Highly heat-resistant battery pack connector to prevent thermal runaway and its manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery pack connector including a housing in which a terminal pin that serves as an electrical connection path is attached, the housing including a lower end portion in which the terminal pin is attached, and a main body portion in which the lower end portion is attached, the lower end portion having a partition portion formed therein to prevent deformation of the terminal pin when coupled to an external terminal, the lower end portion and the main body portion being made of different materials, thereby preventing melting of the battery pack connector and preventing thermal runaway generated inside the battery pack from diffusing to the outside.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 2022-0030698 filed on March 11, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of said Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to a highly heat-resistant battery pack connector for preventing thermal runaway. More specifically, the present invention relates to a highly heat-resistant battery pack connector for preventing thermal runaway, which is used as an energy source for devices such as electric vehicles that require high safety. [Background technology]

[0003] Lithium secondary batteries, which have high energy density and excellent life characteristics, are mainly used as the energy source for electric vehicles. However, lithium secondary batteries, which have high energy density, have the risk of exploding due to overheating, and if a fire occurs, it is difficult to extinguish the fire until the whole thing is burned.

[0004] When thermal runaway occurs due to an abnormality in a battery cell inside a battery pack, the battery pack connector adjacent to the electrode lead may be the most vulnerable to flame exposure. Such battery pack connectors may cause secondary damage due to disconnection. Conventional battery pack connectors are made of materials with low heat resistance and melt easily, so the flames caused by thermal runaway may spread to the outside of the battery pack.

[0005] 1 shows a perspective view of a conventional battery pack connector, in which a battery pack connector 200 according to the prior art is located at one end of a battery pack 100.

[0006] The lower end of the battery pack connector 200 according to the conventional technology is electrically connected to the electrode terminal of the battery module, so that the temperature increases rapidly in the event of a fire. Conventionally, the battery pack connector is made of plastic, so that the housing 220 of the battery pack connector can easily melt when the temperature of the battery pack increases.

[0007] When the housing 220 of the battery pack connector melts, an opening is created in the pack case through which flames and sparks can escape, which can cause thermal runaway to be transmitted to other battery packs, which is a serious safety issue.

[0008] Patent Document 1 relates to an electrical connector, and includes a socket, a terminal to be inserted into the socket, a pin to be inserted into the terminal, and a header having a plurality of pin through holes into which the pins are inserted, the terminal including a pin contact portion and a terminal formed below the pin contact portion, the pin contact portion having a pair of first arms formed on a first surface and a surface facing the first surface, and a pair of second arms formed on a second surface and a surface facing the second surface, and the pin is in contact with the first arm and the second arm.

[0009] In Patent Document 1, the pin contacts the first arm and the second arm, and the terminal and the pin contact each other on four sides, thereby minimizing the initial yield rate of the contact, aligning the contact with the center line, and maintaining a stable contact state.

[0010] Patent Document 1 fails to present a technique for preventing flames from being exposed to the outside when thermal runaway occurs inside the battery pack.

[0011] Patent document 2 relates to a connector for printed circuit boards that includes a contact terminal having a contact pin at one end that contacts another connector and a terminal portion at the other end that contacts a printed circuit board, a housing in which the contact terminal is provided, and a hood for covering the contact pin of the contact terminal.

[0012] Patent Document 2 discloses technology that enables the connector to be easily assembled and repaired and to be easily attached to a printed circuit board, but fails to present a configuration for improving the heat resistance of the connector.

[0013] Patent Document 3 relates to a heat treatment device including a connector with improved heat resistance, which is used to heat-treat a display panel or a semiconductor device. Patent Document 3 discloses that an insulating tube made of a ceramic material is added to the outside of an external terminal member, or an internal housing member made of a ceramic material is added to the outside of the external terminal member, thereby preventing the heat inside the internal chamber member from being transferred to the external connector member.

[0014] Patent Document 3 cannot solve the problem of preventing thermal runaway occurring inside the battery pack from diffusing to the outside of the battery pack.

