body and the first strip member are hinged to each other (directly or indirectly). The first hinge device further comprises an intermediate pivot hinge, through which the first strip member and the second strip member are hinged to each other. The first hinge device further comprises a chuck body-side pivot hinge, through which the second strip member and the chuck body are hinged to each other. In this case, the fixed body and the chuck body are connected to each other via a pivoting hinge on the fixed body side, via a first strip member, via an intermediate pivoting hinge, via a second strip member, and via a pivoting hinge on the chuck body side. When the chuck hinge arrangement is bent, the strip members are hinged to each other, to the fixed body, and to the chuck body. Here, the pivoting hinges are turned or rotated, for example, from a standby state to a turning state. In order to pre-set the respective pivoting directions of the pivoting hinges or hinges, in particular, a chuck hinge arrangement is manufactured or provided, which is provided such that an angle different from 180° is set by the intermediate pivoting hinges between the strip members. Thus, the respective pivoting directions of the pivoting hinges or hinges when the chuck hinge arrangement is bent are pre-set or can be pre-set.

[0020] The use of a chuck hinge arrangement with a hinge between the fixed body and the chuck body provides a movement mechanism between the fixed body and the chuck body, which is formed in such a way that a constant level of force acts between the corresponding battery cell and the clamping device, where this constant level of force is not related to the deflection or bending of the chuck hinge arrangement. In other words, the battery cells of the battery cell pack are constantly subjected to an initial pressure. At the same time, a particularly high degree of flexibility is ensured by the movement mechanism, i.e. by the chuck hinge arrangement.

[0021] The clamping device, in particular its chuck hinge device, comprises more than one hinge device in a development of the clamping device. The hinge devices here may be spaced apart from one another and may move together or separately with the movement of the chuck body in the direction towards the fixed body. The respective intermediate pivot hinges of the two hinge devices or hinge devices may move in the same direction with the deflection of the chuck hinge device. Alternatively, the intermediate pivot hinges of both (the same) hinge devices may move towards one another with the deflection of the clamping device. Thus, if the clamping device comprises several hinge devices or several hinge devices, these can be freely combined in series, parallel and / or chained manner, i.e. connected to one another via corresponding pivot hinges, in order to achieve the desired mechanical overall characteristics of the movement mechanism between the fixed body and the chuck body. This means that the desired mechanical overall characteristics between the fixed body and the chuck body are created in particular during or through the manufacture of the clamping device. In this regard, the series, parallel and / or chain combinations and the selection of the thickness of the strip members and / or the pivot hinges or hinges are important design parameters of the chuck hinge device.

[0022] In this connection, according to one development of the clamping device, the chuck hinge arrangement is further provided with at least one second hinge arrangement and a third and a fourth strip member. In addition, the chuck hinge arrangement in this case has a connecting pivot hinge or a connecting hinge through which the third and fourth strip members are hinged to each other. In this case, the third strip member and the intermediate pivot hinge of the first hinge arrangement are hinged to each other, and the fourth strip member and the intermediate pivot hinge of the second hinge arrangement are hinged to each other. In this embodiment, the respective intermediate pivot hinges of both hinge arrangements forming a hinge arrangement pair with each other are each provided as triple pivot hinges. Such a triple pivoting hinge, i.e. by means of each intermediate pivoting hinge of the hinge devices of a hinge device pair, allows each first strip member, each second strip member and each third strip member or each fourth strip member to rotate or pivot relative to one another, in particular around a common pivot axis.

[0023] Generally, the hinges of the chuck hinge assembly have a reaction force against the hinge action of the corresponding hinge assembly. Therefore, the reaction force against the bending of the chuck hinge assembly can be adjusted or preset by combining the hinge assemblies in series, parallel and / or chained manner. If necessary, the third and fourth strip members and the connecting pivot hinges between the hinge assemblies of the hinge assembly pair can be used to add another stage of reaction force to the reaction force against the bending of the chuck hinge assembly without sacrificing a further increase in the structural height of the chuck hinge assembly. Furthermore, the connecting pivot hinges, the third and fourth strip members ensure that both hinge assemblies deform or pivot in a determined manner between them, and the intermediate pivot hinges of both hinge assemblies move towards each other when the chuck hinge assemblies are bent.

