BATTERY CELL INTERCONNECT AND VOLTAGE SENSING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE ASSEMBLY

• US 20130216878A1
• Filed: 02/16/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Symons, Bryan, Merriman, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,846,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/92
• 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 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/51 Connection only in series
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/516 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/519 comprising printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2018 Presence of a frame in a printed circuit or printed circuit assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0064 onto a polymeric substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly and method are provided. The assembly includes a frame member having a rectangular ring-shaped peripheral wall with first, second, third and fourth wall portions. The frame member further includes a central plate portion. The assembly further includes an electrical interconnect member electrically that is coupled to an electrical terminal of a battery cell. The electrical interconnect member has a tab that extends through an aperture in the central plate portion. The assembly further includes a circuit board and an encapsulation portion that is bonded to and covers a side of the circuit board.

Claims

1. A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly, comprising:

a frame member having a first side and a second side, the frame member further having a generally rectangular ring-shaped peripheral wall having first, second, third and fourth wall portions, the first and second wall portions being substantially parallel to one another and being spaced apart from one another, the third and fourth wall portions being substantially parallel to one another and being spaced apart from one another;

the frame member further having a central plate portion coupled between the first and second wall portions, the central plate portion defining a first space between the central plate portion and the third wall portion, the central plate portion further defining a second space between the central plate portion and the fourth wall portion;

the frame member further having a first support member disposed between the third wall portion and the central plate portion such that first and second gaps are formed adjacent to opposite edges of the first support member;

a first electrical interconnect member coupled to the first support member on the first side of the frame member, the first electrical interconnect member being configured to be electrically coupled to a first electrical terminal of a first battery cell extending through the first gap, the first electrical interconnect member having a first voltage sensing tab that extends through a first aperture in the central plate portion;

a circuit board disposed proximate to the second side of the frame member on at least one coupling tab extending from the central plate portion, the circuit board having first and second sides, the first side of the circuit board being disposed proximate to the central plate portion and the second side of the circuit board being disposed opposite to the first side of the circuit board; and

an electrical connector disposed on the circuit board and extending through a second aperture of the central plate portion, the circuit board having a first electrical trace coupled between the first voltage sensing tab and the electrical connector; and

an encapsulation portion that is bonded to and covers the second side of the circuit board.

2. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the encapsulation portion further bonds to and covers the first side of the circuit board disposed proximate to the central plate portion.

3. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame member further includes a second support member disposed between the fourth wall portion and the central plate portion such that third and fourth gaps are formed adjacent to opposite edges of the second support member.

4. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 3, further comprising a second electrical interconnect member coupled to the second support member on the first side of the frame member, the second electrical interconnect member being configured to be electrically coupled to a second electrical terminal of the first battery cell extending through the third gap, the second electrical interconnect member being further configured to be electrically coupled to a third electrical terminal of a second battery cell extending through the fourth gap, such that the first and second electrical interconnect members electrically couple the first battery cell to the second battery cell, the second electrical interconnect member having a second voltage sensing tab that extends through a third aperture in the central plate portion.

5. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 4, wherein the circuit board includes a second electrical trace coupled between the second voltage sensing tab and the electrical connector.

6. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 3, wherein the first support member includes at least one attachment tab that extends through an aperture in the first electrical interconnect member.

7. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 6, wherein the second support member includes at least one attachment tab that extends through an aperture in the second electrical interconnect member.

8. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the encapsulation portion is constructed of thermoplastic polyamide.

9. A method for manufacturing a battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly, comprising:

providing a frame member having a first side and a second side, the frame member further having a generally rectangular ring-shaped peripheral wall having first, second, third and fourth wall portions, the first and second wall portions being substantially parallel to one another and being spaced apart from one another, the third and fourth wall portions being substantially parallel to one another and being spaced apart from one another;

the frame member further having a central plate portion coupled between the first and second wall portions, the central plate portion defining a first space between the central plate portion and the third wall portion, the central plate portion further defining a second space between the central plate portion and the fourth wall portion;

the frame member further having a first support member disposed between the third wall portion and the central plate portion such that first and second gaps are formed adjacent to opposite edges of the first support member;

disposing a circuit board proximate to the second side of the frame member on at least one coupling tab extending from the central plate portion, the circuit board having first and second sides, the first side of the circuit board being disposed proximate to the central plate portion and the second side of the circuit board being disposed opposite to the first side of the circuit board, an electrical connector being disposed on the circuit board that extends through a second aperture of the central plate portion, the circuit board having a first electrical trace;

coupling a first electrical interconnect member to the first support member on the first side of the frame member, the first electrical interconnect member having a first voltage sensing tab that extends through a first aperture in the central plate portion;

soldering the first voltage sensing tab to the first electrical trace on the circuit board, the first electrical trace extending between the first voltage sensing tab and the electrical connector; and

applying an encapsulation portion to the second side of the circuit board that bonds to and covers the second side of the circuit board.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the encapsulation portion further covers the first side of the circuit board proximate to the central plate portion.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the frame member further includes a second support member disposed between the fourth wall portion and the central plate portion such that third and fourth gaps are formed adjacent to opposite edges of the second support member.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling a second electrical interconnect member to the second support member on the first side of the frame member, the second electrical interconnect member having a second voltage sensing tab that extends through a third aperture in the central plate portion.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising soldering the second voltage sensing tab to a second electrical trace on the circuit board, the second electrical trace extending between the second voltage sensing tab and the electrical connector.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the encapsulation portion is constructed of thermoplastic polyamide.