Power supply equipment and its components (intergroup connectors)

Abstract

A battery group connector for forming a battery assembly (100, 1100) including a plurality of batteries (102), the battery group connector comprising a plurality of first contact terminals, a plurality of second contact terminals, and inter-terminal links interconnecting the plurality of first contact terminals and the plurality of second contact terminals, the inter-terminal links being configured as a metal grid, and the battery group connector being configured to form a heat transfer network for transferring heat between the battery terminals and the outside of the battery assembly (100, 1100).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to power supplies, and more particularly to power supplies having batteries and components of such power supplies. The present disclosure also relates to battery assemblies and components for power supplies. [Background technology]

[0002] Storage power devices such as batteries have become the primary power source for many vehicles and appliances. A power supply having a battery as a storage power source is useful and advantageous. For example, a power supply having a storage power device can input power from a main power source for storage during non-operation and output power during operation when power supply from the power supply is required.

[0003] As power demands continue to grow, power supplies are required to have higher energy storage capacity and compactness. Compactness is usually achieved by using batteries with higher energy storage density and by having more densely packed batteries or battery cells. However, batteries with higher energy storage density, such as lithium-ion batteries, tend to explode. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An inter-battery group connector for connecting two adjacent battery groups of a battery assembly is disclosed. The inter-battery group connector (inter-group connector for short) comprises a plurality of first contact terminals, a plurality of second contact terminals, and an inter-terminal link interconnecting the plurality of first contact terminals and the plurality of second contact terminals. The first contact terminals are for electrically connecting with first terminals of batteries having a first electrical polarity. The second contact terminals are for electrically connecting with second terminals of batteries having a second electrical polarity opposite to the first electrical polarity.

[0005] A first conductive strip portion extends from the first contact terminal for joining with the intermediate conductive strip portion. A second conductive strip portion extends from the second contact terminal for joining with the intermediate conductive strip portion. The first conductive strip portion, the second conductive strip portion, and the intermediate conductive strip portion are configured to form a thermally and electrically conductive grid.

[0006] The first contact terminals may be distributed along a first longitudinal direction defined by a first longitudinal axis. The second contact terminals may be distributed along a second longitudinal direction defined by a second longitudinal axis parallel to the first longitudinal axis. The inter-terminal link is a distributed connector comprising a plurality of first conductive strip portions. The first conductive strip portions may be distributed along the first longitudinal direction. The second conductive strip portions may be distributed along the second longitudinal direction. The intermediate conductive strip portion may be orthogonal to the first conductive strip portion and / or the second conductive strip portion.

[0007] A battery assembly is disclosed that includes a plurality of batteries arranged in a plurality of battery groups and interconnected by the battery group connector of the present disclosure. The batteries of the battery groups are connected in parallel and adjacent battery groups are connected in series. Two adjacent pairs of battery groups are connected by the battery group connector of the present disclosure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] The present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0009] [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary power supply according to the present disclosure. [Figure 1B] 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary power supply according to the present disclosure.

[0010] [Figure 1C] FIG. 1B is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the power supply device of FIG. 1A along the main longitudinal axis L-L'.

[0011] [Figure 1D] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example compartment layout of a power supply;

[0012] [Diagram 2] FIG. 1B is an exploded view illustrating exemplary major components of the power supply device of FIG. 1A.

[0013] [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the power supply exposing the battery assembly.

[0014] [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary base plate showing heat conducting tracks.

[0015] [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary inter-battery string connector comprising an array of exemplary inter-battery connectors. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary inter-battery string connector comprising an array of exemplary inter-battery connectors.

[0016] [Figure 3C] FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the circled portion (A) of the connector between battery strings in FIG. 3A.

[0017] [Figure 4A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary battery tray of a power supply; [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary battery tray of a power supply;

[0018] [Figure 4C] FIG. 4B is a plan view of the battery tray of FIG. 4A.

[0019] [Figure 4D] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the circled area (B) of the battery tray. [Figure 4E] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the circled area (C) of the battery tray.

[0020] [Diagram 5] 4B shows a battery tray formed by interlocking the two battery trays of FIG. 4A.

[0021] [Figure 5A] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the circled portion (D) of the battery tray assembly of FIG. 5, showing the interface between the two battery trays.

[0022] [Figure 6] 1 illustrates an exemplary battery assembly according to another aspect of the present disclosure.

[0023] [Figure 6A] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary battery assembly of FIG. 6 only along a plane perpendicular to the battery axis.

[0024] [Figure 7A] 7 illustrates an exemplary subassembly of the battery assembly of FIG. 6.

[0025] [Figure 7B] FIG. 7B is an exploded view of the subassembly of FIG. 7A.

[0026] [Figure 7C] 1 shows the interconnection of two rows of batteries with an inter-row connector.

[0027] [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary inter-row connector.

[0028] [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another exemplary inter-row connector.

[0029] [Figure 9A] An enlarged view of the circled area (E) in FIG. 9 is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] An exemplary power supply 10 of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 5, and 5A, comprises a battery assembly 100, a management circuit, and a main housing 200 within which the battery assembly 100 and the management circuit 300 are received. The battery assembly 100 comprises a plurality of batteries 102, which are typically rechargeable batteries organized into battery groups.

[0031] The main housing 200 includes multiple compartments, such as a main compartment and a fan compartment, as shown in Figure ID. The main compartment is partitioned into a battery compartment 106 in which the battery assembly 100 is received, a circuit compartment 104 in which management circuitry is received, an air compartment 400, and a functional compartment that may be useful and beneficial. A fan compartment 500 is formed at a longitudinal end of the main housing 200, and an air movement mechanism is located inside the fan compartment.

[0032] The main housing 200 may be formed from metal components, high strength plastic components, or a combination of both metal and high strength plastic components. The main housing may include multiple housing sections. For example, the main housing may include a main section housing section and a fan section housing section. The main section housing may be divided into multiple functional sections.

[0033] The main housing comprises a first housing portion (abbreviated as "first portion"), a second housing portion (abbreviated as "second portion"), and a peripheral main housing portion (abbreviated as "peripheral portion") interconnecting the first and second portions. The first portion is on a first axial end and has an inwardly facing major surface ("first major surface"). The second portion is on a second axial end and has an inwardly facing major surface ("second major surface") having an orientation diametrically opposite to that of the first major surface. The exemplary main housing 200 comprises a top portion 202 as an exemplary first portion, a bottom portion 204 as an exemplary second portion, and a peripheral portion 206 interconnecting the top and bottom portions which together define the main compartment housing. The peripheral portion extends in an axial direction Z between the bottom and top portions to surround and define the main compartment. The peripheral portion has a first end, in this example first longitudinal end 210, and a second end, in this example second longitudinal end 220. The first longitudinal end 210 and the second longitudinal end 220 define the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end, respectively, of the main section.