[0024] In yet another embodiment of the pressing device, the respective pivot hinge is formed as a living or film hinge. In this way, the pressing device is formed in a particularly simple or effortless manner to manufacture, since at least the (respective) hinge device and possibly the third and fourth strip elements as well as the connecting pivot hinge can be formed integrally with one another. For example, the aforementioned elements can be or can be manufactured integrally with one another by extrusion, casting, additive manufacturing methods (3D printing), etc.

[0025] According to a further embodiment of the pressing device, the fixing body, the chuck body and the chuck hinge device are integrally formed together. This means that the fixing body, the chuck body and the chuck hinge device are formed, for example, by a single common extrusion, casting, etc. The integral, in particular simultaneous, formation of the fixing body, the chuck body and the chuck hinge device in this single common working step allows the pressing device to be produced in this single working step. This does not exclude the pressing device having a plurality of materials, in particular different materials, since one or more elements can be co-extruded together to produce the pressing device. Alternatively, it is conceivable to prepare one or more elements of the pressing device separately from the remaining elements of the pressing device, and then to fix the elements prepared separately from each other to the remaining elements to each other after suitable preparation, i.e. in a further working step, by frictional, positive and / or material bonding to each other to produce the pressing device. Due to the pressing device being formed in one piece, the device is particularly stable and therefore advantageously has a particularly long service life.

[0026] In a further embodiment of the clamping device, if the clamping device comprises both a fixed body with a deformation and at least one of the above-mentioned hinge devices, the reaction force of the hinge device against the hinge action is configured so that the hinge action of the hinge device is performed at a first pressure. In contrast, the reaction force of the deformation of the fixed body, in particular the reaction force of the bending of the flexure of the fixed body, is configured so that the deformation / bending is performed at a second pressure. In this case, the first pressure is greater than the second pressure or the second pressure is greater than the first pressure. In this way, in particular when manufacturing the clamping device, the sequence of bending or the sequence of deformation and / or bending of the clamping device can be predetermined. For this purpose, the material, material thickness and / or shape of the hinge device or devices and the fixed body, in particular of the deformation or flexure thereof, are selected accordingly. This selection then ensures that when the chuck hinge arrangement flexes, the second pressure first deforms the deformable part of the fixed body, i.e. for example the flexible part of the fixed body is bent, and only when the second pressure is applied does the pivoting hinge or hinge of the hinge arrangement pivot. Or in the other case, when the chuck hinge arrangement flexes, the hinge of the hinge arrangement pivots first due to the second (smaller) pressure, and only when the first (larger) pressure is applied does the deformable part of the fixed body deform. In this way, it is advantageously possible to predetermine which elements of the pressing device are deformed first and / or more strongly, which allows the pressing device to be used particularly versatile and / or flexibly, i.e. for many purposes.

[0027] According to a further development, the clamping device, in particular the clamping device, is designed such that the deflection of the chuck hinge device is fully or partially non-destructively reversibly elastic. In particular, the deflection of the chuck hinge device, i.e., the deflection or bending of the deformation or bending part of the fixing body and / or the pivoting of the hinge of the hinge device, is fully non-destructively reversibly elastic at least in a pressure range that depends on the charging cycle of the battery cell. This means that the clamping device is designed to self-return at least in a compliance or deformation range that results from the expansion and contraction of the corresponding battery cell between its basic dimension and its expanded dimension due to the charging and discharging cycles. Alternatively or additionally, the deflection of the chuck hinge device can also be at least partially plastic. In particular, in this connection, the deflection of the chuck hinge device is designed to be plastic in a pressure range that is generated due to the expansion of the corresponding battery cell that depends on its life or that is applied to the chuck body.

[0028] In order to predetermine whether and / or in which area the chuck hinge arrangement is non-destructively reversibly or plastically deformable or flexible, a corresponding material selection is made, especially during the manufacture of the clamping device, in particular the chuck hinge arrangement. For example, by using a metal such as aluminum, the rather plastic deformation properties of the chuck hinge arrangement can be realized. If another metal is selected or / and a corresponding metal is mechanically, thermally and / or mechanically treated, for example surface treated, both elastic and plastic deformations of the chuck hinge arrangement can be realized, in which case the elastic and plastic deformation properties transition into each other, for example. Furthermore, it is conceivable to form the chuck hinge arrangement from a plastic, for example an elastomer, whereby a particularly wide elastic deformation range of the chuck hinge arrangement is largely taken into account. Due to the plastic and / or elastic deformability or flexibility of the chuck hinge arrangement, the chuck body follows the expanded or contracted outer dimensions of the battery cell, thereby ensuring a particularly firm attachment, e.g. a particularly reliable fit of the battery cell pack in the frame arrangement, and thus a particularly good NVH quality (NVH: Noise, Vibrations, Harshness) is obtained.

