DE102022002955A1 - Battery housing for at least two battery modules - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery housing (1) for at least two battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) or at least two rows (6, 7) of battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2), each of the battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) or each row (6, 7) of battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) extends along a longitudinal direction (L), with a lower housing part (2) and an upper housing part (3).The invention is characterized by a partition assembly (9) which extends in the longitudinal direction (L) and in a height direction (H) orthogonal thereto between the housing parts (2, 3), the partition assembly (9) having a partition (13) made of plastic , in the material of which at least one data and / or control line (15) is embedded.

Description

The invention relates to a battery housing for at least two battery modules or at least two rows of battery modules according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1.

Battery housings in various designs for accommodating battery modules are known from the prior art. For example, this describes DE 10 2018 123 651 A1 a polymer battery frame for battery packs. The DE 10 2011 087 040 A1 describes a structure for electrically contacting energy storage modules with two electrical connection terminals.

Furthermore, the application, which has not been previously published, describes the German file number 10 2021 005 097 the applicant has a battery housing with a partition wall assembly, which is designed for electrical and in particular thermal insulation of individual areas that can accommodate battery modules within a battery housing. The partition wall assembly can, for example, have plastic materials and mineral insulating materials.

The object of the present invention is to provide a battery housing with an improved separation between individual areas for accommodating battery modules, which in particular enables simple and efficient assembly.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a battery housing with the features in claim 1, and here in particular in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Advantageous refinements and further developments of the battery housing result from the dependent claims.

In the battery housing according to the invention, the partition assembly comprises a partition made of plastic. Instead of laying data and/or control lines, which can form a serial bus system, for example, along the partition in the battery housing, which is correspondingly complex and makes assembly more difficult, the solution according to the invention provides that the plastic material of the partition is used, to embed a data and/or control line in this material. The plastic material of the partition offers the ideal opportunity to accommodate the cable and immediately electrically insulate it. The data and/or control line then runs within the partition and can be installed together with it in a correspondingly simple and efficient manner. Instead of complex cabling, which has to be fixed in the battery housing or on a partition assembly, there is a simple component embedded in the material of the partition.

According to an extremely favorable development of the battery housing according to the invention, it can be provided that the at least one data and/or control line is designed as a solid metallic component. It can, for example, be designed as a sheet metal strip made of aluminum, copper or another metallic material. Instead of complex cables, it is then sufficient to inject this solid metal component over the length of the entire partition when producing the partition, for example by injection molding, in order to ensure the integration of the data and/or control line simply and efficiently and this through this Electrically insulate the material of the partition wall.

According to a further very advantageous embodiment of the battery housing according to the invention, the data and/or control line can have contact areas for contacting connection elements, such as in particular cables. Such contact areas can be led out of the partition in the longitudinal direction, in particular at the ends of the partition, or possibly also in the middle of the partition. Here, for example, a plug contact can be attached, which is riveted, soldered or formed in one piece with the component of the data and/or control line. In this area, electrical cables can then be contacted, which can be connected to the suitable elements or electronic components of the individual battery modules on the one hand and a central battery control on the other hand, in order to route information from the battery modules to the battery management via the data and/or control line vice versa. In particular, the structure can be implemented as a data bus, particularly preferably as a serial data bus.

A further very advantageous embodiment of the battery housing according to the invention also provides that the partition is connected to one of the housing parts via a deformable material as tolerance compensation. For example, such a material, which can in particular be a felt-like material, can be glued to the side of the partition wall facing the one housing part in order to compensate for potential manufacturing tolerances when pressing the partition wall between the upper housing part and the lower housing part and still reliably keep the areas separated by the partition wall to separate from each other.

In particular, the deformable material can be designed to compensate for tolerances between the partition and the upper housing part, for example the housing cover. The partition can then be connected to the lower housing part accordingly and the housing cover can be placed on the partition with the appropriate tolerance compensation via the deformable material to close the battery housing.

A further very favorable embodiment of the battery housing according to the invention provides that the partition assembly has at least one metallic element, which is connected to one of the housing parts, here in contrast to the one just described, preferably - but not necessarily - to the lower housing part, or as part of this housing part is trained. In this preferred embodiment, the partition wall is in turn designed to interact with the at least one metallic element in such a way that it is held in position within this housing part. The metallic element can, for example, consist of pins, metal strips or the like welded onto the housing part, which interact with corresponding recesses or the corresponding outer shape of the partition in such a way that it can be plugged onto the at least one metallic element or inserted between several metallic elements. Plugging on is conceivable in the sense that the fit is designed such that the partition remains on the metallic element of the partition assembly until the cover is closed in order to press the partition assembly between the cover and the lower part of the housing. A fit in the area of a transition fit between a clearance fit and a press fit is sufficient for this. Alternatively, a press fit or locking of the partition with the at least one metallic element would also be conceivable or, in principle, the use of screws as a metallic element, which, together with the corresponding screw nuts, are suitable for fixing the partition during assembly.

