BATTERY

• US 20100310916A1
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ligtenberg, Chris, Raff, John, Coish, Robert L., Hopkinson, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 8,199,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/100
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

By being embedded in a portable computing device, a battery pack is made essentially inaccessible to unauthorized users, thereby allowing for a battery pack that can be made smaller and of lighter construction material, thereby facilitating greater component density within the portable computing device, lower cost to manufacture, and more environmentally secure. In another embodiment, the battery pack can take the form of a battery assembly formed of a single piece housing having a cantilever portion to provide additional stiffness.

Claims

1. A lightweight, compact, high charge capacity battery assembly embeddable in a portable computing device, the portable computing device having a housing formed of lightweight material, comprising:

a single piece battery housing configured to provide structural support to battery components included therein, the single piece housing formed of durable material, wherein the single piece battery housing comprises;

a top portion, the top portion arranged to provide protection to a plurality of battery components and to provide connectors for securing the battery to the housing, and

a cantilever beam portion, the cantilever beam portion integrally formed with the top portion and extending along a lower edge of the top portion, the cantilever beam portion enhancing a resistance to flexing of the battery housing; and

a lightweight minimum Z stack impact bottom layer attached to the cantilever beam portion and at least some of the battery components by way of a high bond adhesive, the lightweight bottom layer having a thickness that does not substantially impact the Z stack of the battery assembly.

2. The battery assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector arranged to electrically connect circuits external to the battery assembly with circuits and battery cells internal to the battery assembly.

3. The battery assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the minimum Z stack impact bottom layer has a thickness of about 0.1 mm.

4. The battery assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the minimum Z stack impact bottom layer comprises Mylar.

5. The battery assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the protective layer comprises stainless steel.

6. The battery assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the high bond adhesive is VHB.

7. The battery assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer housing includes a plurality of frame members attached to an inside surface of the computer housing.

8. The battery assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of frame members includes a rear frame.

9. The battery assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein at least one of the connectors used to secure the battery assembly to the computer housing by way of the rear frame is a tamper resistant fastener.

10. A method of embedding a battery assembly into a portable computer having a computer housing formed of flexible material, comprising:

receiving the battery assembly, the battery assembly comprising;

a single piece battery housing arranged to enclose a plurality of battery cells, the battery housing formed to include a front portion having a curved cross sectional shape, a top portion, a cantilever beam portion, and a minimum Z impact protective layer, the cantilever beam portion being integrally formed along a lower edge of the top portion arranged to increase a resistance to flexing of the battery housing, the protective layer being attached to the cantilever beam portion and the battery cells by way of a high bond strength adhesive;

installing the battery assembly into the computer housing by,

placing the front portion snugly into a front frame attached to the computer housing, the front frame having a shape that accommodates the curved cross sectional shape of the front portion, and

placing the battery assembly onto an inside surface of the computer housing such that the protective layer is placed in contact with the inside surface such that the computer housing provides a substantial portion of the protection provided to the battery cells; and

securing the front portion of the battery assembly to the front frame such that a load applied to the computer housing is transferred by way of a load path to a structural support layer connected to the computer housing without substantially affecting the computer housing, the load path including the battery assembly.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

installing a computer assembly into the computer housing, the computer assembly comprising a plurality of operational components that provide desired functionality, wherein at least one of the operational components is non-load bearing.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

attaching the computer assembly to the frame; and

electrically coupling the battery assembly to at least one operational component.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one non-load bearing component is attached to the frame by way of at least one load absorbing connector.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the battery assembly includes at least one specially shaped recess arranged to accommodate at least one tamper-resistant fastener used to attach the computer assembly to the frame in such a way as to prevent an unauthorized user from gaining meaningful access to the at least one tamper resistant fastener.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the battery assembly includes a back and the housing includes a rear portion having a supportive rear frame attached thereto, the method further comprises:

securing the back of the battery assembly to the rear frame, wherein a load applied to the computer housing can be transferred by way of a load path to a structural support layer connected to the front and rear frames without substantially affecting the computer housing, the load path including the battery assembly.

16. A computing device, comprising:

a flexible housing;

a load transferring inner frame;

a load absorbing layer arranged to mechanically couple the housing and the inner frame;

a structural support layer connected to the load transferring inner frame; and

a battery assembly mechanically connected to the load transferring inner frame, wherein when a load is applied to the flexible housing, the applied load is transferred by way of a load path to the structural support layer without substantially affecting the flexible housing, wherein the load path includes the battery assembly.

17. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein the battery assembly comprises:

a single piece battery housing, the housing comprising;

a top portion, and

a cantilever beam section integrally formed with a lower portion of the top portion, the cantilever beam section increasing the stiffness of the single piece battery housing; and

a minimum Z stack impact protective layer attached to at least a bottom portion of the cantilever section and the cantilever beam section.

18. The computing device as recited in claim 16, wherein battery assembly is attached to the inner frame by at least one tamper-resistant fastener that can be manipulated only by a customized tool.

19. The computing device as recited in claim 18, wherein the battery assembly includes at least one specially shaped recess arranged to accommodate the at least one tamper-resistant fastener in such a way as to allow meaningful access to the at least one tamper resistant fastener only with a customized tool.