Battery pack with cell fixing apparatus

• US 10,147,979 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Inventors: Zeller, Tobias, Rief, Joachim, Felser, Erik, Keller, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cantelmo, Gregg
• Application Number:
  US15/104,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20170025717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,813 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0422 Cells or battery with cylindrical casing
• 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 10/054 Accumulators with insertion or intercalation of metals other than lithium, e.g. with magnesium or aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• 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 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/262 with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/519 comprising printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/0094 Structural association with other electrical or electronic devices
• 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

A battery pack may include a plurality of cells arranged substantially adjacent to each other such that longitudinal centerlines of each of the cells are aligned substantially in parallel with each other in a first direction, a physical cell connection assembly that includes a cell-retaining portion disposed to contact each of the cells to hold the cells in a housing, an electrical cell connection assembly that includes a plurality of cell connectors disposed to contact at least selected ones of the cells in groups to facilitate electrical connection of the cells associated with each of the groups, a contact portion of each of the cell connectors being disposed to electrically connect electrodes of at least two of the cells, and a printed circuit board (PCB) configured to monitor electrical parameters associated with the cells based on electrical communication between the PCB and the electrical cell connection assembly.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a plurality of cells arranged substantially adjacent to each other such that longitudinal centerlines of each of the cells are aligned substantially in parallel with each other in a first direction;

a physical cell connection assembly that includes a cell-retaining portion disposed to contact each of the cells to hold the cells in a housing;

an electrical cell connection assembly that includes a plurality of cell connectors disposed to contact at least selected ones of the cells in groups to facilitate electrical connection of the cells associated with each of the groups, a contact portion of each of the cell connectors being disposed to electrically connect electrodes of at least two of the cells;

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising sensing circuitry and configured to monitor electrical parameters associated with the cells based on electrical communication between the PCB and the electrical cell connection assembly; and

an output connector including two soldering tabs, each of the two soldering tabs being configured to pass through a preformed aperture in the PCB,

wherein the sensing circuitry is configured to monitor a common output of the battery pack via electrical connection between the two soldering tabs,

wherein at least one cell connector of the plurality of cell connectors includes a holding portion that engages the physical cell connection assembly and a fixing portion that extends substantially perpendicular to a plane of the PCB to engage the PCB to facilitate holding of the PCB relative to the physical cell connection assembly,

wherein the fixing portion further includes a retaining clip that secures the at least one cell connector to the PCB, and

wherein the retaining clip includes a retention tab, the retention tab being configured to be compressed by insertion of the retaining clip through the PCB and to expand responsive to the retention tab penetrating through to an opposite side of the PCB relative to a side of the PCB through which the retention tab is inserted, the retention tab in an expanded state preventing withdrawal of the retaining clip from the PCB.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein each of the two soldering tabs are soldered, welded, or otherwise fastened to the PCB after being secured with the retaining clip.

3. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the output connector includes an additional soldering tab for three point mechanical support relative to fixing the PCB prior to connecting the output connector to the PCB.

4. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the two soldering tabs penetrate through the PCB in an opposite direction than the fixing portion penetrates though the PCB.

5. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the two soldering tabs are soldered, welded, or otherwise fastened to the PCB after being provided through corresponding apertures in the PCB.

6. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the fixing portion of at least some cell connectors of the plurality of cell connectors engage the PCB proximate to a first end of the PCB and the fixing portion of at least some other cell connectors of the plurality of cell connectors engage the PCB proximate to a second end of the PCB that is opposite of the first end of the PCB.

7. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the two soldering tabs penetrate through the PCB in a direction away from the cells, and wherein the fixing portion penetrates through the PCB in a direction toward the cells.

8. The battery pack of claim 7, wherein at least one of the two soldering tabs penetrates the PCB at a portion of the PCB that is spaced apart from edges of the PCB that are penetrated by the fixing portion.

9. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is a backpack battery pack that is wearable by an operator of power outdoor power equipment.

