Abstract:
A battery interface assembly for a battery system includes a first end section and a second end section. The first end section provides a source voltage from battery modules of the battery system via a conductive bus bar. The battery interface assembly also includes X intermediate housing sections that receive and house respective sections of the conductive bus bar and that detachably interconnect with each other and with the first and second end sections. The first and second end sections and the X intermediate housing sections are contiguously aligned. X is an integer greater than or equal to 0.

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to battery systems and, more particularly, to a battery interface assembly for a battery system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure. 
     A battery system may include a battery cassette that includes one or more battery modules connected in series and/or parallel. Each of the battery modules may include one or more battery cells connected in series and/or parallel. Interface assemblies may couple to and interconnect the battery modules and allow the modules to provide power to an external device. Interface assemblies may also electrically isolate one or more of the battery modules. 
     Battery systems are often utilized in dynamic environments such as vehicles for hybrid electric applications. Therefore, interface assemblies commonly include flexible thermoplastic materials such as polymeric blends. However, batteries typically generate heat during operation, which may cause the thermoplastic materials to expand. Further, components of interface assemblies are typically molded or welded together based on a predetermined length. 
     SUMMARY 
     A battery interface assembly for a battery system includes a first end section and a second end section. The first end section provides a source voltage from battery modules of the battery system via a conductive bus bar. The battery interface assembly also includes X intermediate housing sections that receive respective sections of the conductive bus bar and that detachably interconnect with each other and with the first and second end sections. The first and second end sections and the X intermediate housing sections are contiguously aligned. X is an integer greater than or equal to 0. 
     In other features, the first and second end sections include at least one of a male connector and a female connector and interconnect with the X intermediate housing sections via the one of the male and female connectors. The X intermediate housing sections each comprise at least one of a male connector and a female connector and detachably interconnect with each other via the one of the male and female connectors. A male connector may be a predetermined size smaller than the female connector such that a gap is formed between interconnected ones of the male and female connectors. 
     In other features, each of the X intermediate housing sections communicates with a respective one of X battery modules. L intermediate housing sections interconnect with the X intermediate housing sections and communicate with L battery modules that differ from the X battery modules. L is an integer greater than or equal to 0. The X intermediate housing sections and the L intermediate housing sections communicate with X+L respective sections of the conductive bus bar. 
     In other features, each of the X intermediate housing sections defines a respective portion of a channel. The channel receives a plurality of leads. Each of the X intermediate housing sections includes lead guides that retain at least one of the plurality of leads at a predetermined angle. Each of the X intermediate housing sections includes a support device for a reference voltage cable. One of the first and second end sections communicates with the reference voltage cable. 
     In other features, a battery system includes the battery interface assembly and further includes the conductive bus bar. The bus bar further includes an end bar that communicates with the sections, and that may be at least partially inserted within the first and/or second end sections. The end bar communicates externally from the battery system. At least one of the sections and the end bar includes layers of woven wire. 
     In other features, a battery system includes X interconnecting sections of a battery interface assembly that cover terminals of Y battery modules. The system also includes a bus bar that includes Z sections that are received in respective ones of the X interconnecting sections and that communicate with the terminals of respective ones of the Y battery modules. X, Y and Z are integers greater than 1. The X interconnecting sections include a first end section, a second end section and Y intermediate housing sections positioned between the first and second end sections. The first and second end sections differ from the intermediate housing sections. 
     In other features, the first and second end sections include at least one of a male connector and a female connector and interconnect with the Y intermediate housing sections via the one of the male and female connectors. The Y intermediate housing sections each comprise at least one of a male connector and a female connector and detachably interconnect with each other via the one of the male and female connectors. L intermediate housing sections interconnect with the Y intermediate housing sections and communicate with terminals of L battery modules that differ from the Y battery modules. L is an integer greater than or equal to 0. 
     In other features, the Y intermediate housing sections and the L intermediate housing sections communicate with Z+L respective sections of the conductive bus bar. At least one of the Z sections of a conductive bus bar includes layers of woven wire. The bus bar further includes an end bar that communicates with the Z sections and that communicates externally from the battery system. The X interconnecting sections define a respective section of a channel. The channel receives a plurality of leads. Each of the X interconnecting sections includes lead guides that retain at least one of the plurality of leads at a predetermined angle. In other features, a first one of the X interconnecting sections includes a connector that detachably couples together with a second one of the X interconnecting sections. The connector includes a head portion and a neck portion. The second one of the X interconnecting sections includes a first side that defines an opening that receives the neck portion. The neck portion includes a predetermined length that is longer than a thickness of the first side. A cross section of the neck is smaller than an area of the opening such that the connector moveable couples to the first side. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, the claims and the drawings. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a battery system, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIGS. 1B-1D  are perspective views of the battery system including components exposed by removal of a terminal cover, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a battery interface assembly, according to the present disclosure 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3B  is a back view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3C  is a side view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3D  is a front view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3E  is a top view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of an end section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4B  is a rear view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4C  is a side view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4D  is a front view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4E  is a top view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5B  is a rear view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5C  is a side view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5D  is a front view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5E  is a top view of an interconnect section, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of a section of a bus bar, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6B  is a front view of a section of a bus bar, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6C  is a top view of a section of a bus bar, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of an end section of a bus bar, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7B  is a front view of an end section of a bus bar, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8A  is a front view of a battery interface assembly, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8B  is a front detail view of battery leads at a predetermined angle, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram of battery leads, according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 10A  is a front view of a terminal cover, according to the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 10B  is a side view of a terminal cover, according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. For purposes of clarity, the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to identify similar elements. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A or B or C), using a non-exclusive logical or. It should be understood that steps within a method may be executed in different order without altering the principles of the present disclosure. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-2 , a battery system  6  is illustrated. The battery system  6  includes a battery interface assembly  8 . A cover  10  of the interface assembly  8  covers and protects terminal screws  9 - 1 ,  9 - 2 , . . . , and  9 -J (referred to herein as terminal screws  9 ) of a plurality of battery modules  12 - 1 ,  12 - 2 , . . . , and  12 -M (referred to herein as battery modules  12 ). A battery cassette  13  includes the battery modules  12 . 
