MODULAR BATTERY COVER

• US 20140077605A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Global Technologies International Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fishbune, Richard J., Maresh, Mark E., Bulur, Yakup, Swenson, Neil C., Wheeler, Adam M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,003,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/71
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• 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: H01M 50/51 Connection only in series
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/512 Connection only in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/519 comprising printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A device may include an electronic component stack cover having an open end sized to receive a modular electronic component stack including a plurality of like modular electronic components, an at least partially closed end, and sides extending from the at least partially closed end toward the open end. The at least partially closed end and the at least one side may form a chamber. At least one electrically conductive probe may extend from the at least partially closed end into the chamber. The chamber may conform to an outer shape of at least a portion of the modular electronic component stack, and the electrically conductive probe may be configured to electrically interface with a first connector on the electronic component stack when the stack is within the chamber.

Claims

1. A system comprising

a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first PCB circuit including a positive circuit terminal, a negative circuit terminal, a plurality of electrical interfaces, a plurality of selectively actuatable jumpers, and a plurality of conductors;

the plurality of conductors connecting each one of the plurality of electrical interfaces through the jumpers to the positive and negative circuit terminals in a selectable one of a series connection and a parallel connection; and

a plurality of modular battery stacks, each battery stack including at least one battery module, each battery module including a first battery connector, a second battery connector, and a battery, the battery having a positive battery terminal connected to the first battery connector and a negative battery terminal connected to the second battery connector; and

one of the first battery connectors of each battery stack being mechanically and electrically non-destructively removably connected to a respective first one of the plurality of electrical interfaces and one of the second battery connectors of each battery stack being mechanically and electrically non-destructively removably connected to a respective second one of the plurality of electrical interfaces.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first battery connector is exposed, the system further comprising a battery stack cover assembly including a cover encasing at least a portion of at least a first one of the plurality of battery stacks and a return conductor operatively connecting the first battery connector of the first one of the battery stacks to the respective first one of the plurality of electrical interfaces.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery stack cover assembly including a cover encasing at least a portion of at least a first one of the plurality of battery stacks and at least one fastener mounted to the battery stack cover for selectively fastening the battery stack cover to the PCB.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first battery connector is exposed and the fastener is electrically conductive and connected to the respective first one of the plurality of electrical interfaces, the battery stack cover assembly further including a return conductor operatively connecting the respective first battery connector to the fastener.

5. The system of claim 4, each battery module in each of the plurality of battery stacks further including at least one secondary electrical connector configured to mechanically and electrically mate with a connector on another battery module;

and the battery stack cover assembly further including a plurality of the return conductors and a plurality of the fasteners, each return conductor connecting the first battery connector or an exposed one of the at least one secondary electrical connector of the battery stack to a respective fastener when the battery stack cover is encasing at least a portion of the battery stack.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the fasteners is configured to fasten the associated battery stack to a respective electrical interface on the PCB, the electrical interfaces associated with each battery stack being electrically interconnected.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery stack cover assembly including a battery stack cover encasing at least a portion of at least a first one of the plurality of battery stacks, the battery stack cover being substantially rigid and including a chamber having a shape conforming to a shape of the battery stack.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each battery module includes exposed receptacles and the battery stack cover assembly includes a cap portion having a plurality of protrusions extending into the chamber, the cover having a height appropriate to connect the protrusions with corresponding receptacles on an outermost battery module when the battery stack cover is operatively placed on the battery stack.

9. A system comprising

a modular battery stack including one or more battery modules, the one or more battery modules each including opposite major faces and a first battery connector and a second battery connector, a battery having positive and negative terminals connected respectively to the first and second battery connectors, and an additional connector, each battery connector and additional connector extending between the major faces and configured to mechanically and electrically mate with a connector on another battery module when a major face of one battery module is proximate to a major faces of the other battery module;

and

a battery stack cover assembly including a cover covering at least a portion of an outermost battery module of the one or more battery modules and an electrical conductor, the outermost battery module having an exposed major face and having connectors connected to connectors on an adjacent module on an unexposed major face of the outermost battery module, the electrical conductor connecting one of the battery connectors of the outermost battery module to the additional connector of the outermost battery module.

10. The system of claim 9, further including a printed circuit board (PCB) having a circuit conductor, at least one of the connectors of one or more of the battery modules of the modular battery stack being electrically connected to the circuit conductor of the PCB.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the battery stack cover and the outermost battery module have in combination a key and corresponding keyway defining an orientation of the battery stack cover relative to the outermost battery module required for the battery stack cover to operatively seat against the outermost battery module.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electrical conductor of the battery stack cover assembly connects a preselected one of the battery connectors of the outermost battery module to the additional connector of the outermost battery module when the key and keyway are aligned.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the battery stack cover further includes indicia indicative of a position of the key or keyway in the battery stack cover.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the outermost battery module comprises at least one lateral surface connecting respective edges of the associated opposite major faces, and the modular battery stack cover encases at least a portion of both the exposed major face and the at least one lateral surface of the outermost battery module.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the battery stack cover provides electrical isolation between the first and second battery connectors when the modular battery stack cover connects one of the battery connectors to the additional connector.

16. A device comprising

an electronic component stack cover having an open end sized to receive a modular electronic component stack including a plurality of like modular electronic components, an at least partially closed end, and sides extending from the at least partially closed end toward the open end, the at least partially closed end and the at least one side forming a chamber between the at least partially closed end and the open end, and

the device further comprising at least one electrically conductive probe extending from the at least partially closed end into the chamber;

wherein the chamber is shaped to conform to an outer shape of at least a portion of the modular electronic component stack and the electrically conductive probe is configured to electrically interface with a first connector on the electronic component stack when the stack is within the chamber.

17. The device of claim 16, where the modular electronic component stack includes an end electronic component module having a first terminal and a second terminal, and wherein the electrically conductive probe is configured to electrically connect the first terminal to the second terminal when the electronic component stack cover is mounted onto the modular electronic component stack with the end electronic component module positioned proximate the at least partially closed end of the electronic component stack cover.

18. The device of claim 16, further comprising an electrically isolated probe extending into the chamber, where the electronic component stack includes an end electronic component module having the first connector, a second connector, and a circuit with a terminal electrically connected to the first connector, and the electrically isolated probe is configured to mechanically attach to the second connector on the end electronic component module.

19. The device of claim 16, further comprising an electrical conductor supported by and extending along the cover from the open end to the at least partially closed end, wherein the electrical conductor is electrically connected to the conductive probe.

20. The device of claim 16, further comprising a fastener at the open end, the fastener being configured to attach the device to a printed circuit board.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the fastener is electrically conductive, and the electrically conductive probe is electrically connected to the fastener.

22. The device of claim 16, wherein the cover and electronic component stack include in combination a key and a keyway, the cover and modular electronic component stack being mechanically keyed with the key seating in the keyway when the electrically-conductive probe is aligned with an associated terminal of a circuit on the electronic component stack.

23. The device of claim 22, the cover further including an outer surface that is exposed when the cover is operatively covering an electronic component stack, and indicia is located on the outer surface of the cover indicative of a position of the key or keyway of the cover.