Sensor device and method for determining a pressure of a medium located inside an electrochemical energy store, electrochemical energy store, and method for the manufacture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9276296-B2
Application number	US-201313957008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2013
Priority date	Aug 2, 2012
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

A sensor device is provided for determining a pressure of a medium located inside a housing of an electrochemical energy storage. The sensor device includes a detection unit which may be or is inductively coupled to an electrically conductive layer, which is deflectable by the pressure of the medium to be determined. The detection unit is designed to inductively detect a distance, which is dependent on the pressure of the medium to be determined, between the layer and the detection unit, to determine the pressure of the medium from the distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical energy store, comprising:
a housing inside which a medium may be released by an electrochemical reaction device;
a diaphragm, with the aid of which a pressure relief opening of the housing is closed, the diaphragm having an electrically conductive layer and being configured to burst in a defined way in the event of a predetermined overpressure of the medium in the housing to discharge the medium through the pressure relief opening, and being deflectable by the medium; and
a sensor device to determine a pressure of the inside the housing, the sensor device including a detection unit inductively coupled with the electrically conductive layer, the detection unit configured to inductively detect a distance, which is dependent on the pressure of the medium, between the layer and the detection unit, to determine the pressure of the medium from the distance;
wherein the detection unit is situated on or in a section of a support element overlaying the diaphragm, wherein the support element is a circuit structure.

2. The electrochemical energy store as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is fastened at least one of around the pressure relief opening, and around the diaphragm with respect to the electrically conductive layer, with the aid of a connection which fails at a pressure lower than or equal to the predetermined overpressure of the medium.

3. The electrochemical energy store as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is fastened at least one of around the pressure relief opening, and around the diaphragm with respect to the electrically conductive layer, with the aid of at least one spacer element, which is permeable to the medium.

4. The electrochemical energy store as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
a further electrically conductive layer and a further sensor device, which is situated in an area of inductive coupling with respect to the further electrically conductive layer, the further electrically conductive layer being separated from the medium and being deflectable by an ambient pressure.

5. The electrochemical energy store as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical energy store has a plurality of battery cells, and the sensor device has a plurality of detection units and one analysis unit, a respective one of the plurality of detection units being attached to each of the plurality of battery cells, and the analysis unit being electrically connected to the plurality of detection units.

6. The electrochemical energy store as recited in claim 1 , wherein the pressure relief opening is covered at an end thereof which faces away from the medium or faces toward surroundings outside of the store with the aid of the support element of the sensor device.

7. The electrochemical energy store as recited in claim 1 , wherein the support element of the sensor device is situated on a surface of the housing facing away from the medium or facing toward surroundings outside of the store.

8. The electrochemical energy store as recited in claim 1 , wherein the pressure relief opening is covered at an end thereof which faces away from the medium or faces toward surroundings outside of the store with the aid of the support element of the sensor device, and wherein the support element of the sensor device is situated on a surface of the housing facing away from the medium or facing toward surroundings outside of the store.

9. A method for manufacturing an electrochemical energy store, the method comprising:
providing a housing, inside which a medium may be released by an electrochemical reaction device, the housing having a pressure relief opening, which is closed with the aid of a diaphragm, the diaphragm having an electrically conductive layer and being configured to burst in a defined way at a predetermined overpressure of the medium in the housing to discharge the medium through the pressure relief opening; and
situating a sensor device in an area of inductive coupling with respect to the electrically conductive layer, the sensor device to determine a pressure of the inside the housing, the sensor device including a detection unit inductively coupled with the electrically conductive layer, the detection unit configured to inductively detect a distance, which is dependent on the pressure of the medium, between the layer and the detection unit, to determine the pressure of the medium from the distance;
wherein the detection unit is situated on or in a section of a support element overlaying the diaphragm, wherein the support element is a circuit structure.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the sensor device is fastened at least one of around the pressure relief opening, and around the diaphragm with respect to the electrically conductive layer, with the aid of a connection which fails at a pressure lower than or equal to the predetermined overpressure of the medium.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the sensor device is fastened at least one of around the pressure relief opening, and around the diaphragm with respect to the electrically conductive layer, with the aid of at least one spacer element, which is permeable to the medium.

12. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein there is a further electrically conductive layer and a further sensor device, which is situated in an area of inductive coupling with respect to the further electrically conductive layer, the further electrically conductive layer being separated from the medium and being deflectable by an ambient pressure.

13. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the electrochemical energy store has a plurality of battery cells, and the sensor device has a plurality of detection units and one analysis unit, a respective one of the plurality of detection units being attached to each of the plurality of battery cells, and the analysis unit being electrically connected to the plurality of detection units.

14. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the pressure relief opening is covered at an end thereof which faces away from the medium or faces toward surroundings outside of the store with the aid of the support element of the sensor device.

15. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the support element of the sensor device is situated on a surface of the housing facing away from the medium or facing toward surroundings outside of the store.

16. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the pressure relief opening is covered at an end thereof which faces away from the medium or faces toward surroundings outside of the store with the aid of the support element of the sensor device, and wherein the support element of the sensor device is situated on a surface of the housing facing away from the medium or facing toward surroundings outside of the store.

Assignees

• Didra Hans-Peter
• Schneider Jens
• Henrici Fabian
• Kaschube Carsten
• Has Remigius
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Didra Hans-Peter
• Schneider Jens
• Henrici Fabian
• Kaschube Carsten
• Has Remigius

Classifications

• G01L9/007 Primary

  using variations in inductance · CPC title

• H01M10/04

  Construction or manufacture in general (H01M10/058, H01M10/12, H01M10/28, H01M10/38 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01G11/14

  Arrangements or processes for adjusting or protecting hybrid or EDL capacitors (emergency protective circuit arrangements specially adapted for capacitors, and effecting automatic switching in the event of an undesired change from normal working conditions H02H7/16; emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltages without disconnection H02H9/00) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49108

  Electric battery cell making · CPC title

• H01M10/48 Primary

  Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte (constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569) · CPC title