Electrical connection device and battery module thereof

Abstract

To provide an electrical connecting device that significantly improves safety and convenience in assembly. [Solution] The electrical connection device 10 includes a plurality of support frames 20 and a plurality of corresponding conductive sheets 30, which can be fitted into corresponding receiving grooves 21 on the support frames. The support frames have an engaging structure, allowing them to be directly assembled and fixed to each other. The tab leads 71 ​​of the cells 70 are sequentially clamped between the conductive sheets and the support frames, and can be welded and fixed in sequence. This eliminates the problems of conventional battery module structures, such as a tendency for short circuits to occur during welding due to battery density and the inability to freely change the number of series / parallel connections, thereby significantly improving the safety and convenience of assembly.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection device, and more particularly to an electrical connection device for fixing cells in a stacked manner and a battery module using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy vehicle market, power batteries have become one of the three core technologies of new energy electric vehicles, and the structural protection design of power batteries and their thermal management plans are considered to be very important elements for new energy electric vehicles. In addition, in order to improve the driving range of new energy electric vehicles, there is an inevitable trend to require weight reduction and increased energy density.

[0003] In a typical conventional series connection method, the cells are stacked, and then holders are used on both sides to insert the tab leads protruding from the cells into corresponding slots, bend them, and then laser weld the tab leads to the conductive bus bars of the holder. However, despite the fact that cell thickness is becoming thinner in line with demands for higher energy density and lighter weight, it is no longer possible to adjust the thickness of the cell indefinitely due to limitations in welding technology. In other words, unless the intervals between the slots in the holder are spaced apart by a certain height, it is impossible to perform laser welding to the tab leads. This severely limits cell placement, making it impossible to continue improving overall energy density.

[0004] Additionally, in the above-described technique, the tab leads on one side of the cell are simultaneously inserted through corresponding slots in a holder, and the tab leads on the other side of the cell are simultaneously inserted through corresponding slots in a separate holder for assembly. After the tab leads are inserted into the slots, they sag due to gravity, increasing the risk of them coming into contact with each other and causing a short circuit. Furthermore, the method of bending the tab lead to tightly contact the holder, then welding the tab lead to the conductive bus bar in the bending direction, and simultaneously inserting and assembling is quite inconvenient and makes it impossible to improve the performance of the entire manufacturing process.

[0005] To solve this problem, the applicant filed Patent Application Publication No. 2003-222666. In Patent Document 1, a sliding cavity is formed by two fixed frames, and a plurality of support frames that are movable within the sliding cavity and conductive sheets on the support frames are combined. The tab leads of the stacked cells are then sandwiched between the adjacent support frames and conductive sheets, and the tab leads are welded to the conductive sheets, thereby achieving assembly together with the cells by a sliding method. However, in this type of design, the height of the entire module is limited by the height of the fixed frame, making it impossible to freely change the number of cells connected in series or parallel. Furthermore, the output terminals of the common positive and negative electrodes of the battery module are also restricted by the design of the fixed frame, resulting in poor flexibility in use.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Based on the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides an electrical connection device to solve the above problems. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Taiwan Utility Model Application No. 112211125 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The main purpose of this invention is to provide an electrical connection device and a battery module using the same, which allows cells and support frames to be stacked and attached one layer at a time, and tab leads on both sides of the cells to be directly welded to the conductive sheet. This effectively solves the problems of the conventional structure, such as the risk of short circuits caused by lamination and bending of tab leads, and the inability to reduce the module height or cell thickness, while also improving the safety and convenience of assembly. Furthermore, the stacking method allows the number of series / parallel connections and the installation positions of the electrical connection terminals to be adjusted as needed, greatly improving flexibility in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention provides an electrical connection device including multiple support frames and multiple conductive sheets. Each support frame has a receiving groove on its top surface, allowing them to be stacked and secured together by engaging with each other. The conductive sheets are fitted into the corresponding receiving grooves of each support frame. This allows the cells and support frames to be installed layer by layer, stacking them from bottom to top. Furthermore, the cell tab leads can be directly welded to the conductive sheets from above, eliminating the need to bend the tab leads. This eliminates interference between the tab leads of adjacent cells, thereby avoiding the problem of cell short circuits. This also simplifies and streamlines the manufacturing process, improving assembly safety and convenience. Furthermore, the direct stacking and securing of the support frames allows for flexible stacking of the desired number of series or parallel connections, and allows for flexible adjustment of the electrical output terminal positions, greatly enhancing flexibility in use.