     Each of the battery modules  12  has a respective positive terminal and negative terminal that corresponds to respective terminal screws  9 . The battery modules  12  may be stacked together in parallel and/or series. The positive terminals may therefore be disposed in adjoining relation to corresponding negative terminals of adjacent battery modules. 
     The battery interface assembly  8  includes a plurality of interconnect sections  14 - 1 ,  14 - 2 , . . . , and  14 -N (referred to herein as interconnect sections  14 ). The interconnect sections  14  may be detachably connected, which means that the interconnect sections  14  may be coupled together and decoupled from each other without damaging to the interconnect sections  14 . A bus bar  17  may be at least partially housed and retained within the interconnect sections  14  and may communicate with the battery modules  12 . The interconnect sections  14  may also retain a reference voltage cable  18  and various other wires and/or cables  19 . The reference voltage cable  18  may communicate with a reference voltage, such as ground. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3A-3E , the interconnect sections  14  may include end sections  14 - 1  and  14 -N and intermediate housing sections  14 - 2  to  14 -(N−1). Each of the intermediate housing sections  14 - 2  to  14 -(N−1) may communicate with a respective battery module. In  FIGS. 3A-3E , an exemplary intermediate housing section  14 - 2  is illustrated. The intermediate housing section  14 - 2  includes male and female connectors  20 ,  22  for connecting with adjacent sections. In other words, respective male connectors of intermediate housing sections may fit into female connectors of adjacent intermediate housing sections. The male and/or female connectors  20 ,  22  may be sized to allow movement between the connectors  20 ,  22 . For example, the male connectors  20  may not fit snugly into the female connectors  22  and may instead be a predetermined size that is smaller than openings of the female connectors  22 . Therefore, a gap may be provided between the exteriors of the male connectors  20  and interiors of the female connectors  22 . 
     The male and/or female connectors  20 ,  22  may include connectors  24 , such as snap-fit connectors, as illustrated, that couple adjacent intermediate housing sections together that may include head portions  26  coupled to necks  27 . The head portions  26  may have larger cross sections than the necks  27 . The head portions  26  may snap into respective openings  29  defined in walls of the male connectors  22 . The necks  27  may have predetermined lengths. The walls of the male connectors  22  may have a corresponding thickness. The necks  27  may be longer than the thickness of the walls. Further, the openings  29  may be sized to allow the necks  27  to move. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4A-5E , end sections  14 - 1 ,  14 -N of the interconnect sections  14  are illustrated. Additional intermediate housing section(s) may be added to the system  6  by removing one of the end sections  14 - 1 ,  14 -N and connecting respective male and/or female connectors  20 ,  22  of the addition intermediate housing section(s) to male or female connectors  20 ,  22  of the existing interconnected sections  14 . For example, when additional battery modules are added to the cassette  13 , additional intermediate housing sections may also be added that communicate with the additional battery modules. The male connectors  20  may be sized to house sections of the bus bar  17 . 
     Some or all of the interconnect sections  14  may include clips  30  that retain the reference voltage cable  18 . The clips  30  may include hooks of various shapes and sizes or other retaining device(s). For example, each interconnect section  14  may include a hook, and the hooks collectively form a channel that may retain the reference voltage cable  18  along a length thereof. 
     The interconnect sections  14  may also each provide channels  40  for high voltage lead wires  42 . The channels  40  may route the wires  42  and may be defined by at least three sides  44 ,  46 ,  48  and an opening  50  that receives the wires  42 . The channels  40  may each have one or more associated flaps  52  that may fold over and snap in place to at least partially close the opening  50  when the wires  42  are strung along the channels  40 . 
     The wires  42  each include leads  60  that communicate with the bus bar and at least one terminal of each of the battery modules and provide a source voltage from the battery terminals. The interconnect sections  14  may each include snap-fit sections  64  that secure the leads  60  in place at a predetermined angle, such as an angle of around 40-45 degrees. The snap-fit sections  64  may include snaps into which the leads  60  are pressed and/or flaps that snap over the leads  60  after they are positioned. The interconnect sections  14  may also include one or more channels  70 ,  72  for further securing the leads  60  in place. The channels  70 ,  72  may also retain the leads  60  at the predetermined angle that minimizes and/or prevents breakage of the leads. The wires  42  may communicate with a wire harness  43  that may be used to provide power to external devices from the battery system  6 . 