An extremely favorable development of the battery housing according to the invention now provides that the at least one metallic element is designed as a fin running in the longitudinal direction of the battery housing or in the form of several fins arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the battery housing. Such a fin, which preferably protrudes in the plane that forms the central plane of the partition, now allows the partition to be attached very easily and efficiently, especially if it has a groove or a slot on its later housing part with the fin or fins facing side is formed. The fin then additionally stabilizes the partition over its length or part of its length, so that it can be made correspondingly thinner, which saves installation space, weight and material costs.

According to an extremely favorable embodiment of the battery housing according to the invention, the fin itself can be designed as part of a support that stabilizes the housing part. The fin alone or in particular with a foot of the fin can therefore be implemented as a support which accordingly stabilizes the housing part, in particular the lower housing part. As a result, this housing part can be made from relatively thin sheet metal in the longitudinal direction, even with long battery housings, which can then be welded to a foot carrying the fin in order to stabilize the structure, especially in the longitudinal direction. The fin can then cooperate with the bulkhead in the sense described above to form the bulkhead assembly.

A further very advantageous embodiment of the battery housing according to the invention can further provide that the side surfaces of the partition facing the battery modules are provided with electrical and/or thermal insulation. This makes it possible to achieve insulation of the individual areas within the battery housing that accommodate the battery modules via the partition wall of the partition wall assembly. If, for example, thermal runaway of individual battery cells occurs in one of the battery modules or in a series of battery modules, which typically leads to thermal runaway of the entire battery module, then such thermal insulation in the area of the partition wall can cause the thermal event to spread to neighboring battery modules be prevented or at least delayed.

According to an extremely advantageous development of this variant of the battery housing according to the invention, it is provided that the electrical and/or thermal insulation has mineral material. Such a mineral material, as described, for example, in the applicant's unpublished application mentioned at the beginning, can be purchased on the market, for example, in the form of thin layers and applied, in particular glued, to the sides of the partition.

In addition or as an alternative to such electrical and/or thermal insulation using mineral material, it would also be conceivable to provide the partition or the surface of the partition with a material which is heat resistant My influence inflates and thereby creates thermal insulation. Such materials are known, for example, in the form of varnishes which have ingredients which expand at a certain limit temperature and thereby correspondingly increase their thermal insulating properties through this swelling or foaming.

Further advantageous embodiments of a battery housing according to the invention also result from the exemplary embodiment, which is described in more detail below with reference to the figures.

• 1 Draufsicht auf ein Gehäuseunterteil eines Batteriegehäuses mit Batteriemodulen in einer schematischen Darstellung;
• 2 eine Schnittdarstellung gemäß der Linie II-II in 1 mit einer Trennwandbaugruppe des erfindungsgemäßen Batteriegehäuses.

Show:

• 1 Top view of a lower housing part of a battery housing with battery modules in a schematic representation;
• 2 a sectional view according to line II-II in 1 with a partition assembly of the battery housing according to the invention.

In the representation of the 1 a battery housing 1 can be seen in a view from above. The battery housing includes a lower housing part 2 and an upper housing part 3, which is shown in the illustration 1 has been removed and only in the 2 is recognizable. In a longitudinal direction L of the battery housing 1, at one of the ends there is a housing designated 4 for a battery management system 5, in which electronic components take over control tasks for the entire battery accommodated by the battery housing 1. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, this entire battery consists of two rows of battery modules, each of which consists of two battery modules arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction. These battery modules are labeled 6.1 and 6.2 in one row 6 and 7.1 and 7.2 in the other row 7. Within the respective row 6, 7, battery modules 6.1, 6.2 and 7.1, 7.2 can be separated from one another by optional bulkheads 8, whereby instead of these bulkheads 8 there are also permeable cross members, for example in a kind of truss construction to stabilize the battery housing 1 or here the lower housing part 2 can be used.