[0034] The first longitudinal end 210 and the second longitudinal end 220 are opposite longitudinal ends of the main housing 200 on a main longitudinal axis L-L' of the main housing, which is the longitudinal axis of the main section and defines a main longitudinal direction Y of the device. An axial direction Z of the peripheral portion defines a main axial direction of the device that is perpendicular to the main longitudinal direction L.

[0035] The fan section housing portion is an elongate housing portion that projects away from the main section and extends in a main longitudinal direction of the main longitudinal axis L-L' to define the fan section.

[0036] The circuit section resides on a first longitudinal end 210 of the main housing, the fan section resides on a second longitudinal end 220 of the main housing, and the battery section is intermediate the circuit section and the fan section.

[0037] A number of peripheral devices are provided on a front panel of the first longitudinal end 210 of the main housing. The peripheral devices may include inputs, outputs, and control interfaces, including power inputs, power outputs, data interfaces, and user interfaces.

[0038] The device is configured as a power supply module such that the power supply module may operate as a stand-alone power supply or as a modular component of multiple power supply modules forming a larger power supply.

[0039] The management circuitry includes a battery management circuitry and peripheral circuits. The management circuitry includes a battery management circuitry and peripheral circuits. The battery management circuitry may include a battery charge management circuitry, a battery discharge management circuitry, a battery status monitoring circuitry, a battery safety control circuitry, and / or other useful circuits. The peripheral circuits may include measurement circuits, communication circuits including a data communication front end, switching control circuits, remote sensing circuits, and other useful circuits.

[0040] The exemplary main housing 200 includes a first housing portion and a second housing portion that cooperate to form the main housing. The exemplary first main housing portion is an upper housing portion 230 that includes a top portion and a peripheral portion, and the exemplary second housing portion is a lower housing portion 240 that includes a bottom portion.

[0041] In exemplary embodiments such as this embodiment, the upper housing portion 230 is shaped and configured to define a battery compartment and is formed of a thermally insulating material such as a rigid engineering plastic. The exemplary upper housing portion is integrally formed from a high strength engineering plastic material such as ABS, and the battery compartment is a closed compartment except for a vent opening 232. In some embodiments, the upper housing portion may be a thermally conductive material, such as steel, aluminum, or other metal. The upper housing includes a peripheral flange complementary to a peripheral flange on the lower housing portion to facilitate rapid assembly.

[0042] The exemplary lower housing portion 240 is formed as a metal casing portion including a metal plate portion 242, a fan panel 244 on a longitudinal end, and a peripheral flange 246 extending along either side of the metal plate portion 242. The metal plate portion defines a bottom portion of the main housing and a floor 208 of the main housing. The fan panel extends perpendicular to the metal plate portion and defines a number of fan openings that align with fans mounted in a fan mounting frame formed in the upper housing portion to permit the passage of air through fans mounted in the fan compartment.

[0043] The portion of the metal casing section 242 that forms the bottom portion of the main housing is a stainless steel plate that cooperates with the upper housing section 230 to form the main section and a fan section adjacent to and in fluid communication with the air section.

[0044] The battery assembly 100 is mounted in the main housing and is held between the top portion of the main housing and the air compartment.

[0045] The battery assembly 100 comprises a plurality of electrically interconnected cells. The cells of the battery assembly may be interconnected to form a plurality of parallel connected cells and / or a plurality of series connected cells. The battery assemblies may be arranged into a battery ensemble or into a plurality of battery ensembles, each battery ensemble being referred to as a battery group. A battery ensemble may comprise a plurality of parallel connected cells and / or a plurality of series connected cells. The cells of the battery assembly are electrically interconnected by a plurality of inter-cell connectors. The plurality of inter-cell connectors may be connected in series to form an inter-ensemble connector for connecting adjacent pairs of the battery ensembles.

[0046] The battery assemblies may be arranged in one battery module or multiple battery modules, each battery module including multiple parallel-connected battery groups and / or multiple series-connected battery groups.

[0047] The exemplary battery module includes a first module portion having a first module surface that defines a first module end, and a second module portion having a second module surface that defines a second module end. The exemplary battery module has a top portion as an exemplary first module portion, and a top surface as an exemplary first module surface that defines a top end as an exemplary first end of the battery module. The exemplary battery module has a bottom portion as an exemplary second module surface, and a bottom surface as an exemplary second module surface that defines a bottom end of the battery module, and a peripheral portion that extends axially between the top end and the bottom end. The top end and the bottom end are opposite axial ends of the battery module. The axial direction of the exemplary battery module is parallel to the battery axis of the batteries of the battery module. The axial direction of the exemplary battery module is parallel to the major axis direction of the exemplary main housing, but in some embodiments may be angled or perpendicular to the major axis direction of the main housing.

[0048] The exemplary battery module includes a plurality of first battery terminal contact tabs 112 distributed on a first portion of the battery module to form an exposed first module surface, and a corresponding plurality of second battery terminal contact tabs 114 distributed on a second portion of the battery module to form an exposed second module surface. The first battery terminal contact tab is physically connected to a first battery terminal of the battery, for example by spot welding or laser welding. The first battery terminal of the battery has a first electrical polarity and a safety vent formed at or near the first battery terminal. The first battery terminal contact tab 112 has a slit or opening and is exposed to an exhaust chamber intermediate the battery module and the first portion of the main housing. The battery is held such that its safety vent is proximal to and unblocked by the first module surface, such that hot gas exhaust originating from the battery can freely move from the first battery terminal to the first module surface and then to the vent opening 232 of the main housing. A safety vent in a conventional battery is typically formed proximate the positive terminal of the battery, where the first battery terminal is the positive terminal of the battery and the second battery terminal is the negative terminal of the battery. When the safety vent is proximate the negative battery terminal, without loss of generality, the first battery terminal becomes the negative terminal and the second battery terminal becomes the positive terminal.

[0049] The second battery terminal contact tab 114 is physically connected to a second battery terminal of the battery, for example by spot welding or laser welding. The second battery terminal has a second electrical polarity opposite to the first battery terminal. When the first battery terminal is a positive terminal, the second battery terminal is a negative terminal and vice versa. The second module surface is an exposed module surface to facilitate physical and thermal connection with a heat exchanger.

[0050] The peripheral portion of the battery module includes a peripheral wall that surrounds the batteries of the battery module, the peripheral wall having a peripheral surface that extends axially to define first and second portions of the battery module.

[0051] The battery module is mounted to the main housing such that its first surface is proximal to the first portion and distal to the second portion of the main housing, and its second surface is proximal to the second portion and distal to the first portion of the main housing. The exemplary battery module is mounted to the exemplary main housing such that its top surface is proximal to the top portion and distal to the bottom portion, and its bottom surface is proximal to the bottom portion and distal to the top portion of the main housing.

