DE19907498C2 - Contact device for contacting an electrical energy store and energy storage arrangement - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a contact device for contacting an elek trical energy storage, in particular batteries or accumulators, and one Energy storage arrangement as defined in the respective claims 1 and 13 are specified.

Around a battery or accumulator cell, especially series connections the same, electrically with an external device, for example a cell phone To connect fon, contact devices are used. This contact before Directions have corresponding external contacts for this purpose, which are in operation moderate condition can be electrically connected to the external device. To the To be able to determine the temperature of the battery or accumulator cells can Contact device can also be additionally provided with a thermistor.

Conventionally, such contact devices are used as flexible building solutions with a flexible printed circuit board and with an elaborate 'in-mold- Process' encapsulated with an insulating material. The plug contacts of one optional thermistors are in a (manual) soldering step with the Contact device connected and subsequently additionally isolated. Such Contact device is known for example from WO 98/11615.

However, such contact devices in a flexible construction solution require a complex one ge manual assembly, which translates into a high manufacturing price beats. In addition, these contact devices are unsatisfactorily large External dimensions on what is in view of the progressive miniaturization external devices is disadvantageous. Furthermore, this contact device respond emp sensitive to external mechanical and thermal loads, in particular if they are equipped with an optional thermistor, and deteriorate  thus the error and operational safety of the external devices.

It is an object of the invention, a contact device and a manufacturer the same process, which is reliable in a compact size sige and inexpensive contacting of an electrical energy storage allowed. It is a further object of the invention to have an energy storage arrangement to provide such a contact device and a manufacturing method to indicate for this.

This object is achieved by a contact device according to claim 1 and Energy storage arrangement according to claim 13 solved. Preferred execution shapes are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a contact device for contacting an electrical energy store, in particular batteries or accumulators, comprises a housing,
one or more electrically conductive contacts and
at least one electronic component with at least one electrical connection which is electrically conductively connected to at least one contact, the housing having at least one recess for receiving the electronic component.

The arrangement of the electronic component in the receptacle or Recess of the housing can advantageously on additional insulation tion of the electronic component can be dispensed with and thus a Ver reduction in size of the contact device can be achieved. The electro niche component can thus be protected against external mechanical influences in the Recess can be arranged, reducing the reliability of the contact device can be increased.

According to a preferred embodiment of the contact according to the invention direction, the recess or receptacle is designed so that the electro African component is completely housed in the recess and not protrudes over an outer circumference of the housing. So that's electronic  Component with its entire outer circumference in the recess ordered that it does not have the outer circumference or an outer envelope of the housing protrudes. Such an arrangement of electronic components minimizes an undesirable external influence on the Component, allows a complete elimination of an additional elec trical isolation of the component, while another miniaturization tion of the size of the contact device can be achieved.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the contact device at least one of the contacts has a bending area that is in operation moderate condition is at least partially on the housing. This allows advantageously a space-saving, simple and safe arrangement of the Contact device to an energy store.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the contact device operationally at least partially from one of the contacts and / or covered by the energy store. Advantageously, therefore an (optional) additional cover of the receptacle can be dispensed with where by the number of parts and thus the manufacturing costs and size of the Contact device can be further reduced.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the contact device the housing has at least a first and a second housing part. In particular, a housing part can be preconfigured to accommodate the contacts be so as to be simple and preferably mechanical arrangement and fastening of the contacts in the housing parts.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the contact device one of the contacts between the first and second housing parts clamped. This enables simple, secure attachment of the contact or the contacts in the housing, without additional fasteners such as To use gluing, welding or insert molding. Preferably the contacts are clamped on several of their sides, so that it is secure  against mechanical influences, such as vibrations in the housing to be arranged.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the contact device at least one of the contacts locked in a locking device of the housing. Such locking of the contacts in locking devices in the housing can preferably in addition to clamping the contacts between the housings be used to further increase the mechanical and mechanical parts to achieve thermal stability. Furthermore, the assembly of the Contacts made easier.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the contact device one of the contacts has a tab portion that extends from the housing protrudes, the contact tab area preferably a bending area having. By means of the bending area, a safe, space-saving and easy to assemble connection of the contact lug area to a pole achieve the energy storage.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the contact device the electronic component has an identification component for identification record the energy store and / or a sensor, in particular one Thermistor. The sensor is in particular a temperature sensor in the form of a Thermistors, d. H. an electrical resistor with a large negative tem temperature coefficient (NTC). The external device can be measured from the Resistance of the thermistor then a temperature of the energy store or determine the contact device and thus, for example, a charging process control the energy storage better. Preferably includes electronic construction element, in addition to the sensor, the identification circuit, Using which the external device, for example, a type of energy storage can determine and consequently for the operation or charging of such Energy storage necessary settings can make.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the contact device  the electronic component has a flat component (surface mounting Device, SMD). If such a flat component is used, the possible automated assembly on a manual assembly step can be completely dispensed with in the manufacture of the contact device. So is in particular, no soldering step of contact feet of the electronic component with the contacts of the contact device required, as this is inexpensive stiger, easier, faster and more reliable way through an automated Spot welding can be done.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the contact device are two of the contacts and two of the electrical connections of the electronic Component provided, the two contacts via the electronic Component (electrically) are connected. The electrical connection between the two Contacts via the electronic component can also be high-impedance Connection.

