WO2014072038A1

WO2014072038A1 - Circuit board element and cell arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2014072038A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/003305
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rainer JÄCKLE; Robert Müller
Original assignee: Schweizer Electronic Ag
Priority date: 2012-11-12
Filing date: 2013-11-04
Publication date: 2014-05-15
Also published as: DE102012110832A1; DE212013000058U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a circuit board element (20) with at least three connecting elements (24.1-24.9; 24.1-24.10) of conductive material, which are designed for connecting cell terminals (14, 16) of galvanic cells (12) in order to create a series connection of the cells (12), and which are furthermore designed such that heat generated as cell current is passed through the connecting elements (24.1-24.9; 24.1- 24.10) can be dissipated through a coolant fluid channel (22) provided internally in the circuit board element (20). The invention further relates to a cell arrangement (10) with a circuit board element (20) and with at least two galvanic cells (12), which each have a positive cell terminal (14) and a negative cell terminal (16). The at least two galvanic cells (12) are connected by their cell terminals (14, 16) to the connecting elements (24.1-24.9; 24.1-24.10) of the circuit board element (20) to create a series circuit in such a manner that the cell current is conducted via the connecting elements (24.1-24.9; 24.1-24.10) and the heat generated as the current passes is dissipated via a cooling fluid in the cooling fluid channel (22) of the circuit board element (20).

Description

Printed circuit board element and cell arrangement

Technical area

The present invention relates to a printed circuit board element and a cell assembly.

Description of the Prior Art

Cell arrangements are known from the prior art. They are used, for example, in the field of electromobility as power storage for electric motors of motor vehicles use. The known cell arrangements consist of a plurality of galvanic cells, usually of so-called secondary cells, that is rechargeable "battery cells", the like by means of connector elements such as cables, metal bridges, brackets or the like. are conductively connected together in series. These connector elements are often called "bridges".

To dissipate the sometimes considerable heat that arises in the power management (both discharge and charging currents), cooling mechanisms are provided, with water cooling is usually used. For this purpose, the cells are generally arranged in a housing in which a cooling water guide is provided. To regulate the current drain or the charging process of the entire cell assembly a control electronics is provided.

CONFIRMATION COPY Summary of the invention

According to the invention, a printed circuit board element with the features of claim 1 and a cell arrangement with the features of claim 5 are proposed.

The invention is based on the basic idea of integrating the connector elements necessary for the cell connection as well as the cooling device necessary for heat dissipation with the control electronics into a printed circuit board element.

According to the invention, a printed circuit board element is thus provided which has connecting elements made of conductive material. The connection elements are designed to connect cell terminals of galvanic cells in order to produce a series connection of the galvanic cells. In the interior of the printed circuit board element, a cooling fluid channel is provided, via which heat is dissipated during a current flow of cell current through the connection elements.

A cell arrangement according to the invention comprises at least two galvanic cells. Each cell has a positive pole (cell terminal) and a negative pole. With this cell connection, the galvanic cells are connected to the terminal elements of a printed circuit board element of the invention for generating a series circuit. A derivative of the heat generated during the current flow via a cooling fluid in the cooling fluid channel of the printed circuit board element.

A galvanic cell in the context of this application is any type of reusable, rechargeable Power storage. In particular, this means any type of battery cell.

Further advantages and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained not only in the combination specified, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The invention is illustrated by way of illustration with reference to an embodiment in the drawing is highly schematic and not to scale and will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Brief description of the drawing

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a flat cell which can be used within the scope of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a highly schematic lateral sectional view through a cell arrangement according to the invention.

Figure 3 shows a schematic Schnittstarstellung the layer structure of a printed circuit board element according to the invention. FIG. 4 shows a view of the connection elements of a printed circuit board element according to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the connection elements of a further exemplary embodiment of a printed circuit board element according to the invention, with the course of the cooling fluid channels drawn in.

Detailed description

Figure 1 shows a perspective schematic representation of a usable within the scope of the present invention, the galvanic cell 12 in the form of a so-called flat cell (Pouch Cell). The illustrated cell 12 has a positive pole 14 and a negative pole 16, hereinafter referred to as cell terminals 14, 16, at an end located in the illustration above.

It should be emphasized that in the context of the present invention, any type of galvanic cell and in particular accumulator cells are used, both in the technical / chemical and in the geometric sense. In particular, not only flat cells, but also round cells or cells of other geometry can be used.

Figure 2 shows a highly schematic side sectional view of a cell assembly according to the invention 10. The cell assembly 10 includes a plurality of cells 12 (flat cells in the example shown). The cells 12 are arranged parallel to each other with cell terminals 14, 16 at the top.

Above the mutually parallel cells 12, a printed circuit board element 20 is shown. The Printed circuit board element 20 includes - in the illustration of the embodiment of Figure 2 from bottom to top - a (lower) connection layer Sl with connection elements, a (middle or inner) cooling layer S2 with cooling fluid channel and a (upper) circuit layer S3 with control electronics. For purposes of illustration, a light chip C is shown on the upper layer S3.

It should be emphasized in this context that the representation of Figure 2 is strictly schematic and the layer structure of the printed circuit board element 20 is significantly more complex in reality, as is apparent from the representation of Figure 3 and the associated description.

The cells 12 are connected by means of a plurality of cell terminals 14, 16 with the connection layer Sl the printed circuit board element 20. For this purpose, the printed circuit board element 20 has a multiplicity of connecting elements, which are described below in particular with reference to FIG.

