DE102018205948A1 - Housing with battery cells for forming at least part of a traction battery for an electrically driven motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing (10) with battery cells for forming at least part of a traction battery for an electrically driven motor vehicle (K). At least one maintenance opening (15) can be opened on the housing (10), which serves for the maintenance and / or replacement of a component located in the housing (10).
The invention proposes that the maintenance opening (15) provides access to a maintenance shaft, through which a receiving space for at least one battery cell management control device (13) is formed. The maintenance shaft is separated from a receiving space for the battery cells.
In this way, easy maintenance of the battery cell management control devices (13) is made possible without having to open the receiving space for the battery cells located in the housing (10).

Description

The invention relates to a housing with battery cells for forming at least part of a traction battery for an electrically driven motor vehicle with the features of the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to an electrically driven motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim.

From the DE 10 2014 217 982 A1 Such a housing has become known. The housing has a lower shell made of metal, which is hermetically screwed to a cover made of plastic. In the top of the cover is a maintenance panel to provide access to the interior of the housing. In this way, serviceable parts can be serviced or replaced. The serviceable parts may include, for example, a controller, a battery cell or any other component of a battery assembly. Specifically, the maintenance panel is formed by a tear strip, which can be torn open by means of a tab and thus can expose a maintenance opening. After performing maintenance work, the service panel can be sealed again with a replacement panel.

In the DE 10 2009 043 635 A1 a battery housing is described, which has on a cover and on an outer wall maintenance flaps for access to an interior of the battery case. For major maintenance, the cover and bottom of the battery case are removable.

Finally, in the EP 1 132 251 A1 a hybrid drive system with a battery unit, a fuel unit and a motor described. In order to achieve easy assembly or maintenance and high reliability of the system, it is proposed to provide the engine, the battery and the fuel system as modular units. Each unit is provided with a control and monitoring device to control and monitor the state of each module.

The known prior art has the disadvantage that during maintenance work, the housing must be opened in such a way that the battery cells located in the battery housing are at least partially exposed. However, this is not dangerous for the voltages in the high-voltage range that are common in traction batteries, so that high precautionary measures are required during disassembly and maintenance work. In addition, it may also come through the exposure of the battery cells during maintenance work to damage the battery cells.

The present invention is therefore based on the object to provide a housing with battery cells according to the features of the preamble of claim 1, wherein a battery cell associated with the battery cell management control device is easy to maintain. In particular, a maintenance or replacement should be possible without danger, with the risk of damage to the battery cells should be minimized.

This object is achieved with a housing having the features of claim 1.

The present invention is also based on the object to provide an electrically driven motor vehicle, which meets the requirements for easy and safe maintainability. This object is achieved by an electrically driven motor vehicle with the features of claim 7.

Advantageous embodiments or developments of the invention can be found in the respective dependent claims.

The invention is therefore initially based on a housing with battery cells for forming at least part of a traction battery for an electrically driven motor vehicle. On the housing at least one maintenance opening can be exposed, which is used for maintenance and / or replacement of a component located in the housing. For example, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV = Hybrid Electric Vehicles), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV = Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles) or even pure electric vehicles, ie battery vehicles (BEV = Battery Electric Vehicles) are considered as electrically drivable vehicles.

The invention now proposes that the maintenance opening provides access to a maintenance shaft through which a receiving space for at least one battery cell management control device is formed. The maintenance shaft is separated from a receiving space for the battery cells. Thus, a self-contained receiving space for the battery cell management control device is formed by the maintenance shaft.

In this way, an easy and safe maintenance or a simple replacement of the battery cell management control device is possible. Due to the separation of the receiving space of the battery cell management control device from that for the battery cells, therefore, the receiving space for the battery cells does not have to be exposed in case of maintenance. In this way, the risk of damage to the battery cells is avoided and maintenance is possible safely.

According to a first development of the invention it is proposed that the housing has a longitudinal extent and a quadrangular, preferably rectangular cross-section. The housing has two side walls, an upper and a lower wall. In this case, the maintenance shaft is formed within a quadrangular, preferably rectangular, maintenance box. From this maintenance box, end walls contact the side walls of a housing, an upper wall contacts the upper wall of the housing, and a lower wall contacts the lower wall of the housing.