A partition wall assembly 9 is arranged between the battery modules 6.1 and 7.1 or 6.2 and 7.2, here between the two rows 6, 7 of battery modules 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, which is shown in the sectional view 2 can be seen more closely. The partition wall assembly 9 extends between the lower housing 2, which here is made of sheet steel, for example, and the upper housing part 3, which can also be made of sheet steel, and which is also referred to as a housing cover. Connected to the lower housing part 2, for example welded to it, a metallic component 10 is arranged, which runs in the longitudinal direction L, i.e. in the illustration 2 into the leaf plane. It consists of a foot or base 11, which is correspondingly connected to the lower housing part 2, and one or more fins 12 arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction L, which protrude in a height direction H from the lower housing part 2 in the direction of the upper housing part 3. A partition 13 made of plastic is now placed onto the fin(s) 12 and is provided with a corresponding slot or groove for the fin 12. The partition 13 can therefore simply be plugged onto the fin 12 in the open battery housing 1 and completes the partition wall assembly 9. On its side later facing the upper housing part 3, the partition 13 is provided with a deformable material 14 for tolerance compensation. For this purpose, for example, a felt-like material can be glued to the surface of the partition 13 facing the upper housing part 3.

At least one data and/or control line 15 is integrated into the plastic material of the partition 13. This data and/or control line 15 can be formed, for example, by a strip of aluminum sheet. It can then be used in the manner of a serial bus to communicate with control units of the individual battery modules 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2 in the representation of the 1 recognizable cable 16 on the one hand and via cable 17 on the other hand to be connected to the battery management system 5. In this way, various data can be transmitted, for example temperatures, voltages and the like, which help in the battery management system 5 to control the battery, for example with regard to its electrical properties, potential cooling and/or heating of the individual battery modules or the like. This arrangement of the connections to the control units of the individual battery modules 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, which are arranged in series one behind the other, is often also referred to as a daisy chain.

Of course, instead of a single data and/or control line 15, a plurality of such lines can be provided, for example, and so it is optional in the illustration 2 indicated, a first data and/or control line 15 on one side of the at least one fin 12 and a second on the other side.

The partition wall assembly 9 should, in addition to integrating the data and/or control line 15, which simplifies the assembly effort and prevents the laying of loose cables along the partition wall assembly 9, and also has good insulating properties, in particular good thermal insulating properties. You can do this in the two battery modules 6.2 and 7.2 in the illustration 2 facing sides of the partition 13 can be provided with a suitable material 18. The material 18 can, for example, be a coating on the partition 13. For example, paints are known which foam under thermal influence and thereby increase their thermal insulating properties. In addition or as an alternative to this, mineral layers would also be conceivable, which consist, for example, of mica or similar materials, which are available on the market as thin paper- or cardboard-like layers and can be glued to the partition 13. In principle, these materials could of course also be combined, for example a glued-on layer of mineral insulating material, which can then be provided with an appropriate coating or paint that foams under the influence of temperature.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was 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 102018123651 A1 [0002]
• DE 102011087040 A1 [0002]
• DE 102021005097 [0003]

Claims (10)

Battery housing (1) for at least two battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) or at least two rows (6, 7) of battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2), each of the battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) or each row (6, 7) of battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) extends along a longitudinal direction (L), with a lower housing part (2) and an upper housing part (3), characterized by a partition wall assembly (9 ), which extends in the longitudinal direction (L) and in a height direction (H) orthogonal thereto between the housing parts (2, 3), the partition wall assembly (9) having a partition (13) made of plastic, in the material of which at least one data - and/or control line (15) is embedded. Battery housing (1). Claim 1 , characterized in that the data and/or control line (15) is designed as a solid metallic component. Battery housing (1). Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the data and/or control line (15) has contact areas for contacting connection elements, such as in particular cables (16). Battery housing (1). Claim 1 , 2 or 3 , characterized in that the partition (13) is connected to one of the housing parts (2, 3) via a deformable material (14) as tolerance compensation. Battery housing (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the partition wall assembly (9) has at least one metallic element (10) which is connected to one of the housing parts (2) or is formed as part of this housing part (2), the partition wall (13) being designed to be with the at least one metallic element (10) to cooperate in such a way that it is held in its position within the housing part (2). Battery housing (1). Claim 5 , characterized in that the at least one metallic element (10) has a fin (12) running in the longitudinal direction (L) or a plurality of fins (12) arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction (L). Battery housing (1). Claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that the at least one metallic element (10) is part of a support that stabilizes the housing part (3) or forms one. Battery housing (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 , characterized in that the side surfaces of the partition (13) facing the battery modules (6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2) are provided with electrical and / or thermal insulation (18). Battery housing (1). Claim 8 , characterized in that the insulation (18) has a mineral material. Battery housing (1). Claim 8 or 9 , characterized in that the insulation (18) has a material which expands when exposed to heat.

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