CURRENT-INTERRUPT DEVICE FOR BATTERY CELL

• US 20190181402A1
• Filed: 12/12/2017
• Published: 06/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: BUDE, Bogdan, GONZALES, Philip Michael
• Granted Patent: US 10,461,291 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/20 Pressure-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• 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: 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: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery cell includes an electrode, a terminal, and a current-interrupt device configured to electrically isolate the terminal from the electrode. The current-interrupt device includes a plate connected to the electrode and defining a hole, and a diaphragm connected to the terminal and joined to the plate forming a ceiling of the hole. A cover of the current-interrupt device is joined to the plate forming a floor of the hole. A dielectric fluid is disposed in the hole. The diaphragm and cover are configured to move toward the terminal, in response to pressure within the cell exceeding a threshold, to separate the diaphragm from the plate forming a gap therebetween and to release the fluid into the gap preventing current from arching across the gap.

Claims

1. A current-interrupt device for a battery cell comprising:

a plate defining a hole;

a diaphragm joined to the plate and covering a top of the hole;

a cover sealing a bottom of the hole; and

a dielectric fluid disposed in the hole, wherein, responsive to cell pressure exceeding a threshold, the diaphragm and the cover are movable to separate the diaphragm from the plate forming a gap and to release the fluid into the gap.

2. The current-interrupt device of claim 1, wherein the cover is disk shaped and has an edge portion joined to the plate.

3. The current-interrupt device of claim 2, wherein the diaphragm is a disk, and a diameter of the diaphragm is smaller than a diameter of the cover.

4. The current-interrupt device of claim 1, wherein the plate is electrically connected to an electrode, and the diaphragm is electrically connected to a terminal.

5. The current-interrupt device of claim 1, wherein the diaphragm includes a main portion and a protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being sized to engage with the top of the hole, and wherein the disk is joined to the plate around a periphery of the protrusion.

7. The current-interrupt device of claim 1, wherein the cover is formed of metal.

8. The current-interrupt device of claim 1, wherein the cover is formed of plastic.

9. The current-interrupt device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric fluid is transformer oil.

6. The current-interrupt device of claim 6, wherein the protrusion is cylindrical.

10. A battery cell comprising:

an electrode;

a terminal; and

a current-interrupt device configured to electrically isolate the terminal from the electrode, the current-interrupt device including

a plate connected to the electrode and defining a hole,

a diaphragm connected to the terminal and joined to the plate forming a ceiling of the hole,

a cover joined to the plate forming a floor of the hole, and

a dielectric fluid disposed in the hole, wherein the diaphragm and cover are configured to move toward the terminal, in response to pressure within the cell exceeding a threshold, to separate the diaphragm from the plate forming a gap therebetween and to release the fluid into the gap preventing current from arching across the gap.

11. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein the cover is disk shaped and has an edge portion joined to the plate.

12. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein the diaphragm includes a main portion and a protrusion extending therefrom, the protrusion being configured to engage with a top of the hole, and wherein the diaphragm is joined to the plate around a periphery of the protrusion.

13. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein the electrode is a cathode.

14. The battery cell of claim 10, wherein the dielectric fluid is transformer oil.

15. A battery cell comprising:

an electrode;

a terminal; and

a current-interrupt device including a cavity filled with dielectric fluid and a movable lid that seals the cavity and forms a current path between the electrode and the terminal when in a sealed position, and inhibits the current path when in a ruptured position that allows leaking of the fluid to further inhibit the path.

16. The battery cell of claim 15, wherein the current-interrupt device further includes a cover opposite the lid, and wherein the cover is configured to deflect towards the lid, responsive to pressure within the cell exceeding a threshold, to move the lid to the ruptured position.

17. The battery cell of claim 15, wherein the current-interrupt device further includes a plate having a hole that partially defines the cavity, wherein the plate is connected to the electrode and is joined to the lid when the lid is in the sealed position.

18. The battery cell of claim 17, wherein the current-interrupt device further includes a cover joined to the plate and forming a floor of the cavity.

19. The battery cell of claim 15, wherein the lid is disk-shaped.

20. The battery cell of claim 15, wherein the dielectric fluid is transformer oil.