The invention concerns a battery holding unit for the accommodation of at least one electrochemical cell.
Such battery holding units in particular find application in stationary battery stations. Regenerative energy sources such as for example wind energy or solar energy have the disadvantage of a fluctuating power output. In appropriate weather conditions wind power plants or solar power plants can output a high level of power, but in the event of a pertinent alteration in the state of the weather the power output can reduce to a very low level within a short space of time. Such fluctuations make it necessary to store the energy that is converted during favourable weather conditions. Storage of this kind can be undertaken in battery stations in which a multiplicity of electrochemical cells is provided. If the wind power plants or the solar power plants are providing only a small amount of power the battery stations can compensate for the reduced power output.
Battery holding units of this kind can, however, also be used in battery charging stations and forming plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,940 shows a modular cabinet with a multiplicity of battery modules. Individual cabinet modules can be pulled out by a user to provide access to the battery modules. Current collectors of the batteries are facing towards the cabinet module opening and contact is made with them by means of cables or plug-in connectors.
US 2001/031392 A1 shows a mounting frame for battery modules, which has a number of openings for introduction of the battery modules. A spring-loaded current collector holding fixture can make snap-in contact with a cylindrical current collector.
WO 2003/065483 A2 shows a battery accommodation frame for the accommodation of a plurality of batteries that are stacked one above another. The batteries are connected with a side plate. The batteries have ribs on vertical side faces, which can be introduced into grooves on the side plates. The side plates comprise vertical edges, onto which electrical connecting elements can be fitted. The connecting elements extend in each case from an upper section of one of the batteries to a lower section of the battery that is arranged above it, so that individual batteries can be electrically connected with one another.
DE 44 11 842 A1 shows a battery charging station, which comprises a vertical conveyor with gondola-type baskets. Vehicle batteries can be accommodated in the baskets and charged. The baskets' current collectors are in sliding contact with power rails and are connected by means of cables to the batteries.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved battery holding unit for the accommodation of at least one electrochemical cell.
This object is achieved by means of a battery holding unit for the accommodation of at least one electrochemical cell, having a support surface for the purpose of depositing an electrochemical cell, and a contacting unit with a contact surface, wherein the contact surface can be brought into contact with a current collector of the electrochemical cell, and wherein the contacting unit has at least one contacting rail, on which the contact surface is arranged.
The contact surface can preferably be brought into contact directly with a current collector; alternatively, the contact surface can also be brought into contact with a current collector of the electrochemical cell indirectly.
In the context of the invention an electrochemical cell is to be understood as a device that serves for both the storage of chemical energy and the output of electrical energy. For this purpose the inventive electrochemical cell can be provided with an electrode stack or an electrode coil, which by means of a casing relative to the environment is to a large extent impervious to gases and liquids. The electrochemical cell can also be configured so as to accommodate electrical energy when it is being charged. It is then also called a secondary cell, or an accumulator.
Here a current collector is taken to mean an element that is manufactured from a current-conducting material. It serves the purpose of conducting current between two points that are geometrically separated from one another. In the present case a current collector can be connected with an electrode stack. In particular the current collector is thereby connected with all the electrodes, of an electrode stack of the same kind, i.e. with either the cathodes or the anodes. It is obvious that a current collector cannot simultaneously be connected with the cathodes and anodes of an electrode stack, since this would lead to a short-circuit. However, a current collector can be connected with different electrodes of different electrode stacks, for example, in the case of a series connection of two electrode stacks. At least one current collector preferably extends out of a casing of one electrochemical cell, and can thereby serve the purpose of connecting the battery cells to an external environment. The current collector can be integrally designed with one or a plurality of electrodes, or in principle can be designed in multiple pieces. A differentiation can be seen between current collector and electrode in that in particular the current collector is not coated with an active electrode material.
