Battery cell holder tray comprising circuit for vehicle battery cell

Abstract

An example vehicle battery assembly includes: a plurality of rechargeable battery cells configured to supply power to a drive unit of a vehicle; a battery cell holder tray mounted within the vehicle, the battery cell holder tray configured to support the plurality of rechargeable battery cells; an upper shear plate, wherein the plurality of rechargeable battery cells are located between the upper shear plate and the battery cell holder tray; and a circuit within the battery cell holder tray, the circuit electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to a battery cell holder tray including circuitry for a vehicle battery cell. Background Art

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the background of the present disclosure. To the extent described in this section, the work of the presently named inventors and aspects of the description that may not constitute prior art at the time of filing are neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

[0003] An electric vehicle has an electric motor powered at least in part by vehicle battery cells. The vehicle battery cells are held together within a battery cell holder tray of the vehicle. Circuitry is used to provide electrical connections between the vehicle battery cells. Summary of the invention

[0004] An example vehicle battery assembly includes: a plurality of rechargeable battery cells configured to provide power to a drive unit of a vehicle; a battery cell holder tray mounted within the vehicle, the battery cell holder tray configured to support the plurality of rechargeable battery cells; an upper shear plate, wherein the plurality of rechargeable battery cells are positioned between the upper shear plate and the battery cell holder tray; and circuitry within the battery cell holder tray, the circuitry electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0005] In other features, the circuit includes a dielectric coating configured to electrically insulate the circuit during a thermal runaway condition of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0006] In other features, the plurality of rechargeable battery cells include at least one of cylindrical battery cells, pouch battery cells, and prismatic battery cells. In other features, the circuit is configured to electrically connect the plurality of rechargeable battery cells in parallel.

[0007] In other features, the circuit is configured to electrically connect the plurality of rechargeable battery cells in series. In other features, the plurality of rechargeable battery cells are coupled to the battery cell holder tray via at least one of an adhesive, a snap fit, and a threaded screw.

[0008] In other features, the battery cell holder tray includes a plurality of threaded features, each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells includes a housing having an integral threaded portion, and each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of threaded features via the integral threaded portion.

[0009] Among other features, each of the plurality of threaded features includes at least one of metal, plastic, or a plastic composite material. Among other features, each of the plurality of threaded features includes a metal insert, and each metal insert is coated with a dielectric coating configured to electrically insulate a circuit during a thermal runaway condition of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0010] Among other features, the dielectric coating includes at least one of polysilazane, polycarbosilane, boron nitride nanotubes, titanium nitride, chromium carbide, magnesium zirconate, zirconia, titanium, or tungsten.

[0011] Among other features, the circuit is embedded in the material of the battery cell support tray by overmolding or the circuit is heat welded to the battery cell support tray.

[0012] Among other features, each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal, and the positive terminal and the negative terminal are located on the same side of the rechargeable battery cell.

[0013] Among other features, each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells is encapsulated in a polymer potting. Among other features, the battery cell support tray includes at least one of a plastic material or a filler material.

[0014] Among other features, the plastic material includes at least one of nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). Among other features, the filler material includes at least one of a flame retardant, glass fiber, and glass bubbles. Among other features, the material of the battery cell support tray has a V-0 flammability rating.

[0015] An example method of manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly includes arranging one or more circuits in a mold of a battery cell support tray, embedding the one or more circuits in a plastic material of the battery cell support tray by overmolding, and coupling a plurality of rechargeable battery cells to the battery cell support tray, wherein the rechargeable battery cells are configured to supply power to a drive unit of a vehicle and the circuit is electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0016] Among other features, the method includes coating the one or more circuits with a dielectric coating configured to electrically insulate the one or more circuits during a thermal runaway condition of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells before arranging the one or more circuits in the mold of the battery cell support tray.