The contacts preferably consist of a soft steel and / or nickel yaw.

According to the invention comprises an energy storage arrangement
at least one electrical energy store, in particular batteries or accumulators,
a storage enclosure and
at least one contact device according to the invention, at least one pole of the energy store being electrically connected to at least one contact of the contact device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the energy storage arrangement the contact device has a contact device positioning device which with a storage housing positioning device of the storage housing acts to position the contact device relative to the memory secure housing. This allows a simple, position-adjusted together menbau the energy storage arrangement, so that outer connection areas, for. B.  Pole flags and device contacts are properly positioned.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the energy storage arrangement The contact device positioning device has a recess and the storage housing positioning device has a projection, preferably a pin that are operationally engaged to secure positioning.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the energy store arrangement one of the contacts has a pole contact area, the pole Contact surface is electrically connected to the pole, the housing in Normal direction (N) of the pole contact area at the pole contact area in some areas abuts or is spaced a predetermined distance from it. Hereby can be a particularly space-saving, compact design of the energy storage arrangement can be achieved because the contact device directly above or on the contacted pole is arranged. There is preferably a second pole which is connected to the contact device is contacted in the immediate vicinity of this first pole, preferably on the same side of the energy store. This makes it possible to attach the contact device to the energy store assign that the contact device only on one pole or end face of Energy storage is arranged, whereby a further reduction in size esse can be achieved.

According to a further embodiment of the energy storage arrangement, the Storage housing an ultrasonic welded connection.

A contact device according to the invention can advantageously be produced by a production method which has the following steps:

• a) Providing a contact material, in particular a contact plate blanks in particular made of a soft steel and / or Nickel alloy,
• b) Define one or more contacts from the contact measure material,  
• c) arranging the contacts in a housing of the contact device,
• d) connecting at least one electrical connection of an electro African component with at least one of the contacts,

wherein the electronic component in a recess or receptacle of the Housing is arranged. By arranging the electronic component ment in the recess of the housing can advantageously on an additional Liche isolation of the electronic component may be omitted and thus a reduction in the size of the contact device can be achieved. The electronic component can thus be safe from external mechanical ones flows can be arranged in the recess, making the failure safety the contact device can be increased.

According to this method of manufacturing the contact device, the electro African component preferably arranged in the recess such that it is completely housed in the recess and does not have an exterior the circumference of the housing protrudes.

According to this method of manufacturing the contact device, it is preferable at least one of the contacts bent in regions and in a bending step at least partially brought into contact with the housing. Such a bend step can in particular only be carried out at a point in time in which the contact device is already on a pole of the energy storage has been consolidated, thereby making it easy to contact another pole to enable.

According to this method of manufacturing the contact device, it is preferable at least one of the contacts locked in the housing to be fixed therein his. Such locking of the contacts can be in addition to or instead of one Clamping the contacts made in the housing of the contact device become.

According to this manufacturing method of the contact device are preferred the contacts are stamped out of a contact plate blank. Such a con  Clock plate blank can in particular be made of a soft steel and / or nickel ing exist, which is provided as a thin plate or sheet. The con Cycles can preferably be produced as a 'grid structure' of several contact stamped parts become. A plurality of contacts or contact sets is preferred in each case produced in one punching step. The contact areas of the contacts with make external connections to the external device during operation, can be subjected to a precious metal coating to make contact reduce resistance and facilitate contacting processes.

According to this method of manufacturing the contact device, the electro African component preferably a flat component (Surface Mounting Devi ce, SMD), the connections using a spot welding process with the respective contacts.

An energy storage arrangement according to the invention can advantageously be produced by a production method which has the following steps:

• a) providing a contact device according to the invention,
• b) providing an electrical energy store, in particular Batteries or accumulators,
• c) electrical connection of at least one pole of the energy storage chers with at least a first contact of the contact device.

