Battery module without fasteners

Abstract

The present invention is entitled a fastener-free battery module. The present invention discloses a battery system comprising battery cells arranged and adhered to a carrier. One or more side walls are bonded to the battery cells with an adhesive to provide support, and a collector assembly is also adhered to one axial side of the battery cells. One or more isolation walls may be included to maintain electrical isolation between battery cell groups connected in parallel. The other axial side of the battery cells is adhered to a cooling plate. A similar structure is bonded to the other side of the cooling plate with an adhesive to form a compact battery system. Shear walls, busbars, terminal busbars, and an isolation bracket with an installed electronic control unit are bonded to the assembly with an adhesive to form the battery system. Each adhesive or each type of adhesive may exhibit specified standards and requirements, such as strength, thermal conductivity, electronic conductivity, curing requirements, or a combination thereof.

Description

[0001] introduction

[0002] The present disclosure relates to fastener-free battery modules, and more particularly to battery modules assembled using adhesives to reduce or avoid the use of fasteners. Summary of the invention

[0003] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a device comprising a plurality of battery cells, a carrier, a current collector, a side wall and a cooling plate assembled using an adhesive. The plurality of battery cells are configured to provide electrical energy. The carrier is configured to maintain the alignment of the plurality of battery cells. In some embodiments, the carrier comprises a plurality of grooves configured to receive a plurality of battery cells on a first side of the carrier. The current collector is configured to be electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells to form one or more buses. The side wall is configured to provide structural support to the device. The cooling plate is configured to transfer heat from the plurality of battery cells and to provide structural support to the device. The first type of adhesive bonds the first side of the carrier to the plurality of battery cells, the second type of adhesive bonds the side wall to the plurality of battery cells, the third type of adhesive bonds the current collector to the second side of the carrier, and the fourth type of adhesive bonds the plurality of battery cells to the cooling plate.

[0004] In some embodiments, the device includes a plurality of separator walls bonded to the carrier using a first type of adhesive and configured to maintain separation of the plurality of battery cells.

[0005] In some embodiments, the sidewall includes at least one short side bonded to the plurality of battery cells using a second type of adhesive, and at least one long side bonded to the plurality of battery cells using a second type of adhesive and a third type of adhesive. For example, in some embodiments, the sidewall includes one or more sections to provide support, isolation, or both to the battery cells.

[0006] In some embodiments, the first type of adhesive and the second type of adhesive are the same type of adhesive. In some embodiments, the second type of adhesive includes a fast-curing adhesive and a slow-curing adhesive, and the first type of adhesive and the slow-curing adhesive are the same adhesive.

[0007] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a method for assembling a battery system without the use of fasteners. The method includes: applying an adhesive to respective components; and positioning the components. In some embodiments, the method includes: applying a first type of adhesive to at least one of a carrier and a plurality of battery cells; and positioning the plurality of battery cells in respective grooves of the carrier. The first type of adhesive bonds the plurality of battery cells to the carrier. In some embodiments, the method includes: applying a second type of adhesive to at least one of a side surface of a side wall and a side surface of a plurality of battery cells; and positioning the side surface of the side wall against the plurality of battery cells. The second type of adhesive bonds the side wall to the side surface of the plurality of battery cells. In some embodiments, the first type of adhesive and the second type of adhesive are the same type of adhesive. In some embodiments, the second type of adhesive includes a fast-curing adhesive and a slow-curing adhesive, and the first type of adhesive and the slow-curing adhesive are the same adhesive. In some embodiments, the method includes: applying a third type of adhesive to at least one of a collector assembly and a carrier; and positioning the collector assembly against the second side of the carrier. The third type of adhesive bonds the collector assembly to the carrier. In some embodiments, the method includes: applying a fourth type of adhesive to at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the cooling plate; and positioning the plurality of battery cells against the cooling plate. The fourth type of adhesive bonds the plurality of battery cells to the cooling plate. In some embodiments, the method includes: applying the first type of adhesive followed by applying the fourth type of adhesive.

[0008] In some embodiments, the method includes: applying an adhesive to at least one of a shear wall and a side wall; and positioning the shear wall against the side wall. A fifth type of adhesive bonds the shear wall to the side wall to provide structural support to the plurality of battery cells.

[0009] In some embodiments, the method includes electrically coupling a current collector assembly to a plurality of battery cells to form one or more busses. For example, the current collector assembly may include current collectors configured to couple subsets of battery cells in parallel with each other and in series with other subsets.

