Multilayered flexible interconnect circuits for battery assemblies and methods of fabricating and installing thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12362437-B2
Application number	US-202418924233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2024
Priority date	Nov 13, 2023
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

Provided are multilayered flexible interconnect circuits comprising multiple conductive layers. Also provided are methods of fabricating such circuits and also methods of fabricating battery assemblies with such circuits. A multilayered flexible interconnect circuit comprises at least two conductive layers and at least one inner insulator, which extends between these conductive layers in some circuit portions and allows for conductive layers to directly interface in other circuit portions (e.g., busbar portions). Outer insulators can be provided to insulate these conductive layers from the environment while allowing some access to these layers as needed. Each conductive layer and insulator can be individually patterned to achieve these functions. One or more insulators support conductive layers relative to each other as well as different portions (e.g., disjoined portions) of the same conductive layer. The same multilayered flexible interconnect circuit can provide battery interconnect, voltage/temperature sense, and/or other functions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multilayered flexible interconnect circuit comprising:
a first outer insulator layer;
a second outer insulator layer;
an inner insulator layer;
a first conductive layer; and
a second conductive layer, wherein:
the first outer insulator layer, the second outer insulator layer, the inner insulator layer, the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer collectively define a busbar portion, a busbar support portion, an insulated conductor portion, and a metal-free portion of the flexible interconnect circuit,
in the busbar portion, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer directly interface with each other while a surface of the first conductive layer facing away from the second conductive layer is exposed,
in the busbar support portion, the inner insulator layer is stacked between and directly interfaces each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer,
in the busbar support portion, the first conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the first outer insulator layer and the inner insulator layer,
in the busbar support portion, the second conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the inner insulator layer and the second outer insulator layer, and
each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer comprises aluminum and has a thickness of 100-400 micrometers.

2. A multilayered flexible interconnect circuit comprising:
a first outer insulator layer;
a second outer insulator layer;
an inner insulator layer;
a first conductive layer; and
a second conductive layer, wherein:
the first outer insulator layer, the second outer insulator layer, the inner insulator layer, the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer collectively define a busbar portion, a busbar support portion, an insulated conductor portion, and a metal-free portion of the flexible interconnect circuit,
in the busbar portion, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer directly interface with each other while a surface of the first conductive layer facing away from the second conductive layer is exposed,
in the busbar support portion, the inner insulator layer is stacked between and directly interfaces each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer,
in the busbar support portion, the first conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the first outer insulator layer and the inner insulator layer,
in the busbar support portion, the second conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the inner insulator layer and the second outer insulator layer, and
in the metal-free portion, the inner insulator layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the first outer insulator layer and the second outer insulator layer.

3. The multilayered flexible interconnect circuit of claim 2 , wherein, in the insulated conductor portion:
the second conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the inner insulator layer and the second outer insulator layer, and
the inner insulator layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the second conductive layer and the first outer insulator layer.

4. The multilayered flexible interconnect circuit of claim 3 , wherein the insulated conductor portion is positioned between the busbar support portion and metal-free portion.

5. The multilayered flexible interconnect circuit of claim 1 , wherein the busbar support portion at least partially surrounds the busbar portion.

6. The multilayered flexible interconnect circuit of claim 1 , wherein the busbar support portion is positioned between the busbar portion and the metal-free portion.

7. A multilayered flexible interconnect circuit comprising:
a first outer insulator layer;
a second outer insulator layer;
an inner insulator layer;
a first conductive layer; and
a second conductive layer, wherein:
the first outer insulator layer, the second outer insulator layer, the inner insulator layer, the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer collectively define a busbar portion, a busbar support portion, an insulated conductor portion, and a metal-free portion of the flexible interconnect circuit,
in the busbar portion, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer directly interface with each other while a surface of the first conductive layer facing away from the second conductive layer is exposed,
in the busbar support portion, the inner insulator layer is stacked between and directly interfaces each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer,
in the busbar support portion, the first conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the first outer insulator layer and the inner insulator layer,
in the busbar support portion, the second conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the inner insulator layer and the second outer insulator layer, and
each of the first outer insulator layer, the second outer insulator layer, the inner insulator layer, the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer is formed from a same starting sheet.

8. A multilayered flexible interconnect circuit comprising:
a first outer insulator layer;
a second outer insulator layer;
an inner insulator layer;
a first conductive layer; and
a second conductive layer, wherein:
the first outer insulator layer, the second outer insulator layer, the inner insulator layer, the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer collectively define a busbar portion, a busbar support portion, an insulated conductor portion, and a metal-free portion of the flexible interconnect circuit,
in the busbar portion, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer directly interface with each other while a surface of the first conductive layer facing away from the second conductive layer is exposed,
in the busbar support portion, the inner insulator layer is stacked between and directly interfaces each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer,
in the busbar support portion, the first conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the first outer insulator layer and the inner insulator layer,
in the busbar support portion, the second conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the inner insulator layer and the second outer insulator layer, and
each of the first outer insulator layer, the second outer insulator layer, the inner insulator layer, the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer has the same thickness and composition throughout an entire footprint of the flexible interconnect circuit.

9. A multilayered flexible interconnect circuit comprising:
a first outer insulator layer;
a second outer insulator layer;
an inner insulator layer;
a first conductive layer; and
a second conductive layer, wherein:
the first outer insulator layer, the second outer insulator layer, the inner insulator layer, the first conductive layer, and the second conductive layer collectively define a busbar portion, a busbar support portion, an insulated conductor portion, and a metal-free portion of the flexible interconnect circuit,
in the busbar portion, the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer directly interface with each other while a surface of the first conductive layer facing away from the second conductive layer is exposed,
in the busbar support portion, the inner insulator layer is stacked between and directly interfaces each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer,
in the busbar support portion, the first conductive layer is stacked between and directly interfaces the first outer insulator

Assignees

• Cellink Corp

Inventors

• Tate Gabrielle
• Ortiz Jean-Paul
• Findlay Will

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/507

  comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M50/524 Primary

  Organic material · CPC title

• H01M10/6551

  Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings · CPC title