U.S. patent application number 12/102052 was filed with the patent office on 2008-12-25 for device for mounting battery cells of a battery pack.
This patent application is currently assigned to METABOWERKE GMBH. Invention is credited to Arttu Daeschler, Olaf Schmid.
Application Number | 20080314792 12/102052 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38261597 |
Filed Date | 2008-12-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080314792 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Daeschler; Arttu ; et
al. |
December 25, 2008 |
Device for Mounting Battery Cells of a Battery Pack
Abstract
A device which holds rechargeable batteries cells in a battery
pack, in particular for a handheld electric tool, with a first
holding part and a second holding part which together with the
interposed battery cells can be joined and affixed to one another.
The invention includes protrusions of the first holding part
extending in the assembly direction which are formed with a
yieldable outer periphery, so that they can be inserted into and
locked in openings formed in the second holding part.
Inventors: |
Daeschler; Arttu;
(Esslingen, DE) ; Schmid; Olaf; (Stuttgart,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NORRIS, MCLAUGHLIN & MARCUS
875 THIRD AVE, 18TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10022
US
|
Assignee: |
METABOWERKE GMBH
Nuertingen
DE
|
Family ID: |
38261597 |
Appl. No.: |
12/102052 |
Filed: |
April 14, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/705 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01M 50/213 20210101;
Y02E 60/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/705 |
International
Class: |
B65D 71/00 20060101
B65D071/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 22, 2007 |
EP |
07 012 261.9-2316 |
Claims
1. A device for securing rechargeable battery cells in a battery
pack, comprising: a first holding part having protrusions extending
in an assembly direction and being formed with a yieldable outer
periphery, and a second holding part having openings adapted to
mate with the protrusions, wherein the battery cells are interposed
between the first holding part and the second holding part, and the
first holding part and the second holding part are joined and
affixed to one another by inserting the protrusions into the
openings to form the battery pack.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the protrusions are formed as
pins.
3. The device of claim 1, wherein an outer periphery of the
protrusions is tapered.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the tapered outer periphery of
the protrusions has a conical contour
5. The device of claim 3, wherein the taper of the protrusions
encloses an angle of 0.5.degree. to 3.0.degree. with the assembly
direction.
6. The device of claim 1, wherein the protrusions include a
slot.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first holding part and the
protrusions are formed as a single piece.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first holding part and the
protrusions are formed from separate individual components.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and
second holding parts comprises spacer elements, with the spacer
elements separating adjacent battery cells.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the openings of the second
holding part have a tapered inside contour.
11. The device of claim 10, wherein the inside contour of the
openings has a conical shape.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first
holding part and the second holding part comprises a frame which
secures the battery cells against movement perpendicular to the
assembly direction.
13. The device of claim 12, wherein the frame comprises openings or
recesses in at least one of the first holding part and the second
holding part.
14. The device of claim 12, wherein the frame comprises, in the
assembly direction, a passageway extending through at least one of
the first holding part and the second holding part, with the
passageway providing external access to the battery cells.
15. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first
holding part and the second holding part is formed as an injection
molded plastic part.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first
holding part and the second holding part comprises a limit stop in
the assembly direction.
17. The device of claim 16, wherein the limit stop is formed as a
shoulder disposed on the protrusions perpendicular to the assembly
direction.
18. The device of claim 16, wherein the device is configured for
installation in a handheld electric tool.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention is directed to a device for mounting battery
cells of a battery pack, in particular for a handheld electric
tool, with a first holding part and a second holding part which can
be joined and locked onto one another by interposing the
rechargeable battery cells.
[0002] Such devices are generally known. The first holding part is
connected to and locked onto the second holding part by a clip
connection. However, with the clip connection, the first holding
part and the second holding part can only be secured with respect
to one another with a certain spacing, making such devices suitable
only for battery cells of a certain geometry, in particular battery
cells having a certain height.
[0003] In another device, the first holding part is connected with
the second holding part by a screw connection which, however, is
time-consuming.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a device which
can be more easily assembled.
[0005] This object is attained by the invention with a device
wherein protrusions of the first holding part extending in the
assembly direction are formed with a yieldable outer periphery, so
that they can be inserted into openings of the second holding part
and locked therein.
[0006] Although the openings have an inside contour which is
substantially complementary to the outer contour of the
protrusions, the openings are slightly tapered towards the outer
contour, so that the protrusions of the first holding part can be
lockingly secured in the openings.
[0007] Through latching with the protrusions, battery cells of
different height can be gripped with the device of the invention.
The assembly process is also simplified substantially. A yieldable
outside diameter is defined as a diameter which can change, in
particular be tapered, perpendicular to the assembly
direction,.
[0008] In an advantageous embodiment of the device of the
invention, the protrusions are formed as pins. The protrusions
extend as columns in the assembly direction from the first holding
part towards the second holding part. Advantageously, the device is
compact and open perpendicular to the assembly direction.
[0009] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the outer
periphery of the protrusions has a slightly tapered, in particular
conical contour. The protrusions can then be easily inserted into
the openings without requiring exactly alignment.
[0010] The tapered outer periphery of the protrusions is preferably
inclined by an angle of 0.5.degree. to 3.0.degree. with respect to
the assembly direction.
[0011] In an advantageous exemplary embodiment of the invention,
the protrusions have at least one slot. The at least one slot can
extend in the assembly direction and can be contiguous throughout
the protrusion, i.e., the slot can divide the protrusion into
segments. Alternatively, several slots in form of a cross slot
arrangement may be provided. Preferably, the protrusion has a slot
that extends in the assembly direction and ends at the free end of
the protrusion, as viewed in the assembly direction. The segments
of the protrusion formed in this manner can the move towards one
another or be pressed against each other. This arrangement realizes
a yieldable outer periphery.
