阅读说明：本技术 制造动力电池的方法、机动车以及相应的制造装置 (Method for producing a power cell, motor vehicle and corresponding production device ) 是由 W·施米德尔 于 2021-04-30 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于制造机动车的动力电池(1)的方法,其中,在动力电池(1)的电池壳体的接纳格中布置至少一个具有多个电池单体(2)的单体模块。在此规定,为电池单体(2)中的每个电池单体设有单独的温度传感器(7),其中,分别将至少一个温度传感器(7)布置在相应一个金属载体(8)上并且将金属载体(8)与相应的电池单体(2)的单体壳体(3)焊接。本发明还涉及一种用于制造机动车的动力电池(1)的制造装置。(The invention relates to a method for producing a power cell (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein at least one cell module having a plurality of battery cells (2) is arranged in a receiving compartment of a battery housing of the power cell (1). It is provided that a separate temperature sensor (7) is provided for each of the battery cells (2), wherein at least one temperature sensor (7) is respectively arranged on a respective one of the metal carriers (8) and the metal carrier (8) is welded to the cell housing (3) of the respective battery cell (2). The invention also relates to a device for producing a power cell (1) for a motor vehicle.)

1. A method for producing a power cell (1) of a motor vehicle, wherein at least one cell module having a plurality of battery cells (2) is arranged in a receiving compartment of a battery housing of the power cell (1), characterized in that each of the battery cells (2) is provided with a separate temperature sensor (7), wherein in each case at least one temperature sensor (7) is arranged on a respective one of the metal carriers (8) and the metal carrier (8) is welded to the cell housing (3) of the respective battery cell (2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the battery cells (2) has at least one terminal (4, 5) for electrical contact, the terminals (4, 5) of a plurality of battery cells (2) being electrically connected to each other by means of a common connector, wherein the connectors are soldered to the terminals (4, 5).

3. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the welding of the connector to the joint (4, 5) is performed in the same process step as the welding of the metal carrier (8) and the cell housing (3).

4. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the welding is performed by laser welding.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the welding of the connector to the joint (4, 5) is carried out by means of the same laser head that welds the metal carrier (8) and the monobloc housing (3), or simultaneously with the welding of the metal carrier (8) and the monobloc housing (3).

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one temperature sensor (7) is arranged on a printed circuit board (9) which is connected with a metal carrier (8).

7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a flexible printed circuit board is used as the printed circuit board (9).

8. The method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metal carrier (8) has supporting legs (10) which are wider than the connection region (11) supporting the at least one temperature sensor (7) and are welded to the cell housing (3) of the respective battery cell (2).

9. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a prismatic cell is used as the cell (2).

10. A manufacturing device for manufacturing a power cell (1) of a motor vehicle, in particular for carrying out a method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the manufacturing device is provided and designed for arranging at least one cell module having a plurality of battery cells (2) in a receiving compartment of a battery housing of the power cell (1), characterized in that the manufacturing device (1) is also provided and designed for assigning a separate temperature sensor (7) to each of the battery cells (2), wherein in each case at least one temperature sensor (7) is arranged on a respective one of the metal carriers (8) and the metal carrier (8) is welded to the cell housing (3) of the respective battery cell (2).

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for producing a power cell for a motor vehicle, wherein at least one battery module having a plurality of battery cells is arranged in a receiving compartment of a battery housing of the power cell. The invention also relates to a manufacturing device for manufacturing the power battery.

Background

For example, document US 2015/0110155 a1 is known from the prior art. This document describes a detector for a motor vehicle battery, which has a measuring line made of a first material and a component of the motor vehicle battery made of a second material that is different from the first material.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a power cell for a motor vehicle, which method has advantages over known methods, in particular enables a fast and cost-effective production of a power cell, wherein the power cell is designed such that an extremely precise temperature measurement can be carried out.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved by a method for producing a power cell for a motor vehicle having the features of claim 1. It is proposed that each battery cell is provided with a separate temperature sensor, wherein in each case at least one temperature sensor is arranged on a respective metal carrier, and the metal carrier is welded to the cell housing of the respective battery cell.

The method described is used to produce a power cell which is preferably designed as a component of a motor vehicle, but can also be present separately from the motor vehicle. The power cell serves for temporarily storing electrical energy, which is used in particular for operating a drive or a power plant of the motor vehicle and thus ultimately for driving the motor vehicle. In this connection, the electrical energy stored in the power cell is used to provide a drive torque intended to drive the motor vehicle by means of the drive or the drive unit.

