Rechargeable battery cell carrier, rechargeable battery pack and method

Abstract

A rechargeable battery cell carrier having a cylindrical rechargeable battery cell inserted thereinto in the axial direction, wherein: the rechargeable battery cell is electrically contacted by means of a soldered-on metal cell connector; and the rechargeable battery cell carrier has a clamping cover which is arranged at the front and is axially held on the rechargeable battery cell by the cell connector.

Description

[0001] Battery cell carrier, battery pack and process

[0002] The present invention relates to a battery cell carrier with a cylindrical battery cell inserted therein in the axial direction, wherein the battery cell is electrically contacted by means of a soldered metallic cell connector.

[0003] Such battery cell carriers are generally known from the state of the art and are used, for example, in battery packs for power tools. The battery cell carrier typically protects the battery cell against impact.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a battery cell carrier that can be manufactured easily and reliably. It is also an object of the invention to provide a method for producing a battery cell carrier.

[0005] With regard to the battery cell carrier, the problem is solved in that the battery cell carrier has a clamping cover arranged on the front side, which is held on the battery cell in the axial direction by the cell connector.

[0006] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the cell connector is embedded in sections of the clamping cover. It has proven advantageous if the clamping cover is made of plastic. The cell connector can be embedded in the clamping cover by means of plastic overmolding.

[0007] In another preferred embodiment, the cell connector has a support section that rests on a surface of the clamping cover. It has proven advantageous if the cell connector is a separate component from the clamping cover.

[0008] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the battery cell carrier has a cylindrical bead into which the clamping cover is pressed. It has proven advantageous if the clamping cover has a clamping section which, when the clamping cover is pressed into the battery cell carrier, applies a radial clamping force to the battery cell. In a particularly preferred embodiment, an inclined flank formed on the bead ensures that the clamping section is moved radially inwards as the battery cell is pushed into the battery cell carrier until the clamping section clamps the battery cell. In a further preferred embodiment, an outer diameter of the battery cell is smaller than an inner diameter of the battery cell carrier. It has proven advantageous if the battery cell carrier is longer in the axial direction than the cylindrical battery cell.

[0009] It has also proven advantageous if the clamping cover has a central opening. The cell connector can be located partially in the central opening and / or protrude through the central opening. The diameter of the central opening can be equal to or larger than the outer diameter of the battery cell. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the clamping cover is held to the battery cell carrier without screws.

[0010] It has also proven advantageous if a plurality of battery cell carriers are provided as part of a battery pack for the electric hand-held power tool, wherein the clamping covers are preferably connected to one another.

[0011] With regard to the method, the object is achieved by a method for producing a battery cell carrier in which, in a first step, a battery cell is inserted into the battery cell carrier in the axial direction and, in a second step, a clamping cover is arranged on the front side of the battery cell carrier and, preferably at the same time, a metallic cell connector is soldered onto the battery cell, so that the clamping cover is held on the battery cell in the axial direction by the cell connector.

[0012] The method can be further developed accordingly by the features described with reference to the device. It has proven advantageous if the battery cell is clamped in the radial direction during the arrangement of the clamping cover.

[0013] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the figures. Particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the figures. The figures, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. Those skilled in the art will expediently consider the features individually and combine them into useful further combinations.

[0014] In the figure, identical and similar components are numbered with the same reference numerals. It shows:

[0015] Figure 1 shows a first preferred embodiment of a battery cell carrier;

[0016] Figure 2 shows a second preferred embodiment of a battery cell carrier;

[0017] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a battery pack; and

[0018] Figure 4 shows a preferred method for producing a battery cell carrier.

[0019] Examples of implementation:

[0020] A first preferred embodiment of a battery cell carrier 10 in a sectional view is shown in Figure 1. The battery cell carrier 10 has a cylindrical battery cell 1, which has been inserted into the battery cell carrier 10 in the axial direction AR. The battery cell carrier 10 is longer in the axial direction AR than the cylindrical battery cell 1. An outer diameter AD of the battery cell 1 is smaller than an inner diameter ID of the battery cell carrier 10. In other words, the battery cell 1 itself is not pressed into the battery cell carrier 10.

[0021] The battery cell 1 is electrically contacted by means of a soldered metallic cell connector 5. The battery cell carrier 10 has a clamping cover 3 arranged on the front side, which is held to the battery cell 3 in the axial direction AR by the cell connector 5. The cell connector 5 is partially embedded in the plastic clamping cover 3 by means of plastic overmolding. The clamping cover 3 has a central opening 9 in which the cell connector 5 is partially located. An opening diameter ÖD of the central opening 9 is larger than the outer diameter AD of the battery cell 1.

