KR101787069B1 - Series connection apparatus of battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a serial connection device for a battery module. The present invention relates to a serial connection device for a battery module which connects electrodes of a plurality of battery cells provided in a battery module in series, the device being made of an insulating material and having a substrate mounting part at the bottom thereof and electrically connected to the electrodes of the battery cells A circuit board (30) fixed to the substrate seating part and having an electrical part (40) mounted thereon, a circuit board (30) on which the electrical part (40) (P) filled in a coating section (18) formed on the electric component (10) and coating the electric component (40). In the present invention, the coating liquid for coating the electric component 40 mounted on the circuit board 30 is only filled in the coating section 18 partitioned by the main frame 10, so that it does not flow outward. Therefore, a coating liquid having a low viscosity can be used for coating, and bubbles can be prevented from being generated in the coating process.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a series connection apparatus for a battery module,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a serial connection device for a battery module, and more particularly to a serial connection device for a battery module having a structure in which a component mounted on an adjacent circuit board is covered with a coating solution.

A battery used in an electric vehicle is composed of a plurality of battery modules in order to supply as much power as necessary. The battery module also includes a plurality of battery cells. When the battery cells are connected in series, relatively large power can be supplied. To this end, a device for sequentially connecting the positive electrode and the negative electrode of a plurality of battery cells in one battery pack is a serial connection device.

In the serial connection device, there are a plurality of cell bus bars electrically connected to the electrodes of the battery cell, and the cell bus bars are soldered to the substrate of the serial connection device and are electrically connected. At the same time, each cell bus bar is connected to each other through a cell tap of the battery cells and ultrasonic welding, thereby connecting the plurality of battery cells.

At this time, electric parts such as fuses mounted on the circuit board are damaged in the process of ultrasonic welding the cell bus bar and the cell tab of the battery cell. That is, an external force such as a strong vibration generated in the ultrasonic welding process is transmitted to the fuse of the substrate to damage the fuse.

In order to prevent this, a coating liquid is applied so as to cover the electrical parts such as fuses. The coating liquid is used to prevent fuses and the like from being damaged by covering electric components such as fuses. However, when the coating liquid is flowed to the peripheral part in the process of covering the electrical parts using the coating liquid, electrical conduction problems may occur. For example, if the coating liquid covers the cell bus bar, there may be a problem in connection between the cell bus bar and the battery cell.

To solve this problem, when the viscosity of the coating liquid is increased, bubbles are generated due to air inflow. FIG. 1 is a view showing a coating portion where bubbles are generated as a result of using a coating liquid having a high viscosity by using a conventional technique.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2017-0021698

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical component that is coated with a coating solution having a low viscosity so that the coating solution can be applied only to a necessary portion without flowing out of the electrical component.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a serial connection device for a battery module that connects electrodes of a plurality of battery cells provided in a battery module in series, A main frame having a substrate seating part and provided with a plurality of cell bus bars electrically connected to the electrodes of the battery cells, a circuit board fixed to the substrate seating part and having electrical parts mounted thereon, And a coating portion filled with a coating liquid to coat the electrical component.

Wherein the height of the inner wall of the coating section is higher than the height of the electrical component and the height of the coating part is greater than the height of the electrical component and the height of the inner wall of the coating section Less than or equal.

The coating section is formed by passing through the main frame vertically, and the lower end of the coating section is connected to the substrate seating section.

A plurality of coating sections are formed along the longitudinal direction of the circuit board and a connector fastening section is provided between the adjacent coating sections.

A bus bar inserting portion for inserting a part of the cell bus bar is formed at a position spaced apart from the coating section, and the bus bar inserting portion is formed to pass through the main frame vertically.

The circuit board is assembled to a lower portion of the main frame by a plurality of fasteners, and an upper surface of the circuit board is partially exposed through the coating section and the connector fastening portion.

The serial connection device for a battery module according to the present invention as described above has the following effects.

In the present invention, the coating liquid for coating electric components mounted on the circuit board is only filled in the coating section partitioned by the main frame, so that the coating liquid does not flow outwardly. Accordingly, a coating liquid having a low viscosity can be used for coating, so that bubbles are prevented from being generated during the coating process, and as a result, the quality of the serial connection device for the battery module is improved.