[0010] In some embodiments, the method includes: applying an adhesive to bond at least one terminal bus bar to the side wall; and positioning at least one terminal bus bar against the side wall. The at least one terminal bus bar is configured to be electrically coupled to a plurality of battery cells. In some embodiments, the method includes: applying an adhesive to bond at least one terminal bus bar to the side wall and the cooling plate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method includes: applying an adhesive to bond the bus bar to the sidewall; and positioning the bus bar against the sidewall. The bus bar is configured to be electrically coupled to the current collector assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments, the method includes: positioning multiple battery cells in corresponding grooves of the carrier by laterally arranging the multiple battery cells; and axially pressing the multiple battery cells so that the bottom ends of the multiple battery cells on the far side of the carrier are substantially located in a plane parallel to the top plane of the carrier.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fourth type of adhesive is configured to transfer heat and shear stress between the plurality of battery cells and the cooling plate. In some embodiments, the first type of adhesive is configured to maintain electrical isolation between the carrier and the plurality of battery cells. In some embodiments, the second adhesive is configured to transfer heat and shear stress between the plurality of battery cells and the sidewall.

[0014] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a device comprising a battery submodule, a cooling plate, and a shear wall assembled using an adhesive. The battery submodule comprises a first battery submodule having a first plurality of battery cells and a second battery submodule having a second plurality of battery cells. The cooling plate is configured to transfer heat from the first plurality of battery cells and the second plurality of battery cells. The shear wall is configured to provide structural support. The first battery submodule is attached to the cooling plate using a first type of adhesive, the second battery submodule is attached to the cooling plate using a first type of adhesive, and the shear wall is attached to a first side surface of the first battery submodule and to a second side surface of the second battery submodule using a second type of adhesive.

[0015] In some embodiments, each battery submodule includes: a carrier bonded to a plurality of battery cells and configured to maintain alignment of the plurality of battery cells; a current collector electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells to form one or more bus lines; and a side wall bonded to the plurality of battery cells and configured to provide structural support to the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The present disclosure according to one or more various embodiments is described in detail with reference to the following drawings. The drawings are provided for illustrative purposes only and only show typical or exemplary embodiments. These drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the concepts disclosed herein, and these drawings should not be considered as limitations on the breadth, scope or applicability of these concepts. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of description, these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0017] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of an exemplary battery pack including a bonded joint according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0018] Figure 2 shows an exploded view of an exemplary battery module including two battery packs (eg, submodules) and a bonded joint according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 3 A flow chart showing an exemplary method for assembling a battery system using adhesives instead of fasteners according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an illustrative battery module with bus bars, brackets, and control circuitry according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0021] Figure 5 According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 4 A perspective view of an aspect of an illustrative battery module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) propelled solely by an electric drivetrain may have long charging times on the order of tens of minutes, and BEV manufacturers generally desire to increase the energy density of BEV battery packs. Higher energy density battery packs may have higher capacity-to-weight ratios and, therefore, enable longer vehicle ranges. Many BEV manufacturers rely heavily on the use of fasteners that take up valuable packaging space that could otherwise be filled with more battery cells. Therefore, there is a need to remove parts such as fasteners from battery packs and instead meet the same needs without taking up the packaging space they would otherwise require.

[0023] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a battery module design that relies almost entirely on adhesive for structural support. For example, structural load bearing joints may be coupled using only adhesive. In some embodiments, adhesive may be used for primary structural support, where fasteners are included for redundancy. For example, in some embodiments, a high voltage busbar of a battery module may include redundant push rod rivet nuts due to the potential severity of failures caused by the high temperatures that the busbar can reach in some cases, coupled with the potential occurrence.

[0024] In some embodiments, using adhesives rather than fasteners to join parts allows for filling gaps between parts and provides a substrate through which mechanical, thermal, and / or electrical loads can be transmitted. For example, each adhesive joint within a battery module can perform multiple functions during operation, including, for example: (1) transferring quasi-static loads between part A and part B; (2) transferring mechanical shock pulses between part A and part B; (3) transferring thermal energy between part A and part B; and (4) resisting the transfer of electrical energy between part A and part B.

[0025] To illustrate, even though some adhesives may be approximately three orders of magnitude (or more) denser than the air they displace between parts, packaging savings may still outweigh mass in overall energy density calculations because the additional clearance that would be required around the bolt head and threads to include more battery cells is saved compared to fasteners.

[0026] In an illustrative example, adhesives that meet the bonding criteria according to the present disclosure may be referred to as structural, thermal, electrical interface materials (STEIMs). For example, a typical adhesive may address only a few or only one of these (e.g., an adhesive that only has thermal management functions). To illustrate, the distinction between adhesives that are STEIMs versus thermal interface materials (TIMs) may be significant because verification of the functional performance of adhesives that meet structural, electrical, and thermal requirements can greatly impact the planning (e.g., test environment) by which their performance in a design must be verified.

