Connector assembly with integrated sense and balance line protection for multi-cell batteries

• US 9,620,763 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2016
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GS Yuasa Lithium Power Inc. (GS Yuasa Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GS Yuasa Lithium Power Inc. (GS Yuasa Corporation)
• Inventors: Zeng, QingHua, Kurle, Wayne, Deakin, Thomas, Strickland, Brant
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary
• Application Number:
  US15/063,266
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 43962022, 43962024, 43962026, 439627
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/505 comprising a single busbar
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/522 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A connector assembly (100,500) includes a plate (101,501) having a body (107,507) and one or more legs (108,109,110,508,509,510) extending distally from the body. The body can define an aperture (112,512). A flexible substrate (102,502) can electrically couple to the legs such that a portion (202,602) of the body extends distally from an edge (203,603) of the flexible substrate. A connector (103,503) is electrically coupled to the flexible substrate, with one or more circuit components (104,105,504,505) electrically coupled between the legs and the connector. The flexible substrate can define a perimeter (201,601) that is complementary in shape to an upper surface (122,522) of a busbar connector (106,506).

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising:

a plate having a body and one or more legs extending distally from the body, the body defining an aperture;

a flexible substrate electrically coupled to the one or more legs such that a portion of the body extends distally from an edge of the flexible substrate;

a connector electrically coupled to the flexible substrate; and

one or more circuit components electrically coupled between the one or more legs and the connector;

wherein the edge of the flexible substrate defines a concave recess that is axially aligned with the aperture such that the concave recess and the aperture are non-overlapping when the one or more legs are electrically coupled to the flexible substrate.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, the plate comprising a nickel plate.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2, the plate defining one or more relief apertures disposed between the aperture and the one or more legs.

4. The connector assembly of claim 3, the one or more legs comprising three legs.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1, the flexible substrate defining a second concave recess disposed along a second edge.

6. The connector assembly of claim 5, the concave recess and the second concave recess comprising a common radius.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a busbar connector defining a first busbar connector aperture; and

a fastener;

the fastener passing through the aperture and the first busbar connector aperture to couple the connector assembly to the busbar connector.

8. The connector assembly of claim 7, the flexible substrate defining a major face, the busbar connector comprising a busbar major face having a greater area than the major face.

9. The connector assembly of claim 8, the busbar major face defined by a perimeter, the flexible substrate disposed interior to the perimeter when the connector assembly is coupled to the busbar connector.

10. The connector assembly of claim 9, the busbar connector defining a second busbar connector aperture, the flexible substrate defining a second concave recess disposed along a second edge, wherein the second concave recess is axially aligned with the second busbar connector aperture such that the second concave recess and the second busbar connector aperture are non-overlapping when the connector assembly is coupled to the busbar connector.

11. The connector assembly of claim 1, the flexible substrate comprising:

an upper layer and a lower layer; and

one or more electrically conductive pads disposed along the lower layer to electrically couple to the one or more legs;

wherein the upper layer defines a piecewise-linear concave recess to expose the one or more electrically conductive pads when the upper layer and the lower layer are coupled together.

12. The connector assembly of claim 11, further comprising an adhesive layer disposed along the lower layer on a side of the lower layer opposite the upper layer.

13. The connector assembly of claim 12, the one or more circuit components comprising one or more of fuses or resistors.

14. The connector assembly of claim 13, the connector comprising a low-insertion force (ZIF) connector.

15. A connector assembly, comprising:

a plate defining an aperture and comprising one or more legs extending from a plate edge;

a flexible substrate comprising one or more pads to electrically couple to the one or more legs, respectively;

a connector, coupled to the flexible substrate; and

one or more circuit components electrically coupled between the one or more legs and the connector;

the plate extending distally from a flexible substrate edge; and

the flexible substrate defining a perimeter comprising at least four sides that are complementary in shape to a major face of a busbar connector of a multi-cell battery pack.

16. The connector assembly of claim 15, further comprising the busbar connector, wherein the flexible substrate is disposed along the major face.

17. The connector assembly of claim 16, further comprising an adhesive layer disposed along the flexible substrate to couple the flexible substrate to the major face.

18. The connector assembly of claim 16, the busbar connector defining a busbar connector aperture, further comprising a fastener passing through the aperture and the busbar connector aperture to couple the connector assembly to the busbar connector.

19. The connector of claim 15, the perimeter defining a mnemonic device indicating whether the connector assembly is to couple to a positive busbar connector or a negative busbar connector.

20. The connector of claim 19, the mnemonic device defined by a concave recess disposed along another flexible substrate edge different from the flexible substrate edge.