Laminated busbar having a shield layer for battery systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12021365-B2
Application number	US-202318117537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2023
Priority date	Sep 28, 2020
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A laminated busbar assembly includes one or more busbars that are configured to be electrically coupled to a plurality of battery cells, one or more insulative layers arranged adjacent to the one or more busbars, and a steel layer arranged between the one or more busbars and the plurality of battery cells. The steel layer is configured to shield the one or more busbars from a thermal event associated with one or more battery cells of the plurality of battery cells. The thermal event may include a debris, hot gas, sparks, embers, or other emanations. Each of the battery cells each include a respective venting end, where electrical terminals are located, that face the steel layer. The laminated busbar is a stack of layers that can include two busbars that form a DC bus, with insulation arranged between the busbars and between the steel layer and the proximal busbar.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an interface arranged adjacent a busbar and located between the busbar and a plurality of battery cells, wherein the interface comprises a dielectric and thermally insulating material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interface is structurally rigid.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interface is positioned on a bottom side of the busbar.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the interface is a first interface; and
the apparatus further comprises a second interface spaced from the first interface.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the busbar comprises one or more current collectors layered between the first interface and the second interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one or more current collectors comprise a plurality of current collectors, wherein the apparatus comprises a third interface between the plurality of current collectors.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein an airgap is defined between the first interface and the second interface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a metal layer arranged between the interface and the plurality of battery cells.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the metal layer is a shield layer.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the metal layer includes a steel material.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a busbar electrically coupled to a plurality of battery cells; and
an insulating material arranged adjacent the busbar, wherein the insulating material extends the length of the busbar.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the insulating material is structurally rigid.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the insulating material includes one of a polyimide (PI) material or a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the insulating material is positioned between the busbar and the plurality of battery cells.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the insulating material includes a first insulative layer and a second insulative layer spaced from the first insulative layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first insulative layer and the second insulative layer are bonded to form a stack of layers.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the one or more current collectors comprise a plurality of current collectors, wherein the apparatus comprises a third insulative layer layered between the plurality of current collectors.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein an airgap is defined between the first insulative layer and the second insulative layer.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a metal layer arranged between the busbar and the plurality of battery cells.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interface extends the length of the busbar.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Baseri Ehsan
• Butterfield Kyle

Classifications

• H01M50/502

  Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

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

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• H01M50/213

  adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/394

  Gas-pervious parts or elements · CPC title