[0010] The present invention also discloses a battery module including a plurality of cells, which uses the above-mentioned electrical connection device to fix the tab leads of the plurality of cells, and which sequentially stacks and arranges the support frame, conductive sheet, and tab leads of the cells to establish electrical connection between the conductive sheet and the tab leads.

[0011] The present invention will be described in detail below using specific examples so that the object, technical content, characteristics and achievable effects of the present invention can be more easily understood. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic exploded view of an electrical connection device according to the present invention; [Figure 2A] 2 is a schematic view of a support frame of the electrical connection device according to the present invention; [Figure 2B] 2 is a schematic view of a support frame of the electrical connection device according to the present invention; [Figure 3] 2 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the support frame and the cells of the electrical connection device according to the present invention; [Figure 4] 2 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the support frame and the cells of the electrical connection device according to the present invention; [Figure 5] 2 is a schematic assembly diagram of the electrical connection device of the present invention when used with a battery module; [Figure 6A] 10 is a schematic diagram of a modified example of an electrical output terminal when the electrical connection device of the present invention is used in a battery module; [Figure 6B] 10 is a schematic diagram of a modified example of an electrical output terminal when the electrical connection device of the present invention is used in a battery module; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] In order to make the advantages, spirit and features of the present invention more easily and clearly understood, the present invention will be described in detail and discussed below using examples and with reference to the above drawings. It should be noted that these examples are merely representative examples of the present invention, and the embodiments and claims of the present invention are not limited to these examples. These examples are provided merely to make the disclosure of the present invention clearer and easier to understand.

[0014] The terminology used in the various embodiments disclosed herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the various embodiments disclosed herein. Additionally, unless expressly indicated otherwise, the singular forms used include the plural forms, and unless otherwise limited, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention relates in various embodiments. The above terms (e.g., terms defined in commonly used dictionaries) are to be construed as having the same meaning as the contextual meaning in the same technical field, and are not to be construed as having an idealized or overly formal meaning, unless expressly limited in the various embodiments disclosed in the present invention.

[0015] In the description of this specification, any reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "one specific embodiment," etc. means that the specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in combination with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Also, in this specification, general descriptions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments.

[0016] It should be noted that in the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "couple," "connect," and "provide" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they may refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection, a communication between two components, a direct connection, or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can interpret the specific meaning of the above terms according to the specific circumstances.

[0017] 1, 2A and 2B, the electrical connection device 10 disclosed in the present invention mainly includes a plurality of support frames 20 and a plurality of conductive sheets 30. Adjacent support frames 20 have corresponding engagement structures 40 for stacking and securing together. In addition, each support frame 20 has a receiving groove 21 on the ceiling surface. The conductive sheets 30 are attached to the corresponding receiving grooves 21 of the support frames 20 . In electrical function, the conductive sheet 30 is similar to the conductive bus bars introduced in the prior art. However, the conductive sheet 30 of the present invention is not structurally identical to a conventional conductive bus bar, and can avoid the problems associated with conventional conductive bus bars. The engagement structure 40 is mainly provided for positioning the support frames 20 when they are stacked and assembled in the vertical direction, and for restricting movement in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the engagement structure 40 may have male engagement members 401 provided diagonally on the ceiling surface of each support frame 20, and female engagement members 402 provided on the bottom surface of another support frame 20 so as to correspond to the positions of the male engagement members 401. As a result, adjacent support frames 20 are stacked together by the male engaging members 401 and the female engaging members 402 engaging with each other. However, the number of the male engaging members 401 and the female engaging members 402 can be increased or decreased as required. In addition, in the vertical direction, the first fixing members 23 are inserted through all of the support frames 20 and fixed using the multiple first fixing holes 22 provided in the support frames 20 . The engaging structure 40 may be easily modified, and is not limited to any particular form as long as it is possible to position, engage, and mortise and tenon the supporting frames 20 by making them correspond to each other above and below.

