TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates, in general, to a battery pack for automotive electrical systems, and particularly to a battery connector plate mounting structure.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present subject matter. It is not an admission that any of the 10 information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed subject matter, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
[0003] In general, in battery pack used in an automotive, a number of rectangular parallel-arranged battery modules are disposed side by side. These 15 battery modules are electrically connected so that a common high-voltage (HV) output connector and a low-voltage (LV) output connector can be achieved. The HV and LV output connector are typically provided at front, sides, or top of the battery pack.
[0004] In a battery pack having output connectors at the top, two openings are 20 typically required in battery top cover for assembly and/or disassembly of output connectors of the battery pack during service/maintenance. Such configuration of the top cover of the battery pack increases the chance of water ingress into the battery pack as well as increases the safety concerns as the water ingress may short-circuit internal electrical connections. Further, in the conventional structure 25 of battery pack, there is a high chance of electric shock due to direct human contact with high voltage components during assembling and/or disassembling of output connectors of the battery back.
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need in the state of the art to modify the configuration of the existing battery back. 30
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OBJECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfy, are listed hereinbelow.
[0007] A general object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery 5 connector plate mounting structure.
[0008] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a battery connector plate mounting structure which limits the water ingress inside the battery pack.
[0009] Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a mechanism or arrangement that decreases the safety concerns related to assembling or 10 disassembling of output connectors of the battery pack.
[0010] These and other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a preferred form of the present disclosure is illustrated. 15
SUMMARY
[0011] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a battery connector plate mounting structure. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or 20 essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0012] The present disclosure relates to a battery connector plate mounting structure. The battery connector plate mounting structure includes a plurality of threaded recesses formed on top of a battery module; a plurality of dowels having 25 inbuilt bolts at its bottom for fastening with the plurality of threaded recesses, and having hemispherical depressions at their top; and a connector plate having hemispherical protrusions at its bottom surface matching with the shape and size of the hemispherical depressions formed at the top of the plurality of dowels, so as to rest on the plurality of dowels before being assembled with a battery top cover. 30
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[0013] In an aspect, the connector plate is removed from the top of the plurality of dowels and bolted with the battery top cover at the time of assembling with the battery top cover.
[0014] In an aspect, the connector plate includes a high-voltage output connector, a low-voltage output connector, and a service plug. 5
[0015] The present disclosure further relates to a method for assembling and disassembling of a connector plate with a battery top cover of a battery pack. The method includes, during assembling, mounting a plurality of dowels on top of a battery module, wherein the mounting comprises mounting of inbuilt threaded bolts formed at the base of the plurality of dowels in corresponding threaded 10 recesses formed on top of the battery module; placing the connector plate on the top of the plurality of dowels; and fastening bolts passing through the battery top cover with the connector plate so as to raise the connector plate from the top of the plurality of dowels and assemble with the battery top cover.
[0016] In an aspect, the connector plate at its bottom surface has 15 hemispherical protrusions matching with the shape and size of hemispherical depressions formed at the top of the plurality of dowels, so as to rest on the plurality of dowels before being assembled with the battery top cover.
[0017] In an aspect, during disassembling, the method includes loosening the bolts passing through the battery top cover and the connector plate so as to lower 20 the connector plate from the battery top cover and to rest on the top of the plurality of dowels.
[0018] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in 25 which a preferred form of the present invention is illustrated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like 30
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numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
[0020] FIG. 1A illustrates a perspective top view of a connector plate for a 5 battery pack;
[0021] FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective bottom view of the connector plate of the battery pack;
[0022] FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view of a battery module of the battery pack in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 10
[0023] FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view of the connector plate electrically connected to the battery modules in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of dowels mounted over the battery module in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 15
[0025] FIG. 4A illustrates a cross-section view of the battery connector plate mounting structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0026] FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of the battery connector plate mounting structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0027] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate perspective views of a battery pack with 20 the assembled top cover, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates a method for assembling of a connector plate with a battery top cover of a battery pack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 25
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It
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should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the 5 appended claims.
