Patent Description:
In a battery module, it is usually to sample the voltage and temperature of the battery by the FPC, and in order to ensure the safety and reliability of the low-voltage electrical connection during the sampling process, a fusing zone is usually provided in the sampling circuit of the FPC (as shown in <FIG>, <NUM>' is the sampling end portion of the sampling circuit,<NUM>' is the outputting end portion of the sampling circuit, S' is the fusing zone, <NUM>' is the pad, <NUM>' is the insulating film). However, once the fusing zone in the sampling circuit is fused, the sampling will fail and cause the entire FPC or even the entire battery module to be scrapped.

In view of the problem existing in the background, an object of the present invention is to provide a circuit board, a using method of the circuit board, a battery module and a vehicle, the circuit board has a simple structure and can be reused, thereby improving the utilization of the battery module.

In order to achieve the above object, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a circuit board as set out in claim <NUM>.

The second branch path is provided as one or multiple in number. Moreover, the sampling circuits is provided as one or multiple in number. In addition, a protective adhesive is attached to a surface of the second pad.

In a second aspect, the present invention further provides a using method of a circuit board as set out in claim <NUM>.

In a third aspect, the present invention further provides a battery module as set out in claim <NUM>.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention further provides a vehicle as set out in claim <NUM>.

The present invention has the following beneficial effects: during the sampling process of the circuit board, the first pad transmits the collected signal to the external controller via the sampling end portion of the sampling circuit, the first branch path and the outputting end portion. When the first fusing zone of the first branch path is fused (at this time the sampling end portion of the sampling circuit and the outputting end portion are disconnected), because the sampling circuit is further provided with the second branch path, the circuit board can be quickly repaired by means of the second branch path and the second pad to electrically connect the sampling end portion and the outputting end portion during the return repair of the battery module, thereby achieving the purpose of reusing the circuit board, therefore the entire battery module is not scrapped and the utilization of the battery module is improved. Moreover, the second fusing zone of the second branch path is used to protect the circuit board and the battery module again.

Reference numerals in figures are represented as follows:.

To make the object, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more apparent, hereinafter the present invention will be further described in detail in combination with the accompanying figures and the embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely used to explain the present invention but are not intended to limit the present invention.

In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specifically defined and limited, the terms "first", "second", "third" are only used for illustrative purposes and are not to be construed as expressing or implying a relative importance. The term "plurality" is two or more. Unless otherwise defined or described, the terms "connect", "fix" should be broadly interpreted, for example, the term "connect" can be "fixedly connect", "detachably connect", "integrally connect", "electrically connect" or "signal connect". The term "connect" also can be "directly connect" or "indirectly connect via a medium". For the persons skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the abovementioned terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific situation.

In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that spatially relative terms, such as "above", "below" and the like, are described based on orientations illustrated in the figures, but are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, a vehicle of the present invention comprises a battery module, and the battery module comprises a plurality of batteries <NUM>, a circuit board <NUM>, a plurality of electrical connecting sheets <NUM> and a conductive sheet <NUM>.

The plurality of batteries <NUM> are arranged side by side and electrically connected together by the plurality of electrical connecting sheets <NUM>. The number of the conductive sheets <NUM> can be provided according to the number of the batteries <NUM> which are collected in temperature and/or voltage. The circuit board <NUM> is provided above the plurality of batteries <NUM> and electrically connected with the corresponding electrical connecting sheet <NUM> via the corresponding conductive sheet <NUM> to collect the temperature and/or voltage of the corresponding battery <NUM>.

The circuit board <NUM> may be a flexible printed circuit (abbreviated as FPC). Specifically, referring to <FIG>, the circuit board <NUM> comprises a conductive layer, a first pad <NUM>, a second pad <NUM>, a third pad <NUM>, a conductive connecting member <NUM> and an insulating film <NUM>.

The conductive layer of the circuit board <NUM> may be made of a metal material (such as a copper foil or an aluminum foil), and the conductive layer may be formed with one or multiple sampling circuits <NUM>. Each sampling circuit <NUM> is electrically connected with the corresponding electrical connecting sheet <NUM> via the corresponding conductive sheet <NUM> to collect the temperature and/or voltage of the corresponding battery <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the sampling circuit <NUM> comprises: a sampling end portion <NUM>; an outputting end portion <NUM> connected with an external controller; a first branch path <NUM> connected with the sampling end portion <NUM> and the outputting end portion <NUM> and formed with a first fusing zone S11; and a second branch path <NUM> formed with a second fusing zone S12, one end of the second branch path <NUM> is connected with a portion of the first branch path <NUM> except the first fusing zone S11,and the other end of the second branch path <NUM> is spaced apart from the sampling end portion <NUM> and the first branch path <NUM>.

