System and method for fusibly linking batteries

• US 20070188147A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Berdichevsky, Eugene, Lyons, David, Kohn, Scott, Teixeira, Ryan, Straubel, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,671,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/51 Connection only in series
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/514 Methods for interconnecting adjacent batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/583 in response to current, e.g. fuses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

A system and method links batteries in parallel to conductors using wire bonds that act as fuses in the event of an overcurrent condition in a battery. To protect the wire bonds in the case of a larger overcurrent condition, a fuse may be added in series to the parallel batteries.

Claims

1. A method of protecting a plurality of batteries, comprising:

providing a plurality of conductors, each comprising a plurality of holes;

providing a first plurality of batteries, each of the batteries in the first plurality comprising a first terminal and a second terminal; and

coupling the first terminal of each of the first plurality of batteries to a first of the plurality of conductors via a fusible link that runs through a hole in the first of the plurality of conductors.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each fusible link is capable of:

carrying an expected current from the battery to which the fusible link is coupled and the first of the plurality of conductors; and

eliminating the coupling between the first of the plurality of conductors and the respective battery to which it is coupled in the event that a higher than anticipated current flows through the battery of the plurality of batteries to which it is coupled; and

coupling the second polarity of each of the plurality of batteries to a second of the plurality of conductors.

3. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising coupling in series the first plurality of batteries to a second plurality of batteries and a fuse capable of carrying an expected current of all of the batteries in the first plurality;

and

eliminating a current of the batteries in the first set if said current exceeds the expected current by at least a threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the fusible link comprises a wire bond; and

the coupling step comprises wire bonding the first polarity of each of the first plurality of batteries to a first of the plurality of conductors.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the wire bond comprises aluminum.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wire bond additionally comprises at least one selected from nickel and magnesium.

7. A battery pack produced by the process of claim 1

8. An automobile produced by the process of claim 1.

9. A vehicle produced by the process of claim 1.

15. The battery pack of claim 4, wherein the wire bond additionally comprises at least one selected from nickel and magnesium.

10. A battery pack comprising:

a plurality of conductors, each conductor comprising a plurality of holes;

a plurality of batteries, each of the batteries in the plurality comprising at least two terminals;

a plurality of fusible links, each fusible link coupled to at least one of the plurality of conductors and to at least one of the terminals of at least one of the batteries through at least one of the plurality of holes of the conductors.

11. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of fusible links is capable of:

carrying an expected current between the at least one battery to which the fusible link is coupled and the at least one conductor to which the fusible link is coupled; and

eliminating the coupling between the at least one battery to which the fusible link is coupled and the at least one conductor to which the fusible link is coupled in the event that a higher than anticipated current flows through the at least one battery to which said fusible link is coupled.

12. The battery pack of claim 10 coupled in series to at least one fuse.

13. The battery pack of claim 10, wherein the fusible link comprises a wire bond.

14. The battery pack of claim 13 wherein the wire bond comprises aluminum.