[0029] The invention further relates to a frame arrangement for clamping a battery cell pack. The features, advantages and advantageous embodiments of the clamping device according to the invention are to be regarded as the features, advantages and advantageous embodiments of the frame arrangement according to the invention and vice versa. The frame arrangement has a clamping device and a counter-support in the above-described configuration, the counter-support and the clamping device being spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction of the frame arrangement. The frame arrangement further comprises a clamping device with a first clamping member and a second clamping member, the clamping members being here spaced apart from each other along the transverse direction of the frame arrangement. The clamping device and the counter-support are further fixed to each other by the clamping members, so that a clamping area is created between the clamping device and the counter-support along the longitudinal and transverse directions, into which the battery cell pack can be inserted and clamped.

[0030] The present invention further relates to a battery comprising a frame device according to the above-mentioned configuration and a battery cell pack. The features, advantages and advantageous embodiments of the clamping device according to the present invention and the frame device according to the present invention are to be regarded as the features, advantages and advantageous embodiments of the battery according to the present invention and vice versa. The battery cell pack comprises a number of battery cells arranged side by side or one above the other and is fitted or clamped in a clamping area of ​​the frame device. Due to the expansion of at least one of the battery cells to an expanded dimension, a pressure is applied to the chuck body in the pressure direction, whereby the chuck body is moved in the pressure direction towards the fixed body with a defined deflection of the chuck hinge device.

[0031] Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the drawings and the description of the drawings. The features and combinations of features described above in the specification and shown below only in the description of the drawings and / or in the drawings can not only be used in the respective combinations described, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] In the only figure, a battery, in particular a vehicle battery, is shown diagrammatically with a frame arrangement with a clamping device.

[0033] In the following, the clamping device 1, the frame device 2 and the battery 3 are described in a common specification, in which identical elements and elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0034] The battery 3 comprises a frame arrangement 2 with a clamping device 1. The battery 3 further comprises a counter support 4 in this example, between which a number of battery cells 5 are clamped. The counter support 4 may, for example, be another clamping device 1. The battery cells 5 are arranged in a battery cell pack 7 along the longitudinal direction 6 of the battery 3 and are stacked, for example, in a battery cell stack. The frame arrangement 2 comprises a tightening device 8 with two tightening members 9 (for example, tie rods). Here, the tightening members 9 or tie rods of the tightening device 8 are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction 10 of the battery 3. Thus, a clamping area 11 of the frame arrangement 2 is delimited by the clamping device 1, the counter support 4 and the tightening members 9. In this clamping area 11, the battery cell pack 7 is arranged or fastened or clamped between the clamping device 1 and the counter support 4.

[0035] The clamping device 1 and the counter support 4 are connected to each other by a clamping member 9. For this purpose, the clamping device 1 comprises a fastening body 12, by means of which the clamping device 1 is fastened in a defined manner to the clamping device 8, in this case to the clamping member 9 (directly in this example). For this purpose, the fastening body 12 comprises a fastening element 13, which in this example is formed as a welding surface. Furthermore, each clamping member 9 comprises a further fastening element 14, which corresponds to the fastening element 13 of the clamping device 1, so that the clamping device 1, in particular its fastening body 12, and the clamping device 8, in particular its clamping member 9, are fastened to each other by the fastening elements 13, 14 by frictional, positive and material fastening. In this example, the clamping device 1 and the clamping device 8 are fastened to each other by the clamping member 9 and the fastening body 12 being welded to each other, in particular by laser welding. This is shown in FIG. 1 by a weld 15.

[0036] 1, it can also be seen that the tightening member 9 and the (respective) fixing body 12 are arranged such that they cannot move relative to one another. Furthermore, it can also be seen that in this example the battery 3, in particular the clamping device 1, comprises a number of fixing elements 13, a number of fixing elements 14 as well as a number of welds 15. It should be understood here that the clamping device 1 and the tightening device 8 can - instead of or in addition to the welds 15 shown or described herein - also be connected to one another by other frictional, positive and / or material connections, for example by being connected to one another by screw connections, riveting connections, brazing etc.