The first pad <NUM> is provided on the sampling end portion <NUM> of the sampling circuit <NUM> and connected with the conductive sheet <NUM> to collect the temperature and/or voltage of the battery <NUM>. The second pad <NUM> is provided on the other end of the second branch path <NUM>. The first pad <NUM> and the second pad <NUM> are identical with the sampling circuit <NUM> in number.

During the sampling process of the circuit board <NUM>, the first pad <NUM> transmits the collected signal to the external controller via the sampling end portion <NUM>, the first branch path <NUM> and the outputting end portion <NUM> of the sampling circuit <NUM>. When the first fusing zone S11 of the first branch path <NUM> is fused (at this time the sampling end portion <NUM> and the outputting end portion <NUM> of the sampling circuit <NUM> are disconnected), because the sampling circuit <NUM> is further provided with the second branch path <NUM>, the circuit board <NUM> can be quickly repaired by means of the second branch path <NUM> and the second pad <NUM> to electrically connect the sampling end portion <NUM> and the outputting end portion <NUM> during the return repair of the battery module, thereby achieving the purpose of reusing the circuit board <NUM>, therefore the entire battery module is not scrapped and the utilization of the battery module is improved. Moreover, the second fusing zone S12 of the second branch path <NUM> is used to protect the circuit board <NUM> and the battery module again.

The second branch path <NUM> may be manufactured in the same manufacturing process as the first branch path <NUM> to simplify the manufacturing process and improve the production efficiency of the circuit board <NUM>. Moreover, the second branch path <NUM> is not limited to one in number and may be provided as multiple depending on the size of the circuit board <NUM>.

After the first fusing zone S11 of the first branch path <NUM> is fused, the quickly repair methods of the circuit board <NUM> repaired by the second branch path <NUM> and the second pad <NUM> during the return repair of the battery module are as follows, and the third pad <NUM> can be selectively provided based on different repair methods which are specifically described below.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, referring to <FIG>, after the first fusing zone S11 of the first branch path <NUM> is fused, the second pad <NUM> is connected to the first pad <NUM> via the conductive connecting member <NUM>, and at this time the sampling end portion <NUM> is electrically connected with the outputting end portion <NUM> via the first pad <NUM>, the conductive connecting member <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the second branch path <NUM> in sequence. Here, because the conductive connecting member <NUM> directly connects the second pad <NUM> and the first pad <NUM>, it is not necessary to provide the third pad <NUM>, thereby simplifying the structure and manufacturing process of the circuit board <NUM>.

In order to reduce the length of the conductive connecting member <NUM>, preferably, the one end of the second branch path <NUM> is connected to the first branch path <NUM> at a position between the outputting end portion <NUM> and the first fusing zone S11, so as to make the second pad <NUM> provided on the other end of the second branch path <NUM> close to the first pad <NUM>.

In an unclaimed example relating to the invention, referring to <FIG>, the one end of the second branch path <NUM> is directly connected to the sampling end portion <NUM> or is connected to the first branch path <NUM> at a position between the sampling end portion <NUM> and the first fusing zone S11, and the third pad <NUM> is provided between the first fusing zone S11 and the outputting end portion <NUM>, so as to make the third pad <NUM> close to the second pad <NUM>, thereby helping to reduce the length of the conductive connecting member <NUM>.

After the first fusing zone S11 of the first branch path <NUM> is fused, the second pad <NUM> is connected to the third pad <NUM> via the conductive connecting member <NUM>, and at this time the sampling end portion <NUM> is electrically connected to the outputting end portion <NUM> via the second branch path <NUM>, the second pad <NUM>, the conductive connecting member <NUM>, the third pad <NUM> and the outputting end portion <NUM> in sequence. Here, based on the arrangement of the third pad <NUM>, the formation position of the second branch path <NUM> does not need to depend on the position of the first pad <NUM>, and at the same time because the conductive connecting member <NUM> is not directly connected to the first pad <NUM>, thereby avoiding the effect of multiple connections (e.g., welding) on the first pad <NUM> (which is subsequently connected to the conductive sheet <NUM>).

