Method of making fusible links

• US 8,486,283 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sinoelectric Powertrain Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sinoelectric Powertrain Corporation
• Inventors: Zhou, Peng, Tsao, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Shamim
• Application Number:
  US12/938,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20120103930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 216/13, 216/41, 216/58, 216/83, 296/23, 296/231
• US Class Current: 216/13
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/025 Structural association with a binding post of a storage battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 69/022 of printed circuit fuses
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/046 Fuses formed as printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/534 characterised by the material of the leads or tabs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/536 characterised by the method of fixing the leads to the electrodes, e.g. by welding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0293 Individual printed conductors which are adapted for modification, e.g. fusable or breakable conductors, printed switches
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49107 Fuse making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

Methods of fabricating the fusible link are directed to processing a multi-layer clad foil having a first layer suitable for forming a fusible link and a second layer suitable for forming one or more welding pads. In some embodiments, the first layer is an aluminum layer and the second layer is a nickel layer. A two-step etching process or a single step etching process is performed on the clad foil to form an etched clad foil having multiple tabs made of the second layer used as current collector conductor pads and battery cell conductor pads, and one or more tabs made of the first layer that form aluminum conductors. The aluminum conductors are shaped and sized to form aluminum fusible conductors during either the etching process or a subsequent stamping process. A single fusible link or an array of fusible links can be formed.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating one or more fusible links comprising:

a. providing a clad foil comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are made of different materials;

b. applying one or more masks to the first layer and one or more masks to the second layer;

c. selectively etching the first layer and the second layer, thereby forming one or more first portions wherein the first layer is removed and the second layer remains, one or more second portions wherein the first layer is removed and the second layer remains, and one or more third portions wherein the second layer is removed and the first layer remains, wherein each third portion couples one of the first portions to one of the second portions, further wherein each first portion forms a first welding pad and each second portion forms a second welding pad;

d. removing the one or more masks from the first layer;

e. removing the one or more masks from the second layer; and

f. forming one or more fusible conductors from each third portion.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more fusible conductors are formed by performing a stamping step or a cutting step on each third portion after the one or more masks are removed from the first layer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more fusible conductors are formed by etching during the selective etching of the first layer, further wherein the one or more masks applied to the first layer are configured to form the one or more fusible conductors.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first layer and the second layer are selectively etched using a single-step etching process.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first layer and the second layer are selectively etched using a two-step etching process, further wherein during a first etching step of the two-step etching process a first etchant is used that etches the first layer but not the second layer, and during a second etching step of the two-step etching process a second etchant is used that etches the second layer but not the first layer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the clad foil is formed into a single fusible link comprising one first welding pad that forms a battery cell electrode pad, one second welding pad that forms a current collector conductor pad, and one or more fusible conductors coupling the one first welding pad to the one second welding pad.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the clad foil is formed into a fuse sheet having an array of fusible links, each fusible link for coupling to one battery cell electrode of a battery pack.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein each third portion is coupled to one of the first welding pads via a first clad foil portion that includes both the first layer and the second layer, and each third portion is coupled to one of the second welding pads via a second clad foil portion that includes both the first layer and the second layer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second layer has a higher melting temperature than the first layer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second layer has a higher electrical resistivity than the first layer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first layer comprises aluminum.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second layer comprises nickel.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein each first welding pad comprises a battery cell conductor pad, and each second welding pad comprises a current collector element.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more first welding tabs are welded to battery cell electrodes and the one or more second welding tabs are welded to a current collector plate or to an electrical terminal using resistive welding or laser welding.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more masks applied to the first layer and the one or more masks applied to the second layer are physical masks.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more masks applied to the first layer and the one or more masks applied to the second layer are applied using photolithography.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein each fusible conductor opens when a current flow through the fusible conductor reaches a threshold current.

18. A method of fabricating a fusible link assembly comprising:

a. fabricating a fusible link comprising;

i. providing a clad foil comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are made of different materials;

ii. applying one or more masks to the first layer and one or more masks to the second layer;

iii. selectively etching the first layer and the second layer, thereby forming one or more first portions wherein the first layer is removed and the second layer remains, one or more second portions wherein the first layer is removed and the second layer remains, and one or more third portions wherein the second layer is removed and the first layer remains, wherein each third portion couples one of the first portions to one of the second portions, further wherein each first portion forms a first welding pad and each second portion forms a second welding pad;

iv. removing the one or more masks from the first layer;

v. removing the one or more masks from the second layer; and

vi. forming one or more fusible conductors from each third portion; and

b. welding each of the one or more first welding tabs to a corresponding one battery cell electrode.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more fusible conductors are formed by performing a stamping step or a cutting step on each third portion after the one or more masks are removed from the first layer.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more fusible conductors are formed by etching during the selective etching of the first layer, further wherein the one or more masks applied to the first layer are configured to form the one or more fusible conductors.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the first layer and the second layer are selectively etched using a single-step etching process.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the first layer and the second layer are selectively etched using a two-step etching process, further wherein during a first etching step of the two-step etching process a first etchant is used that etches the first layer but not the second layer, and during a second etching step of the two-step etching process a second etchant is used that etches the second layer but not the first layer.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the clad foil is formed into a single fusible link comprising one first welding pad that forms a battery cell electrode pad, one second welding pad that forms a current collector conductor pad, and one or more fusible conductors coupling the one first welding pad to the one second welding pad.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the clad foil is formed into a fuse sheet having an array of fusible links, each fusible link for coupling to one battery cell electrode of a battery pack.

25. The method of claim 18 wherein each third portion is coupled to one of the first welding pads via a first clad foil portion that includes both the first layer and the second layer, and each third portion is coupled to one of the second welding pads via a second clad foil portion that includes both the first layer and the second layer.

26. The method of claim 18 wherein the second layer has a higher melting temperature than the first layer.

27. The method of claim 18 wherein the second layer has a higher electrical resistivity than the first layer.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the first layer comprises aluminum.

29. The method of claim 18 wherein the second layer comprises nickel.

30. The method of claim 18 wherein each first welding pad comprises a battery cell conductor pad, and each second welding pad comprises a current collector element.

31. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more first welding tabs are welded to battery cell electrodes using resistive welding or laser welding.

32. The method of claim 18 further comprising welding each of the one or more second welding tabs to a current collecting element using resistive welding or laser welding.

33. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more masks applied to the first layer and the one or more masks applied to the second layer are physical masks.

34. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more masks applied to the first layer and the one or more masks applied to the second layer are applied using photolithography.

35. The method of claim 18 wherein each fusible conductor opens when a current flow through the fusible conductor reaches a threshold current.