[0027] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a group of adhesives including a thermal adhesive for bonding a battery cell structure to a cooling plate. For example, the thermal adhesive may exhibit a thermal conductivity range of 1 W / mK to 1.1 W / mK. In another example, the thermal conductivity may be limited to about 1.1 W / mK or less to prevent excessive thermal filler loads, thereby making the adhesive too fragile to reliably absorb shock and vibration loads during operation without breaking during the entire service life of the battery. In another example, the lap shear strength of a thermal adhesive configured to bond nickel-plated steel at the beginning of the operating life may be about 14 MPa, and the adhesive may be configured to absorb less than 2 weight % of water during a 2-hour long boiling water soak. In another example, the glass transition temperature of the thermal adhesive may be selected to exceed the maximum operating temperature of the battery cell by at least 30°C to reduce fatigue caused by cycling through the glass transition temperature during operation.

[0028] Suitable validation of a group of adhesives can help ensure that failure during operation is unlikely. For example, by specifying multiple requirements for each adhesive joint, the design verification plan (DVP) for each adhesive used in the design can be relatively more complex than previously seen in the adhesive industry. Traditionally, adhesives are selected for a single purpose (e.g., structural support or thermal interface management), but when these requirements are combined with, for example, dielectric requirements, the validation matrix can be (at least) tripled for each adhesive. For example, exemplary properties to be considered in the test matrix may include (1) bulk adhesive properties, (2) adhesive joint properties, and (3) degradation patterns during operation.

[0029] Bulk adhesive properties are typically available for examination of many off-the-shelf adhesives (e.g., and are generally relatively easy to determine). Material properties may include those related to mechanical strength during operation (e.g., lap shear, tensile strength, t-peel strength, modulus) and in simulations (e.g., Poisson's ratio, loss modulus), dielectric strength (e.g., in terms of dielectric breakdown voltage or volume and surface resistance), thermal properties (specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity), or combinations thereof. In accordance with the present disclosure, the group of bulk properties may be determined at all temperatures within the operating temperature range of the battery pack. For example, the properties may be determined directly or indirectly (e.g., determining a sufficient number of data points to generate a performance curve as a function of temperature). To illustrate, it may be desirable to perform testing in a thermal chamber over a temperature range from as low as -40°C to as high as 100°C.

[0030] If the verification scheme is divided into the relevant requirements of all individual joints of the battery module, the test matrix may become more complex. For example, a single adhesive can be used for multiple joints and can be directly bonded to a variety of different materials, such as, for example, polycarbonate, epoxy powder coated aluminum, stainless steel, nickel-plated steel, nylon, aluminum, any other suitable material used in the battery module, or any combination thereof. During the development test, the strength of the adhesive bond to each of these substrates can be determined. For example, since shear strength can be the main characteristic of the adhesive, the joint can be designed to load shear forces, and the strength to these substrates should be measured with a lap shear test in a suitable material testing device. In another example, in the case where the joint is expected to be loaded mainly in T peeling (e.g., a linear tensile load at the end of the joint), a suitable T peel test can be performed alternatively. In some cases, the bulk adhesive strength may exceed the bonding strength to a specific surface, and therefore process parameters can be identified to increase the bonding strength to the surface (e.g., before generating the final part tool). In some such cases, stress fractures can develop along the surface bonded by the adhesive and can spread rapidly during operation due to degradation factors. To address the possibility of insufficient bond strength, in some embodiments, one or more process parameters are modified, such as, for example, surface roughness (e.g., greater roughness generally results in greater adhesion), surface activation energy (e.g., higher energy generally results in greater adhesion), surface cleanliness (e.g., fewer particles and oils on the surface generally result in greater adhesion), any other suitable parameter that can affect bonding, or any combination thereof. In an illustrative example, the process steps or changes may include: acid etching the part tool for the surface, plasma treating the surface prior to adhesive dispensing, cleaning the bonding surface with alcohol prior to adhesive dispensing, any other suitable process for preparing the surface, or any combination thereof.