10. Outdoor power equipment comprising:

an electric motor;

a working assembly powered by the electric motor; and

a battery pack configured to power the electric motor, the battery pack comprising;

a plurality of cells arranged substantially adjacent to each other such that longitudinal centerlines of each of the cells are aligned substantially in parallel with each other in a first direction;

a physical cell connection assembly that includes a cell-retaining portion disposed to contact each of the cells to hold the cells in a housing;

an electrical cell connection assembly that includes a plurality of cell connectors disposed to contact at least selected ones of the cells in groups to facilitate electrical connection of the cells associated with each of the groups, a contact portion of each of the cell connectors being disposed to electrically connect electrodes of at least two of the cells; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising sensing circuitry and configured to monitor electrical parameters associated with the cells based on electrical communication between the PCB and the electrical cell connection assembly; and

an output connector including two soldering tabs, each of the two soldering tabs configured to pass through a preformed aperture in the PCB,

wherein the sensing circuitry is configured to monitor a common output of the battery pack via electrical connection between the two soldering tabs,

wherein at least one cell connector of the plurality of cell connectors includes a holding portion that engages the physical cell connection assembly and a fixing portion that extends substantially perpendicular to a plane of the PCB to engage the PCB to facilitate holding of the PCB relative to the physical cell connection assembly,

wherein the fixing portion further includes a retaining clip that secures the at least one cell connector to the PCB, and

wherein the retaining clip includes a retention tab, the retention tab being configured to be compressed by insertion of the retaining clip through the PCB and to expand responsive to the retention tab penetrating through to an opposite side of the PCB relative to a side of the PCB through which the retention tab is inserted, the retention tab in an expanded state preventing withdrawal of the retaining clip from the PCB.

11. The outdoor power equipment of claim 10, wherein each of the two soldering tabs are soldered, welded, or otherwise fastened to the PCB after being secured with the retainer clip.

12. The outdoor power equipment of claim 10, wherein the two soldering tabs penetrate through the PCB in a direction away from the cells, and wherein the fixing portion penetrates through the PCB in a direction toward the cells.

13. The outdoor power equipment of claim 10, wherein the output connector includes an additional soldering tab for three point mechanical support relative to fixing the PCB prior to connecting the output connector to the PCB.

14. The outdoor power equipment of claim 10, wherein the two soldering tabs penetrate through the PCB in an opposite direction than the fixing portion penetrates though the PCB.

15. The outdoor power equipment of claim 10, wherein the fixing portion of at least some cell connectors of the plurality of cell connectors engage the PCB proximate to a first end of the PCB and the fixing portion of at least some other cell connectors of the plurality of cell connectors engage the PCB proximate to a second end of the PCB that is opposite of the first end of the PCB.

16. A battery pack comprising:

a plurality of cells arranged substantially adjacent to each other such that longitudinal centerlines of each of the cells are aligned substantially in parallel with each other in a first direction;

a physical cell connection assembly that includes a cell-retaining portion disposed to contact each of the cells to hold the cells in a housing;

an electrical cell connection assembly that includes a plurality of cell connectors disposed to contact at least selected ones of the cells in groups to facilitate electrical connection of the cells associated with each of the groups, a contact portion of each of the cell connectors being disposed to electrically connect electrodes of at least two of the cells; and

a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising sensing circuitry and configured to monitor electrical parameters associated with the cells based on electrical communication between the PCB and the electrical cell connection assembly; and

an output connector including two soldering tabs, each of the two soldering tabs being configured to pass through a preformed aperture in the PCB,

wherein the sensing circuitry is configured to monitor a common output of the battery pack via electrical connection between the two soldering tabs,

wherein at least one cell connector of the plurality of cell connectors includes a locking assembly to facilitate holding of the PCB relative to the physical cell connection assembly,

wherein the locking assembly further includes a retaining clip that secures the at least one cell connector to the PCB, and

wherein the retaining clip includes a retention tab, the retention tab being configured to be compressed by insertion of the retaining clip through the PCB and expands responsive to the retention tab penetrating through to an opposite side of the PCB relative to a side of the PCB through which the retention tab is inserted, the retention tab in an expanded state preventing withdrawal of the retaining clip from the PCB.

17. The battery pack of claim 16, wherein the two soldering tabs penetrate through the PCB in a direction away from the cells, and wherein the fixing portion penetrates through the PCB in a direction toward the cells.

18. The battery pack of claim 16, wherein the output connector includes an additional soldering tab for three point mechanical support relative to fixing the PCB prior to connecting the output connector to the PCB.

19. The battery pack of claim 16, wherein the two soldering tabs penetrate through the PCB in an opposite direction than the fixing portion penetrates though the PCB.

20. The battery pack of claim 16, wherein the fixing portion of at least some cell connectors of the plurality of cell connectors engage the PCB proximate to a first end of the PCB and the fixing portion of at least some other cell connectors of the plurality of cell connectors engage the PCB proximate to a second end of the PCB that is opposite of the first end of the PCB.