Integrated busbar and battery connection for electric vehicle battery packs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10784487-B2
Application number	US-201815973549-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2018
Priority date	Dec 30, 2015
Publication date	Sep 22, 2020
Grant date	Sep 22, 2020

Abstract

A battery pack for an electric vehicle may include a plurality of battery cells arranged into one or more rows. Each of the plurality of battery cells may include a first terminal and a second terminal, and the plurality of battery cells may include a subset of battery cells with the first terminal oriented in a same direction in the battery pack. The battery pack may also include a busbar configured to conduct electrical energy to and from at least the subset of battery cells. The busbar may include a plurality of cutouts positioned over the first terminals of the subset of battery cells, and a plurality of tabs that springably contact the respective first terminal. A method of building a battery pack with a busbar connection is also presented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A busbar for a battery pack in an electric vehicle, the busbar comprising:
a sheet of conductive material having a first thickness configured to conduct electrical energy between a plurality of same terminals on a plurality of battery cells;
a plurality of circular cutouts having diameters that are sized to accept at least a portion of the terminals of the plurality of battery cells inside the plurality of circular cutouts; and
a plurality of tabs having a second thickness configured to springably contact the terminals of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness.

2. The busbar of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tabs comprises a straight section coupled to an angled section that is of a length sufficient to bring the tab into contact with a battery terminal.

3. The busbar of claim 2 , wherein each of the angled sections is further coupled to a second straight section that provides a mating surface between the busbar and the battery terminal.

4. The busbar of claim 3 , wherein the second straight section comprises a mechanical relief.

5. The busbar of claim 4 , wherein the mechanical relief comprises a semi-circular section.

6. The busbar of claim 5 , wherein the semi-circular section is further coupled to a third straight section.

7. The busbar of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of tabs are less than 1.0 mm thick.

8. The busbar of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circular cutouts are arranged into one or more rows.

9. The busbar of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of circular cutouts are formed by punching holes with a tab in a metal sheet.

10. The busbar of claim 1 , wherein the busbar is more than 1.00 mm thick.

11. A method of manufacturing a battery pack for an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
arranging a plurality of battery cells into one or more rows; and
positioning a busbar configured to conduct electrical energy to and from at least the subset of battery cells, the busbar comprising:
a sheet of conductive material having a first thickness configured to conduct electrical energy between a plurality of same terminals on the plurality of battery cells;
a plurality of circular cutouts having diameters that are sized to accept at least a portion of the terminals of the plurality of battery cells inside the plurality of circular cutouts; and
a plurality of tabs having a second thickness configured to springably contact the terminals of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of tabs comprises a straight section coupled to an angled section that is of a length sufficient to bring the tab into contact with a battery terminal.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the angled sections is further coupled to a second straight section that provides a mating surface between the busbar and the battery terminal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second straight section comprises a mechanical relief.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mechanical relief comprises a semi-circular section.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the semi-circular section is further coupled to a third straight section.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of tabs are less than 1.0 mm thick.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of circular cutouts are arranged into one or more rows.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of circular cutouts are formed by punching holes with a tab in a metal sheet.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the busbar is more than 1.00 mm thick.

Assignees

• Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yang Yung-Kang

Classifications

• H01M10/0525 Primary

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/522

  Inorganic material · CPC title

• H01M50/505

  comprising a single busbar · CPC title

• B60L50/64

  Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title