In the present invention, since the coating section clearly divides the portion to which the coating liquid is applied, the portion where the electrical component is mounted and the portion where the cell bus bar is installed can be designed as close as possible. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the total area of the serial connection device for the battery module, thereby enabling downsizing.

Further, in the present invention, the circuit board is coupled to the lower portion of the main frame of the serial connection device and only the required portion is exposed upward. Accordingly, interference between the circuit board and other components is minimized, and damage to the substrate due to interference is prevented, so that operational reliability is improved, and since the exposed portion is the assembly portion, the operator can easily recognize the assembly portion, .

FIG. 1 is a photograph showing a state in which air bubbles are generated in a coated portion as a result of using a high viscosity coating liquid for coating electrical components of a serial connection device for a battery module. FIG.
2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an embodiment of a serial connection device for a battery module according to the present invention;
3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the embodiment shown in Fig.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the structure of the embodiment shown in FIG.
5 is a perspective view showing the lower structure of the embodiment shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state before the coating portion is formed in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2; FIG.
7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of one embodiment shown in Fig.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. It should be noted that, in adding reference numerals to the constituent elements of the drawings, the same constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals whenever possible, even if they are shown in different drawings. In the following description of the embodiments of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the understanding why the present invention is not intended to be interpreted.

In describing the components of the embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are intended to distinguish the constituent elements from other constituent elements, and the terms do not limit the nature, order or order of the constituent elements. When a component is described as being "connected", "coupled", or "connected" to another component, the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, Quot; may be "connected," "coupled," or "connected. &Quot;

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a serial connection device for a battery module that connects electrodes of a plurality of battery cells provided in a battery module in series. To this end, the serial connection device for a battery module of the present invention is installed across a plurality of battery cells, wherein the battery module and the battery cell are omitted.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a serial connection device for a battery module according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a serial connection device for a battery module according to the present invention. A serial connection device for a battery module of the present invention comprises a main frame (10) and a circuit board (30). Here, the main frame 10 forms a lower portion fixed to the battery module, and the circuit board 30 is installed on the main frame 10 to electrically connect the battery cells.

Referring to the main frame 10, the main frame 10 is made of an insulating material and is formed long in one direction so as to cross a plurality of battery cells. For reference, only the main central part of the entire structure of the main frame 10 is shown in the figure. In fact, the main frame 10 extends further in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and the cell bus bars are fixed to the extended portions.

A substrate seating portion (not shown) is formed on the bottom surface of the main frame 10. The substrate seating portion is formed on the bottom surface of the main frame 10, and is not shown in FIG. 2, and the circuit board 30 is assembled in a bottom perspective view in FIG. The circuit board 30 to be described below is closely attached to the substrate seating portion, and the circuit board 30 is fixed thereto by the fastening means. Since the substrate seating part is on the bottom surface of the main frame 10, only a part of the substrate seating part is exposed on the upper surface of the main frame 10, and the remaining part is shielded. This structure will be described below again.

2, there are a plurality of bus bar seats 13 on both sides of the center of the main frame 10. As shown in Fig. The bus bar seating portion 13 is a portion where the cell bus bar is seated. The actual bus bar receiving portion 13 extends longer but is only partially shown in the drawing. A fastening hole 14 is formed in the bus bar seating part 13 for fastening the cell bus bar seated in the bus bar seating part 13.

The bus bar seating portion 13 has a support post 15. The support posts (15) extend upward from one edge of the bus bar seat (13). The support posts 15 are for supporting vertical vertical portions of the cell bus bars and have a structure capable of being elastically deformed to some extent. The support posts (15) are provided for each of the bus bar seats (13).

A bus bar insertion portion 16 is formed in the main frame 10. The bus bar inserting portion 16 is formed at a position adjacent to the bus bar receiving portion 13 in the main frame 10 and is formed by vertically opening the main frame 10 as shown in FIG. . The coupling end of the cell bus bar is located in the bus bar insertion portion 16. The cell bus bar can be insert injection-molded integrally into the main frame 10 during the injection molding process of the main frame 10. In this process, the connecting end of the cell bus bar is inserted into the bus bar inserting portion 16 It is located.