[0031] With respect to degradation factors, the impact of functional performance loss at each joint can be monitored by measuring, for example, the following: (1) moisture absorption from humidity; (2) moisture absorption from ionized particles (battery exhaust); (3) moisture absorption from accidental exposure to coolant (e.g., 50:50 water:ethylene glycol); (4) cycling through the glass transition temperature (Tg); (5) mechanical fatigue from cycling; (6) stress crack growth from thermal cycling; (7) creep at high temperatures; any other suitable parameter or phenomenon; or any combination thereof. In some cases, degradation testing is performed prior to destructive mechanical testing such as lap shear. However, due to the electrical and thermal functions that these adhesives can also achieve, degradation factors can be applied to test coupons that are subsequently run to also re-verify the electrical and thermal properties. Therefore, degradation factors can be considered overall under both electrical and thermal operating conditions.

[0032] In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to devices including adhesives for structural support, thermal management, and dielectric protection. Some benefits of using adhesives for battery modules include improvements in production and manufacturing, efficiency of packaging, and methods of customizing the interfaces of battery modules based on the requirements at each specific interface.

[0033] Figure 1An exploded view of an exemplary battery module 100 including an adhesive joint according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The battery module 100 includes a plurality of battery cells 110, a carrier 102, a layer 101, a partition wall 107, and side wall segments 103-106 attached together using an adhesive 151-156. As used herein, the term "side wall" refers to a collection of side surfaces arranged around a plurality of battery cells, and may include a single segment or more than one segment (e.g., multiple segments, such as four segments, as shown) arranged adjacent to each other or with a gap between one or more adjacent segments. For illustration, the side wall segments 103-106 may be joined as a single component (e.g., a bent metal sheet) optionally with slits to allow for easy installation or otherwise as parts of a single component. As shown, adhesive 152 bonds multiple battery cells 110 to carrier 102; adhesive 151 bonds carrier 102 to layer 101; adhesive 153 bonds sidewall segment 103 to a first side of multiple battery cells 110; adhesive 154 bonds sidewall segment 104 to a second side of multiple battery cells 110; adhesive 155 bonds sidewall segment 105 to a third side of multiple battery cells 110; adhesive 156 bonds sidewall segment 106 to a fourth side of multiple battery cells 110; and a partition wall 107 is arranged between multiple battery cells 110 (e.g., between adjacent groups of battery cells electrically connected in series) and is bonded to carrier 102 by adhesive 152. The sides of multiple battery cells 110 include a collection of cylindrical interfaces to which sidewall segments 103-106 can be bonded. For example, each of sidewall segments 103-106 can contact only a portion (e.g., the outermost portion) of the battery cell arranged on the corresponding side. In another example, the sidewall segments 103 - 106 may be flat, curved, segmented, compound shaped, scalloped (eg, to accommodate and more fully conform to a curved battery cell), have any other suitable contour or shape, or any combination thereof.

[0034] In some embodiments, the carrier 102 includes a plurality of grooves. For example, the carrier 102 may include an array of holes configured to accommodate corresponding cells in the plurality of battery cells 110. For illustration, each of the plurality of battery cells 110 may be positioned in a corresponding groove of the carrier 102 that laterally arranges the plurality of battery cells 110. The arrangement may include close packing (e.g., hexagonal close packing with any suitable spacing), an array (e.g., a rectangular array), or any other suitable arrangement. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of battery cells 110 may be pressed axially so that the ends of the plurality of battery cells distal to the carrier 102 are substantially located in a plane parallel to the carrier 102 (e.g., so that they are aligned laterally and axially). Thus, the adhesive 152 may be a continuous layer, a layer with holes or openings, an arrangement of suitable drops or small pieces corresponding to the arrangement of the plurality of battery cells 110, a path extending to intersect each of the plurality of battery cells 110 (e.g., a spiral path), any other suitable application type, or any combination thereof.

[0035] Layer 101 may include one or more current collectors configured to be electrically coupled to a plurality of battery cells 110 or a subset thereof. For example, layer 101 may include a current collector assembly including a plurality of current collectors (e.g., the plurality of current collectors may include a comb-like structure spread over the battery cells in the plane of layer 101). Each current collector may be coupled to a subset of a plurality of battery cells 110 to form an electrical bus. Electrical coupling may be achieved by wire bonding, welding (e.g., ultrasonic welding, laser welding), pressing or spring force, or a combination thereof. For illustration, carrier 102 may be dielectric or originally non-conductive, thereby providing insulation between layer 101 and a plurality of battery cells 110. Thus, a plurality of leads may be attached to the current collector and a plurality of battery cells 110 to form a conductive path between the plurality of battery cells 110. The current collector may electrically couple a subset of battery cells in parallel, wherein the subsets are electrically coupled in series.