[0015] As described above, conventional battery pack connectors can melt and cause serious problems when thermal runaway occurs due to overheating, but no technology has been provided that can recognize or solve this problem. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0016] [Patent Document 1] Korean Patent Publication No. 2017-0059669 [Patent Document 2] Korean Patent No. 1136682 [Patent Document 3] Korean Patent No. 1668787 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0017] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a highly heat-resistant battery pack connector for preventing thermal runaway, which can prevent the battery pack connector, which is vulnerable to flame, from melting when a flame occurs inside the battery pack, and can suppress the spread of thermal runaway. [Means for solving the problem]

[0018] To achieve this object, the present invention provides a connector for a battery pack, including a housing in which a terminal pin that serves as an electrical connection path is attached, the housing including a lower end portion in which the terminal pin is attached, and a body portion in which the lower end portion is attached, the body portion having a partition portion formed therein to prevent deformation of the terminal pin when coupled to an external terminal, the lower end portion and the body portion being made of different materials.

[0019] The body portion may include a high heat resistant material.

[0020] The high heat resistant material may be a metal or ceramic coated with a urethane-based or inorganic material, and the metal may be a stainless steel-based metal.

[0021] The body portion may include a material with a melting point of 1,000° C. or higher.

[0022] The planar size of the lower end portion may be formed to match the planar size of the inside of the main body portion.

[0023] A protrusion protruding outward is formed on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the lower end portion, and a groove is formed in the portion of the main body portion where the protrusion is attached, and the lower end portion can be fixed to the main body portion by inserting the protrusion into the groove.

[0024] The bottom portion may include a plastic material having a lower melting point than the body portion.

[0025] The terminal pin may be coupled to the lower end by injection molding.

[0026] The battery pack connector according to the present invention may be for low voltage use.

[0027] The present invention provides a battery pack to which the battery pack connector is attached.

[0028] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the battery pack connector, which may include the steps of: (a) positioning a terminal pin in a mold; (b) adding an injection material to form a lower end; and (c) coupling the lower end to which the terminal pin is coupled, to a body.

[0029] The planar size of the lower end portion is formed to match the planar size of the inside of the main body portion, and step (c) may be performed by a process of coupling the lower end portion to the main body portion by a press-fit method.

[0030] An outwardly protruding protrusion is formed on at least a portion of an outer periphery of the lower end portion, and a groove is formed in the body portion in which the protrusion is attached, and step (c) may be performed during a process of inserting the protrusion into the groove.

[0031] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the battery pack connector, which includes the steps of (a) adding an injection material to a mold to form a lower end portion, (b) coupling a terminal pin to the lower end portion, and (c) coupling the lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled to a main body portion.

[0032] Furthermore, the present invention can also be provided in the form of various combinations of the means for solving the problems described above. Effect of the Invention

[0033] As described above, the battery pack connector of the present invention has a main body, which is the remaining part of the housing excluding the lower end where the terminal pin is attached, made of a highly heat-resistant material, so that the main body of the battery pack connector can be prevented from melting even in a high-temperature environment.

[0034] In this way, by preventing the main body from melting, the shape of the battery pack connector can be maintained even in high-temperature environments, making it possible to provide a battery pack with improved safety by preventing the thermal runaway phenomenon from being transmitted to the outside of the battery pack. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0035] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional battery pack connector. [Diagram 2] 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack connector according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a vertical cut surface of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack connector according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a part of a vertical cross section of FIG. 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given of an embodiment of the present invention that can be easily implemented by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, when describing the operation principle of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in detail, detailed description of related well-known functions or configurations may be omitted if it is determined that such detailed description may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention.

[0037] In addition, the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings for parts having similar functions and actions. Throughout the specification, when a part is said to be connected to another part, this includes not only the case where the part is directly connected to another part, but also the case where the part is indirectly connected via another element between the two parts. In addition, when a part includes a certain component, it does not mean that the other component is excluded, but that the part may further include the other component, unless otherwise specified.

[0038] Furthermore, descriptions that limit or add specific elements are applicable to all inventions and are not limited to a particular invention unless otherwise specified.