The main frame 10 has a connector fastening portion 17. The connector fastening portion 17 is formed to be opened upward and downward in the central portion of the main frame 10. A connector (not shown) is fitted to the connector fastening portion 17. Since the connector fastening portion 17 is opened up and down, the circuit board 30 positioned below is exposed. Therefore, the connector can be directly fitted to the circuit board 30 exposed by the connector fastening portion 17. In the present embodiment, the number of the connector fastening portions 17 is two, but the number of the connector fastening portions 17 is not limited thereto.

The main frame 10 has a coating section 18. The coating section 18 is a portion which is opened in the up and down direction like the connector fastening section 17. A part of the circuit board 30 may be exposed to the upper portion by the coating section 18. More precisely, the upper surface 31 of the circuit board 30 and the electric component 40 mounted thereon are exposed upward by the coating section 18. [ In this embodiment, the electrical component 40 exposed upward is a surface mount type fuse. The surface-mount type micro fuse (SMD) is a type of surface-mount devices (SMDs) that are disconnected from heat generated by the current-generating action when an electric current exceeding a predetermined level flows through the electric device or a short- It can be regarded as a protection device for preventing burnout of the battery 40 and overdischarge of the battery. A plurality of the surface mount type fuses are mounted on the circuit board 30.

At this time, the surface mount type fuse needs to be protected. This is because the surface mount type fuse is liable to be damaged in the course of the cell bus bar being ultrasonically welded with the cell tab of the battery cell. To this end, the surface mount type fuse is covered by the coating portion (P). For reference, FIG. 2 shows a surface-mounted fuse completely covered by the coating portion P. FIG. The surface-mounted fuse can be protected without being exposed by the coating portion (P).

The coating section (18) is formed through the main frame (10). The coating section 18 forms a predetermined space. More precisely, the coating section 18 is a space surrounded by an inner wall, and in this embodiment, it is substantially rectangular. The edge of the coating section 18 is in close contact with the upper surface 31 of the circuit board 30 so that the filling liquid for application does not flow.

The filling liquid applied to the coating section 18 is cured to become a coating section P. The coating portion P has the same shape as the coating portion 18 because the filling liquid (coating liquid) filled in the coating portion 18 is cured. The coating portion P protects the surface mount type fuse 40, which is the electrical component 40, during the filling process. The coating part P may be formed by filling the filling part in the lower part of the coating section 18 at the upper part of the coating section 18. In this process, the coating section 18 serves as a kind of guiding wall to prevent the filling liquid from flowing outward. Therefore, the filling liquid is prevented from covering the other mounted parts of the peripheral circuit board 30 and the cell bus bar, and the operator can use the filling liquid having a low viscosity.

The electrical component 40 is positioned inside the coating section 18 and the height of the inner wall of the coating section 18 is higher than the height of the electrical component 40. The coating portion P can completely cover the surface mount type fuse as the electrical component 40. At the same time, the height at which the coating portion P is filled is preferably larger than the height of the electrical component 40 but less than or equal to the height of the inner wall of the coating portion 18. This is to prevent the coating portion P from flowing out of the coating section 18. 7, the coating portion P is completely enclosed by the surface mount type fuse, and is located lower than the upper end of the inner wall of the coating section 18.

Next, the circuit board 30 will be fixed to the bottom surface of the main frame 10 with the printed circuit board 30. The circuit board 30 can be fixed to the main frame 10 by the fastening tool B and is basically covered by the main frame 10 on the bottom surface of the main frame 10.

A part of the circuit board 30 is exposed to the upper portion of the main frame 10. The exposed portions are the connector fastening portion 17 and the coating portion 18 described above. Since only a part of the circuit board 30 is exposed, it is easy for the operator to recognize that the exposed portion is the bonding site. A connector is assembled to the connector fastening part 17 and a coating part P is formed in the coating part 18.

An assembling protrusion 33 protrudes from the edge of the circuit board 30 and a substrate hole 35 is formed in the circuit board 30. The substrate hole 35 is assembled at a position corresponding to a front end portion of the cell bus bar. The substrate holes 35 are formed at regular intervals along the edge of the circuit board 30.

Hereinafter, a process for manufacturing a serial connection device for a battery module according to the present invention will be described. First, the operator assembles the circuit board 30 to the main frame 10. The circuit board 30 is fixed to the main frame 10 with the fastener B. The electric component 40 may be already mounted on the circuit board 30. However, 40 may be mounted. At this time, as described above, the cell bus bar is integrated with the main frame 10 through insert injection.