[0030] It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are 10 intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[0031] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be 15 further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof. 20
[0032] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may, in fact, be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. 25
[0033] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the 30
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context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
[0034] Embodiments and/or implementations described herein relate to a battery pack for automotive electrical systems, and particularly to a battery connector plate mounting structure. An exemplary connector plate 102 is shown 5 in FIGS. 1A and 1B. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the connector plate 102 includes a high-voltage (HV) output connector 104, a low-voltage (LV) output connector 106, and a service plug 108. The conventional electrical and/or signaling functionalities of the connector plate are well known in the art and are thus omitted from this disclosure for the sake of brevity and/or 10 clarity.
[0035] Further, as can be seen from the bottom view of the connector plate 102, HV output connector 104 is coupled to a positive end and a negative end of the connected battery modules 202 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) and LV output connector is connected to the battery control module and its sense mechanism. 15
[0036] Since all the battery modules 202 are connected, the connector plate 102 is electrically connected to one of the battery modules 202 to receive voltage output and/or to perform measurement/control signaling output. The connector plate 102 is received at the single opening in battery top cover which reduces the chance of water ingress into the battery pack as well as reduces the safety 20 concerns associated with it.
[0037] The present disclosure proposes a battery connector plate mounting structure. As shown in FIG. 2A, the mounting structure includes a plurality of threaded recesses 204-1, 204-2, 204-3, 204-4 (hereinafter collectively referred to as 204) formed on top of one of the battery modules 202. Within these threaded 25 recesses 204, dowels 302-1, 302-2, 302-3, 302-4 (hereinafter collectively referred to as 302) are fastened through inbuilt bolts 304 formed at bottom of the dowels 302, as shown in FIG. 3.
[0038] In an aspect, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4A, each of the dowels 302 has a hemispherical depression 306 at its top. Within these hemispherical depressions 30 306, hemispherical protrusions 402 formed at the bottom surface of the connector
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plate 102 rest. In an aspect, as shown in FIG. 4A, the hemispherical protrusions 402 formed on the bottom surface of connector plate 102 matches with the shape and size of hemispherical depressions 306 formed on the dowels 302 so that the connector plate 102 can rest on the dowels 302 before being assembled with a battery top cover. Although, as shown in FIG. 3 and 4A, the protrusions 402 and 5 the depressions 306 are hemispherical in structure, however, it would be obvious for a person skilled in the art to consider another shape of protrusion such as cylindrical, conical, and the like. For example, the protrusions 402 can have one of hemispherical, cylindrical, and conical in shape and shape of the depression complements the shape of the protrusion. 10
[0039] Further, alternatively, the protrusions 402 can be formed on the dowels 302 and the depressions 306 can be formed on the connector plate 102.
[0040] FIG. 6 illustrates an example method 600 for assembling of a connector plate 102 with a battery top cover 502 (as shown in FIG. 5A) of a battery pack, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The 15 order in which the method 600 is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method blocks may be combined in any order to implement the method 600, or an alternative method.
[0041] At block 602, the method 600 includes, during assembling, mounting a plurality of dowels 302 on top of a battery module 202. The mounting step 20 includes mounting of inbuilt threaded bolts 304 formed at the base of the plurality of dowels 302 in corresponding threaded recesses 204 formed on top of the battery module 202.
[0042] At block 604, the method 600 includes placing the connector plate 102 on the top of the plurality of dowels 302. In an aspect, the connector plate 102 has 25 hemispherical protrusions 402 at its bottom surface matching with the shape and size of hemispherical depressions 306 formed at the top of the plurality of dowels 302, so as to rest on the plurality of dowels 302 before being assembled with the battery top cover 502.
[0043] At block 606, the method 600 includes fastening the bolts passing 30 through the battery top cover 502 with the connector plate 102 so as to raise the
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connector plate 102 from the top of the plurality of dowels 302 and assemble with the battery top cover 502.
