Abstract:
In order to provide a cell connector for the electrically conductive connection of a first cell terminal of a first electrochemical cell and a second cell terminal of a second electrochemical cell of an electrochemical device comprising a base body and a contact body, which is connected to the base body and is connected to one of the cell terminals in the assembled state of the cell connector, at which an electric potential is detectable in a particularly simple manner, it is proposed that the contact body comprises a voltage tap.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in German Patent Application No. 10 2011 051 462.7 of 30 Jun. 2011, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       FIELD OF DISCLOSURE  
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a cell connector for the electrically conductive connection of a first cell terminal of a first electrochemical cell and a second cell terminal of a second electrochemical cell of an electrochemical device, wherein the cell connector comprises a base body and a contact body, which is connected to the base body and in the assembled state of the cell connector is connected to one of the cell terminals. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]    Such electrochemical devices can be configured in particular as electrical accumulators, e.g. as lithium-ion accumulators. 
         [0004]    In the case of a lithium-ion accumulator the voltage difference between the two cell terminals (poles) of an individual accumulator cell amounts to approximately 3.6 V. To obtain a higher voltage level of approximately 360 V, for example, needed for many applications, e.g. in automotive drive technology, a plurality of such accumulator cells (e.g. approximately 100) must be electrically connected in series. 
         [0005]    In this case, the accumulator cells or electrochemical cells in general can be combined into modules, which respectively contain a multiplicity of such electrochemical cells, wherein the installation direction of adjacently arranged cells alternates so that positive and negative cell terminals alternately lie adjacent to one another. 
         [0006]    These adjacent cell terminals of opposite polarity are directly connected to one another by means of a respective cell connector for the series connection of the cells. 
         [0007]    The contact body connected to the base body serves to achieve a connection of the cell connector to the respective cell terminal having a reliable, fail-safe and low contact resistance. 
         [0008]    To effect monitoring of individual cells, differences in electric potential between different cell connectors are measured. In known potential monitoring operations the measuring points are soldered into a circuit board by means of cable, wire or conductive material. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]    The object forming the basis of the present invention is to be able to detect and evaluate the electric potential at the cell connector in a particularly simple manner. 
         [0010]    This object is achieved according to the invention with a cell connector with the features of the preamble of claim  1  in that the contact body comprises a voltage tap. 
         [0011]    Therefore, the underlying concept of the present invention is to integrate the function of the voltage tap into the contact body of the cell connector. 
         [0012]    In this way, there is a saving in additional structural parts and material transitions. In the solution according to the invention no additional material and no coating of material already used are required to effect the voltage tap function at the cell connector. 
         [0013]    Rather, the cell voltage measurement can be conducted directly by means of a structural part already present, namely the contact body. 
         [0014]    In particular, no coating on the base body is necessary for detection of the electric potential at the cell connector. In particular, such a coating may otherwise be necessary to assure the ability of a measuring point to be soldered in, in particular when the base body is formed from aluminium or an aluminium alloy, for example. 
         [0015]    Moreover, it is not necessary to attach elements made of another conductive material, e.g. of copper or a copper alloy, to the cell connector for detection of the electric potential at the cell connector. 
         [0016]    Because of the absence of additional materials and additional coatings the production costs are reduced by the solution according to the invention. 
         [0017]    Since material transition points at which a corrosive attack could occur are reduced, the corrosion resistance of the cell connector according to the invention is increased. In particular, an otherwise necessary corrosion protection can be omitted. 
         [0018]    The contact body is preferably connected with the base body by a substance-to-substance bond, e.g. by welding, soldering and/or adhesion. 
         [0019]    The contact body is preferably secured to a side of the base body directed towards the cell terminals in the assembled state of the cell connector. 
         [0020]    Moreover, it is preferably provided that the contact body is arranged between the base body and one of the cell terminals in the assembled state of the cell connector. 
         [0021]    The voltage tap of the contact body is preferably in the form of a web member. 
         [0022]    In a preferred configuration of the invention it is provided that the contact body comprises a contact region, which is connected to a joining face of the base body in the assembled state of the cell connector and is formed in one piece with the voltage tap. 
         [0023]    It is particularly favourable for handling of the contact body and the cell connector produced by the use thereof if the contact body is formed in one piece overall and therefore all components of the contact body are connected to one another in one piece. 
         [0024]    In a special configuration of the invention it is provided that the base body comprises a first material and the contact body comprises a second material that is different from the first material. 