In this state, a part of the upper surface 31 of the circuit board 30 is exposed to the upper portion, and the remainder is not exposed. The exposed portions are the connector fastening portion 17 and the coating portion 18. The connector fastening part 17 and the coating section 18 pass through the main frame 10 and thus are in a state seen from above. As such, in the present invention, the circuit board 30 is coupled to the lower portion of the main frame 10 of the serial connection device, and only the required portion thereof is exposed upwardly. Therefore, interference between the circuit board 30 and other components is minimized, so that operational reliability is improved, and since the exposed portion is the assembled portion, the operator can easily recognize the assembled portion.

The exposed coating section 18 is filled with a coating liquid. The coating liquid is a coating liquid having a low viscosity. The coating section 18 is filled only in the coating section 18 partitioned by the main frame 10 and does not flow out of the coating section 18. [ Therefore, in this embodiment, a coating liquid having a low viscosity can be used for coating, and bubbles are prevented from being generated during the coating process.

At this time, the electrical component 40 is located inside the coating section 18, and the height of the inner side wall of the coating section 18 is higher than the height of the electrical component 40. Therefore, the surface-mounted fuse as the electrical component 40 can completely cover the coating portion P. At the same time, the height at which the coating portion P is filled is larger than the height of the electrical component 40 but less than or equal to the height of the inner side wall of the coating portion 18 so that the coating solution flows out of the coating portion 18 It prevents you. Fig. 7 shows a state in which the coating liquid is filled.

Meanwhile, since the coating section 18 clearly divides the portion to which the coating liquid is applied to the adjacent portion, the portion where the electrical component 40 is mounted and the portion where the cell bus bar is installed can be designed as close as possible. In this embodiment, the bus bar insertion portion 16 for fixing the cell bus bar seated in the bus bar seating portion 13 is located at a position very close to the coating region 18. [

When the filling is completed, the connector is inserted into the connector fastening part 17 finally, and then the serial connection device for the battery module is fixed to the battery pack. In this process, the tabs respectively provided in the battery cells built in the battery pack are welded to the cell bus bars of the serial connection device for the battery module. In this welding process, external force such as strong vibration is transmitted to the fuse of the substrate. In this embodiment, however, the surface mount type fuse 40, which is the electrical component 40, is completely covered with the coating portion P and is not damaged.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. That is, within the scope of the present invention, all of the components may be selectively coupled to one or more of them. Furthermore, the terms "comprises", "comprising", or "having" described above mean that a component can be implanted unless otherwise specifically stated, But should be construed as including other elements. All terms, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as predefined terms, should be interpreted to be consistent with the contextual meanings of the related art, and are not to be construed as ideal or overly formal, unless expressly defined to the contrary.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention but to limit the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention should be construed according to the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope of equivalents should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.

10: main frame 13: bus bar seat part
15: support post 17: connector fastening portion
18: Coating section 30: Circuit board
40: electrical part P: coating part

Claims (7)

1. A serial connection device for a battery module that connects electrodes of a plurality of battery cells provided in a battery module in series,
A main frame having a plurality of cell bus bars electrically connected to the electrodes of the battery cells,
A circuit board fixed to the substrate mounting part and having an electrical component mounted on the circuit board,
And a coating portion filled with a coating liquid to coat the electric component so that the electrical component is exposed to the upper portion.
The electric apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electrical component is located inside the coating section, the height of the inner wall of the coating section is higher than the height of the electrical component, the height at which the coating section is filled is greater than the height of the electrical component, Or less than the height of the inner wall of the battery module.
3. The serial connection device for a battery module according to claim 2, wherein the coating section is formed by passing through the main frame vertically, and the lower end of the coating section is connected to the substrate seating part.
The serial connection device for a battery module according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of coating sections are formed along a longitudinal direction of the circuit board, and a connector fastening section is fastened between two adjacent coating sections.
2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein a bus bar inserting portion for inserting a part of the cell bus bar is formed at a position spaced apart from the coating section, Device.
6. A circuit board according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the circuit board is assembled to a lower portion of the main frame by a plurality of fasteners, and an upper surface of the circuit board is interposed between the coating section and two adjacent coating sections And a portion thereof is exposed upwardly through the formed connector fastening portion.
The serial connection device for a battery module according to claim 1, wherein the electrical component is composed of a plurality of surface mount type fuses.

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