Battery system assembly press

• US 10,084,175 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Inventors: Mastrandrea, Francesco, Tutzer, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Minh
• Application Number:
  US15/653,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20180277817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0481 Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/058 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/289 characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a battery pack is disclosed. The method includes placing first and second sets of battery cells in first and second battery cell holders of a battery system assembly press, placing a cooling duct in a gap between the first and second sets of battery cells, and applying a first and second forces to the first and second sets of battery cells to cause the first and second sets of battery cells to respectively press against first and second sides of the cooling duct. The method also includes, while applying the first and second forces, placing the first and second plurality of battery cells in a first tray configured to hold the first and second plurality of battery cells.

Claims

1. A battery system assembly press, comprising:

one or more rails;

first and second slides, each slidably connected to at least one of the one or more rails; and

a plurality of battery cell holders, wherein each of the battery cell holders is separately slidably connected to at least one of the one or more rails between the first and second slides, wherein the battery cell holders substantially define a plane, and wherein the battery cell holders are each configured to hold a plurality of battery cells such that the battery cells each extend from the battery cell holders substantially perpendicularly from the plane,

wherein the first and second slides are configured to slide along the one or more rails in a direction substantially parallel with the plane.

2. The battery system assembly press of claim 1, wherein the first and second slides have topological features which mate with corresponding features in the one or more rails such that the first and second slides are slidably connected to the one or more rails.

3. The battery system assembly press of claim 1, wherein the battery cell holders have topological features which mate with corresponding features in the one or more rails such that the battery cell holders are slidably connected to the one or more rails.

4. The battery system assembly press of claim 1, wherein the battery cell holders each comprise a plurality of topological features corresponding to topological features of battery cells whereby the battery cell holders are each configured to hold two rows of battery cells.

5. The battery system assembly press of claim 4, wherein the two rows of battery cells are offset from one another such that the centers of the battery cells of one row are aligned with points between the battery cells of the other row.

6. The battery system assembly press of claim 1, wherein the battery cell holders are each shaped to hold the battery cells such that the battery cells touch each other.

7. The battery system assembly press of claim 1, wherein the rails are fixed to a table.