Fuse for lithium-ion cell and lithium-ion cell including the fuse

• US 20050275370A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Kim, Youn Gu
• Application Number:
  US11/140,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20050275370A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/107
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/025 Structural association with a binding post of a storage battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0275 Structural association with a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/0241 Structural association of a fuse and another component or apparatus switches with built-in fuses H01H9/10, spark-gap arresters H01H85/44, transformers and inductances H01F27/402, capacitors H01G2/14, lamps H01K1/66, semiconductors H01L23/5256 or H01L23/62
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/046 Fuses formed as printed circuits
• 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: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A fuse device for a lithium-ion battery and a lithium-ion battery using the fuse device. The fuse device includes a weak circuit portion within a conductive pattern located on a circuit board between an external input/output port and a bare cell. Instead of a conventional current fuse, a pattern of the circuit board is used as an overvoltage protection member. With a circuit board pattern instead of a conventional fuse, it is possible to utilize the maximum battery capacity. Further, a lead-free pattern can be used

Claims

1. A fuse device for a lithium-ion battery, the fuse device comprising a weak circuit portion between an external input/output port and a bare cell, the weak circuit portion being formed as a part of a conductive pattern on a circuit board.

2. The fuse device of claim 1, wherein the weak circuit portion is formed as a step shaped portion of the conductive pattern.

3. The fuse device of claim 1, wherein the weak circuit portion is formed as a repeated step shaped portion of the conductive pattern.

4. The fuse device of claim 1, wherein the weak circuit portion is formed as a pinched portion of the conductive pattern.

5. The fuse device of claim 1, wherein the weak circuit portion is formed from a material different from a material of other parts of the conductive pattern.

6. The fuse device of claim 1, wherein the weak circuit portion has a shape adapted to generate ohmic heat upon a current passing through the weak circuit portion, the ohmic heat being capable of disconnecting the weak current portion from the conductive pattern.

7. The fuse device of claim 1, wherein the weak circuit portion has a width of 0.6 mm or less.

8. The fuse device of claim 1, wherein the weak circuit portion is formed from a metal having a high specific resistance

9. The fuse device of claim 1, wherein the weak circuit portion is formed from a heat-vulnerable metal or alloy.

10. A protection circuit board for a lithium-ion battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the protection circuit board comprising:

a positive inpuvoutput port;

a negative inpuvoutput port; and

a charge/discharge controller for controlling the charging and discharging of the lithium-ion battery, the charge/discharge controller coupling the battery between the positive input/output port and the negative input/output port, the charge/discharge controller including a fuse device coupled between the positive input/output port and the positive terminal of the lithium-ion battery, and the fuse device being formed from a weak circuit portion in a conductive pattern formed on the protection circuit board;

wherein the negative inpuvoutput port is coupled to the negative terminal of the lithium-ion battery through a switching control circuit.

11. The protection circuit board of claim 10, wherein the switching control circuit includes:

a discharge control switch;

a charge control switch coupled to the discharge control switch, the discharge control switch and the charge control switch being located between the negative input/output port and the lithium-ion battery and coupled to the negative input/output port and to the lithium-ion battery; and

a protection circuit controller for controlling the charge control switch and the discharge control switch.

12. The protection circuit board of claim 10, wherein the fuse device is formed with a step pattern.

13. The protection circuit board of claim 10, wherein the fuse device is formed with a repeated step pattern.

14. The protection circuit board of claim 10, wherein the fuse device is formed with a pinched pattern.

15. The protection circuit board of claim 10, wherein the fuse device is formed from a heat-vulnerable conductive material.

16. A lithium-ion battery comprising:

a bare cell; and

a protection circuit board formed on a printed circuit board, the protection circuit board being coupled to the bare cell,

wherein the protection circuit board includes a fuse device formed from a weak circuit portion of the printed circuit board.

17. The lithium-ion battery of claim 18, wherein the weak circuit portion generates ohmic heat.

18. The lithium-ion battery of claim 16, wherein the weak circuit portion is a step pattern.

19. The lithium-ion battery of claim 16, wherein the weak circuit portion is a repeated step pattern.

20. The lithium-ion battery of claim 16, wherein the weak circuit portion is a pinched pattern.