Battery of electrochemical cells with contact elements

• US 6,455,189 B1
• Filed: 09/19/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saft Finance Sarl (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Nadeau, Eric, Demarty, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSANG FOSTER, SUSY N
• Application Number:
  US09/665,518
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 429/90-93, 429/96, 429/99-100, 429/121-123, 429/149, 429/178-181, 439/135-136, 439/149, 439/166, 439/171, 439/346, 439/347, 439/500, 439/627, 439/709, 439/711
• US Class Current: 429/121
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/222 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/229 Composite material consisting of a mixture of organic and inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery of electrochemical cells placed in a container of insulating material that has at least one wall including contact elements to connect the battery to an external application. The contact elements are grouped together and separated from one another by partitions of insulating material thus forming a single terminal unit, with the partitions and the wall being made as a single piece.

Claims

1. A battery of electrochemical cells placed in a container of insulating material having at least one wall carrying a terminal unit for connecting said battery to an external application, wherein said terminal unit is a leakproof female terminal unit constituted by a body of insulating material having sockets, said body being integrally formed with said wall, the terminal unit also comprising contact elements including a tubular portion having an outside diameter no greater than 2.9 mm, said elements being placed in said sockets and sealing between said body and said elements being provided by a resin.

2. A battery according to claim 1, wherein said insulating material is selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyolefins, polystyrenes, polycarbonates, polyphenylene oxide, and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymers.

3. A battery according to claim 2, wherein said insulating material is polyamide 6-6.

4. A battery according to claim 1, wherein said insulating material further contains a reinforcing agent.

5. A battery according to claim 4, wherein said reinforcing agent is constituted by glass fibers.

6. A battery according to claim 5, wherein said insulating material is polyamide 6-6 and contains 30% by weight of glass fibers.

7. A battery according to claim 1, wherein the contact elements further include respective annular outside shoulders.

8. A battery according to claim 1, in which a connection between said terminal unit and a connector connected to said application is sealed by a gasket surrounding the outside of said terminal unit and against which said connector comes to bear.

9. A method of manufacturing a battery according to claim 1, wherein said wall and said body are made simultaneously by molding.

10. A method of manufacturing a battery according to claim 9, wherein said wall and said body are made by injection molding.

11. A battery of electrochemical cells placed in a container of insulating material having at least one wall carrying a terminal unit for connecting said battery to an external application, wherein said terminal unit is a leakproof female terminal unit constituted by a body of insulating material having sockets, said body being integrally formed with said wall, the terminal unit also comprising contact elements placed in said sockets and sealing between said body and said elements being provided by a resin.