Connection between a conductive substrate and laminate

• US 20040076877A1
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cap-Xx Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cap-Xx Ltd.
• Inventors: Stephens, Richard Michael, James, David Albert, Sloan, Alina Kay
• Granted Patent: US 7,595,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/180
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/00 Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin fibrous or filamentary layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/02; particulate layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/16; foamed layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/10 Sealing, e.g. of lead-in wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/661 Metal or alloys, e.g. alloy coatings H01M4/669 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/1243 characterised by the internal coating on the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/126 comprising three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/178 for pouch or flexible bag cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/562 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/02 Details electrodes H01M4/86 - H01M4/98
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0276 Sealing means characterised by their form H01M8/0273 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0284 Organic resins; Organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0286 Processes for forming seals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/08 Fuel cells with aqueous electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49114 : including adhesively bonding

Abstract

A connection (1) is provided between a conductive substrate, in the form of a planar aluminium terminal (2), and a laminate (3). The laminate has a first plastics layer, in the form of a polymer layer (4), that is secured to terminal (2) and a conductive aluminium layer (5) disposed outwardly from and adjacent to layer (4). The layers (4, 5) terminate at a common circular edge (6) that defines an opening (7) that overlies terminal (2). The connection (1) includes an insulator in the form of a grommet (8) that extends over edge (6) for electrically insulating layer (5) from terminal (2).

Claims

1. A connection between a conductive substrate and a laminate, the laminate having:

a first plastics layer that is secured to the substrate; and

a conductive layer disposed adjacent to the first layer and being spaced apart from the substrate;

wherein the layers terminate at a common edge that overlies the substrate and the connection includes an insulator that extends over the edge for electrically insulating the conductive layer from the substrate.

2. A connection according to claim 1 wherein the common edge is defined by the periphery of an opening that extends through the layers.

3. A connection according to claim 1 wherein the laminate includes a second plastics layer and a third plastic layer that sandwich the conductive layer, wherein the third plastics layer is intermediate the conductive layer and the first layer.

4. A connection according to claim 3 wherein the laminate includes a fourth plastics layer that is disposed between the first plastics layer and the third plastics layer.

5. A connection according to claim 4 wherein the insulator is a grommet that is integrally formed from one or both of the first and fourth layers.

6. A connection according to claim 4 wherein the grommet is integrally formed from the fourth layer.

7. A connection according to claim 1 wherein the common edge is a portion of a straight edge of the laminate that passes over the substrate.

8. A connection according to claim 1 wherein all the layers in the laminate are coextensive and coterminous.

9. A connection according to claim 4 wherein the first, second, third, fourth and conductive layers respectively include a low melting point polymer with adhesive properties, PET, PET, polyethylene and aluminium.

10. A connection according to claim 4 wherein the thickness of the fourth layer is greater than or equal to the combined thickness of the second, third and conductive layers.

11. A connection according to claim 1 wherein the first layer the polymer that is sold under the trademark Nucrel.

12. A connection according to claim 1 wherein all the common edge overlies the substrate.

13. A connection according to claim 1 wherein only part of the common edge overlies the substrate.

14. An energy storage device including:

a laminate housing having an inner plastics layer and a conductive layer disposed externally to the inner layer, wherein the layers terminate at a common edge;

an energy storage cell disposed within the housing;

two terminals extending from the cell and being accessible from outside the housing for allowing external electrical connection to the cell, wherein at least one of the terminals is secured to the first layer at or adjacent to the common edge; and

an insulator that extends over the edge for electrically insulating the conductive layer from the at least one terminal.

15. A method for providing a connection between a conductive substrate and a laminate, the method including the steps of:

securing a first plastics layer of the laminate to the substrate;

disposing a conductive layer of the laminate adjacent to the first layer and spaced apart from the substrate;

terminating the layers terminate at a common edge that overlies the substrate;

electrically insulating the conductive layer from the substrate with an insulator that extends over the edge.

16. A method of manufacturing an energy storage device, the method including the steps of:

providing a laminate housing having an inner plastics layer and a conductive layer disposed externally to the inner layer, wherein the layers terminate at a common edge;

disposing an energy storage cell within the housing;

allowing external electrical connection to the cell with two terminals that extend from the cell and that are accessible from outside the housing, wherein at least one of the terminals is secured to the first layer at or adjacent to the common edge; and

electrically insulating the conductive layer from the at least one terminal with an insulator that extends over the edge.

