Current collector assembly with an elongated fuse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12573694-B2
Application number	US-202418586356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2024
Priority date	Jun 30, 2023
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

A current collector assembly includes an electrically conductive layer with several tabs used to electrically couple with one or more battery cells. The tabs may connect to an interconnect of the electrically conductive layer by way of a fuse. Several fuses may include portions of difference sizes. For example, one portion of the fuse may be relatively longer and narrower, while another portion of the fuse may be shorter and wider. The narrower portion may be positioned between insulating layers of the current collector assembly, while the wider portion extends from the insulating layers. The wider portion of the fuse increases the likelihood of the fuse remaining intact when various forces are exerted on the fuse.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a current collector assembly comprising an electrically conductive layer, the electrically conductive layer comprising:
a first tab configured to be electrically and mechanically connected to a first terminal of a battery cell, the first tab oriented in a first direction;
a first fuse comprising a first portion extending, from an interconnect of the electrically conductive layer, along a first axis and having a first width perpendicular to the first axis, the first fuse further comprising a second portion connected to the first tab and extending along a second axis and having a second width perpendicular with respect to the second axis, wherein the second axis is different from the first axis, and the first portion, measured along the first axis, is longer than the second portion;
a second tab configured to be electrically and mechanically connected to a second terminal of the battery cell, the second tab oriented in a second direction different from the first direction;
a first insulating layer that covers a first surface of first portion; and
a second insulating layer that covers a second surface of first portion, the second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer expose the first tab and the second tab.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the second insulating layer comprises an edge portion, and the second portion bends over the edge portion.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first portion comprises a straight portion parallel with respect to the interconnect and disposed between the interconnect and the first tab, and the second portion is non-parallel with respect to the interconnect.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first tab, the first fuse, and the interconnect form in part the current collector assembly configured to collect electrical current from one or more battery cells, including the battery cell, electrically coupled with the current collector assembly.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first width is less than 1 millimeter (mm), and the second width is 3 to 5 mm.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the second tab extending from a second fuse and, the first fuse comprises a first shape and the second fuse comprises a second shape different than the first shape.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second tab is configured to electrically and mechanically couple with the battery cell and a second battery cell separate from the battery cell.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first terminal is a positive terminal, the second terminal is a negative terminal, the first tab is configured to electrically and mechanically couple with the positive terminal, and the second tab is configured to electrically and mechanically couple with the negative terminal.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a third tab oriented in the first direction, wherein the second tab is positioned between the first tab and the third tab.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first portion is parallel with respect to the interconnect, and the second portion is perpendicular with respect to the interconnect.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second width is greater than the first width.

12 . A battery subassembly, comprising:
a current collector assembly electrically coupled with one or more battery cells, the current collector assembly comprising an electrically conductive layer that comprises:
a first tab electrically coupled with a first battery cell of the one or more battery cells;
a first fuse connected to the first tab, the first fuse comprising a first portion extending along a first direction and having a first width, the first fuse further comprising a second portion extending along a second direction different from the first direction and having a second width greater than the first width;
a second tab electrically coupled with a second battery cell of the one or more battery cells;
a second fuse connected to the second tab;
an interconnect, wherein the first portion of the fuse is connected to the interconnect and the second fuse is connected to the interconnect;
a thermal collector that extends from the interconnect and is configured to receive thermal energy generated in the electrically conductive layer, wherein the thermal collector is positioned between the first fuse and the second fuse;
a first insulating layer that covers a first surface of the first portion; and
a second insulating layer that covers a second surface of the first portion, wherein the second portion is at least partially uncovered by the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer.

13 . The battery subassembly of claim 12 , wherein:
the first tab is configured to electrically and mechanically couple with a positive terminal of the first battery cell, and the second tab is configured to electrically and mechanically couple with a negative positive terminal of the second battery cell.

14 . The battery subassembly of claim 12 ,
wherein the first portion is enclosed by the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer.

15 . The battery subassembly of claim 14 , wherein the second portion gradually widens as the second portion extends away from the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer.

16 . The battery subassembly of claim 12 , wherein:
the first portion is parallel with respect to the interconnect, and the second portion is perpendicular with respect to the interconnect.

17 . The battery subassembly of claim 12 , wherein the second width is at least three times greater than the first width.

18 . A vehicle, comprising:
a battery subassembly comprising a current collector assembly electrically coupled with one or more battery cells, the current collector assembly comprising:
a tab electrically coupled with a battery cell of the one or more battery cells; and
a fuse connected to the tab, the fuse comprising a first portion extending along a first direction and having a first width, the fuse further comprising a second portion extending along a second direction different from the first direction and having a second width greater than the first width;
a first insulating layer; and
a second insulating layer, wherein the first portion is enclosed by the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer, and the second portion extends from the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer, wherein the second portion widens from the second width as the second portion extends away from the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer, and wherein:
the second insulating layer comprises an edge portion, and
the second portion bends over the edge portion.

19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the first portion is perpendicular with respect to the second portion.

20 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the tab is electrically coupled with a positive terminal of the battery cell.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Patel Neil
• Butterfield Kyle
• Murkute Akshay Kishor
• Rahimi Najmeh
• Harris Kenton Robert

Classifications

• H01M50/107

  having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/103, H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/583

  in response to current, e.g. fuses · CPC title

• H01M50/213

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

• H01M50/664

  Temporary seals, e.g. for storage of instant batteries or seawater batteries · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

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