[0052] The battery module is maintained at an axial level relative to the first surface of the main housing such that an axial separation is maintained between the first surface of the battery module and the first surface of the main housing. This axial separation defines an exhaust chamber such that gas exhausts originating from the cells of the battery module may exit the device through the vent openings 232 in the first surface of the main housing after traveling through the exhaust chamber. This axial separation is selected to be relatively small to facilitate effective monitoring of extreme battery conditions. The axial separation distance may be between about 0.2 cm and 2 cm in an exemplary battery arrangement, which is between 3% and 30% of the axial extent of the battery module for 18650 batteries. In general, the axial extent is selected as a rule of thumb to be greater than or equal to 3%, 5%, 7%, 9%, 11%, and less than 20%, 25%, 30% of the axial extent of the battery module.

[0053] The vent openings are in fluid communication with the exhaust chamber, and the number of vent openings is significantly less than the number of cells of the battery assembly. An exemplary battery assembly has more than 250 cells, but only four vent openings. Each vent opening is equipped with a thermal sensor, which is connected to a temperature monitoring circuit of the battery management circuit for monitoring the temperature of the gas exhaust of the battery assembly. The exhaust chamber, and more specifically the upper part of the main housing, is insulated from the surroundings to facilitate accurate temperature monitoring, so that the temperature of the hot gas exhaust originating from the cells of the battery assembly does not drop significantly before reaching the thermal sensor. In this example, the first module surface directly faces the vicinity of the ceiling of the main housing, the multiple vent openings are distributed in the upper part of the main housing, and the battery module is maintained at an axial level lower than the ceiling of the main housing, such that an axial separation is maintained between the upper surface of the battery module and the ceiling of the main housing. In some embodiments, the first module surface faces directly proximal to the floor of the main housing, the plurality of vent openings are distributed in a bottom portion of the main housing, and the battery module is maintained at an axial level higher than the floor of the main housing such that an axial separation is maintained between the bottom surface of the battery module and the floor of the main housing. Terms such as top and bottom, top and bottom, upper and lower, etc. are used for ease of reference with reference to how the device is configured during use and are not meant to be limiting. For example, the device may be configured such that the battery axis defining the module axis is horizontal or at an angle to the vertical, and terms such as top and bottom, top and bottom, upper and lower, etc. should be construed accordingly and mutatis mutandis without loss of generality.

[0054] The exemplary battery assembly includes an exemplary plurality of two battery modules 101A, 101B mounted side-by-side in abutment for maximum compactness. The battery modules may be mounted spaced apart if compactness is not required. The exemplary battery modules are mounted such that the top faces of the component battery modules are aligned at the same axial level and face the ceiling of the main housing, the bottom faces of the battery modules are aligned at the same axial level and face the bottom portion of the main housing, and the peripheral portions are aligned laterally such that the battery assembly has a generally rectangular profile.

[0055] The battery assembly 100 comprises a base plate 120 attached to the bottom end of the battery module (or attached to the bottom end of a battery module in which the battery assembly has a single battery module) to form the bottom end of the battery module. The base plate 120 divides a portion of the main housing into an upper portion defining a battery compartment and a lower portion defining an air compartment. The base plate is secured to a peripheral flange of the main housing to form a battery compartment that is substantially airtight except for a vent opening. The peripheral flange extends along an inner periphery of the main housing and projects inwardly to form a sealing flange that, when cooperating with fasteners distributed along the base plate and the peripheral flange, forms a substantially airtight battery compartment. The base plate is in physical and thermal contact with, but electrically insulated from, the battery terminal tabs at the bottom end of the battery module.

[0056] The battery assembly is mounted in the main housing and maintained at an axial level above a floor of the main housing, the floor being an inwardly facing surface of the bottom portion of the main housing.

[0057] The axial height of the battery assembly from the floor of the main housing defines the axial extent of the air compartment, which may be, for example, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40% or more greater than the axial extent of the exhaust chamber.

[0058] The base plate 120 forms the bottom end of the battery module and has a major surface facing away from the battery module that forms the bottom of the battery assembly. An air compartment is defined between the bottom surface of the base plate and the floor of the main housing.

[0059] The battery assembly 100 includes a heat exchange mechanism that facilitates heat exchange between the battery assemblies and the air in the air compartment or the ambient air. The heat exchange mechanism includes a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the battery module and having a heat exchange surface that is thermally exposed to the air compartment or to the ambient air in embodiments where the main housing does not have an air compartment such that heat exchange is with the ambient air.

[0060] The exemplary heat exchanger of this example comprises a thermally conductive plate having a thermal contact surface 122 thermally connected to the battery terminals of the battery assembly by a heat transfer network and having a heat exchange surface 124 exposed to air, e.g., the air in the air compartment or the ambient air if there is no air compartment. The thermal contact surface and the heat exchange surface are opposing major surfaces of the thermally conductive plate.

[0061] The base plate 120 of the exemplary battery assembly is a thermally conductive plate that functions as a heat exchanger in this example. To establish an efficient thermal connection between the battery terminals and the base plate, the battery contact tabs exposed at the bottom portion of the battery module are bonded to the top surface of the base plate by an electrically insulating thermally conductive medium such as a thermally conductive adhesive or preferably an elastomeric thermally conductive sheet or strip 130 such that the base plate and the battery contact tabs are maintained in thermal contact with each other but in an electrically insulated state. In an operation in which the heat exchange mechanism prevents overheating of the batteries of the battery assembly, the top surface of the base plate is for collecting heat from the batteries of the battery assembly and is therefore a heat collecting surface, while the bottom surface of the base plate is a heat rejecting surface for dissipating heat into the air compartment. In an operation in which the heat exchange mechanism warms the batteries of the battery assembly to their operating temperature range, the operation is reversed such that the bottom surface of the base plate becomes a heat collecting surface for collecting heat from the air compartment and the top surface of the base plate becomes a heat rejecting surface for dissipating heat into the batteries.

[0062] The air compartment is an air chamber in fluid communication with the fan compartment at one longitudinal end and with ambient air at another longitudinal end distal from the fan compartment. The circuit compartment has a lower surface 250 that is generally flush with the base plate to form a through air passage between the first longitudinal end of the main housing and the inlet of the air compartment so that ambient air may be freely drawn into the air compartment for heat exchange.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment such as this embodiment, the base plate 120 is physically and thermally connected to the battery contact tabs on the bottom of the battery module to ensure good thermal contact and good thermal connection between the battery module and the base plate. The exemplary base plate 120 is a metal plate having a plurality of contact tracks 126. The contact tracks are an integral part of the metal plate, and adjacent contact tracks are isolated and insulated. Each track is thermally connected to a row of batteries by a correspondingly shaped thermal connector strip 130. The exemplary base plate is formed from a composite base board having a composite structure similar to that of a composite board for forming a printed circuit board, except that the base board has an insulating layer formed on a metal substrate rather than a metal layer formed on an insulator substrate. The exemplary base plate has an aluminum plate substrate and an electrically insulating coating on the plate substrate. The contact tracks may be formed by mask imprinting and etching such that after mask removal of the top insulating layer, the contact tracks remain and appear as printed metal tracks on the metal substrate. The thermal contact tracks are mutually isolated and mutually insulated tracks. Adjacent contact tracks are separated and / or surrounded by insulating tracks that form insulating gaps. Each track is elongated and has a zigzag profile on each of its long edges to follow the zigzag contours of the battery compartments that form the battery receptacle rows. The exemplary zigzag profile of the long sides of the exemplary contact tracks is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the contact tracks, which is also the central axis of the contact tracks. The base plate functions as a heat sink to attenuate heat that accumulates or is generated within the battery assembly, and functions as a heat dissipator to dissipate heat into the air compartments. Heat dissipation protrusions, such as fins or distributed protrusions, may be formed on the underside of the base plate to increase the heat dissipation rate. The underside of the base plate is the heat exchange surface of the base plate that is exposed to the air compartment and is in thermal contact with the air in the air compartment or the ambient air. The heat exchange surface functions as a heat dissipation surface when deployed to dissipate heat from the battery compartments.

