IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,341,174
Granted Patent B2
US 12,341,174 · App. 17/681,771 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Electric battery and motor vehicle

Inventors: Georg Votteler (Backnang, DE); Johannes Weinmann (Stuttgart, DE)
Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
H01M10/6554H01M10/613H01M10/625H01M10/653H01M10/6556H01M50/262H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,341,174
App. No.
17/681,771
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electric battery may include a battery housing, a plurality of battery cell modules, an electrical current conduction, and a cover. The battery housing may include a plurality of housing cut-outs that are sealed via a cooling plate. The battery cell modules may be configured to store electric energy and may be thermally connected to the cooling plate. Each of the battery cell modules may include an electrical positive connection and an electrical negative connection. The electrical current conduction may be configured to supply the battery cell modules electric energy. The electrical current conduction may include a first electrical conductor rail and a second electrical conductor rail. The cover may be detachably coupled to the battery housing. The first conductor rail may include a plurality of rail elements. One of the rail elements may be configured to electrically connect adjacent battery cell modules.

Claims (45)

1. An electric battery, comprising:

a battery housing of an electrically insulating plastic, the battery housing partially surrounding a housing interior and including multiple housing cut-outs, each of the housing cut-outs is sealed via a corresponding cooling plate of a plurality of cooling plates, and the corresponding cooling plate includes a coolant path that can be flowed through by a coolant;

multiple battery cell modules arranged in the housing interior, the battery cell modules are configured for storing electric energy and each battery cell module is thermally connected to one of the plurality of cooling plates, and each of the battery cell modules includes an electrical positive connection and an electrical negative connection;

an electrical current conduction configured for supplying the battery cell modules with electric energy, the electrical current conduction includes a first electrical conductor rail and a second electrical conductor rail, and the first electrical conductor rail and the second electrical conductor rail each comprises an electrically conductive material and are both arranged at least partially outside on the battery housing;

wherein the first electrical conductor rail includes multiple rail elements, one of the electrical positive connections and one of the electrical negative connections of adjacent battery cell modules are electrically connected to one another via one of the rail elements, and wherein the second electrical conductor rail is electrically connected to the electrical negative connection of one of the battery cell modules;

wherein for each battery cell module at least one further cut-out is formed, and a rail element of the first conductor rail is passed through the at least one further cut-out; and

wherein a cover of an electrically insulating plastic that is formed separately from the battery housing and can be fastened to the battery housing is provided, the cover is configured to cover the first electrical conductor rail and the second electrical conductor rail outside the battery housing.

2. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is formed U-shaped in profile with a U-base and two U-legs, wherein on the two U-legs, a clamping structure for fixing the cover to the battery housing is formed.

3. The battery according to claim 2 , wherein on the U-base of the cover, a separating element of an electrically insulating plastic is moulded, the separating element is configured to subdivide the interior delimited by the cover and the battery housing into a first compartment and a second compartment, and the first conductor rail is received by the first compartment and the second conductor rail is received by the second compartment.

4. The battery according to claim 3 , wherein the separating element includes a first element portion, the first element portion via a moveable film hinge, is hinged to a second element portion of the separating element, and wherein the first element portion is integrally moulded to the U-base, and the second element portion is detachably fixed to the U-base.

5. The battery according to claim 4 , wherein the first element portion is fixed to the second element portion via a clip-on connection or snap-on connection.

6. The battery according to claim 3 , wherein the separating element and the U-base are arranged to surround the second compartment.

7. The battery according to claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical stiffening structure having multiple rib-like stiffening elements disposed on the electrical current conduction.

8. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical current conduction is arranged on a side of the battery housing located opposite a coolant supply and discharge.

9. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein the cover is an extruded part.