[0039] Furthermore, throughout the description of the present invention and the claims, the singular includes the plural unless otherwise stated.

[0040] In addition, throughout the description of the present invention and the claims, unless otherwise stated, "or" includes "and." Therefore, "including A or B" means three cases: including A, including B, or including both A and B.

[0041] The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings and in conjunction with detailed embodiments.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the battery pack connector according to the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a vertical cut surface of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of FIG.

[0043] 2 to 4, a connector 200 for a battery pack according to the present invention includes a housing 220 in which terminal pins 210 serving as electrical connection paths are mounted. Housing 220 includes a lower end 221 to which terminal pins 210 are coupled, and a partition wall 222 for preventing deformation of terminal pins 210 when coupled to an external terminal, and a body portion 223 in which lower end 221 is mounted, with lower end 221 and body portion 223 being made of different materials.

[0044] The battery pack connector 200 according to the present invention is mounted on one end of the battery pack 100 and is electrically connected to the terminals of the battery module inside the battery pack.

[0045] The battery pack connector 200 may be a low-voltage connector that may be used to drive a battery management system or an electrical component, or to sense the voltage and temperature of a battery cell.

[0046] If a fire occurs in one of the battery cells inside the battery pack during use, the electrode lead is the hottest part of the battery cell, and the battery pack connector adjacent to the electrode lead is vulnerable to flame exposure. If thermal runaway occurs in a battery cell, the surface temperature of the battery pack will reach 600°C or more, and the temperature of the battery pack connector in contact with the battery pack will increase rapidly. Therefore, in order to prevent the battery pack connector from deforming and to prevent flames from erupting outside the battery pack, it is preferable that the battery pack connector is made of a material with a high melting temperature.

[0047] The housing 220 includes a lower end 221 to which the terminal pin 210 is attached. The portion of the lower end 221 to which the terminal pin 210 is attached is complex to mold, and requires high precision during manufacturing. Therefore, the lower end 221 is manufactured by an injection process from a material with a low melting point, and the remaining portion excluding the lower end 221, that is, the main body 223, is preferably made of a highly heat-resistant material so that it can maintain its shape even when the temperature of the battery pack increases.

[0048] For example, the bottom portion 221 may be made of a plastic material that is injection moldable and has a lower melting point than the body portion 223 .

[0049] The highly heat-resistant material constituting the main body 223 is a material that does not melt and maintains its shape even at high temperatures of 1,000°C or higher, and may be, for example, a metal or ceramic coated with a urethane-based or inorganic material, and the metal may be a stainless steel-based metal with a melting point of 1,000°C or higher.

[0050] In this way, the housing of the battery pack connector according to the present invention has a lower end and a main body portion which are made of different types of materials, and the lower end and the main body portion are molded and manufactured separately, and then the battery pack connector can be manufactured by connecting them together.

[0051] As a method for joining the terminal pin 210 to the lower end 221, an injection molding method can be used in which the terminal pin 210 is placed in a mold, an injection material for molding the lower end is added to the terminal pin 210, and then the injection material is solidified.

[0052] In one embodiment, the planar size of the lower end 221 can match the planar size of the inside of the main body portion 223 .

[0053] That is, the entire outer circumferential surface of the lower end portion 221 can be joined to the entire inner surface of the main body portion 223 in intimate contact therewith.

[0054] A manufacturing method for a battery pack connector according to the first embodiment may include the steps of: (a) positioning a terminal pin in a mold; (b) adding an injection material to form a lower end; and (c) connecting the lower end to which the terminal pin is connected to a main body portion.

[0055] In this manner, the battery pack connector according to the present invention can be manufactured by the insert injection method.

[0056] The planar size of the lower end portion 221 is formed to match the planar size of the inside of the main body portion 223, and the step (c) may be performed in a process of connecting the lower end portion 221 to the main body portion 223 by a press fit method.

[0057] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a battery pack connector according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a view showing a part of a vertical cut surface of FIG.