[0064] The metal plate forming the bottom portion of the main housing further aids in increasing the rate of heat dissipation.

[0065] An exemplary thermal connector strip may be an elastomeric thermal connector, such as an elastomeric thermal connector made of a non-silicone thermally conductive material. The F-CO TM series of products available from Furukawa is an example of a thermally conductive medium suitable for this purpose.

[0066] In this example, the battery contact tabs forming the top surface of the battery assembly are contact tabs physically bonded to the positive battery terminals of the batteries in the battery assembly, and the battery contact tabs forming the bottom surface of the battery assembly are contact tabs physically bonded to the negative battery terminals of the batteries in the battery assembly. The battery contact tabs may be physically joined by spot welding, laser welding, or other metal joining techniques.

[0067] The base plate is thermally attached to the negative battery terminal through battery contact tabs on the bottom surface of the battery module to take advantage of the larger end surface area of ​​the negative battery terminal of the cylindrical batteries (compared to the end surface area of ​​the positive battery terminal) to enhance better heat dissipation from the batteries to the base plate, which in an exemplary embodiment functions as a heat sink or heat dissipation surface.

[0068] In an exemplary device, the top and peripheral portions of the main housing cooperate with the base plate to define a battery compartment, and the bottom portion of the main housing cooperates with the base plate to define an air compartment. The battery compartment is a closed compartment with a vent opening as the only air outlet, so that gas exhaust from the battery assembly can only exit through the vent opening present in the top portion of the main housing. The air compartment is preferably a closed chamber with an air inlet at one longitudinal end and an air outlet at another longitudinal end, such that ambient air drawn into the air compartment must travel along the entire length of the air compartment for good heat exchange.

[0069] An array of electric fans is mounted on the fan section housing to form an exemplary air movement mechanism. The fan array extends transversely to the longitudinal axis and includes an exemplary plurality of three axial fans, the fan axes being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main housing. The fans are positioned to expel air from the air section through the axial fans and draw ambient air into the air section. In an exemplary embodiment, an ambient air inlet is formed at a longitudinal end of the main housing distal to the fan section such that incoming ambient air traverses the entire length of the base plate before reaching and exiting the fan section. In some embodiments, the ambient air inlet may be formed on both sides of the main housing that define the air section.

[0070] During operation of the air movement mechanism, air within the fan section is drawn out of the fan section and out of the device through the fan, resulting in a low pressure area within the fan section and air within the air section being drawn into the fan section by the pressure differential. The movement of air from the air section into the fan section results in a low pressure area within the air section and ambient air is drawn into the air section from outside the device to replace air lost from the air section.

[0071] Contact between the base plate and the air in the air compartment results in heat exchange between the base plate and the air in the air compartment, and movement of the air across the air compartment to the surroundings results in transport of heat present in the air in the air compartment to the exterior of the device.

[0072] As the heat carrying air moves across the air compartment and then exits the apparatus, the air compartment is replenished with freshly drawn in air of a lower temperature, e.g., ambient air temperature, and the continued operation of the heat exchange and removal process by operation of the air moving mechanism prevents the buildup of harmful, conductive heat inside the battery assemblies and desirably cools the battery assemblies quickly to prevent catastrophic battery meltdown.

[0073] The heat exchanger is configured to collect heat from the batteries of the battery assembly, more specifically from the interior of the batteries of the battery assembly. To facilitate the collection of heat from the interior of the batteries, a heat collection and transfer network (abbreviated heat transfer network) is provided that thermally interconnects the electrodes of the batteries with the heat exchanger. An exemplary heat transfer network includes a heat collection terminal integrally connected to the first battery terminal of the battery. Since the first battery terminal of the battery is always a good conductor of both heat and electricity, directly or integrally joined to the battery electrode to minimize resistance, a heat transfer network having a heat collection terminal in good thermal connection with the battery terminal will facilitate efficient and rapid extraction of heat from the interior of the battery for dissipation to the surroundings when the heat transfer network is thermally connected to the surroundings, for example, by a heat exchange mechanism.

[0074] The exemplary heat transfer network comprises a plurality of inter-cell connectors of a battery assembly. The exemplary inter-cell connector comprises a first battery terminal contact tab 112 ("first contact tab" for short), a second battery terminal contact tab 114 ("second contact tab" for short), and an inter-terminal tab 116 interconnecting the first and second contact tabs. The first contact tab is for connecting with a first terminal of a battery, the second contact tab is for connecting with a second terminal of another adjacent battery, and the inter-terminal tab is an inter-battery link interconnecting a pair of adjacent batteries.

[0075] An exemplary inter-battery link comprises a first link portion 116a, a second link portion 116b, and an intermediate link portion 116c interconnecting the first and second link portions. Each link portion is a tab portion having the shape of a tap. The tab has a major surface 116d that is a flap surface, the major surface of the tab having an area significantly larger (e.g., for convenient examples, 5 times, 10 times, 15 times, 20 times, or more) than the area of ​​its minor surface 116e. The terms tab and flap have the same technical meaning and are used interchangeably herein.

[0076] The first link portion comprises a first metal flap portion integrally interconnecting the first contact tab and the intermediate metal flap portion, the first contact tab projecting in a first projection direction away from the first metal flap portion. The second link portion comprises a second metal flap portion integrally interconnecting the second contact tab and the intermediate metal flap portion, the second contact tab projecting in a second projection direction opposite to the first projection direction away from the second metal flap portion. The first and second contact tabs are parallel and separated by an axial separation distance equal to the axial height of one of the connected batteries. The first and intermediate metal flap portions are integrally joined and have coplanar major flap surfaces. The second and intermediate metal flap portions are integrally joined and have coplanar major flap surfaces. Conveniently, the portions are integrally joined or integrally connected when they are joined together by fusion welding or are formed from a single piece of material.

[0077] In exemplary embodiments such as this embodiment, the batteries of a battery module or battery assembly are organized into multiple battery groups, with adjacent pairs of the battery groups interconnected in series by inter-battery group connectors (or "inter-group connectors" for short).

[0078] In such an exemplary embodiment, the battery module includes a number of batteries arranged in a number of battery strings, each battery string including a number of batteries connected in parallel, the battery strings being connected in series.