[0012] In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the device, the first
holding part and the protrusions are formed as a single piece or
from separate individual components. The protrusions and the first
holding part can therefore be produced in a single common injection
molding process or can be assembled in a later processing step.
Advantageously, the first holding part and the second holding part
can be used for different battery cells of significantly different
height, wherein the protrusions need only match the height of the
actually employed batteries.
[0013] In another modification of the aforedescribed device, the
first and/or the second holding part include spacer elements which
each separate two adjacent battery cells. The spacer elements can
be formed as a single piece with the first or the second holding
part or can be attached as separate components to the first or
second holding part. Advantageously, by separating the adjacent
battery cells, the battery cells may be prevented from contacting
each other so that even battery cells which are not electrically
insulated can be used.
[0014] According to yet another exemplary embodiment of the device,
the openings of the second holding part have a tapered interior
contour and, more particularly, are conically shaped.
[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the device of the
invention, the first holding part and/or the second holding part
have frame means, which secure the battery cells and prevent them
from moving perpendicular to the assembly direction. For example,
the frame means may be formed as one piece with the holding parts;
alternatively, the frame means may be separate individual
components, which are made of one or several separate individual
components and are inserted into the holding parts. The frame means
are formed with a geometry that is complementary to the geometry of
the battery cell, so that the battery cells are positively locked
by the frame means. This prevents the battery cells from wobbling
in the holding parts.
[0016] In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment of the
device, the frame means are formed as openings or recesses in the
first and/or in the second holding part. The frame means is hence
an integral component of the first and/or second holding part,
resulting in a very compact device with a small parts count.
[0017] In a modified embodiment of the aforedescribed invention,
the frame means have in the assembly direction an opening extending
through the first and/or the second holding part, making a battery
cell accessible from the outside. In this way, the battery cells
can be contacted or welded to each other, for example by using
contact sheets.
[0018] Moreover, in another exemplary embodiment of the device, the
first and/or the second holding part, including the protrusions, is
preferably formed as a plastic injection molded part.
[0019] Advantageously, the first and/or the second holding part
have a limit stop in the assembly direction. By providing a limit
stop, the device can be adapted to battery cells of a defined size,
wherein the assembled device has a predefined height.
[0020] In yet another exemplary embodiment of the device, the limit
stop is formed on the protrusions as a shoulder perpendicular to
the assembly direction.
[0021] Additional features, details and advantages of the invention
are recited in the dependent claims and the drawings and in the
following description of a preferred embodiment of the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0022] The drawing shows in:
[0023] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a first holding part of a
device according to the invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 a perspective view of a second holding part of the
device according to the invention; and
[0025] FIG. 3 a perspective view of the assembled device according
to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] The figures illustrate a device 2 for mounting rechargeable
battery cells 4 in a battery pack, wherein a first holding part 6
can be connected with a second holding part 8. The first holding
part 6 has protrusions which extend in an assembly direction 10 and
can be inserted into openings 14 of the second holding part 8,
where they can be locked in position.
[0027] FIG. 1 shows the first holding part 6 of the device 2 with
the protrusions 12 being formed with the first holding part 6 as a
single part. The protrusions 12 have a conical outer contour and a
slot 16 with an open edge towards the free end. With the open slot
16, the respective protrusion 12 can be pressed together by moving
the sections created by the slot 16 towards one another. This
produces the yieldable outer periphery. In addition, the
protrusions 12 have each a limit stop 20 implemented as a shoulder
18.
[0028] In addition to the protrusions 12, spacer elements 22
separating the installed battery cells 4 are arranged on the first
holding part 6. The spacer elements 22, like the protrusions 12,
have shoulders 18 which can operate as a limit stop.
[0029] Spacer elements 22 and protrusions 12 are arranged between
frame means 24 of the first mounting part; these space the battery
cells 4, which are not illustrated in FIG. 1, apart from one
another. The frame means 24 are hereby formed by cavities 26
extending in the assembly direction 10. The frame means 24 are used
to secure the battery cells 4 perpendicular to the assembly
direction. The first holding part 6 also has a limit stop 29 formed
by a wall 28.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows the second holding part 8 with openings 14
configured to complement the protrusions 12. Moreover, the second
holding part 8 has likewise spacer elements 22 which are configured
to contact in an end position the shoulders 18 of the spacer
elements 22 of the first mounting part 6. The second mounting part
8 also has frame means 24 formed by indentations 26.
[0031] FIG. 2 shows more clearly that the cavities 26 in the first
holding part 6 and in the second holding part 8 are formed as a
passageway 32 with an axial material edge 30 that prevents the
battery cells 4 from sliding out. The battery cells 4 can be
accessed and contacted from the outside via this passageway. The
passageways 32 are formed in both the first holding part 6 and in
the second holding part 8.
[0032] FIG. 3 shows the assembled device 2. The battery cells 4 are
hereby arranged between the first holding part 6 and the second
holding part 8. The first holding part 6 and the second holding
part 8 are inserted into one another and contact each other at
limit stop 20, thereby preventing further relative movement between
the two holding parts in the assembly direction 10. FIG. 3 also
illustrates that, after the first holding part 6 and the second
holding part 8 have been assembled, the battery cells are contacted
by a metal sheet 34, so that they cooperate in a battery pack.
[0033] Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed
out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a
preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various
omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of
the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by
those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the
invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all
combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform
substantially the same function in substantially the same way to
achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention.
Substitutions of elements from one described embodiment to another
are also fully intended and contemplated. It is also to be
understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale but
that they are merely conceptual in nature. It is the intention,
therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the
claims appended hereto.
* * * * *