[0018] 2A and 2B, the ceiling surface of the support frame 20 is provided with a receiving groove 21 that fits into the corresponding conductive sheet 30. Therefore, the conductive sheet 30 can be accommodated and fixed in the accommodation groove 21 . The conductive sheet 30 has a main body connection portion 31 and a side edge connection portion 32. The main body connection portion 31 and the side edge connection portion 32 are perpendicular to each other and electrically connected (for example, they may be designed to be integrally molded, or the main body connection portion 31 and the side edge connection portion 32 may be welded to each other to achieve an electrical contact). The length of the main body connecting portion 31 is approximately the same as the length of the accommodation groove 21. The main body connecting portion 31 is provided inside the accommodation groove 21. The side edge connecting portion 32 extends from one side of the main body connecting portion 31 so as to protrude upward and downward in the Z-axis direction. Moreover, the side edge connecting portion 32 is located at the corner of the main body connecting portion 31 . Furthermore, the positions of the side edge connection portions 32 of two adjacent conductive sheets 30 corresponding to two adjacent support frames 20 are staggered. As shown, the side edge connectors 32 are arranged one on the left side and one on the right side to facilitate connection or fastening and avoid short circuiting. In addition, in order to enable the side edge connection portion 32 of the conductive sheet 30 to be exposed from the stacked support frame 20 after assembly, a rectangular front notch 212 is provided at the position on the side away from the cell 70 among the positions where the side edge connection portion 32 of the conductive sheet 30 is placed in the accommodating groove 21 of the support frame 20, thereby exposing the side edge connection portion 32 of the conductive sheet 30. That is, a rectangular notch is provided at one end of the accommodation groove 21 on the front side of the support frame 20, allowing the side edge connection portion 32 to be exposed. Furthermore, the extension height of the side edge connection portion 32 protruding on both the upper and lower sides provides a sufficient installation area for the connection port 321 . That is, the side edge connection portion 32 has a front side and a rear side. The front side and the rear side are provided opposite each other. The front side is spaced apart from the cell, and the rear side is close to the cell. The front surface of the side edge connection portion 32 has a certain area for installing the connection port 321 . In addition, the positioning portion 33 spaced apart from the side edge connecting portion 32 is higher than the other portion of the main body connecting portion 31 . The space between the positioning portion 33 and the side edge connecting portion 32 is a space for accommodating a tab lead 71 (see FIG. 3). The front notch 212 is located on the left or right side of the conductive sheet 30 in correspondence with the side edge connection portion 32 . As a result, the front notch 212 is provided to face the left end or the right end of the receiving groove 21 (see FIG. 2A).

[0019] Therefore, when assembling, referring to Figures 1 and 2A together, the conductive sheet 30 is attached by combining the first through holes 311 on both sides of the main body connection portion 31 with the corresponding second fixing holes 211 in the accommodating groove 21, and the second fixing member 35 (e.g., a screw, etc.) is inserted into the first through hole 311 of the conductive sheet 30 and the second fixing hole of the accommodating groove 21, thereby fixing the conductive sheet 30 in the corresponding accommodating groove 21 of the support frame 20 (naturally, the conductive sheet 30 and the support frame 20 may also be bonded with an adhesive).

