Method of preparing battery core pack

• US 7,642,746 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Sain, Cho, Yong-ho, Kim, Hyeongchan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US11/561,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20070126394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/112, 320/113, 429/7, 429/96, 429/98, 429/99, 429/100, 429/123, 429/149, 429/152, 429/156, 429/157, 429/158, 429/160, 429/161, 429/162, 295/921, 296/231, 439/500, 439/627, D13/103, D13/104, D13/119, D13/120, D13/121
• US Class Current: 320/112
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/107 having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/103, H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/509 characterised by the type of connection, e.g. mixed connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/516 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/526 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a battery core pack having a plurality of unit cells, especially a plurality of cylindrical batteries, which are connected with each other by connecting members. According to the present invention, the structure of the battery core pack can be easily modified by merely changing the combination of the connecting members without manufacturing additional connecting members. Consequently, common use of the connecting members is possible.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a battery core pack having two or more unit cells connected in parallel with each other and two or more unit cells connected in series with each other, wherein the battery core pack is manufactured through the combination of

a first connecting member having a connection part extending from the outer surface of a plate body of the first connecting member;

a second connecting member having a connection part extending from the left or right outer surface of a plate body of the second connecting member, and a bending guide groove formed at the upper edge and/or the lower edge of the middle of the plate body of the second connecting member; and

a third connecting member having a connection part extending from the outer surface of a plate body of the third connecting member adjacent to the middle of the plate body of the third connecting member, and a bending guide groove formed at the upper edge and/or the lower edge of the middle of the plate body of the third connecting member, whereby

the first connecting member is used when the unit cells are connected only in the lateral direction according to the construction of the battery core pack, and

the second connecting member and/or the third connecting member are used when the unit cells are connected in the lateral direction and, at the same time, in the longitudinal direction according to the construction of the battery core pack.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unit cells are cylindrical batteries.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein one or more connecting members, selected from a group consisting of the first connecting member, the second connecting member, and the third connecting member, are provided at the plate bodies thereof with slits, by which the connecting members can be easily welded to electrode terminals of the unit cells.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connecting members are nickel plates.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unit cells arranged in the lateral direction are connected in parallel with each other, and the unit cells arranged in the longitudinal direction are connected in series with each other.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection parts are formed at an angle of 30 to 150 degrees to the plate bodies.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection parts of the first and second connecting members are formed at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees to the ends of the plate bodies of the first and second connecting members, and the connection part of the third connecting member is formed at an angle of 120 to 150 degrees to the end of the plate body of the third connecting member.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection parts of the first and second connecting members are formed at the same angle, and the connection part of the third connecting member is formed at an angle symmetrical to the angle of the connection parts of the first and second connecting members.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the connection parts of the connecting members are provided with bending guide grooves, by which the connection parts of the connecting members are vertically bent with ease.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when cathode terminals of banks constituted by the unit cells are connected in parallel with each other, the connecting members are welded to electrode terminals of the banks while insulating sheets covering the upper ends of the banks are disposed between the cathode terminals of the banks and the connecting member such that only the cathode terminals of the banks can be exposed.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein insulating sheets are disposed between the connection parts and cases of the unit cells for preventing the connection parts from contacting the cases of the unit cells.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the battery core pack is constructed in a 2P-3S line-type structure, a 2P-3S plane-type structure, a 2P-4S line-type structure, or a 2P-4S plane-type structure.