Battery pack of assembled battery and fixing method of assembled battery

• US 7,914,922 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Shibuya, Nobuo, Sanada, Yasushi, Kosugi, Shinichiro, Tatebayashi, Yoshinao
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruddock; Ula C
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANCHUK, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US11/444,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20060275658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 429 96-100, 429149-161
• US Class Current: 429/152
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/184 characterised by their shape or structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/191 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/193 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/197 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• 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 50/242 adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/262 with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/529 Intercell connections through partitions, e.g. in a battery casing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/548 on opposite sides of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/46 of flat cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4911 including sealing

Abstract

A battery pack of a battery includes a plurality of laminated cells that are hermetically sealed by a laminated film, a case for storing the plurality of the laminated cells, a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal of a battery for connecting the cells in parallel or series for connection to the outside of the case, a lid member for pressing the cells from the uppermost surface of the laminate of the cells stored in the case toward the inner side of the case in the direction opposite to the laminating direction of the cells, and a fixing member for fixing the lid member to the case at a position where a predetermined pressing force is applied.

Claims

1. A battery pack of an assembled battery comprising:

an assembled battery including a plurality of flat-shaped cells that are hermetically sealed by a laminate film;

a plurality of trays each formed of a thin metal plate, each cell placed on a respective tray, each tray including opposing peripheral edges formed with fitting engaging parts, respectively, by which adjacent trays come into fitting engagement with each other when the trays are vertically laminated, wherein each of the fitting engaging parts includes at least first and second extending portions extending substantially perpendicular to the tray on a first edge portion of the tray separated by a portion having no extending portion, and a third extending portion on a second edge portion of the tray, opposite the first edge portion, extending substantially perpendicular to the tray from a same face of the tray and in a same direction that the first and second extending portions extend, and having a width and positioning matching the portion having no extending portion on the first edge of the tray, so that when the trays are laminated, the extending portions of one tray are inserted into and engaged with the portions having no extending portions of another tray adjacently laminated on the one tray;

a case for accommodating the cells in a state in which the cells are laminated in a thickness direction thereof while being placed on the trays, the case having an opening formed at least at one end thereof, the plurality of trays being fitted inside the case;

a lid member for pressing the cells, which are laminated while being placed on the trays, from one end of the opening of the case in a laminating direction; and

a fixing member for fixing the lid member to the case at a position to which a predetermined pressing force is applied.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein each of the peripheral edge portions of the respective trays includes a contact part for guiding at least a placing position for each of the cells, the contact part contacting opposite inner wall surfaces of the case.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the contact part of each of the trays is formed by a plurality of thin leaf springs that come into line-contact with an inner wall surface of said case, said contact part being brought into press contact with the inner wall surface of the case.

4. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the contact part of each of the trays is formed by a plurality of thin leaf springs that come into surface-contact with an inner wall surface of the case, the contact part being brought into press contact with the inner wall surface of the case.

5. The battery pack according to claim 2, wherein the contact part of each of the trays includes a plurality of thin leaf springs that are bent in different directions with respect to a direction orthogonal to the laminating direction of the cells.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the trays are formed by curving flat-shaped plates on which the cells are laminated.

7. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the case includes at a bottom corner portion at which a part that comes into fitting engagement with the lowermost one of the trays contacting a bottom surface of the case is provided.

8. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein each of the peripheral edge portions are formed by vertically bending edge portions of the tray each in substantially a L-shape.

9. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the opposing peripheral edges of each of the trays extend in a direction substantially perpendicularly to a tray laminating direction.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein when the adjacent trays are laminated, a following equation is satisfied,

tp+tc<

h<

2(tp+tc)

in which h is a height of the peripheral edges of the tray, tp is a thickness of the tray, and tc is a thickness of the cell.

11. The battery pack according to claim 9, wherein when the cell is placed on the tray, polarity of the cell is placed so as to be in same direction with respect to the contact part, and when the trays are laminated with the cells, the polarities of the cells are alternated.

12. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein each of the trays is formed of a thin metal plate having good thermal conductivity.