The power battery has a battery housing and at least one cell module. The monomer module is used for temporarily storing electric energy. For this purpose, the cell module has a plurality of battery cells, which are electrically connected to one another. In particular, the cell module has two terminals, which are arranged, for example, on a cell module housing of the cell module. Each battery cell of the corresponding cell module is electrically connected to the tabs. In this regard, these tabs serve as common tabs for a plurality of battery cells of a cell module.

A receiving compartment is formed in the battery housing of the power cell, which receiving compartment is provided and designed to receive the cell module. During the production of the power cell, the cell modules are inserted into the receiving compartment. Preferably, instead of arranging only one cell module in the battery case, a plurality of cell modules are incorporated into the battery case. In this embodiment, the battery housing has a receiving compartment which is designed to receive a plurality of cell modules.

During the production of the power cell, it is preferred to arrange not only the one or more individual modules in the receiving compartment, but also the electrical circuits of the one or more individual modules in the receiving compartment. For example, the cell module or each of the cell modules is electrically connected to a controller of the power cell. It can also be provided that at least some of the individual modules, in particular all of the individual modules, of the plurality of individual modules are electrically connected to one another.

During operation of the power cells, in particular during charging or discharging of the power cells, heat is generated at or in the cell modules, which leads to a temperature change of the cell modules. For this reason, it is expedient to monitor the temperature of the power cell and preferably to carry out the operation of the power cell as a function of the temperature. In order to be able to determine the temperature particularly precisely, each cell of the cell module is equipped with a separate temperature sensor. Accordingly, there are as many temperature sensors as there are battery cells for the or each of the cell modules.

It is particularly preferred that each of the temperature sensors is arranged on exactly one of the battery cells, or conversely that exactly one of the temperature sensors is arranged at each of the battery cells. In this way, the temperature of each of the battery cells in the cell module is known, so that ultimately the temperature distribution in the power cell can be determined with high accuracy. Accordingly, the temperature or the temperature distribution on which the power cell is operated is known with high accuracy.

However, on the one hand, it is complicated to provide each of the battery cells with a separate temperature sensor, and on the other hand, with the known fastening methods, in particular with the progressive ageing of the power cell, heat transfer between the respective battery cell and the temperature sensor can be impaired.

For this reason, it is provided that each of the temperature sensors is arranged on a respective one of the metal carriers and that the metal carrier is subsequently welded to the cell housing of the respective battery cell. A plurality of metal carriers is thus provided, wherein at least one of the temperature sensors is arranged, in particular fixed, on each of the metal carriers. Each of the plurality of metal carriers is then welded, i.e., materially connected, to the cell housing of at least one of the battery cells.

The temperature sensor is arranged or fixed on the metal carrier in such a way that a good heat transfer between the temperature sensor and the metal carrier is ensured. Therefore, the temperature of the metal carrier can be measured with high accuracy by using the temperature sensor. The metal carrier is made of a material having good thermal conductivity, i.e. a high thermal conductivity. This ensures that the heat transferred from the cell housing to the metal carrier is quickly guided in the direction of the temperature sensor. Furthermore, by welding the metal carrier to the cell housing, a good heat transfer or a high heat transfer coefficient between the cell housing and the metal carrier is achieved.

The material of the metal carrier comprises, for example, aluminum or copper, in particular the metal carrier is predominantly made of one of these materials. This means that, for example, aluminum or copper or an alloy of one of these materials is used as a material. However, it is also possible to provide for the use of steel as the material of the metal carrier. Particularly preferably, the cell housing is also at least partially or even completely made of metal.

For example, the cell housing has at least one fastening region made of metal, to which the metal carrier is welded during the production of the power cell. The fastening region preferably adjoins an interior of the respective battery cell, which is delimited by the cell housing, on its side facing away from the metal carrier. This ensures that the temperature of the battery cell can be measured precisely via the fastening region.

The direct welding of the metal carrier carrying the temperature sensor to the cell housing of the respective battery cell, which is carried out within the scope of the method described, makes it possible to quickly and accurately measure the temperature of the battery cell, since the temperature is applied to the metal carrier and thus to the temperature sensor within a short time. Furthermore, the connection between the metal carrier and the cell housing is durable, so that no damage to the temperature measurement occurs during the service life of the power cell. Furthermore, the welding of the metal carrier to the single-piece housing can be realized in a cost-effective manner.

