Battery module, method for its operation, and its use

• US 10,644,362 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Bosch, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Noori, Masoud H
• Application Number:
  US16/217,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20190181511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 73761
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2031/022 using an ultrasonic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 31/02 for indicating the attainment of a particular tensile load or limiting tensile load apparatus for, or method of, determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member similarly stressed G01L5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/246 using acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/505 comprising a single busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/517 by fixing means, e.g. screws, rivets or bolts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module containing a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to one another in series or in parallel, two contact surfaces (14a, 14b) for the purposes of tapping off a module voltage of the battery module (10) and at least one bolted joint device (22) for the purposes of fixing a component (12), in particular a current-conducting component, of the battery module (10), wherein the at least one bolted joint device (22) is provided with a sensor (26) for the purposes of determining a preload force applied to the bolted joint device (22).

Claims

1. A battery module containing a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to one another in series or in parallel, two contact surfaces (14a, 14b) for tapping off a module voltage of the battery module (10), and with at least one bolted joint device (22) for fixing a component (12) of the battery module (10), characterized in that the at least one bolted joint device (22) has a sensor (26) for determining a preload force applied to the bolted joint device (22).

2. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor (26) is an ultrasound sensor, wherein a sound-generating and/or sound-measuring unit of the sensor (26) is located in physical contact with a surface of the bolted joint device (22).

3. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the component (12) is a cell connector (12) for electrical connection of two battery cells of the battery module (10), a bus bar of the battery module (10), or a contact surface (14a, 14b) of the battery module (10).

4. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that a battery controller (20) is furthermore provided, which is in a signal-conducting connection with the sensor (26), and which has means for determining, on the basis of measurement signals received from the sensor (26), and on the basis of a stored correlation between possible sensor signals and an associated preload force, the actual preload force present on the bolted joint, produced by way of the bolted joint device (22).

5. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of bolted joint devices (22) are provided, to each of which is assigned a sensor (26), to which is assigned a unique identifier, in particular a data matrix code.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, characterized in that an analogue/digital converter is provided in the signal-conducting connection between the sensor (26) and the battery control unit, which converter translates analogue measurement signals provided by the sensor (26) into digital signals, and transmits them to the battery control unit.

7. A method for the operation of battery module according to claim 1, the method comprising using the sensor (26) to check the preload force on a bolted joint effected by means of the bolted joint device (22), and, if the preload force falls below a predefined minimum value, issuing a fault message and/or switching the battery off.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the preload force is determined by means of an ultrasound sensor, the measurement signals of which are transmitted to a separate battery control unit.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that an analogue measurement signal is first generated, which is translated by means of an analogue/digital converter into a digital measurement signal, which is fed to a battery control unit by way of a data bus.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that an identifier of the sensor (26) generating the measurement signals is transmitted with the measurement signals.

11. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that a temperature compensation of the sensor signal takes place on the basis of the sensor signal and a measured temperature.

12. The method according to claim 7, further comprising using the battery module in batteries with an operating voltage of >

48 volts in mobile or stationary applications.

13. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the preload force is determined by means of an ultrasound sensor, the power supply of which is provided by way of the battery (10), and the measurement signals of which are transmitted to a separate battery control unit with the interposition of an analogue/digital converter.

14. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the component (12) is a current-conducting component.

15. The battery module according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor (26) is an ultrasound sensor, wherein a sound-generating and/or sound-measuring unit of the sensor (26) is located in planar contact with a surface of the bolted joint device (22).

16. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that an analogue/digital converter is provided in the signal-conducting connection between the sensor (26) and the battery control unit, which converter translates analogue measurement signals provided by the sensor (26) into digital signals, and transmits them to the battery control unit.

17. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that an analogue/digital converter is provided in the signal-conducting connection between the sensor (26) and the battery control unit, which converter translates analogue measurement signals provided by the sensor (26) into digital signals, and transmits them to the battery control unit by way of a data bus, wherein the analogue/digital converter is integrated into a sensor control unit (20).

18. The battery module according to claim 5, characterized in that an analogue/digital converter is provided in the signal-conducting connection between the sensor (26) and the battery control unit, which converter translates analogue measurement signals provided by the sensor (26) into digital signals, and transmits them to the battery control unit by way of a data bus, wherein the analogue/digital converter is integrated into a sensor control unit (20).