Battery connection device and method

Abstract

In one embodiment, the multi-cell clamping mechanism is clamped on a plurality of contact pieces aligned with corresponding battery cell terminals (e.g., positive and / or negative battery cell terminals). When clamped, the contact pieces are securely welded to the corresponding battery terminals through corresponding notches in the multi-cell clamping mechanism. In another embodiment, the multi-cell clamping mechanism is clamped on a conductive component coupled to a plurality of battery cell edges, which are configured as negative cell terminals. The corresponding negative contact piece is welded to the conductive component through the notch in the multi-cell clamping mechanism. In another embodiment, three (or more) battery cell terminals (e.g., positive or negative terminals) are coupled to a conductive strip of a contact piece welded to a bus bar.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 809,349, filed February 22, 2019, attorney docket number TIV-180009P1, and entitled “BATTERY CONNECTION DEVICE,” which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Embodiments relate to battery connection devices, particularly for batteries arranged in a battery module. Background Art

[0004] Energy storage systems may rely on battery cells to store electricity. For example, in some conventional electric vehicle (EV) designs (e.g., all-electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, etc.), a battery housing installed in the electric vehicle houses a plurality of battery cells (e.g., a plurality of battery cells may be individually installed in the battery housing or may be optionally installed in groups in respective battery modules, each battery module including a group of battery cells, and each battery module is installed in the battery housing). The battery modules in the battery housing are connected to a battery junction box (BJB) via bus bars to distribute electrical energy to the electric motor that drives the electric vehicle, as well as various other electrical components of the electric vehicle (e.g., radio, console, vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, interior lights, exterior lights such as headlights and brake lights, etc.). Summary of the invention

[0005] One embodiment relates to a battery connection device for a battery module, comprising: a first battery cell comprising a first terminal, a second battery cell comprising a second terminal, at least one bus bar comprising a first contact piece aligned with the first terminal and a second contact piece aligned with the second terminal, and a multi-cell clamping mechanism comprising a first part clamped on the first contact piece and a second part clamped on the second contact piece, wherein the first contact piece is welded to the first terminal through a first notch in the first part of the multi-cell clamping mechanism, and the second contact piece is welded to the second terminal through a second notch in the second part of the multi-cell clamping mechanism.

[0006] Another embodiment relates to a method for assembling a battery module, comprising aligning a first contact piece of at least one bus bar with a first terminal of a first battery cell, aligning a second contact piece of at least one bus bar with a second terminal of a second battery cell, clamping a multi-cell clamping mechanism on the first and second contact pieces so that the first and second contact pieces are fixed to the first and second terminals, welding the first contact piece to the first terminal through a first notch in a first portion of the multi-cell clamping mechanism during clamping, and welding the second contact piece to the second terminal through a second notch in a second portion of the multi-cell clamping mechanism during clamping.

[0007] Another embodiment relates to a battery connection device for a battery module, comprising: a first battery cell including a first positive terminal and a first battery cell edge arranged as a first negative terminal, a second battery cell including a second positive terminal and a second battery cell edge arranged as a second negative terminal, a conductive component coupled to the first and second battery cell edges, a bus bar including a negative contact sheet, and a multi-cell clamping mechanism clamped on the conductive component, wherein the negative contact sheet is welded to a welding interface of the conductive component exposed through a notch in the multi-cell clamping mechanism.

[0008] Another embodiment relates to a battery connection device for a battery module, comprising: a first battery cell including a first terminal, a second battery cell including a second terminal, a third battery cell including a third terminal, a conductive component coupled to the first, second and third terminals, and a bus bar including a contact piece welded to a welding interface of the conductive component. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] By referring to the detailed description below in conjunction with the following drawings, the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more easily understood and a complete understanding of these embodiments can be obtained. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In the drawings:

[0010] Figure 1 An example of a metal ion (eg, lithium ion) battery is shown in which the components, materials, methods, other techniques, or combinations thereof described herein may be employed according to various embodiments.

[0011] Figure 2 1 . . . , a high-level electrical schematic diagram of a battery module formed by P battery groups (parallel battery groups) 1 . . . N connected in series according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 3 shows the battery module after the battery cells are inserted during assembly.

