Module connector and method for electrically conductively connecting a module connector to a battery module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12512563-B2
Application number	US-202217941922-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2022
Priority date	Mar 17, 2020
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

In order to create a module connector for electrically conductively connecting at least two battery modules, comprising a connecting conductor, which has a contact region that is arrangeable on a contact element of a battery module, in which module connector a sufficient contact protection for a fastening element is ensured in a simple and reliable manner, it is proposed that the module connector comprises a contact protection element, which at least partially covers the contact region of the connecting conductor, and a fastening element for fixing the contact region of the connecting conductor to the contact element, wherein the fastening element in a rest position is held on the contact protection element and is transferable from the rest position into an assembly position in which a contact protection is provided for at least a protected part of the fastening element by the contact protection element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A module connector for electrically conductively connecting at least two battery modules, comprising a connecting conductor, which has a contact region that is arrangeable on a contact element of a battery module, wherein the module connector comprises a contact protection element, which at least partially covers the contact region of the connecting conductor, and
a fastening element for fixing the contact region of the connecting conductor to the contact element, wherein the fastening element in a rest position is held on the contact protection element and is transferable from the rest position into an assembly position in which a contact protection is provided for at least a protected part of the fastening element by the contact protection element, wherein the contact protection element comprises an inlet channel for accommodating a portion of the connecting conductor.

2 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the fastening element has a head and a shank and the protected part of the fastening element comprises the head of the fastening element.

3 . The module connector in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the head of the fastening element in an assembled state of the module connector abuts with a bottom side of the head of the fastening element, which faces toward the shank, against a side of the contact region of the connecting conductor of the module connector that faces away from the contact element of the battery module.

4 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the fastening element in at least one of the rest position and the assembly position is captively held on the contact protection element.

5 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the contact protection element comprises a blocking element, which blocks a transfer of the fastening element from the rest position into the assembly position.

6 . The module connector in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the contact protection element comprises a retaining element, which prevents a removal of the fastening element from the contact protection element in the rest position of the fastening element.

7 . The module connector in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the fastening element comprises a holding region, which in the rest position of the fastening element is held between the blocking element and the retaining element.

8 . The module connector in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the fastening element has an engagement region with which an assembly tool can be brought into engagement in order to move the fastening element out of the rest position by being acted upon with an activating force.

9 . The module connector in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the blocking element comprises at least one rib.

10 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the connecting conductor comprises an insulating sleeve and the inlet channel has a constriction.

11 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis of the inlet channel runs obliquely to a longitudinal axis of the fastening element when the fastening element is arranged in its rest position.

12 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the contact protection element is captively held on the connecting conductor.

13 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the contact protection element has a through-recess through which a part of an assembly tool can extend from an outside space of the contact protection element into an inside space of the contact protection element.

14 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the contact protection element is configured as an injection molded part.

15 . The module connector in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the connecting conductor comprises a flat conductor.

16 . A method for electrically conductively connecting a module connector to a contact element of a battery module, wherein the module connector comprises a connecting conductor, a contact protection element, and a fastening element, and wherein the method comprises the following:
positioning a contact region of the connecting conductor on which the contact protection element is arranged on the contact element of the battery module; transferring the fastening element held in a rest position on the contact protection element from the rest position into an assembly position in which the fastening element is in engagement with the contact element of the battery module and a contact protection is provided at least for a protected part of the fastening element by the contact protection element; wherein the contact protection element comprises an inlet channel for accommodating a portion of the connecting conductor.

17 . A module connector for electrically conductively connecting at least two battery modules, comprising a connecting conductor, which has a contact region that is arrangeable on a contact element of a battery module, wherein the module connector comprises a contact protection element, which at least partially covers the contact region of the connecting conductor, and
a fastening element for fixing the contact region of the connecting conductor to the contact element, wherein the fastening element in a rest position is held on the contact protection element and is transferable from the rest position into an assembly position in which a contact protection is provided for at least a protected part of the fastening element by the contact protection element, wherein the contact protection element comprises a blocking element, which blocks a transfer of the fastening element from the rest position into the assembly position.

18 . A method for electrically conductively connecting a module connector to a contact element of a battery module, wherein the module connector comprises a connecting conductor, a contact protection element, and a fastening element, and wherein the method comprises the following:
positioning a contact region of the connecting conductor on which the contact protection element is arranged on the contact element of the battery module; transferring the fastening element held in a rest position on the contact protection element from the rest position into an assembly position in which the fastening element is in engagement with the contact element of the battery module and a contact protection is provided at least for a protected part of the fastening element by the contact protection element; wherein the contact protection element comprises a blocking element, which blocks a transfer of the fastening element from the rest position into the assembly position.

Assignees

• Elringklinger Ag

Inventors

• Kazmaier Stefan
• Schweizer Michael
• Mann Holger

Classifications

• H01R11/26

  End pieces terminating in a screw clamp, screw or nut · CPC title

• H01R4/301

  having means for preventing complete unscrewing of screw or nut · CPC title

• H01M50/204

  Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells · CPC title

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M50/505

  comprising a single busbar · CPC title