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EP-4439781-B1 - BATTERY PACK AND CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

EP4439781B1EP 4439781 B1EP4439781 B1EP 4439781B1EP-4439781-B1

Inventors

  • AHN, JAEPIL
  • KIM, INYONG

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240326

Claims (13)

  1. A battery pack comprising: a battery cell (10); a detection wire (W) configured to transmit state information of the battery cell (10); a connector (100) comprising a rim edge member (110) and an accommodation member (150), the rim edge member (110) surrounding an open end (OP) configured to receive a connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W), the accommodation member (150) being recessed from the rim edge member (110) in a first direction (Z1) to enclose the connection end (WC); and a retainer (200) extending across the detection wire (W) in a second direction (Z2) crossing the first direction (Z1) and coupled to the open end (OP) of the connector (100) from the outside such that the retainer (200) is located between the connector (100) and the detection wire (W) in a third direction (Z3) crossing both the first direction (Z1) and the second direction (Z2), characterized in that the retainer (200) comprises: a plate unit (251, 252) extending in the second direction (Z2) across the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W) and covering the detection wire (W) in a plate shape on a plane formed by the first direction (Z1) and the second direction (Z2); and locking jaw blocks (230) on both sides of the plate unit (251, 252) in the second direction (Z2) and protruding in the third direction (Z3) from both sides of the plate unit (251, 252) to prevent separation between the connector (100) and the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W), wherein the open end (OP) defines a boundary between the inside and the outside of the connector (100), and wherein the plate unit (251, 252) comprises: a first plate (251) extending in the second direction (Z2) across the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W) outside the connector (100) and a second plate (252) extending in the second direction (Z2) across the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W) inside the connector (100), wherein the retainer (200) further comprises a protruding press bar (253) extending across the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W) in the second direction (Z2) at the open end (OP) between the first and second plates (251, 252), the protruding press bar (253) protruding in the third direction (Z3) crossing the first and second directions (Z1, Z2) and filling a gap between the connection end (WC) and the open end (OP).
  2. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rim edge member (110) comprises a first upper block (110U) and a first lower block (110L) facing each other with the open end (OP) therebetween in the third direction (Z3), wherein the first upper block (110U) is formed stepwise upwardly from a second upper block (150U) of the accommodation member (150), and wherein the first lower block (110L) is formed stepwise downwardly from a second lower block (150L) of the accommodation member (150).
  3. The battery pack as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rim edge member (110) further comprises a pair of side blocks (110S) that connect the first upper block (110U) and the first lower block (110L) to each other to surround the open end (OP), and wherein each of the pair of side blocks (110S) comprises a locking portion (ST2) configured to be hook-coupled to the retainer (200).
  4. The battery pack as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the first upper block (110U) comprises fixed blocks (110F) on both sides of the first upper block (110U) in the second direction (Z2) and a movable block (110M) between the fixed blocks (110F) in the second direction (Z2).
  5. The battery pack as claimed in claim 4, wherein the movable block (110M) is connected to a support piece (SP) such that the movable block (110M) is configured to be raised and lowered between a restraint position and a release position according to a pressing operation, and wherein the support piece (SP) extends from a hinge coupling portion (HI) at a front position of the accommodation member (150) opposite the open end (OP) toward a rear position of the accommodation member (150) along the accommodation member (150) and is pivotably supported about the hinge coupling portion (HI), wherein the support piece (SP) comprises a hook (HK) configured to attach the connector (100) to a circuit unit and detach the connector (100) from the circuit unit.
  6. The battery pack as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the retainer (200) comprises a first plate (251) between the movable block (110M) and the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W) in the third direction (Z3) and at a rear position of the movable block (110M) in the first direction (Z1) to cover the detection wire (W) at a position outside the connector (100).
  7. The battery pack as claimed in claim 3 wherein the first and second plates (151, 252) are arranged at levels offset from each other in the third direction (Z3), wherein the first plate (251) is at a higher level in the third direction (Z3) and is spaced apart from the detection wire (W) outside the connector (100), and the second plate (252) is at a lower level in the third direction (Z3) and is adjacent to the detection wire (W) inside the connector (100).
  8. The battery pack as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the locking jaw blocks (230) of the retainer (200) comprises: a first locking jaw rib (210) configured to prevent separation from the connector (100); wherein the first locking jaw rib (210) extends forward in the first direction (Z1) from each of both sides in the second direction (Z2) of the plate unit (251, 252) that corresponds to an assembling direction in which the retainer (200) is inserted into the open end (OP) and/or wherein the first locking jaw rib (210) is configured to be hook-coupled to a locking portion (ST2) on the side block (110S) of the connector (100) forming the open end (OP).
  9. The battery pack as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein each of the locking jaw blocks (230) of the retainer (200) comprises a second locking jaw rib (220) configured to prevent separation from the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W); wherein the second locking jaw rib (220) extends in the second direction (Z2) to connect the plate unit (251, 252) extending across the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W) to the first locking jaw rib (210) and is configured to be hook-coupled to a locking portion (ST1) in the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W), wherein the locking portion (ST1) of the connection end (WC) protrudes from each of both sides of the connection end (WC) in the second direction (Z2).
  10. The battery pack as claimed in any one of claims 7, 8 and 9, wherein the locking jaw block (230) further comprises an assembling block (201) for alignment with the connector (100.
  11. The battery pack as claimed in claim 10, wherein the assembling block (201) and the first locking jaw rib (210) extend parallel to each other in the first direction (Z1), and wherein a lateral accommodation space, into which the side block (110S) of the connector (100) is inserted, is formed between the assembling block (201) and the first locking jaw rib (210).
  12. The battery pack as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first and second locking jaw ribs (210, 220) extend in the first and second directions (Z1, Z2), respectively, to surround the side block (110S), and wherein the first locking jaw rib (210) is configured to be hook-coupled to a locking portion (ST2) of the side block (110S).
  13. The battery pack as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the assembling block (201) is formed on the plate unit (251, 252) in the third direction (Z3), and wherein the first and second locking jaw ribs (210, 220) extend across upper and lower portions of the plate unit in the third direction (Z3), the first locking jaw rib (210) is configured to be hook-coupled to the connector (100) above the plate unit (251, 252), and the second locking jaw rib (220) is configured to be hook-coupled to the connection end (WC) of the detection wire (W) below the plate unit (251, 252).