Thus, the maintenance box with the maintenance shaft at the same time support the structure of the housing. The maintenance box is thus part of the housing structure. In the area of the maintenance box, a stiffening of the structure of the housing takes place in this way. The housing can thus in the area of the maintenance box in a corresponding installation position transverse to a longitudinal extent of the motor vehicle forces in X Direction (longitudinal direction) and / or Z Direction (high direction).

According to another embodiment of the inventive concept, the maintenance box is arranged in the middle of a longitudinal extension of the housing. In this way, the conditions are created for a traction battery formed from a plurality of housings to be able to generate a central load path acting in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle.

In order to absorb forces in the longitudinal direction of the housing and thus in the assembled state in the Y direction (transverse direction) of the motor vehicle, the housing is made of metal, preferably of light metal such as aluminum. At least the side walls, the upper and the lower wall of the housing each have a wall thickness of about 4 to 6 millimeters, preferably from about 5 millimeters.

As is known, cell management controllers (CMCs) are used to monitor the status of the battery cells of an associated cell stack. Each battery cell management control device therefore has to ensure that the battery cells assigned to it "feel good" and that the battery cell stack assigned to it works properly. Each battery cell management control device must in turn be signal-technically connected to a higher-level battery management control device. The battery management controller then coordinates the battery management controllers to the "need" of the traction battery formed by the housings. This usually requires a complicated wiring under said control devices.

According to a very advantageous embodiment of the inventive concept it is therefore proposed that there are means for wireless communication of the battery cell management control device with other battery cell management control devices and / or with a higher-level battery management control device.

As a result, a simpler, almost closed design of the housing is made possible.

The means for wireless communication may expediently be formed optically, radio-technically or inductively. As an optical means, for example, the use of optical fibers connected to phototransistors in question. As radio engineering training, for example, near-field radio networks are conceivable.

As mentioned at the beginning, with the invention also an electrically driven motor vehicle is to be placed under protection. According to the invention, the electrically driven motor vehicle has a plurality of housing according to the invention, wherein the housing forms a traction battery of the motor vehicle. Each of the housings is detachably connected to the motor vehicle.

The individual housing so quasi individual battery modules are formed, with tappable individual voltages of the individual housing are interconnected to a tapped total voltage of the traction battery.

Such a modular design offers the enormous advantage that in case of damage or malfunction of individual battery cells not as usual, the entire traction battery must be removed with a housing, but only the affected battery module Furthermore, this leads to a much easier tradeability in case of a necessary replacement. For example, it is conceivable to equip each battery module with a contact voltage of well below 100 volts, preferably below 60 volts. Maintenance work on such a battery module are voltage technology so much less complicated than maintenance on a conventional traction battery with several hundred volts Berührspannung. The same applies to the individual weight of the battery modules, which is many times lower than the total weight of conventional traction batteries.

An embodiment of the motor vehicle suggests that the maintenance openings of the housing point downwards, that is to say in the direction of a roadway. As a result, the maintainability, in particular the Battery cell management control devices are optimized on the motor vehicle.

According to another embodiment of the proposed motor vehicle, the housing with its longitudinal extent are aligned transversely, in particular at right angles to a longitudinal extension of the motor vehicle. The housings touch each other with their mutually facing side walls. In this way, a mutual support and thus a load path in the X direction (longitudinal direction) of the motor vehicle is made possible.

According to a further embodiment of the inventive concept, it is further proposed that in the region of longitudinal members of the motor vehicle, a receiving space for receiving the housing is provided, wherein seen in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle exactly one housing is accommodated or accommodated between two longitudinal members. Viewed in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle is exactly an integer multiple of the housing stacked or stacked.

By such a development, an optimal space utilization of the available space can be achieved.

Due to different customer needs, it is conceivable that some customers do not want to have the theoretically maximum possible range of the electrically driven motor vehicle available. To adapt to different customer needs, it is therefore very expedient if, in addition to at least one housing according to the invention, at least one empty housing is inserted in the stack. The empty housing thus has neither battery cells nor control devices.

In this way, the range of the traction battery of the electrically driven motor vehicle can be adjusted as needed, at the same time the load path in X Direction can be maintained for a possible crash case.

In order to allow a good cooling of the traction battery and still not to make it difficult to replace the housing and / or the battery cell management control devices, it is also proposed that the housing are thermally conductively connected on the side of its upper wall with refrigerant-carrying cooling channels. As a refrigerant, for example, CO ₂ can be used.

