Integrated current-interrupt device for lithium-ion cells

• US 20080008928A1
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston-Power Inc.
• Original Assignee: Boston-Power Inc.
• Inventors: Chamberlain, Richard, Partin, Phillip, Zeng, Sherman, Onnerud, Per, Song, Yanning
• Granted Patent: US 8,071,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/061
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/058 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/20 Pressure-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/574 Devices or arrangements for the interruption of current
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/578 in response to pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• 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 battery comprises a first terminal in electrical communication with a first electrode of the battery, a second terminal in electrical communication with a second electrode of the battery, a battery can electrically insulated from the first terminal, and at least one current interrupt device in electrical communication with the battery can. The battery can includes a cell casing and a lid which are in electrical communication with each other. At least a portion of the battery can is at least a component of the second terminal, or is electrically connected to the second terminal. The current interrupt device includes a first conductive plate in electrical communication with the second electrode, and a second conductive plate in electrical communication with the first conductive plate. The second conductive plate separates from the first conductive plate when pressure inside the battery is greater than a predetermined value, whereby a current flow between the second electrode and the second terminal is interrupted.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising:

a) a first terminal in electrical communication with a first electrode of the battery;

b) a second terminal in electrical communication with a second electrode of the battery;

c) a battery can electrically insulated from the first terminal, wherein at least a portion of the battery can is at least a component of the second terminal, or is electrically connected to the second terminal, the battery can including a cell casing and a lid which are in electrical communication with each other; and

d) at least one current interrupt device in electrical communication with the battery can, the current interrupt device including,

i) a first conductive plate in electrical communication with the second electrode; and

ii) a second conductive plate in electrical communication with the first conductive plate,

wherein the second conductive plate separates from the first conductive plate when pressure inside the battery is greater than a predetermined value, whereby a current flow between the second electrode and the second terminal is interrupted.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein the first terminal is a negative terminal and the second terminal is a positive terminal.

3. The battery of claim 1, wherein the second conductive plate is in fluid communication with the atmosphere outside the battery.

4. The battery of claim 3, further includes an end plate disposed over the second conductive plate and defining at least one hole through which the second conductive plate is in communication with the atmosphere outside the battery.

5. The battery of claim 4, wherein the end plate is a part of the battery can, and wherein the first and second conductive plates are within the battery can.

6. The battery of claim 4, wherein the end plate is at the battery can.

7. The battery of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the current interrupt device is seated within a recess at the lid of the battery can.

8. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the current interrupt device is a component or a portion of the battery can.

10. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the current interrupt device is coined or stamped at the battery can.

11. The battery of claim 1, wherein the first terminal is at the lid of the battery can or the bottom of the cell casing.

12. The battery of claim 11, wherein the current interrupt device is at the lid of the battery can.

13. The battery of claim 12, further includes an end plate disposed over the second conductive plate and defining at least one hole through which the second conductive plate is in fluid communication with the atmosphere outside the battery.

15. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second conductive plates has at least one protrusion at which the first and second conductive plates are in electrical communication with each other.

20. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery can includes aluminum.

21. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate includes at least one metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, nickel and copper.

22. The battery of claim 21, wherein each of the first and second conductive plates of the current interrupt device includes aluminum.

25. The battery of claim 22, wherein the battery can, the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate are made of aluminum.

26. The battery of claim 1, wherein the cell casing of the battery can has a prismatic cross-sectional shape, or cylindrical shape.

28. The battery of claim 1, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

29. The battery of claim 1, further including a positive thermal coefficient layer in electrical communication with either the first terminal or the second terminal.

30. The battery of claim 29, wherein the positive thermal coefficient layer is in electrical communication with the first terminal.

9. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16-19. -19. (canceled)

23-24. -24. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

31-39. -39. (canceled)

40. A battery pack comprising a plurality of cells, each of the cells including:

a) a first terminal in electrical communication with a first electrode of the battery;

b) a second terminal in electrical communication with a second electrode of the battery;

c) a battery can electrically insulated from the first terminal, wherein at least a portion of the battery can is at least a component of the second terminal, or is electrically connected to the second terminal, the battery can including a cell casing and a lid which are in electrical communication with each other; and

d) at least one current interrupt device in electrical communication with the battery can, the current interrupt device including,

i) a first conductive plate in electrical communication with the second electrode; and

ii) a second conductive plate in electrical communication with the first conductive plate

wherein the second conductive plate separates from the first conductive plate when pressure inside the battery is greater than a predetermined value, whereby a current flow between the second electrode and the second terminal is interrupted.

43. The battery pack of claim 40, wherein the cells are in series and no cells are connected in parallel.

44. The battery pack of claim 40, wherein at least one cell includes a cell casing having a prismatic cross-sectional shape.

41-42. -42. (canceled)

45. A method of producing a battery, comprising the steps of:

a) disposing a first electrode and a second electrode within a battery can that includes a cell casing and a lid which are in electrical communication with each other, the battery can being in electrical communication with the second electrode;

b) forming a first terminal in electrical communication with the first electrode, and electrically insulated from the battery can;

c) forming a second terminal, wherein at least a portion of the battery can is a component of the second terminal, or is electrically connected to the second terminal; and

d) forming a current interrupt device in electrical communication with the battery can, the current interrupt device including;

i) a first conductive plate in electrical communication with the second electrode; and

ii) a second conductive plate in electrical communication with the first conductive plate, the second conductive plate separating from the first conductive plate when pressure inside the battery is greater than a predetermined value, whereby a current flow between the second electrode and the second terminal is interrupted.

46-54. -54. (canceled)