         [0025]    The base body is preferably formed substantially completely from the first material. 
         [0026]    Moreover, the contact body is preferably formed substantially completely from the second material. 
         [0027]    The base body preferably comprises aluminium and/or copper. 
         [0028]    In particular, it can be provided that the base body contains aluminium or copper as the main component. 
         [0029]    In this case, the main component of a material is seen as the component that has the highest proportion by weight of the respective material. 
         [0030]    In particular, the base body can be formed from an aluminium alloy or from a copper alloy. 
         [0031]    The contact body preferably comprises nickel. 
         [0032]    In particular, it can be provided that the contact body comprises nickel as the main component. 
         [0033]    In particular, the contact body can be formed from a nickel alloy. 
         [0034]    The use of a contact body formed completely or partially from nickel is advantageous in particular when the cell terminal, to which the contact body is connected in the assembled state of the cell connector, itself comprises nickel, preferably as the main component, or a coating with nickel, preferably as the main component. 
         [0035]    The contact body is preferably connected with the base body of the cell connector by a substance-to-substance bond. 
         [0036]    In particular, it can be provided that the base body is connected to the base body by welding, in particular by ultrasonic welding. 
         [0037]    The voltage tap of the contact body preferably has a contacting element for connecting to a voltage tap line of the electrochemical device. 
         [0038]    Such a contacting element can be configured, for example, as a soldering pin. 
         [0039]    The cell connector according to the invention is suitable in particular for use in an electrochemical device, which comprises at least one first electrochemical cell with a first cell terminal and a second electrochemical cell with a second cell terminal and also at least one cell connector according to the invention, wherein the contact body of the cell connector is connected to one of the cell terminals. 
         [0040]    In a preferred configuration it is provided that the contact body is only connected to one of the cell terminals, which are connected electrically conductively to one another by means of the cell connector. 
         [0041]    Preferably, the contact body is connected with one of the cell terminals by a substance-to-substance bond. 
         [0042]    In particular, the contact body can be connected to one of the cell terminals by welding, in particular laser welding. 
         [0043]    In a preferred configuration of the invention it is provided that the cell terminal connected to the contact body has a contact face, which has the same main component as the material of the contact region. 
         [0044]    In particular, it can be provided that the contact face of the cell terminal connected to the contact body contains nickel, preferably as the main component. 
         [0045]    The electrochemical device, in which the cell connector is used, can be configured in particular as an accumulator, e.g. as a lithium-ion accumulator. 
         [0046]    If the electrochemical device according to the invention is configured as an accumulator, it is suitable in particular as a high loading capacity energy source, e.g. for the drive of motor vehicles. 
         [0047]    The contact body of the cell connector serves in particular as a welding aid, which facilitates a substance-to-substance bond of the cell connector to a cell terminal of an electrochemical cell by welding, in particular by laser welding. 
         [0048]    The present invention additionally relates to a method for creating an electrically conductive connection between a first cell terminal of a first electrochemical cell and a second cell terminal of a second electrochemical cell. 
         [0049]    An additional object forming the basis of the present invention is to provide such a method, by means of which such an electrically conductive connection, at which an electric potential is detectable, is created in a particularly simple manner. 
         [0050]    This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for creating an electrically conductive connection between a first cell terminal of a first electrochemical cell and a second cell terminal of a second electrochemical cell, which comprises the following method steps:
       producing a base body of a cell connector;   producing a contact body of a cell connector separately from the base body, wherein the contact body comprises a voltage tap;   connecting the contact body to the base body;   connecting one of the cell terminals to the contact body;   connecting the cell connector to the other cell terminal;   connecting the voltage tap to a voltage tap line of the electrochemical device.       
 
         [0057]    Special configurations of the method according to the invention have already been explained above in association with the cell connector according to the invention and the electrochemical device according to the invention. 
         [0058]    Further features and advantages of the invention are the subject of the following description and the graphical representation of an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0059]      FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a cell connector and two electrochemical cells, the cell terminals of which are connected to one another by means of the cell connector; 
           [0060]      FIG. 2  is a schematic plan view from above onto the side of the cell connector of  FIG. 1  remote from the cell terminals of the electrochemical cells; 
           [0061]      FIG. 3  is a schematic plan view onto a base body of the cell connector from  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
           [0062]      FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view onto a contact body of the cell connector from  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
       
    
    
       [0063]    Identical or functionally equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals in all figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0064]    An electrochemical device given the overall reference  100  comprises, for example, a plurality of electrochemical modules (not shown), each of which comprises a plurality of, e.g. respectively eight or twelve, electrochemical cells  102 , which are respectively received in a seating of a receiving device (not shown) of the module. 
