Structure for electrode terminals of battery module

• US 6,982,131 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Eto, Toyohiko, Hamada, Shinji, Marukawa, Shuhei, Fujioka, Noriyuki, Ogata, Yoshiaki, Shukuya, Keiji, Yamamura, Izumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang-Foster, Susy
• Application Number:
  US09/684,421
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 429/148, 429/151, 429/159, 429/163, 429/176, 429/179, 429/182
• US Class Current: 429/148
• 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 10/281 Large cells or batteries with stacks of plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/112 Monobloc comprising multiple compartments
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/258 Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/505 comprising a single busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/567 by fixing means, e.g. screws, rivets or bolts
• 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

Abstract

On the opposite end walls of a flat, prismatic battery case of a battery module where electrode terminals are attached, protruding components are formed such as to protrude further than the electrode terminals. Terminal holes are formed in the end walls in which the electrode terminals are fitted, and the thickness of the end walls of the integral battery case in the vicinity of the terminal holes is not the same on both sides of each of the terminal holes. Also, one or a plurality of vertical and horizontal ribs are formed on the end walls between the electrode terminals and the protruding components. Further, a sealing structure is included for a battery.

Claims

1. A sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery comprising:

a prismatic battery case having longitudinal opposite end walls;

said longitudinal opposite end walls of said prismatic battery case defining terminal holes therein;

electrode terminals respectively mounted in each of said terminal holes;

protruding components formed protruding from each of said longitudinal opposite end walls of the prismatic battery case; and

said protruding components extending from a base region of respective longitudinal opposite end walls of the prismatic battery case and including an angled surface, wherein the protruding components protrude further than the electrode terminals from the longitudinal opposite end walls.

2. The sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery according to claim 1, wherein each of the protruding components has an inclined top surface that inclines diagonally downward toward an outer end of the protruding components, respectively.

3. The sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery according to claim 2, wherein the angle of inclination of the inclined top surfaces is 5°

to 60°

with respect to a horizontal plane.

4. The sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery according to claim 2, wherein the angle of inclination of the inclined top surfaces is 45°

±

10°

with respect to a horizontal plane.

5. A sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery comprising:

a prismatic battery case having longitudinal opposite end walls;

said longitudinal opposite end walls of said prismatic battery case defining terminal holes therein;

one or more engagement grooves formed around said terminal holes in the end walls, extending radially with respect to said terminal holes and tapered at an angle in an axial direction of said terminal holes such that a bottom width of said engagement grooves is greater than a top width of said one or more engagement grooves; and

electrode terminals having engagement tabs fitting into and engaging with said engagement grooves.

6. A sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery comprising:

a prismatic battery case having longitudinal opposite end walls;

said longitudinal opposite end walls of said prismatic battery case defining terminal holes therein; and

electrode terminals respectively mounted in each of said terminal holes, wherein each of said longitudinal opposite end walls of the prismatic battery case has a first wall portion laterally adjacent one side of each of said terminal holes and extending laterally to a first vertical longitudinal edge of said longitudinal end wall and having a first thickness that is different than a second thickness of a second portion of each of the longitudinal opposite end walls laterally adjacent another side of said terminal holes and extending laterally to a second vertical longitudinal edge of said longitudinal end wall.

7. A sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery comprising:

a prismatic battery case having longitudinal opposite end walls;

said longitudinal opposite end walls of said prismatic battery case defining terminal holes therein;

electrode terminals respectively mounted in each of said terminal holes;

at least one first rib formed protruding from each of said longitudinal opposite end walls of the prismatic battery case parallel to a short-side direction of the end walls;

at least one second rib formed protruding from each of said longitudinal opposite end walls of the prismatic battery case parallel to the long-side direction of the end walls; and

at least one first rib of said at least one first rib and at least one second rib of said at least one second rib intersecting with one another at an inner surface area of said longitudinal end walls removed from edges of said longitudinal end walls.

8. A sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery comprising:

a prismatic battery case having longitudinal opposite end walls;

said longitudinal opposite end walls of said prismatic battery case defining terminal holes therein;

electrode terminals respectively mounted in each of said terminal holes; and

protruding components formed protruding from each of said longitudinal opposite end walls of the prismatic battery case, wherein the protruding components protrude further than the electrode terminals and the protruding components protrude 1 mm to 10 mm further than the electrode terminals.

9. A sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery comprising:

a prismatic battery case having longitudinal opposite end walls;

at least one first rib formed protruding from each of said longitudinal opposite end walls of the prismatic battery case parallel to a short-side direction of the end walls;

at least one second rib formed protruding from each of said longitudinal opposite end walls of the prismatic battery case parallel to the long-side direction of the end walls; and

at least one first rib of said at least one first rib and at least one second rib of said at least one second rib intersecting with one another at an inner surface area of said longitudinal end walls removed from edges of said longitudinal end walls.

10. A sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery comprising:

a prismatic battery case having longitudinal opposite end walls;

said longitudinal opposite end walls of said prismatic battery case defining terminal holes therein;

one or more engagement grooves formed around said terminal holes in the end walls, extending radially with respect to said terminal holes and tapered at an angle in an axial direction of said terminal holes such that a bottom width of said engagement grooves is greater than a top width of said one or more engagement grooves;

electrode terminals having engagement tabs fitting into and engaging with said engagement grooves; and

each of the electrode terminals having a mounting structure including;

a disk-shaped seat having a first surface from which the electrode terminal protrudes, and said disk-shaped seat having a connecting protrusion protruding from a second surface opposite said first surface of the disk-shaped seat;

an annular groove formed around and coaxial with said connecting protrusion; and

an annular protrusion around and coaxial with said annular groove, wherein said engagement tabs are formed extending radially and centered around the connecting protrusion.

11. The sealed, prismatic, battery according to claim 10, wherein an angle of the taper is between 5°

to 20°

.

12. The sealed, prismatic, rechargeable battery according to claim 10, wherein an inner peripheral wall of said annular groove has a taper towards the electrode terminal such that a bottom groove width is greater than a top groove width of said annular groove.

13. The sealed, prismatic, battery according to claim 12, wherein an angle of the taper of the annular groove is between 0°

to 10°

.