     Each of the interconnect sections  14  may also include touch-safe features  80  that may snap over and at least partially enclose the leads and/or the bus bar  17 . The touch-safe features  80  may include an insulative material, such as polypropylene, that may at least partially protect the bus bar  17  and/or leads from shorting out. The interconnect sections  14  may also include hanging sections  90 , which may include hooks, that may be used to hang the battery interface assembly  8  onto the battery cassette  13 . The battery cassette  13  may include receiving sections  91  that receive the hanging sections  90 . 
     In  FIGS. 4A-4E , the end section  14 - 1  is illustrated. The end section  14 - 1  may be similar to the intermediate housing sections  14 - 2  to  14 -(N−1) but may only include one of the male and female connectors  20 ,  22 . A female connector  22  is illustrated. The intermediate housing section  14 - 2  may link with the end section  14 - 1  via the female connector  22 . The end section  14 - 1  may also include a contact area  100  that may include an electrically conductive material that allows the leads  60  to communicate with the reference voltage cable  18 . The end section  14 - 1  may also include a non-conductive cover  110  that is isolated from the contact area  100 . The cover  110  minimizes risk of shorting the contact area  100  during transportation of the battery interface assembly  8 . 
     In  FIGS. 5A-5E , the end section  14 -N is illustrated. The end section  14 -N may be similar to the intermediate housing sections  14 - 2  to  14 -(N−1) but may only include one of the male and female connectors  20 ,  22 . A male connector  20  is illustrated. The intermediate housing section  14 -(N−1) may link with the end section  14 -N via the male connector  20 . The end section  14 -N may also include a channel  40 , but unlike the intermediate housing sections  14 - 2  to  14 -(N−1), the channel  40  may be rounded to feed the leads to the wire harness  43 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6A-7B , components of the bus bar  17  are illustrated. The bus bar  17  may include a plurality of bus bar sections  200 - 1 ,  200 - 2 , . . . , and  200 -L (referred to herein as bus bar sections  200 ) and an end bar  202 . The bus bar sections  200  may include openings  210  that receive battery terminals from the battery modules and may include various shape configurations. For example, the bus bar sections  200  may include a strip-like shape that may be flat or contoured. An exemplary contoured bus bar section  200  is illustrated in  FIGS. 6A-6C . The contoured bus bar section  200  includes a mid-portion  212  that is offset from two side portions  214 ,  216 . The male connector  20  of the interconnect sections  14  may be sized to receive the bus bar section  200 . The male connector  20  may therefore include openings  220  that receive the two side portions  214 ,  216 . The male connector  20  may also receive a retaining portion  222 . The mid-portion  212  of the bus bar section  200  may be sized to receive the retaining portion  222 . The retaining portion  222  may therefore be secured between the bus bar section  200  and the respective battery module. 
     The bus bar sections  200  may be made of conductive metal. The bus bars sections  200  may be embedded in the interconnect sections  14 . When the interconnect sections  14  communicate with the battery modules, the bus bar sections  200  electrically connect adjacent positive and negative terminals of the battery modules. The bus bar sections may be arranged so that an end of one bus bar section communicates with an end of an adjacent bus bar section, thereby forming a continuously conductive bus bar  17 . 
     The bus bar sections  20  may be solid pieces of conductive metal or may include a plurality of wires braided together, as illustrated in the top view of  FIG. 6C . The braided bus bar section may be more flexible than a solid metal bus bar section and may therefore provide flexibility for the system  6 . The braided bus bar sections  200  may include numerous strands of wire, for example 36 gage wire. For example, in that particular bus bar there are 24 individual bundles of wire and each of those 24 bundles includes 40 individual wires braided together lengthwise along the bus bar section  200 . 
     In  FIGS. 7A-7B , an exemplary end bar  202  of the bus bar  17  is illustrated. The end bar  202  may include openings  230  that receive terminals from the battery modules. The end bar  202  may also be at least partially insulated in an area  232  between the openings  230 . The insulation may inhibit shorting out of the end bar  202 . The end bar  202  may communicate with an adjacent one of the bus bar sections  200 . Therefore, the terminals of the battery modules may communicate externally via a contact point  240  on the end bar  202 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8A-9 , an exemplary configuration for the leads  60 - 1 ,  60 - 2 , . . . , and  60 -K (collectively referred to as leads  60 ) is illustrated. The leads  60  may communicate with lead wires  42  that fit into the channel  40  and that may be positioned at a predetermined angle relative to the channel  40 . The leads  60  may be electrically isolated from each other and may plug into various devices via the harness  43 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 10A-10B , the cover  10  may be shaped to cover exposed portions of the assembly  8 . The cover  10  may extend the length of the interconnect sections  14  and/or the entire assembly  8 . The cover  10  may also include connective portions  252  that allow the cover to  10  affix to the assembly  8 . 
     Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, the specification, and the following claims.