Apparatus and method for securing battery cell packs

• US 20060234119A1
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EnerDel, Inc. (Ener1, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EnerDel, Inc. (Ener1, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanauer, Brad, Wendling, Robert T., Kruger, Duane D., Beer, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,653,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/160
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0486 Frames for plates or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/105 Pouches or flexible bags
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/124 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/507 comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
• 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

Abstract

A framed lithium battery cell group includes a first frame member (20) and a second frame member (30). The frame members are locked together, clamping the lithium battery cell pack (10) on the seal edge surfaces (13, 16), thereby providing structural rigidity and protection from damage due to handling and vibration. Each of the frame members (20, 30) has multiple pins (25) and sockets (26) on the side opposite the clamping surface (33) to facilitate aligning and stacking multiple lithium battery cell pack and frame assemblies to form a lithium battery cell group (50). Each of the frame members (20, 30) include a buss bar capture feature (22, 32) having a bus bar (40) inserted therein for electrically connecting all of the terminals for a given lithium battery pack group to the buss bar (40).

Claims

1. A framed lithium battery cell group, comprising:

a first frame member including four side members sized to overlap at least three seal edges of a lithium battery cell pack, said first frame member having an opening sized to provide clearance for a lithium battery cell pack to be framed;

a second frame member including four side members sized to overlap said at least three seal edges of said lithium battery cell, said second frame member having an opening sized to provide clearance for said lithium battery cell to be framed,

said first and second frame member having interlockable structures to fit together and to adjacent frame assemblies to form a framed cell group;

wherein at least one of said first frame member and said second frame member include a buss bar capture feature, and

a buss bar secured by said buss bar capture feature, said bus bar being electrically connected to at least one of all anodes and all cathodes of said lithium battery cells comprising said cell group.

2. The frame assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second frame member further comprises a terminal clearance feature for a terminal of said lithium battery cell pack.

3. The frame assembly of claim 1 wherein said interlockable structures comprise a pin and socket feature, said pin and socket fitting together to align said adjacent frame assemblies.

4. The frame assembly of claim 1, further comprising a housing enclosing at least one of said cell groups, said housing providing additional compressive force to said cell group.

5. The frame assembly of claim 4, wherein said housing comprises a top and a bottom section, said top and bottom section fastened together with fasteners.

6. The frame assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pair of compression plates sandwiching said cell group, said compression plates fastened together to provide additional compressive force to said cell group.

7. The frame assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one compression strap for wrapping around said cell group, said compression strap applying compressive force to said cell group.

8. The frame assembly of claim 1 wherein said first frame member and said second frame member are identically sized.

9. A method for making a lithium battery cell group, comprising the steps of:

providing a multiplicity of lithium battery cell pack and frame assemblies;

electrically connecting like polarity terminal tabs of a first of said multiplicity of lithium battery cell pack and frame assemblies with a second of said multiplicity of lithium battery cell pack and frame assemblies, wherein the step of electrically connecting comprises;

placing the terminal tabs of a first lithium battery cell pack and frame assembly in a position parallel with a terminal trough located in the frame assembly;

providing a buss bar retaining feature in each of said lithium battery cell pack and frame assemblies;

providing a buss bar for each polarity;

inserting said buss bars into said buss bar retaining feature;

fastening said terminal tabs to said buss bars, and

stacking a second lithium battery cell pack and frame assembly adjacent to said first assembly by sliding said buss bar in to said buss bar retaining feature of said second lithium battery cell pack and frame assembly.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one said second frame member further comprises a pin and socket feature facilitating fixed alignment of said adjacent frame assemblies, further comprising the step of orienting the said adjacent assemblies by aligning said pin and socket features of each assembly.