According to this manufacturing method of the energy storage arrangement, before preferably the first contact with the pole on a pole contact surface of a pole contact area of the first contact and the first contact succeed bent so that a housing of the contact device in normal direction of the pole contact surface bears on the pole contact area in some areas or at a predetermined distance from it. This is it possible the contact device directly above or on one of the contacted poles Space-saving and safe to arrange, the contact device preferred is only arranged on one pole or end face of the energy store.  

According to this manufacturing method of the energy storage arrangement, before preferably a second contact of the contact device with to electrically connected to at least one pole. In particular, this second Contacting step of the second contact immediately following on the Bending step of the first contact take place, whereby by the bending step Pole contact area of the second contact is positioned to a second pole.

According to this manufacturing method of the energy storage arrangement, before preferably a storage housing of the energy storage arrangement to the contact device positioned relatively and then by means of ultrasonic welding attached. Since the electronic component is securely in the recess of the Housing is arranged, carry the mechanical loads through the Ultrasonic welding of the storage housing does not damage or Detachment of the connection of the electronic component, even if this as Flat component by means of a spot welding process on corresponding contacts was attached.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings described by way of example. It shows:

Fig. 1 (a) is a plan view of an embodiment of a contact set according to the invention with a thermistor;

Fig. 1 (b) is a side view of the contact set viewed from the right side of Fig. 1 (a);

Fig. 1 (c) is a side view of the contact set viewed from the left side of Fig. 1 (a);

Fig. 1 (d) is a side view of the contact set viewed from the lower side of Fig. 1 (a);

Fig. 1 (e) is a side view of the contact set viewed from the top of Fig. 1 (a);

Fig. 2 (a) is a plan view of an embodiment of a housing according to the invention, on which the contact set of Fig. 1 is arranged to form a contact device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 (b) is a sectional view of the housing with the arranged contact set along the line BB in Fig. 2 (a);

Fig. 2 (c) is a side view of the housing with the arranged contact set, viewed from the left side of Fig. 2 (a);

Fig. 2 (d) is a side view of the housing with the arranged contact set, viewed from the lower side of Fig. 2 (a);

Fig. 2 (e) is a side view of the housing with the arranged contact set, viewed from the upper side of Fig. 2 (a);

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the contact device; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an energy storage arrangement according to the Invention with an electrical energy storage, the contact device and a storage housing before assembly.

Fig. 1 (a) shows a plan view of a contact set 10 in the prefabricated state, ie after completion of stamping, coating and bending, before its arrangement in a housing to be described later. The contact set 10 consists of four stamped parts 12 , 14 , 16 and 18 from a nickel alloy plate or sheet, which form the contacts 1-4 of the contact set. The third contact 16 and the fourth contact 18 are connected to one another via a connecting bridge 19 , so that these two contacts are at the same electrical potential. The first contact 12 has a substantially U-shaped contact tab 20 (first contact tab), the contact tab 20 extending from the contact set in the top view of FIG. 1 (a). The contact tab is used for electrical contacting the positive pole (+ pole) of an electrical energy storage device, in the present case an accumulator cell arrangement. The fourth contact also has at its lower end in FIG. 1 (a) a contact tab (second contact tab) which extends in the same direction as the first contact tab. The second contact tab is used to contact a negative pole (- pole) of the battery cell arrangement.

The second 14 and third 16 contacts are not electrically connected to the first 12 and fourth contacts 18 . At a central portion of the tops of the second 14 and third 16 contacts in FIG. 1 (a), a thermistor 24 having a large negative temperature coefficient (NTC) is attached to contacts 14 and 16 via electrical connection points 26 and is electrically connected. The resistance between the second 14 and third 16 contact is thus a measure of the temperature of the contact device and, with sufficient thermal coupling, of the battery cell arrangement. The thermistor 24 is preferably a flat component, ie an SMD (Surface Mounting Device), which was fastened to the contacts 14 , 16 by means of an automatic assembly device (not shown) via the welding points.