[0079] The battery strings forming pairs of battery strings of a battery module and adjacent battery strings are interconnected by inter-battery string connectors 110 ("inter-row connectors" for short). The inter-row connectors comprise an array of inter-battery connectors, the inter-battery connectors forming the array being distributed in the row direction to form a series of inter-battery connectors.

[0080] The inter-row connector comprises a first array of contact tabs, a second array of contact tabs, and an array of inter-terminal tabs. The first contact tabs forming the first array of contact tabs are distributed along a row direction, with adjacent first contact tabs separated by gaps. The second contact tabs forming the second array of contact tabs are distributed along a row direction, with adjacent second contact tabs separated by gaps. The inter-terminal tabs forming the array of inter-terminal tabs are interconnected at intermediate link portions to form inter-terminal links interconnecting the first array of contact tabs, the second array of contact tabs, and the array of inter-terminal tabs. The first tabs and the second tabs protrude in opposite protruding directions and have contact surfaces perpendicular to the row direction.

[0081] The inter-row connector comprises a plurality of first metal flap portions distributed along the row direction to form a row of first metal flap portions, a plurality of second metal flap portions distributed along the row direction to form a row of second metal flap portions, and a plurality of intermediate metal flap portions distributed along the row direction to form a row of intermediate metal flap portions, the first metal flap portions and the second metal flap portions being first link portions and second link portions, respectively, in this example.

[0082] The first metal flap portions of the exemplary inter-row connector are distributed along the row direction to form a plurality of metal flaps extending perpendicular to the row direction between the intermediate metal flap portion and the first contact tab.

[0083] The second metal flap portions of the exemplary inter-row connector are distributed along the row direction to form a plurality of metal flaps extending perpendicular to the row direction between the intermediate metal flap portions and the second contact tabs.

[0084] The first metal flap portions and the second metal flap portions are alternated such that the first metal flap portions are intermediate between pairs of adjacent second metal flap portions and the second metal flap portions are intermediate between pairs of adjacent first metal flap portions.

[0085] Adjacent first metal flap portions of the inter-row connectors are separated by an inter-finger separation distance, the inter-finger separation distance between directly adjacent first metal flap portions of the inter-row connectors is uniform, and the width of the first metal flap portions is uniform. The inter-finger separation distance of the first metal flap portions of the inter-row connectors depends on the width of the second metal flap portion and may be comparable to or greater than the dimension of the cells in the row direction.

[0086] Adjacent second metal flap portions of the inter-row connectors are separated by an inter-finger separation distance, the inter-finger separation distance between directly adjacent second metal flap portions of the inter-row connector depends on the separation distance of adjacent cells and is uniform, and the width of the second metal flap portions is uniform. The inter-finger separation distance of the second metal flap portions of the inter-row connector depends on the width of the second metal flap portions and may be comparable to or greater than the dimension of the cells in the row direction.

[0087] The first metal flap portion and the intermediate metal flap portion cooperatively form a first metal grid. The second metal flap portion and the intermediate metal flap portion cooperatively form a second metal grid. The first metal flap portion, the second metal flap portion, and the intermediate metal flap portion cooperatively form a main metal grid. Each of the metal grids may be flexible and may have a major surface exposed to be non-thermal and non-electrically insulating. The intermediate metal flap portions of the inter-row connectors are connected together to extend along a row direction to define a dimension of the inter-row connector in the row direction.

[0088] The exemplary inter-row connector includes an elongated row tab 118, which is a row link that extends in the row direction to interconnect first and second metal flap portions of the inter-cell connectors that form the inter-row connector.

[0089] The metal flap portion has a major flap surface parallel to the row direction.

[0090] An exemplary inter-row connector is formed from a single flexible metal sheet and includes a plurality of flexible tab portions.

[0091] An exemplary battery module includes a battery tray 140 (or tray for short), a plurality of batteries 160 held on the battery tray, and a plurality of inter-row connectors interconnecting the batteries. The inter-row connectors are for connecting battery terminals of the batteries in one receptacle row (or row of receptacles) to battery terminals of the batteries in an abutting adjacent receptacle row. In an exemplary embodiment, when a battery module has a plurality of receptacle rows, M, there is a corresponding plurality of inter-row connectors, M.

[0092] When an adjacent pair of receptacle rows of a battery module has a plurality of N battery receptacles, the inter-row connector comprises a plurality of N inter-battery connectors interconnected by row links. Each inter-battery connector comprises a first contact tab, a second contact tab, and an intermediate link interconnecting one and the second contact tab. The intermediate link is also an inter-battery link, since the first and second contact tabs are terminal contact tabs for connecting different batteries. Contact tabs herein are battery terminal contact tabs, unless the context requires otherwise. An exemplary first contact tab is for connecting with a first terminal of a battery in a receptacle row, and an exemplary second contact tab is for connecting with a second terminal of a corresponding battery in an adjacent receptacle row. The exemplary first contact tab protrudes away from the intermediate link and extends away from the adjacent receptacle row, e.g., orthogonally away. An exemplary second terminal projects away from the intermediate link, e.g., perpendicularly away, and extends away from the first contact tab. The first and second contact tabs are parallel and have an axial separation equal to or comparable to the length, axial extent, or height of the cylindrical battery (65 mm for 18650 size batteries). An exemplary intermediate link is an elongated metal flap having a major surface parallel to the row direction of the receptacle row and parallel to the battery axis of the corresponding battery to which the inter-cell connector connects. The metal flap forming the intermediate link extends into the gap between the first and second terminals of the corresponding battery. Because the contact tabs are in physical and electrical communication with the battery terminals of the corresponding battery, heat built up within the battery is transferred to the inter-row connector and then to the base plate. The inter-row connector is configured to have a high surface area to volume ratio and is made of good thermal and electrical conductor to enhance heat transfer to the base plate and good heat dissipation. The base plate and the inter-row connectors are configured to form a heat transfer network whereby heat generated by the cells of the battery module is transferred through the inter-row connectors to the base plate. The heat transfer network comprises a heat transfer matrix comprising a row of thermally conductive flaps thermally coupled to the base plate. The thermally conductive flaps extend axially along the length of the cells.

[0093] The second contact tab, which is permanently joined to the base plate by a thermally conductive interface medium to facilitate efficient transfer of heat from the interior of the batteries of the battery assembly to the base plate for subsequent dissipation into the air compartment, has dimensions comparable to, equal to, or slightly larger than the second terminal of the battery it contacts.

[0094] Exemplary inter-row connectors of the present disclosure are configured to have a high surface area to volume ratio to act as excellent heat sinks.

