Flexible welding board for battery pack

• US 5,607,793 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elmer Hughett, Richard B. Alexandres
• Original Assignee: Elmer Hughett, Richard B. Alexandres
• Inventors: Alexandres, Richard B., Hughett, Elmer
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/484,517
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 429/99, 429/100, 429/158, 439/736, 174/120 C, 174/126.4
• US Class Current: 429/100
• 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 50/516 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/09 Use of materials for the conductive, e.g. metallic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/056 Folded around rigid support or component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1311 Foil encapsulation, e.g. of mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/328 by welding

Abstract

A flexible welding board for a battery pack, which is a polyester film or polymer with prepunched holes and a laminated nickel allow or other metal or metal material. The polyester film with a suitable polymer adhesive or other adhesive includes a laminated nickel or other metal thereon. The nickel alloy or other metal alloy or metal is subsequently imaged with a pattern, and etched providing a flexible welding board for the welding of components of a battery pack, including the battery cells, electrical components and the electromechanical components which are spot-welded thereto. The entire process can be done robotically providing a battery pack which has electromechanical integrity between the battery cells, components, flexible welding board and the battery pack housing.

Claims

1. A flexible welding board for attachment of at least one battery cell having opposing terminal ends, said flexible welding board comprising:

a. a bendable polymer substrate having at least two openings, the openings positioned in the substrate so that a pair of the at least two openings are capable of alignment over opposing terminal ends of the at least one battery cell when the flexible welding board is bent; and

,

b. at least two weldable metal straps laminated to the polymer substrate, wherein each strap covers a portion of a corresponding opening in the substrate to permit weldable attachment of the metal straps to the terminal ends of the at least one battery cell through the corresponding openings.

2. The flexible welding board of claim 2, wherein the weldable metal straps cover the entire corresponding opening in the substrate.

3. The flexible welding board of claim 2, wherein the weldable metal straps are a nickel alloy.

4. A battery cell pack, comprising:

a. at least one battery cell having opposing terminal ends;

b. a bent polymer substrate adapted to receive the at least one battery cell, the polymer substrate having at least two openings aligned over opposing terminal ends of the at least one battery cell; and

c. at least to the polymer substrate, wherein each strap is welded to at least one terminal end of the at least one battery cell through a corresponding opening in the polymer substrate.

5. The battery cell pack of claim 4, wherein the at least one battery cell is an A cell.

6. The battery cell pack of claim 4, wherein the at least one battery cell is a AA cell.

7. The battery cell pack of claim 4, wherein the at least one battery cell is a 5/4 A cell.

8. The battery cell pack of claim 4 wherein said battery cell is lithium polymer.

9. The battery cell pack of claim 4 wherein said battery cell is lithium ion.

10. The battery cell pack of claim 4 wherein said battery cell is metal hydride.

11. The battery cell pack of claim 4 wherein said battery cell is nickel cadmium.

12. The battery pack of claim 4, wherein the weldable metal straps are a nickel alloy.