INTEGRATION OF A VOLTAGE SENSE TRACE FUSE INTO A BATTERY INTERCONNECT BOARD

• US 20140356671A1
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Dawley, Evan J., Carroll, Glenn F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,912,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/90
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/364 Battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0486 Frames for plates or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/103 Fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/569 Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364
• 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 pack, an integrated device for sensing individual battery voltage in a battery pack and a method of forming an integrated voltage-sensing circuit for use in a battery-powered automobile propulsion system. The integrated voltage-sensing circuit includes a busbar, a terminal pin and a voltage-sensing fuse electrically disposed between the busbar and the terminal pin. The construction of the voltage-sensing circuit is such that it forms an integral structure upon being coupled to the modular housing or related structure that may subsequently be secured to a frame that is used to provide support to each battery cell within the battery pack. In one form, the modular housing and voltage-sensing circuit may be secured to the frame during a frame molding process such that upon completion of the molding, the housing and at least a portion of the voltage-sensing circuit are encapsulated within the frame. In another form, the busbar or related voltage trace that signally couples each of the battery cells in a pack may be integrated into the frame, such as by overmolding.

Claims

1. An assembly for sensing voltage produced by a prismatic battery cell within a battery pack made up of a plurality of said battery cells, said assembly comprising:

an interconnect board defining a plurality of cell mounting channels thereon;

a coupling secured to said interconnect board;

a busbar defining a plurality of individual signal-carrying lines therein, said busbar formed within said interconnect board and cooperative with said coupling to establish signal connection between said coupling and each of said channels through a respective one of said individual signal-carrying lines; and

a voltage sense circuit signally cooperative with each of said channels and a respective portion of said busbar, each said voltage sense circuit comprising at least one fuse and at least one electrically-conductive line coupled thereto.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said coupling comprises an electrical monitoring connection header.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said interconnect board is overmolded relative to said busbar to define an integral formation there between.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of said channels is secured to a respective one of said voltage sense circuits with an ultrasonic weld.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said interconnect board is formed from an electrically non-conductive material.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said interconnect board defines a fuse-accepting pocket formed therein to receive said at least one fuse of said voltage sense circuit.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein said at least one electrically-conductive line is integrally formed within said interconnect board.

8. The assembly of claim 6, wherein said fuse-accepting pocket is further configured such that upon placement of said at least one fuse into said pocket, a corresponding one of said at least one electrically-conductive line extending from said one of said at least one fuses terminate on a location on said interconnect board defined by said apertures.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one fuse is secured to said at least one electrically-conductive line via tin fusion.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said cell mounting channels are integrally formed within said interconnect board.

11. A battery pack configured to provide propulsive power to a vehicle, said battery pack comprising:

a plurality of prismatic battery cells aligned along a stacking axis to define a facing relationship thereby;

cell monitoring electronics;

a cage configured to contain said plurality of cells therein; and

an assembly coupled to at least one of said cage and said plurality of cells and comprising;

an interconnect board defining a plurality of battery cell-receiving mounting channels thereon;

a coupling connected to said interconnect board and said cell monitoring electronics;

a busbar defining a plurality of individual signal-carrying lines therein, said busbar formed within said interconnect board and cooperative with said coupling to establish signal connection between each of said channels and said coupling through a respective one of said individual signal-carrying lines; and

a voltage sense circuit signally cooperative with each of said channels and a respective portion of said busbar, each said voltage sense circuit comprising at least one fuse and at least one electrically-conductive line coupled thereto.

12. The battery pack of claim 11, wherein said interconnect board is overmolded relative to said busbar to define an integral formation therebetween.

13. The battery pack of claim 12, wherein said interconnect board defines a fuse-accepting pocket formed therein to receive said at least one fuse of said voltage sense circuit.

14. A method of providing electrical connectivity to an automotive propulsion system battery pack, said method comprising:

providing an interconnect board defining a plurality of battery cell-receiving mounting channels thereon;

connecting a cell monitoring electronics coupling to said interconnect board;

integrally forming a busbar with said interconnect board and said coupling to establish signal connection therebetween, said busbar defining a plurality of individual signal-carrying lines therein such that each of said channels has a dedicated signal connection to said coupling through a respective one of said individual signal-carrying lines;

signally connecting a voltage sense circuit to each of said channels and a respective portion of said busbar, said voltage sense circuit comprising at least one fuse and at least one electrically-conductive line coupled thereto; and

placing each of a plurality of prismatic battery cells into a respective one of said channels to provide electrical monitoring communication therebetween.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said integral forming between at least said busbar and said interconnect board is through overmolding.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said signally connecting a voltage sense circuit to each of said channels and a respective portion of said busbar is by using tin fusion to connect a lead from said at least one fuse to at least one of a terminal or trace that are signally coupled to said busbar.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said signally connecting a voltage sense circuit to each of said channels and a respective portion of said busbar is by using tin fusion to connect a lead from said at least one fuse to said busbar directly

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said interconnect board comprises an electrically nonconductive material.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said busbar abrogates the need for a flex circuit to connect said at least one fuse to said channels and said coupling.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said voltage sense circuit and said interconnect board are integrally formed through overmolding.