Battery pack

Abstract

A battery pack includes a control circuit board, a first cell, a second cell, a fuse, and a belt. The first cell has a first terminal electrically coupled to the control circuit board. The second cell is electrically coupled to the first cell and has a second terminal. The fuse electrically couples the second terminal to the control circuit board. The fuse is located between the second terminal and the control circuit board. The tape is electrically insulating and is molded to the fuse. The belt electrically isolates the fuse from the first electrical core.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 430,602, filed on December 6, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to battery packs, and more particularly to soft-pack cell battery packs. Background Art

[0004] Rechargeable batteries have several electronic components in them. Some rechargeable batteries include fuses as a safety measure to prevent fire and / or damage to the rechargeable battery and its surroundings. Utility Model Content

[0005] In an independent aspect, a battery pack includes a control circuit board, a first battery cell, a second battery cell, a fuse, and a band. The first battery cell has a first terminal electrically coupled to the control circuit board. The second battery cell is electrically coupled to the first battery cell and has a second terminal. The fuse electrically couples the second terminal to the control circuit board. The fuse is located between the second terminal and the control circuit board. The band is electrically insulating and molded to the fuse. The band electrically isolates the fuse from the first battery cell.

[0006] In another independent aspect, a battery pack includes a control circuit board, a battery cell, another battery cell, a tap, a wall, and a trace. The battery cell is electrically coupled to the control circuit board and has a first terminal. The other battery cell has a second terminal electrically coupled to the first terminal at an interface. The tap is electrically coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal at the interface. The wall is electrically insulated and inserted into the tap. The wall fixes the position of the tap. The trace electrically couples the tap to the control circuit board. The trace is configured to transmit a signal indicating at least one of a voltage and a current at the interface to the control circuit board.

[0007] In another independent aspect, a battery pack includes a first battery cell, a second battery cell, a third battery cell, a core box, and a wall coupled to the core box. The first battery cell has a first terminal. The second battery cell has a second terminal that is directly electrically coupled to the first battery cell at an interface. The third battery cell has a third terminal. The first battery cell, the second battery cell, and the third battery cell are received in the core box. The wall includes a first terminal hole through which the first terminal extends, a second terminal hole through which the second terminal extends, and a third terminal hole through which the third terminal extends. The wall further includes an electrically insulating rib that protrudes from the wall to inhibit contact between the third terminal and either of the first terminal and the second terminal, and thereby inhibit an electrical short circuit between the third terminal and either of the first terminal and the second terminal. The rib electrically isolates the third terminal from the first terminal and the second terminal.

[0008] Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment disclosed herein.

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Exploded view of the battery pack.

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the wall of a battery pack.

[0012] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Another stereoscopic view of the wall.

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A partial three-dimensional view of a battery pack.

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Another partial stereoscopic view of the battery pack.

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 The battery pack along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view taken along section line 7-7 in FIG.

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 Another partial stereoscopic view of the battery pack.

[0017] Before explaining any embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, it should be understood that the application of the present disclosure is not limited to the details of the construction and arrangement of the components set forth in the following specification or illustrated in the following figures. The present disclosure can have other embodiments and can be practiced or performed in various ways. In addition, it should be understood that the words and terms used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered restrictive. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Figures 1 to 7 A battery pack 10 is shown that includes a plurality of battery cells 14 (eg, pouch cells) within a housing 18. Figure 2, the housing 18 includes a base 22, a body 26 and a cover 30. The battery pack 10 further includes a core box 34 located within the housing 18. The soft-pack battery cell 14 is generally located within the core box 34. The core box 34 is generally rectangular in shape and includes a bottom wall 38, an end wall 42, and a plurality of side walls 46. The end wall 42 and the side wall 46 protrude away from the bottom wall 38. Opposite to the end wall 42, the core box 34 includes an end void 50. Opposite to the bottom wall 38, the core box 34 includes a top void 54. In the assembled battery pack 10, the wall 58 occupies the end void 50 and the printed circuit board 62 occupies the top void 58. Various mechanisms related to the wall 58, components disposed on and around the wall 58, and electrical isolation and coupling members disposed near the wall 58 are described herein. These mechanisms safely and reliably mechanically and electrically couple the battery cells 14 to each other, and couple the battery cells 14 to the printed circuit board 62.