[0095] A battery tray 140 of the present disclosure includes a plurality of battery receptacles 142 for holding a corresponding plurality of batteries, such that each battery has its own battery receptacle. The battery receptacles of the battery tray are organized into a plurality of M receptacle rows. Each receptacle row (or row for short) includes a plurality of N battery receptacles and extends along a receptacle row axis that defines a receptacle row direction X. Each battery receptacle has a receptacle axis, which is a central axis of the battery receptacle that defines an axial direction of the receptacle. The receptacle row axis of a receptacle row is formed by joining the receptacle axes of the battery receptacles in that receptacle row. The battery receptacles forming a receptacle row are distributed along a receptacle row axis of the receptacle row between a first row end, which is a first side end where the first end receptacle (or first receptacle) is located, and a second row end, which is a second side end of the receptacle row where the second end receptacle (or last receptacle) is located.

[0096] A battery tray is a plurality of directly abutting receptacle rows, the directly abutting receptacle rows being parallel to one another. The receptacle rows forming the battery tray are distributed in a distribution direction Y, which may be perpendicular to the receptacle row direction X, but may also be at an angle to the receptacle row direction. The receptacle rows may be distributed such that the spacing between directly adjacent receptacle rows abutting adjacent receptacle rows is the same or uniform. The receptacle rows forming the battery tray may have the same or different numbers of battery receptacles.

[0097] The exemplary battery tray of FIG. 4 includes an exemplary plurality of fourteen receptacle rows (M=14). The exemplary plurality of receptacle rows forming the exemplary battery tray includes a first receptacle row 142_01, a last receptacle row 142_14, and an exemplary plurality of twelve intermediate receptacle rows 142_02,...,142_13 evenly distributed between the first and last receptacle rows. The first receptacle row is a first end row and the last receptacle row is a second end row of the battery tray. The first end row and the second end row cooperatively define a longitudinal end of the battery tray in a distribution direction Y. Each receptacle row of the battery tray includes an exemplary plurality of nine battery receptacles (N=9). The battery receptacles of a receptacle row are identified by a numbering system for ease of reference. In the numbering system, the battery receptacle location numbers are relative to the first end (or first row end) such that the first receptacle is at the first end, the second receptacle is next to the first receptacle, the third receptacle is next to the second receptacle, and the last receptacle (or the ninth receptacle in this example) is at the second end (or second row end).

[0098] The receptacle rows are organized such that immediately adjacent receptacle rows are parallel but laterally offset, with alternating receptacle rows laterally aligned. This laterally offset configuration causes each of the lateral boundaries of the battery tray to have a zigzag or sawtooth profile. The sawtooth profile on the first side 146a is formed by the end wall of the first end receptacle, and the sawtooth profile on the second side 146b is formed by the end wall of the second end receptacle. The degree of lateral offset between adjacent receptacle rows is the same in this exemplary battery tray, such that each lateral boundary comprises a plurality of depressions and ridges of uniform lateral extent. An exemplary amount of lateral offset is approximately half the width of the lateral extent (or width) of the battery receptacle, such that three consecutive adjacent receptacle rows cooperatively define a half battery receptacle 148a on the first side. If the receptacle rows have the same number of battery receptacles, then three successive adjacent receptacle rows cooperatively define another half battery receptacle 148b on the second side. Despite the zigzag boundary, the exemplary battery tray has a generally rectangular shape cooperatively defined by the first and last receptacle rows and the lateral protrusions on the lateral boundaries.

[0099] Exemplary battery trays are organized such that odd rows are laterally aligned with odd rows, even rows are laterally aligned with even rows, and odd and even rows are laterally offset from one another. When receptacle rows are aligned or laterally aligned, corresponding battery receptacles in aligned rows align their battery receptacle axes in a direction parallel to the distribution direction Y. Corresponding battery receptacles herein refer to battery receptacles having the same receptacle position number relative to the row ends.

[0100] An exemplary battery tray has an even number of rows, greater than two, such that the first and last receptacle rows are laterally offset and the first and penultimate receptacle rows are laterally aligned. When the receptacle rows are aligned, the first end receptacle of the aligned receptacle row has its receptacle axis on a line parallel to the distribution direction Y. When the receptacle rows have the same number of battery receptacles, the second end receptacle of the receptacle row has its receptacle axis on a line parallel to the distribution direction Y. When the battery tray has an odd number of rows, greater than three, the first and last receptacle rows are laterally aligned, without loss of generality.

[0101] Each of the intermediate receptacle rows includes a plurality of row passages. Each row passage passes through two adjacent receptacle rows and spans all the battery receptacles of the two adjacent receptacle rows to define a row channel. The row channel is elongate and extends in a direction parallel to the row axis. The intermediate row of the battery tray includes a first row channel on a first side of the row axis and a second row channel on a second side of the row axis such that the row axis is parallel to and intermediate the first and second row channels. The exemplary first and second row channels are symmetrically disposed about the row axis and are equidistant from the row axis of the intermediate row. The end receptacle row (first receptacle row, last receptacle row) has a single row passage that extends through both the end receptacle row and the intermediate row abutting the end receptacle row (or end row for short).

[0102] Each passageway has an end opening at the first row end and / or an end opening at the second row end to facilitate external electrical contact between connectors passing through the passageway.

[0103] The exemplary battery tray is designed to hold prismatic batteries, e.g., cylindrical rechargeable batteries. The exemplary battery receptacle is customized to hold 18650 lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, which are cylindrical rechargeable batteries widely used in the operation of electric vehicles and have a rated voltage of about 3.6 volts. The 18650 battery is a single-cell battery with a nominal diameter of 18 mm and a nominal length of 65 mm. When the battery tray is adapted to hold a single type of battery, the battery receptacle is designed such that the battery compartments for holding the batteries have the same (including substantially the same) compartment dimensions. In an orderly design, the battery receptacles forming a receptacle row are uniformly distributed along the row direction such that the separation distance between adjacent receptacle axes is uniform throughout the row and has the same dimensions. Since the battery receptacles forming a receptacle row have the same dimensions and have a uniform separation distance, receptacle rows having the same number of battery receptacles have the same length. When the batteries of the battery assembly are single cell batteries, the inter-battery connectors are referred to, without loss of generality, as inter-cell connectors.

[0104] The battery receptacle 142 (or "receptacle" for short) comprises a first axial end, a second axial end axially aligned with the first axial end, and an intermediate portion interconnecting the first axial end and the second axial end. The first axial end is an open end having an end opening large enough to expose the battery terminals for external contact but not so large that the batteries are separated. The second axial end is an open end having an entry opening large enough for axial entry of the batteries. The first axial end of the battery receptacle defines a top surface of the tray, and the second end of the battery receptacle defines a bottom surface of the tray. The intermediate portion comprises a peripheral wall having an inner surface that surrounds the battery cell compartment. The inner surface of the peripheral wall has a plurality of spacing fins formed thereon. Each spacing fin protrudes from the peripheral wall and extends inwardly, and the spacing fins cooperate to define an outer perimeter of the battery cell compartment. The battery cell compartment, or the periphery of the battery cell compartment, is calculated to match the contour of the battery's periphery so that the battery is received in the battery cell receptacle either snugly or with very little clearance between the battery and the periphery of the battery cell compartment. The space fins are distributed around the inner surface of the periphery wall to define a cylindrical compartment and to define a gap between the battery and the periphery wall to facilitate heat dissipation during operation of the power supply device when the battery generates heat. The battery cell compartment has a cross-sectional dimension slightly larger than the 18 mm diameter, for example 18.2 to 18.5 mm. Generally, a gap of about 0.5% or less on each side will be sufficient. The gap dimension should be adapted depending on the battery size and capacity. For 18650 batteries, the space fins are selected to be about 1 mm, although a range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm may be used.

