Overcharge protection assembly for a battery module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016036033-A1
Application number	US-201514794530-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Aug 4, 2014
Publication date	Feb 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a lithium-ion battery module that has a housing and a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells disposed in the housing. Each of the plurality of lithium-ion battery cells includes a first terminal with a first polarity, a second terminal with a second polarity opposite to the first polarity, an overcharge protection assembly, and a casing electrically coupled to the first terminal such that the casing has the first polarity, where the casing has an electrically conductive material. The lithium-ion battery module also includes a vent of the overcharge protection assembly electrically coupled to the casing and a conductive component of the overcharge protection assembly electrically coupled to the second terminal, and the vent is configured to contact the conductive component to cause a short circuit and to vent a gas from the casing into the housing when a pressure in the casing reaches a threshold value.

First claim

1 . A lithium-ion battery module, comprising:
a housing; and a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells disposed in the housing, wherein each of the plurality of lithium-ion battery cells comprises a first terminal with a first polarity, a second terminal with a second polarity opposite to the first polarity, an overcharge protection assembly, and a casing electrically coupled to the first terminal such that the casing has the first polarity, wherein the casing comprises an electrically conductive material; a vent of the overcharge protection assembly, wherein the vent is electrically coupled to the casing; and a conductive component of the overcharge protection assembly, wherein the conductive component is electrically coupled to the second terminal and the vent is configured to contact the conductive component to cause a short circuit and to vent a gas from the casing into the housing when a pressure in the casing reaches a threshold value.

2 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the vent comprises an outer ring, a recessed surface coupled to the outer ring, and a convex portion coupled to the recessed surface via an inner ring, and wherein the vent is configured to move from a first position to a second position when the pressure in the casing reaches the threshold value.

3 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 2 , wherein the recessed surface is configured to move when the vent moves from the first position to the second position.

4 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 2 , wherein the recessed surface is configured to remain substantially stationary when the vent moves from the first position to the second position.

5 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 2 , wherein a first portion of a circumference of the inner ring is coined.

6 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 5 , wherein the first portion of the circumference of the inner ring is configured to tear when the pressure in the casing reaches the threshold value such that the convex portion at least partially contacts the conductive component.

7 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 6 , wherein a second portion of the circumference of the inner ring is configured to maintain contact between the recessed surface and the convex portion when the inner ring tears.

8 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 2 , wherein a gap is formed between the recessed surface and the convex portion when the vent moves from the first position to the second position.

9 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 2 , wherein the outer ring is laser welded to the casing.

10 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the conductive component comprises a plurality of openings configured to enable gas to pass through the conductive component.

11 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 1 , comprising an insulative component disposed between the conductive component and the casing.

12 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 11 , comprising an opening extending through the casing, the insulative component, and the conductive component, and wherein the vent is disposed within the opening.

13 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the conductive component comprises a recess configured to position the conductive component proximate to the casing.

14 . The lithium-ion battery module of claim 1 , wherein the vent comprises aluminum.

15 . A battery module, comprising:
a plurality of battery cells disposed in a housing, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells comprises a casing having an electrically conductive material, a first terminal electrically coupled to the casing, a second terminal, a vent, a conductive spring electrically coupled to the second terminal, and an insulative component disposed between the conductive spring and the casing; wherein the vent is configured to vent a gas from the casing into the housing and to urge the insulative component from between the conductive spring and the casing such that the conductive spring electrically contacts the casing when a pressure in the casing exceeds a threshold value.

16 . The battery module of claim 15 , wherein the vent comprises a dual door configuration.

17 . The battery module of claim 15 , wherein the conductive spring is coupled to the second terminal via a screw.

18 . The battery module of claim 15 , wherein the conductive spring is configured to be biased toward the casing.

19 . The battery module of claim 15 , wherein a fastener electrically couples the conductive spring to the second terminal.

20 . A lithium ion battery cell, comprising:
a first terminal with a first polarity; a second terminal with a second polarity opposite to the first polarity; a casing coupled to the first terminal and having an electrically conductive material, wherein the casing has the first polarity; and an overcharge protection assembly comprising a vent, a first conductive component, an intermediate conductive component, and an insulating component; wherein the first conductive component is electrically coupled to the second terminal, the intermediate conductive component is electrically coupled to the casing, the insulating component is positioned between the first conductive component and the casing such that a gap is formed between the first conductive component and the casing, and the vent is configured to vent a gas from the casing and to urge the intermediate conductive component to span the gap and to contact the first conductive component when a pressure in the casing reaches a threshold value such that a short circuit occurs.

21 . The lithium ion battery cell of claim 20 , wherein the intermediate conductive component comprises aluminum.

22 . The lithium ion battery cell of claim 20 , wherein the first conductive component comprises copper.

23 . The lithium ion battery cell of claim 20 , wherein the vent comprises an outer ring, a recessed surface coupled to the outer ring, and a convex portion coupled to the recessed surface via an inner ring, and wherein the vent is configured to move from a first position to a second position when the pressure in the casing reaches the threshold value.

24 . The lithium ion battery cell of claim 23 , wherein the convex portion of the vent urges the intermediate conductive component to contact the first conductive component when the vent moves from the first position to the second position.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Zhang Xugang
• Fuhr Jason D
• Selthafner Peter A
• Boone David R

Classifications

• H01M50/593

  Spacers; Insulating plates · CPC title

• H01M50/553

  Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells · CPC title

• H01M50/55

  on the same side of the cell · CPC title

• H01M10/0525

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M2/12

  Electricity · mapped topic