[0058] 5 and 6, the connector 200 for a battery pack according to the second embodiment includes a housing 220 in which terminal pins 210 serving as electrical connection paths are mounted. The housing 220 includes a lower end 221 to which the terminal pins 210 are coupled, and a partition wall for preventing deformation of the terminal pins 210 when coupled to an external terminal, and a body 223 in which the lower end 221 is mounted, the lower end 221 and the body 223 being made of different materials.

[0059] In the battery pack connector 200 according to the second embodiment, a protrusion 225 protruding outward is formed on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the lower end portion 221, and a groove 224 is formed in the portion of the main body portion 223 where the protrusion 225 is attached, and the lower end portion 221 can be fixed to the main body portion 223 by inserting the protrusion 225 into the groove 224.

[0060] The manufacturing method of the battery pack connector according to the second embodiment may include the steps of (a) positioning the terminal pin in a mold, (b) adding an injection material to form a lower end, and (c) coupling the lower end to which the terminal pin is coupled, to a body. The step (c) is performed during the process in which the protrusion 225 protruding from the outer periphery of the lower end 221 is inserted into the through hole or groove 224 of the body 223.

[0061] Since the protrusion 225 formed on the outer periphery of the lower end 221 has an inclined shape such that the thickness becomes thinner toward the tip, the protrusion 225 can be easily inserted into the groove 224. In addition, after the protrusion 225 is inserted into the groove 224, the protrusion 225 and the groove 224 can be stably maintained in a coupled and fixed state. Therefore, the step (c) can be performed during the process of inserting the protrusion 225 into the groove 224 and the process of the protrusion being fixed.

[0062] In one embodiment, when the insert injection method as described above is not used to manufacture a battery pack connector, a manufacturing method for a battery pack connector can be used, which includes the steps of: (a) adding an injection material to a mold to form a lower end portion; (b) connecting a terminal pin to the lower end portion; and (c) connecting the lower end portion to which the terminal pin is connected to a main body portion.

[0063] The step (b) may be performed by pushing the terminal pin into the terminal pin insertion portion at the lower end to couple the terminal pin.

[0064] Alternatively, the method of attaching the terminal pin to the lower end is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and the method is not particularly limited as long as it can ensure that the terminal pin is stably attached to the lower end.

[0065] As described above, in the battery pack connector according to the present invention, the main body 223, which is the remaining part of the housing except for the lower end 221 that requires precise molding, is made of a highly heat-resistant material. Therefore, when a battery pack to which the battery pack connector is attached is used, even if a flame occurs inside the battery pack, the main body 223 made of a highly heat-resistant material will not melt or deform. In this way, since the shape of the main body 223 is maintained, it is possible to prevent the flame from escaping to the outside of the battery pack when the battery pack ignites. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the transfer of thermal runaway to other battery packs, and further ensure the safety of the user.

[0066] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various applications and modifications within the scope of the present invention will be possible based on the above content. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 100 Battery Packs 200 Battery pack connector 210 Terminal Pin 220 Housing 221 Lower end 222 Bulkhead section 223 Ontology Department 224 Ditch 225 Protrusion

Claims

1. A battery pack connector including a housing having terminal pins attached thereto, the terminal pins being electrical connection paths, The housing includes: a lower end portion to which the terminal pin is attached; a body portion having a partition wall for preventing deformation of the terminal pin when the terminal pin is coupled to an external terminal, the body portion having the lower end portion attached thereto; Including, The lower end portion and the main body portion are made of different materials, the body portion includes a material having a higher heat resistance than a material of the lower end portion, A protrusion protruding outward is formed on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the lower end portion, A groove is formed in the main body at a portion where the protrusion is attached, The lower end portion is fixed to the main body portion by inserting the projection into the groove.

2. 2. The battery pack connector according to claim 1, wherein the highly heat-resistant material is a metal or ceramic coated with a urethane-based or inorganic material, and the metal is a stainless steel-based metal.

3. 2. The battery pack connector according to claim 1, wherein the main body portion includes a material having a melting point of 1,000° C. or higher.

4. 2. The battery pack connector according to claim 1, wherein a size of the lower end portion on a plane is formed to match a size of an interior of the main body on a plane.

