Abstract:
A battery pack having battery connectors for connecting batteries in series and a battery connector are disclosed that reduce the risks of potential electric shocks during assembly and servicing of a battery pack.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a device for connecting batteries and more specifically to a device for connecting high voltage batteries. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Battery packs for electric vehicle include multiple high voltage batteries typically connected in series via high gauge wire connecting the positive and negative poles of the batteries. The total voltage of a battery pack in an electric vehicle can reach up to 400 volts when all batteries are connected together. 
         [0003]    A battery pack is typically assembled manually by technicians connecting all the batteries together in series with high gauge wires. The total voltage of the battery pack increases with each new battery being connected. As the total voltage of the battery pack increases, the risk of electric shocks for the technicians connecting the batteries together also increases since they are essentially in contact with the battery poles through the tools they use and the manipulation of the high gauge wires. Care must be used when connecting the poles of the batteries to avoid direct contact with the power source since at these high voltages, high currents may circulate which may temporarily incapacitate the technician who may be unable to quickly disengage himself from the direct contact. For this reason, it has become standard practice in the industry to have a second technician monitoring the assembly of a battery pack ready to intervene in case of direct contact with the battery poles. 
         [0004]    For the same reasons, care must be used by the competent technician when servicing a battery pack and even more so for the non-initiated who improvises himself as a technician unaware of the risks. High voltage battery packs are preferably sealed to avoid any manipulation of the batteries by untrained labour. 
         [0005]    Therefore, there is a need for a device for connecting high voltage batteries that reduces the risks of potential electric shocks during assembly and servicing of a high voltage battery pack. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to ameliorate at least some of the inconveniences present in the prior art. 
         [0007]    It is also an object of the present invention to provide a battery connector for connecting high voltage batteries that reduces or eliminates the risks of potential electric shocks during assembly and servicing of a high voltage battery pack. 
         [0008]    In one aspect, the invention provides a battery pack having multiple batteries connected in series by battery connectors, each battery connector comprising: a pair of battery pole covers made of an electrically insulating material mounted onto battery poles of two adjacent batteries, each battery pole cover having a receptacle area providing access to the battery poles and an aperture; a connecting bridge made of an electrically conductive material inserted into the receptacle area of the pole covers for electrically connecting the two adjacent batteries, the connecting bridge having a central portion covered with electrically insulating material; and a pair of fasteners for securing the connecting bridge to the poles of adjacent batteries, each fastener being positioned inside one of the pair of battery pole covers, each fastener including a threaded portion made of metal and an electrically insulated portion made of a non-conductive material, the electrically insulated portion of the fasteners being accessible through the apertures of the battery pole covers for fastening the fasteners onto the battery poles. 
         [0009]    In a further aspect, the invention provides a battery connector for connecting a plurality of batteries in series to form a battery pack, the battery connector comprising: a pair of battery pole covers made of an electrically insulating material for mounting onto battery poles of two adjacent batteries, each battery pole cover having a receptacle area for providing access to the battery poles and an aperture; a connecting bridge made of an electrically conductive material for insertion into the receptacle area of the pole covers for electrically connecting two adjacent batteries, the connecting bridge having a central portion covered with electrically insulating material; and a pair of fasteners for securing the connecting bridge to the poles of adjacent batteries, each fastener being positioned inside one of the pair of battery pole covers, each fastener including a threaded portion made of metal and an electrically insulated portion made of a non-conductive material, the electrically insulated portion of the fasteners being accessible through the apertures of the battery pole covers. 
         [0010]    Embodiments of the present invention each have at least one of the above-mentioned objects and/or aspects, but do not necessarily have all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present invention that have resulted from attempting to attain the above-mentioned objects may not satisfy these objects and/or may satisfy other objects not specifically recited herein. 
         [0011]    Additional and/or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    For a better understanding of the present invention, as well as other aspects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a downward front perspective view of a portion of an automotive battery pack connected in series with battery connectors in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a downward front perspective view of the battery pack shown in  FIG. 1  with the battery connectors shown in exploded view; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the battery pack shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the battery pack shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a portion of an automotive battery pack  10  including a plurality of batteries  12   a,    12   b,    12   c  . . . connected in series via battery connectors  14 . In  FIG. 1 , the positive pole of battery  12   a  is connected to the negative pole of battery  12   b,  and the positive pole of battery  12   b  is connected to the negative pole of battery  12   c.  Each battery connectors  14  includes battery pole covers  16  made of an electrically insulating plastic, a connecting bridge  18  made of an electrically conductive metal such as copper, and a pair of fasteners  20  adapted to press the extremities of the bridge  18  against the positive or negative poles of adjacent batteries. 
         [0018]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , there is shown the same portion of the automotive battery pack  10  with the battery connectors  14  in various stages of assembly. The battery pole cover  16  of the negative pole  22  of the battery  12   a  is shown in fully exploded view. The pole cover  16  includes a first portion  16   a  having an aperture  17  which is adapted to snap onto the protruding portion of the pole  22 . 