To reduce the dimensions in Z Direction (vehicle vertical direction) are also the housing or the traction battery is covered on its underside by an underrun protection made of fiber composite plastic.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures and will be explained in more detail with reference to the figures in the following description. As a result, even further advantages of the invention become apparent. The same reference numerals, even in different figures, refer to the same, comparable or functionally identical components. In this case, corresponding or comparable properties and advantages are achieved, even if a repeated description or reference does not occur. The figures are not or at least not always true to scale. In some figures, proportions or distances may be exaggerated to more clearly highlight features of an embodiment.

• 1 die Ansicht eines Gehäuses mit Batteriezellen und Batteriezellenmanagement-Steuereinrichtungen von oben,
• 2 eine Ansicht des Gehäuses von der Unterseite,
• 3 eine perspektivische Darstellung des Gehäuses,
• 4 eine Darstellung des Gehäuses gemäß Schnittansicht IV aus 3,
• 5 ein elektrisch antreibbares Kraftfahrzeug mit mehreren montierten Gehäusen, teilweise als Explosionsdarstellung und
• 6 eine andere Explosionsdarstellung des Kraftfahrzeugs.

It show, each schematically

• 1 the view of a housing with battery cells and battery cell management control devices from above,
• 2 a view of the housing from the bottom,
• 3 a perspective view of the housing,
• 4 an illustration of the housing according to sectional view IV out 3 .
• 5 an electrically driven motor vehicle with several mounted housings, partially exploded and
• 6 another exploded view of the motor vehicle.

In the 1 is a housing 10 it can be seen in which several battery cells 11 are included. The housing 10 is formed cuboid and has in the illustrated view from above a rectangular outline with side walls 101 and end walls 102 , The housing 10 has a longitudinal extent I1 and a width b , As can be seen, the longitudinal extent I1 of the housing several times larger than its width b ,

Approximately in the middle of the longitudinal extension 11 , in a middle-level ME is a maintenance box 12 arranged.

Longitudinal I1 seen in the case 10 on both sides of the maintenance box 12 each a recording room 18 for the battery cells 11 educated. Here are the battery cells 11 in every recording room 18 with its longitudinal extension parallel to the longitudinal extent I1 of the housing 10 aligned and fill the recording room 18 each essentially from. Necessary insulation measures to the battery cells 11 from the walls of the housing 10 to isolate are not shown.

The housing 10 is essentially closed and thus formed dive waterproof. The in the case 10 recorded battery cells 11 as well as the maintenance box 12 are indicated by dashed lines for clarity.

Furthermore, high-voltage (HV) terminal terminals 14 shown. These HV-terminals 14 can be connected by means of suitable connectors (not shown) and thus with other housings 10 voltage technology can be interconnected to form a larger unit.

Each of the HV terminals 14 is sealed separately and has a contact protection (not shown in detail).

The maintenance box 12 serves in particular for receiving two battery cell management control devices 13 , These are in suitable plug connections (not shown) within the maintenance box 12 pluggable. Each of the battery cell management controllers 13 is for the management of a cell stack associated with it 11 ' responsible.

With 19 is a wireless communication interface that is used for communication or data exchange of the battery cell management control devices 13 with other battery cell management controllers 13 other housing 10 or with a higher level battery management controller (not shown). The communication interface 19 may be formed, for example, optically, by radio or even inductively.

In the 2 is the case 10 from a lower wall 103 out of. The battery cells 11 are not shown anymore.

The maintenance box 12 forms two maintenance shafts 17 out, their access each via a maintenance opening 15 from the bottom wall 103 out is possible.

Every maintenance opening 15 is via a detachable lid 16 lockable, of which only one is shown. Every lid 16 closes the maintenance shaft 17 sealing off and is preferably via a screw connection to the lower wall 103 connected. This is the case 10 a total of dive waterproof trained.

Upon a necessary maintenance of a battery cell management controller 13 just needs the lid 16 to be removed, allowing access to the maintenance shaft 17 and thus to the battery cell management controller 13 is released. This can then easily from the maintenance shaft 17 pulled out and possibly replaced by a new one.

As an alternative to the exemplary embodiment, it is also conceivable that the maintenance shafts 17 closed by a lid, which is an integral part of the lower wall 103 are. However, these are then surrounded by predetermined breaking points and can be broken out during maintenance. After maintenance, the openings 15 be sealed again by a suitable cover, for example, then with the wall 103 is screwed (not shown).