[0019] In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack 10 is a high-performance battery pack including a plurality of lithium-based cells 14. The illustrated battery pack 10 includes a plurality of lithium-based soft-pack cells 14. Other battery packs may be nickel-based or have different chemical compositions and / or structures (e.g., other battery packs may include prismatic cells or cylindrical cells). The illustrated cells 14 are stacked one on another between the bottom wall 38 and the printed circuit board 62 in the core box 34 along the stacking direction D1. Each cell 14 has a cell terminal 66 corresponding to each polarity (e.g., positive, negative) of the cell 14. The illustrated embodiment includes five cells 14 coupled in series. The voltage of each cell 14 of the illustrated battery pack 10 is approximately 3.6 volts, and the total voltage of the battery pack 10 is approximately 18 volts. In other embodiments, other electrical arrangements of the cells 14, the number of cells 14, the voltage of each cell 14, and / or the total voltage of the battery pack 10 may be different.

[0020] like Figure 5 As shown, the battery pack 10 includes a first lead 70 coupled to a cell terminal 66 of one of the battery cells 14 and a second lead 74 coupled to a cell terminal 66 of another of the battery cells 14. The battery cells 14 are coupled to each other through terminal-to-terminal connections as described below. The first lead 70 and the second lead 74 are both mounted on the printed circuit board 62 and are both coupled to a battery terminal 78 for connecting the battery pack 10 to a charger or tool (not shown). The first lead 70 and the second lead 74 relate to opposite polarities (e.g., the first lead 70 corresponds to a positive charge, while the second lead 74 corresponds to a negative charge, and vice versa). Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2, the battery pack 10 includes a pair of rails 82 configured to slidably engage a charger or tool to electrically connect the battery terminals 78 of the battery pack 10 to the charger or tool. The button 86 and the tang 90 are configured to maintain the engagement of the battery pack 10 and the charger or tool. To disconnect the battery pack 10 from the charger or tool, the button 86 is pressed to release the tang 90 from the charger or tool. A plurality of fasteners 94 engage the housing 18, and the wall 58 holds the battery pack 10 together.

[0021] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5 , the battery pack 10 further includes a sensing circuit including a plurality of traces 98 connecting the plurality of taps 102 to the printed circuit board 62. The traces 98 are each located within a sheath 106. In the illustrated embodiment, the traces 98 and the sheath 106 are formed as flexible circuits capable of deflection. However, in other embodiments, portions or all of the traces 98 and / or the sheath 106 may be substantially rigid.

[0022] Continue to refer Figure 2 , the core box 34 includes a plurality of barbs 110 that are configured to interact with the printed circuit board 62 and the wall 58 and secure the core box 34 to the printed circuit board and the wall. The barbs 110 are generally located near the top void 54 and the end voids 50. The core box 34 further includes barb receivers 114 that are also configured to interact with the wall 58.

[0023] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The wall 58 is illustrated in detail. The wall 58 is generally divided into a first lateral portion 118 (i.e., a left side) and a second lateral portion 122 (i.e., a right side). A fastener receiver 126 is located between the first lateral portion 118 and the second lateral portion 122. The fastener receiver 126 is configured to receive one of the fasteners 94 to secure the wall 58 to the housing 18. Each lateral portion 118, 122 of the wall 58 includes a barb 130 and a barb receiver 134, each of which interfaces with a corresponding barb 110 and barb receiver 114 of the core box 34 to secure the wall 58 to the core box 34. The wall 58 is generally planar and has an outer surface 138 and an inner surface 142 that are spaced apart from each other by a thickness T1.