[0020] When the present invention is used in a battery module, the electrical connection device 10 secures and electrically connects a plurality of cells 70 together. The support frame 20 of the electrical connecting device 10, the conductive sheet 30, and the tab leads 71 ​​of the cells 70 are stacked and arranged in this order. Also, electrical connection is established with the tab lead 71 using the corresponding conductive sheet 30 . In this embodiment, a case of series connection will be described as an example. The description will be made with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. First, the conductive sheet 30 is accommodated and fixed in the corresponding accommodation groove 21 of the support frame 20, and then the second fixing member 35 (e.g., a screw, etc.) is inserted into the first through holes 311 on both sides of the main body connection portion 31 of the conductive sheet 30, thereby fixing it to the corresponding second fixing hole 211 in the accommodation groove 21. Subsequently, the tab lead 71 obtained after stacking the two cells 70 (first cell and second cell) is inserted into the main body connection portion 31 of the corresponding conductive sheet 30. Each cell 70 is provided at both ends with tab leads 71 ​​of opposite polarities. Furthermore, the two tab leads 71 ​​on the same side of the two stacked cells 70 have different polarities (for example, a positive electrode and a negative electrode, respectively). Since the conductive sheet 30 is attached above the support frame 20, the two tab leads 71 ​​on the same side can be directly welded to the main body connection portion 31 of the conductive sheet 30 from above in a vertical direction (i.e., the Z-axis direction). By fixing the two tab leads 71 ​​to the conductive sheet 30 on the support frame 20 (at this time, there is no need to bend the tab leads 71), an electrical connection (in series) is formed. In addition, the main body connection portion 31 of the conductive sheet 30 may be provided with a protruding positioning portion 33 at an end separate from the side edge connection portion 32, and a tab lead 71 is welded between the positioning portion 33 and the side edge connection portion 32. That is, the positioning portion 33 is used for welding and positioning the tab lead 71 . Furthermore, the accommodation groove 21 of the support frame 20 has a rectangular opening provided on the rear side of the support frame 20 (that is, the side close to the cell 70) (see FIG. 2A). The width of the opening is equal to or greater than the length of the tab lead 71 . By providing the opening, it becomes possible to insert the tab lead 71 into the receiving groove 21 and weld it to the main body 31 of the conductive sheet 30 .

[0021] On the other side of the cell 70, a further cell 70 (third cell) is stacked. At this time, the two tab leads 71 ​​on the same side of the second cell and the third cell also have different polarities. Similarly, on the support frame 20, two tab leads 71 ​​are welded vertically from above to the main body connecting portion 31 of the conductive sheet 30 positioned on the support frame 20. Then, the upper support frame 20 is stacked on the lower support frame 20 using the engagement structure 40 . Similarly, after stacking the support frame 20 and the conductive sheet 30 fixed to the support frame 20, another cell 70 is then attached and both ends of the cell 70 are welded in sequence to complete the series of cells 70. Each of the tab leads 71 ​​is welded vertically from above to the conductive sheet 30 to establish an electrical connection. As mentioned above, the tab leads 71 ​​on the previously attached support frame 20 are positioned below another support frame 20 . However, since the support frame 20 is made of an insulating material, there is no interference with the tab leads 71 ​​welded to the support frame 20 at this time. In other words, the problem of short circuits can be avoided. Next, the support frame 20 (and the conductive sheet 30 fixed to the support frame 20) and the tab leads 71 ​​of the cells 70 are attached one by one and fixed by welding, and finally the uppermost top cover 50 is attached. Referring to Figure 1, the uppermost support frame 20 differs from the other support frames in that it not only has second fixing members 35 (e.g., screws, etc.) inserted into first through holes 311 on both sides of the main body connection portion 31 of the conductive sheet 30 and fixed to the corresponding second fixing holes 211 in the accommodating groove 21, but also has third fixing holes 24 on both sides of the second fixing holes 211. Therefore, the third fixing member 52 is inserted into the top cover fixing hole 51 of the top cover 50, and the top cover 50 is fixed to the corresponding third fixing hole 24 in the accommodating groove 21 in the uppermost support frame 20, thereby fixing the top cover 50 to the uppermost support frame 20. The top cover 50 serves as an insulator. After completion, a top case 60 may be used for protection from above, and casings may be added to the bottom and sides to protect the entire battery structure (not shown). As a result of the above, a battery module is completed as shown in FIG. 5, which is assembled using the electrical connection device of the present invention. It should be particularly noted here that, although the above description has been given of a connection configuration in which the cells 70 are connected in series, based on the same principle, the cells 70 may also be connected in parallel or in a mixed series-parallel configuration.