[0013] 4A-4C illustrate the general arrangement of contact plates relative to battery cells of a battery module.

[0014] FIG. 5 shows an example of the layers of a conventional multi-layer contact board.

[0015] Figure 6 A battery cell connection structure of a battery module according to an aspect of the present invention is shown.

[0016] Figures 7A-7C It shows an embodiment according to the present invention Figure 6 Various finger bus bars in the battery cell connection structure.

[0017] Fig.7D An example battery module configuration is shown in which sixteen (16) different bus bar (or finger) types are used, some of which include a single positive contact tab, some include two positive contact tabs, and some include three positive contact tabs.

[0018] Figure 8 A multi-unit clamping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0019] Fig. 9 A multi-unit clamping mechanism according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0020] Fig. 10A A side view depicting a negative contact tab welded to a corresponding negative battery cell terminal is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Fig. 10B A side view depicting a negative contact tab welded to a corresponding negative battery cell terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Fig.11A The clamping mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0023] Fig. 11B A three-unit clamping mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Fig. 11C An assembling process of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Fig. 12A A battery cell connection structure of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0026] Fig. 12B Shown according to Fig. 12A The busbars are deployed in the battery cell connection structure.

[0027] Fig. 12C The embodiment of the present invention is shown Fig. 12B A side view of a battery cell connection structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be presented below and in the accompanying drawings. Alternative embodiments may also be contemplated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, the present invention will not describe well-known elements in detail, or will omit the description of these elements, so as not to obscure the description of the details that are meaningful to the present invention.

[0029] Energy storage systems can rely on batteries to store electricity. For example, in some conventional electric vehicle (EV) designs (e.g., all-electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, etc.), a battery housing installed in the electric vehicle houses a plurality of battery cells (e.g., a plurality of battery cells can be individually installed in the battery housing or optionally installed in respective battery modules in a grouped manner, each battery module including a group of battery cells, and each battery module is installed in the battery housing). The battery modules in the battery housing are connected to a battery junction box (BJB) via bus bars to distribute electrical energy to the electric motor that drives the electric vehicle, as well as various other electrical components of the electric vehicle (e.g., radio, console, vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, interior lights, exterior lights such as headlights and brake lights, etc.).

[0030] Figure 1 An example of a metal ion (e.g., lithium ion) battery is shown in which the components, materials, methods, other techniques, or combinations thereof described herein may be applied according to various embodiments. Here, cylindrical battery cells are shown for illustration purposes, but other types of batteries including prismatic batteries or pouch batteries (sheet type) may also be used as desired. The example battery 100 includes a negative electrode (anode) 102, a positive electrode (cathode) 103, a separator 104 disposed between the anode 102 and the cathode 103, an electrolyte impregnated with the separator 104 (illustrated implicitly), a battery case 105, and a sealing element 106 that seals the battery case 105.

[0031] Embodiments of the present invention relate to various configurations of battery modules that can be deployed as part of an energy storage system. In one example, although not explicitly shown in the figure, multiple battery modules according to any embodiment described herein can be deployed for an energy storage system (e.g., by being connected in series to provide a higher voltage to the energy storage system, or by being connected in parallel to provide a higher current to the energy storage system, or by a combination of these two methods).

[0032] Figure 2 1 is a high-level electrical schematic diagram of a battery module 200 composed of P battery groups (parallel battery groups) 1 ... N connected in series according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one example, N can be an integer greater than or equal to 2 (for example, if N = 2, then Figure 1The intermediate P battery groups marked as 2...N-1 in the figure may be omitted). Each P battery group includes battery cells 1...M connected in parallel (for example, the structure of each battery cell is as follows: Figure 1 100). The negative terminal of the first P battery group (or P battery group 1) connected in series is connected to the negative terminal 205 of the battery module 200, and the positive terminal of the last P battery group (or P battery group N) connected in series is connected to the positive terminal 210 of the battery module 200. In this document, a battery module can be characterized by the number of P battery groups connected in series therein. Specifically, a battery module with 2 P battery groups connected in series is called a "2S" system; a battery module with 3 P battery groups connected in series is called a "3S" system; and so on.