Description

BACKGROUND 1. Field Aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a battery pack and a connector assembly. 2. Description of the Related Art Generally, secondary batteries are designed to be charged and discharged, unlike primary batteries that are not designed to be charged. Secondary batteries are used as energy sources for mobile devices, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, electric bicycles, uninterruptible power supplies, etc. Depending on the type of external devices to which secondary batteries are to be applied, the secondary batteries may be used in the form of a single battery cell or in the form of a battery pack in which a plurality of battery cells are connected together and bundled into a unit. A small mobile device, such as a mobile phone, may operate for a certain period of time with the output and capacity of only a single battery. However, when use for a long period of time and/or high power are desired, such as in the case of an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle that consumes a lot of power, a battery pack is preferred due to the output and capacity thereof. Also, the output voltage or output current of the battery pack may be increased according to the number of batteries embedded therein. KR 2021 0141841 A discloses a connector for a flexible cable mounted on a circuit board. DE 20 2018 107 037 U1 refers to an electrical connector assembly that determines the connections between a power source and a device, thus creating an electrical circuit. SUMMARY The invention is defined in the claims. Embodiments of the present disclosure include a battery pack and a connector assembly. A connector mediates an electrical connection between a detection wire for transmitting state information of battery cells and a circuit unit for collecting the state information of battery cells. The detection wire and the connector are firmly coupled to each other by using a retainer that is placed between the connector and the detection wire, and thus, separation of the detection wire may be effectively prevented. Also, a pressing operation of the connector for detachable fastening with the circuit unit is easily performed, and thus, the workability for the battery pack and the connector assembly may be improved. Additional aspects and features of the present disclosure will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the described embodiments of the present disclosure. According to an embodiment of the invention, a battery pack includes: a battery cell; a detection wire configured to transmit state information of the battery cell; a connector including a rim edge member and an accommodation member, the rim edge member surrounding an open end configured to receive a connection end of the detection wire, the accommodation member being recessed from the rim edge member in a first direction to enclose the connection end; and a retainer extending across the detection wire in a second direction crossing the first direction and coupled to the open end of the connector from the outside such that the retainer is located between the connector and the detection wire in a third direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction. The rim edge member may include a first upper block and a first lower block facing each other with the open end therebetween in the third direction. The first upper block may formed stepwise upwardly from a second upper block of the accommodation member, and the first lower block may be formed stepwise downwardly from a second lower block of the accommodation member. The rim edge member may further include a pair of side blocks that connect the first upper block and the first lower block to each other to surround the open end, and each of the pair of side blocks may include a locking portion configured to be hook-coupled to the retainer. The first upper block may include fixed blocks on both sides of the first upper block in the second direction and a movable block between the fixed blocks in the second direction. The movable block may be connected to a support piece such that the movable block is configured to be raised and lowered between a restraint position and a release position according to a pressing operation. The support piece may extend from a hinge coupling portion at a front position of the accommodation member opposite the open end toward a rear position of the accommodation member along the accommodation member and may be pivotably supported about the hinge coupling portion. The support piece may include a hook configured to attach and detach the connector. The retainer may include a first plate between the movable block and the connection end of the detection wire in the third direction and at a rear position of the movable block in the first direction to cover the detection wire at a position outside the connector. The retainer includes: a plate unit exte