In a further development of the invention, it is provided that each of the battery cells has at least one terminal for making electrical contact, and the terminals of a plurality of battery cells are electrically connected to one another by a common connector, wherein the connector is soldered to the terminal. It has already been mentioned above that the monomer module has a plurality of connections. It is proposed that at least one terminal of each of the battery cells is electrically connected to one or more terminals of the cell module. For this purpose, connectors are provided, by means of which the terminals of a plurality of battery cells are electrically connected to one of the terminals of the cell module.

Preferably, a plurality of such connectors is provided, wherein each of the connectors is connected to one of the joints of the single modules. The connector is for example in the form of a metal rod, in particular in the form of a flat rod. The connector is welded to the tab of the battery cell to establish electrical connection. This enables a particularly rapid and durable electrical connection of the battery cells, in particular to the connections of the cell modules.

In a further development of the invention, the connector and the terminal are welded together in the same step as the welding of the metal carrier to the cell housing. For example, it is provided that the welding of the connectors and the welding of the metal carrier take place in the same processing station when the battery cells or cell modules are arranged in a fixed position. For example, the battery cells of the cell module are first arranged adjacent to each other, and then the connectors are brought into contact with the tabs of the battery cells.

Subsequently, the connector is soldered to the joint. Furthermore, the metal carrier is welded to the cell housing without moving the battery cell. The connection of the metal carrier to the cell housing can be realized particularly simply and cost-effectively by welding in the same process step, in particular in an advantageous manner in order to integrate it into an existing production method of the power cell.

In a further development of the invention, the welding is carried out by laser welding. During welding, a laser beam is thus generated, in particular by means of a laser head. In the case of the use of a laser beam, the metal carrier and/or the monomer housing is locally melted, so that a cohesive connection is established. Laser welding can be carried out particularly quickly and cost-effectively, in particular at the same time with a low temperature applied to the battery cell.

In a further development of the invention, the welding of the connector to the joint is carried out by means of the same laser head that welds the metal carrier and the single-piece housing, or simultaneously with the welding of the metal carrier and the single-piece housing. If the welding of the connectors is carried out using the same laser head, the battery cells remain in any case in the same processing station. A laser beam generated by means of a laser head is then first used for welding the connector to the joint. The metal carrier is then welded to the cell housing. Of course, the reverse order may be specified.

The laser head is moved between performing the welding of the connector to the joint and the welding of the metal carrier to the cell housing in order to align the laser beam. Alternatively, the soldering of the connector and the soldering of the metal carrier may be performed simultaneously. For example, a plurality of laser heads is provided for this purpose. This simultaneous welding makes it possible to produce the power cell particularly quickly.

In a further development of the invention, the at least one temperature sensor is arranged on a printed circuit board connected to the metal carrier. The electrical connection of the temperature sensor, for example, to a controller, in particular to the controller of the power cell, is effected via a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is connected to or fixed to a metal carrier. The connection of the printed circuit board to the metal carrier is realized in such a way that the temperature sensor is thermally conductively coupled to the metal carrier, so that the temperature of the metal carrier can be measured by means of the temperature sensor.

Preferably, the printed circuit board is arranged on the metal carrier in such a way that the temperature sensor rests directly on the metal carrier or is, alternatively, thermally connected to the metal carrier by means of a thermally conductive material. For example, a thermal conductive paste or the like is used as the thermal conductive material. The described approach enables accurate temperature measurement while reliably electronically contacting the temperature sensor.

In a further development of the invention, a flexible printed circuit board is used as the printed circuit board. Flexible printed circuit boards are composed, for example, of films, in particular polyimide films, and conductor tracks applied thereto. The use of a flexible printed circuit board has the advantage that it has only a small thermal capacity, thus preventing distortion of the temperature measurement by means of the temperature sensor. Furthermore, a small size of the individual modules can be achieved by means of a flexible printed circuit board, since the flexible printed circuit board can be mounted with a minimum of space. Tolerance compensation is also achieved by means of a flexible printed circuit board, which in particular allows compensation movements due to aging phenomena and/or thermal stresses within the monolithic module.

In a further development of the invention, the metal carrier has support legs which are wider than the connection region supporting the at least one temperature sensor and are welded to the cell housing of the respective battery cell. The metal carrier has support legs and a connection region in this respect. The temperature sensor acts on the connection region or the temperature sensor is supported by the connection region. The connection regions are fixed to the cell housings of the respective battery cells by means of support legs. For this purpose, the support legs are welded to the cell housing. The support leg has a larger dimension in one direction than the connection region. A reliable welding to the single-piece housing can thereby be achieved. The support leg may also be referred to as a fixing boss (Befestigungsfahne).

