Electrical energy storage pack
First Claim
1. A pack for storing and supplying electrical energy, said pack comprising:
- a structural enclosure including a case having a bottom wall connected at peripheral edges with enclosing opposite side and end walls extending to an open top, and a cover mounted on the case and closing the top, the case having a plurality of guide recesses along the bottom wall adjacent at least one of the opposite side walls;
a flexible circuit in the enclosure and supported by the bottom wall, the circuit including spaced electrical connectors aligned with the guide recesses and a plurality of spaced thermal sensors resiliently supported above the bottom wall, the circuit being connectable with a control device;
a plurality of buss bars carried on said at least one of the opposite side walls and including prongs extending into said guide recesses and engaging the spaced electrical connectors for connecting the buss bars with the flexible circuit; and
a plurality of electrical energy storage devices having enclosing outer shells with closed opposite ends, and electrical terminals on at least one end, each terminal being connected with one of the buss bars to complete a power circuit through the storage devices, the resiliently supported thermal sensors each engaging the shell of one of the storage devices to sense the temperatures of the storage devices.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pack for batteries or other electrical storage devices, such as capacitors, is designed for ease of manufacture and installation of components in the case with vertical motions to provide an efficient and cost effective assembly. An exemplary embodiment has a molded case and cover in which all of the internal components are installed in the case through the open top without requiring fasteners, tools or additional supporting parts. The components include a flexible circuit on a flexible plastic sheet carrying control and sensor circuitry and temperature sensors together with internal and external connectors. Buss bars and connecting terminals mount in vertical slots and include prongs that extend through flexible flap connectors into guide recesses to provide connections to the flexible circuit. Batteries with vertical blade terminals are received in slots of the buss bars. An electronic control module and current sensor are also provided.
65 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A pack for storing and supplying electrical energy, said pack comprising:
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a structural enclosure including a case having a bottom wall connected at peripheral edges with enclosing opposite side and end walls extending to an open top, and a cover mounted on the case and closing the top, the case having a plurality of guide recesses along the bottom wall adjacent at least one of the opposite side walls;
a flexible circuit in the enclosure and supported by the bottom wall, the circuit including spaced electrical connectors aligned with the guide recesses and a plurality of spaced thermal sensors resiliently supported above the bottom wall, the circuit being connectable with a control device;
a plurality of buss bars carried on said at least one of the opposite side walls and including prongs extending into said guide recesses and engaging the spaced electrical connectors for connecting the buss bars with the flexible circuit; and
a plurality of electrical energy storage devices having enclosing outer shells with closed opposite ends, and electrical terminals on at least one end, each terminal being connected with one of the buss bars to complete a power circuit through the storage devices, the resiliently supported thermal sensors each engaging the shell of one of the storage devices to sense the temperatures of the storage devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification