Rechargeable battery and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10270072-B2
Application number	US-201615149523-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 30, 2011
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A method of assembling a rechargeable battery is disclosed. The method includes inserting rechargeable energy storage cells into a battery housing, the battery housing having a base portion, a side portion extending from the base portion, and an aperture defined by the side portion, wherein the rechargeable energy storage cells are inserted into the battery housing through the aperture; installing an insulator on the rechargeable energy storage cells; and securing a housing cover to the battery housing such that the insulator and the rechargeable energy storage cells are maintained in compression between the housing cover and the housing base portion. Also disclosed is a rechargeable battery including a battery housing, a housing cover, a plurality of rechargeable energy storage cells disposed within the battery housing, and an insulator disposed between the rechargeable energy storage cells and the housing cover and maintained in compression.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a rechargeable battery comprising:
inserting rechargeable energy storage cells into a battery housing, the battery housing having a base portion, a side portion extending from the base portion, and an aperture defined by the side portion, wherein the rechargeable energy storage cells are inserted into the battery housing through the aperture;
installing a first insulator on the rechargeable energy storage cells, the first insulator comprising a rigid insulator;
installing a second insulator on the first insulator, the second insulator being formed from a different material than the first insulator, the second insulator comprising a deformable insulator; and
securing a housing cover to the battery housing such that the first insulator, the second insulator, and the rechargeable energy storage cells are maintained in compression between the base portion and a housing cover.

2. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first insulator comprises a mica sheet and the second insulator comprises foaming insulation.

3. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first insulator and the second insulator are compressed at least 5% in the direction between the base portion and the housing cover when the housing cover is secured to the battery housing.

4. The method of assembling rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein securing the housing cover to the battery housing comprises applying at least 1.7 kpa of force to the housing cover to compress the first insulator and the second insulator.

5. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the compression of the first insulator and the second insulator inhibits movement of the energy storage cells in a direction between the housing cover and the base portion.

6. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the side portion of the battery housing comprises four sides forming a substantially rectangular cross-section of the battery housing.

7. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the battery housing comprises a deep drawn enclosure.

8. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the side portion of the battery housing is welded to the base portion to form the battery housing.

9. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing cover is secured to the battery housing by welding.

10. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing cover is secured to the battery housing by mechanical fasteners.

11. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of evacuating the rechargeable battery after securing the housing cover to the battery housing.

12. The method of assembling a rechargeable battery as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rechargeable energy storage cells are sodium-halide cells.

13. A rechargeable battery comprising:
a battery housing having a base portion, a side portion extending from the base portion, and an aperture defined by the side portion;
a housing cover secured to the battery housing;
a plurality of rechargeable energy storage cells disposed within the battery housing with at least a portion of the energy storage cells electrically connected to one another;
a first insulator disposed between the rechargeable energy storage cells and a housing cover, the first insulator comprising a rigid insulator; and
a second insulator disposed between the first insulator and the housing cover, the second insulator being formed from a different material than the first insulator, the second insulator comprising a deformable insulator,
wherein the first insulator, the second insulator, and the energy storage cells are maintained in compression between the housing cover and the base portion.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Bull Roger
• Sudworth James
• Sudworth Paul
• Towle Stuart

Classifications

• H01M10/3909 Primary

  Sodium-sulfur cells · CPC title

• Y10T29/49108

  Electric battery cell making · CPC title

• H01M10/653

  characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials · CPC title

• H01M10/0481 Primary

  Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators · CPC title

• H01M10/615

  Heating or keeping warm · CPC title