DEVICE FOR HOLDING BATTERY CELLS

In a device for accommodating battery cells stacking columns are to be arranged on the base frame, which stacking columns have rotatable latches which limit a passage for the battery cells.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to German Patent Application Number 102022102083.5 filed on Jan. 28, 2022, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The invention refers to a device for holding battery cells with a base frame.

BACKGROUND

In the course of the expansion of electromobility, the handling of batteries is attracting increasing attention. Batteries are dangerous goods, especially during transport, not only because of their contents, e.g., battery acid, but also because the electricity they contain can generate unwanted heat that can even lead to fire. In addition, batteries are extremely heavy, especially since relatively large batteries are now being produced for electric cars, for example. The handling of these batteries, both charged and discharged, during transport to and from the consumer, presents a major problem.

For example, the DE 10 2011 009 696 A1 shows a transport device for electrochemical energy storage devices. Here, a barrier device is provided in a receiving space, which shields at least in sections in at least one direction and consists of appropriate materials.

The DE 20 2012 007 258 U1 describes a dangerous goods container comprising an outer container, an inner container enclosed by the outer container and enclosing a loading space, and a fireproof insulation arranged between the outer container and the inner container. Further, a pressure relief line connects the loading space to an outer wall of the outer container.

The DE 20 2014 004 436.8 also shows a safety container for dangerous goods, in particular batteries. In this case, an inner compartment is provided which is fully formed as a barrier for solid particles, which is completely surrounded by an outer compartment and which is permeable to gases or fluids in certain areas or as a whole.

In the DE 10 2014 200 879 A1, a battery is held by an inner container and this is inserted in an outer container. The inner container is horizontally and vertically sprung with respect to the outer container by a spring and/or horizontally and vertically damped by a vibration damper.

SUMMARY

Object

The object of the present invention is to present a device of the above type in which corresponding battery cells can be easily accommodated or securely fixed for storage and transport.

Solution of the Object

The solution of the object is that stacking columns are arranged on the base frame, which have rotatable latches that limit a passage for the battery cells.

Stacking columns are known and on the market in a variety of forms and designs. To this day, they are used exclusively for the storage of body parts and are generally associated with a corresponding parts press. The mother of the stacking column is described in the DE 38 11 310 C2. It is characterized by the fact that three latches arranged one above the other cooperate with each other, in which a lowermost latch is in the standby position, rotates into the working position when the stock is placed on it, and in doing so entrains the next latch in the standby position, while all the latches above it are in the rest position, allowing the stock to be inserted between them without interference. To ensure this sequence of movements, the latches can be connected, for example, via a linkage according to the DE 20 2020 104 696 U1.

The basic idea of the present invention is to make such stacking columns applicable for receiving battery cells as dangerous and heavy loads. This involves arranging a plurality of stacking columns on a base frame so that they can receive battery cells between them. The latches must therefore be able to assume a rest position in which they do not hinder the insertion of the battery cells. Only in the standby position they enter the area of the contour of the battery cell, which means that a distance between two opposing latches is less than a length and/or a width of the battery cell. Thus, the battery cell itself or an annular collar surrounding it can hit the latch and rotate it into working position. The linkage is then used to bring a subsequent latch back into the standby position to support subsequent battery cells.

As is usual with known stacking columns, the latch arrangement with the linkage is also to be arranged in a housing in the present case, which is placed either directly on the base frame or via a base plate on the base frame. Since the battery cells are a very heavy load, it is additionally provided that support wings are formed on a rear wall of the housing, which ensure that the housing with the latches is in an exact vertical position.

Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, guide strips are also provided on the housing, which serve to guide the battery cells between the stacking columns. In order to insert these battery cells between individual guide strips, an upper edge of the guide strips is to be designed offset outwards.

In a preferred embodiment, the latch rotates around an axis of rotation that passes not only through the latch but also through two side panels of the housing. In one embodiment, a torsion spring may be placed on this axis of rotation, having one leg supported against the rear wall of the housing while the other leg engages under a bearing surface of the latch. This torsion spring is preloaded in such a way that it allows the latch to be returned from the working position to the standby position or to the rest position.