[0017] An example method of manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly includes arranging one or more circuits on a battery cell support tray, coupling the one or more circuits to the battery cell support tray by heat fusion, and coupling a plurality of rechargeable battery cells to the battery cell support tray, wherein the rechargeable battery cells are configured to supply power to a drive unit of the vehicle, and the circuits are electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0018] The present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0019] 1. A vehicle battery assembly, comprising:

[0020] A plurality of rechargeable battery cells configured to supply power to a drive unit of the vehicle;

[0021] A battery cell support tray installed in the vehicle, the battery cell support tray being configured to support the plurality of rechargeable battery cells;

[0022] An upper shear plate, wherein the plurality of rechargeable battery cells are located between the upper shear plate and the battery cell support tray; and

[0023] Circuits within the battery cell support tray, the circuits being electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0024] 2. The vehicle battery assembly according to solution 1, wherein the circuit includes a dielectric coating configured to electrically insulate the circuit during a thermal runaway condition of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0025] 3. The vehicle battery assembly according to solution 1, wherein the plurality of rechargeable battery cells include at least one of cylindrical battery cells, pouch battery cells, and prismatic battery cells.

[0026] 4. The vehicle battery assembly according to solution 1, wherein the circuit is configured to electrically connect the plurality of rechargeable battery cells in parallel.

[0027] 5. The vehicle battery assembly according to solution 1, wherein the circuit is configured to electrically connect the plurality of rechargeable battery cells in series.

[0028] 6. The vehicle battery assembly according to solution 1, wherein the plurality of rechargeable battery cells are coupled to the battery cell support tray by at least one of an adhesive, a snap fit, and a threaded screw.

[0029] 7. The vehicle battery assembly according to solution 1, wherein:

[0030] The battery cell support tray includes a plurality of threaded features;

[0031] Each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells includes a housing having an integral threaded portion; and

[0032] Each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of threaded features via the integral threaded portion.

[0033] 8. The vehicle battery assembly according to aspect 7, wherein each of the plurality of threaded features comprises at least one of metal, plastic, or a plastic composite material.

[0034] 9. The vehicle battery assembly according to aspect 8, wherein:

[0035] Each of the plurality of threaded features includes a metal insert; and

[0036] Each metal insert is coated with a dielectric coating configured to electrically insulate the circuit during a thermal runaway condition of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0037] 10. The vehicle battery assembly according to aspect 9, wherein the dielectric coating comprises at least one of polysilazane, polycarbosilane, boron nitride nanotubes, titanium nitride, chromium carbide, magnesium zirconate, zirconia, titanium, or tungsten.

[0038] 11. The vehicle battery assembly according to aspect 1, wherein the circuit is embedded in the material of the battery cell support tray by overmolding, or the circuit is heat welded to the battery cell support tray.

[0039] 12. The vehicle battery assembly according to aspect 1, wherein:

[0040] Each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells includes a positive terminal and a negative terminal; and

[0041] The positive terminal and the negative terminal are located on the same side of the rechargeable battery cell.

[0042] 13. The vehicle battery assembly according to aspect 1, wherein each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells is encapsulated in a polymer potting.

[0043] 14. The vehicle battery assembly according to aspect 1, wherein the battery cell support tray comprises at least one of a plastic material or a filler material.

[0044] 15. The vehicle battery assembly according to aspect 14, wherein the plastic material comprises at least one of nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, and acrylonitrile - butadiene - styrene (ABS).

[0045] 16. The vehicle battery assembly according to embodiment 14, wherein the filling material comprises at least one of a flame retardant, glass fiber, and glass bubbles.

[0046] 17. The vehicle battery assembly according to embodiment 14, wherein the material of the battery cell support tray has a V-0 flammability rating.

[0047] 18. A method of manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly, the method comprising:

[0048] Disposing one or more circuits in a mold of a battery cell support tray;

[0049] Embedding one or more circuits into a plastic material of the battery cell support tray by overmolding; and

[0050] Coupling a plurality of rechargeable battery cells to the battery cell support tray, wherein,

[0051] The rechargeable battery cells are configured to supply power to a drive unit of the vehicle, and

[0052] The circuits are electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0053] 19. The method according to embodiment 18, further comprising, before disposing the one or more circuits in the mold of the battery cell support tray, coating the one or more circuits with a dielectric coating configured to electrically insulate the one or more circuits during a thermal runaway condition of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0054] 20. A method of manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly, the method comprising:

[0055] Disposing one or more circuits on a battery cell support tray;

[0056] Coupling the one or more circuits to the battery cell support tray by heat fusion; and

[0057] Coupling a plurality of rechargeable battery cells to the battery cell support tray, wherein,

[0058] The rechargeable battery cells are configured to supply power to a drive unit of the vehicle, and

[0059] The circuits are electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

[0060] From the detailed description, the claims, and the drawings, other application areas of the present disclosure will become apparent. The detailed description and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the drawings, wherein:

[0062] Figure 1 is a diagram of an example vehicle including a vehicle battery module.