[0023] The connection of the cell terminals to the terminal elements takes place, for example, by soldering or welding (for example in the case of flat cells) or by screwing (for example in the case of round cells) or in any other manner known to the person skilled in the art.

FIG. 3 shows in greater detail a possible layer structure of a printed circuit board element 20 according to the invention.

From bottom to top, the already known from the highly schematic representation of Figure 2 basic Additional layer sequence Sl (connection layer), S2 (cooling layer) and S3 (circuit layer) to recognize.

In the lower layer Sl two connection elements 24.1, 24.2 are shown. As shown, the connection elements may be planar sections of conductive material, in particular copper. The connection elements are arranged in a carrier layer 30. The carrier layer 30 consists of a conventional material familiar to the person skilled in the art, for example the FR4 well known in printed circuit board production.

Above the carrier layer 30 with the connection elements 24.1, 24.2, the cooling layer S2 is formed, which comprises a cooling fluid channel 22 introduced into an insulating layer 28. In the insulating layer 28 is an electrically insulating material, but preferably has good thermal conductivity, for example. FR4 or prepreg.

The introduction of the cooling fluid channel 22 and its configuration can be done in principle known from the prior art manner. By way of example, reference is made to the disclosure of the German Utility Model 20 2010 017 772. The channel structure is basically constructed of one or more copper layers 38, and the inner wall of the channel may be provided, for example, with a layer of nickel 39.

The upper circuit layer S3 comprises - likewise in a manner known per se - a plurality of copper layers 42 and insulating layers 44 for forming an electronic circuit 26. The circuit 26 defines a control electronics for the with the conductor For connecting the circuit arrangement 26 with the cells 12 via the connection elements 24.1, 24.2 are provided through holes 40 which lead through the entire layer structure and establish a conductive connection between the circuit arrangement and the connection elements.

Figure 4 shows a plan view of the printed circuit board element 20 of Figure 3 from below, i. on the carrier layer 30 with the connection elements 24.1 to 24.9.

The connecting elements 24.1 to 24.9 are formed as flat, in the embodiment rectangular copper sections, which in terms of their function as connector elements for the cell connections and high-current conductors have a corresponding thickness of at least 400 μτ (see Figure 3). Other shapes of the connection elements are of course possible and are at the discretion of the skilled person.

The connection elements 24.1 to 24.9 are arranged in two staggered rows Rl, R2. Except for the first 24.1 and the last 24.9 element of the entire row, each connection element has a first connection field 34 for connection to a positive pole 14 of a cell and via a second connection field 36 for connection to a negative pole 16 of a cell. The first and the last connection element each have only a first connection field 34 or a second connection field 36 and, moreover, serve for connection to an electric circuit (not shown). The connection fields are produced, for example, by etching. They can be adapted in their shape to the shape of the male cell connections. The connection elements are each offset from one another arranged so that they bridge as a connection of a positive pole of a cell with a negative pole of the following cell arranged parallel thereto, etc. accomplish. This arrangement results in the required series connection of the galvanic cells.

Figure 5 shows a similar view as Figure 4 of a similar arrangement of connecting elements (ten connecting elements instead of nine as in the embodiment of Figure 4), but in a see-through view, so that the course of the overlying cooling fluid channels 22.1 and 22.2 is visible ,

3) of each of the two rows R1, R2 of connecting elements 24.1, 24.3, 24.5, 24.7, 24.9 and 24.2, 24.4, 24.6, 24.8, 24.10 each runs a serpentine coiled cooling fluid channel 22.1 and 22.2.

In the current flow resulting heat in the cells 12 and the connection elements 24.1 to 24.9 or 24.1 to 24.10 is passed in the sense of the drawn in Figure 2 arrows for "cooling" up through the insulating layer 28 and through the in the cooling fluid channel 22nd circulating cooling fluid (for example, water) derived.

Claims

claims

1. printed circuit board element (20) with at least three connecting elements (24.1-24.9; 24.1-24.10) of conductive material, which are designed to connect cell terminals (14, 16) of galvanic cells (12) for generating a series connection of the cells (12) , and which are further configured such that a heat generated in a current flow of cell current through the connection elements (24.1-24.9; 24.1- 24.10) via a inside the printed circuit board element (20) provided cooling fluid channel (22) is derivable.

2. printed circuit board element (20) according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic circuit arrangement (26) for controlling connected galvanic cells (12).

3. printed circuit board element (20) according to claim 2, the through holes for connecting the connecting elements (24.1- 24.9; 24.1-24.10) with the electronic circuit arrangement (26).

4. Printed circuit board element (20) according to one of claims 1 to 3, which has an electrically insulating and thermally conductive layer (28) between the connection elements (24.1- 24.9; 24.1-24.10) and the cooling fluid channel (22).

5. cell assembly (10) with

at least two galvanic cells (12) each having a positive cell terminal (14) and a negative cell terminal (16), and

a printed circuit board element (20) according to one of claims 1 to 4,

wherein the at least two galvanic cells (12) with their cell terminals (14, 16) are connected to the connection elements (24.1-24.9; 24.1-24.10) of the printed circuit board element (20) to produce a series connection such that via the connection elements (24.1-24.9 24.1-24.10) a line of the cell current and a derivative of the resulting heat during the flow of heat through a cooling fluid in the cooling fluid channel (22) of the printed circuit board element (20).

6. Cell arrangement (10) according to claim 5, wherein a connection of the cells (12) with the electronic circuit arrangement (26) of the printed circuit board element (20).