Battery cell with integrated sensing platform

• US 9,054,397 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amphenol Thermometrics, Inc. (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Amphenol Thermometrics, Inc. (Amphenol Corporation)
• Inventors: Engle, Brian Allen, Andarawis, Emad, Berkcan, Ertugrul, Hardwicke, Canan Uslu, Knobloch, Aaron Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): O DONNELL, LUCAS J
• Application Number:
  US12/539,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20110039137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: 429/90
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0585 of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
• 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 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• 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

Abstract

A battery cell that comprises a sensing platform with sensing elements configured to provide information about in-situ characteristics and parameters of the battery cell. Embodiments of the battery cell can have the sensing platform integrated into the structure of the battery cell, as a separate structure incorporated in the battery cell, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the battery cell comprises a sensing platform having sensing elements proximate a localized measurement region, where the sensing platform comprises a substrate with material layers disposed thereon. The material layers comprise at least one sensing layer that forms the sensing elements so that the sensing elements are responsive to properties of the battery cell.

Claims

1. An energy storage cell comprising:

a cell wall having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a first electrode;

a second electrode positioned relative to the first electrode in a manner generating electrochemical activity between the first electrode and the second electrode;

an active region responsive to the electrochemical activity, the active region comprising a plurality of localized measurement regions exhibiting a cell property;

a sensing platform coupled to the inner surface of the cell wall proximate the localized measurement regions, the sensing platform comprising a plurality of data transmitting structures each comprising a first inductive coil coupled to each of a plurality of sensing elements for collecting and transmitting data corresponding to the cell property in each of the localized measurement regions; and

a data receiving structure coupled to the outer surface of the cell wall, the data receiving structure spaced apart and separated from the sensing platform by the cell wall, the data receiving structure comprising at least one second inductive coil receiving the transmitted signals from the plurality of data transmitting structures,

wherein the plurality of sensing elements comprises a temperature sensing element and a strain sensing element for measuring, respectively, temperature and strain at the localized measurement regions.

2. An energy storage cell according to claim 1, wherein the localized measurement regions are proximate one or more of the first electrode and the second electrode.

3. An energy storage cell according to claim 1, wherein the cell wall is in surrounding relation to the first electrode and the second electrode and the outer surface and the inner surface of the cell wall form a cell volume, wherein the localized measurement regions are enclosed inside of the cell volume.

15. The energy storage cell of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensing elements comprises at least one of a temperature sensing element, strain sensing element, current sensing element, voltage sensing element, and/or pressure sensing element for measuring, respectively, temperature, strain, current, voltage, and/or pressure at the localized measurement regions.

4. An energy storage cell exhibiting a cell property, said energy storage cell comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode positioned relative to the first electrode in a manner generating electrochemical activity between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a cell wall in surrounding relation to the first electrode and the second electrode, the cell wall comprising an outer surface and an inner surface forming a cell volume;

an active region responsive to the electrochemical activity, the active region comprising a plurality of localized measurement regions exhibiting a cell property;

a sensing platform coupled to the inner surface of the cell wall proximate the plurality of localized measurement regions, the sensing platform comprising a plurality of data transmitting structures each comprising a first inductive coil coupled to each of a plurality of sensing elements substantially enclosed inside of the cell volume, the plurality of sensing elements for collecting data corresponding to the cell property in each of the localized measurement regions; and

a data receiving structure coupled to the outer surface of the cell wall, the data receiving structure spaced apart and separated from the sensing platform, the data receiving structure comprising at least one second inductive coil receiving the transmitted signals from the plurality of data transmitting structures.

5. An energy storage cell according to claim 4, wherein each of the sensing elements are spaced from each other so as to form a sensing array that substantially covers the active region.

6. An energy storage cell according to claim 4, wherein the sensing platform comprises a plurality of material layers, and wherein the material layers comprise a sensing layer responsive to the cell property.

7. An energy storage cell according to claim 6, wherein the sensing platform comprises a polymer film, wherein the plurality of material layers are disposed on the polymer film, and wherein the polymer film is bonded to the inner surface.

8. An energy storage cell according to claim 6, wherein the material layers comprise a first layer disposed on the inner surface.

16. The energy storage cell of claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensing elements comprises at least one of a temperature sensing element, strain sensing element, current sensing element, voltage sensing element, and/or pressure sensing element for measuring, respectively, temperature, strain, current, voltage, and/or pressure at the localized measurement regions.

9. A battery cell for use in a battery pack, said battery cell comprising:

a first electrode;

a second electrode positioned relative to the first electrode in a manner generating electrochemical activity between the first electrode and the second electrode;

a cell wall in surrounding relation to the first electrode and the second electrode, the cell wall comprising an outer surface and an inner surface forming a cell volume;

an active region responsive to the electrochemical activity, the active region comprising a plurality of localized measurement regions exhibiting a cell property;

a sensing platform coupled to the inner surface of the cell wall proximate the localized measurement regions, the sensing platform comprising a plurality of data transmitting structures each comprising a first inductive coil coupled to each of a plurality of sensing elements disposed on the outer surface of the cell wall, the plurality of sensing elements for collecting data corresponding to the cell property in the localized measurement regions; and

a data receiving structure coupled to the outer surface of the cell wall, the data receiving structure spaced apart and separated from the sensing platform by the cell wall, the data receiving structure comprising at least one second inductive coil receiving the transmitted signals from the plurality of data transmitting structures,

wherein the plurality of sensing elements comprises a temperature sensing element and a strain sensing element for measuring, respectively, temperature and strain at the localized measurement regions.

10. A battery cell according to claim 9, wherein the sensing elements comprise a sensing layer responsive to temperature and strain.

11. A battery cell according to claim 10, wherein the sensing platform comprises a plurality of material layers, and wherein the plurality of layers comprise a polymer film bonded to the outer surface and a conductive layer for interconnecting the sensing elements.

12. A battery cell according to claim 10, the material layers having a first layer of material disposed on the outer surface.

13. A battery cell according to claim 9, wherein the sensing elements are spaced from each other so as to form a sensing array that substantially covers the localized measurement regions.

14. A battery cell according to claim 9, wherein the localized measurement regions comprise the cell wall.

17. The battery cell of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensing elements comprises at least one of a temperature sensing element, strain sensing element, current sensing element, voltage sensing element, and/or pressure sensing element for measuring, respectively, temperature, strain, current, voltage, and/or pressure at the localized measurement regions.