Magnetic battery cell connection mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11837754-B2
Application number	US-202017138267-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2020
Priority date	Dec 30, 2020
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A magnetic battery cell connection mechanism includes a first battery cell and a second battery cell. A first connector has a first body including a first electrical pathway. A first electrical contact is disposed on the first body and electrically connected to the first electrical pathway. A first magnet is connected to the first body, the first magnet being adapted to magnetically releasably secure the first body to a positive terminal of the first battery cell. A second connector has a second body including a second electrical pathway. A second electrical contact is disposed on the second body and electrically connected to the second electrical pathway. A second magnet is connected to the second body, the second magnet being adapted to magnetically releasably secure the second body to a negative terminal of the second battery cell. The first connector and the second connector are electrically connected to an electrical circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic battery cell connection mechanism comprising:
a first battery cell having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
a second battery cell having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
a first connector having a first body including a first electrical pathway;
a first electrical contact disposed on the first body and electrically connected to the first electrical pathway, the first electrical contact being adapted to allow electricity to pass from the positive terminal of the first battery cell to the first electrical pathway; and
a first magnet connected to the first body, the first magnet being adapted to magnetically releasably secure the first body to the positive terminal of the first battery cell and to establish contact between the positive terminal of the first battery cell and the first electrical pathway;
a second connector having a second body including a second electrical pathway;
a second electrical contact disposed on the second body and electrically connected to the second electrical pathway, the second electrical contact being adapted to allow electricity to pass from the negative terminal of the second battery cell to the second electrical pathway;
a second magnet connected to the second body, the second magnet being adapted to magnetically releasably secure the second body to the negative terminal of the second battery cell and to establish contact between the negative terminal of the second battery cell and the second electrical pathway; and
an electrical circuit, each of the first connector and the second connector being electrically connected to the electrical circuit.

2. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet comprises the first electrical contact.

3. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the second magnet comprises the second electrical contact.

4. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical pathway comprises the first electrical contact.

5. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the second electrical pathway comprises the second electrical contact.

6. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein one of the first body or the second body comprises a first arm and a second arm that diverge away from one another.

7. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the first and second arms form one of an arc-shape, a u-shape, and a v-shape.

8. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 7 , wherein the first and second arms form an arc-shape and an inner radius of the arc-shape is substantially the same as a battery end cap of one of the first battery cell or the second battery cell.

9. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the first magnet is located on the first arm and the first electrical contact is located on the second arm.

10. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 6 , wherein the first magnet and the first electrical contact are located on the same arm.

11. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact is cup-shaped and the first magnet is at least partially seated in the first electrical contact.

12. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 6 , further comprising a first contact plate at the end of the first arm and the first magnet is disposed on the first contact plate.

13. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 12 , further comprising a second contact plate at the end of the second arm.

14. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein one of the first body or the second body comprises a printed circuit board (PCB).

15. A magnetic battery cell connection mechanism comprising:
a first battery cell having a positive terminal and a negative terminal;
a first connector having a first body including a first electrical pathway;
a first electrical contact disposed on the first body and electrically connected to the first electrical pathway, the first electrical contact being adapted to allow electricity to pass from the positive terminal of the first battery cell to the first electrical pathway; and
a first magnet at least partially seated in the first electrical contact, the first magnet being adapted to magnetically releasably secure the first body to the positive terminal of the first battery cell;
a second connector having a second body including a second electrical pathway;
a second electrical contact disposed on the second body and electrically connected to the second electrical pathway, the second electrical contact being adapted to allow electricity to pass from the negative terminal of the first battery cell to the second electrical pathway;
a second magnet at least partially seated in the second electrical contact, the second magnet being adapted to magnetically releasably secure the second body to the negative terminal of the first battery cell; and
an electrical circuit, each of the first connector and the second connector being electrically connected to the electrical circuit.

16. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 15 , wherein one of the first body or the second body comprises a first arm and a second arm that diverge away from one another.

17. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 16 , wherein the first and second arms form one of an arc-shape, a u-shape, or a v-shape.

18. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 17 , wherein the first and second arms form an arc-shape and an inner radius of the arc-shape is substantially the same as a battery end cap of one of the first battery cell or the second battery cell.

19. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first magnet and the first electrical contact are located on the same arm.

20. The magnetic battery cell connection mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical contact is cup-shaped and the first magnet is at least partially seated in the first electrical contact.

Assignees

• Duracell Us Operations Inc

Inventors

• Pavlinsky Robert John

Classifications

• H01M50/51 Primary

  Connection only in series · CPC title

• H01M10/425

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

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M50/548

  on opposite sides of the cell · CPC title

• H01R13/6205

  Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet · CPC title