[0063] Figure 2 is an exploded block diagram of an example layer of a vehicle battery assembly and a rechargeable battery cell.

[0064] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an example vehicle battery assembly including an electrical connector embedded within a battery cell support tray.

[0065] Figure 4A is a top view of a battery cell support tray including a plurality of threaded insert features.

[0066] Figure 4B is Figure 4A a side view of the battery cell support tray of

[0067] Figure 4C is a block diagram of an example battery cell having an integral threaded feature for coupling with Figure 4A and 4B the threaded insert features of the battery cell support tray of

[0068] Figure 5 is a block diagram of an example vehicle battery assembly including a snap-fit coupling between a battery cell and a battery cell support tray.

[0069] Figure 6 is a flowchart depicting an example process for manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly including one or more circuits embedded within a battery cell support tray by overmolding.

[0070] Figure 7 is a flowchart depicting an example process for manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly including one or more circuits coupled to a battery cell support tray by heat staking.

[0071] In the drawings, reference numerals may be reused to identify like and / or identical elements. Detailed Description

[0072] The battery cell support tray is used to hold vehicle battery cells together and can be installed in a vehicle. The battery cell support tray includes an electrically insulating material. The electrical connections between vehicle battery cells are electrically isolated, for example, by an additional layer or plastic and adhesives. Some example embodiments described herein include a multi-functional battery cell support tray in which circuits (e.g., busbars, flexible circuits, etc.) are located within the material of the battery cell support tray, which can reduce or eliminate the use of multiple electrical isolation layers and adhesives.

[0073] In some examples, each vehicle battery cell may include a positive terminal and a negative terminal on the same side of the vehicle battery cell, which can facilitate electrically connecting multiple vehicle battery cells in parallel or in series (or a hybrid of both) via a circuit embedded within the battery cell support tray. This can reduce or eliminate electrical isolation layers (e.g., up to three or more layers of electrical isolation layers that may otherwise be required) and the amount of adhesive used. Other advantages may include, but are not limited to, increasing the energy density of the vehicle battery assembly, reducing the height and volume of the vehicle battery assembly (e.g., up to 7.5% or more reduction compared to a vehicle battery assembly in which the circuit is not in the battery cell support tray), eliminating the electrical isolation layer required between the busbar and the upper shear plate, eliminating the adhesive required to connect multiple isolators, eliminating laser welding the busbar to the vehicle battery cell, and so on.

[0074] Now referring Figure 1 , vehicle 10 includes front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13. In Figure 1 , drive unit 14 selectively outputs torque to front wheels 12 and / or rear wheels 13 via powertrains 16, 18, respectively. Vehicle 10 may include different types of drive units. For example, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle such as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle, a vehicle including an internal combustion engine (ICE), or other types of vehicles.

[0075] Some examples of drive unit 14 may include any suitable electric motor, power inverter, and a motor controller configured to control power switches within the power inverter to regulate motor speed and torque during propulsion and / or regeneration. The battery system supplies power to or receives power from the electric motor of drive unit 14 via the power inverter during propulsion or regeneration.

[0076] For example, battery cell module 22 may include multiple rechargeable vehicle battery cells configured to power drive unit 14. As further described below, the multiple battery cells may be supported by a battery cell tray support in a vehicle battery assembly, where a circuit configured to connect the multiple rechargeable battery cells is located within the battery cell tray support.

[0077] Although in Figure 1Vehicle 10 includes a drive unit 14, but vehicle 10 may have other configurations. For example, two separate drive units may drive the front wheels 12 and the rear wheels 13, one or more independent drive units may drive independent wheels, etc. As can be understood, other vehicle configurations and / or drive units may be used.