[0044] In an aspect, during disassembling, the method 600 includes loosening the bolts passing through the battery top cover 502 and the connector plate 102 so as to lower the connector plate 102 from the battery top cover and to rest on the 5 top of the plurality of dowels 302.
[0045] Accordingly, with the proposed battery connector plate mounting structure, the dowels 302 are fixed or assembled on top of one of the battery module 202 by inbuilt threaded bolts 304 formed at the base of the dowels 302. While assembling the connector plate 102 with a battery top cover 502 (FIGS. 5A 10 and 5B), the connector plate 102 rests on the dowels 302 before the battery top cover 502 is assembled onto a battery pack bottom enclosing the battery modules 202. After the assembly of the battery top cover 502, the connector plate 102 is bolted on the battery top cover 502. Thus, the dowels 302 mounted on the battery module 202 acts as a temporary/initial resting support unit for the connector plate 15 102. Also, since all the connections on the connector plate 102 are made separately before the assembly of the battery top cover 502, the assembling of the connector plate 102 with the battery top cover 502 is safer to handle considering the scenario of electric shock.
[0046] Furthermore, in case of maintenance of the battery pack, the bolts (not 20 shown in figures) connecting the battery top cover 502 to the connector plate 102 are removed and the connector plate 102 again rests back onto hemispherical depressions 306 formed on top of the dowels 302. Then, the battery top cover 502 can be opened.
[0047] Thus, with the battery connector plate mounting structure proposed 25 herein, while assembly or disassembly of the connector plate 102, no interaction with battery modules 202 inside the battery pack bottom is required, thereby providing safer assembly and/or disassembly considering the scenario of electric shock. Further, since there is no requirement of two openings in battery top cover as in conventional structure, there is less chance of water ingress into the battery 30 pack as well as fewer safety concerns associated with it.
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[0048] Furthermore, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that several of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into other systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated 5 alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may subsequently be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as encompassed by the following claims.
[0049] The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and 10 substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
[0050] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing 15 from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

We claim:

1. A battery connector plate mounting structure comprising:
a plurality of threaded recesses (204) formed on top of a battery module (202);
a plurality of dowels (302) having inbuilt threaded bolts (304) at its 5 bottom for fastening with the plurality of threaded recesses (204), and having depressions (306) at their top; and
a connector plate (102) having protrusions (104) at its bottom surface matching with the shape and size of depressions (306) formed at the top of the plurality of dowels (302), so as to rest on the plurality of dowels (302) 10 before being assembled with a battery top cover (502).
2. The battery connector plate mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protrusion (104) is one of hemispherical, cylindrical, and conical in shape and shape of the depression (306) complements the shape of the 15 protrusion (104).
3. The battery connector plate mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector plate (102) is removed from the top of the plurality of dowels (302) and bolted with the battery top cover (502) at the time of 20 assembling with the battery top cover (502).
4. The battery connector plate mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector plate (102) includes a high-voltage output connector (104), a low-voltage output connector (106), and a service plug (108). 25
5. A method for assembling and disassembling of a connector plate (102) with a battery top cover (502) of a battery pack, the method comprising:
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during assembling, mounting a plurality of dowels (302) on top of a battery module (202), wherein the mounting comprises mounting of inbuilt threaded bolts (304) formed at the base of the plurality of dowels (302) in corresponding threaded recesses (204) formed on top of the battery module (202); 5
placing the connector plate (102) on the top of the plurality of dowels (302); and
fastening the bolts passing through the battery top cover (502) with the connector plate (102) so as to raise the connector plate (102) from the top of the plurality of dowels (302) and assemble with the battery top 10 cover (502).
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the connector plate (102) has hemispherical protrusions (104) at its bottom surface matching with the shape and size of hemispherical depressions (306) formed at the top of the plurality 15 of dowels (302), so as to rest on the plurality of dowels (302) before being assembled with the battery top cover (502).
7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein during disassembling, the method comprises loosening the bolts passing through the battery top cover 20 (502) and the connector plate (102) so as to lower the connector plate (102) for resting on the top of the plurality of dowels (302).