As mentioned above, the latches have to carry a significant weight. For this reason, they are preferably formed from metal and have a profile which is very rigid. For example, this profile may consist of a bearing surface and side strips folded away from it, so that this profile is u-shaped in cross-section. Furthermore, an additional support is also provided in the working position, which extends between the side panels of the housing and on which the latch rests.

A damping pad is also provided on the bearing surface, which damps the battery cells or their movement, in particular during transport. At the same time, this damping pad can also be designed to prevent an electrical short circuit between the battery and metal parts of the device according to the invention. Battery cells can be in the form of battery modules, batteries, accumulators or other energy storage devices. They can have any geometric configuration.

In principle, protection is also sought for the use of stacking columns with latches that are movable from a rest position to a standby position and from a standby position to a working position by means of a linkage to accommodate battery cells.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A device P according to the invention for holding battery cells1has, according toFIG.1, a base frame2which has engagement openings3.1and3.2for forks of a forklift truck.

In the corner areas of the base frame2, corner posts4.1to4.4project, each of which has a centering cone5on its tip. This centering cone5interacts with a corresponding base hole, not shown in more detail, of a corner post of a stacked device for holding battery cells, which is set thereon.

In addition, the corner posts4.1to4.4are connected to each other via side profiles6.1and6.2, whereby the two end side profiles6.1and6.2are additionally connected to each other via an approximately central connecting profile7.

From the base frame2a plurality of stacking columns8project between the corner posts4.1to4.4, whereby according toFIG.2six stacking columns8each frame a battery cell1.

According toFIGS.4to6, a cross-sectionally U-shaped housing9is seated on a base plate10for each stacking column8. In the position of use, this base plate10is screwed to the base frame2via connecting bolts11.

The housing9has two side panels12.1and12.2and a rear wall13, which are connected to form the U-shaped housing9. The two side panels12.1and12.2are overlapped at the top by a clamp14.

At the rear wall13, two support wings15.1and15.2are flange-mounted or fastened in any desired manner to the side at an angle and serve to stabilize the housing9.

Towards the front of the battery cell1to be loaded, a guide strip16protrudes from the side panel12.1, the upper edge17of which is slightly offset so that a battery cell can be inserted more easily between the stacking columns8.

Between the two side panels12.1and12.2there are three latches18.1,18.2and18.3. Each latch18.1to18.3consists of a bearing surface19from which side strips20.1and20.2are folded off laterally. Both side strips are penetrated by an axle bolt21, which also penetrates the two side panels12.1and12.2of the housing9and around which the latch18.1to18.3can rotate. Furthermore, a torsion spring22is placed on the axle bolt21, one limb23.1of which is supported against the rear wall13, while the other limb23.2engages under the bearing surface19. A damping pad24is provided on the bearing surface19itself, which on the one hand provides damped support for the battery cell1, but also isolates it from the other metal parts of the stacking column8.

The individual latches18.1to18.3are connected to each other by a linkage25which, as known from the prior art, causes the lowermost latch18.3to be in the working position, the middle latch18.2to be in the standby position and the upper latch18.1to be in the rest position.

The functioning of the present invention is as follows:

When not yet loaded, the lowermost latch18.3is in the standby position corresponding to the middle latch18.2shown inFIG.6, while the middle latch18.2is still in the rest position. This means that both latches18.1and18.2are in the rest position, so that a battery cell can be inserted between the individual stacking columns without interference. However, since in the standby position the individual opposing latches maintain a distance from one another which is less than a width b and a length1of the battery cell, the latches engage under an edge strip26of the battery cell during insertion of the battery cell and thereby rotate about the axle bolt21until the latch18.3rests on a support27. The latch18.3also drives the center latch18.2via the linkage25so that the center latch18.2is now in the standby position, as shown inFIG.6.

When the next battery cell1is inserted, it also hits the middle latch18.2with its edge strip and rotates it to the working position until it rests on the support27. In doing so, it takes the upper latch18.1with it into the standby position via the linkage25, so that the upper latches18.1can also be charged.

If the battery cells1are discharged, the torsion springs22return the respective latches18.1to18.3to their initial positions.