In 3 is the case 10 shown in perspective. In the installed state of the housing 10 X is a vehicle longitudinal direction, Y is a vehicle transverse direction and Z is a vehicle vertical direction.

In this illustration are one of the side walls 101 , one of the end walls 102 and also an upper wall 104 of the housing 10 clearly visible.

The one in the middle of the case 10 arranged maintenance box 12 and a battery cell management controller received therein 13 (only one of two is shown) are shown in dashed lines. Also in the case 10 recorded cell stack 11 ' indicated.

The side walls 101 , the upper wall 104 and also the lower wall 103 have a wall thickness d on (compare also 4 ), which is about 4 to 6 millimeters, preferably about 5 millimeters. In this way, forces are through these walls Fy easily accessible in the vehicle transverse direction.

From the 4 it becomes clear that the maintenance box 12 has a quadrangular, in particular rectangular shape in outline. It fills the equally rectangular cross-section of the housing 10 from the inside and lies with an upper wall 120 on the upper wall 104 of the housing 10 , with a lower wall 122 on the lower wall 103 of the housing 10 and with end walls 121 on the side walls 101 of the housing 10 at. The maintenance box 12 is preferably fixedly in the housing via an adhesive connection or via a press fit 10 held. In the figure, only a better depictibility half a small distance between the maintenance box 12 and the walls of the housing 10 leave.

Due to the wall thickness of the housing 10 on the one hand and the wall thicknesses of the maintenance box 12 on the other hand arises in the area of the maintenance box 12 a particularly high one Stability, giving a transmission of high forces Fx in the vehicle longitudinal direction and / or forces Fz in vehicle vertical direction allows.

In the 5 is an electrically driven motor vehicle K (shell only) shown, which is a longitudinal extension I2 having. In particular, one is between longitudinal beams 20 (Sills) trained recording room A formed such that in a vehicle transverse direction between the longitudinal members 20 exactly one case 10 fits and the recording room A in longitudinal direction I2 of the motor vehicle K exactly six cases 10 can record.

The figure is partially shown in exploded view. So is next to five enclosures 10 an empty housing 10 ' shown exposed, in which neither battery cells 11 still battery cell management controllers 13 are located. As a result, the range of the motor vehicle K If necessary, adapted to a customer request. The empty housing 10 ' has exactly the same dimensions as the housings 10 on. Therefore, it is also conceivable, more of the housing 10 through an empty housing 10 ' to replace or no empty housing at all 10 ' to integrate.
Furthermore, as a central connection element is a power strip 21 exposed, which shows the tapping of the individual housing 10 interconnected total voltage allows and supplies an electric motor, not shown, with voltage.

Furthermore, it can be seen that all maintenance openings 15 or lid 16 from the underside of the motor vehicle K are accessible.

After removing an underrun protection 22 can thus selectively either individual battery cell management control devices 13 can be removed and replaced or it is an easy removal of selected housings 10 respectively 10 ' possible. Each of the housings 10 respectively 10 ' is about recesses 28 from front side existing connection flanges 29 (see 3 ) with the side members 20 screwed.

Finally, based on 6 nor a slightly different exploded view of the motor vehicle K shown, being over the housings 10 arranged cooling channels 23 can be seen. The cooling channels 23 are in the final assembly state of the motor vehicle K in heat-conducting connection with the upper wall 104 the housing 10 , Through the cooling channels 23 a coolant (for example CO ₂ ) is passed in a manner not shown. The housing 10 , each of which virtually represents a battery module, form a traction battery T of the motor vehicle K out.

The modular construction described makes the flexibility and handling during maintenance enormously easier. In addition, allow each housing 10 associated and easily replaceable battery cell management controllers 13 a very easy maintenance.

Furthermore, in this way, the use of a housing 10 as a fully-fledged power source with its own energy management, also in other technical fields than automotive technology, for example as a stand-alone solution.

With 24 is a sill reinforcement of fiber composite plastic figured. This leads to an additional safety against lateral, on the traction battery T acting crash loads.

With 25 are plug contacts 25 shown in the HV terminals 14 (see. 3 ) are plugged in and thus the individual voltages of each housing 10 tapped and finally with the help of the already mentioned connector strip 21 is mergable. The plug contacts 25 can via a connection bar 26 be connected to each other.