10. The battery according to claim 1 , wherein the battery housing is arranged with an underside including the multiple housing cut-outs on a frame-like crash structure comprising metal.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a purely electric drive, including:

a body, and

an electric battery, the electric battery including:

a battery housing of an electrically insulating plastic, the battery housing partially surrounding a housing interior and including multiple housing cut-outs, each of the housing cut-outs is sealed via a corresponding cooling plate of a plurality of cooling plates, and the corresponding cooling plate includes a coolant path that can be flowed through by a coolant;

multiple battery cell modules arranged in the housing interior, the battery cell modules are configured for storing electric energy and each battery cell module is thermally connected to one of the plurality of cooling plates, and each of the battery cell modules includes an electrical positive connection and an electrical negative connection;

a cover of an electrically insulating plastic that is formed separately from the battery housing and can be fastened to the battery housing;

an electrical current conduction configured for supplying the battery cell modules with electric energy, the electrical current conduction includes a first electrical conductor rail and a second electrical conductor rail, and the first electrical conductor rail and the second electrical conductor rail each comprises an electrically conductive material and are both arranged at least partially outside on the battery housing;

wherein the first electrical conductor rail includes multiple rail elements, one of the electrical positive connections and one of the electrical negative connections of adjacent battery cell modules are electrically connected to one another via one of the rail elements, and wherein the second electrical conductor rail is electrically connected to the electrical negative connection of one of the battery cell modules;

wherein for each battery cell module at least one further cut-out is formed, and a rail element of the first conductor rail is passed through the at least one further cut-out; and

wherein the cover is configured to cover the first electrical conductor rail and the second electrical conductor rail outside the battery housing;

wherein the electric battery is connected to the body via a frame-like crash structure.

12. The motor vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the battery housing is arranged with an underside comprising the housing cut-outs on the frame-like crash structure, and wherein the frame-like crash structure is metal.

13. The motor vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the cover is formed U-shaped in profile with a U-base and two U-legs, wherein on the two U-legs, a clamping structure for fixing the cover to the battery housing is formed.

14. The motor vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein on the U-base of the cover, a separating element of an electrically insulating plastic is moulded, the separating element is configured to subdivide the interior delimited by the cover and the battery housing into a first compartment and a second compartment, and the first conductor rail is received by the first compartment and the second conductor rail is received by the second compartment.

15. The motor vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the separating element includes a first element portion, the first element portion via a moveable film hinge, is hinged to a second element portion of the separating element, and wherein the first element portion is integrally moulded to the U-base, and the second element portion is detachably fixed to the U-base.

16. An electric battery, comprising:

a battery housing including a plurality of housing cut-outs, each housing cut-out sealed via a corresponding cooling plate of a plurality of cooling plates;

a plurality of battery cell modules configured to store electric energy and each battery cell module thermally connected to one of the plurality of cooling plates, each of the battery cell modules includes an electrical positive connection and an electrical negative connection;

an electrical current conduction configured to supply the battery cell modules with electric energy, the electrical current conduction includes a first electrical conductor rail and a second electrical conductor rail; and

a cover detachably coupled to the battery housing;

wherein the first electrical conductor rail includes a plurality of rail elements, and wherein one of the rail elements is configured to electrically connect adjacent battery cell modules;

wherein the cover is formed U-shaped in profile with a U-base and two U-legs, wherein on the two U-legs, a clamping structure for fixing the cover to the battery housing is formed;

wherein on the U-base of the cover, a separating element of an electrically insulating plastic is moulded, the separating element is configured to subdivide an interior delimited by the cover and the battery housing into a first compartment and a second compartment, and the first electrical conductor rail is received by the first compartment and the second electrical conductor rail is received by the second compartment; and

wherein the separating element includes a first element portion, the first element portion, via a moveable film hinge, is hinged to a second element portion of the separating element, and wherein the first element portion is integrally moulded to the U-base, and the second element portion is detachably fixed to the U-base.

17. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein the first element portion is fixed to the second element portion via a clip-on connection or snap-on connection.

18. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein the separating element and the U-base together surround the second compartment.

19. The battery according to claim 16 , further comprising a mechanical stiffening structure having multiple rib-like stiffening elements disposed on the electrical current conduction.

20. The battery according to claim 16 , wherein the electrical current conduction is arranged on a side of the battery housing located opposite a coolant supply and discharge.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2023
From: VOTTELER, GEORG; WEINMANN, JOHANNES
To: MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 063521/0141 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 102021201841.6 · Feb 26, 2021 · national
DE 10 2021 203 978.2 · Apr 21, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220278388A1 · Sep 1, 2022
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