Non-uniform battery cell

• US 8,968,916 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Keates, Andy
• Primary Examiner(s): Ridley, Basia
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILMOT, CAITLIN M
• Application Number:
  US13/538,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 429 96-100, 429149-160, 429161-187, 296231-6235, 29745-746, 174 50- 64, 439754-774, 439/500
• US Class Current: 429/162
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/507 comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/528 Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection
• 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

An apparatus is provided that includes a two or more cell elements stacked internally to create a single cell with a non-uniform height. A first bus bar may electrically couple to a first side or first end of the cell elements in order to connect the terminals of the battery elements. A second bus bar may electrically couple to a second side or second end of the cell elements in order to connect the terminals of the battery elements.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first cell element having a first flat surface and a second flat surface, and the first cell element having a uniform height between the first flat surface and the second flat surface;

a second cell element, the second cell element to be stacked on a first portion of the first flat surface of the first cell element, the first cell element and the second cell element to form a non-uniform battery cell having a first battery cell height and a second battery cell height, the second battery cell height being at a first area in which the second cell element is stacked on a first portion of the first cell element and the first battery cell height at a second area corresponding to a second portion of the first cell element, and the second battery cell height is greater than the first battery cell height;

a first bus bar to electrically couple to a first end of the first cell element and to electrically couple to a first end of the second cell element, the first bus bar having a first bus bar height corresponding to the first battery cell height and a second bus bar height corresponding to the second battery cell height, the second bus bar height being greater than the first bus bar height; and

a second bus bar to electrically couple to a second end of the first cell element and to electrically couple to a second end of the second cell element, the second bus bar having a third bus bar height corresponding to the first battery cell height and a fourth bus bar height corresponding to the second battery cell height, the fourth bus bar height being greater than the third bus bar height.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first cell element has a first height and the second cell element has a second height, and a combined height of the first cell element and the second cell element at the first area of the non-uniform battery cell is greater than the first height of the first cell element at the second area of the non-uniform battery cell.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first cell element has a flat configuration, and the second cell element has a flat configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first cell element is a non-layered structure, and the second cell element is a non-layered structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first bus bar to have a configuration to match the first end of the first cell element and the first end of the second cell element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second bus bar to have a configuration to match the second end of the first cell element and the second end of the second cell element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first bus bar is formed of copper or aluminum.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a single non-uniform battery cell having a first part and a second part, the first part being a non-layered structure that includes a first battery cell element having a flat surface, and the second part being a layered structure that includes the flat surface of the first battery cell element, the first part of the single non-uniform battery cell having a first height, the second part of the single non-uniform battery cell having a second height, the second height being greater than the first height;

a first bus bar to electrically couple to a first end of the first part of the single non-uniform battery cell and to electrically couple to a first end of the second part of the single non-uniform battery cell, the first bus bar having a third height at an area corresponding to the first part of the single non-uniform battery cell and a fourth height at an area corresponding to the second part of the single non-uniform battery cell, the fourth height to correspond to the second height and the third height to correspond to the first height; and

a second bus bar to electrically couple to a second end of the first part of the non-uniform battery cell and to electrically couple to a second end of the second part of the non-uniform battery cell, the second bus bar having a fifth height at an area corresponding to the first part of the single non-uniform battery cell and a sixth height at an area corresponding to the second part of the single non-uniform battery cell, the sixth height to correspond to the second height and the fifth height to correspond to the first height.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first bus bar to have a configuration to match the first part of the non-uniform battery cell and the first end of the second part of the non-uniform battery cell.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second bus bar to have a configuration to match the second end of the first part of the non-uniform battery cell and the second part of the non-uniform battery cell.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first bus bar is formed of copper or aluminum.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a battery port to receive a non-uniform battery cell, the non-uniform battery cell including a first cell element and a second cell element, the second cell element to be stacked on the first cell element, the non-uniform battery cell having a first battery cell height and a second battery cell height, the second battery cell height being at a first area in which the second cell element is stacked on the first cell element and the first battery cell height being at a second area of the non-uniform battery cell, the second battery cell height being greater than the first battery cell height;

a first bus bar to electrically couple to a first end of the non-uniform battery cell, the first bus bar to have a first bus bar height and a second bus bar height, the first bus bar height to correspond to the first battery cell height and the second bus bar height to correspond to the second battery cell height, the second bus bar height being greater than the first bus bar height; and

a second bus bar to electrically couple to a second end of the non-uniform battery cell, the second bus bar to have a third bus bar height and a fourth bus bar height, the third bus bar height to correspond to the first battery cell height and the fourth bus bar height to correspond to the second battery cell height, the fourth bus bar height being greater than the third bus bar height.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first cell element has a first height and the second cell element has a second height, and a combined height of the first cell element and the second cell element at the first area of the non-uniform battery cell is greater than the first height of the first cell element at the second area of the non-uniform battery cell.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first cell element has a flat configuration, and the second cell element has a flat configuration.

15. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first cell element is a non-layered structure, and the second cell element is a non-layered structure.

16. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first bus bar to have a configuration to match a first end of the first cell element and a first end of the second cell element.

17. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the second bus bar to have a configuration to match a second end of the first cell element and a second end of the second cell element.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first bus bar is formed of copper or aluminum.