One refinement of the invention provides for a prismatic battery cell to be used as the battery cell. That is, the cell housing is rigidly constructed so as to at least partially or even completely prevent the volume change of the battery cells. The battery cell enables a particularly high packing density of the battery cell in the cell module.

The invention further relates to a production device for producing a power battery of a motor vehicle, in particular for carrying out a method according to an embodiment within the scope of the present description, wherein the production device is provided and designed for arranging at least one cell module having a plurality of battery cells in a receiving compartment of a battery housing of the power battery. The production device is also provided and designed for providing each of the battery cells with a separate temperature sensor, wherein in each case at least one temperature sensor is arranged on a respective metal carrier and the metal carrier is welded to the cell housing of the respective battery cell.

The advantages of this design of the method or the production device are already indicated. Both the production device and the method for operating the same can be modified according to the embodiments within the scope of the present description, so that reference is made to the production device and the method for this purpose.

Drawings

The invention is explained in detail below with the aid of embodiments shown in the drawings, without limiting the invention. Description of the drawings:

figure 1 shows a part of a power cell of a motor vehicle in a schematic view, namely a battery cell of a cell module,

FIG. 2 shows a first illustration of an arrangement of a temperature sensor and a metal carrier in a schematic view, an

Fig. 3 shows a second diagram of an arrangement of a temperature sensor and a metal carrier.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a region of a power cell 1 having at least one cell module, which is not shown in detail here. The cell module has a plurality of battery cells 2, one of which is shown here. The battery cell 2 has a cell housing 3, on which two electrical connections 4 and 5 are arranged. Furthermore, the cell housing 3 has a safety valve 6 in order to prevent an excessively high internal pressure of the battery cell 2.

A temperature sensor 7 is fixed to the cell housing 3, i.e., the temperature sensor is fixed to the cell housing by a metal carrier 8. The metal carrier 8 is welded to the cell housing 3 of the battery cell 2. Preferably, each of the battery cells 2 of the power battery 1 is assigned a separate temperature sensor 7, which is connected to the respective cell housing 3 of the respective battery cell 2 via a metal carrier 8.

The connection of the temperature sensor 7 to the cell housing 3 via the metal carrier 8 has the advantage that a very effective thermal coupling is established between the temperature sensor 7 and the cell housing 3, so that the temperature of the battery cell 2 can be measured with high accuracy by means of the temperature sensor 7. Furthermore, the connection of the temperature sensor 7 to the cell housing 3 is resistant to aging, i.e. does not depend or only to a very small extent on the aging of the power cell 1 or the battery cell 2.

Fig. 2 shows a very schematic representation of the arrangement of the temperature sensor 7 and the metal carrier 8. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, a plurality of temperature sensors 7 are arranged on a metal carrier 8 and are connected to the cell housing 3 via said metal carrier. The electrical contacting of the temperature sensor 7 is effected by a printed circuit board 9, which in the exemplary embodiment shown here preferably is present as a flexible printed circuit board.

The metal carrier 8 has supporting legs 10 and a connecting region 11. The support legs 10 are welded to the cell case 3 of the respective battery cells 2. The temperature sensor 7 is connected to a support leg 10 via a connection region 11. The support legs 10 are constructed integrally and in material correspondence with the connecting region 11, i.e. consist of the same continuous material.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative view of the described arrangement of temperature sensor 7 and metal carrier 8. It can be seen that the supporting leg 10 has a greater width than the connecting region 11 and in this case protrudes preferably in one direction on both sides over the connecting region 11. This ensures that the metal carrier 8 is contacted to the cell housing 3 without defects, i.e. is simply soldered. For example, the metal carrier 8 is connected to the cell housing 3 by at least one welding point, but particularly preferably by a plurality of welding points, in order to achieve a particularly secure hold of the temperature sensor 7 on the cell housing 3.

The described design of the power cell 1 or the described mode of operation when connecting the temperature sensor 7 to the battery cell 2 has the following advantages: on the one hand, the temperature of the respective battery cell 2 can be measured with high accuracy. On the other hand, the connection of the temperature sensor 7 is largely independent of aging influences, so that the accuracy of the temperature measurement is ensured over the service life of the power cell 1.

List of reference numerals:

1 power battery

2 Battery monomer

3 single body case

4 joint

5 joint

6 safety valve

7 temperature sensor

8 Metal Carrier

9 printed circuit board

10 support leg

11 connection region