         [0065]    Such a receiving device can be configured in particular as a cooling body, which is in thermally conductive contact with the electrochemical cells received therein, and conduct heat away from the electrochemical cells  102  during operation of the electrochemical device  100 . 
         [0066]    The electrochemical cells  102  are arranged and oriented in the receiving device surrounding them such that axial directions  104  of the electrochemical cells  102  that run parallel to the centre longitudinal axes  106  of the electrochemical cells  102  are oriented substantially parallel to one another. 
         [0067]    In this case, each of the electrochemical cells  102  extends from a front cell terminal  108  in the respective axial direction  104  as far as a rear cell terminal (not shown), wherein each cell terminal respectively forms a positive pole or a negative pole of the electrochemical cell  102 . 
         [0068]    In this case, the centre longitudinal axes  106  of the electrochemical cells  102  are at the same time centre longitudinal axes of the cell terminals  108  of the respective electrochemical cells  102 . 
         [0069]    Electrochemical cells  102  adjacent to one another are respectively oriented in a module such that the cell terminals of two adjacent cells  102   a,    102   b  arranged on the same side of the module have opposing polarity. 
         [0070]    Thus, in the cell arrangement shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, the front cell terminal  108   a  of the electrochemical cell  102   a  forms a negative pole of the respective electrochemical cell  102   a,  whereas the front cell terminal  108   b  of the electrochemical cell  102   b  adjacent to the electrochemical cell  102   a  in a connection direction  110  forms a positive pole of the electrochemical cell  102   b.    
         [0071]    The electrochemical device  100  can be configured in particular as an accumulator, preferably as a lithium-ion accumulator, e.g. of the type LiFePO 4 . 
         [0072]    The electrochemical cells  102  of the electrochemical modules can accordingly be configured as accumulator cells, in particular lithium-ion accumulator cells, e.g. of the type LiFePO 4 . 
         [0073]    Each electrochemical module additionally comprises a plurality of cell connectors  112 , by means of which the cell terminals  108  of adjacent electrochemical cells  102  are connected electrically conductively to one another with different polarity in order to connect all electrochemical cells  102  of an electrochemical module electrically in series in this way. 
         [0074]    In this case, each cell connector  112  connects a first cell terminal  108  of negative polarity to a second cell terminal  108   b  of positive polarity of an adjacent electrochemical cell  102 . 
         [0075]    To connect all electrochemical cells  102  of a module electrically in series, besides the front cell terminals  108  of adjacent electrochemical cells, the rear cell terminals of adjacent electrochemical cells of a module are also connected to one another by means of cell connectors (not shown). 
         [0076]    Each of the cell connectors  112 , which respectively connect a first cell terminal  108   a  and a second cell terminal  108   b  electrically conductively to one another, comprises a base body  114  with a first contact section  116 , which in the assembled state of the cell connector  112  is arranged adjacent to a (e.g. negative) first cell terminal  108   a  of an electrochemical cell  102   a,  and a second contact section  118 , which in the assembled state of the cell connector  112  is connected to a (e.g. positive) second cell terminal  108   b  of another electrochemical cell  102   b.    
         [0077]    The base body  114  of the cell connector  112  shown individually in  FIG. 3  is preferably produced as a stamped bent part. 
         [0078]    In principle, the base body  114  of the cell connector  112  can be formed from any electrically conductive material, in particular from a metallic material, an electrically conductive plastic material and/or a conductive carbon material. 
         [0079]    In particular, the base body  114  of the cell connector  112  can be formed from aluminium, copper, tin, zinc, iron, gold or silver or from an alloy of one or more of the aforementioned metals. 
         [0080]    The base body  114  of the cell connector  112  is preferably formed from aluminium or an aluminium alloy or from copper or a copper alloy. 
         [0081]    The base body  114  can be single-layered or multilayered. 
         [0082]    With a multilayered configuration a plurality of layers of the base body  114  can be formed in one piece with one another. Alternatively or additionally hereto, it can also be provided that a plurality of layers of the base body are produced separately from one another and upon assembly of the cell connector are connected to one another, in particular by a substance-to-substance bond. 
