Tooling and method for alignment and assembly of battery module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11450877-B2
Application number	US-202016819733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Mar 16, 2020
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

A tooling system is configured to align and assemble a battery module having a plurality of battery cells arranged in a stack. Each battery cell has a flexible electrical terminal arranged along a respective terminal axis, and wherein the terminal axes are parallel to one another. The system includes a tooling fixture defining at least one Y-shape slit having a V-collector culminating in a slot arranged along a slot axis. Each V-collector is configured to capture the terminals of at least two battery cells. Each slot is configured to group the captured terminals when the slot axis is parallel to the terminal axes and the fixture engages the battery module. The system also includes a mechanism configured to apply a first force to the fixture along the slot axis to engage the battery module with the fixture. The mechanism thereby groups and aligns the captured terminals within the slot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tooling system for alignment and assembly of a battery module having:
a plurality of battery cells arranged in a battery stack and having a plurality of expansion pads, such that one of the plurality of expansion pads is arranged between two adjacent battery cells, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells has a respective flexible electrical terminal arranged along a respective terminal axis, and wherein each terminal axis is parallel to another terminal axis;
the tooling system comprising:
a tooling fixture defining at least one Y-shape slit having a V-collector culminating in a slot arranged along a slot axis, wherein each Y-shape slit is configured to capture the respective flexible electrical terminals of at least two of the battery cells in the respective V-collector and group the captured flexible electrical terminals by the respective slot when the tooling fixture is positioned such that the slot axis is parallel to the terminal axes and the tooling fixture engages the battery module, wherein the tooling fixture is configured as a plurality of flexibly interconnected plate portions arranged in a column perpendicular to the slot axis, and wherein each plate portion defines one Y-shape slit; and
a mechanism configured to apply a first force to the tooling fixture along the slot axis to engage the battery module with the tooling fixture and thereby group and align the captured flexible electrical terminals within the slot; and
a press configured to impart a second force to the battery stack in a direction perpendicular to the terminal axes and thereby compress the plurality of expansion pads.

2. The tooling system of claim 1 , wherein the tooling fixture additionally includes a plurality of first resilient members, and wherein one of the plurality of first resilient members is arranged between two adjacent plate portions, such that the plurality of first resilient members is compressed by the second force along with the plurality of expansion pads.

3. The tooling system of claim 2 , wherein the tooling fixture additionally includes a guide rail configured to arrange and retain the plurality of plate portions in the column and facilitate movement of the plurality of plate portions along the guide rail perpendicular to the slot axis.

4. The tooling system of claim 2 , wherein:
each of the plate portions has a first sub-portion and a second sub-portion, wherein the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion together define one Y-shape slit;
the tooling fixture additionally includes a plurality of second resilient members; and
one of the plurality of second resilient members is arranged between the first and second sub-portions, such that the plurality of second resilient members is compressed by the second force along with the plurality of expansion pads and the plurality of the first resilient members.

5. The tooling system of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure plate fixed to the tooling fixture and having a reaction surface configured to transmit the force from the mechanism to the tooling fixture.

6. The tooling system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one Y-shape slit is configured to capture the flexible electrical terminals of three of the plurality of battery cells in the V-collector.

7. The tooling system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanism includes one of an air and a hydraulic pressure cylinder configured to apply the first force.

8. A method of aligning and assembling a battery module having a plurality of battery cells arranged in a battery stack and a plurality of expansion pads, such that one of the plurality of expansion pads is arranged between two adjacent battery cells of the plurality of battery cells, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells has a respective flexible electrical terminal arranged along a respective terminal axis, and wherein each terminal axis is parallel to another terminal axis, the method comprising:
applying a first force to a tooling fixture defining at least one Y-shape slit having a V-collector culminating in a slot arranged along a slot axis to engage the battery module with the tooling fixture, when the tooling fixture is positioned such that the slot axis is parallel to the terminal axes, wherein the tooling fixture is configured as a plurality of flexibly interconnected plate portions arranged in a column perpendicular to the slot axis, such that each of the plate portions defines one Y-shape slit, and includes a plurality of first resilient members, and wherein one of the plurality of first resilient members is arranged between two adjacent plate portions;
capturing the respective flexible electrical terminals of at least two of the battery cells in the V-collector of one Y-shape slit;
grouping and aligning the captured flexible electrical terminals within the respective slot imparting a second force to the battery stack via a press in a direction perpendicular to the terminal axes and thereby compressing the plurality of expansion pads; and
compressing the plurality of first resilient members by the second force along with the plurality of expansion pads.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the tooling fixture additionally includes a guide rail configured to arrange and retain the plurality of plate portions in the column, wherein the method includes moving the plurality of plate portions along the guide rail perpendicular to the slot axis.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
each of the plate portions has a first sub-portion and a second sub-portion, wherein the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion together define one Y-shape slit;
the tooling fixture additionally includes a plurality of second resilient members;
one of the plurality of second resilient members is arranged between the first and second sub-portions; and
the method further comprising compressing the plurality of second resilient members by the second force along with the plurality of expansion pads and the plurality of the first resilient members.

11. A tooling fixture for a battery module having a stack of battery cells and a plurality of expansion pads, such that one of the plurality of expansion pads is arranged between two adjacent battery cells, with each battery cell having a respective flexible electrical terminal arranged along a respective terminal axis, and each terminal axis being parallel to another terminal axis, the tooling fixture comprising:
an alignment member defining a plurality of the Y-shape slits, wherein:
each of the plurality of Y-shape slits has a V-collector culminating in a slot arranged along a slot axis; and
each of the plurality of Y-shape slits is configured to capture the respective flexible electrical terminals of at least two of the battery cells in the respective V-collector and group the captured flexible electrical terminals by the respective slot when the alignment member is positioned such that the slot axis is parallel to the terminal axes and the tooling fixture engages the battery module;
wherein:
the alignment member is configured as a plurality of flexibly interconnected plate portions arranged in a column perpendicular to the slot axis, and wherein each plate portion defines one Y-shape slit;
the alignment member additionally includes a plurality of first resilient members; and
one of the plurality of first resilient members is arranged between two adjacent plate portions, such that the plurality of first resilient members is compressed by a second force along with the plurality of expansion pads.

12. The tooling fixture of claim 11 , wherein the alignment member additionally includes a guide rail configured to arrange and retain the plurality of p

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Dietze Robert H
• Brady Christopher

Classifications

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M50/209

  adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/548 Primary

  on opposite sides of the cell · CPC title

• H01M10/0481

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

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title