[0022] As can be seen from Figure 1, the battery cell carrier 10 has a cylindrical bead 7 into which the clamping cover 3 is pressed. The clamping cover 3 has a clamping section 3' which, when the clamping cover 3 is pressed into the battery cell carrier 10, applies a radial clamping force to the battery cell 1. Due to the inclined flank 7' formed on the cylindrical bead 7, the clamping section 3' is moved inwards in the radial direction RR as the battery cell 1 is pushed into the battery cell carrier 10 until the clamping section 3' finally clamps the battery cell 1.

[0023] A second preferred embodiment of a battery cell carrier 10 is shown in a sectional view in Figure 2. In contrast to the embodiment in Figure 1, the cell connector 5 is not embedded in the plastic clamping cover 3. Rather, the cell connector 5 protrudes partially through the central opening 9 and has a support section 5' that rests on a surface OF of the clamping cover 3. Accordingly, the clamping cover 3 arranged on the front side is also held to the battery cell 3 in the axial direction AR by the cell connector 5.

[0024] The embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 have the advantage that the clamping cover 3 is held on the battery cell carrier without screws.

[0025] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a battery pack 100 in whose housing 90, in this example, eighteen battery cell carriers 10 are inserted. The battery cells and cell connectors are not shown. Clearly visible are the plastic clamping covers 3, which are connected to one another in the manner of a grid with rows and columns. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the clamping covers 3 of all battery cell carriers 10 are formed integrally from plastic.

[0026] Finally, Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of a method for producing a battery cell carrier.

[0027] In a first step S1, a battery cell is inserted axially into the battery cell carrier. In a subsequent second step S2, a clamping cover is placed on the front side of the battery cell carrier, and simultaneously, a metallic cell connector is soldered onto the battery cell, so that the clamping cover is held axially to the battery cell by the cell connector. This corresponds to a preferred manufacturing method for the battery cell carrier shown in Figure 1, in which the cell connector is partially embedded into the plastic clamping cover by means of plastic overmolding.

[0028] Simultaneous placement of the clamping cover and soldering of the cell connector is also generally possible with the battery cell carrier shown in Figure 2, where the cell connector and the clamping cover are separate (non-destructively separable) parts. Alternatively, during the manufacture of the battery cell carrier shown in Figure 2, it is also possible to first arrange a clamping cover on the front side of the battery cell carrier in the second step S2 and then, in a subsequent step S3 (shown in dashed lines in Figure 4), to solder a metallic cell connector onto the battery cell, so that the clamping cover is held to the battery cell in the axial direction by the cell connector.

[0029] List of reference symbols

[0030] 1 battery cell

[0031] 3 clamping lids

[0032] 3' span section

[0033] 5 cell connectors

[0034] 5' support section

[0035] 7 bulge

[0036] 7' inclined flank

[0037] 9 central opening

[0038] 10 battery cell carriers

[0039] 90 housings

[0040] 100 battery pack

[0041] AD outer diameter of the battery cell

[0042] AR axial direction

[0043] ID inner diameter of the battery cell carrier

[0044] OF surface of the clamping lid

[0045] ÖF opening diameter

[0046] RR radial direction

[0047] S1 first process step

[0048] S1 second process step

Claims

Patent claims 1. Battery cell carrier (10) with a cylindrical battery cell (1) inserted therein in the axial direction (AR), the battery cell (1) being electrically contacted by means of a soldered-on metallic cell connector (5), characterized in that the battery cell carrier (10) has a clamping cover (3) arranged on the end face, which is held on the battery cell (3) in the axial direction (AR) by the cell connector (5).

2. Battery cell carrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cell connector (5) is partially embedded in the clamping cover (3).

3. Battery cell carrier (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cell connector (5) has a support section (5') which rests on a surface (OF) of the clamping cover (3).

4. Battery cell carrier (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battery cell carrier (10) has a cylindrical bead (7) into which the clamping cover (3) is pressed.

5. Battery cell carrier (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the clamping cover (3) has a clamping section (3') which, when the clamping cover (3) is pressed into the battery cell carrier (10), applies a radial clamping force to the battery cell (1).

6. Battery cell carrier (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an outer diameter (AD) of the battery cell (1) is smaller than an inner diameter (ID) of the battery cell carrier (10).

7. Battery cell carrier (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the battery cell carrier (10) is longer in the axial direction (AR) than the cylindrical battery cell (1).

8. Battery cell carrier (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping cover (3) has a central opening (9).

9. Battery cell carrier (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an opening diameter (ÖD) of the central opening (9) is equal to or greater than the outer diameter (AD) of the battery cell (1).

10. Battery cell carrier (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the clamping cover is held on the battery cell carrier without screws.

11. Battery pack (100) with a plurality of battery cell carriers (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the clamping covers are connected to one another.

12. Method for producing a battery cell carrier (10) in which in a first step (S1) a battery cell is inserted in the axial direction into the battery cell carrier and in a second step (S2) a clamping cover is arranged on the front side of the battery cell carrier and preferably at the same time a metallic cell connector is soldered onto the battery cell so that the clamping cover is held on the battery cell in the axial direction by the cell connector.

Images