         [0083]    Moreover, the cell connector  112  comprises a contact body  120 , which is produced separately from the base body  114  and in the region of the first contact section  116  is secured, preferably by a substance-to-substance bond, to the side of the base body  114  directed towards the cell terminals  108 . 
         [0084]    The contact body  120  can be connected to the base body  114  of the cell connector  112  in particular by welding, e.g. ultrasonic welding, by soldering and/or by adhesion. 
         [0085]    The contact body  120  is also preferably produced as a stamped bent part. 
         [0086]    The contact body  120  shown individually in  FIG. 4  comprises a contact region  122 , which is substantially rectangular, for example, and which in the assembled state of the cell connector  112  is connected to a joining surface  124  of the base body  114  directed toward the contact body  120  and in the assembled state of the electrochemical device  100  is connected to one of the cell terminals  108 , e.g. to the negative first cell terminal  108   a,  by a substance-to-substance bond. 
         [0087]    In particular, it can be provided that the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  is connected to the cell terminal  108   a  by welding, in particular by laser welding. 
         [0088]    To facilitate the formation of a substance-to-substance bond between the contact region  122  of the contact body  120 , on the one hand, and the first contact section  116  of the base body  114 , on the other, by means of an ultrasonic joining process, it can be provided that the contact region  122  is provided with a raised section  126  projecting towards the base body  114 , which with a contact face  128  abuts against the joining surface  124  of the base body  114  at the beginning of the ultrasonic joining process, wherein the contact face  128  is smaller than the entire joining surface  130  of the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  directed towards the base body  114 . 
         [0089]    During a linear or torsional ultrasonic welding process the raised section  126  of the contact body  120  penetrates into the base body  114  until the raised section  126  is embedded in the material of the base body and the remaining surface  132  of the joining surface  130  of the contact region  122  located outside the contact face  128  of the raised section  126  abuts against the joining surface  124  of the base body  114 . 
         [0090]    The raised section  126  can be configured in a ring shape, for example, and can be configured as a double half-bead, for example, with an inner flank  134  descending from an inner edge of the contact face  128  to the remaining surface  132  and an outer flank  136  descending from an outer edge of the contact face  128  to the remaining surface  132 . 
         [0091]    Besides the contact region  122 , the contact body  120  comprises a voltage tap  138 , which is in the form of a web member, for example, and which is formed in one piece with the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  and extends away from the contact region  122 . 
         [0092]    In particular, it can be provided that the web-like voltage tap  138  has an initial section  140 , which is connected to the contact region  122  and runs substantially parallel to a transverse direction  142  of the cell connector  112 , for example, a middle section  144 , which follows the initial section  140  and runs substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction  146  of the cell connector  112 , for example, and an end section  148 , which follows the middle section  144  and runs substantially parallel to the transverse direction  142  of the cell connector  112 , for example. 
         [0093]    The transverse direction  142  and the longitudinal direction  146  of the cell connector  112  run perpendicularly to one another. 
         [0094]    In this case, the initial section  140  of the voltage tap  138  is preferably connected to the middle section  144  of the voltage tap  138  by means of a first curved intermediate section, whereas the middle section  144  is preferably connected to the end section  148  by means of a second curved intermediate section  152 . 
         [0095]    The end section  148  of the voltage tap  138  is preferably provided with a contacting element  154  at its free end for connection of the voltage tap  138  to a voltage tap line (not shown) of the electrochemical device  100 . 
         [0096]    The contacting element  154  can be configured as a soldering pin, for example, to which the voltage tap  138  is solderable with a voltage tap line. 
         [0097]    To be able to change the vertical position of the contacting element  154 , i.e. its positioning in a contact direction  156  of the cell connector  112  perpendicular to the transverse direction  142  and to the longitudinal direction  146 , in a desired manner in relation to the vertical position of the contact region  122 , the voltage tap  138  can be provided with an offset  158 , in particular in its end section  148 . 
         [0098]    The offset  158  preferably runs substantially transversely, in particular substantially perpendicularly, to a longitudinal direction of the end section  148 . 
         [0099]    In principle, in the assembled state of the electrochemical device  100  the offset part  160  of the voltage tap  138  can be offset in relation to the contact region  122  towards the cell terminal  108   a  or away from the cell terminal  108   a.    
         [0100]    In the case of the embodiment shown in the drawings the offset part  160  of the voltage tap  138  is offset in relation to the contact region  122  towards the cell terminal  108   a.    
         [0101]    The voltage tap  138  preferably has substantially the same average material thickness as the contact region  122  of the contact body  120 . 