In Fig. 1 (b) is a side view of the contact set 10 of the right side of Fig. 1 (a) as seen. At its upper portion shown in Fig. 1 (a), the four contacts 12 , 14 , 16 and 18 have bending portions 28 and 30 such that the four contacts have bracket-like portions 32 at their lower right ends in Fig. 1 (b) , which are arranged substantially parallel to the central sections (see also Fig. 1 (c), (d) and (e)). Areas of the bracket-like sections 32 form outer contact areas of the four contacts 12 , 14 , 16 and 18 with which the four contacts contact connections of an external device, not shown. These outer contact areas are subjected to a gold coating in order to improve the contact resistance. Before a contacting step of the first contact tab 20 on a first accumulator pole, the second contact tab 22 is bent circularly by approximately 180 ° along a contact tab bending region 34 , so that the second contact tab is operationally in a state 22 'which is shown in FIG. 1 (b) is shown as a dashed line.

In Fig. 2 (a) - (e), the contact set 10 shown in Fig. 1 (a) - (e) is shown arranged in a housing. The top and side views shown in FIGS. 2 (a), (c) - (e) correspond to the respective FIGS. 1 (a), (c) - (e) with regard to the viewing angles. Fig. 2 (b) is a sectional view taken along the line BB of Fig. 2 (a) with the line of sight indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 (a).

The housing consists of a base body 36 and a cover 38 , which are positioned relative to one another with a positioning pin 40 and a positioning hub 42 . The plate-shaped, rectangular cover 38 has in its central portion a rectangular cover opening 44 , which speaks ent with its inner dimensions to the inner dimensions of an adjacent base body recess 46 , so that cover opening 44 and base body recess 46 form a fen-like recess 48 (see in particular Fig. 2 (a ) and (b)).

The thermistor 24 is arranged in the recess 48 of the housing 36 , 38 in such a way that its upper side 50 is substantially flush with the upper outer surface 52 of the cover 38 . Consequently, the thermistor 24 is arranged in its entirety in the recess 48 such that it does not protrude beyond the outer circumference of the housing 36 , 38 or the envelope of the housing. The second contact 14 and the third contact 16 are held securely on at least two sides between the cover 38 and the base body 36 in the region of the window-like recess 48 and the cover 44 by a clamp fit. As a result, the contacts 14 , 16 are held so stable by the frame-like cover that mechanical shocks or vibrations, such as occur in a later ultrasonic welding step, do not lead to the SMD thermistor 24 becoming detached from the contacts 14 , 16 or can loosen. The thermistor 24 does not need to be additionally isolated from the environment since it is accommodated in the recess 48 completely and in a space-saving manner.

In Fig. 2 (d) on the lower end face of the base body 36 two circular ge positioning holes 54 are shown, which are used to position the contact device to a memory housing, as will be described later.

In FIG. 2 (c), an accumulator cell 56 with a (second) accumulator pole 58 is shown schematically with a chain line, which is operationally connected to the second contact tab 22 in the state 22 '. The direction N denotes the normal direction to a pole contact surface of the pole contact area of the second contact lug 22 '.

Preferably, the clamp portion 32 of the contacts 12, 14, 16 and 18, locked at its contact area end with a locking device 49, which is one step on an outer surface of the base housing 36 to be inserted Festge there in this manner.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the ready-to-install contact device 59 from FIG. 2. The contact areas 32 for the external device (not shown) of the four contacts 12 , 14 , 16 and 18 are here guided in guide recesses 56 for the relative securing of the position. The second contact tab 22 is still in its original state and has not yet been bent into the state 22 'shown in dashed lines in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 shows an overall perspective view of the electrical energy storage arrangement before a final assembly step. The contact device 59 is mounted here on the accumulator arrangement 62 in its operational final state, the contact device being arranged essentially exclusively on the narrow pole or end face of the accumulator arrangement. The second contact lug 22 ', following the welding of the second contact lug to the second accumulator pole (not shown) of the accumulator cell 56 , has been bent into its operational, bent state 22 ' (see FIGS. 1 and 2), thereby the contact device 59 to be positioned so that the first contact lug 20 comes to lie over a first accumulator pole 66 of a (first) accumulator cell 64 , whereby a welded connection of the first contact lug 20 to the first accumulator pole 66 is possible in a simple manner. This bending step accordingly makes it possible to advantageously position the contact device 59 with minimal space requirement on the pole or end face of the rechargeable battery arrangement, the contact device 59 directly in the direction N (see FIG. 2 (c)) above or is arranged on the second accumulator pole 58 .

Also shown in Fig. 4 is a memory housing, which consists of a memory housing upper part 68 and a corresponding memory housing lower part 70 . The storage housing is designed to receive the accumulator cell arrangement 62 with the contact device 59 in its entirety. To Position the tion of the contact device in the memory housing 68 two positioning pins 72 are provided on an inside of the upper part of the memory housing, which engage in positioning of the memory housing in the positioning holes 54 to assemble.

