BATTERY ARRAY AND BATTERY PACK HAVING THE SAME

• US 20120129040A1
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Hwang, Kim-Yul
• Application Number:
  US13/164,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20120129040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/158
• 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 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/505 comprising a single busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/509 characterised by the type of connection, e.g. mixed connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/524 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/44 of tubular or cup-shaped cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A battery array is disclosed. In one embodiment, the battery array includes a plurality of batteries arranged in N rows and three columns, wherein N is a natural number of 2 or more, wherein three batteries in each row are connected in parallel so as to make one bundle, wherein the batteries are sequentially arranged to form N bundles, and wherein the polarities of electrodes of the batteries, when seen from the same side of the battery array, are alternately arranged from a first bundle in the first row to an N-th bundle in the N-th row. The battery array may further include i) a plurality of connection taps configured to sequentially connect in series the first bundle to the N-th bundle and ii) first and second polarity output terminals provided in the first bundle and the N-th bundle, respectively.

Claims

1. A battery array, comprising:

a plurality of batteries arranged in N rows and three columns, wherein N is a natural number of 2 or more, wherein three batteries in each row are connected in parallel so as to make one bundle, wherein the batteries are sequentially arranged to form N bundles, and wherein the polarities of electrodes of the batteries, when seen from the same side of the battery array, are alternately arranged from a first bundle in the first row to an N-th bundle in the N-th row;

a plurality of connection taps configured to sequentially connect in series the first bundle to the N-th bundle; and

first and second polarity output terminals provided in the first bundle and the N-th bundle, respectively.

2. The battery array according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement of the batteries satisfies first, second and third rules, wherein the first rule prescribes that at least one battery of each of the first bundle to the N-th bundle is disposed in the outermost row or column,

wherein the second rule prescribes that i) the n-th bundle (n is a natural value between 2 and N) is disposed adjacent to the (n−

1)-th bundle in the outermost row or column and ii) the first bundle and the N-th bundle are disposed adjacent to each other in the outermost row or column, and

wherein the third rule prescribes that the polarities of the n−

1-th bundle and the n-th bundle are different.

3. The battery array according to claim 1, wherein the first and second polarity output terminals extend from the connection taps provided in the first bundle and N-th bundle, respectively.

4. The battery array according to claim 1, wherein the first and second polarity output terminals are provided on the same side of the battery array, where N is an even number.

5. The battery array according to claim 1, wherein the first polarity output terminal is formed in a first side of the battery array, and wherein the second polarity output terminal is formed in a second side of the battery array, which is opposing the first side, where N is an odd number.

6. The battery array according to claim 5, further comprising an extension tap that extends from the first polarity output terminal to the outer circumference of the battery on which the second polarity output terminal is formed.

7. The battery array according to claim 5, further comprising an extension tap that extends from the second polarity output terminal to the outer circumference of the battery on which the first polarity output terminal is formed.

8. The battery array according to claim 1, wherein the battery has a cylindrical shape.

9. The battery array according to claim 1, wherein the connection tap is made of nickel or a nickel alloy.

10. A battery pack having a battery array, the battery pack comprising:

a plurality of batteries arranged in N rows and three columns, wherein N is a natural number of 2 or more, wherein three batteries in each row are connected in parallel so as to make one bundle, wherein the batteries are sequentially arranged to form N bundles, and wherein the polarities of electrodes of the batteries, when seen from the same side of the battery array, are alternately arranged from a first bundle in the first row to an N-th bundle in the N-th row;

a plurality of connection taps configured to sequentially connect in series the first bundle to the N-th bundle;

first and second polarity output terminals provided in the first bundle and the N-th bundle, respectively;

a protection module to which the output terminals are connected; and

a case accommodating the batteries, the connection taps, the output terminals and the protection module.

11. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the arrangement of the batteries satisfies first, second and third rules, wherein the first rule prescribes that at least one battery of each of the first bundle to the N-th bundle is disposed in the outermost row or column,

wherein the second rule prescribes that i) the n-th bundle (n is a natural value between 2 and N) is disposed adjacent to the n−

1-th bundle in the outermost row or column and ii) the first bundle and the N-th bundle are disposed adjacent to each other in the outermost row or column, and

wherein the third rule prescribes that the polarities of the (n−

1)-th bundle and the n-th bundle are different.

12. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the first and second polarity output terminals extend from the connection taps provided in the first bundle and N-th bundle, respectively.

13. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein first and second polarity output terminals are provided on the same side of the battery array, where N is an even number.

14. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the first polarity output terminal is formed in a first side of the battery array, and wherein the second polarity output terminal is formed in a second side of the battery array, which is opposing the first side, where N is an odd number.

15. The battery pack according to claim 10, further comprising an extension tap that extends from the first polarity output terminal to the outer circumference of the battery on which the second polarity output terminal is formed.

16. The battery pack according to claim 14, further comprising an extension tap that extends from the second polarity output terminal to the outer circumference of the battery on which the first polarity output terminal is formed.

17. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the battery has a cylindrical shape.

18. The battery pack according to claim 10, wherein the connection tap is made of nickel or a nickel alloy.

19. A method of making a battery array, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of batteries arranged in N rows and three columns, wherein N is a natural number of 2 or more, wherein three batteries in each row are connected in parallel so as to make one bundle, wherein the batteries are sequentially arranged to form N bundles, and wherein the polarities of electrodes of the batteries, when seen from the same side of the battery array, are alternately arranged from a first bundle in the first row to an N-th bundle in the N-th row;

arranging the first bundle to the N-th bundle such that at least one battery is positioned in the outermost column or row;

placing an n-th bundle adjacent to an (n−

1)-th bundle in the outermost column or row, wherein n is a natural number between 2 and N;

disposing the first bundle adjacent to the N-th bundle in the outermost column or row; and

.

arranging the polarities of the n−

1-th bundle and the n-th bundle to be different.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

sequentially connecting in series the first bundle to the N-th bundle via a plurality of connection taps; and

providing first and second polarity output terminals in the first bundle and the N-th bundle, respectively.