Apparatus for interconnecting battery cells in a battery pack and method thereof

• US 20060019155A1
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew E. Seman Jr., Christopher R. Yahnker, Danh T. Trinh, Daniele C. Brotto, Daniel J. White, David A. Carrier, Steven J Phillips
• Original Assignee: Andrew E. Seman Jr., Christopher R. Yahnker, Danh T. Trinh, Daniele C. Brotto, Daniel J. White, David A. Carrier, Steven J Phillips
• Inventors: Carrier, David A., Brotto, Daniele C., Phillips, Steven J., Seman, Andrew E. Jr., White, Daniel J., Yahnker, Christopher R., Trinh, Danh T.
• Application Number:
  US11/242,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20060019155A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/159
• 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 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/51 Connection only in series
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/512 Connection only in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/519 comprising printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/526 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49114 including adhesively bonding

Abstract

A battery pack for a cordless power has a plurality of battery cells disposed in a housing. In an embodiment of the invention, battery cells are interconnected with a laminated plate structure having non-conductive layers interspersed with conductive layers, at least one of the conductive layers connected to the battery cells to interconnect them. In an embodiment of the invention, battery cells in a battery pack are interconnected with a flexible printed circuit board having conductive traces thereon that are attached to the battery cells to interconnect them. In an embodiment of the invention, a cordless power tool has one or the other of the foregoing battery packs. In an embodiment of the invention, the battery cells are Lithium Ion battery cells.

Claims

1. A battery pack for a cordless power tool, comprising a housing having a plurality of battery cells disposed therein interconnected by first conductive traces on a flexible printed circuit board attached to the battery cells.

2. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes second conductive traces to which electronic components are attached.

3. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the electrical components include at least one thermistor.

4. The battery pack of claim 3 wherein the electric components include at least one thermistor associated with each battery cell, each thermistor attached to one of the second conductive traces in close proximity to the battery cell with which it is associated.

5. The battery pack of claim 4 wherein the battery cells are Lithium Ion battery cells and the electronic components include electronic components configured as a temperature monitoring circuit and electronic components configured as a cell balance circuit.

6. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the electronic components include electronic components configured in at least one control circuit.

7. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the first conductive traces includes pads that align with terminals of the battery cells, the pads including slots through which connection tabs extend, the connection tabs bonded to the battery cell terminals and the pads.

8. The battery pack of claim 1 further including cell separator plates in which the battery cells are disposed that hold the battery cells in position for attachment of the flexible printed circuit board to the battery cells.

9. The battery pack of claim 1 further including seals disposed between the flexible printed circuit board and tops and bottoms of the battery cells.

10. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes a plurality of substrates with the first conductive traces on at least one of the substrates.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein at least one of the substrates has second conductive traces to which electronic components are attached.

12. The battery pack of claim 11 wherein the electronic components include at least one thermistor.

13. The battery pack of claim 12 wherein the electric components include at least one thermistor associated with each battery cell, each thermistor attached to one of the second conductive traces in close proximity to the battery cell with which it is associated.

14. The battery pack of claim 13 wherein the battery cells are Lithium Ion battery cells and the electronic components include electronic components configured as a temperature monitoring circuit and electronic components configured as a cell balance circuit.

15. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the electronic components include electronic components configured in at least one control circuit.

16. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the first and second conductive traces are on separate substrates.

17. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes respective holes that align with respective ones of the battery cells and that extend through the substrates and conductive traces to provide access to terminals of the battery cells to welding tips.

18. The battery pack of claim 17 further including cell separator plates in which the battery cells are disposed that hold the battery cells in position for attachment of the flexible printed circuit board to the battery cells.

19. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the flexible printed circuit board is attached to both tops and bottoms of the battery cells.

20. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the flexible printed circuit board is attached to both tops and bottoms of the battery cells, the electronic components configured in the at least one control circuit disposed on a portion of the flexible printed circuit board that extends between the tops and bottoms of the battery cells.

21. A cordless power tool, comprising:

a. a housing having a motor disposed therein; and

b. a battery pack coupled to the housing, the battery pack including a battery pack housing with a plurality of battery cells disposed therein interconnected by first conductive traces on a flexible printed circuit board attached to the battery cells.

22. The cordless power tool of claim 21 wherein the flexible printed circuit board includes second conductive traces to which electronic components are attached.

23. The cordless power tool of claim 22 wherein -the flexible printed circuit board includes a plurality of substrates with the first and second conductive traces on separate substrates.

24. The cordless power tool of claim 23 wherein the electronic components include at least one thermistor.

25. The cordless power tool of claim 23 wherein the battery cells are Lithium Ion battery cells, the electric components including at least one thermistor associated with each battery cell with each thermistor attached to one of the second conductive traces in close proximity to the battery cell with which it is associated, the electronic components also including electronic components configured as a temperature monitoring circuit and electronic components configured as a cell balance circuit.

26. The cordless power tool of claim 23 wherein the electronic components include electronic components configured in at least one control circuit.

27. The cordless power tool of claim 23 wherein the flexible circuit board is attached to both tops and bottoms of the battery cells.

28. The battery pack of claim 21 wherein the first conductive traces includes pads that align with terminals of the battery cells, the pads including slots through which connection tabs extend, the connection tabs bonded to the battery cell terminals and the pads.

29. The cordless power tool of claim 21 further including cell separator plates in which the battery cells are disposed that hold the battery cells in position for attachment of the flexible printed circuit board to the battery cells.