Electrical connecting member for secondary battery

• US 8,651,896 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kwon, Gi-Hwan, Cho, Yongho, Bang, Seunghyun, Lee, Hakjun, Kwon, Hosang
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/761,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20130202948A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 439/627, 439/786, 439/890, 439/842, 439/855, 429/158, 429/149, 429/121, 429/82, 429/174, 174/73.1, 174/127
• US Class Current: 439/627
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/516 by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2464 characterized by the contact point
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a connection member for secondary batteries to achieve the electrical connection in a battery pack including two or more cylindrical secondary batteries in a physical contact manner, the connection member including an outer circumferential contact part contacting an electrode terminal of a lower battery cell along the outer circumferential region of the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell, such that the outer circumferential contact part can be electrically connected to the electrode terminal of the lower battery cell in a surface contact manner and a central contact part contacting an electrode terminal of an upper battery cell or the central region of a sidewall of the battery pack for providing an elastic contact force to the entire connection member mounted between the electrode terminals of the respective battery cells or between the electrode terminals of the battery cells and the sidewall of the battery pack.

Claims

1. A connection member for secondary batteries to achieve electrical connection in a battery pack including two or more cylindrical secondary batteries in a physical contact manner, the connection member comprising terminal connection units for electrically connecting two or more battery cells arranged in a lateral direction in a physical contact manner, each of the terminal connection units comprising:

(a) an outer circumferential contact part configured to correspond to the external shape of an electrode terminal of the corresponding battery cell, the outer circumferential contact part contacting the electrode terminal of the corresponding battery cell at a region adjacent to the outer circumference of the electrode terminal, the outer circumferential contact part having a predetermined width;

(b) upward protruding parts tapered upward from the outer circumferential contact part toward a central axis of each terminal connection unit for elastically supporting the corresponding battery cell;

(c) a pressing part protruding from the upward protruding parts to a predetermined height toward the central axis of each terminal connection unit for achieving the physical contact between the battery cells and the connection member; and

(d) a depressed part formed on the central axis of each terminal connection unit in a depressed shape by a depth less than the sum of the height of the upward protruding parts and the height of the pressing part,

wherein the terminal connection units are electrically connected to each other in correspondence to the number of the battery cells arranged in the lateral direction,

wherein the upward protruding part is provided with two or more cut-off parts, having a predetermined width, formed toward the central axis of each terminal connection unit for controlling an elastic force, and

wherein the cut-off parts are arranged in the shape of a whirlpool to effectively provide a flexible elastic force.

2. The connection member according to claim 1, wherein the terminal connection unit is provided at one side thereof with a circuit connection terminal part.

3. A battery pack constructed in a structure in which a connection member for secondary batteries according to claim 1 is mounted between electrode terminals of battery cells to achieve the electrical connection between the battery cells.

4. A laptop computer including a battery pack according to claim 3 as a power source.