[0033] FIG3 shows a battery module 300 after a battery cell 305 is inserted during assembly. In some designs, the positive terminals (cathode) and negative terminals (anode) of the battery cells in the battery module 300 can be located on the same side (e.g., the top side). For example, the central battery cell "head" can correspond to the positive terminal, and the battery cell edge surrounding the battery cell head can correspond to the negative terminal. In such a battery module, each P battery group is electrically connected in series with each other through multiple contact plates located above the battery cells 305.

[0034] 4A-4C illustrate the general arrangement of contact plates relative to battery cells of a battery module. As shown in FIG4A-4C, in some designs, the contact plates may be arranged on top of the battery cells in close proximity to the positive and negative terminals of the corresponding battery cells.

[0035] The contact plate can be constructed in a variety of ways. For example, the contact plate can be constructed as a solid aluminum or copper block, wherein joint connectors are spot welded between the contact plate and the positive and negative terminals of the battery cell. Alternatively, a multi-layer contact plate with an integrated battery cell terminal connection layer can also be used.

[0036] FIG5 shows an example of the layers of a conventional multi-layer contact plate. In FIG5 , the multi-layer contact plate 500 includes a flexible battery cell terminal connection layer 505 sandwiched between a top conductive plate 510 and a bottom conductive plate 515. In one example, the top conductive plate 510 and the bottom conductive plate 515 can be constructed as solid copper plates or aluminum plates (such as alloys of copper or aluminum), and the flexible battery cell terminal connection layer 505 is constructed as a foil layer (such as steel foil or Hilumin (electroplated nickel diffusion annealed steel) foil). A number of holes (such as holes 520) are punched in the top conductive plate 510 and the bottom conductive plate 515, and some portions of the flexible battery cell terminal connection layer 505 extend out of and into the holes 520. During the battery module assembly process, a portion of the flexible battery cell terminal connection layer 505 extending into the holes 520 can then be pressed down to contact the positive or negative terminals of one or more battery cells disposed below the holes 520, and then a mechanically stable electrical connection from the plate to the terminal is obtained by welding.

[0037] 5 , the layers of the multilayer contact board 500 can be connected by soldering or brazing (e.g., by applying a solder paste or brazing paste between the layers before applying heat), thereby forming soldered or brazed “welds” between the layers. These welds simultaneously achieve: (1) mechanical connection between the layers of the multilayer contact board 500; and (2) electrical connection between the layers of the multilayer contact board 500.

[0038] 5, one of the advantages of constructing the flexible battery cell terminal connection layer 505 with a different material (such as steel or Hilumin) than the surrounding top conductive plate 510 and bottom conductive plate 515 (such as copper, aluminum or alloys thereof) is that welding for battery cell terminal connection can be achieved through similar metals. For example, battery cell terminals are generally made of steel or Hilumin. However, steel is not a particularly good conductor. Therefore, the top conductive plate 510 and the bottom conductive plate 515 are made of a material (such as copper, aluminum or alloys thereof) that is more conductive than steel, and steel is used in the flexible battery cell terminal connection layer 505 to avoid welding completely different metals together for the connection of battery cell terminals.

[0039] In an alternative embodiment of the contact plate structure depicted in FIG5 , instead of sandwiching a terminal connection foil layer between two solid plates, the contact plate (e.g., made of copper, aluminum, or alloys thereof, but the contact plate may also be a multilayer structure) may be plated with a thin layer of a different metal (e.g., steel or Hilumin) that is suitable for welding to one or more battery cell terminals. The plated contact plate may have a specific portion by local stamping or etching, which (1) may be flexibly movable, or (2) may be configured to be fused, or (3) may be suitable for welding to the battery cell terminals.

[0040] Figure 6 1 shows a battery cell connection structure 600 of a battery module according to an aspect of the present invention. The battery cell connection structure 600 may be arranged on a battery cell ( Figure 6 4A-4C ). Figure 6 The battery cell connection structure 600 includes a plurality of bus bars 605, 610, and 620, each of which is arranged with (or coupled to) a plurality of positive contact sheets 625 and a negative contact sheet assembly (eg, including washers, pins, and Hilumin metal sheets) 630. Figure 6 In a particular "three-cell" design, each positive contact tab 625 is configured to be electrically connected directly to the respective positive terminal of one particular battery cell (e.g., the internal cell "head" on the top side of the battery cell), and each negative contact tab 630 is configured to be connected to the respective negative terminals of three battery cells (e.g., contacting a portion of the negative cell "edge" on the top side of the battery cell). Although Figure 6 Not shown, not all cells need to be grouped according to the three-cell design (eg, cells at either end of a bus bar may be grouped differently due to spacing limitations, etc.).

