Battery pack accomodating different sizes of batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9673429-B2
Application number	US-201313874979-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2013
Priority date	Jan 16, 2013
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A battery pack which includes a plurality of contact portions in a terminal accommodating portion provided in each of cell receiving portions of a plurality of battery cells, so that one selected from the plurality of contact portions can be electrically connected to electrode terminals of the battery cells even if the plurality of battery cells have different widths of wide walls. In addition, since the battery pack includes a series/parallel switch provided outside an external pack, a connection method of a plurality of battery cells provided inside the external pack can be switched to series/parallel connection. Further, since the battery pack includes a capacity display unit provided outside an external pack, capacity levels of a plurality of battery cells provided inside the external pack can be identified.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery pack comprising:
a plurality of battery cells each having an electrode terminal portion exposed to one surface;
an external pack accommodating the plurality of battery cells and including a plurality of terminal accommodating portions at the interior of a first surface corresponding to a first surface of each of the plurality of battery cells to be electrically connected to the electrode terminal portions of the plurality of battery cells, respectively,
wherein the plurality of terminal accommodating portions include a first terminal accommodating portion electrically connected to a first battery cell among the plurality of battery cells, and the first terminal accommodating portion includes a plurality of terminal contact portions each shaped corresponding to the electrode terminal portion of the first battery cell, wherein the terminal contact portions of a first terminal accommodation portion of the plurality of terminal accommodation portions electrically contacts the electrode terminal portion of the first battery cell, and the remaining terminal contact portions of the remaining plurality of terminal accommodation portions contact the first surface of the first battery cell; and
wherein the external pack further comprises a variable barrier that engages a second surface of the first battery pack to as to urge the first battery pack in a first direction within the external pack and wherein the plurality of terminal accommodations portions that contact the first surface of the first battery are spaced apart in the first direction
wherein the external pack is box-shaped having an opening and includes a pack case including a plurality of cell receiving portions to receive the plurality of battery cells and a plate-shaped pack cover coupled to the opening of the pack case, the pack case having the first surface shaped of a rectangle facing the opening and a side surface portion extending a predetermined length from each cover of the first surface.

2. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the pack cover has one corner rotatably fixed to one side of the opening of the pack case to be rotatable about the one corner as a rotation shaft, and the other corner opposite to the one corner and fixed by a protrusion protruding from the other side of the opening.

3. The battery pack of claim 2 , wherein the one corner of the pack cover is fixed by a spring or hinge.

4. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the side surface portion of the pack case includes a first side surface, a second side surface facing the first side surface and parallel with the first side surface, and a third side surface and a fourth side surface connecting the first side surface and the second side surface.

5. The battery pack of claim 4 , wherein the pack case includes one or more partition walls arranged in parallel with the first side surface of the side surface portion and separating the inside of the pack case into the plurality of cell receiving portions.

6. The battery pack of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of cell receiving portions of the pack case further include variable barriers arranged in parallel with the third side surface and the fourth side surface and crossing the first side surface, the second side surface and the partition walls.

7. The battery pack of claim 6 , further comprising elastic members between the variable barriers and the third side surface.

8. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the electrode terminal portions of the plurality of battery cells each include a negative electrode terminal, a positive electrode terminal and an ID terminal.

9. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the external pack further includes a capacity display unit provided outside the external pack, the capacity display unit electrically connected to the plurality of terminal accommodating portions and displaying capacity levels of the plurality of battery cells measured from the plurality of terminal accommodating portions.

10. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the external pack further includes a plurality of switching devices for switching a connection method of the plurality of battery cells received in the external pack to series/parallel connection.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 , wherein the external pack further includes a series/parallel switch provided outside, the series/parallel switch electrically connected to the plurality of switching devices and controlling the plurality of switching devices to be driven.

12. The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the external pack further comprises:
an input port for supplying power for charging the plurality of battery cells; and
an output port for outputting power output when the plurality of battery cells are discharged.

13. A battery pack assembly comprising:
an external pack that defines a plurality of openings to receive a plurality of battery cells of different sizes wherein the plurality of battery cells each have an exposed electrode terminal;
a plurality of terminal accommodating portions formed on an interior surface of the plurality of openings in the external pack wherein the plurality of terminal accommodating portions are positioned so as to electrically connect with the exposed electrode terminals of the battery cells of different sizes; and
a plurality of variable barriers that are respectively positioned in the plurality of openings in the external pack wherein the plurality of variable barriers are movable within the openings to thereby urge the battery cells of different sizes into an orientation where the exposed electrode terminals are in contact with a corresponding terminal accommodating portion of the plurality of terminal accommodating portions wherein the plurality of variable barriers exert force against the plurality of batteries in a first direction and wherein the plurality of terminal accommodations portions are formed on the interior surface of the plurality of openings of the external pack so as to be spaced apart in the first direction,
wherein the external pack is box-shaped having an opening and includes a pack case including a plurality of cell receiving portions to receive the plurality of battery cells and a plate-shaped pack cover coupled to the opening of the pack case, the pack case having the first surface shaped of a rectangle facing the opening and a side surface portion extending a predetermined length from each cover of the first surface.

14. The battery pack assembly of claim 13 , wherein the external pack has two opposed side walls, a top and bottom wall, a front wall, and a back wall opposed to the front wall having an opening that receives the plurality of battery cells.

15. The battery pack assembly of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of terminal accommodating portions are formed on the front wall of the external pack so as to extend between the side walls.

16. The battery pack assembly of claim 14 , wherein the external pack includes partition walls that extend between the side walls so as to be substantially parallel to the top and bottom walls and wherein the plurality of partition walls define spaces that receive the plurality of battery cells.

17. The battery pack assembly of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of variable barriers are formed between the partition walls and are movable in a direction between the side walls.

18. The battery pack assembly of claim 17 , wherein the variable barriers are spring biased away from one side wall and towards the other side wall.

19. The battery pack assembly of claim 14 , further compris

Assignees

• Samsung Sdi Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cho Mansik

Classifications

• H01M10/488 Primary

  Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density · CPC title

• H01M50/267 Primary

  having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes · CPC title

• H01M50/50

  Current conducting connections for cells or batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/10

  Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings · CPC title

• H01M50/20 Primary

  Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders (structural combination of accumulators with charging apparatus H01M10/46) · CPC title