[0022] A heat dissipation material may be inserted between the cells 70. The heat dissipating material may be a metal sheet (for example, aluminum). This improves the heat dissipation effect after the cells 70 are stacked. Alternatively, cushioning material may be added between the cells 70 to enhance the impact resistance of the entire battery module. After the assembly is completed, since the receiving groove 21 of the support frame 20 is designed with a rectangular front notch 212, the side edge connection part 32 is exposed to the outside after the support frame 20 is stacked, as shown in FIG. That is, they are exposed on the front and rear sides of the electrical connecting device 10 . Furthermore, the tab leads 71 ​​are electrically connected to the side edge connection portions of the conductive sheet 30 . Therefore, by connecting to an external conductor (not shown) using the connection port 321 of the side edge connection portion 32, it is possible to very easily detect various electrical characteristics (including resistance value, voltage, etc.) of a corresponding cell 70. In other words, as a connection point for the monitoring and management module of the battery module, it becomes possible to immediately monitor the state of the electrical characteristics of each cell 70.

[0023] Next, please refer to FIGS. 4 and 5. Electrical connection terminals 101, 102 extend outward from the conductive sheets 30 corresponding to the uppermost and lowermost support frames 20, respectively, as power output terminals (total positive and negative electrodes) of the battery module. The electrical connection terminals 101 and 102 extend directly from the conductive sheet 30 , and the conductive sheet 30 is simply mounted in the corresponding receiving grooves 21 of the support frame 20 . Therefore, simply by changing the mounting position of the uppermost and / or lowermost conductive sheet 30 depending on the number of cells 70 connected in series or parallel, it is possible to adjust whether the electrical connection terminals 101, 102 are positioned on the same side (see Figure 6A) or on different sides (see Figure 6B), providing excellent flexibility in use.

[0024] In summary, the present invention provides an electrical connection device that directly stacks and attaches the cells to the support frame and the conductive sheet on the support frame. Also, assembly and welding can be carried out vertically from above in succession, and can proceed simultaneously at both ends of the cell. This solves the problem that conventional cells are prone to short circuits when stacked and connected in series. Furthermore, since the method of attaching and welding is performed in a vertical order, there is no need to bend and weld the tab leads, and adjacent cells do not interfere with each other during the welding and assembly process. Therefore, it is possible to improve the safety and convenience of assembly. In addition, by using a method of directly stacking support frames, the conventional slide rail design with a fixed frame is eliminated, so the number of cells stacked is not limited by the height of the fixed frame and can be freely adjusted as needed. Furthermore, since the installation of a fixed frame is eliminated, it is possible to further improve assembly efficiency and reduce the number of parts.

[0025] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent modifications or additions made based on the features and spirit described in the claims of this invention are intended to be included in the scope of the utility model registration claims of this invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 10 Electrical connection device 101,102 Electrical connection terminal 20 Support Frame 21 Storage groove 211 2nd fixing hole 212 Front notch 22 1st fixing hole 23 First fixing member 24 3rd fixing hole 30 Conductive sheet 31 Main unit connection part 311 First Through Hole 32 Side edge connection 321 connection port 33 Positioning part 35 Second fixing member 40 Engagement structure 401 Male engaging member 402 female engaging member 50 Top cover 51 Top cover fixing hole 52 Third fixing member 60 Top Case 70 cells 71 Tab Lead

