Contact element for mechanically, thermally and electrically contacting an energy store

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9543686-B2
Application number	US-201214129456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2012
Priority date	Jun 28, 2011
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A contact element for mechanically, thermally and electrically contacting at least one energy store at least partially delimits at least one accommodating space for accommodating the at least one energy store. The contact element is designed for a force-fit, form-locked and/or integral joint with at least one subarea of the energy store, the contact element being at least partially electrically conductive, and the contact element being at least partially thermally conductive.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A contact element for mechanically, thermally and electrically contacting a plurality of individual battery cells, comprising:
a structural body which at least partially defines each of a plurality of accommodating spaces, each of the accommodating spaces for accommodating only a single one of the individual battery cells,
wherein the structural body is configured for a force-fit connection with at least one subarea of each of the battery cells, and
wherein the structural body is at least partially electrically conductive and at least partially thermally conductive, and
wherein the structural body has head sections for an upper rest of each of the battery cells and each of the head sections having at least one respective first side leg extending therefrom, each of the at least one respective first side legs being bent inward into one of the accommodation spaces.

2. The contact element as recited in claim 1 , wherein the structural body has at least one heat transfer element in the form of a heating-and-cooling channel for dissipating heat from the structural body and supplying heat to the structural body.

3. The contact element as recited in claim 2 , wherein the structural body has a detent element for attaching the battery cells.

4. An energy store module, comprising:
a plurality of individual battery cells; and
a contact element configured as a structural body which at least partially defines each of a plurality of accommodating spaces, each of the accommodating spaces for accommodating only a single one of the battery cells,
wherein the structural body is configured for a force-fit connection with at least one subarea of each of the battery cells,
wherein the structural body is at least partially electrically conductive and at least partially thermally conductive,
wherein the at least one energy store is mechanically, thermally and electrically contacted on the structural body,
wherein the structural body includes a base element for a base-side contacting of each of the battery cells, and
wherein the structural body has head sections for an upper rest of each of the battery cells and each of the head sections having at least one respective first side leg extending therefrom, each of the at least one respective first side legs being bent inward into one of the accommodation spaces.

5. The energy store module as recited in claim 4 , wherein a heat transfer medium is situated between the at least one energy store and the contact element.

6. The energy store module as recited in claim 5 , wherein each of the battery cells is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery cell.

7. The energy store module as recited in claim 4 , wherein at least one vibration damping element is situated between two adjacent ones of the battery cells.

8. The energy store module as recited in claim 5 , wherein at least one vibration damping element is situated between two adjacent ones of the battery cells.

9. The energy store module as recited in claim 8 , wherein an electrical insulation is situated between two adjacent ones of the battery cells.

10. A contact element for mechanically, thermally and electrically contacting a plurality of individual battery cells, comprising:
a structural body which at least partially defines each of a plurality of accommodating spaces, each of the accommodating spaces for accommodating only a single one of the battery cells,
wherein the structural body is configured for a force-fit connection with at least one subarea of each of the battery cells,
wherein the structural body is at least partially electrically conductive and at least partially thermally conductive,
wherein a heat transfer gel is situated between the battery cells and the contact element, and
wherein the structural body has head sections for an upper rest of each of the battery cells and each of the head sections having at least one respective first side leg extending therefrom, each of the at least one respective first side legs being bent inward into one of the accommodation spaces.

11. The contact element as recited in claim 10 , wherein the contact element is made in one piece from a metal.

12. The contact element as recited in claim 10 , wherein the at least one first side leg is used for the force fit each of the battery cells.

13. The contact element as recited in claim 10 , wherein at least one respective second side leg extends from each of the head sections, the at least one second side leg being dimensioned smaller than the at least one side leg.

14. The contact element as recited in claim 13 , wherein the at least one first side leg and the at least one second side leg are partially thermally conductive.

15. The contact element as recited in claim 10 , wherein an adhesive joint is provided.

16. An energy store module, comprising:
a plurality of individual battery cells;
a contact element configured as a structural body which at least partially defines each of a plurality of accommodating spaces, each of the accommodating spaces for accommodating only one of the battery cells and
a base element for a base-side contacting of the battery cells;
wherein the structural body is configured for at least one of a force-fit connection with at least one subarea of each of the battery cells,
wherein the structural body is at least partially electrically conductive and at least partially thermally conductive,
wherein each of the battery cells is mechanically, thermally and electrically contacted on the structural body, and
wherein a heat transfer gel is situated between the battery cells and the contact element; and
wherein the structural body has head sections for an upper rest of each of the battery cells and each of the head sections having at least one respective first side leg extending therefrom, each of the at least one respective first side legs being bent inward into one of the accommodation spaces.

17. The energy store module as recited in claim 16 , wherein the base element has openings.

18. The contact element as recited in claim 1 , wherein each of the respective first side legs is used for the force-fit of one of the battery cells.

19. The contact element as recited in claim 4 , wherein each of the respective first side legs is used for the force-fit of one of the battery cells.

20. The energy module as recited in claim 16 , wherein each of the respective first side legs is used for the force-fit of one of the battery cells.

21. The contact element as recited in claim 1 , wherein the structure body is made in one piece form a single sheet of metal.

22. The contact element as recited in claim 4 , wherein the structural body is made in one piece from a single sheet of metal.

23. The contact element as recited in claim 10 , wherein the structural body is made in one piece from a single sheet of metal.

24. The energy module as recited in claim 16 , wherein the structural body is made in one piece from a single sheet of metal.

Assignees

• Schuelke Armin
• Imre Arpad
• Dorsch Niko
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Schuelke Armin
• Imre Arpad
• Dorsch Niko

Classifications

• H01M50/242

  adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling · CPC title

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M50/209

  adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/24 Primary

  adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion (thermal insulation H01M10/658) · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title