Non-uniform battery cell

• US 10,090,504 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2014
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Keates, Andy
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, James
• Application Number:
  US14/582,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20150188114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 429158
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/507 comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/528 Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus is provided that includes a two or more cell elements stacked internally to create a single cell with a non-uniform height. A first bus bar may electrically couple to a first side or first end of the cell elements in order to connect the terminals of the battery elements. A second bus bar may electrically couple to a second side or second end of the cell elements in order to connect the terminals of the battery elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first cell element having a first side and a second side;

a second cell element having a first side and a second side, the second cell element stacked on a portion of the first cell element, the first and second sides of the first cell element having different dimensions than the first and second sides, respectively, of the second cell element, the first cell element and the second cell element to form a geometrically non-uniform battery cell;

a first bus bar to electrically couple to;

the first side of the first cell element and the first side of the second cell element, the first bus bar provided flush against, and having an area covering at least a majority of, each of the area of the first side of the first cell element and the area of the first side of the second cell element; and

a second bus bar to electrically couple to the second side of the first cell element and to electrically couple to the second side of the second cell element, the second bus bar provided flush against, and having an area covering at least a majority of, each of the area of the second side of the first cell element and the area of the second side of the second cell element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first cell element has a first height and the second cell element has a second height, and a combined height of the first cell element and the second cell element is greater than the first height of the first cell element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first cell element has a length and width each greater than its height, and the second cell element has a length and width each greater than its height.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein either:

the first cell element is a non-layered structure, and the second cell element is a non-layered structure, or

the first cell element is a layered structure, and the second cell element is a layered structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first bus bar has a configuration that matches the first side of the first cell element and the first side of the second cell element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second bus bar has a configuration to match the second side of the first cell element and the second side of the second cell element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first bus bar is formed of copper or aluminum.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second side of the first cell element is opposite to the first side of the first cell element, and the second side of the second cell element is opposite to the first side of the second cell element.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first part of the first bus bar has a first height to correspond to a first battery cell height of the first cell element, and wherein a second part of the first bus bar has a second height to correspond to a combination of the first battery cell height and a second battery cell height of the second cell element.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the first bus bar is parallel to the second bus bar;

the first side of the first cell element is parallel to the second side of the first cell element;

or

the first side of the second cell element is parallel to the second side of the second cell element.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a geometrically non-uniform battery cell having a first part and a second part, wherein the first part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell has a first side and a second side, and the second part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell has a first side and a second side, the first and second sides of the first part having different dimensions than the first and second sides, respectively, of the second part;

a first bus bar to electrically couple to a first side of the first part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell and to electrically couple to a first side of the second part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell, the first bus bar provided flush against, and having an area covering at least a majority of, each of the area of the first side of the first part and the area of the first side of the second part; and

a second bus bar to electrically couple to a second side of the first part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell and to electrically couple to a second side of the second part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell, the second bus bar provided flush against, and having an area covering at least a majority of, each of the area of the second side of the first part and the area of the second side of the second part.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first part is a non-layered structure and the second part is a layered structure.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first bus bar has a configuration that matches the first part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell and the first side of the second part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second bus bar has a configuration that matches the second side of the first part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell and the second part of the geometrically non-uniform battery cell.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first bus bar is formed of copper or aluminum.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first bus bar is parallel to the second bus bar.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a battery port to receive a geometrically non-uniform battery cell, the geometrically non-uniform battery cell including a first cell element and a second cell element, the second cell element to be stacked on the first cell element, wherein the first cell element has a first side and a second side, and the second cell element has a first side and a second side,

the first and second sides of the first cell element having different dimensions than the first and second sides, respectively, of the second cell element;

a first bus bar to electrically couple to the first side of the first cell element, the first bus bar provided flush against, and having an area covering at least a majority of, each of the area of the first side of the first cell element and the area of the first side of the second cell element; and

a second bus bar to electrically couple to the second side of the first cell element, the second bus bar provided flush against, and having an area covering at least a majority of, each of the area of the second side of the first cell element and the area of the second side of the second cell element.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein at least one of:

the first cell element has a length and width each greater than its height, and the second cell element has a length and width each greater than its height, or

the first cell element has a first height and the second cell element has a second height, and a combined height of the first cell element and the second cell element is greater than the first height of the first cell element.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first cell element is a non-layered structure, and the second cell element is a non-layered structure.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first bus bar has a configuration that matches the first side of the first cell element and the first side of the second cell element.

21. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the second bus bar has a configuration that matches a second side of the first cell element and a second side of the second cell element.

22. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first bus bar is formed of copper or aluminum.

23. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the second side of the first cell element is opposite to the first side of the first cell element, and the second side of the second cell element is opposite to the first side of the second cell element.

24. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein a first part of the first bus bar has a first height to correspond to a first battery cell height of the first cell element, and wherein a second part of the first bus bar has a second height to correspond to a combination of the first battery cell height and a second battery cell height of the second cell element.