Here the contacting unit serves the purpose of making electrical contact between at least some parts of the battery holding unit, and at least some parts of the electrochemical cell to be accommodated. The contact surface, which is a component of the contacting unit, thereby consists of a current-conducting material, in particular a metallic material, and is provided for the purpose of making direct contact with another component, in particular the current conductor. However, a further component can also be arranged between the current conductor and the contact surface, such that the electrical contact between the contact surface and the current conductor can be made indirectly. In addition to the contact surface the contacting unit can have further components, which need not necessarily possess current-conducting properties.
Here a contacting rail is preferably to be understood as a component that has a cross-section that remains essentially constant over a certain axial extent. In a primary extent direction, namely in the present case a longitudinal axis, which preferably corresponds to a direction of introduction, the contacting rail in particular has an extent that is many times greater than that in other directions. The contacting rail can preferably be manufactured from an extruded profile section. An extruded profile section can be manufactured by pressing a blank through a die. The outer shape in the profile extrusion direction is thereby determined by the die, such that the cross-section remains essentially constant. The contact surface can be designed integrally with the contacting rail; in this case the contacting rail is manufactured from a current-conducting material. Alternatively, the contact surface can also be a separate component, which is arranged on the contacting rail. Here the contact surface can be connected with the contacting rail in the form of a material bond, or in a force fit manner. Here the contacting rail preferably has an essentially linear profile. The linear profile thereby preferably corresponds essentially to the longitudinal axis of the contacting rail.
The support surface can be provided and/or designed so as to hold or carry a component of the weight of the electrochemical cell. The support surface can be arranged on a contacting rail.
The inventive battery holding unit has the advantage that fitting the electrochemical cells and making contact with them can take place in a few steps of the method. With the positioning the electric chemical cells in their defined rest locations the correct contacts with and between them can already be made. The battery holding unit can thereby enable contact to be simply made with the electrochemical cells at different locations. Furthermore, different formats of electrochemical cells can be used in such battery holding units.
In a preferred configuration of the invention spring means can be provided, which impose a force on the contact surface. This imposition of a force can take place indirectly and/or directly. In an indirect application of force the spring means can preferably firstly impose a force on the contacting rail, by means of which a force is in turn imposed on the contact surface. However, the spring means can also be arranged between the contacting rail and the contact surface, such that the spring means impose a force on the contact surface relative to the contacting rail. Application of force can in principle take place in the direction towards the support surface, i.e., in particular, such that the application of force can take place in a direction at right-angles to a plane of the support surface. This is, in particular, of advantage if the contact between contact surface and current collector takes place along surfaces that are aligned essentially parallel to the support surface. Alternatively, the application of force can also take place in a direction that is aligned parallel to the plane of the support surface. This is in particular, of advantage if the contact surfaces and the current collectors are in contact with one another on surfaces that are aligned at right-angles to the plane of the support surface.
In particular, if the spring means impose a force on the contact surface in a direction running essentially transverse to the support surface, the electrochemical cell can be fixed in the battery holding unit by force fit such that further options for securement can be dispensed with. To this end the spring means can be dimensioned such that the electrochemical cells are held in their defined locations such that no inadvertent displacement is possible. In an intended manual or automated release of the electrochemical cell from its defined location, an actuation force can overcome the retention force determined by static friction. A current collector can preferably be seated on a support surface.
The contacting rail preferably has a greater extent along a longitudinal axis of the contacting rail than an electrochemical cell that is to be inserted. Here the contacting rail is preferably several times larger along the longitudinal axis of the contacting rail than an electrochemical cell that is to be inserted in this direction. By this means a plurality of electrochemical cells can be arranged one behind another along the contacting rail. Thus a plurality of electrochemical cells can preferably make contact with one contacting rail.
The contacting rail is preferably arranged spaced apart from the support surface. Thereby an holding space can preferably ensue between the contacting rail and the support surface, in which the electrochemical cell can be accommodated. The electrochemical cell can be accommodated between the contacting unit and the support surface; in particular, it can be accommodated in a force fit. The contacting rail can be fitted on a support surface of an adjacent battery holding unit. The contacting rail can extend from a support surface of an adjacent battery holding unit in the direction towards the support surface. A separate contacting rail can be designed in the support surface.