[0041] refer to Figure 6 , each of the busbars 605-620 is arranged as a series of linked "fingers" with all contact pieces arranged on the fingers. An insulating layer 635 is also included to help electrically insulate the busbars 605-620 from each other and from the battery terminals located below. As described above, the busbars 605-620 can collectively function to connect the P battery packs of specific parallel-connected battery cells in series. In some designs, the various negative contact pieces may correspond to non-sandwich protrusions of the "sandwich" terminal connection layer (e.g., steel or Hilumin) integrated into the corresponding busbar. In other words, in this example, the negative contact piece (or negative contact piece assembly) is not welded or fixed to the busbar 605-620, but extends from a hole defined in the top / bottom clamping plate (e.g., made of copper or aluminum) of the busbar structure. However, in other designs, the various negative contact pieces may be welded or otherwise fixed to the busbar instead (as opposed to being integrally formed into the busbar as a protruding non-sandwich portion of the sandwich).

[0042] Figures 7A-7C It shows an embodiment according to the present invention Figure 6 The various finger-shaped bus bars 605-620 in the battery cell connection structure 600. It is understood that the number of contact pieces can vary based on the finger type. The finger type shown in FIG. 7 includes two positive contact pieces 700 and a single cell negative contact piece 703, Figure 7BThe finger type shown in FIG. 7 includes three positive contact tabs 705-710 and a single multi-cell negative contact tab 715 that is configured to connect to the negative terminals of three different battery cells, and Figure 7C The finger type shown in the diagram includes a single positive contact 720 and a single multi-cell negative contact 725, which are configured to connect to the negative terminals of two different battery cells. In one example, these single fingers can be electrically connected to each other to maintain substantially the same voltage level in a particular P battery pack.

[0043] It should also be understood that additional finger types may be used depending on the specific battery module configuration being used. Fig.7D An example battery module structure is shown in which sixteen (16) different bus bar (or finger) types are used, some of which include a single positive contact tab, some include two positive contact tabs, and some include three positive contact tabs. In addition, Fig.7D The negative contact sheet (or negative contact sheet assembly) of each busbar type in can be configured to connect to a single negative cell terminal, two negative cell terminals, or three negative cell terminals. Therefore, the various finger types described herein are non-limiting examples, and a variety of finger type structures can be used.

[0044] Figure 8 800 is a three-cell clamping mechanism that helps weld the corresponding contact pieces to the positive and negative cell terminals of three corresponding battery cells. Figure 8 In the example of FIG. 8 , the multi-unit clamping mechanism 800 helps to clamp the conductive component (e.g., including a flat portion or a metal sheet component and a conductive pin) by applying a clamping force to it to fix the metal sheet component while welding the negative contact piece of the bus bar to the pin. Figure 8 As shown, it is assumed that the inner cell "head" of each cell corresponds to the positive terminal, and the outer cell "edge" of each cell corresponds to the negative terminal, so that the positive and negative terminals are arranged at the same end of the cylindrical cell.

[0045] refer to Figure 8, the multi-cell clamping mechanism 800 is arranged with four different parts, wherein three outer parts surround the positive cell terminals of the three battery cells, and the inner part is arranged above the negative cell terminals of the three battery cells. In one example, the inner and outer parts of the multi-cell clamping mechanism 800 can be formed of an electrically insulating material such as plastic. In addition, each of the three outer parts includes notches represented as 805, 810 and 815, respectively, and the inner clamping part includes three notches that expose the corresponding metal sheet component 820. In one example, the notches 805-815 can be used to facilitate the direct welding of the positive contact sheet (not shown) to the positive cell terminal through the notch. The notch in the metal sheet component 820 can define a welding cavity (or welding area) for the metal sheet component 820, for example, the metal sheet component 820 is welded three times (once in each cavity), which causes the metal sheet component 820 to be welded to the respective negative cell edges). In one example, the welding in the welding cavity can be performed during module assembly or alternatively as a pre-assembly process. Each of the three outer portions can surround a corresponding positive cell terminal and can provide short circuit protection and alignment on the battery stack (e.g., to hold the positive contact tab in place during welding). For example, the outer portion surrounding the positive cell terminal of the three battery cells can be arranged to be higher than the battery head or battery edge and can serve as a separator (or wall) between the corresponding positive and negative cell terminals of each battery, for example, to increase electrical creepage distance, prevent sparks from welding, etc.

