Connection element for mechanical and electrical connection to a contact element of an electrical storage cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11417934-B2
Application number	US-201816193417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2018
Priority date	Nov 16, 2017
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A connection element for mechanical and electrical connection to a contact element of an electrical storage cell comprises a contact receptacle and a clamping device. The contact receptacle is open in a set-on direction and receives a portion of the contact element. The clamping device extends into the contact receptacle in a press-on position of the clamping device. The clamping device is formed from a shape memory alloy transferable by a phase transformation into the press-on position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connection element for mechanical and electrical connection to a contact element of an electrical storage cell, comprising:
a contact receptacle open in a set-on direction and receiving a portion of the contact element;
a pair of clamping jaws defining the contact receptacle; and
a clamping device arranged on at least one of the pair of clamping jaws, the clamping device extends into the contact receptacle in a press-on position of the clamping device, the clamping device is formed from a shape memory alloy transferable by a phase transformation into the press-on position, at least a portion of one of the pair of clamping jaws is not formed from the shape memory alloy.

2. The connection element of claim 1 , wherein the contact element is a contact tab and the electrical storage cell is a pouch cell.

3. The connection element of claim 1 , wherein the clamping device is transferable by the phase transformation from a set-on position into the press-on position, the clamping device is arranged outside of the contact receptacle in the set-on position.

4. The connection element of claim 1 , wherein the clamping device is arranged in a plane of one of the clamping jaws in the set-on position.

5. The connection element of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of clamping devices, each of the clamping devices is arranged at one of the pair of clamping jaws.

6. The connection element of claim 5 , wherein the pair of clamping devices face each other and are arranged in a symmetrically mutually aligned manner.

7. The connection element of claim 5 , wherein the pair of clamping devices face each other and are arranged in an asymmetrically mutually offset manner.

8. The connection element of claim 1 , wherein a slot is formed in at least one of the pair of clamping jaws.

9. The connection element of claim 8 , wherein a pair of clamping devices are arranged at one of the pair of clamping jaws and the slot extends between the pair of clamping devices.

10. The connection element of claim 8 , wherein the slot extends in the set-on direction from a yoke that connects the pair of clamping jaws.

11. The connection element of claim 10 , wherein the slot penetrates the yoke and each of the pair of clamping jaws.

12. The connection element of claim 1 , wherein the clamping device has a pressure plate curved inward into the contact receptacle in the press-on position.

13. The connection element of claim 1 , wherein the shape memory alloy is selected from the group consisting of nickel-titanium, nitinol, nickel-titanium copper, copper-zinc, copper-zinc-aluminum, and copper-zinc-nickel.

14. An electrical storage cell module, comprising:
a plurality of electrical storage cells each having a contact element; and
a connection element including:
a contact receptacle open in a set-on direction and receiving a portion of the contact element;
a pair of clamping jaws defining the contact receptacle; and
a clamping device arranged on at least one of the pair of clamping jaws, the clamping device extends into the contact receptacle and is mechanically and electrically connected to the contact element in a press-on position of the clamping device, the clamping device is formed from a shape memory alloy transferable by a phase transformation into the press-on position, at least a portion of one of the pair of clamping jaws is not formed from the shape memory alloy.

15. A connection element for mechanical and electrical connection to a contact element of an electrical storage cell, comprising:
a contact receptacle open in a set-on direction and receiving a portion of the contact element;
a pair of clamping jaws, the contact receptacle is disposed between the pair of clamping jaws; and
a pair of clamping devices arranged on one of the clamping jaws, a slot extends through the one of the clamping jaws between the pair of clamping devices, the clamping devices extend into the contact receptacle in a press-on position of the clamping devices, the clamping devices are formed from a shape memory alloy transferable by a phase transformation into the press-on position.

16. The connection element of claim 15 , wherein the slot extends in the set-on direction from a yoke that connects the pair of clamping jaws.

17. The connection element of claim 16 , wherein the slot penetrates the yoke and each of the pair of clamping jaws.

18. The connection element of claim 3 , wherein the clamping jaws remain stationary while the clamping device moves between the set-on position and the press-on position.

Assignees

• Te Connectivity Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Toth Gerzson
• Baus Andreas
• Grzywok Wilhelm
• Hauck Uwe
• Dressel Andre Martin
• Hiroko Yoshikawa

Classifications

• H01R4/28 Primary

  Clamped connections, spring connections (made by means of terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits H01R12/00) · CPC title

• H01M50/517

  by fixing means, e.g. screws, rivets or bolts · CPC title

• H01M50/503 Primary

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01R4/01

  Connections using shape memory materials, e.g. shape memory metal · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title