IP Library Granted Patent US 12,283,702
Granted Patent B2
US 12,283,702 · App. 17/595,202 · Granted Apr 22, 2025

Seal for a battery housing of a high-voltage battery, method, battery housing, high-voltage battery and motor vehicle

Inventors: Josef Braun (Feldkirchen-Westerham, DE); Andreas Obermaier (Munich, DE); Joern Zimmermann (Munich, DE)
Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
H01M50/207H01M50/249
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,283,702
App. No.
17/595,202
Granted
Apr 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A seal can be moved from a production position for a production tool into an installation position for a battery housing. The seal has a seal body to be arranged between a housing flange of a lower housing part and a housing cover of the battery housing, and has positioning elements and fixing elements for positioning and fixing the seal body on the housing flange. The seal body is designed as a one-piece, frame-like sealing ring made of a resilient plastic and has a seal body portion, which is reversibly variable in length, with fold regions. The seal body portion in the folded state of the fold regions provides the production position and in the unfolded state of the fold regions provides the installation position. Positioning regions and fixing regions in which the positioning elements and fixing elements are arranged have a greater width than the fold regions.

Claims (48)

1. A seal for a battery housing of a high-voltage battery of a motor vehicle, wherein the seal is transferrable from a production position, which is provided for a production tool, to an installation position, which is provided for the battery housing and in which the seal has a greater external dimension than in the production position, the seal comprising:

a seal body for arrangement between a housing flange of a housing lower part of the battery housing and a housing cover of the battery housing, and

positioning elements and fixing elements for positioning and fixing the seal body on the housing flange, wherein:

the seal body is configured in a form of a one-part, closed seal ring composed of an elastic plastic and has at least one seal body portion of reversibly variable length with fold regions,

a shape and a dimension of the closed seal ring in the installation position correspond to a shape and a dimension of the housing flange,

the at least one seal body portion provides, in a folded state of the fold regions, the production position of the seal and, in an unfolded state of the fold regions, the installation position of the seal, and

positioning regions and fixing regions, which are formed away from the fold regions in the seal body and in which the positioning elements and the fixing elements are arranged, are configured to have a greater width than the fold regions.

2. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein:

at least one of the fold regions, the positioning regions, or the fixing regions are configured to be able to be overstretched in order to enlarge an external dimension of the seal in the installation position for arrangement on the housing flange.

3. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein:

the seal body has, in each seal body portion of a plurality of seal body portions forming at least two opposite frame edges of the seal body, at least four fold regions, by way of which in each case at least one inwardly projecting tab is foldable in the frame edges in order to reduce the lengths of the seal body portions.

4. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein:

at least some of the positioning elements are configured in a form of passage openings in the positioning regions of the seal body for guiding through fastening elements which can be used to fasten the housing cover to the housing flange.

5. The seal according to claim 4 , further comprising bushings which are arranged in the passage openings and which are mechanically connected to the seal body.

6. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein:

at least some of the positioning elements are configured in a form of pin elements, which are arranged on a lower side of the seal body,

the lower side is able to abut against the housing flange, and

the pin elements are arrangeable in positioning openings in the housing flange.

7. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein:

at least some of the fixing elements are configured in a form of plug elements, which are arranged on a lower side of the seal body,

the lower side is able to abut against the housing flange, and

the plug elements are pressable into fixing openings in the housing flange for fixing the seal body on the housing flange.

8. The seal according to claim 7 , wherein:

the plug elements are of hollow configuration for introducing an assembly aid into the plug elements and for pressing the plug elements into the fixing openings in the housing flange by way of the assembly aid.

9. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein:

the positioning regions and the fixing regions are arranged in first strip-shaped portions of the seal body,

the fold regions are formed by second strip-shaped portions of the seal body,

the first strip-shaped portions have a first width, and

the second strip-shaped portions have a second width which is smaller than the first width.

10. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein:

the seal is configured in the form of a profile seal, and

the seal body has at least two sealing lips which run along at least one periphery of the seal body.

11. A method for producing the seal according to claim 1 in a production tool, the method comprising:

to produce the seal body, forming the fold regions, the positioning regions and the fixing regions by injection molding an elastic plastic in at least two different widths,

producing the fold regions of the at least one seal body portion in the folded state for providing the production position of the seal; and

at least one of during or after production of the seal body, arranging the positioning elements and the fixing elements in the positioning regions and the fixing regions on the seal body.

12. A battery housing for a high-voltage battery of a motor vehicle, the battery housing comprising:

the housing lower part,

the housing cover, and

the seal according to claim 1 ,

wherein the seal is arranged between the housing cover and the housing flange of the housing lower part.

13. The battery housing according to claim 12 , wherein

a groove is arranged in the housing flange, and

the seal is arranged in the groove.

14. A high-voltage battery for an electrically drivable motor vehicle, the high-voltage battery comprising:

the battery housing according to claim 12 , and

at least one battery cell which is arranged in an interior space of the battery housing.

15. A motor vehicle comprising the high-voltage battery according to claim 14 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2021
From: BRAUN, JOSEF; OBERMAIER, ANDREAS; ZIMMERMANN, JOERN
To: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 058096/0682 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 121 510.2 · Aug 9, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220223956A1 · Jul 14, 2022
References Cited (29)
US 3754997A · Ralston · 1973 [cited by applicant]
US 20070128514A1 · Yoshida · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20130216873A1 · Schaefer · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130249173A1 · Yamamoto · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20150147639A1 · Uchida · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20180249601A1 · Raettich et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
CN 206688973U · 2017 [cited by examiner]
CN 107852845A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
DE 102013011686A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
DE 102014213682A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
DE 102017009544A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
DE 202018103437U1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
FR 3067436A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
KR 101895870B1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2010098923A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2012022448A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2012077491A1 · 2012 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2015003786A1 · 2015 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2018000073A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
Nebelsiek, Method For Attaching an Inflatable Sealing Element to a Housing Part, Apr. 2018, See the Abstract. (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
Jeanne, Rigid Frame and Elastomer Seal, Dec. 2018, See the Abstract. (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
Li et al., A Lithium Ion Battery Extrusion Coated Gasket, Dec. 2017, See the Abstract. (Year: 2017). [cited by examiner]
Kim, Bushing For Battery Gasket and Manufacturing Apparatus For The Same, Sep. 2018, See the Abstract. (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
Yamamoto, Gasket, Jun. 2012. See the Abstract. (Year: 2012). [cited by examiner]
Matte, Interface Sealing Component for a Battery Cover Assembly, and Related Systems and Methods, Jan. 2018, See the Abstract. (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210) issued in PCT Application No. PCT/EP2020/068992 dated Oct. 14, 2020 with English translation (four (4) pages). [cited by applicant]
German-language Written Opinion (PCT/ISA/237) issued in PCT Application No. PCT/EP2020/068992 dated Oct. 14, 2020 (six (6) pages). [cited by applicant]
German-language Search Report issued in German Application No. 10 2019 121 510.2 dated Apr. 24, 2020 with a partial English translation (12 pages). [cited by applicant]
Chinese-language Office Action issued in Chinese Application No. 202080042400.2 dated Feb. 10, 2023 with English translation (16 pages). [cited by applicant]