Connection assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11118619-B2
Application number	US-201716076435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2017
Priority date	Mar 29, 2016
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A connection assembly with at least one receiving module for receiving a securing element. The at least one receiving module has a chamber for receiving the respective securing element, the chamber being delimited by an inner wall, and has a first opening as well as a second opening. The two openings delimit a passage channel within the chamber, and the inner wall has at least one latching module to which the securing element is to be latched within the chamber at least temporarily after guiding the securing element along a longitudinal direction of the passage channel into the chamber through the first opening. The latched securing element is to be received completely within the chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection assembly comprising:
at least two pairs of receiving modules, each receiving module receiving a securing element, wherein the receiving module comprises a chamber for receiving the securing element, the chamber being delimited by an inner wall, and comprises a first opening as well as a second opening, wherein the first opening and the second opening delimit a passage channel within the chamber, wherein the inner wall has at least one latching module to which the securing element is to be latched within the chamber at least temporarily, after guiding the securing element along a longitudinal direction of the passage channel into the chamber through the first opening, wherein the latched securing element is to be received completely within the chamber;
a bearing element arranged at the second opening and extending between a pair of the at least two pairs of receiving modules;
a connection body joining the at least two pairs of receiving modules;
wherein the securing element includes a pin and a head which are joined together;
wherein one or more of the bearing element, the securing element, and the receiving module is electrically conductive;
wherein the connection assembly is to be secured to at least two devices, each device of the at least two devices being designed as a battery, by way of the securing element of one of the receiving modules being received in an opening provided on one device of the at least two devices and by way of the securing element of another of the receiving modules being received in an opening provided on another device of the at least two devices;
wherein an electrical connection is provided between the at least two devices by one or more of the securing element and the bearing element; and
wherein the connection body includes at least two module sections and an intermediate section extending between the at least two module sections, each of the module sections having each pair of the at least two pairs of receiving modules, the intermediate section having a bent shape.

2. The connection assembly as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the receiving module is designed to receive the securing element, wherein the passage channel is longer in an inserting direction of the securing element than the head and the pin.

3. The connection assembly as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the receiving module is designed to receive the securing element that is designed as a screw.

4. The connection assembly as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a minimum internal dimension of the inner wall of the chamber is greater than a maximum external dimension of the head of the securing element, wherein the at least one latching module delimits a region inside the chamber, wherein a minimum internal dimension of the region delimited by the at least one latching module is smaller than the maximum external dimension of the head and greater than a maximum external dimension of the pin.

5. The connection assembly as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the inner wall of the chamber of the receiving module is designed with rotational symmetry relative to the inserting direction of the securing element, wherein the at least one latching module has two bulges that are situated with an axial offset relative to each other on the inner wall in an inserting direction of the securing element.

6. The connection assembly as claimed in claim 5 , wherein:
at least one of the bulges includes at least one diagonal surface oriented diagonally to the inner wall of the chamber; and
wherein, when the securing element is latched to the at least one latching module, the at least one diagonal surface is oriented facing the head of the securing element, and the head of the securing element abuts the at least one diagonal surface.

7. The connection assembly as claimed in claim 4 , wherein an internal dimension of the first opening of the passage channel is larger than an external dimension of the head, and wherein an internal dimension of the second opening of the passage channel is smaller than the external dimension of the head.

8. The connection assembly as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the bearing element has a hole with an internal dimension that is smaller than the external dimension of the head and that delimits the second opening.

9. The connection assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connection body partially encloses the bearing element.

10. The connection assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
the bearing element includes a first surface facing the head of the securing element and a second surface opposite the first surface facing each device of at least two devices; and
a portion of the second surface is not enclosed by the connection body.

11. A method for securing a connection assembly to at least two devices, wherein the connection assembly has a connection body joining at least two pairs of receiving modules, each receiving module receiving a securing element, wherein the receiving module comprises a chamber for receiving the securing element, which is delimited by an inner wall and has a first opening as well as a second opening, wherein the first and the second opening delimit a passage channel within the chamber, wherein the chamber is enclosed by an inner wall that has at least one latching module, wherein the securing element is latched within the chamber at least temporarily, after guiding the securing element along a longitudinal direction of the passage channel into the chamber through the first opening, wherein the latched securing element is received completely within the chamber, wherein the connection assembly is arranged on the at least one device, wherein the securing element is pushed through the first opening in the direction of the second opening at least partially out from the chamber of the receiving module and is thereby secured to the at least one device;
wherein the securing element includes a pin and a head which are joined together;
wherein a bearing element is arranged at the second opening; and
wherein one or more of the bearing element, the securing element, and the receiving module is electrically conductive;
wherein each device of the at least two devices is designed as a battery;
wherein the connection assembly is secured to each device of the at least two devices by way of the securing element of one of the receiving modules being received in an opening provided on one device of the at least two devices and by way of the securing element of another of the receiving modules being received in an opening provided on another device of the at least two devices;
wherein the bearing element extends between a pair of the at least two pairs of receiving modules;
wherein an electrical connection is provided between the at least two devices by one or more of the securing element and the bearing element; and
wherein the connection body includes at least two module sections and an intermediate section extending between the at least two module sections, each of the module sections having each pair of the at least two pairs of receiving modules, the intermediate section having a bent shape.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the at least one securing element is used, which has the head and the pin, wherein a maximum external dimension of the head is greater than a maximum external dimension of the pin, wherein the first opening of the passage channel has an internal dimension that is greater than an external dimension of the head, and wherein the second opening of the passage channel has an internal dimension that is smaller than the external dimension of the head, wherein the securing element is introduced by the pin facing forward into th

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Eichhorn Alexander
• Maisch Ralf
• Fees Heiner

Classifications

• H01M50/505

  comprising a single busbar · CPC title

• F16B41/002 Primary

  Measures against loss of bolts, nuts or pins (devices for fastening nuts to surfaces F16B37/04) · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/502

  Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing · CPC title

• F16B2001/0064

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic