Flex circuit system for a battery assembly of an electrified vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10244621-B2
Application number	US-201314011883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2013
Priority date	Aug 28, 2013
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A flex circuit system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a substrate, at least one bus bar mounted to the substrate and at least one voltage sense lead integrated with the substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flex circuit system, comprising:
a substrate;
at least one bus bar mounted to said substrate;
at least one voltage sense lead integrated with said substrate;
an adhesive disposed between said at least one bus bar and said substrate; and
a fuse link formed in said at least one voltage sense lead,
wherein said fuse link is a narrowed portion of said at least one voltage sense lead.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate is made of a pliable material.

3. The system as recited in claim 2 , wherein said pliable material includes a polyimide.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said at least one voltage sense lead is printed onto an outer surface of said substrate.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said at least one voltage sense lead is sandwiched between at least two dielectric layers of said substrate.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said at least one voltage sense lead extends between said bus bar and a connector that is configured to connect to a control module.

7. The system as recited as recited in claim 1 , comprising an opening through said substrate configured to access said fuse link.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said fuse link is configured to sever in response to a high current event.

9. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate includes a body portion and a tail that extends from said body portion, said tail being narrower than said body portion.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate is made of Kapton.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 , comprising a locating feature mountable to said substrate and configured to align said at least one bus bar relative to said substrate.

12. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said flex circuit system electrically connects a first row of battery cells and a second row of battery cells.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein said first row of battery cells is connected to a negative voltage lead and said second row of battery cells is connected to a positive voltage lead.

14. The system as recited in claim 12 , wherein said first row of battery cells and said second row of battery cells are positioned beneath a body portion of said substrate, and a tail of said substrate extends from said body portion to a location remote from said first row of battery cells and said second row of battery cells.

15. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said substrate is paddle shaped.

16. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said at least one voltage sense lead is connected to said at least one bus bar by a soldered or welded connection.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 , comprising a copper trace extending between said soldered or welded connection and said fuse link.

18. The system as recited in claim 17 , wherein said soldered or welded connection includes a first width that is greater than a second width of said copper trace, and said second width of said copper trace is greater than a third width of said fuse link.

19. A flex circuit system, comprising:
a substrate including a body portion and a tail;
a bus bar mounted to said body portion;
a voltage sense lead integrated with said substrate;
an adhesive directly between said bus bar and said body portion;
a fuse link formed in said voltage sense lead;
an opening formed in said substrate for accessing said fuse link;
a connector connected to said tail; and
a control module connected to said connector.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Swoish James Lawrence

Classifications

• H01M10/482 Primary

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H01M50/516

  by welding, soldering or brazing · CPC title

• H01M50/507

  comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules · CPC title

• H05K2201/09063

  Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections · CPC title

• H02G5/025

  Supporting structures · CPC title