CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR A BATTERY SYSTEM

• US 20180019451A1
• Filed: 07/13/2016
• Published: 01/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Limited), Tyco Electronics Japan GK (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Zhao, Weiping, Liu, Haifeng
• Granted Patent: US 10,454,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/08 Flat or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/256 Carrying devices, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/507 comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/516 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/18 by crimping H01R4/01, H01R4/2495 take precedence; for coaxial cables H01R9/0518
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A connector assembly includes a connector having a plurality of terminals configured to be mated with a control module connector associated with a battery module and a multi-wire planar cable extending from the connector along a cable axis. The multi-wire planar cable has a plurality of flat wires terminated to corresponding terminals and a common jacket for the plurality of flat wires. The flat wires have exposed terminating portions at a sensor end of the multi-wire planar cable for termination to different voltage sensors associated with corresponding buss bars. The terminating portions are staggered along the cable axis. The multi-wire planar cable is angled such that the cable axis is non-parallel to a cell stack-up direction of the battery cells with the exposed terminating portions being aligned along a terminating axis generally parallel to the cell stack-up direction.

Claims

1. A connector assembly for voltage monitoring battery cells of a battery module, the connector assembly comprising:

a connector having a plurality of terminals configured to be mated with a control module connector associated with the battery module;

a multi-wire planar cable extending from the connector along a cable axis, the multi-wire planar cable having a plurality of flat wires terminated to corresponding terminals and a common jacket for the plurality of flat wires, the flat wires having exposed terminating portions at a sensor end of the multi-wire planar cable for termination to different voltage sensors associated with corresponding buss bars of the battery module, the terminating portions being staggered along the cable axis, wherein the multi-wire planar cable is angled such that the cable axis is non-parallel to a cell stack-up direction of the battery cells with the exposed terminating portions being aligned along a terminating axis generally parallel to the cell stack-up direction.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein each flat wire has a different length between the connector and the corresponding terminating portion.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein each flat wire ends at the corresponding exposed terminating portion.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor end is stepped defined by the staggered terminating portions.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the terminating portions are separated from other flat wires and are independently movable relative to the other flat wires.

6. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the cable axis of the planar cable is angled relative to the buss bars.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the angle of the planar cable relative to the cell stack-up direction is defined by a width of the terminating portions and a pitch between the terminating portions.

8. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein each terminating portion includes a strain relief portion allowing the terminating portion to move relative to the other flat wires.

9. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the planar cable includes a plurality of cablets associated with corresponding flat wires, each cablet includes the corresponding exposed terminating portion and an insulating sleeve surrounding the flat wire, the insulating sleeve being a portion of the jacket of the planar cable, the cablet being independently movable relative to the other flat wires.

10. The connector assembly of claim 9, wherein the cablet is separated from the planar cable at a separation point, the separation point being aligned with the buss bar to which the corresponding terminating portion is terminated.

11. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the planar cable is angled away from a second planar cable.

12. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the jacket includes grooves between adjacent flat wires for controlled separation of the terminating portions and surrounding jacket portions.

13. A carrier assembly for battery cells of a battery module, the carrier assembly comprising:

a tray configured to be coupled to a top of the battery module over the battery cells, the tray holding a plurality of buss bars configured to electrically connect adjacent battery cells of the battery module, the buss bars having voltage sensors associated therewith;

a connector assembly coupled to the tray, the connector assembly having a connector including a plurality of terminals configured to be mated with a control module connector associated with the battery module and a multi-wire planar cable extending from the connector along a cable axis, the multi-wire planar cable having a plurality of flat wires terminated to corresponding terminals and a common jacket for the plurality of flat wires, the flat wires having exposed terminating portions at a sensor end of the multi-wire planar cable for termination to different voltage sensors associated with corresponding buss bars, the terminating portions being staggered along the cable axis, wherein the multi-wire planar cable is angled such that the cable axis is non-parallel to a cell stack-up direction of the battery cells with the exposed terminating portions being aligned along a terminating axis parallel to the cell stack-up direction.

14. The carrier assembly of claim 13, wherein each flat wire has a different length between the connector and the corresponding terminating portion.

15. The carrier assembly of claim 13, wherein the sensor end is stepped defined by the staggered terminating portions.

16. The carrier assembly of claim 13, wherein the terminating portions are separated from other flat wires and are independently movable relative to the other flat wires.

17. The carrier assembly of claim 13, wherein the angle of the planar cable relative to the cell stack-up direction is defined by a width of the terminating portions and a pitch between the terminating portions.

18. The carrier assembly of claim 13, wherein the tray holds a second connector assembly, the planar cable is angled away from a second planar cable of the second connector assembly.

19. A battery system comprising:

a plurality of battery cells forming a battery module, the battery cells being stacked in a cell stack-up direction;

a carrier assembly mounted to the battery module, the carrier assembly having a tray holding a plurality of buss bars for electrically connecting adjacent battery cells of the battery module, the buss bars having voltage sensors sensing a voltage of the corresponding buss bar; and

a connector assembly coupled to the tray, the connector assembly having a connector including a plurality of terminals configured to be mated with a control module connector associated with the battery module and a multi-wire planar cable extending from the connector along a cable axis, the multi-wire planar cable having a plurality of flat wires terminated to corresponding terminals and a common jacket for the plurality of flat wires, the flat wires having exposed terminating portions at a sensor end of the multi-wire planar cable for termination to different voltage sensors associated with corresponding buss bars, the terminating portions being staggered along the cable axis, wherein the multi-wire planar cable is angled such that the cable axis is non-parallel to a cell stack-up direction of the battery cells with the exposed terminating portions being aligned along a terminating axis parallel to the cell stack-up direction.

20. The battery system of claim 19, wherein each flat wire has a different length between the connector and the corresponding terminating portion.