         [0102]    The contact body  120  formed in one piece preferably comprises a material different from the material of the base body  114  and is preferably formed substantially completely from a material different from the material of the base body  114 . 
         [0103]    In particular, it can be provided that the contact body  120  is formed from nickel or a nickel alloy. 
         [0104]    The cell terminal  108   a  connected with the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  terminal  108   a  by a substance-to-substance bond preferably has a contact face  162 , which contains the same main component as the material of the contact body  120 . 
         [0105]    The contact face  162  of the cell terminal  108   a  connected to the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  is preferably formed from nickel or a nickel alloy. 
         [0106]    However, the second cell terminal  108   b  connected electrically conductively to the first cell terminal  108   a  by means of the cell connector  112  preferably has a contact face  164 , the main component of which is the same as the main component of the material of the base body  114 . 
         [0107]    If the base body  114  is formed from aluminium or an aluminium alloy, the contact face  164  of the second cell terminal  108   b  is thus preferably likewise formed from aluminium or an aluminium alloy. 
         [0108]    The second contact section  118  of the base body  114  is connected directly, preferably by a substance-to-substance bond, to the second cell terminal  108   b.    
         [0109]    Such a substance-to-substance bond can be created in particular by welding, in particular laser welding, or by soldering. 
         [0110]    The second contact section  118  of the base body  114  thus forms a second contact region  166  of the cell connector  112 , which in the assembled state of the electrochemical device  100  is connected to the second cell terminal  108   b,  whereas the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  forms a first contact region of the cell connector  112 , which in the assembled state of the electrochemical device  100  is connected to the first cell terminal  108   a.    
         [0111]    To also allow a direct access, e.g. for measurement purposes, to the cell terminals  108   a  and  108   b  after connecting the cell connector  112  to the cell terminals  108   a  and  108   b  by a substance-to-substance bond, the first contact section  116  and the second contact section  118  of the base body  114  as well as the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  can be respectively provided with a through opening  168 ,  170  or  172  that is substantially circular, for example (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). 
         [0112]    In this case, the through opening  168  preferably has a larger passage surface in the first contact section  116  of the base body  114  than the through opening  172  in the contact region  122  of the contact body  120 , such that the edge  174  of the through opening  168  in the first contact section  116  surrounds, preferably substantially concentrically, the edge  176  of the through opening  172  in the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0113]    As is additionally evident from  FIG. 2 , it can be provided that the first contact section  116  of the base body  114  has a projection  178 , which at least partially overlaps with the initial section  140  and the first curved intermediate section  150  of the voltage tap  138  of the contact body  120 , so that these sections of the voltage tap  138  are supported by the base body  114 . 
         [0114]    During operation of the electrochemical device  100 , because of different temperatures and/or because of different coefficients of thermal expansion of the cell connectors  112 , on the one hand, and the receiving device for the electrochemical cells  102 , on the other, a difference can occur between a longitudinal extension of the cell connectors  112 , on the one hand, and a change in spacing between the longitudinal axes  106  of the cell terminals  108   a,    108   b  connected to one another by the cell connectors  112 , on the other. Because of a temperature change the relative positions of the cell terminals  108   a,    108   b  connected to one another by a cell connector  112  are changed in the connection direction  110  oriented perpendicularly to the axial direction  104  of the electrochemical cells  102 . 
         [0115]    The connection direction  110  lies in a plane  180 , which contains the longitudinal axes  106  of the electrochemical cells  102   a  and  102   b  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0116]    Moreover, because of different longitudinal expansions of the electrochemical cells  102   a,    102   b  connected to one another by a cell connector  112  a change in the relative positions between the interconnected cell terminals  108   a,    108   b  can occur in the axial direction  104  of the interconnected electrochemical cells  102   a,    102   b.    
         [0117]    To be able to compensate such differences between a longitudinal expansion of the cell connector  112 , on the one hand, and a change in spacing between the longitudinal axes  106  of the cell terminals  108   a,    108   b  connected to one another by the cell connector  112 , on the other, and/or such differences between a longitudinal expansion of a first electrochemical cell  102   a  and a second electrochemical cell  102   b,  which are connected to one another by the cell connector  112 , it can be provided that the cell connector  112  comprises an elastically and/or plastically deformable compensation region  182 , which is arranged between the first contact region  122  and the second contact region  166  of the cell connector  112  and connects the two contact regions  122  and  166  to one another. 