[0036] In some embodiments, adhesives 152, 155, and 156 include the same type of adhesive. In some embodiments, adhesives 153 and 154 each include the same one or more adhesives. For example, adhesives 153-156 may each include two adhesives to form a pattern (e.g., a fast-curing adhesive and a slow-curing adhesive). In some embodiments, adhesive 151 has a relatively high dielectric strength to prevent electrical shorts from multiple battery cells 110 to layer 101 (e.g., layer 101 may include one or more current collectors and insulators). For example, in some embodiments, adhesive 151 may be the same as at least one component or portion of adhesives 153 and 154.

[0037] Figure 2An exploded view of an exemplary battery module 200 including two battery submodules and a bonding joint according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Each of the battery submodules 201 and 202 may, but need not, be connected to a Figure 1 The battery module 200 includes battery submodules 201 and 202 attached together using adhesives 251-257, covers 203 and 204, cooling plates 205, shear walls 206 and 207, busbars 208, terminal busbars 209 and 210, isolation brackets 211, and control circuits 212. As shown in the figure, adhesive 251 bonds the battery submodule 201 to the cooling plate 205; adhesive 252 bonds the battery submodule 202 to the cooling plate 205; adhesive 253 bonds the shear wall 206 to the battery submodules 201 and 202; adhesive 254 bonds the shear wall 207 to the battery submodules 201 and 202; adhesive 255 bonds the busbar 208 to the battery submodules 201 and 202; adhesive 256 bonds the terminal busbars 209 and 210 to the battery submodules 201 and 202, respectively; and adhesive 257 bonds the isolation bracket 211 to the terminal busbars 209 and 210.

[0038] In some embodiments, adhesives 253, 254, 255, 256, and 257 include one or more adhesives of the same type. For example, adhesives 253-257 may exhibit relatively high shear strength. In some embodiments, adhesives 251 and 252, which may include the same type of adhesive, have relatively high thermal conductivity to allow heat transfer from battery packs 201 and 202 to cooling plate 205.

[0039] Figure 3 A flow chart of an exemplary method 300 for assembling a battery system using an adhesive instead of fasteners according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The method 300 can be applied, for example, to assembling a battery system for an electric vehicle that is relatively lighter and more compact than a system assembled using fasteners. In addition, in some embodiments, one or more fasteners can be included to provide redundancy to the adhesive bond.

[0040] Step 302 includes applying a first type of adhesive to at least one of the carrier and the plurality of battery cells. In some embodiments, the carrier includes a plurality of recesses on a first side of the carrier configured to receive the plurality of battery cells. The first type of adhesive may include any suitable properties. For example, the first type of adhesive (e.g., a UV-curable structural adhesive) may include a cure time of less than 60 seconds (e.g., through a clear polycarbonate), a lap shear strength exceeding 15 MPa at 25°C, a thermal conductivity of 0.3 W / mK, and a dielectric breakdown strength exceeding 19.0 kV / mm. In an illustrative example, the first type of adhesive may be used as Figure 1 An adhesive 152 is provided that bonds the plurality of battery cells 110 to the carrier 102 .

[0041] Step 304 includes positioning the plurality of battery cells in respective recesses of the carrier. The first type of adhesive of step 302 bonds the plurality of battery cells to the carrier. In some embodiments, step 304 includes laterally arranging the plurality of battery cells (e.g., in respective recesses of the carrier); and axially pressing the plurality of battery cells so that the ends of the plurality of battery cells distal to the carrier are substantially located in a plane parallel to the carrier.

[0042] Step 306 includes applying a second type of adhesive to the side surface of the side wall, the side of the plurality of battery cells, or both. The second type of adhesive may include any suitable properties. For example, the second type of adhesive (e.g., a UV-cured structural adhesive used in conjunction with an ambient temperature cured 2K structural adhesive) may include an average joint lap shear strength between 18 MPa and 22 MPa, a dielectric breakdown strength in excess of 15.0 kV / mm, and a fixed strength cure time of less than 40 minutes at ambient temperature. The second type of adhesive is dielectric to prevent short circuits between the plurality of battery cells. In some embodiments, the second adhesive is configured to transfer heat and shear stresses between the plurality of battery cells and the side wall. In some embodiments, the second type of adhesive may include a combination of adhesives having different cure properties. In an illustrative example, the second type of adhesive may be Figure 1 One of adhesives 153-156 of step 302 is provided to bond one of sidewalls 103-106 to the side of multiple battery cells 110. In another example, adhesives 153 and 154 may each include more than one type of adhesive. In some embodiments, the second type of adhesive is the same as the first type of adhesive of step 302. In some embodiments, the second type of adhesive includes a fast-curing adhesive and a slow-curing adhesive, and the first type of adhesive of step 302 and the slow-curing adhesive are the same type of adhesive.