17. An energy storage device including:

at least one energy storage cell;

a housing having an inner plastics layer for abutting the cell, an outer plastics layer extending across the inner layer, and a barrier layer extending intermediate the inner and outer layers;

two spaced apart openings in the housing which extend through the layers;

two terminals that extend from the cell and cover respective openings for allowing external electrical connection to the cell; and

a grommet that extends about the opening for electrically insulating the terminals from the barrier layer.

18. A terminal for an energy storage device, the terminal including:

a conductive contact surface;

a first plastics layer for abutting and sealingly engaging the surface;

a barrier layer exterior to the plastics layer;

a second plastics layer exterior to the barrier layer;

an opening through the layers for allowing electrical access to the surface; and

a grommet that extends about the opening for electrically insulating the contact surface from the barrier layer.

19. A method of manufacturing an energy storage device including:

at least one energy storage cell;

a housing having an inner plastics layer for abutting the cell, an outer plastics layer extending across the inner layer, and a barrier layer extending intermediate the inner and outer layers;

two spaced apart openings in the housing which extend through the layers;

two terminals that extend from the cell and cover respective openings for allowing external electrical connection to the cell; and

a grommet that extends about the opening for electrically insulating the terminals from the barrier layer.

20. A method of manufacturing a terminal for an energy storage device, the terminal including:

providing a conductive contact surface;

abutting and sealingly engaging a first plastics layer with the surface;

providing a barrier layer exterior to the plastics layer;

providing a second plastics layer exterior to the barrier layer;

allowing electrical access to the surface via an opening through the layers; and

electrically insulating the contact surface from the barrier layer with a grommet that extends about the opening.

21. An energy storage device including:

an energy storage cell;

a housing for containing the cell, the housing having two abutted portions that are sealed together, wherein the abutted portions are of substantially uniform collective thickness; and

two terminals connected to the cell for allowing external electrical connection with the cell.

22. A device according to claim 21 wherein the housing includes two openings that are covered by the respective terminals and two sealing portions that surround and are adjacent to the openings.

23. A device according to claim 21 wherein the terminals are planar and the sealing portions overlie and are sealingly engaged with the terminals.

24. A device according to claim 23 wherein the sealing engagement is effected by heat.

25. An energy storage device including:

an energy storage cell;

two terminals connected to the cell for allowing external electrical connection with the cell, each terminal having at least one substantially planar surface;

a housing for containing the cell and some of the terminals, the housing being sealingly abutted with the surfaces.

26. A device according to claim 25 wherein the housing includes a first plastics layer adjacent to the terminals, an outer plastics layer that extends over the first layer, and a barrier layer that extends intermediate the first and the outer layers.

27. A device according to claim 25 wherein the opening extends through all the layers and the housing includes a grommet that extends about the opening for electrically isolating the intermediate layer from the terminal.

28. A connection between a conductive substrate and a laminate having a first plastics layer that is secured to the substrate and a barrier layer disposed adjacent to the first layer and being spaced apart from the substrate, wherein the layers terminate at a common edge that overlies the substrate and the connection includes an insulator that extends over the edge for electrically insulating the barrier layer from the substrate.

29. A connection according to claim 28 wherein the barrier layer is conductive.

30. A connection according to claim 28 wherein the laminate includes a second plastics layer that is disposed on the opposite side of the metal layer to the first plastics layer wherein the melting point of the second layer is less than the melting point of the first layer.

31. A connection according to claim 30 wherein the melting point of the second layer is at least 30°

C. less than the melting point of the first layer.

32. A connection according to claim 30 wherein the melting point of the second layer is at least 50°

C. less than the melting point of the first layer.

33. A method of providing a connection between a conductive substrate and a laminate having a first plastics layer, a second plastics layer and a barrier layer that is disposed intermediate the first and the second layers, the layers having a common edge and the method including:

abutting the first layer against the substrate such that the substrate extends beyond the common edge; and

heating the laminate to preferentially soften the second layer such that that layer forms an insulating barrier between the metal layer and the substrate.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the first layer includes a first melting point and the second layer includes a second melting point that is less than the first melting point.

35. A method according to claim 34 wherein the second melting point is at least 3°

C. less than the first melting point.

36. A method according to claim 34 wherein the second melting point is at least 50°

C. less than the first melting point.

37. A method according to claim 34 wherein the preferential softening of the second layer is achieved through localised heating of the laminate.

38. A method according to claim 34 wherein the heating is accompanied by simultaneous compression of the laminate with the substrate.

39. A method according to claim 34 wherein the common edge is inclined away from the laminate such that the first layer is convex adjacent to the edge.