5. A connector for a battery pack including a housing having terminal pins attached thereto that serve as electrical connection paths, The housing includes: a lower end portion to which the terminal pin is attached; a body portion having a partition wall for preventing deformation of the terminal pin when the terminal pin is coupled to an external terminal, the body portion having the lower end portion attached thereto; Including, The lower end portion and the main body portion are made of different materials, the body portion includes a material having a higher heat resistance than a material of the lower end portion, The lower end portion includes a plastic material having a lower melting point than the main body portion.

6. 6. The battery pack connector according to claim 5, wherein the terminal pin is coupled to the lower end by injection molding.

7. A connector for a battery pack as described in claim 5, wherein the highly heat-resistant material is a metal or ceramic coated with a urethane-based or inorganic material, and the metal is a stainless steel-based metal.

8. A connector for a battery pack as described in claim 5, wherein the main body portion includes a material having a melting point of 1,000°C or higher.

9. A connector for a battery pack as described in claim 5, wherein the planar size of the lower end portion is formed to match the planar size of the interior of the main body portion.

10. A battery pack to which the battery pack connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is attached.

11. A method for manufacturing the battery pack connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the terminal pin in a mold; (b) adding injected material to form the bottom end; (c) coupling the lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled, to the body portion; A method for manufacturing a battery pack connector, comprising:

12. The planar size of the lower end portion is formed to match the planar size of the inside of the main body portion, The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) is performed during the process of coupling the lower end portion to the body portion by an interference fit.

13. A protrusion is formed on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the lower end portion, the protrusion protruding outward. A groove is formed in the main body at a portion where the protrusion is attached, The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) is performed during the process of inserting the protrusion into the groove.

14. A method for manufacturing the battery pack connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising the steps of: (a) adding injected material to a mold to form the bottom end; (b) coupling the terminal pin to the lower end; (c) coupling the lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled to the body portion; A method for manufacturing a battery pack connector, comprising:

15. A method for manufacturing a battery pack connector including a housing having a terminal pin attached thereto which serves as an electrical connection path, the housing including a lower end portion having the terminal pin attached thereto, and a main body portion having the lower end attached thereto, the lower end portion and the main body portion being formed with a partition portion for preventing deformation of the terminal pin when coupled to an external terminal, the lower end portion and the main body portion being made of different materials, the main body portion including a material having a higher heat resistance than the material of the lower end portion, (a) positioning the terminal pin in a mold; (b) adding injected material to form the bottom end; (c) coupling the lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled, to the body portion; Including, The planar size of the lower end portion is formed to match the planar size of the inside of the main body portion, The method of manufacturing a battery pack connector, wherein step (c) is performed during a process of coupling the lower end portion to the body portion by an interference fit.

16. A method for manufacturing a battery pack connector including a housing having a terminal pin attached thereto which serves as an electrical connection path, the housing including a lower end portion having the terminal pin attached thereto, and a main body portion having a partition portion formed thereon to prevent deformation of the terminal pin when coupled to an external terminal, the lower end portion and the main body portion being made of different materials, the main body portion including a material having a higher heat resistance than the material of the lower end portion, (a) positioning the terminal pin in a mold; (b) adding injected material to form the bottom end; (c) coupling the lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled, to the body portion; Including, A protrusion is formed on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the lower end portion, the protrusion protruding outward. A groove is formed in the main body at a portion where the protrusion is attached, The method for manufacturing a battery pack connector, wherein step (c) is performed during a process of inserting the protrusion into the groove.

17. A method for manufacturing a battery pack connector including a housing having a terminal pin attached thereto which serves as an electrical connection path, the housing including a lower end portion having the terminal pin attached thereto, and a main body portion having a partition portion formed thereon to prevent deformation of the terminal pin when coupled to an external terminal, the lower end portion and the main body portion being made of different materials, the main body portion including a material having a higher heat resistance than the material of the lower end portion, (a) adding injected material to a mold to form the bottom end; (b) coupling the terminal pin to the lower end; (c) coupling the lower end portion to which the terminal pin is coupled to the body portion; A method for manufacturing a battery pack connector, comprising:

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