[0024] Each lateral portion 118, 122 of the wall 58 includes a plurality of cell terminal holes 146. In the assembled battery pack 10, one cell terminal 66 of one cell 14 is positioned to extend through one cell terminal hole 146. The wall 58 further includes a plurality of ribs 150 that protrude from the outer surface 138 of the wall 58. The ribs 150 protrude from the outer surface 138 by a second thickness T2. Accordingly, the total thickness of the ribs 150 includes both the first thickness T1 and the second thickness T2, so that the ribs have a second thickness (T1+T2) greater than the first thickness T1. The ribs 150 separate adjacent cell terminals 66 to inhibit contact between adjacent cell terminals and inhibit electrical short circuits between certain combinations of terminals 66 (e.g., the first terminal of the first cell and the second terminal of the second cell). One of the ribs 150 includes a receiving portion 154. In the illustrated embodiment, the ribs 150 include a pair of spaced apart receiving portions 154. The wall 58 includes a plurality of tap holes 158 that pass through the outer surface 138 but do not protrude from the inner surface 142. The tap holes 158 communicate with the tap recesses 162. The tap recesses 162 are recessed from the outer surface 138 of the wall 58. The tap through-holes 166 are located within the tap recesses 162 and span the entire wall 58 from the outer surface 138 to the inner surface 142. In the illustrated embodiment, each tap recess 162 includes three tap through-holes 166 on one lateral side thereof and three tap through-holes 166 on the opposing lateral side thereof, for a total of six tap through-holes 166 per tap recess 162. The illustrated tap through-holes are arranged in an opposed triangular pattern. Other numbers and / or arrangements of tap through-holes 166 are possible.

[0025] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the battery pack 10 includes a fuse 170. The fuse 170 electrically couples the cell terminals 66 of the battery cells 14 to the printed circuit board 62. The fuse 170 is located between the cell terminals 66 and the printed circuit board 62 so that the fuse 170 can protect the printed circuit board 62 from damage (e.g., overheating, overvoltage, overcurrent) occurring at the cell terminals 66. The fuse 170 is electrically conductive. An electrically insulating tape 174 is insert molded into the fuse 170. The tape 174 electrically isolates the fuse 170 from the battery cells 14 and the cell terminals 66 other than the connected battery cells 14 and the cell terminals 66.

[0026] The fuse 170 has a cell side portion 170a having a first width W1, a plate side portion 170b having a second width W2, and a central portion 170c between the cell side portion 170a and the plate side portion 170b. The central portion 170c has a third width W3 that is smaller than the first width W1 and the second width W2. In the illustrated embodiment, the first width W1 and the second width W2 are substantially the same. The first width W1 and the second width W2 allow the fuse 170 to be sufficiently stable to withstand operating characteristics (e.g., heat, voltage, current), and the size of the third width W3 is set so that the central portion of the fuse 170 breaks under unsafe operating characteristics (e.g., overheating, overvoltage, overcurrent). Once broken, the fuse 170 does not allow current from the connected cell terminal 66 to pass through, and stops the charging / discharging of the battery pack 10.

[0027] The fuse 170 includes an encapsulated portion 170d surrounded by a band 174 and a free portion 170e not encapsulated by the band. The cell terminals 66 electrically coupled to the fuse 170 are coupled to the free portion 170e of the fuse 170. The band 174 electrically isolates the encapsulated portion 170d of the fuse 170 from the other cell terminals 66 adjacent to the second lateral portion 122 (i.e., the right side) of the wall 58. Figure 6 As shown, the strap 174 includes one protrusion 178. The receiving portion 154 of the rib 150 receives the protrusion 178 of the strap 174 to align the strap 174 with the wall 58. In the illustrated embodiment, the strap 174 includes two protrusions 178, which are respectively received by one of the receiving portions 154.