         [0118]    The base body  114  of the cell connector  112  is preferably provided with such a compensation region  182 . 
         [0119]    In the embodiment of a cell connector  112  shown in the Figures, the deformable compensation region  182  has an undulating structure, wherein the undulating structure comprises one or more, e.g. three, undulations with an amplitude directed parallel to the axial direction  104  of the cells  102   a,    102   b  to be connected by means of the cell connector  112  and substantially perpendicular to the contact faces, with which the cell connector  112  abuts against the first cell terminal  108   a  or against the second cell terminal  108   b  in the assembled state. These undulations have a plurality of, e.g. three, undulation peaks  184  running transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the axial direction  104  of the electrochemical cells  102  and transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the longitudinal direction  146  of the cell connector  112  and substantially parallel to the transverse direction  142  of the cell connector  112 , and a plurality of undulation troughs  186  arranged between the undulation peaks  184  and running transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the axial direction  104  of the electrochemical cells  102  and transversely, preferably substantially perpendicularly, to the longitudinal direction  146  of the cell connector  112  and substantially parallel to the transverse direction  142  of the cell connector  112 . 
         [0120]    In the assembled state of the electrochemical device  100  the longitudinal direction  146  of the cell connector  112  runs substantially parallel to the connection direction  110 , and the transverse direction  142  of the cell connector  112  runs substantially perpendicularly to the connection direction  110 . 
         [0121]    The undulation peaks  184  project upwards in the contact direction  156  of the cell connector  112  perpendicular to the contact faces of the cell connector  112 , which in the assembled state of the electrochemical device  100  is the same as the axial direction  104  of the electrochemical cells  102 , whereas the undulation troughs  186  project downwards in the contact direction  156  (i.e. towards the cells  102  to be connected to one another). 
         [0122]    As a result of the undulating structure of the deformable compensation region  124  of the cell connector  112 , the compensation region  124  is easily elastically and/or plastically deformable in such a manner that the second contact region  166  can be displaced relative to the first contact region  122  both in the axial direction  104  of the electrochemical cells  102  and in the longitudinal direction  146  of the cell connector  112  to compensate the above-described differences in the relative positions of the cell terminals  108   a  and  108   b  to be connected to one another by means of the cell connector  112 . As a result, excessive mechanical stresses at the connection points between the cell connector  112 , on the one hand, and the first cell terminal  108  as well as the second cell terminal  108   b,  on the other hand, can be avoided. 
         [0123]    The following procedure is followed to produce the cell connector  112  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 : 
         [0124]    Firstly, a base body preform is separated out, e.g. punched out or cut out (e.g. by means of a laser) of a starting material, e.g. a starting material in metal sheet form. 
         [0125]    The undulation peaks  184  and undulation troughs  186  of the compensation region  182  are incorporated into the base body preform by means of suitable forming operations, in particular stamping or deep-drawing operations. 
         [0126]    The through opening  168  of the first contact section  116  and the through opening  170  of the second contact section  118  can already be separated out of the base body preform before these forming operations, e.g. together with the separation of the outer contour of the base body preform out of the starting material, or after the forming operations. 
         [0127]    The production of the base body  114  of the cell connector  112  is thus concluded. 
         [0128]    The contact body  120  is likewise separated out, e.g. punched out or cut out (e.g. by means of a laser) of a starting material, e.g. a starting material in metal sheet form, separately from the base body  114 . 
         [0129]    The raised section  126  in the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  and the offset  158  on the voltage tap  138  of the contact body  120  are additionally produced by means of suitable forming operations, in particular stamping or deep-drawing operations. 
         [0130]    The through opening  172  in the contact region  122  of the contact body  120  can already be separated out of the contact body  120  before these forming operations, e.g. together with the separation of the outer contour of the contact body  120  out of the starting material, or after the forming operations. 
         [0131]    The contact body  120  is connected to the base body  114 , preferably by a substance-to-substance bond. 
         [0132]    This connection is preferably made by an ultrasonic welding operation. 
         [0133]    The cell connector  112  produced from the base body  114  and the contact body  120  in this manner is connected, preferably by a substance-to-substance bond, with a respective cell terminal  108  of an electrochemical cell  102  in the contact regions  122  and  166 . 
         [0134]    The contacting element  154  of the voltage tap  138  of the contact body  120  is connected, e.g. by soldering, to a voltage tap line (not shown), which leads to an evaluation unit (likewise not shown) of the electrochemical device  100 .