In another unclaimed example relating to the invention, referring to <FIG>, the one end of the second branch path <NUM> is connected to the first branch path <NUM> at a position between the outputting end portion <NUM> and the first fusing zone S11, and the third pad <NUM> is provided between the first fusing zone S11 and the sampling end portion <NUM>, so as to make the third pad <NUM> close to the second pad <NUM>, thereby helping to reduce the length of the conductive connecting member <NUM>.

After the first fusing zone S11 of the first branch path <NUM> is fused, the second pad <NUM> is connected to the third pad <NUM> via the conductive connecting member <NUM>, and at the same time the sampling end portion <NUM> is electrically connected to the outputting end portion <NUM> via the third pad <NUM>, the conductive connecting member <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the second branch path <NUM> in sequence. Here, based on the arrangement of the third pad <NUM>, the formation position of the second branch path <NUM> does not need to depend on the position of the first pad <NUM>, and at the same time because the conductive connecting member <NUM> is not directly connected to the first pad <NUM>, thereby avoiding the effect of multiple connections on the first pad <NUM>.

It should be noted that, the first pad <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the third pad <NUM> may be integrally formed with the sampling circuit <NUM>, or the first pad <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the third pad <NUM> may be made of the same material as the sampling circuit <NUM> and connected to the sampling circuit <NUM> (e.g., welded, electrically bonded, press jointed etc.), or the first pad <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the third pad <NUM> may be made of a metal material or an alloy material different from the sampling circuit <NUM> and connected to the sampling circuit <NUM>. Moreover, the shapes of the first pad <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the third pad <NUM> may be circular, elliptical, square and the like.

The conductive connecting member <NUM> is made of a metal material, the conductive connecting member <NUM> may specifically be a conductive wire, an aluminum wire, a copper wire, a nickel wire, a soldering tin and the like, and the connection method among the conductive connecting member15, the first pad <NUM> and the second pad <NUM> or among the conductive connecting member15, the second pad <NUM> and the third pad <NUM> may be welding, electrically bonding, press jointing and the like.

In order to protect the conductive layer, an outer side of the conductive layer is covered with the insulating film <NUM>. The first pad <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the third pad <NUM> are exposed on the insulating film <NUM> to facilitate connection of them with other electrical connection members.

In order to protect the first pad <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the third pad <NUM>, a protective adhesive may be attached to the surfaces of them, and when they are required to be connected with other electrical connection members, the protective adhesive can be directly removed. Moreover, in order to ensure the connection reliability of the connection portions among the conductive connecting member <NUM>, the first pad <NUM> and the second pad <NUM>, or among the conductive connecting member <NUM>, the second pad <NUM> and the third pad <NUM>, the connection portion also can be attached with the protective adhesive. The protective adhesive may be a heat-resistance adhesive tape or a protective coating layer adhesive.

Claim 1:
A circuit board (<NUM>) comprising:
a conductive layer formed with a sampling circuit (<NUM>), and the sampling circuit (<NUM>) comprising: a sampling end portion (<NUM>); an outputting end portion (<NUM>); a first branch path (<NUM>) connected with the sampling end portion (<NUM>) and the outputting end portion (<NUM>) and formed with a first fusing zone (S11); and a second branch path (<NUM>) formed with a second fusing zone (S12),
one end of the second branch path (<NUM>) being connected with a portion of the first branch path (<NUM>) except the first fusing zone (S11), and the other end of the second branch path (<NUM>) being spaced apart from the sampling end portion (<NUM>) and the first branch path (<NUM>);
said one end of the second branch path (<NUM>) is connected to the first branch path (<NUM>) at a position between the outputting end portion (<NUM>) and the first fusing zone (S11) and a second pad (<NUM>) is provided on the other end of the second branch path (<NUM>); the circuit board being characterized in that a first pad (<NUM>) is provided on the sampling end portion (<NUM>);
the first fusing zone (S11) of the first branch path (<NUM>) is fused such that the sampling end portion (<NUM>) of the sampling circuit (<NUM>) and the outputting end portion (<NUM>) are disconnected, the second pad (<NUM>) is connected to the first pad (<NUM>) via a conductive connecting member (<NUM>) such that the sampling end portion (<NUM>) is electrically connected with the outputting end portion (<NUM>) via the first pad (<NUM>), the conductive connecting member (<NUM>), the second pad (<NUM>) and the second branch path (<NUM>) in sequence.