[0043] Step 308 includes positioning the side surface of the side wall against the sides of the plurality of battery cells so that the second type of adhesive of step 306 bonds the side wall to the sides of the plurality of battery cells. It should be understood that positioning the side surface of the side wall against the sides of the plurality of battery cells includes positioning the side wall adjacent to the sides of the battery cells and spaced apart from the sides of the battery cells with the second type of adhesive therebetween. In some embodiments, steps 306 and 308 may be repeated for each side of the plurality of battery cells.

[0044] Step 310 includes applying a third type of adhesive to at least one of the current collector assembly and the carrier. The current collector assembly may include, for example, one or more busbars configured to electrically couple battery cells in parallel, in series, or a combination thereof. The third type of adhesive may include any suitable properties. For example, a third type of adhesive (e.g., an ambient temperature cured 2K structural adhesive) may include a bulk lap shear strength in excess of 18 MPa, a dielectric breakdown strength in excess of 15.0 kV / mm, and a fixed strength cure time of less than 40 minutes at ambient temperature (e.g., with or without embedded glass beads for adhesive layer coagulation). The third type of adhesive is dielectric to prevent short circuits between multiple battery cells and the current collector, the busbars of the current collector, or both. In an illustrative example, the third type of adhesive may be used as Figure 1 An adhesive 151 is provided that bonds the carrier 102 to the layer 101 (eg, the current collector assembly).

[0045] Step 312 includes positioning the current collector assembly against the second side of the carrier. It should be understood that positioning the current collector assembly against the side of the plurality of battery cells includes positioning the current collector assembly adjacent to and spaced apart from the second side of the carrier with a third type of adhesive therebetween. In some embodiments, step 312 or subsequent steps include electrically coupling the current collector assembly to the plurality of battery cells to form one or more bus bars.

[0046] Step 314 includes: applying a fourth type of adhesive to at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the cooling plate. The fourth type of adhesive may include any suitable properties. For example, the fourth type of adhesive (e.g., an ambient temperature cured 2K structural adhesive with a thermal filler) may include a bulk lap shear strength of 14 MPa or greater, a tensile modulus exceeding 1.5 GPa, a thermal conductivity between 1.0 W / mK and 1.2 W / mK, a dielectric breakdown strength exceeding 19 kV / mm, and a fixed strength cure time of less than 30 minutes at ambient temperature (e.g., with or without embedded glass beads for adhesive layer setting). The fourth type of adhesive is dielectric to prevent short circuits between the plurality of battery cells and the cooling plate. In addition, the fourth type of adhesive provides heat transfer, shear stress transfer, or both between the plurality of battery cells and the cooling plate. In an illustrative example, the fourth type of adhesive may be used as Figure 2 The adhesive 251 or 252 of FIG. 20 is applied to the cooling plate 205 to bond the battery submodule 201 or 202 to the cooling plate 205. In some embodiments, applying the first type of adhesive at step 302 occurs before applying the fourth type of adhesive at step 314.

[0047] Step 316 includes positioning the plurality of battery cells against the cooling plate. For example, the plurality of battery cells may be pressed against the cooling plate while the fourth type of adhesive is cured. It should be understood that positioning the plurality of battery cells against the cooling plate includes positioning the plurality of battery cells adjacent to and spaced apart from the cooling plate with the third type of adhesive therebetween.

[0048] Method 300 may include: using an adhesive to position and bond any suitable component in the battery assembly. For example, in some embodiments, method 300 includes: applying another type of adhesive to at least one of the shear wall and the side wall; and positioning the shear wall against the side wall (e.g., another type of adhesive bonds the shear wall to the side wall to provide structural support to multiple battery cells). In another example, in some embodiments, method 300 includes: applying another adhesive to bond at least one terminal bus bar to the side wall; and positioning at least one terminal bus bar against the side wall (e.g., at least one terminal bus bar is configured to be electrically coupled to multiple battery cells). In another example, in some embodiments, method 300 includes: applying another adhesive to bond at least one terminal bus bar to a cooling plate (e.g., at least one terminal bus bar is configured to be thermally coupled to a cooling plate). In another example, in some embodiments, method 300 includes: applying a fifth adhesive to bond the bus bar to the side wall; and positioning the bus bar against the side wall (e.g., the bus bar is configured to be electrically coupled to the collector assembly).