[0028] like Figure 7 As best shown in FIG. 1 , the cell terminals 66 of adjacent cells 14 are interconnected at an interface 182. A tap 102 is electrically coupled to each of the adjacent cells 14 (e.g., a first cell 14 and a second cell 14) at the same interface 182. The tap 102 passes through the tap hole 158. The tap 102 is soldered to a trace 98 within the sheath 106 to couple to the circuit board 62. The trace 98 electrically couples the tap 102 to the printed circuit board 62, wherein the trace 98 is configured to transmit a signal indicating at least one of a voltage and a current at the interface 182 to the printed circuit board 62. Figure 7As shown, the tap 102, the cell terminal 66 of one cell 14, and the cell terminal 66 of another cell 14 are welded to each other at the interface 182. In the illustrated embodiment, the tap 102, the cell terminal 66 of one cell 14, and the cell terminal 66 of another cell 14 are stacked on each other and laser welded to each other at the interface 182. There are multiple traces 98 in the sheath 106, wherein each trace 98 electrically couples a different interface 182 to the printed circuit board 62. In the illustrated embodiment, the cell terminal 66 is copper-based or aluminum-based. In the illustrated embodiment, the opposing cell terminals 66 at a single interface 182 are copper-based and aluminum-based, respectively. The tap 102 has an encapsulated portion 102a surrounded by the wall 58 and a free portion 102b not encapsulated by the wall 58. The free portion 102b is located between the wall 58 and the cell terminal 66 of the first cell 14. The cell terminal 66 of the first battery cell 14 is located between the free portion 102 b and the cell terminal 66 of the second battery cell 14 .

[0029] Figure 5 and Figure 8 The ribs 150 of the wall 58 are illustrated in detail. The ribs 150 are electrically insulating and protrude from the outer surface 138 of the wall 58 to electrically isolate the cell terminals 66 of one interface 182 from the cell terminals 66 of another interface 182. The presence of the ribs 150 separates the cell terminals 66 before the positions of the cell terminals are fixed by welding (e.g., laser welding) the protrusion 102 and the two cell terminals 66 at each interface 182. In the illustrated embodiment, the wall 58 is molded (e.g., insert molded) and the ribs 150 are formed integrally with the wall. In other embodiments, the ribs may be fixed to the wall 58 in other ways. As shown in FIG. Figure 3 and Figure 8 As best shown in FIG. 1 , the ribs 150 are located between the terminal holes 146 corresponding to the cell terminals 66 that need to be electrically isolated from each other. In the assembly, the battery cells 14 are stacked along the stacking direction D1, with the cell terminals 66 of opposite polarity located on the lateral sides 118, 122 of the wall 58. The interface 182 connects the positive cell terminal 66 of one battery cell 14 to the negative cell terminal 66 of another battery cell 14, and vice versa. This continues along the stacking direction D1, with the last cell terminal 66 of the battery pack 10 connected to the free portion 170e of the fuse 170. The fuse 170 is in turn connected to the second lead 74 and the corresponding battery terminal 78, so that when the battery pack 10 is coupled to a charger or tool, the battery pack 10 is configured to receive current from the charger or tool or transmit current thereto.

[0030] The rib 150 electrically isolates one cell terminal 66 from two directly electrically coupled cell terminals 66. In the stacking direction, the battery pack 10 includes a first cell 14 having a first cell terminal 66, a second cell 14 having a second cell terminal 66, and a third cell 14 having a third cell terminal 66. Each cell terminal 66 extends through a corresponding dedicated terminal hole 146 of the wall 58 (e.g., one cell terminal 66 extends through one terminal hole 146). The rib 150 protrudes from the wall 58 to inhibit contact between the third cell terminal 66 and any one of the first cell terminal 66 and the second cell terminal 66, and thus inhibit electrical short circuits between the third cell terminal and any one of the first cell terminal 66 and the second cell terminal. The rib 150 electrically isolates the third cell terminal 66 from the first cell terminal 66 and the second cell terminal 66.

[0031] Although the disclosure has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the disclosure described.