[0105] The battery tray has a first surface (or first tray surface), a second surface (or second tray surface), and a peripheral wall (or tray peripheral wall) interconnecting the first surface and the second surface. Each battery receptacle defines a battery cell compartment having a compartment axis parallel or coaxial with the receptacle axis. The corresponding battery cell compartments defined by the battery receptacles of the battery tray are distributed within the battery tray peripheral wall. The peripheral wall has a generally rectangular outline despite having a sawtooth sidewall. The first tray surface is defined by first axial ends of the battery receptacles, and more specifically, is formed by a collection of the first axial ends of the battery receptacles, and is perpendicular to the receptacle axis of the battery receptacle. The second tray surface is defined by the second axial ends of the battery receptacles, and more specifically, is formed by the assembly of the second axial ends of the battery receptacles and is perpendicular to the receptacle axis of the battery receptacle. The tray peripheral wall is parallel to the receptacle axis of the battery receptacle. In an exemplary embodiment, the battery tray is formed of a high strength engineering plastic, such as polycarbonate or ABS, to withstand the harsh operating conditions expected.

[0106] The battery receptacle 142 includes a first sidewall portion 142a, a second sidewall portion 142b, a third sidewall portion, and a fourth sidewall portion that cooperate to form a central peripheral wall that encloses the battery compartment.

[0107] The first and second sidewall portions are opposing sidewall portions that lie on a column axis of a receptacle column that includes the battery receptacle and are on opposite sides of the receptacle axis. The first sidewall portion defines a first lateral boundary of the battery receptacle, the second sidewall portion defines a second lateral boundary of the battery receptacle, and the first and second sidewall portions cooperatively define a lateral extent (or width) of the battery receptacle. The lateral extent herein is the extent in the direction of the column axis.

[0108] When the battery receptacle is an intermediate battery receptacle abutting two adjacent battery receptacles in the same receptacle row, each of the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion is a receptacle wall portion of the intermediate battery receptacle shared by the intermediate battery receptacle and one of the abutting adjacent battery receptacles in the same receptacle row. In other words, the first side wall portion and the second side wall portion of the intermediate battery receptacle are opposing receptacle side wall portions shared by three consecutive battery receptacles in the receptacle row. The first side wall portion and the second side wall portion are also partition wall portions providing partitions between three consecutive battery receptacle compartments in the receptacle row. When the battery receptacle is an end receptacle, ie, at the end of a row, one of the first and second side wall portions is shared with an abutting adjacent battery receptacle.

[0109] The third and fourth sidewall portions are sidewall portions on opposite sides of the column axis and on opposite sides of the receptacle axis such that the receptacle axis of the battery receptacle and the column axis of the receptacle column that includes the battery receptacle are intermediate the third and fourth sidewall portions, and each of the third and fourth sidewall portions is a sidewall portion interconnecting the first and second sidewall portions.

[0110] The exemplary battery tray includes a first tray end 144a, which is a first end of the tray, a second tray end 144b, which is a second end of the tray, a first tray surface, which is a first side 146a of the tray, and a second tray surface, which is a second side 146b of the tray. The first sidewall portion 142a of the battery receptacle 142 is the sidewall portion proximate to the first side (and distal to the second side) of the tray. The second sidewall portion 142b of the battery receptacle is the sidewall portion proximate to the second side 146b of the tray (and distal to the first side). The third sidewall portion of the battery receptacle is the sidewall portion proximate to the first tray end 144a (and distal to the second tray end). The fourth sidewall portion of the battery receptacle is the sidewall portion proximal to the second tray end 144b (and distal to the first tray end).

[0111] The receptacle rows are distributed parallel and abuttingly between the first and second tray ends and include a first end row, a last end row, and a number of intermediate rows between the first and last end rows, the first end row being the row of receptacles at the first tray end and the last end row being the row of receptacles at the second tray end.

[0112] The battery tray has a first end wall that is a perimeter of a first tray end and a second end wall that is a perimeter of a second tray end. The first end wall is defined by a sidewall portion (or more specifically, a third sidewall portion) of the receptacle in the first end row. The second end wall is defined by a sidewall portion (or more specifically, a fourth sidewall portion) of the receptacle in the last end row. The first tray end includes a flange portion that projects away from the first end wall. No flange portion is formed on the second tray end so that the first and second ends may be more easily identified. In some embodiments, a flange portion that projects away from the second end wall may be formed. The flange portion will seat on a corresponding flange formed on the main housing when assembled.

[0113] The battery tray has a first sidewall that is a peripheral wall on a first tray surface and a second sidewall that is a peripheral wall on a second tray surface. The first sidewall is formed by a sidewall portion (or more specifically, the first sidewall portion) of a first receptacle in the row of receptacles. The second sidewall is formed by a sidewall portion (or more specifically, the first sidewall portion) of a last receptacle in the row of receptacles.

[0114] A plurality of conductor outlets are formed in the peripheral wall of the first tray face and / or the second tray face. The conductor outlets are formed as axially extending slit portions in a sidewall portion of the receptacle that defines a portion of the sidewall of the tray. The slit portions are continuations of the conductor passages on the receptacle rows to allow portions, e.g., tab portions, of the inter-row connectors to protrude or pass through. The number of slit portions required is equal to the number of inter-row connectors, which is equal to the number of rows minus one.

[0115] A plurality of windows and corresponding projections are formed at selected locations on the peripheral walls of the first tray face and / or the second tray face. The windows are formed as axially extending slots in a sidewall portion of the receptacle that defines a portion of the sidewall of the tray. The projections are formed as axially extending bars that project away from the sidewall portion of the receptacle that defines a portion of the sidewall of the tray. The windows and corresponding projections of adjacent trays are complementary to facilitate complementary engagement and locking of adjacent battery trays to form an assembled battery tray, as shown in FIG. 5. The windows and projections are provided such that the first and second ends of the component trays are at opposite ends of the tray when combined. This provides flexibility in tray combinations such that trays may be combined to form battery assemblies having the same number of rows as a single tray, but with a greater number of battery receptacles per receptacle row, or a lesser number of battery receptacles per receptacle row.

[0116] A battery tray having the same number of battery receptacles per receptacle row, but a greater number of battery rows, for example twice the number of receptacle rows, where the component trays are still engaged or locked side-by-side.

[0117] For the avoidance of doubt, the use of ordinal numbers such as first, second, third, fourth, etc. is merely for convenience of reference and description and is not meant to indicate any degree of importance or significance, or any order or sequence, unless the context requires otherwise.