In principle a plurality of contacting rails can be provided, on each of which a contact surface is arranged. However a plurality of contacting rails can also be provided, on which one contact surface is arranged. Alternatively or in combination individual contacting rails can have a plurality of separate contact surfaces for this purpose. For all the options cited it is necessary that different contact surfaces can be aligned parallel to one another.
In one preferred configuration of the invention a contacting rail forms the support surface. Here at least two separate contacting rails are provided, between which the electrochemical cell can preferably be arranged. Two current conductors of the electrochemical cell can thereby make contact with contact surfaces of the two contacting rails. One of the contacting rails can be arranged vertically underneath, and can thereby preferably form the support surface, which essentially can also accommodate the weight of the electrochemical cell. The other contacting rail can be arranged above, and in addition to the contact functions can also effect lateral guidance of the electrochemical cell.
The support surface is preferably arranged essentially in a plane. The contacting rail is thereby preferably aligned essentially parallel to this plane. The plane can be horizontally aligned so that the weight of the electrochemical cell is completely supported by the support surface. The support surface can thereby take the form of a plate, over which the electrochemical cell can be moved. The support surface can thereby be held in a fixed position within the battery holding unit. Alternatively the support surface can also be held such that it can be moved relative to other components of the battery holding unit.
At least one contact surface preferably has means for the lateral guidance of the electrochemical cell, in particular for the lateral guidance of current conductors of the electrochemical cell. Such means can be formed by sidewalls. The sidewalls can extend essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the guide rail. Here the term “lateral guidance” can be understood to be a guidance of the type that can prevent any escape of the electrochemical cell, or parts thereof, transverse to the longitudinal axis of the contacting rail. At least one of the contacting rails can have a U-shaped holding space for purposes of accommodating a current conductor and/or other parts of the electrochemical cell.
A contacting rail preferably has a plurality of contact surface sections, wherein individual contact surface sections can be insulated from one another. These contact surface sections can be aligned along a common longitudinal axis, thus, in particular can be aligned one behind another. The contact surface sections can be formed from a common contact surface, wherein insulating interrupts of the contact surface can preferably be provided between individual contact surface sections. By this means a segmented design of the contact surfaces can ensue in overall terms. By this means contact surface sections can be designed along a longitudinal axis with differing electrical polarities. These differing polarities can thereby be used for different circuit connections for the electrochemical cells. The circuit connections can be altered during operation of the unit, while the mechanical arrangement of the electrochemical cells remains the same.
The support surface is preferably held such that it can be moved within the battery holding unit. The support surface can in particular be held such that it can be moved relative to a longitudinal axis of the contacting rail and/or to a direction of insertion of the electrochemical cells. The support surface can preferably be moved over a length that essentially corresponds to more than 50%, in particular, more than 75%, in particular, more than 90% of the length of the contacting rail. The support surface can thereby preferably be pulled out like a drawer from a housing of the battery holding unit. This has the advantage that electrochemical cells that are to be accommodated can firstly be placed in position on the support surface, and then in the same step of the method can be moved along the contacting rail.