Claims

1. An electrical connection device used for a plurality of stacked cells, each of which is provided with a tab lead at each end, A plurality of support frames, each having an engagement structure on its bottom surface and top surface for stacking and fixing adjacent support frames to each other, and each having a receiving groove on its top surface; a plurality of conductive sheets mounted in the corresponding receiving grooves of the support frames, for electrically connecting the tab leads of the cells; An electrical connection device comprising:

2. 2. The electrical connecting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the support frames has a first fixing hole, and the support frame can be fixed by inserting a first fixing member into the first fixing hole.

3. 2. The electrical connection device of claim 1, wherein the support frame has at least one second fixing hole, the conductive sheet has at least one first through hole corresponding to the at least one second fixing hole, and the conductive sheet is fixed to the support frame by inserting a plurality of second fixing members into the first through hole of the conductive sheet and the second fixing hole of the support frame.

4. 2. The electrical connection device according to claim 1, wherein each of the conductive sheets includes a body connection portion and a side edge connection portion, the side edge connection portion being located at a corner of the body connection portion, and the body connection portion and the side edge connection portion being electrically connected and perpendicular to each other.

5. 5. The electrical connecting device according to claim 4, wherein the body connecting portion is sandwiched between two of the support frames, and the tab leads of the cells are electrically connected to the body connecting portion.

6. 6. The electrical connection device of claim 5, wherein the tab leads of the cells are welded to the body connection portions to establish electrical connections.

7. 7. The electrical connection device according to claim 6, wherein the body connection portion of each of the conductive sheets is provided with at least one positioning portion, and the tab lead is welded between the positioning portion and the side edge connection portion.

8. 5. The electrical connection device according to claim 4, wherein the side edge connection portion has a front side and a rear side, the front side and the rear side are arranged opposite each other, the front side is spaced apart from the cell, and the rear side is close to the cell, the front side has a connection port, the accommodating groove of the support frame has a front notch, the front notch is arranged on the side of the accommodating groove away from the cell, and the connection port can be exposed to the outside of the support frame from the front notch after the support frames are stacked.

9. 2. The electrical connection device of claim 1, further comprising a top cover, said top cover being fixed to an uppermost part of said support frame.

10. 10. The electrical connection device of claim 9, wherein the top cover has at least one top cover fixing hole, the support frame has at least one third fixing hole corresponding to the at least one top cover fixing hole, and the top cover corresponding to the uppermost support frame is fixed by inserting a third fixing member into the top cover fixing hole of the top cover and the third fixing hole of the support frame.

11. 2. The electrical connecting device according to claim 1, wherein electrical connecting terminals extend outward from the conductive sheets corresponding to the uppermost and lowermost support frames.

12. 12. The electrical connection device according to claim 11, wherein the electrical connection terminals of the uppermost and lowermost support frames are located on the same side.

13. 12. The electrical connection device of claim 11, wherein the electrical connection terminals of the uppermost and lowermost support frames are located on different sides.

14. 2. The electrical connection device according to claim 1, wherein the engaging structure includes at least one male engaging member located on the ceiling surface of the support frame and at least one female engaging member located on the bottom surface of the support frame and corresponding to the male engaging member, and the male engaging member and the female engaging member stack and secure the adjacent support frames to each other.

15. a plurality of cells, each having a tab lead at each end; an electrical connection device for fastening the plurality of cells, the electrical connection device comprising: A plurality of support frames, each having an engagement structure on its bottom surface and top surface for stacking and fixing adjacent support frames to each other, and each having a receiving groove on its top surface; a plurality of conductive sheets mounted in the corresponding receiving grooves of the support frames, for electrically connecting the tab leads of the cells; Including, The support frame, the conductive sheets, and the tab leads of the cells are stacked and arranged in order, and an electrical connection is established between the tab leads and the corresponding conductive sheets.

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