Coupling of cell to housing

• US 7,492,574 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UCAP Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Maxwell Technologies Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Crawford, Robert, Fresard, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, ERIC W
• Application Number:
  US11/298,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20070008678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 361/502, 361/503, 361517-521, 361535-538, 29/250.3
• US Class Current: 361/517
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/10 Multiple hybrid or EDL capacitors, e.g. arrays or modules housings, cases, encapsulations or mountings thereof H01G11/78
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/70 characterised by their structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/74 Terminals, e.g. extensions of current collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 11/82 Fixing or assembling a capacitive element in a housing, e.g. mounting electrodes, current collectors or terminals in containers or encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/04 specially adapted for mounting on a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/106 Fixing the capacitor in a housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/08 Housing; Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/14 Structural combinations or circuits for modifying, or compensating for, electric characteristics of electrolytic capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/13 Energy storage using capacitors

Abstract

Porous separator is sandwiched between electrode films with attached current collector foil to obtain an electrode sheet. The electrode sheet is formed into a jellyroll for use in a double layer capacitor. The jellyroll is inserted into a can through an open end to rest against the can'"'"'s bottom. A collector plate is pressed against the jellyroll, crunching current collector foil protruding from each end of the jellyroll. The bottom and the collector plate include indentations of reduced thickness. Laser is applied to the indentations to weld the foil on each end of the jellyroll to the bottom or collector plate. The laser application pattern, for example, a zigzag pattern, results in the total length of laser welds along each indentation being considerably longer than the length of the indentation, reducing contact resistance between (1) the foil and the bottom, and (2) the foil and the current collector.

Claims

1. An energy storage device, comprising;

a housing;

the housing having an interior and an exterior; and

an energy storage cell, the cell disposed within the housing, the cell coupled to the housing by a weld, wherein the weld comprises a length that is longer than a distance measured along a surface between a start of the weld and an end of the one or more weld.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the weld is a laser weld.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the weld is disposed on the exterior of the housing.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the weld is disposed within the interior of the housing.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the weld comprises a first and a second weld, wherein the first weld is disposed at the first end and the second weld is disposed at the second end.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the weld comprises a non-linear geometry.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the cell is a double-layer capacitor cell.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the cell comprises a rolled electrode.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the electrode comprises an aluminum collector, and the weld is formed between the housing and the collector.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the weld is generally continuous.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the weld is discontinuous.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the weld is disposed on a reduced thickness region of the housing.

13. A method of coupling an energy storage device cell to a housing, comprising the steps of:

providing an energy storage cell;

providing a housing portion; and

coupling the energy device cell to the housing portion by a weld, wherein the weld comprises a length that is longer than a distance measured along a surface between a start of the weld and an end of the weld.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the weld is formed by a laser.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the weld is formed by two lasers.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the weld is disposed within the housing.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the weld is disposed on the outside of the housing.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the weld comprises a non-linear geometry over a portion of the weld.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the weld is generally continuous.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the cell comprises a double-layer capacitor cell.