[0046] Another example Figure 8 , which shows a conductive pin 825 (e.g., made of aluminum or copper in one example) that can be welded to a metal sheet component 820, which can be used to improve the electrical connection to the corresponding negative contact sheet. As will be described in more detail below, during battery module assembly, the pin 825 can be welded to the negative contact sheet. The metal sheet component and the conductive pin 825 can be collectively referred to as a conductive component herein.

[0047] Fig. 9 FIG. 9 is a multi-unit pressing mechanism 900 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Except for the internal part, the structure of the multi-unit pressing mechanism 900 is similar to Figure 8 The multi-unit clamping mechanism 800 is shown. The metal sheet member 920 (or flat portion) is exposed to allow for the Figure 8 In the case of the welding cavity shown, the welding is carried out in the corresponding welding area to the corresponding cell edge. Fig. 9 In one embodiment, sheet metal member 920 includes cutouts (or slits) to allow clamping by some other mechanism.

[0048] Reference Figure 8-9, the multi-cell clamping mechanisms 800 and 900 can be pre-assembled before assembling the battery module, so that three battery cells (and their associated multi-cell clamping mechanisms) are placed into the battery module as a single pre-assembled component. In some designs, the sheet metal components can also be welded to the corresponding battery cell edges through the notches in the multi-cell clamping mechanisms 800 and 900 before assembling the battery module.

[0049] Reference Figure 8-9 , the welding interface between the conductive parts (e.g., the flat portion and the pin) is the conductive pin 825. In other designs, the conductive pin 825 can be replaced by a component having a different shape (e.g., different from the pin shape, such as a tapered shape, a curved shape, etc.). In some designs, the welding interface (pin-shaped or other shape) can generally protrude upward from the flat portion and may be wrapped by a portion of the multi-unit clamping mechanism 800 and 900, for example, to fix the welding interface in place during welding.

[0050] Figure 8-9 While a three-cell example of multi-cell clamping mechanisms 800 and 900 is depicted, in other designs, multi-cell clamping mechanisms 800 and 900 may be modified to accommodate a different number of battery cells (eg, a two-cell multi-cell clamping mechanism, a four-cell multi-cell clamping mechanism, etc.).

[0051] Fig. 10A A side view depicting a negative contact tab welded to a corresponding negative battery cell terminal is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10A In the embodiment, the sheet metal component 1000A (eg, Figure 8 The sheet metal component 820, or Fig. 9 The sheet metal member 920) is welded to the pin 1005A (e.g., an aluminum pin or a copper pin, such as Figure 8-9 Pin 825) Although Fig. 10A Not shown, three battery cells may be arranged below the metal sheet component 1000A, and the metal sheet component 1000A may be welded to the negative cell edges of the three battery cells. The negative contact sheet 1010A of the bus bar is arranged on top of the metal sheet component 1000A, and the insulating layer 1015A in the middle layer is used for electrical insulation. Fig. 10A In the embodiment of , a hole is defined in the negative contact sheet 1010A, and the pin 1005A protrudes into the hole. The washer 1020A is integrated into the negative contact sheet 1010A and is wrapped around the pin 1005A for tolerance compensation. Fig. 10A In the example shown, the negative contact sheet 1010A is welded to the pin 1005A via welds (W1, W2) across the gasket 1020A at the inner and outer portions of the gasket 1020A. Fig. 10AAs is clearly shown in the side view of , multiple welds can be applied (e.g., 3 welds, with one weld for each weld cavity or unit connection, 6 welds, with two welds for each weld cavity or unit connection, etc.).