Reference list

10th

Contact set

12th

first contact

14

second contact

16

third contact

18th

fourth contact

20th

Contact flag of the first contact (first contact flag)

22

Contact flag of the second contact (second contact flag)

24th

Thermistor

26

Weld connection points

28

Bending sections

30th

Bending sections

32

Bracket area, contact area for external device

34

Contact flag bending area

36

Basic body of the housing

38

Cover of the housing

40

Positioning pin

42

Positioning hub

44

Lid breakthrough

46

Basic body recess

48

Recess

49

Locking device

50

Top of the thermistor

52

upper outer surface of the lid

54

Positioning holes for positioning the contact device

56

(second) accumulator cell

58

second accumulator pole

59

Contact device

60

Leadership wells

62

Accumulator arrangement

64

(first) accumulator cell

66

first accumulator pole

68

Upper part of the storage case

70

Lower part of the storage case

72

Positioning pins
N normal direction of the pole contact surface

Claims (17)

1. Contact device ( 59 ) for making contact with an electrical energy storage device ( 62 ), in particular batteries or accumulators
a housing ( 36 , 38 ),
one or more electrically conductive contacts ( 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) and at least one electronic component ( 24 ) with at least one electrical connection which is electrically conductively connected to at least one contact ( 14 , 16 ),
wherein the housing ( 36 , 38 ) has at least one recess ( 48 ) for receiving the electronic component ( 24 ). 2. Contact device ( 59 ) according to claim 1, wherein the recess ( 48 ) is designed such that the electronic component ( 24 ) is completely accommodated in the recess ( 48 ) and does not project over an outer circumference of the housing ( 36 , 38 ). 3. Contact device ( 59 ) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the contacts ( 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) has a bending region ( 28 , 30 ) which at least partially rests against the housing ( 36 , 38 ) in the operational state . 4. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the recess ( 48 ) is at least partially operationally covered by one of the contacts ( 18 , 22 ) and / or by the energy store ( 62 ). 5. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the housing ( 36 , 38 ) has at least a first ( 36 ) and a second ( 38 ) housing part. 6. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the contacts ( 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) between the first ( 36 ) and second ( 38 ) housing part is clamped in regions. 7. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the contacts ( 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) is locked in a locking device of the housing ( 36 ). 8. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the contacts ( 12 , 18 ) has a contact lug area ( 20 , 22 ) which jumps from the housing ( 36 , 38 ) before, the contact lug area ( 22 ) preferably has a bending area ( 34 ). 9. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic component ( 24 ) has a marking component for marking the energy store ( 62 ) and / or a sensor, in particular a thermistor ( 24 ). 10. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic component ( 24 ) has a flat component (SMD), the electrical connections in particular by a spot weld connection with the respective contacts ( 14 , 16 ) are connected. 11. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein at least two of the contacts ( 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) and two of the electrical connections of the electronic component ( 24 ) are seen before, wherein the two contacts ( 14 , 16 ) are connected via the electronic component ( 24 ). 12. Contact device ( 59 ) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the contacts ( 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) consist of a soft steel and / or nickel alloy. 13. Energy storage arrangement with
at least one electrical energy store ( 62 ), in particular batteries or accumulators,
a memory housing ( 68 , 70 ) and
at least one contact device ( 59 ) according to one of the preceding claims,
at least one pole ( 58 , 66 ) of the energy store ( 62 ) being electrically connected to at least one contact ( 22 , 20 ) of the contact device ( 59 ). 14. The energy storage arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the contact device ( 59 ) has a contact device positioning device ( 54 ) which interacts with a storage housing positioning device ( 72 ) of the storage housing ( 68 ) in order to position the contact device ( 59 ) relative to the storage housing ( 68 , 70 ). 15. Energy storage arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the Kontaktvor directionpositioniereinrichtung ( 54 ) has a recess ( 54 ) and the Spei chergehäusepositioniereinrichtung a projection, preferably a pin ( 72 ), which are in operative engagement to secure the positio nation. 16. Energy storage arrangement according to claim 13-15, wherein at least one of the contacts ( 18 ) has a pole contact area ( 22 ) whose pole contact surface is electrically connected to the pole ( 58 ) and the housing ( 36 , 38 ) in the normal direction (N) Pole contact surface abuts the pole contact area ( 22 ) in some areas or is spaced apart from it at a predetermined distance. 17. Energy storage arrangement according to claim 13 to 16, wherein the storage housing ( 68 , 70 ) has an ultrasonic welded connection.