[0049] Step 318 includes curing one or more of the adhesives of steps 302, 306, 310, and 314. For example, curing may include applying heat, applying UV light, applying a chemical agent to cause curing (e.g., a primer), allowing at least a predetermined period of time to pass until stress is applied to the adhered joint, applying any other suitable curing, or any combination thereof. It should be understood that step 318 may be performed multiple times. For example, step 318 may be performed after steps 302 and 304, after steps 306 and 308, after steps 310 and 312, and after steps 314 and 316.

[0050] In some embodiments, repeat for the second submodule Figure 3 The second submodule is positioned on the second side of the cooling plate to form, for example, Figure 2 A battery module 200 is provided.

[0051] Figure 4 A perspective view of an exemplary battery module 400 having bus bars 409 and 410, bracket 411, and control circuit 412 is shown according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Bus bars 409 and 410, bracket 411, and control circuit 412 are attached using adhesive 450, which is formed by Figure 4The dotted lines in the figure indicate (eg, areas where adhesive is applied and bonds the components together). As shown, the battery module 400 includes battery submodules 401 and 402 (eg, which may be similar to Figure 2 The battery submodules 201 and 202 of the battery submodules 201 and 202), the sidewalls 403 and 404, and the cooling plate 460 to which the battery cells of the battery submodules 401 and 402 are adhered. The busbars 409 and 410 are attached to the respective battery submodules 401 and 402 using an adhesive, as indicated by the dotted lines. As shown, the bracket 411 is attached to both the busbars 409 and 410 using an adhesive, and the control circuit 412 is attached to the bracket 411 using an adhesive. The busbars 409 and 410 are each attached to the cooling plate 460 using an adhesive (e.g., to improve stiffness, to provide a thermally conductive path for heat transfer to the cooling plate 460, or both).

[0052] Figure 5 According to some embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 4 A perspective view of an aspect of an illustrative battery module.

[0053] Panel 501 shows an expanded view of the interface between busbar 409 and cooling plate 460. Adhesive 461 bonds busbar 409 to cooling plate 460, thereby providing structural support, a heat transfer path, or both. For example, adhesive 461 can be thermally conductive to help transfer heat from busbar 409 to cooling plate 460. In another example, adhesive 461 can be dielectric to prevent short circuits between busbar 409 and cooling plate 460 (e.g., or can include an insulating sheet or other dielectric material along with adhesive 461 to prevent electrical short circuits).

[0054] Panel 502 shows an expanded view of the interface between the busbar 410 and the cooling plate 460. The adhesive 462 bonds the busbar 410 to the cooling plate 460, thereby providing structural support, a heat transfer path, or both. For example, the adhesive 462 can be thermally conductive to help transfer heat from the busbar 410 to the cooling plate 460. In another example, the adhesive 462 can be dielectric to prevent short circuits between the busbar 410 and the cooling plate 460 (e.g., or can include an insulating sheet or other dielectric material along with the adhesive 462 to prevent electrical short circuits).

[0055] Panel 503 shows an expanded view of the interface between bracket 411 and cooling plate 460. Adhesive 463 bonds busbar 411 to cooling plate 460, thereby providing structural support, a heat transfer path, or both. For example, adhesive 463 can be thermally conductive to help transfer heat from bracket 411 to cooling plate 460. In another example, adhesive 463 can be dielectric to prevent short circuits between bracket 411 and cooling plate 460 (e.g., or can include an insulating sheet or other dielectric material along with adhesive 463 to prevent electrical short circuits).

[0056] The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The above embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. The present disclosure may also take many forms other than those explicitly described herein. Therefore, it should be emphasized that the present disclosure is not limited to the methods, systems, and devices explicitly disclosed, but is intended to include variations and modifications thereof, which are within the spirit of the following claims.

Claims

1. A battery device, comprising: a plurality of battery cells configured to provide electrical energy; a carrier configured to maintain alignment of the plurality of battery cells; a current collector configured to be electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells to form one or more busses; a side wall configured to provide structural support to the battery device; a cooling plate configured to transfer heat from the plurality of battery cells to provide structural support to the battery device; a first type of adhesive that bonds the first side of the carrier to the plurality of battery cells; a second type of adhesive that bonds the sidewall to the plurality of battery cells; a third type of adhesive that bonds the current collector to the second side of the carrier; and a fourth type of adhesive that bonds the plurality of battery cells to the cooling plate; Wherein the first type of adhesive, the second type of adhesive, the third type of adhesive, and the fourth type of adhesive form a fastener-free assembly. 2 . The battery device according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of partition walls bonded to the carrier using the first type of adhesive and configured to maintain separation of the plurality of battery cells.

