BMU grounding device including boss hole and grounding pin

Abstract

The present invention provides a BMU grounding device comprising a BMU having a boss hole, a fixing pin made of a conductive material penetrating the boss hole, and a case located on the lower surface of the BMU to which the BMU is fixed, wherein the fixing pin consists of a head and a body, the head being supported on the upper surface of the BMU, and the case comprising an insertion portion into which the fixing pin penetrating the boss hole is inserted, and a brush made of a conductive material arranged around the insertion portion and closely coupled to the fixing pin. Thus, the present invention can provide grounding stabilization in a BMU of a battery pack used in a notebook PC while insulating the entire battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0163579 filed on November 22, 2023, and all the contents disclosed in the Korean patent application are included as part of this specification.

[0002] The present invention relates to a BMU (Battery Management Unit) grounding device including a boss hole and a grounding pin. Specifically, it relates to a BMU grounding device including a boss hole for fixing the BMU to a device and a novel grounding pin for grounding the BMU using the boss hole.

Background Art

[0003] Lithium secondary batteries measure and monitor the temperature, voltage, etc. of battery cells for safety. A PCB manufactured for such purposes is called a BMU (Battery Management Unit). Although IT products such as smartphones and notebook computers are miniaturized and lightweight, the battery modules or battery packs used in them are rather densified and have higher capacities. Due to the limited space for arranging components, the BMU is also very densely packed. Nevertheless, in the case of IT products that are frequently moved, the BMU must necessarily have a boss hole for fixing.

[0004] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a partial top view of a conventional BMU 100, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of the BMU in a conventional battery pack. The x, y, and z shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 apply the same reference. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a BMU 100 is disposed at the center of a battery cell 200 provided with an electrode lead 210, and the BMU 100 is connected to an external current line 140. A boss hole 120 for fixing the BMU 100 is also provided.

[0005] Components used in IT equipment require verification against ESD (electrostatic discharge). Battery modules (BMUs) used in battery packs also require ESD protection.

[0006] To prevent product damage due to ESD, TVS diodes, Zener diodes, etc., can be used. However, there may be no grounding pattern that can utilize such elements, or even if such elements exist, the design may avoid them, potentially causing ESD to occur. Boss holes provided on the PCB are typically used with bolts / nuts to secure the PCB for noise reduction and grounding connections.

[0007] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional bolt / nut grounding connection. The upper part of Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bolt / nut grounding connection, and the lower part is a perspective view of the nut used. Referring to Figure 3, the PCB of the BMU 100 is provided with a boss hole, into which a metal nut 130 is inserted. The nut 130 and the PCB are electrically connected. The nut 130 and the PCB can be further secured by soldering. The nut 130 also contacts the metal case 160. The nut 130 and the BMU 100 are secured by a bolt 150.

[0008] Recent notebook PCs use very thin battery packs, and these battery packs always include a BMU (Battery Unit). ESD (Electromagnetic Discharge) problems can also occur with BMUs. To prevent such problems, conventional bolt / nut grounding connections can be used.

[0009] However, in actual notebook PCs, the entire battery pack is insulated for safety reasons. The BMU is fixed to the notebook PC case by inserting a protruding part, which is made by injecting resin, into the boss hole of the BMU on the notebook PC battery pack. If a bolt / nut method is used as in the past, bolts and other parts exposed on the upper side of the BMU may cause safety problems for the battery pack.

[0010] Patent Document 1 relates to a printed circuit board that reduces noise generation by maintaining a low connection impedance between the printed circuit board and the case and suppressing the generation of a potential difference at the GND level. Patent Document 1 provides a printed circuit board that has screw holes 8 for connecting screws for mounting the printed circuit board 3 to a GND-connected case 3, and a plurality of through holes 5 around the screw holes of electrically connected conductor lands 11 for contact with the case 3.

[0011] The secondary battery connection structure according to Patent Document 2 includes a fastening portion 262a or screw fastening portion 262b provided on the circuit connection portion 242 of the metal plate 202, and circuit terminal portions 402a and 402b located on the PCB substrate 1 of the protective circuit module 300, and has a structure in which the fastening portion 262a or screw fastening portion 262b of the circuit connection portion 242 and the circuit terminal portions 402a and 402b are electrically connected in a physical connection method that allows for selective connection and separation.

[0012] Patent documents 1 and 2 describe grounding connections using a bolt / nut method in the boss holes of a PCB, which makes them difficult to utilize in the notebook PC used in the present invention.