Finally there are other supply lines 27 also shown on the top of the traction battery T or the housing 10 are guided along and their position thus also easy to maintain the traction battery T contributes.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

casing

10 '

empty housing

11

battery cells

11 '

cell stack

12

maintenance box

13

Battery cells management controllers

14

HV plug-in terminals (sealed)

15

maintenance opening

16

cover

17

maintenance shaft

18

accommodation space

19

wireless communication interface, wireless communication means

20

longitudinal beams

21

power strip

22

Underride protection

23

cooling channels

24

Sill reinforcement made of fiber composite plastic

25

plug contacts

26

connecting strip

27

supply lines

28

recesses

29

flange

101

sidewalls

102

end walls

103

lower wall

104

upper wall

120

upper wall

121

end walls

122

lower wall

A

accommodation space

b

width

d

Wall thickness

Fx

force

Fy

force

Fz

force

K

electrically driven motor vehicle

I1

Longitudinal extension of the housing

I2

Longitudinal extension of the motor vehicle

ME

midplane

T

traction battery

X

Vehicle longitudinal direction

Y

Vehicle transverse direction

Z

Vehicle vertical direction

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102014217982 A1 [0002]
• DE 102009043635 A1 [0003]
• EP 1132251 A1 [0004]

Claims (13)

Housing (10) with battery cells (11) for forming at least part of a traction battery (T) for an electrically driven motor vehicle (K), wherein at least one maintenance opening (15) can be opened on the housing (10) for maintenance and / or or for exchanging a component located in the housing (10), characterized in that the maintenance opening (15) provides access to a maintenance shaft (17) through which a receiving space for at least one battery cell management control device (13) is formed, wherein the Maintenance shaft (17) is separated from a receiving space (18) for the battery cells (11). Housing (10) after Claim 1 , characterized in that the housing (10) has a longitudinal extent (11) and a quadrangular cross section, with two side walls (101), an upper and a lower wall (104 and 103), wherein the maintenance shaft (17) within an in outline quadrangular maintenance box (12) is formed, of the end walls (121) the side walls (101) of the housing (10), an upper wall (120), the upper wall (104) of the housing (10) and a lower wall (122) touch the lower wall (103) of the housing (10). Housing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the maintenance box (12) in the middle of a longitudinal extent (11) of the housing (10) is arranged. Housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of metal and at least the side walls, the upper and the lower wall (101, 104 and 103) of the housing (10) each have a wall thickness (d) of about 4 -6 mm, preferably of about 5 mm. Housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are means (19) for wireless communication of the battery cell management control device (13) with other battery cell management control devices (13) and / or with a higher-level battery management control device. Housing (10) after Claim 5 , characterized in that the means (19) for wireless communication of the battery cell management control means (13) are formed optically, radio technically or inductively. Electrically driven motor vehicle (K), characterized by a plurality of housings (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the housings (10) form a traction battery (T) and each of the housings (10) is detachably connected to the motor vehicle (K). Electrically driven motor vehicle (K) according to Claim 7 , characterized in that the maintenance openings (15) of the housing (10) facing downward. Electrically driven motor vehicle (K) according to Claim 7 or 8th , characterized in that the housing (10) with its longitudinal extension (11) are aligned transversely to a longitudinal extent (12) of the motor vehicle (K) and the housing (10) with their mutually facing side walls (101) touch. Electrically driven motor vehicle (K) according to Claim 9 , characterized in that in the region of longitudinal members (20) of the motor vehicle (K) a receiving space (A) for receiving the housing (10) is provided, wherein seen in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle (K) between two longitudinal members (20) exactly one housing (10) is receivable or received and in the longitudinal direction (12) of the motor vehicle (K) seen exactly an integer multiple of the housing (10) is stackable or stacked. Electrically driven motor vehicle (K) according to Claim 10 , characterized in that in addition to at least one housing (10) at least one empty housing (10 ') is inserted in the stack. Electrically driven motor vehicle (K) according to one of Claims 7 to 11 , characterized in that the housing (10) on the side of its upper wall (104) are thermally conductively connected to refrigerant-carrying cooling channels (23). Electrically driven motor vehicle (K) according to one of Claims 7 to 12 , characterized in that the housing (10) are covered on its underside by an underrun protection (22) made of fiber composite plastic.

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