Direct placement battery pack modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10985358-B2
Application number	US-201815981420-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2018
Priority date	Feb 16, 2018
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

Battery systems according to embodiments of the present technology may include a battery cell having an electrode tab extending from an edge of a first side of the battery cell. The battery system may also include a module electrically coupled with the battery cell. The module may include a mold defining a recess along a first side of the module. The module may also include a conductive tab extending from the first side of the module. The conductive tab may be coupled with the electrode tab. The electrode tab may be characterized by a curvature along a length of the electrode tab, and a distal end of the electrode tab may be positioned within the recess defined by the mold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery system comprising:
a battery cell, wherein the battery cell includes an electrode tab extending from an edge of a first side of the battery cell; and
a module electrically coupled with the battery cell, the module comprising:
a mold defining a recess along a first side of the module,
a conductive tab extending from the first side of the module, wherein the conductive tab is electrically coupled with the electrode tab, wherein the electrode tab is characterized by a curvature along a length of the electrode tab, and wherein a distal end of the electrode tab is positioned within the recess defined by the mold, and
a flexible coupling extending from a second side of the module adjacent to the first side of the module.

2. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible coupling curves vertically and extends back along the module to a lateral position along a length of the module.

3. The battery system of claim 2 , further comprising a system board, wherein the flexible coupling is communicatively coupled with the system board by a board-to-board connector.

4. The battery system of claim 3 , wherein the battery cell is seated on the system board, wherein a volume is at least partially defined between the electrode tab and the system board, and wherein the module and flexible coupling are maintained within the volume.

5. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive tab is characterized by a double bend that extends a distal portion of the conductive tab parallel with the distal end of the electrode tab.

6. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the battery cell comprises a housing, and wherein opposite sides of the battery cell adjacent the first side of the battery cell are characterized by folded edges.

7. The battery system of claim 6 , wherein the electrode tab extends from the housing along the first side, and wherein the electrode tab and housing at least partially forms a terrace on which a portion of the module resides along the first side of the battery cell.

8. The battery system of claim 7 , wherein a sealant is included about a portion of the electrode tab extending from the housing.

9. A battery system comprising:
a battery cell characterized by a height, wherein the battery cell includes an electrode tab exiting from an edge of a first side of the battery cell, and wherein the battery cell forms a terrace along the first side of the battery cell; and
a module electrically coupled with the battery cell, the module comprising:
a circuit board including a conductive tab extending from a first side of the circuit board and a flexible coupling extending from a second side of the circuit board orthogonal to the first side of the circuit board, wherein the conductive tab is electrically coupled with the electrode tab, and
a mold at least partially encapsulating the circuit board, wherein the conductive tab penetrates the mold, wherein the mold is at least partially seated on the terrace, wherein the flexible coupling forms a U-bend proximate the circuit board, wherein the flexible coupling extends along the mold to a connector by which the battery system is configured to be connected with a system board, and wherein the module and flexible coupling are maintained within a volume defined by the height of the battery cell.

10. The battery system of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the mold extends beyond the terrace, and wherein the portion of the mold extending beyond the terrace is characterized by a height greater than a height of the mold seated on the terrace.

11. The battery system of claim 10 , wherein the portion of the mold extending beyond the terrace extends laterally about a portion of the electrode tab exiting from the edge of the first side of the battery cell.

12. The battery system of claim 9 , wherein the conductive tab extends from the mold vertically offset from the electrode tab, and wherein the conductive tab is characterized by an L-bend extending towards the electrode tab at an angle less than or about 90°.

13. The battery system of claim 12 , wherein the conductive tab is coupled with the electrode tab distal to the L-bend, and wherein the conductive tab is further characterized by a U-bend distal to the L-bend.

14. The battery system of claim 13 , wherein the mold defines a recess at a position through which the conductive tab penetrates the mold, and wherein a distal end of the conductive tab and a distal end of the electrode tab are positioned within the recess.

15. The battery system of claim 9 , wherein the electrode tab is characterized by a first width, and wherein the conductive tab is characterized by a second width greater than the first width.

16. The battery system of claim 9 , further comprising an insulative tape extending about the module from a first surface of the terrace opposite a second surface on which the module resides to a location on the battery cell along the height of the battery cell.

17. The battery system of claim 9 , wherein the flexible coupling comprises a first flexible coupling, wherein a distal end of the first flexible coupling is electrically coupled with a second flexible coupling, wherein the second flexible coupling extends orthogonally to the first flexible coupling towards the battery cell, wherein the second flexible coupling forms a U-bend proximate the battery cell and extending around the distal end of the first flexible coupling, and wherein the second flexible coupling is electrically coupled with the connector at a distal end of the second flexible coupling.

18. The battery system of claim 17 , wherein the second flexible coupling is electrically coupled with the connector along a first surface of the second flexible coupling, and wherein the battery system further comprises a suspension bracket coupled with the second flexible coupling along a second surface of the second flexible coupling opposite the first surface of the second flexible coupling.

19. A battery system comprising:
a battery cell, wherein the battery cell includes an electrode tab extending from an edge of a first side of the battery cell, and wherein the battery cell forms a terrace along the first side of the battery cell, wherein the terrace comprises the electrode tab and a housing of the battery cell; and
a module electrically coupled with the battery cell, the module comprising:
a circuit board including components extending from a first surface of the circuit board, wherein the circuit board is at least partially seated on the terrace along a second surface of the circuit board opposite the first surface,
a mold at least partially encapsulating the circuit board, wherein the mold defines a recess along a first side of the module,
a conductive tab extending from the first side of the module, wherein the conductive tab is coupled with the electrode tab, wherein the electrode tab is characterized by a curvature along a length of the electrode tab, and wherein a distal end of the electrode tab is positioned within the recess defined by the mold, and
a flexible coupling extending from a second side of the module adjacent to the first side of the module.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Wang Depeng
• Ton Thai T
• Bohney Nathan J
• Anastas George V

Classifications

• H01M10/425 Primary

  Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00) · CPC title

• H01M50/557

  Plate-shaped terminals · CPC title

• H01M50/553

  Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells · CPC title

• H01M50/55

  on the same side of the cell · CPC title

• H01M50/536

  characterised by the method of fixing the leads to the electrodes, e.g. by welding · CPC title