[0013] Thus, in the battery unit (BMU) used in notebook PCs, there is still no technology available that can provide stability through grounding while insulating the entire battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0014] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-090018

[0015] [Patent Document 2] Korean Patent Publication No. 1245286 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0016] Thus, the present invention aims to provide a technology that can provide stabilization through grounding while insulating the entire battery in a battery unit (BMU) used in a notebook PC. [Means for solving the problem]

[0017] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a BMU grounding device comprising a BMU having a boss hole, a fixing pin made of a conductive material penetrating the boss hole, and a case located on the lower surface of the BMU and on which the BMU is fixed, wherein the fixing pin consists of a head and a body, the head being supported on the upper surface of the BMU, and the case comprising an insertion portion into which the fixing pin penetrating the boss hole is inserted, and a brush made of a conductive material arranged around the insertion portion and closely coupled to the fixing pin.

[0018] The aforementioned BMU is a Battery Management Unit and is used in all devices that use rechargeable batteries, but the present invention is particularly applicable to IT products such as smartphones and notebook PCs.

[0019] The fixed pin is electrically connected to the BMU, specifically, the head of the fixed pin is electrically connected to the BMU. The connection of the head means that it is connected to a portion of the circuitry on the BMU's PCB board.

[0020] The outer periphery of the head may be surrounded by a non-conductive material. Specifically, the outer periphery of the head may be provided with a separate rubber cap or coated with a non-conductive material. This allows for maintaining insulation from the battery pack used in notebook PCs.

[0021] The brush can be closely attached and coupled to the body of the fixed pin by an elastic force. Specifically, the brush has the form of a leaf spring and can be closely attached and coupled to the body of the fixed pin, or can be supported by a coil spring, and the portion contacting the body of the fixed pin can be composed of a metal plate. At least one brush must be provided. The brush not only serves for electrical contact but also physically fixes the fixed pin, and preferably, two or more brushes must be provided.

[0022] The brush can also contact the grounding part of the case. The fixed pin and the brush can serve for grounding and fixing, and the whole case can be made of a metal material, or only the portion contacting the brush is made of a metal material, so that the grounding function can be achieved.

[0023] The lower part of the body of the fixed pin can have a tapered form. Thereby, when inserting the fixed pin into the insertion part of the case through the boss hole, it can be inserted more easily.

[0024] The BMU can include a PCB and a frame. A battery pack used in a notebook PC or the like can be provided with a separate label on the outermost shell.

[0025] The frame can be made of a non-conductive material. Thereby, grounding is achieved by the fixed pin and the case, and the remaining part can maintain insulation.

[0026] In addition, the present invention can provide a notebook PC including the BMU grounding device.

[0027] The present invention can also be provided as a configuration that arbitrarily combines the problems to be solved.

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] The present invention provides a BMU grounding device comprising a BMU having a boss hole, a fixing pin made of a conductive material penetrating the boss hole, and a case located on the lower surface of the BMU to which the BMU is fixed, wherein the fixing pin consists of a head and a body, the head being supported on the upper surface of the BMU, and the case comprising an insertion portion into which the fixing pin penetrating the boss hole is inserted, and a brush made of a conductive material arranged around the insertion portion and closely coupled to the fixing pin. Thus, the present invention can provide grounding stabilization in a BMU of a battery pack used in a notebook PC while insulating the entire battery.

[0029] Furthermore, unlike conventional bolt / nut systems, the battery pack can be easily secured using fixing pins and brushes while still providing a grounding function. Additionally, reducing the number of parts used contributes to improved manufacturing efficiency and weight reduction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the top surface of a conventional BMU.

[0031] [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing part of the BMU configuration in a conventional battery pack.

[0032] [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of a conventional bolt / nut ground connection.

[0033] [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of the BMU grounding device according to the present invention.

[0034] [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of a BMU grounding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0035] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, embodiments that allow a person with ordinary skill in the art to carry out the present invention will be described in detail. However, in describing in detail the operating principles of preferred embodiments of the present invention, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, such detailed description will be omitted.

[0036] Furthermore, the same reference numerals shall be used throughout the drawings for parts that have similar functions and operations. Throughout the specification, when it is said that one part is connected to another part, this includes not only direct connections but also indirect connections through other elements in between. Also, when it is said that a component is included, unless otherwise stated, it does not mean that other components are excluded, but rather that other components may be included.

