Battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly and method for coupling battery cell assemblies thereto

• US 8,035,986 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Klein, Martin J., Koetting, William, Robertson, David C., Tom, Kwok
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Hung S
• Application Number:
  US12/164,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20090323293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 361/600, 361/679.01, 361/752, 361/769, 361/760, 361/720, 361/748, 361/807, 361/810, 439/502, 439/504, 439/822, 439/816, 439/819
• US Class Current: 361/807
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• 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: H05K 2201/10037 Printed or non-printed battery
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10189 Non-printed connector
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10295 Metallic connector elements partly mounted in a hole of the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10962 Component not directly connected to the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/328 by welding
• 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 29/53135 Storage cell or battery

Abstract

A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly and a method for coupling a battery cell assembly thereto are provided. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly includes a circuit board, electrical interconnect members, and an electrical connector. The circuit board further has slots therethrough for receiving the electrical interconnect members thereon. Electrical terminals from battery cell assemblies are coupled to the electrical interconnect members. The circuit board also has electrical traces for routing voltages at the electrical interconnect members to the electrical connector for sensing voltages of the battery cell assemblies.

Claims

1. A battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly, comprising:

a circuit board having a first side and a second side, the circuit board further having first and second slots and first and second apertures extending therethrough, the second side having a first electrical trace disposed thereon;

a first electrical interconnect member having a first rectangular plate, first and second side walls, and first and second tabs, the first rectangular plate being disposed on the first side of the circuit board, the first rectangular plate further having first, second, third, and fourth edges, the first and second side walls extending from the first and second edges, respectively, outwardly from the first rectangular plate in a first direction, the first and second tabs extending from the third and fourth edges, respectively, in a second direction and through the first and second apertures of the circuit board, the first tab being electrically coupled to the first electrical trace on the second side of the circuit board, the first side wall being configured to contact a first electrical terminal of a first battery cell assembly that extends through the first slot of the circuit board, the second side wall being configured to contact a second electrical terminal of a second battery cell assembly that extends through the second slot of the circuit board, such that the first electrical interconnect member electrically couples the first electrical terminal to the second electrical terminal; and

an electrical connector disposed on the first side of the circuit board and being electrically coupled to the first electrical trace, the first electrical trace extending from the electrical connector to the first tab for sensing a first voltage at the first tab.

2. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the first electrical interconnect member is constructed from copper or nickel-plated copper.

3. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 1, further comprising a microprocessor electrically coupled to the first electrical interconnect member, the microprocessor configured to measure the first voltage and to store a first voltage value associated with the first voltage in a memory device.

4. The battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein

the circuit board further has third and fourth slots and third and fourth apertures extending therethrough, the second side further having a second electrical trace disposed thereon;

a second electrical interconnect member having a second rectangular plate, third and fourth side walls, and third and fourth tabs, the second rectangular plate being disposed on the first side of the circuit board, the second rectangular plate having fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth edges, the third and fourth side walls extending from the fifth and sixth edges, respectively, outwardly from the second rectangular plate in the first direction, the third and fourth tabs extending from the seventh and eighth edges, respectively, in the second direction and through the third and fourth apertures of the circuit board, the third tab being electrically coupled to the second electrical trace on the second side of the circuit board, the third side wall being configured to contact a third electrical terminal of the second battery cell assembly that extends through the third slot of the circuit board, the second side wall being configured to contact a fourth electrical terminal of a third battery cell that extends through the fourth slot of the circuit board, such that the second electrical interconnect member electrically couples the second battery electrical terminal to the third battery electrical terminal; and

the electrical connector further electrically coupled to the second electrical trace, the second electrical trace extending from the electrical connector to the third tab for sensing a second voltage at the third tab.

5. A method for coupling battery cells to a battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly, the battery cell interconnect and voltage sensing assembly having a circuit board and an electrical interconnect member, the circuit board having a first side and a second side, the circuit board further having first and second slots and first and second apertures extending therethrough, the electrical interconnect member having a first rectangular plate, first and second side walls, and first and second tabs, the first rectangular plate being disposed on the first side of the circuit board, the first rectangular plate further having first, second, third, and fourth edges, the first and second side walls extending from the first and second edges outwardly from the first rectangular plate in a first direction, the first and second tabs extending from the third and fourth edges, respectively, in a second direction and through the first and second apertures of the circuit board, the method comprising:

disposing a first electrical terminal of a first battery cell assembly through the first slot of the circuit board such that the first electrical terminal contacts the first side wall of the electrical interconnect member;

disposing a second electrical terminal of a second battery cell assembly through the second slot of the circuit board such that the second electrical terminal contacts the second side wall of the electrical interconnect member;

ultrasonically welding the first electrical terminal to the first side wall of the electrical interconnect member; and

ultrasonically welding the second electrical terminal to the second side wall of the electrical interconnect member.