[0078] The vehicle control module 20 may be configured to control the operation of one or more vehicle components (such as drive unit 14) (e.g., by commanding the torque setting of the electric motor of drive unit 14). The vehicle control module 20 may receive inputs for controlling vehicle components, such as signals received from a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, etc. For safety purposes, the vehicle control module 20 may monitor the telematics of the vehicle, such as vehicle speed, vehicle position, vehicle braking and acceleration, etc.

[0079] The vehicle control module 20 may receive signals from any suitable component for monitoring one or more aspects of the vehicle, including one or more vehicle sensors (such as cameras, microphones, pressure sensors, steering wheel position sensors, brake sensors, positioning sensors, such as a global positioning system (GPS) antenna, wheel height and / or position sensors, accelerometers, etc.). Some sensors may be configured to monitor the current movement of the vehicle, the acceleration of the vehicle, the braking of the vehicle, the current steering direction of the vehicle, the current height and / or position of one or more wheels, etc.

[0080] The vehicle control module 20 may communicate with another device via a wireless communication interface, and the wireless communication interface may include one or more wireless antennas for transmitting and / or receiving wireless communication signals. For example, the wireless communication interface may communicate via any suitable wireless communication protocol, including but not limited to vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, Wi-Fi communication, wireless area network (WAN) communication, cellular communication, personal area network (PAN) communication, short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth), etc. The wireless communication interface may communicate with a remote computing device through one or more wireless and / or wired networks. Regarding vehicle-to-vehicle (V2X) communication, vehicle 10 may include one or more V2X transceivers (e.g., V2X signal transmitting and / or receiving antennas).

[0081] Figure 2 is an example layer of vehicle battery assembly 100 and an exploded block diagram of a rechargeable battery cell. As Figure 2 shown, vehicle battery assembly 100 includes an upper shear plate 104, which may include a metallic material.

[0082] The interconnect board (ICB) cover 108 is located below the upper shear plate 104, and the ICB cover 108 may include plastic, polycarbonate material. The flexible circuit 112 is located below the ICB cover 108, and the current collector 116 is located below the flexible circuit 112. The flexible circuit 112 and the current collector 116 may include metallic materials.

[0083] The ICB frame 120 is located between the current collector 116 and the rechargeable battery cells 124. The ICB frame 120 may be configured to support one or more electrical conductors for electrically connecting the rechargeable battery cells 124 together, and may include a plastic material for holding and routing circuitry.

[0084] As Figure 2 shown, the battery cell support tray 128 is located below the rechargeable battery cells 124 to support the rechargeable battery cells 124 and hold them together. The thermal runaway protection (TRP) tray 132 is located below the battery cell support tray 128.

[0085] In some examples, the flexible circuit 112 may be configured to monitor the rechargeable battery cells 124 while the current collector 116 conveys current to and from the rechargeable battery cells 124. The ICB cover 108 and the ICB frame 120 may form an electrical and structural enclosure for the flexible circuit 112 and the current collector 116.

[0086] In various embodiments, an adhesive may be located between the upper shear plate 104 and the ICB cover 108, and also between the ICB cover 108 and the flexible circuit 112. The ICB frame 120 may be mechanically fastened to the vehicle battery assembly at the ends of the ICB frame 120. In some examples, the rechargeable battery cells 124 may be laser welded to the current collector 116 to form an electrical connection.

[0087] In some example embodiments, an optional insulating sheet (e.g., plastic) may be located between the upper shear plate 104 and the ICB cover 108. The area between the ICB cover 108 and the ICB frame 120 and including the ICB cover 108 and the ICB frame 120 may be considered a packaging area related to electrical connections and isolation sheets.

[0088] The rechargeable battery cells 124 may be surrounded by a cooling strap, may include battery cell vent holes, etc. The battery cell support tray 128 may be adhesively bonded to the TRP tray 132. In some examples, the area including the battery cell support tray 128 up to the ICB cover 108 may be a potting area (e.g., may be encapsulated in a polymer potting).

[0089] Figure 3is a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle battery assembly 200 that includes an electrical connector embedded within a battery cell carrier tray. As Figure 3 shown, a plurality of rechargeable battery cells 224 are located between a battery cell carrier tray 228 and an upper shear plate 204. An optional spacer 208 may be located between the upper shear plate 204 and the rechargeable battery cells 224. The battery cell carrier tray 228 is located on a TRP tray 232.