[0037] The BMU grounding device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the BMU grounding device according to the present invention. Referring to Figure 4, the present invention is a BMU grounding device comprising a BMU 500 having a boss hole 520, a fixing pin 510 made of a conductive material that penetrates the boss hole 520, and a case 560 located on the lower surface of the BMU 500 to which the BMU 500 is fixed, wherein the fixing pin 510 consists of a head 512 and a body 514, the head 512 is supported on the upper surface of the BMU 500, and the case 560 includes an insertion portion 564 into which the fixing pin 510 that penetrates the boss hole 120 is inserted, and a brush 562 made of a conductive material arranged around the insertion portion 564 and closely coupled to the fixing pin 510.

[0038] The head 512 and BMU 500 on the fixed pin 510 are electrically connected. Specifically, the head 512 is connected to a portion of the circuitry on the PCB board of the BMU 500.

[0039] The outer periphery of the head 512 is surrounded by a rubber cap 516 made of a non-conductive material.

[0040] The brush 562 is tightly bonded to the body 514 of the fixing pin 510 by elastic force. The brush 562 serves not only to provide electrical contact but also to physically fix the fixing pin 510, and two brushes are provided.

[0041] Furthermore, the brush 562 is in contact with the case 560. The fixing pin 510 and the brush 562 serve as grounding and fixing mechanisms, and the entire case is made of metal.

[0042] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a BMU grounding device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a more detailed representation of the schematic diagram in Figure 4, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0043] The BMU500 consists of, from top to bottom, a label 502, a BMU cover 504, a PCB 506, a frame 508, and another label 502. The label 502 is equivalent to a type of adhesive paper that is bonded to the outermost casing. The frame 508 is made of a non-conductive material. This allows grounding to be achieved by the fixing pins 510 and the case 560, while the remaining parts maintain insulation.

[0044] The brush 562A is supported by a coil spring 563, and the portion of the fixing pin 510 that contacts the body 514 is made of a metal plate 565. There are at least two brushes 562A. The brushes 562A are also fixed to and in contact with the metal case 560.

[0045] The brush 562A in Figure 5 is composed of a metal plate 565 and a coil spring 563, but this can be changed to the form of a leaf spring. Any conductive and elastic material can be used as the brush of the present invention.

[0046] Although not shown in the drawing, the lower part of the fixing pin's body may have a tapered shape. This makes it easier to insert the fixing pin through the boss hole into the case's insertion point.

[0047] Although specific parts of the present invention have been described in detail above, such specific techniques are merely preferred modes of implementation and do not limit the scope of the present invention. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention and the technical concept, and it goes without saying that such variations and modifications also fall within the scope of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 100, 500 BMU

[0049] 120, 520 Boss Hall

[0050] 130 Nut

[0051] 140 External current line

[0052] 150 volts

[0053] 160, 560 Metal Case

[0054] 200 battery cells

[0055] 210 electrode leads

[0056] 502 Labels

[0057] 504 BMU cover

[0058] 506 PCB

[0059] 508 Frame

[0060] 510 Fixing pin

[0061] 512 head

[0062] 514 Torso

[0063] 516 Rubber cap

[0064] 562, 562A brush

[0065] 563 Coil Spring

[0066] 565 Metal plate

[0067] 564 Insertion section

Claims

1. BMU equipped with Boss Hole, A fixing pin made of conductive material that penetrates the aforementioned boss hole, A case located on the lower surface of the BMU and to which the BMU is fixed, A BMU grounding device including, The aforementioned fixing pin consists of a head and a body, and the head is supported on the upper surface of the BMU. The aforementioned case is, An insertion portion into which the fixing pin that has passed through the boss hole is inserted, A brush made of a conductive material is arranged around the insertion portion and is in close contact with the fixing pin, A BMU grounding device, including a BMU grounding device.

2. The BMU grounding device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing pin is electrically connected to the BMU.

3. The BMU grounding device according to claim 2, wherein the head of the fixing pin and the BMU are electrically connected.

4. The BMU grounding device according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the head is surrounded by a non-conductive material.

5. The BMU grounding device according to claim 1, wherein the brush is tightly bonded to the body of the fixing pin by elastic force.

6. The BMU grounding device according to claim 5, wherein the lower part of the body of the fixing pin has a tapered shape.

7. The BMU grounding device according to claim 1, wherein the brush contacts the grounding portion of the case.

8. The BMU grounding device according to claim 1, wherein the BMU includes a PCB and a frame.

9. The BMU grounding device according to claim 8, wherein the frame is made of a non-conductive material.

10. A notebook PC comprising a BMU grounding device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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