The battery holding unit preferably has manoeuvring means. Here the term manoeuvring means is to be understood to mean, in particular, such means that enable or at least aid the movement of electrochemical cells from one contacting rail to another contacting rail, or from one contacting rail section to another contacting rail section, in particular, if the contacting rails or the contacting rail sections are arranged at an angle to one another and/or laterally displaced relative to one another. Such manoeuvring means can preferably comprise a turntable. The turntable can furthermore be arranged centrally relative to a number of contacting rail sections arranged in a star shape relative to one another. The turntable can thereby serve to provide the revolver-type transposition of electrochemical cells onto individual contacting rail sections arranged in a star shape relative to one another. The turntable is preferably of circular shape and held in particular such that it can rotate relative to a baseplate of the battery holding unit. The turntable preferably has a contacting rail section, which further preferably runs through a central point of the turntable. In order to enable an arrangement of electrochemical cells that saves as much space as possible, the star-shaped arrangement of the contacting rail sections arranged in a star shape relative to one another can be limited to just a region in the immediate vicinity of the turntable. Further contacting rail sections that are at a distance from the turntable need not necessarily be aligned in a star shape relative to one another. On a cover plate located opposite to the base plate the battery holding unit preferably has an essentially identical arrangement of contacting rail section arranged in a star shaped relative to one another and the turntable.
By means of the arrangement of the contacting rail sections with the manoeuvring means it is possible for electrochemical cells to be manoeuvred within the battery holding unit. Alternatively the manoeuvring means can also comprise a disk that can be moved longitudinally. The contacting rail sections can be configured in a wide variety of ways and in cross-section, in particular, can be configured in accordance with the possible configurations of the contacting rails and the contact surfaces already cited above.
The invention furthermore concerns a method for introducing the electrochemical cells into a battery holding unit, with the following steps: Deposition of the electrochemical cell on a support surface of the battery holding unit, bringing of a current collector of the electrochemical cell into contact with a contact surface of a contacting rail of the battery holding unit, movement of the electrochemical cell along a direction of insertion up to a defined rest location, wherein the current collector is preferably in continuous contact with the contacting rail during the movement. Negligible interrupts, in particular conditioned by interrupts of the contacting rail, are thereby included in the term “continuous contact”.
Two or a plurality of electrochemical cells are preferably firstly arranged on a support surface and are then moved together with the support surface relative to the contacting rail, in particular along a longitudinal axis of the contacting rail. The advantages and opportunities for further development cited with reference to the device ensue.
Further advantages, features and application possibilities of the present invention ensue from the following description in conjunction with the figures. Here:
The battery holding unit 2 has a support surface 4, which is arranged vertically below, and a top surface 5, which is arranged vertically above. Sidewalls 16 connect the support surface 4 and the top surface 5 with one another in a fixed position. The battery holding unit 2 shown and also further battery holding units, not shown, are accommodated in a housing 17 of the battery station 1, which is not described in any further detail. The support surface 4 is arranged in a plane E. The top surface 5 is arranged parallel to, but vertically spaced apart from, the plane E.
A contacting unit 6 is accommodated suspended from the top surface 5 and points from the top surface 5 in the direction towards the support surface 4. The contacting unit 6 has a contacting rail 7, which has an elongated extent, and extends over almost the whole length of the support surface 4 and/or the top surface 5. The battery holding unit 2 has an insertion opening 18, through which the electrochemical cells, not represented, can be inserted into an holding space 11, which is formed between the support surface 4 and the top surface 5. The electrochemical cells are thereby introduced into the holding space 11 in the direction of insertion S.
a) shows the procedure for introducing the electrochemical cells 3 into the holding space 11. The electrochemical cells are guided through the insertion opening 18 into the holding space 11. Here the electrochemical cells 3 slide on the support surface 4 along a longitudinal axis A of the contacting rail 7. The electrochemical cells 3 can make contact with the contacting unit 6 at different axial positions. Here the contacting rail 7 extends over an axial path that corresponds to a multiple of the extent of the electrochemical cells 3 in this direction, namely along the longitudinal axis A. In
In
Alternative forms of embodiment of the contacting unit 6 are represented in
To a large extent the contacting unit represented in
To a large extent the contacting unit 6 represented in
To a large extent the contacting unit represented in
The arrangements shown in
b) shows an alternative configuration of the battery holding unit of
For both devices shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2009 048 147.8 | Oct 2009 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP10/05804 | 9/22/2010 | WO | 00 | 7/9/2012 |