Battery pack having circuit substrate resin molded to battery

• US 7,429,432 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Yasuhiro, Mizuta, Masahiro, Ishimaru, Takeshi, Kozu, Katsumi, Toriyama, Koichi, Mori, Iichiro, Kataoka, Satoshi, Osawa, Yoshiki, Chikada, Tatsuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Alejandro; Raymond
• Application Number:
  US10/502,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20050064286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 429/180, 429/178, 429/179, 429/181, 429/176, 429/177, 429/185, 429/175, 429/96, 429/100
• US Class Current: 429/180
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/3425 in the form of rupturable membranes or weakened parts, e.g. pierced with the aid of a sharp member
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/593 Spacers; Insulating plates
• 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: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing

Abstract

A rechargeable battery (2) and a circuit substrate (3) are connected by lead plates (4, 5) and united by a primary mold (11) that is formed by filling resin therebetween, after which a secondary mold (12) is formed on the outer face by filling resin at necessary locations and a winding sheet (13) is wound around the periphery, thereby forming a battery pack.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a rechargeable battery;

a substrate having first and second substrate side surfaces which are on opposite sides of said substrate, said substrate at least having terminal contacts electrically connected to said rechargeable battery, and said terminal contacts including positive and negative terminals arranged on said first substrate side surface, said positive and negative terminals respectively having positive and negative terminal contact surfaces facing outward from said first substrate side surface;

said substrate being united to said rechargeable battery by solidified molded resin molded between at least said second substrate side surface and said rechargeable battery to adhere said substrate to said rechargeable battery; and

a molded resin member covering at least a portion of said first substrate side surface and having a molded resin member outer surface opposite to a surface of said molded resin member covering and facing said first substrate side surface;

said molded resin member at least having openings at said positive and negative terminal contact surfaces, said openings and said positive and negative terminal contact surfaces being configured such that said positive and negative terminal contact surfaces are sunken relative to said molded resin member outer surface so as to expose said positive and negative terminal contact surfaces to outside said battery through voids defined by said openings.

2. A battery pack comprising:

a rechargeable battery including elements for electromotive force accommodated in a bottomed tube shaped battery case having a top tube end sealed by a seating plate and a bottom face;

a substrate having first and second substrate side surfaces which are on opposite sides of said substrate, said substrate at least having terminal contacts disposed on said first substrate surface;

said substrate being united to said rechargeable battery by a resin molded member adhering to said second substrate side surface and said sealing plate to form a substrate and battery assembly;

the terminal contacts being electrically connected to the rechargeable battey, said terminal contacts including positive and negative terminals arranged on said first substrate side surfaces,said positive and negative terminals respectively having positive and negative terminal contact surfaces facing outward from said first substrate side surface;

an upper molded resin member having an upper molded resin member outer surface opposite to a surface of said upper molded resin member covering and facing said first substrate side surface;

said upper molded resin member being bonded to said substrate and battery assembly such as to cover the substrate and the molded resin member with at least exception of said positive and negative contact surfaces of said terminal contacts;

said upper molded resin member at least having openings at said positive and negative terminal contact surfaces, said openings and said positive and negative terminal contact surfaces being configured such that said positive and negative terminal contact surface are sunken relative to said molded resin member outer surface so as to expose said positive and negative terminal contact surfaces to outside said battery through voids defined by said openings;

a lower molded resin member bonded to said bottom face of the battery case; and

a sheet wound around side faces of the upper molded resin member, the lower molded resin member, and the battery case.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the upper molded resin member and the lower molded resin member are coupled together by connection pieces that run along sides of the battery case.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein the upper molded resin member and the lower molded resin member, and the connection pieces are integrally molded such that the connection pieces include hinge structures formed therein so that each of the connection pieces is pivotable relative to each other from a position whereat the connection pieces are at a right angle to each other at said hinge structures to a position whereat the connection pieces are in line.