[0052] Fig. 10B FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a negative contact tab welded to a corresponding negative battery cell terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10B In the embodiment, the sheet metal component 1000B (for example, Figure 8 The sheet metal component 820, or Fig. 9 The sheet metal member 920) is welded to a pin 1005B (e.g., an aluminum pin or a copper pin, such as Figure 8-9 pin 825). Although Fig. 10B Not shown, three battery cells may be arranged below the metal sheet component 1000B, and the metal sheet component 1000B may be welded to the negative electrode cell edges of the three battery cells. The negative electrode contact sheet 1010B of the bus bar is arranged on top of the metal sheet component 1000B, and the insulating layer 1015B in the middle layer is used for electrical insulation. Fig. 10B In the embodiment, no Fig. 10A In contrast, the negative contact tab 1010B is pressed down onto the pin 1005B and then welded to the pin 1005B by a single weld (W1). A nominal overlap (e.g., 0.3-0.8 mm) is defined between the pin 1005B and the negative contact tab 1010B at the weld location. In some designs, the nominal overlap can be minimized to improve the connection between the negative contact tab 1010B and the pin 1005B at the weld location.

[0053] Fig.11A FIG. 1 shows a clamping mechanism 1100A according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.11A Reference Fig.11A , depending on the battery cell arrangement of the battery module, the three-cell clamping mechanism 1105A-1110A (refer to Fig. 11B Detailed description) can be deployed with other clamping mechanisms (e.g., single-unit clamping mechanisms 1115A-1120A, etc.). Fig.11A 1115A depicts a positive single-unit clamping mechanism, while 1120A depicts a negative single-unit clamping mechanism.

[0054] Fig. 11B FIG. 1 shows a three-unit clamping mechanism 1100B according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11B, busbars 1105B and 1110B are arranged above a group of three battery cells. Busbar 1105B includes positive contact sheets 1115B, 1120B, and 1125B arranged above the group of three battery cells, and busbar 1110B includes negative contact sheet 1130B. Negative contact sheet 1130B is arranged on a conductive member 1135B (e.g., a metal sheet member, which may correspond to Fig. 9 The exposed portion of the metal sheet member 920 is disposed above the negative electrode cell edge 1138B and is coupled to the negative electrode cell edge 1138B of the same group of three battery cells.

[0055] A multi-unit clamping mechanism is further depicted, whereby the multi-unit clamping mechanism includes a first portion 1140B clamped onto the positive contact sheet 1115B, a second portion 1145B clamped onto the positive contact sheet 1120B, a third portion 1150B clamped onto the positive contact sheet 1125B, and a fourth portion 1155B clamped onto the negative contact sheet 1130B.

[0056] Reference Fig. 11B , each portion 1140B-1155B of the multi-cell clamping mechanism includes a corresponding notch through which a welding operation can be performed to weld the associated contact sheet to one or more battery cell terminals ( Fig. 11B The clamping pressure applied by the multi-cell clamping mechanism can help secure the corresponding contact tabs to the corresponding battery cell terminals during the welding operation. In some designs, the multi-cell clamping mechanism can be removed (at least partially) after welding, while in other designs, the multi-cell clamping mechanism can remain as part of the battery module after welding.

[0057] Reference Fig. 11B , describes the design of a three-unit multi-unit clamping mechanism, and a multi-unit clamping mechanism according to other embodiments may include any number of unit arrangements (e.g., a single unit, two units, four units, etc.). In one example, Fig. 11B The multi-unit compression mechanism depicted in can include electrically insulating materials, such as plastic.

[0058] Fig. 11C FIG. 1 shows an assembly process 1100C of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one example, the battery module assembly process 1100C can be used to produce Figures 11A-11B The module arrangement depicted in .

[0059] refer to Fig. 11C, in 1105C, a first contact piece of at least one bus bar is aligned with a first terminal of a first battery cell. In 1110C, a second contact piece of at least one bus bar is aligned with a second terminal of a second battery cell. In 1115C, a multi-cell clamping mechanism (e.g., made of an electrically insulating material such as plastic) is clamped on the first and second contact pieces so that the first and second contact pieces are fixed to the first and second terminals. In 1120C, during the clamping of 1115C, the first contact piece is welded (e.g., laser welded, etc.) to the first terminal through a first notch in a first portion of the multi-cell clamping mechanism. In 1125C, during the clamping of 1115C, the second contact piece is welded (e.g., laser welded, etc.) to the second terminal through a second notch in a second portion of the multi-cell clamping mechanism.