Claims

1. A battery pack, include: Control circuit board; A first battery cell having a first terminal electrically coupled to the control circuit board; a second battery cell, the second battery cell being electrically coupled to the first battery cell and having a second terminal; a fuse electrically coupling the second terminal to the control circuit board, the fuse being located between the second terminal and the control circuit board; An electrically insulating tape is molded to the fuse, the tape electrically isolating the fuse from the first battery cell.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The fuse has a cell side portion having a first width, a plate side portion having a second width, and a central portion between the cell side portion and the plate side portion, the central portion having a third width smaller than the first width and the second width.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, in, The fuse has an encapsulated portion surrounded by the band and a free portion not encapsulated by the band.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The second terminal is coupled to the fuse at the free portion.

5. The battery pack according to claim 3, in, The fuse has a cell side portion, a plate side portion, and a central portion between the cell side portion and the plate side portion, the central portion being a portion of a free portion of the fuse spaced apart from the band.

6. The battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a core box having a wall with a receiving portion, the receiving portion receiving the protrusion of the strap to align the strap with the wall.

7. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a third battery cell having a third terminal, the third battery cell being electrically coupled to the first battery cell and the second battery cell, the third terminal being electrically isolated from the second terminal by the tape.

8. A battery pack, include: Control circuit board; A battery cell, the battery cell is electrically coupled to the control circuit board and has a first terminal; another battery cell having a second terminal electrically coupled to the first terminal at the interface; a tap electrically coupled to the first terminal and the second terminal at the interface; an electrically insulating wall molded to the tap, the wall securing the position of the tap; as well as A trace electrically couples the tap to the control circuit board, the trace being configured to transmit a signal indicative of at least one of a voltage and a current at the interface to the control circuit board.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, in, The tap, the first terminal and the second terminal are welded to each other at the interface.

10. The battery pack according to claim 9, in, The tap is soldered to the trace.

11. The battery pack of claim 8, further comprising another battery cell having another terminal, another battery cell having another terminal, and another tap electrically coupled to the another terminal and the another terminal at a second interface, the second tap electrically coupled to the second trace, and both the trace and the second trace are disposed within the sheath.

12. The battery pack according to claim 8, in, At least one of the first terminal and the second terminal is copper-based or aluminum-based.

13. The battery pack according to claim 12, in, The first terminal is copper-based and the second terminal is aluminum-based.

14. The battery pack according to claim 8, in, The tap has an enclosed portion surrounded by the wall and a free portion not enclosed by the wall, the free portion is located between the wall and the first terminal, and the first terminal is located between the tap and the second terminal.

15. A battery pack, include: A first battery cell having a first terminal; a second battery cell having a second terminal electrically coupled directly to the first battery cell at an interface; A third battery cell having a third terminal; a core box, in which the first battery cell, the second battery cell and the third battery cell are received; a wall coupled to the core box, the wall comprising: a first terminal hole through which the first terminal extends, a second terminal hole, the second terminal extending through the second terminal hole, a third terminal hole through which the third terminal extends, and An electrically insulating rib protrudes from the wall to inhibit contact between the third terminal and any one of the first terminal and the second terminal, and thereby inhibit an electrical short circuit between the third terminal and any one of the first terminal and the second terminal, the rib electrically isolating the third terminal from the first terminal and the second terminal.

16. The battery pack according to claim 15, in, The wall is generally planar and has a first thickness.

17. The battery pack according to claim 16, in, The rib has a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

18. The battery pack according to claim 15, in, The second battery cell has an auxiliary second battery cell terminal, the third battery cell has an auxiliary third battery cell terminal, and the third terminal is indirectly coupled to the first battery cell and the second battery cell through an auxiliary interface between the auxiliary second battery cell terminal and the auxiliary third battery cell terminal.

19. The battery pack according to claim 15, in, The wall is molded and the rib is integrally formed with the wall.

20. The battery pack according to claim 15, in, The rib is located between the first terminal hole and the second terminal hole.

Images