[0037] The clamping device 1 further comprises a chuck body 16, which in this example has a chuck surface 17 that corresponds to a contact surface 18 of the battery cell pack 7. As the battery cell pack 7 is clamped in the frame device 2, the chuck body 16 and the battery cell pack 7 abut against each other, in this example indirectly abutting against each other, since in this example a separating sheet 19 is provided between the chuck body 16 and the battery cell pack 7, so that the battery cell pack 7 and the chuck body 16 abut against each other via the separating sheet 19. The contact surface 18 of the battery cell pack 7 is in particular formed at least partially by the outer surface of the “last” battery cell 5.

[0038] The clamping device 1 further comprises a chuck hinge device 20, by which the fixed body 12 and the chuck body 16 are connected to each other. In this example, the fixed body 12, the chuck body 16 and the chuck hinge device 20 are integrated together and formed as one piece. The chuck hinge device 20 is formed in such a way that, when a pressure 21 acting in a direction toward the fixed body 12 is applied to the chuck body 16, the chuck body 16 is moved in a pressure direction 22 toward the fixed body 12, and the chuck hinge device 20 is deflected in a determined manner as a result of the movement. In particular, the chuck hinge device 20 is deflected in the pressure direction 22. Since the chuck body 16 and the tightening device 8 are not directly connected to each other, the chuck body 16 moves relative to the fixed body 12 and relative to the tightening device 8, in particular relative to the tightening member 9, as a result of the deflection of the chuck hinge device 20.

[0039] Here, the chuck hinge device 20 has one or more first hinge devices 23, as shown in the left half of Fig. 1. Each first hinge device 23 here has a first strip member 24 and a second strip member 25, and further has a fixed body side pivot hinge 26, an intermediate pivot hinge 27, and a chuck body side pivot hinge 28. The strip members 24, 25 are hinged to each other via the intermediate pivot hinge 27. Furthermore, the first strip member 24 and the fixed body 12 are hinged to each other by the fixed body side pivot hinge 26, while the second strip member 25 and the chuck body 16 are hinged to each other by the chuck body side pivot hinge 28.

[0040] According to a further embodiment of the clamping device 1 or the frame device 2 or the battery 3, which is shown in the right half of FIG. 1, the chuck hinge device 20 comprises a first hinge device 23 and a further (second) hinge device 29, which form a hinge device pair 30. Here, the chuck hinge device 20 in this case in particular comprises the hinge device pair 30, a third strip member 31 and a fourth strip member 32 as well as a connecting pivot hinge 33. This further hinge device or second hinge device 29 and the first hinge device 23 are formed identically or at least similarly. In particular, the hinge devices 23, 29 have the same or similar mechanical properties. It can be seen in FIG. 1 (in the right half of the drawing) that the hinge devices 23, 29 can also be formed as mirror images of each other.

[0041] In the hinge pair 30, the third strip member 31 and the intermediate pivot hinge 27 of the first hinge device 23 are hinged to each other. Furthermore, the fourth strip member 32 and the intermediate pivot hinge 34 of the second hinge device 29 are hinged to each other. The strip members 31, 32 are hinged to each other by the connecting pivot hinge 33. In this case, the two hinge devices 23, 29 are mechanically connected to each other via the strip members 31, 32 and further via the connecting pivot hinge 33, so that the movement of the first hinge device 23 and the movement of the second hinge device 29 are mechanically linked to each other.

[0042] Here, the pivot hinges 26, 27, 28, 34 and / or the connecting pivot hinge 33 are each formed as a living hinge. In particular, all hinges used in the chuck hinge device 20 may each be formed as a living hinge.

[0043] The clamping device 1, the frame device 2 and / or the battery 3 may be designed with mirror symmetry, the corresponding mirror plane 35 being indicated by the dash-dotted vertical line 6. It is also quite conceivable that the clamping device 1, the frame device 2 and / or the battery 3 are constructed asymmetrically.