[0060] from Figures 11A-11B It can be understood from the description that the first and second terminals can be positive terminals (e.g., arranged below the positive contact sheets 1115-1125B, etc.), or the first terminal can be a positive terminal (e.g., arranged below one of the positive contact sheets 1115-1125B, etc.) and the second terminal can be a negative terminal (e.g., arranged below the negative contact sheet 1130B, etc.). In some designs, one of the first and second contact sheets can be a multi-terminal contact sheet coupled to the negative terminals of the first and second battery cells, for example, the negative contact sheet 1130B is indirectly coupled to the three battery cells by welding to the conductive component 1135B. In some designs, the multi-cell clamping mechanism includes multiple portions aligned with the corresponding multiple positive terminals of the corresponding multiple battery cells, and the multi-cell clamping mechanism includes a single portion (e.g., 1155B) aligned with the corresponding multiple negative terminals of the corresponding multiple battery cells.

[0061] Fig. 12A FIG. 2 shows a battery cell connection structure of a battery module according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6-11B In the battery cell connection structure design depicted in , a metal sheet member is used to facilitate welding of the negative contact piece to multiple negative cell terminals and each positive contact piece is connected to a single positive cell terminal. In contrast, in Fig. 12A In the battery cell connection structure, the multi-cell contact sheet structure is applied to both the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

[0062] refer to Fig. 12A , the first sheet metal member 1200A is welded to the first pin 1205A for negative cell terminal connection, which is Figure 8-10B Similar. Reference Fig. 12A, the second sheet metal member 1210A is also welded to the second pin 1215A for positive cell terminal connection. In one example, the first and second sheet metal members 1200A and 1210A may be integrally formed into the insulating plate 1220A, rather than being pre-assembled with the battery cell.

[0063] Fig. 12B Shown according to Fig. 12A The busbars are deployed in the battery cell connection structure. Fig. 12B As shown, bus bars 1200B are each welded to the positive and negative pins of the corresponding metal plate members to achieve a similar Figure 6 The P battery groups are interconnected as those depicted in FIG. Figures 12A-12B One advantage of the battery cell connection structure depicted in FIG. 1 is that the bus bar 1200B is smaller than Figure 6 , thereby reducing costs. However, sheet metal component 1210A includes a relatively long connection between pin 1215A and the positive cell head of the battery cell, which may result in power losses (e.g., because steel is a poorer conductor than copper or aluminum used in bus bar 1200B). Fig. 12B As shown, a gasket 1205B (e.g., similar to the above with respect to Fig. 10A 1205B is shown for the negative pin, but in some designs the washer may be similarly used for the positive pin.

[0064] Fig. 12C The embodiment of the present invention is shown Fig. 12B A side view of a battery cell connection structure. Fig. 12C , a conductive interconnect structure or “ribbon” 1200C (eg, made of aluminum or copper in an example) is welded across the bus bars belonging to a particular P battery pack, which can facilitate current compensation. Fig. 12C It also shows more clearly that in addition to Fig. 12B 12. The washer 1210C used at the "positive" pin connection is in addition to the washer 1205B used at the "negative" pin connection in FIG. 12. Battery cell 1215C is also visible in the side view of FIG.

[0065] exist Figure 8-11B In the present invention, a battery connection device is described in which a conductive component includes a flat portion (e.g., formed from a metal sheet) coupled to multiple negative cell terminals and includes a welding interface (e.g., a conductive pin comprising aluminum or copper), while each positive contact piece is directly welded to a corresponding positive cell terminal (e.g., a battery cell head). Figures 12A-12CAn alternative battery connection arrangement is depicted whereby a conductive component (e.g., comprising a metal plate component 1210A coupled to a corresponding positive terminal and a pin 1215A serving as a welding interface for welding to the bus bar) is used to reduce the weld connection between the bus bar and the positive battery terminal (e.g., the bus bar can be welded to the terminal in a single weld, rather than three welds). Figure 8-11B Negative battery connection device described and / or related Figures 12A-12C The described positive battery connection device can be characterized as a battery connection device for a battery module, which includes: a first battery cell including a first terminal (e.g., a positive terminal or a negative terminal), a second battery cell including a second terminal (e.g., a positive terminal or a negative terminal), a third battery cell including a third terminal (e.g., a positive terminal or a negative terminal), and a third battery cell coupled to the first, second, and third terminals (e.g., Figure 8 820-825 of , or Fig. 12A 1210A-1215A) in the figure, and a bus bar (e.g., 1010A-1010B, 1200B, etc.), the bus bar including a contact sheet welded to the welding interface of the conductive component.

