Electrical terminal for sealed accumulator

• US 7,568,958 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAFT Groupe SA (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: SAFT Groupe SA (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Vigier, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hyeon; Hae Moon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel; Harshad C
• Application Number:
  US12/042,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20080220667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 439/876, 439/890, 439/83, 174/59, 174/60, 174/169, 174/176
• US Class Current: 439/876
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/34 Gastight accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/562 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/566 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49149 by metal fusion bonding

Abstract

A terminal for a sealed accumulator includes a single-piece body made of aluminium with at least one tinned zone for soldering to an electronic card and at least one non-tinned zone for connection to a current output terminal of the accumulator. The electrical terminal has a limited space requirement; welds well onto an accumulator container made of aluminium and allows easy assembly with an electronic card by soldering without risk of migration of tin which could cause a short circuit.

Claims

1. An electrical terminal for a sealed accumulator comprising a single-piece body made of pure aluminium with at least one tinned zone for soldering onto an electronic card and at least one non-tinned zone for welding to a current output terminal of the accumulator.

2. The electrical terminal according to claim 1, comprising a bent zone, the tinned zone extending substantially at 90°

from a non-tinned zone.

3. The electrical terminal according to claim 2, wherein the bent zone is not tinned.

4. The electrical terminal according to claim 1, wherein the tinned zone extends over both sides of the single-piece body.

5. The electrical terminal according to claim 4, wherein the tinned zone has an aperture allowing a passage of tin on both sides of the single-piece body during soldering.

6. The electrical terminal according to claim 1, wherein the tinned zone has a shoulder suitable for receiving and supporting the electronic card.

7. The electrical terminal according to claim 1, wherein the non-tinned zone has an integral circuit breaker element.

8. The electrical terminal according to claim 7, wherein the non-tinned zone comprises:

a connection to an intermediate terminal of the accumulator,

a connection to a current output terminal of the accumulator,

a connection piece extending between the intermediate terminal and the current output terminal,

at least one weak point formed on the connection piece.

9. A sealed accumulator comprising:

a container comprising positive and negative current output terminals,

a first electrical terminal comprising a single-piece body made of aluminium with at least one tinned zone and at least one non-tinned zone, said non-tinned zone being electrically connected to a current output terminal of a first polarity,

a second electrical terminal comprising a single-piece body made of aluminium with at least one tinned zone and at least one non-tinned zone, said non-tinned zone being electrically connected to a current output terminal of a second polarity,

an electronic card soldered onto the tinned zone of the first electrical terminal and onto the tinned zone of the second electrical terminal.

10. The sealed accumulator according to claim 9, wherein the container is made of aluminium.

11. The sealed accumulator according to claim 9, wherein the aluminium zone of at least one terminal is welded onto a current output terminal.

12. The sealed accumulator according to claim 9, wherein the tinned zone of first electrical terminal has a first shoulder and the tinned zone of second electrical terminal has a second shoulder, the electronic card being soldered onto said first and second shoulders.

13. The sealed accumulator according to claim 9, wherein the non-tinned zone of second terminal comprises:

a connection to an intermediate terminal of the accumulator,

a connection to a current output terminal of the accumulator,

a connection piece extending between the intermediate terminal and the current output terminal,

at least one weak point formed on the connection piece.

14. A method for assembling an electronic card with a sealed accumulator comprising:

a container comprising positive and negative current output terminals,

a first electrical terminal comprising a single-piece body made of aluminium with at least one tinned zone,

a second electrical terminal comprising a single-piece body made of aluminium with at least one tinned zone and at least one non-tinned zone,

comprising the stages of;

electrically connecting the aluminium non-tinned zone of the first terminal to a current output terminal of a first polarity,

electrically connecting the aluminium non-tinned zone of the second terminal to a current output terminal of a second polarity,

soldering the electronic card to the tinned zone of the first electrical terminal and to the tinned zone of the second electrical terminal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the stages of electrically connecting the aluminium zone to the current output terminal is made by laser welding.