APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR HOLDING CIRCUIT FOR LASER WELDING

• US 20190326623A1
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Original Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Inventors: Torosyan, Hrayr
• Granted Patent: US 11,469,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/36 Electric or electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/38 Conductors
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/10 using a fixed support , i.e. involving moving the laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/21 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0408 for planar work
• 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 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/50 Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

An apparatus for holding a circuit against a battery module includes a set of first fixtures for holding a set of first conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of positive terminals of the battery module, a set of second fixtures for holding a set of second conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of negative terminals of the battery module, and a rigid plate having a set of first structures therein for receiving the set of first fixtures and having a set of second structures therein for receiving the set of second fixtures.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding a circuit against a battery module, the apparatus comprising:

a set of first fixtures for holding a set of first conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of positive terminals of the battery module;

a set of second fixtures for holding a set of second conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of negative terminals of the battery module; and

a rigid plate having a set of first structures therein for receiving the set of first fixtures and having a set of second structures therein for receiving the set of second fixtures, each of the set of first structures and each of the set of second structures including a top recessed portion and a bottom recessed portion, and the rigid plate configured for mounting to a structure holding the battery module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid plate further includes at least one of holes or slots for aligning the set of first fixtures and the set of second fixtures with the set of positive terminals and the set of negative terminals of the battery module, respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid plate provides a force to the set of first fixtures and the set of second fixtures to hold the set of first tabs and the set of second tabs of the circuit against the set of positive terminals and the set of negative terminals of the battery module, respectively.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of first fixtures and the set of second fixtures are formed of an elastic material that is coated to withstand temperatures at least as high as a predetermined temperature.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the first fixtures includes an aperture positioned substantially in a center of the first fixture, the aperture for passing a laser beam for welding each of the first tabs with one corresponding positive terminal of the battery module.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the first fixtures further includes a body having the aperture therein, a pair of hold-in-place tabs connected to the body, a pair of spring tabs connected to the body and below the pair of hold-in-place tabs, and a flat push-down surface formed at a bottom surface of the first fixture.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pair of hold-in-place tabs are configured to position the first fixture into one corresponding first structure and engage a pair of the top recessed portions of the one corresponding first structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pair of spring tabs are configured to engage a pair of the bottom recessed portions of one corresponding first structure.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the flat push-down surface is configured to engage one corresponding first tab to hold the one corresponding first tab against the one corresponding positive terminal of the battery module.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the second fixtures includes an aperture positioned substantially in a center of the second fixture, the aperture for passing a laser beam for welding each of the second tabs with one corresponding negative terminal of the battery module.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of the second fixtures further includes a body having the aperture therein, a pair of hold-in-place tabs connected to the body, a pair of spring tabs connected to the body and below the pair of hold-in-place tabs, and a flat push-down surface formed at a bottom surface of the second fixture.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pair of hold-in-place tabs are configured to position the second fixture into one corresponding second structure and engage a pair of the top recessed portions of the one corresponding second structure.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pair of spring tabs are configured to engage a pair of the bottom recessed portions of one corresponding second structure.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the flat push-down surface is configured to engage one corresponding second tab to hold the one corresponding second tab against the one corresponding negative terminal of the battery module.

15. A method for holding a circuit against a battery module, the method comprising:

providing a set of first fixtures for holding a set of first conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of positive terminals of the battery module;

providing a set of second fixtures for holding a set of second conductive tabs of the circuit against a corresponding set of negative terminals of the battery module;

providing a rigid plate having a set of first structures therein for receiving the set of first fixtures and having a set of second structures therein for receiving the set of second fixtures, each of the set of first structures and each of the set of second structures including a top recessed portion and a bottom recessed portion;

engaging the set of first fixtures and the set of second fixtures with the rigid plate such that;

each of the first structure receives one of the set of first fixtures; and

each of the second structure receives one of the set of second fixtures; and

disposing the rigid plate onto the circuit such that;

each of the set of first fixtures engages one of the set of first tabs to hold the one first tab against one corresponding positive terminal; and

each of the set of second fixtures engages one of the set of second tabs to hold the one second tab against one corresponding negative terminal.

16. The method of claim 15, further including providing at least one hole or slot to align the set of first fixtures and the set of second fixtures with the set of positive terminals and the set of negative terminals of the battery module, respectively.

17. The method of claim 15, further including providing, by the rigid plate, a force to the set of first fixtures and the set of second fixture to hold the set of first tabs and the set of second tabs of the circuit against the set of positive terminals and the set of negative terminals of the battery module, respectively.

18. The method of claim 15, further including forming the set of first fixtures and the set of second fixture of an elastic material that withstands a temperature at least as high as a predetermined temperature.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the set of first fixtures includes providing each of the first fixtures with an aperture positioned substantially in a center of the first fixture, the aperture for passing a laser beam for welding each of the first tabs with one corresponding positive terminal of the battery module.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the set of second fixtures includes providing each of the second fixtures with an aperture positioned substantially in a center of the second fixture, the aperture for passing a laser beam for welding each of the second tabs with one corresponding negative terminal of the battery module.