[0066] Any numerical range described herein with respect to any embodiment of the present invention is intended not only to define the upper and lower limits of the relevant numerical range, but also to implicitly disclose the unit or increment of each discrete value in the range, which is consistent with the precision level characterizing the upper and lower limits. For example, the numerical distance range from 7nm to 20nm (i.e., with a precision level of 1 as a unit or increment) covers the set [7, 8, 9, 10, ..., 19, 20] (in nm), just as the intermediate numbers 8 to 19 are explicitly disclosed in units or increments of 1. In another example, the percentage numerical range of 30.92% to 47.44% (i.e., with a precision level of one percent or a step size) covers the set [30.92, 30.93, 30.94, ..., 47.43, 47.44] (in units of %), just as the intermediate numerical values ​​30.92 to 47.44 are explicitly disclosed in units or increments of percentages. Therefore, any intermediate values ​​encompassed by any disclosed numerical range are intended to be understood as equivalent to being explicitly disclosed, and any such intermediate values ​​may thus themselves constitute the upper and / or lower limits of a sub-range falling within the stated numerical range. Therefore, each sub-range (e.g., each smaller range having at least one intermediate value of the larger range as an upper and / or lower limit) is intended to be understood as being implicitly disclosed by virtue of the explicit disclosure of the larger range.

[0067] The above description is intended to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be understood that it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications to these embodiments are made, and therefore the present invention is not limited to the specific formulations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein. That is, the general principles given herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A battery connection device for a battery module, characterized in that: The battery connection device comprises: A battery cell, wherein the positive terminal and the negative terminal are arranged on the same side; the battery cell comprises a first battery cell and a second battery cell, wherein the first battery cell comprises a first positive terminal and a first battery cell edge arranged as a first negative terminal, and the second battery cell comprises a second positive terminal and a second battery cell edge arranged as a second negative terminal; a conductive member coupled to the first battery cell edge and the second battery cell edge; a bus bar including a negative contact piece and a positive contact piece; and A multi-unit clamping mechanism, clamped on the conductive component, Wherein, the negative electrode contact piece is welded to the welding interface of the conductive component, and the conductive component is exposed through the notch in the multi-unit clamping mechanism; the positive electrode contact piece is welded to the positive terminal of the corresponding battery cell.

2. The battery connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery unit further comprises: a third battery cell including a third positive terminal and a third battery cell edge arranged as a third negative terminal, The conductive member is also coupled to the third battery cell edge.

3. The battery connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conductive member includes a flat portion in direct contact with the first battery cell edge and the second battery cell edge, and The welding interface is arranged as a conductive pin.

4. The battery connection device according to claim 3, characterized in that: A portion of the multi-unit clamping mechanism is wrapped around the conductive pin.

5. The battery connection device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flat portion includes a first welding region exposed by the multi-unit pressing mechanism and welded to the first negative terminal, and The flat portion includes a second welding region exposed by the multi-unit pressing mechanism and welded to the second negative terminal.

6. The battery connection device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flat portion includes a metal sheet, and the conductive pin includes aluminum or copper.

7. The battery connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-unit pressing mechanism is formed of an electrically insulating material.

8. The battery connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first positive terminal is surrounded by an edge of the first battery cell, and The multi-cell clamping mechanism includes a first portion disposed as a wall between the first positive terminal and an edge of the first battery cell.

9. The battery connection device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second positive terminal is surrounded by an edge of the second battery cell, and The multi-cell pressing mechanism includes a second portion arranged as a wall between the second positive terminal and an edge of the second battery cell.

10. The battery connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before assembling the battery module, the multi-cell pressing mechanism and the conductive component are pre-assembled with the first battery cell and the second battery cell.

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