[0090] As Figure 3 shown, an electrical connector 246 is located within the battery cell carrier tray 228. For example, one or more circuits may be embedded within the material (e.g., plastic material, filler-filled plastic material, etc.) of the battery cell carrier tray 228. The circuit may be embedded within the battery cell carrier tray 228 by overmolding, may be heat welded within the battery cell carrier tray 228, and so on.

[0091] The electrical connector 246 may be configured to connect the plurality of rechargeable battery cells 224 together in a series connection 248, a parallel connection 250, or a combination of both. For example, each rechargeable battery cell 224 may include a first polarity terminal 234 on one side of the rechargeable battery cell 224 and a second polarity terminal 236 on the bottom of the rechargeable battery cell 224. In some example embodiments, the first polarity terminal (e.g., positive terminal) and the second polarity terminal (e.g., negative terminal) may be located on the same side of the rechargeable battery cell.

[0092] In the series connection 248, the electrical connector 246 electrically connects between the first polarity terminal 234 of one of the rechargeable battery cells 224 and the second polarity terminal 236 of another (e.g., adjacent) one of the rechargeable battery cells 224. In the parallel connection 250, the electrical connector 246 electrically connects between the first polarity terminal 234 of one of the rechargeable battery cells 224 and the first polarity terminal 234 of another (e.g., adjacent) one of the rechargeable battery cells 224.

[0093] In some example embodiments, the electrical connector 246 may be coated before being inserted into the battery cell carrier tray 228, e.g., by a dielectric coating that is configured to maintain electrical insulation even in the event of thermal runaway of one or more of the rechargeable battery cells 224. Example coating materials may include, but are not limited to, pre-ceramic polymers (e.g., polysilazane, polycarbosilane), ceramics including boron nitride nanotubes, titanium nitride, chromium carbide, magnesium zirconate, zirconia, titanium, tungsten, combinations thereof, etc.

[0094] The rechargeable battery unit 224 may include any suitable battery unit configured to store electrical power and supply the electrical power to a drive unit such as an electric motor, including cylindrical battery units, pouch battery units, prismatic battery units, etc. The rechargeable battery unit 224 may be arranged in any suitable orientation, where the first polar terminal 234 and the second polar terminal 236 face any face (e.g., six faces) of the vehicle battery assembly housing. The rechargeable battery unit 224 may be encapsulated in a polymer potting.

[0095] The battery cell support tray 228 may be oriented in any suitable direction, such as the top, bottom, or side of the vehicle battery assembly. In some examples, the battery cell support tray 228 may include a plastic material, a filled plastic material, etc. The plastic material may include, for example, nylon, polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), etc. The filler may be a flame retardant, glass fiber, glass bubbles, etc. In some examples, the battery cell support tray 228 may have a V-0 flammability rating (e.g., after two applications of a ten-second vertical flame to a test bar, combustion stops within ten seconds and no burning drips are allowed).

[0096] Figure 4A is a top view of a battery cell support tray 328 including a plurality of threaded insert features 340. Each threaded insert feature 340 may correspond to a different rechargeable battery unit 324. As Figure 4A shown, each rechargeable battery unit 324 may be cylindrical to correspond to the circular shape of the threaded insert feature 340.

[0097] Figure 4B is Figure 4A a side view of the battery cell support tray 328 of, including a plurality of threaded insert features 340. As Figure 4B shown, an electrical connector 348 is located in the battery cell support tray 328. The electrical connector 348 may be connected to the threaded insert feature 340 at a first end and includes a second end 346 for connection to the first polar terminal 344 of the rechargeable battery unit 324.

[0098] For example, Figure 4C is a block diagram of an example rechargeable battery unit 324 having an integral threaded feature 342 for coupling with Figure 4A and 4B the threaded insert features 340 of the battery cell support tray 328 of. The integral threaded feature 342 may be on the housing of the rechargeable battery unit 324 for threaded connection with the threaded insert features 340 of the battery cell support tray 328.