3. The battery device according to claim 1, wherein the side wall comprises: at least one short side surface bonded to the plurality of battery cells using the second type of adhesive; and At least one long side surface is bonded to the plurality of battery cells using the second type of adhesive and the third type of adhesive. 4 . The battery device of claim 1 , wherein the first type of adhesive and the second type of adhesive are the same type of adhesive. 5 . The battery device of claim 1 , wherein the second type of adhesive comprises a fast-curing adhesive and a slow-curing adhesive, and wherein the first type of adhesive and the slow-curing adhesive are the same type of adhesive.

6. A method for assembling a battery system without using fasteners, the method comprising: applying a first type of adhesive to at least one of a carrier and a plurality of battery cells, wherein the carrier includes a plurality of recesses configured to receive the plurality of battery cells on a first side of the carrier; positioning the plurality of battery cells in respective recesses of the carrier, wherein the first type of adhesive bonds the plurality of battery cells to the carrier; applying a second type of adhesive to at least one of a side surface of the side wall and a side surface of the plurality of battery cells; positioning the side surface of the side wall against the plurality of battery cells, wherein the second type of adhesive bonds the side wall to the sides of the plurality of battery cells; applying a third type of adhesive to at least one of the current collector assembly and the carrier; positioning the current collector assembly against a second side of the carrier, wherein the third type of adhesive bonds the current collector assembly to the carrier; applying a fourth type of adhesive to at least one of the plurality of battery cells and the cooling plate; as well as positioning the plurality of battery cells against the cooling plate, wherein the fourth type of adhesive bonds the plurality of battery cells to the cooling plate; Wherein the first type of adhesive, the second type of adhesive, the third type of adhesive, and the fourth type of adhesive form a fastener-free assembly.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first type of adhesive and the second type of adhesive are the same type of adhesive.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second type of adhesive comprises a fast-curing adhesive and a slow-curing adhesive, and wherein the first type of adhesive and the slow-curing adhesive are the same type of adhesive.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: applying a fifth type of adhesive to at least one of the shear wall and the side wall; as well as The shear wall is positioned against the side wall, wherein the fifth type of adhesive bonds the shear wall to the side wall to provide structural support to the plurality of battery cells.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: applying a fifth type of adhesive to bond at least one terminal bus bar to the side wall; as well as The at least one terminal bus bar is positioned against the side wall, wherein the at least one terminal bus bar is configured to electrically couple the at least one terminal bus bar to the plurality of battery cells.

11. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: applying a fifth type of adhesive to bond at least one terminal bus bar to the cooling plate; as well as The at least one terminal bus bar is positioned against the cooling plate, wherein the at least one terminal bus bar is configured to electrically couple the at least one terminal bus bar to the plurality of battery cells.

12. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: applying a fifth type of adhesive to bond the busbars to the sidewalls; as well as The bus bar is positioned against the side wall, wherein the bus bar is configured to be electrically coupled to the current collector assembly.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein applying the first type of adhesive occurs before applying the fourth type of adhesive.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein positioning the plurality of battery cells in corresponding recesses of the carrier comprises: Arranging the plurality of battery cells laterally; as well as The plurality of battery cells are axially pressed so that ends of the plurality of battery cells distal from the carrier are located in a plane parallel to the carrier. 15 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the fourth type of adhesive is configured to transfer heat and shear stress between the plurality of battery cells and the cooling plate. 16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first type of adhesive is configured to maintain electrical isolation between the carrier and the plurality of battery cells.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the second type of adhesive is configured to transfer heat and shear stress between the plurality of battery cells and the sidewall.

18. A battery device, comprising: a first battery submodule, the first battery submodule comprising a first plurality of battery cells; a second battery submodule, the second battery submodule comprising a second plurality of battery cells; a cooling plate configured to transfer heat from the first plurality of battery cells and the second plurality of battery cells; A shear wall configured to provide structural support, wherein: attaching the first battery submodule to the cooling plate using a first type of adhesive, attaching the second battery submodule to the cooling plate using the first type of adhesive, and attaching the shear wall to a first side surface of the first battery submodule and a second side surface of the second battery submodule using a second type of adhesive; Wherein the first type of adhesive and the second type of adhesive form a fastener-free assembly.

19. The battery device according to claim 18, wherein the first battery submodule and the second battery submodule each further include: a carrier bonded to the plurality of battery cells and configured to maintain alignment of the plurality of battery cells; a current collector electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells to form one or more busses; and A side wall is bonded to the plurality of battery cells and is configured to provide structural support to the battery device.

20. The battery device according to claim 18, further comprising: At least one terminal bus bar is electrically coupled to the first plurality of battery cells, wherein the at least one terminal bus bar is attached to the cooling plate using a third type of adhesive.

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