Assembled battery and cell connection method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9520585-B2
Application number	US-201214003492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2012
Priority date	Mar 10, 2011
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

An assembled battery comprises: multiple cells 30 each having external terminals including a negative electrode terminal 50 and a positive electrode terminal; a bus bar 40 which connects the external terminal of one of two adjacent cells 30 and that of the other thereof; an electrically-conductive connecting member 70 which connects the external terminal and the bus bar 40 by welding to the external terminal and the bus bar 40 ; a welding portion 80 welded to the bus bar 40 and the connecting member 70 ; and a welding portion 82 welded to the external terminal and the connecting member 70 . The connecting member 70 comprises an intervening portion 70 b connected to the welding portion 80 , and a main body portion 70 a extending from the intervening portion 70 b to the welding portion 82 . The intervening portion 70 b has a thickness that is smaller than that of the main body portion 70 a.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembled battery comprising:
a plurality of cells each including external terminals provided to a casing; and
a terminal connection member configured to electrically connect the external terminal of one of two adjacent cells to the external terminal of the other of these adjacent cells, wherein
the external terminal and the terminal connection member are connected to each other by means of welding,
the terminal connection member comprises an intervening portion connected to a welding portion connected to the external terminal, and a main body portion extending from the intervening portion toward the external terminal side of the adjacent cell,
the intervening portion is configured to have a thickness that is smaller than that of the main body portion and is in a direct contact with the external terminal, and
the external terminal comprises an electrode terminal having a terminal main body portion protruding from the casing and a flange portion provided on an outer edge of the terminal main body portion, wherein
the intervening portion is in a direct contact with the flange portion.

2. The assembled battery according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal connection member has a through hole,
the external terminal is arranged such that a part thereof is positioned within the through hole, and
the terminal connection member and the external terminal are welded within the through hole.

3. The assembled battery according to claim 1 , wherein a tapered portion is provided between the intervening portion and the main body portion such that its thickness gradually increases approaching the main body portion side from the intervening portion side.

4. The assembled battery according to claim 1 , wherein the intervening portion has a tapered portion in a predetermined region extending from its end that is in contact with the welding portion connected to the terminal connection member, configured such that its thickness gradually reduces approaching the main body portion side from the aforementioned end of the intervening portion.

5. The assembled battery according to claim 1 , wherein
the terminal connection member has a first surface and a second surface which is opposite to the first surface and is in contact with the external terminal,
the first surface has a step in which the intervening portion and the main body portion are connected.

6. The assembled battery according to claim 1 , wherein the terminal connection member is band-shaped and has the intervening portion at each end of the terminal connection member, the external terminal of one of the two adjacent cells being welded to one end of the terminal connection member, and the external terminal of the other of the two adjacent cells being welded to the other end of the terminal connection member.

7. The assembled battery according to claim 1 , wherein the intervening portion is in direct contact with the external terminal.

Assignees

• Shimizu Toshiya
• Shibata Kiyoshi
• Kohara Yasuhiro
• Asai Yasuhiro
• Seto Takashi
• Uchiyama Daiki
• Sanyo Electric Co

Inventors

• Shimizu Toshiya
• Shibata Kiyoshi
• Kohara Yasuhiro
• Asai Yasuhiro
• Seto Takashi
• Uchiyama Daiki

Classifications

• H01M50/516 Primary

  by welding, soldering or brazing · CPC title

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M50/209 Primary

  adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) · 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