[0099] Accordingly, the integral threaded feature 342 can connect the rechargeable battery unit 324 to the battery unit support tray 328 and facilitate the connection of the rechargeable battery unit 324 to the electrical connector 348 located in the battery unit support tray 328. For example, the integral threaded feature 342 can define a second polar terminal of the rechargeable battery unit 324 for connection to one end of the electrical connector 348, contact the threaded insertion feature 340 of the unit support tray 328, and the rechargeable battery unit 324 can include a first polar terminal 344 that is configured to connect to the second end 346 of the electrical connector 348 when the rechargeable battery unit 324 is engaged with the battery unit support tray 328.

[0100] The threaded insertion feature 340 and the integral threaded feature 342 can include metal, plastic, plastic composite, etc. In some examples, the threaded insertion feature 340 and the integral threaded feature 342 can be coated with a high-temperature dielectric coating that is configured to maintain electrical insulation even in the event of thermal runaway of one or more rechargeable battery units 324. Example coating materials can include, but are not limited to, pre-ceramic polymers (e.g., polysilazane, polycarbosilane), ceramics including boron nitride nanotubes, titanium nitride, chromium carbide, magnesium zirconate, zirconia, titanium, tungsten, combinations thereof, etc.

[0101] Figure 5 is a block diagram of an example vehicle battery assembly 400 that includes a snap-fit coupling between a rechargeable battery unit 424 and a battery unit support tray 428. As Figure 5 shown, the battery unit support tray 428 is located on the TRP tray 432, and the electrical connector 446 is located in the battery unit support tray 428.

[0102] For example, the electrical connector 446 between the rechargeable battery units 424 can be embedded in a battery unit support tray 428 that has a different battery unit to battery unit tray interface. The battery unit support tray 428 can include battery unit positioning and mechanical interlock features that can be non-threaded, snap-fit, etc. The electrical connector 446 can be adapted to fit around the curve of a snap-fit protrusion, etc. In some example embodiments, an adhesive can be used to facilitate the coupling of the rechargeable battery unit 424 to the battery unit support tray 428.

[0103] Figure 6 is a flowchart depicting an example process for manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly that includes one or more circuits embedded in a battery unit support tray by overmolding. At 504, the process begins with obtaining an electrical connector for connecting the battery units.

[0104] At 508, the process includes determining whether a dielectric coating will be used for the electrical connector. If so, the process proceeds to 512 to coat the electrical connector with a high-temperature resistant dielectric coating. After coating the electrical connector, or if no dielectric coating is used, the electrical connector is assembled into a mold orientation (e.g., a battery cell carrier tray mold) at 516.

[0105] The process continues at 520 to mold a bracket frame over the assembly including the electrical connector. For example, the plastic material of the battery cell carrier tray can fill the mold and surround the electrical connector. Then the bracket assembly is assembled to the battery cell at 524, and the electrical connector is connected to the battery cell at 528 (e.g., via welding, threading, snap fit, etc.).

[0106] Figure 7 is a flowchart depicting an example process for manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly that includes one or more circuits coupled to a battery cell carrier tray by heat fusion. At 604, the process begins with obtaining an electrical connector for connecting to a battery cell.

[0107] At 608, the process includes determining whether a dielectric coating will be used for the electrical connector. If so, the process proceeds to 612 to coat the electrical connector with a high-temperature resistant dielectric coating. After coating the electrical connector, or if no dielectric coating is used, the electrical connector is assembled onto a battery cell carrier (e.g., a battery cell carrier tray) at 616.

[0108] The process continues at 620 to heat fuse the electrical connector to the battery cell carrier. For example, heat fusion can include using local heating and cooling to raise the temperature of a plastic component (e.g., the plastic of the battery cell carrier tray) and allow for plastic reformation to occur, where the plastic reformation connects the electrical connector to the battery cell carrier tray (e.g., by sinking into the molten plastic of the battery cell carrier tray). Then the bracket assembly is assembled to the battery cell at 624, and the electrical connector is connected to the battery cell at 628 (e.g., via welding, threading, snap fit, etc.).

[0109] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. The broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Thus, while the disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent upon study of the drawings, the specification, and the appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within a method can be executed in a different order (or concurrently) without altering the principles of the disclosure. Further, although each embodiment above is described as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the disclosure can be implemented in and / or combined with the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and a permutation of one or more of the embodiments is still within the scope of the disclosure.

