Battery assembly

• US 20060177734A1
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Li-Ho Yao
• Original Assignee: Li-Ho Yao
• Inventors: Yao, Li-Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,811,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/160
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• 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 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• 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 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/505 comprising a single busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/509 characterised by the type of connection, e.g. mixed connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/526 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/241 with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/2465 Details of groupings of fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/22 Contacts for co-operating by abutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/085 Short circuiting bus-strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

A battery pack includes multiple power bus lines connecting a quantity of cell strings in parallel, wherein each cell string includes multiple cells connected in series. The battery pack further has multiple conductors providing electrical communication between the cell strings such that a cell in one cell string is connected in parallel with a cell in other battery strings.

Claims

1. A battery comprised of:

current collectors connecting multiple cell strings in parallel, wherein each cell string comprises multiple cells connected in series; and

multiple conductors providing electrical communication between the cell strings such that a cell in one cell string is connected in parallel with a cell in other cell strings.

2. The battery as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the multiple cells is a rechargeable electrochemical cell.

3. The battery as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the multiple conductors is a conductive plate.

4. The battery as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conductive plate is a nickel plate.

5. The battery pack as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conductive plate is a metal plate formed with nickel surfaces.

6. The battery pack as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conductive plate is a copper plate formed with nickel surfaces.

7. The battery as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conductive plate is formed by multiple tabs connecting to one side of a body, each of the tabs electrically connecting to one of the cells.

8. The battery pack as claimed in claim 3, wherein the conductive plate is formed by multiple tabs connecting to two sides of a body, each of the tabs electrically connecting to one of the batteries.

9. The battery as claimed in claim 8, wherein the multiple tabs are symmetrically connecting to the two sides of the body.

10. The battery as claimed in claim 8, wherein the multiple tabs are connecting to the two sides of the body in an unsymmetrical configuration.

11. The battery as claimed in claim 9, wherein the conductive plate has an arch that extends from a tab on one side of the body to a tab on the other side of the body.

12. The battery as claimed in claim 10, wherein the conductive plate has an arch that extends from a tab on one side of the body to a tab on the other side of the body.

13. The battery as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the tabs is separated into at least three contacts.

14. The battery as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of the tabs is separated into at least three contacts.

15. The battery as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery is further held by a case and a cover is attached to the case, wherein a plurality of through holes is defined at walls forming the case.

16. The battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein a shortest distance measured from a center of the cell to an edge of the cell is in the range of 0.5 to 3.5 centimeters, and the battery comprises more than four cell strings, and each of the cell strings comprises more than four cells connected in series.

17. The battery as claimed in claim 3, wherein two of the multiple conductive plates electrically connecting to the cells are used as current collectors to conduct current generated by the battery, wherein each of the two current collectors has a platform on which terminals are formed.

18. The battery as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rechargeable cells are lithium ion cells.

19. The battery as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rechargeable cells are Ni—

MH batteries.

20. The battery as claimed in claim 2, wherein the rechargeable cells are fuel cells.

21. A battery assembly comprising multiple batteries electrically connected together, wherein each battery includes:

current collectors connecting multiple cell strings in parallel, wherein each cell string comprises multiple cells connected in series; and

multiple conductors providing electrical communication between the cell strings such that a cell in one cell string is connected in parallel with a cell in other cell strings.