         [0019]    The first portion  16   a  also features an L-shaped ridge  19  defining the receptacle area  21  into which the bridge  18  is received when the batteries are connected. The pole cover  16  includes a second portion  16   b  which is fastened to the first portion  16   a  via screws  25 . When assembled, the first and second portion  16   a  and  16   b  define the receptacle areas  21  of the battery connector  14 . The second portion  16   b  includes an aperture  23  for receiving the fastener  20 . The aperture  23  has a specific diameter corresponding to the diameter of a circular middle portion  32  of the fastener  20 . The fastener  20  includes a threaded portion  34  made of metal and an electrically insulating portion  35  made of a non-conductive material. The electrically insulating portion  35  includes a head portion  31 , the circular middle portion  32  and a ridge stopper  33 . As previously mentioned, the aperture  23  of the second portion  16   b  has a specific diameter corresponding to the diameter of the middle portion  32  such that when the first and second portion  16   a  and  16   b  of the pole cover  16  are assembled, the fastener  20  is trapped inside by the ridge stopper  33 . The metallic threaded portion  34  of the fastener  20  is isolated by the electrically insulating portion  35  such that when a technician is tightening the fastener  20  onto the battery pole  22 , there is no danger of electric shock. Furthermore, the technician is prevented from touching the metallic threaded portion  34  of the fastener  20  because it is trapped inside the pole cover  16 . The electrically insulating portion  35  is connected onto the metallic threaded portion  34  of the fastener  20  in such a way that it will break if the torque applied onto it is excessive thereby preventing the metallic threaded portion  34  from breaking or stripping its threads or the threads of the battery poles  22 . 
         [0020]    The actual connecting component of the battery connectors  14  is the connecting bridge  18 . As previously mentioned, connecting bridge  18  is made of an electrically conductive metal such as copper. As shown in  FIG. 2 , connecting bridge  18  consists of an elongated rectangular piece of conductive metal wherein the extremities  37  and  38  each include an aperture  39  for receiving the threaded portion  34  of the fasteners  20 . The central portion  40  of the connecting bridge  18  is covered with an electrically insulating material such as a rubber coating to prevent direct contact between the hand of the technician and the conductive metal of the connecting bridge  18 . The extremities  37  and  38  are not covered with an insulating material such that the conductive metal may directly contact the positive or negative poles  22  when the connecting bridge  18  is installed to electrically connect two adjacent batteries  12   a ,  12   b,    12   c  . . . 
         [0021]    The pole covers  16  may be mounted onto the battery poles  22  in two different ways. The pole covers  16  may either be completely assembled prior to them being mounted onto the battery poles  22  or the pole covers  16  may be assembled onto the battery poles  22 . 
         [0022]    In the first instance, the first and second portions  16   a  and  16   b  are assembled together with the screws  25  with the fastener  20  trapped inside the pole cover  16 , the entire assembly is positioned onto the battery pole  22  via the aperture  17  of the first portion  16   a  and then the screw  26  is screwed into a threaded protrusion  27  located on the battery front plate  24  adjacent to the battery pole  22 . 
         [0023]    Alternatively, the first portion  16   a  may be initially positioned onto the battery pole  22  via its aperture  17 , the fastener  20  is engaged into the battery pole  22 , the second portion  16   b  is assembled onto the first portion  16   a  via the screws  25  and the pole cover  16  is secured to the battery  12  via screw  26  being screwed into a threaded protrusion  27  adjacent to the battery pole  22 . Thereafter, the fastener  20  is disengaged from the battery pole  22  to allow insertion of the connecting bridge  18 . 
         [0024]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , the pole covers  16  are installed onto the poles  22  of the batteries  12   a,    12   b  and  12   c  and the bridge  18  is inserted into the receptacle areas  21  of the pole cover  16  of the adjacent batteries thereby electrically connecting the positive pole  22  of one battery to the negative pole  22  of the adjacent battery. The electrically insulating portions  35  of the fasteners  20  are accessible via the aperture  23  of the pole covers  16 . The threaded portion  34  of the fasteners  20  are screwed into the battery poles  22  and tightened thereby pressing the extremities  37  and  38  of the bridge  18  onto the poles  22  and ensuring an effective electrical connection between adjacent batteries. As can be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the central portion  40  of the connecting bridge  18  which is covered with electrically insulating material such as a rubber coating is the only portion of the connecting bridge  18  that remains exposed once the connecting bridge  18  is installed into the pole covers  16  thereby preventing any direct contact between the hand of the technician and the conductive metal of the connecting bridge  18 . 
         [0025]    The electrical connection between two adjacent batteries is therefore electrically isolated from direct contact such that the battery pack  10  is secured from potential electric shock. 
         [0026]    During the assembly of a battery pack  10  comprising multiple batteries connected in series, the total voltage of the battery pack  10  increases with each new battery being connected. As the total voltage of the battery pack increases with each new battery being added to the battery pack, the risk of electric shocks for the technician connecting the batteries together previously described is significantly reduced if not completely eliminated by the use of battery connectors  14  since the battery connectors  14  isolate the technician from the high voltage batteries at each step of the assembly. At no time is the technician exposed to direct contact with an electrically conducting element of the battery pack  10  rendering the battery pack  10  as well as its assembly safe and secure. 
         [0027]    Modifications and improvements to the above-described embodiments of the present invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art. The foregoing description is intended to be exemplary rather than limiting. The scope of the present invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.