[0110] Various terms are used, including "connected", "engaged", "coupled", "adjacent", "next to", "on", "above", "below", and "disposed", to describe the spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.). Unless explicitly described as "direct", when describing the relationship between a first element and a second element in the foregoing disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship where no other intermediate element exists between the first element and the second element, but can also be an indirect relationship where one or more intermediate elements (spatially or functionally) exist between the first element and the second element. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be interpreted to mean a logical (A or B or C) using non-exclusive logic "or" and should not be interpreted to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C".

[0111] In the drawings, the direction indicated by the arrow (as shown by the arrow) generally indicates the information flow (such as data or instructions) of interest in the illustration. For example, when element A and element B exchange various information, but the information sent from element A to element B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow can point from element A to element B. This one-way arrow does not mean that no other information is sent from element B to element A. Further, for the information sent from element A to element B, element B can send a request for the information or an acknowledgment of the receipt of the information to element A.

[0112] In the present application, which includes the following definitions, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include the following: application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or analog / digital hybrid discrete circuit; digital, analog, or analog / digital hybrid integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field programmable gate array (FPGA); processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the said functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0113] A module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuit may include a wired or wireless interface connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuit. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In another example, a server (also referred to as remote or cloud) module may perform certain functions on behalf of a client module.

[0114] As used above, the term "code" may include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" encompasses a single processor circuit that executes some or all of the code in multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" encompasses a processor circuit that, in combination with other processor circuits, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. A reference to multiple processor circuits encompasses multiple processor circuits on separate dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" encompasses a single memory circuit that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuit" encompasses a memory circuit that, in combination with other memories, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0115] The term "memory circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium". As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" does not include transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); thus, the term "computer-readable medium" can be considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0116] The devices and methods described in this application can be implemented in part or in whole by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions implemented in a computer program. The functional blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be converted into a computer program through the routine work of a technician or programmer.

[0117] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. The computer program may also contain or rely on stored data. The computer program may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0118] These computer programs can include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler, (iv) source code executed by an interpreter, (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, the source code can be written using the syntax of languages including the following: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (HyperText Markup Language version 5), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Visual Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK and

Claims

1. A vehicle battery assembly, comprising: a plurality of rechargeable battery cells configured to supply power to a drive unit of a vehicle; a battery cell support tray installed in the vehicle, the battery cell support tray being configured to support the plurality of rechargeable battery cells; an upper shear plate, wherein the plurality of rechargeable battery cells are located between the upper shear plate and the battery cell support tray; and a circuit within the battery cell support tray, the circuit being electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

2. The vehicle battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the circuit includes a dielectric coating configured to electrically insulate the circuit during a thermal runaway condition of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

3. The vehicle battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rechargeable battery cells include at least one of a cylindrical battery cell, a pouch battery cell, and a prismatic battery cell.

4. The vehicle battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to electrically connect the plurality of rechargeable battery cells in parallel.

5. The vehicle battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to electrically connect the plurality of rechargeable battery cells in series.

6. The vehicle battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rechargeable battery cells are coupled to the battery cell support tray via at least one of an adhesive, a snap fit, and a threaded screw.

7. The vehicle battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the battery cell support tray includes a plurality of threaded features; each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells includes a housing having an integral threaded portion; and each of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of threaded features via the integral threaded portion.

8. The vehicle battery assembly according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of threaded features includes at least one of metal, plastic, or a plastic composite material.

9. A method of manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly, the method comprising: arranging one or more circuits in a mold of a battery cell support tray; embedding the one or more circuits into a plastic material of the battery cell support tray by overmolding; and coupling a plurality of rechargeable battery cells to the battery cell support tray, wherein, the rechargeable battery cells are configured to supply power to a drive unit of a vehicle, and the circuit is electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

10. A method of manufacturing a vehicle battery assembly, the method comprising: arranging one or more circuits on a battery cell support tray; coupling the one or more circuits to the battery cell support tray by heat melting; and coupling a plurality of rechargeable battery cells to the battery cell support tray, wherein, the rechargeable battery cells are configured to supply power to a drive unit of a vehicle, and the circuit is electrically connected between at least two of the plurality of rechargeable battery cells.

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