[0044] In this example, the fixed body 12 has a deformation portion 36 formed in particular as a flexure. This deformation portion 36 or flexure is in this example a part of the chuck hinge device 20. In other words, the chuck hinge device 20 has the deformation portion 36 of the fixed body 12, and thus the chuck hinge device 20 partially includes the fixed body 12. Here, the chuck hinge device 20 may be at least partially flexed in a determined manner by deforming the deformation portion 36, i.e., by bending the flexure, for example.

[0045] Each hinge device 23, 29 or each hinge device pair 30 repels the hinge action of the corresponding hinge device 29, 23, 30. Also, the deformation portion 36 of the fixed body 12 repels the deformation of the deformation portion 36. In order for the chuck hinge device 20 to bend in a determined manner, the corresponding repelling force needs to be overcome by the pressure 21. At this time, since the repelling force against the hinge action of the corresponding hinge device 23, 29, 30 and the repelling force against the deformation of the deformation portion 36 have different strengths or magnitudes, a pressure 21 of a different level or strength is required to appropriately overcome the corresponding repelling force. In this case, while the repelling force against the hinge action of the hinge devices 23, 29, 30 can be overcome by the first pressure 37, this first pressure 37 is not sufficient to overcome the repelling force against the deformation of the deformation portion 36. This is because, for example, a second pressure 38 larger than the first pressure 37 is required to overcome the repelling force against the deformation of the deformation portion 36. In an alternative embodiment, the first pressure 37 may be greater than the second pressure 38. In this way, a sequence is set according to which the chuck hinge arrangement 20 bends in a defined manner. Depending on the material, material thickness and / or shape of the corresponding hinge arrangement 23, 29, 30 and / or deformation 36, the respective repulsive forces are generated and, as a result, whether the first pressure 37 is greater than the second pressure 38 or vice versa.

[0046] The respective pressures 21, 37, 38 are exerted on the chuck body 16 of the pressing device 1 (in particular during operation of the pressing device 1 or the frame device 2 or the battery 3) by the expansion of one or more battery cells 5 from a basic dimension to an expanded dimension. This occurs in particular due to charging of the corresponding battery cell 5 and / or due to aging of the corresponding battery cell 5. In this case, whereas the expansion due to aging is irreversible or only to a small extent reversible, the expansion due to discharging or charging can be at least partially reversed by discharging the corresponding battery cell 5.

[0047] In this example, the flexure of the chuck hinge device 20 is fully or partially non-destructively reversibly elastic. In other words, the chuck hinge device 20 is arranged to return to its original shape as soon as the pressure 21, 37, 38 is (again) reduced. The flexure of the chuck hinge device may include a first non-destructively reversibly elastic component of flexure and may also include other plastic, i.e. non-reversible, components of flexure. Furthermore, the expansion caused by the aging of the corresponding battery cell 5 is arranged to occur within the range of the plastic flexure of the chuck hinge device 20. In contrast, the expansion caused by the discharging or charging of the corresponding battery cell 5 is arranged to occur within the range of the non-destructively reversibly elastic flexure of the chuck hinge device 20. In this way, the clamping device 1, in particular its chuck body 16, follows the cyclic expansion and contraction of the corresponding battery cell 5 and thus the battery cell pack 7, while the clamping device 1, in particular its chuck body 16, follows the irreversible expansion of the battery cell 5 or the battery cell pack 7 due to aging by plastic deformation or plastic bending of the chuck hinge device 20. This ensures that in particular the corresponding battery cell 5, i.e. the battery cell pack 7, is always subjected to the desired initial pressing force, which suppresses the formation of crystals inside the battery cell 5.

[0048] Overall, the clamping device 1, the frame device 2 and the battery 3 each offer particularly advantageous possibilities for loading or positioning battery cells 5 which change in terms of spatial dimensions between a charged and discharged state and which also change with age. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1. Clamping device 2 Frame device 3 Battery 4. Support for the other party 5 Battery Cells 6 Longitudinal 7 Battery Cell Stack 8 Tightening device 9 Tightening member 10 Horizontal direction 11 Clamping area 12 Fixed body 13 Fixed elements 14 Fixed elements 15 Welding 16 Chuck body 17 Chuck surface 18 Contact surface 19 Separation sheet 20 Chuck hinge device 21 Pressure 22 Pressure Direction 23 First hinge device 24 First strip member 25 Second strip member 26 Fixed body side pivot hinge 27 Intermediate pivot hinge 28 Rotating hinge on the chuck body side 29 Further hinge devices 30 Hinge device pair 31 Third strip member 32 Fourth strip member 33 Connected pivot hinge 34 Intermediate pivot hinge 35 Mirror Surface 36 Deformation section 37 First Pressure 38 The Second Pressure

Claims

1. A clamping device (1) for a frame device (2) configured to clamp a battery cell pack (7), comprising: an intervening fixing body (12) for fixing the clamping device (1) to the tensioning device (8) of the frame device (2); a chuck body (16) configured to rest on the battery cell pack (7); a chuck hinge device (20) used to connect the fixed body (12) and the chuck body (16) to each other, the chuck hinge device (20) being configured so that when pressure (21, 37, 38) acting in a direction toward the fixed body (12) is applied to the chuck body (16), the chuck hinge device (20) bends in a predetermined manner, thereby moving the chuck body (16) in the pressure direction (22) toward the fixed body (12); Clamping device (1).

2. A clamping device (1) according to claim 1, The chuck hinge device (20) includes a deformation portion (36) of the fixed body (12), and the chuck hinge device (20) is bent in a predetermined manner by the deformation portion (36) being deformed, particularly by being bent. A clamping device characterized by:

3. A clamping device (1) according to claim 1, The chuck hinge device (1) has a first hinge device (23, 29), which is a first strip member (24) and a second strip member (25); a pivoting hinge (26) on the fixed body side, through which the fixed body (12) and the first strip member (24) are hinged to each other; an intermediate pivot hinge (27) through which the first strip member (24) and the second strip member (25) are hinged to each other; a pivoting hinge (28) on the chuck body side, through which the second strip member (25) and the chuck body (16) are hingedly connected to each other; Equipped with A clamping device characterized by:

4. A clamping device (1) according to claim 3, The chuck hinge device (20) further comprises: - a second hinge device (29), a third (31) and a fourth (32) strip member; - a connecting pivot hinge (33) through which the third strip member (31) and the fourth strip member (33) are hinged to each other; and - said third strip member (31) and said intermediate pivot hinge (27) of said first hinge device (23) are hinged to each other; - the fourth strip member (32) and the intermediate pivot hinge (34) of the second hinge device (29) are hinged to each other; A clamping device characterized by:

5. A clamping device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, Each of the pivoting hinges (26, 27, 28, 29, 33, 34) is formed as a living hinge. A clamping device characterized by:

6. A clamping device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The fixed body (12), the chuck body (16) and the chuck hinge device (20) are integrated together to form a single unit. A clamping device characterized by:

7. In the pressing device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, The chuck hinge device (20) includes a deformation portion (36) of the fixed body (12), and the chuck hinge device (20) is bent in a predetermined manner by the deformation portion (36) being deformed, particularly by bending; The reaction force against the hinge operation of the hinge device (23, 29) is formed so that the hinge operation is performed with a first pressure (37), The repulsive force against the deformation of the deformable portion (36) of the fixed body (12) is formed so as to deform under a second pressure (38), - said first pressure (37) is greater than said second pressure (38), or - said second pressure (38) is greater than said first pressure (37); A clamping device characterized by:

8. A clamping device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The clamping device is configured so that the flexure of the chuck hinge device (20) is at least partially non-destructively reversibly elastic. A clamping device characterized by:

9. A frame device (2) for clamping a battery cell pack (7), - a clamping device (1) and a counter support (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction (6) of the frame device (2); a tensioning device (8) comprising two tensioning members (9) spaced apart from one another along the transverse direction (10) of the frame device (2); Equipped with The clamping device (1) and the counter support (4) are fixed to each other by the tightening member (9), so that a clamping area (11) is created between the clamping device (8) and the counter support (4), and the battery cell pack (7) can be loaded and clamped therein. Frame device (2).

10. A battery (3) comprising a frame device (2) configured as described in claim 9 and a battery cell pack (7) having a number of battery cells (5) arranged side by side and clamped in the clamping area (11), When one of the battery cells (5) expands to an expanded dimension, the pressure (21, 37, 38) is applied to the chuck body (16) in a pressure direction (22), thereby moving the chuck body (16) toward the fixed body (12) in the pressure direction (22) with a predetermined deflection of the chuck hinge device (20).

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