[0118] When the battery receptacle is a middle row intermediate battery receptacle, each of the third side wall portion and the fourth side wall portion is a shared side wall portion shared with two abutting battery receptacles of the abutting adjacent receptacle rows. More specifically, the third side wall portion of one middle row is also a part of the fourth side wall portion of a first abutting adjacent battery receptacle and a part of the fourth side wall portion of a second abutting adjacent battery receptacle of the first abutting adjacent receptacle row. The fourth side wall portion of that middle row is also a part of the third side wall portion of the first abutting adjacent battery receptacle and a part of the third side wall portion of a second abutting adjacent battery receptacle of the second abutting adjacent receptacle row.

[0119] The peripheral wall of the intermediate portion of the exemplary battery receptacle has a shape of a hexagonal prism with the receptacle axis as a central or prism axis. The first and second sidewall portions each form a wall of the hexagonal prism perpendicular to the column axis, the first and second sidewall portions being directly opposed. The third and fourth sidewall portions each comprise two abutting sidewalls of the hexagonal prism. The exemplary battery receptacle has a regular hexagonal shape such that the sidewalls of the hexagon have the same length. The battery receptacles are distributed in a distribution similar to that of a honeycomb cell, with a typical battery receptacle being abutted and surrounded by the surrounding six battery receptacles, and a sidewall of the typical battery receptacle being shared with the surrounding six battery receptacles.

[0120] The typical battery receptacle of the middle row includes a first passage portion formed in the third side wall portion and a second passage portion formed in the fourth side wall portion. Each passage portion is parallel to the row axis and is defined by a first slit portion and a second slit portion. A slit portion 143 is formed in the side wall of the hexagonal battery receptacle for a portion of the third side wall portion or a portion of the fourth side wall portion. Each slit portion extends along a slit axis that is parallel to the receptacle axis and perpendicular to the row axis. The middle battery receptacle of the middle row is a typical battery receptacle in this context.

[0121] The slit portions of the third sidewall portions of the battery receptacles in the intermediate receptacle row form an ensemble of slit portions. The ensemble of slit portions defines a first passageway extending across all of the battery receptacles in the receptacle row to provide a through path for the battery inter-row conductors.

[0122] The slit portions of the fourth sidewall portions of the battery receptacles in the intermediate receptacle row form an ensemble of slit portions. The ensemble of slit portions defines a second passageway extending across all of the battery receptacles in the receptacle row to provide a through path for the battery inter-row conductors.

[0123] The battery receptacle on the end row has either a slit third sidewall portion or a slit fourth sidewall portion forming a passage portion through the passage. A flange is formed on one of the end rows and projects away from the battery receptacle in a direction parallel to the distribution axis.

[0124] The slit portion of each passage segment originates at the second axial end of the tray and extends axially across the axial depth toward the first axial end of the tray, and each passage segment has an entry opening defined by the slit portion to allow a portion of the row link to enter the passage segment.

[0125] The windows and corresponding projections cooperate to form a plurality of tray alignment devices. The alignment devices are formed in some of the end battery receptacles. The alignment devices include an axial projection and an axial slot formed in an end sidewall portion not shared with the battery receptacle. The end sidewall portion can be a first sidewall portion or a second sidewall portion. The axial projection projects away from the end sidewall portion along a column axis direction and extends in an axial direction that is on the column axis and parallel to the receptacle column. The axial slot has a slot axis that intersects the column axis and extends in an axial direction that is parallel to the receptacle axis. The axial projection and the axial slot extend over no more than half the height of the sidewall portion. The height of the sidewall portion is its dimension measured in a direction parallel to the receptacle axis. When the battery assembly includes more than one battery tray of batteries, an axial through hole is formed on the axial projection to allow a pin to pass through to enter onto the piercing projection of another battery tray.

[0126] To assemble the battery module, a first contact tab of the inter-row connector is inserted into the receptacle row from the second axial end and moved toward the first axial end of the battery receptacle until the first contact tab reaches the first axial end.

[0127] When the first contact tab reaches its designated position, the row tab 118 of the inter-row connector is in place and seated in the passage with its major surface facing the interconnecting batteries and parallel to the battery axis. The row tab penetrates the row of battery receptacles along a path defined by the passage and has an end tab portion 118a that protrudes from the battery tray. When the row tabs are in place, the first contact tab is in a receptacle of one receptacle row and the second contact tab is in a receptacle of another receptacle row that shares the row tab passage with the receptacle row.

[0128] When the first contact tab reaches the first axial end, the second contact tab is on the second axial end of the battery receptacle.

[0129] After all of the inter-row connectors are in place, the battery is inserted into the battery receptacle and the battery terminals are electrically connected with the corresponding contact tabs, for example by fusion welding, such as laser welding or spot welding, to connect the battery terminals and the corresponding contact tabs together.

[0130] If the battery includes multiple battery modules, multiple battery trays of corresponding multiple battery modules would be placed side-by-side, inter-row connectors having row tabs long enough to pass through the battery modules would be placed into the battery trays, and similar steps would be performed.

[0131] In some embodiments, the individual battery modules may be assembled separately and attached to the main housing, and then the inter-row connectors may be electrically joined together.

[0132] After one or more battery modules are assembled, a base plate is attached to the bottom surface of the battery module(s) by an electrically insulating thermal contact medium to complete the construction of the heat exchange assembly of the power supply device to facilitate effective heat exchange between the heat transfer network and the base plate. The heat transfer assembly includes the inter-row connectors of the battery assembly and the base plate as an example of a heat exchanger. If the batteries are not connected by the inter-row connectors, the heat transfer assembly is formed by the ensemble of the individual inter-cell connectors and the heat exchanger without loss of generality. In this example, the second battery terminal is the negative terminal of the battery, and the negative terminal of the battery of the battery assembly is welded to a second contact tab that is thermally joined with the base plate. When the battery module is assembled, a battery is received in the battery receptacle, e.g., with its battery axis aligned with the receptacle axis, a first contact tab is proximate and exposed to a first module surface and physically and electrically coupled to a first battery terminal, a second contact tab is proximate and exposed to a second module surface and physically and electrically coupled to a second battery terminal, and an inter-battery link of the inter-battery connector is in the battery receptacle and extends between the first and second contact tabs. The inter-battery link extends between two adjacent receptacle rows and between adjacent receptacles of adjacent receptacle rows. A first link portion of the inter-battery connector is in the receptacle of one battery and a second link portion of the inter-battery connector is in the receptacle of another battery. An intermediate link portion or row link is in both receptacles. The row link portions are held in place by passages formed on the battery receptacles and at an axial level above the axial ends by slit portions of the battery receptacles. The axial extent of the exemplary slit portions defining the passage portions of the battery receptacles has an exemplary length of 22 mm, which is about one-third the axial extent of a typical battery receptacle in the exemplary tray. In general, slit portions having an axial extent of more than 20%, more than 25%, more than 30%, less than 35%, or less than 40% of the axial length of the batteries provide a good balance.The link portion of the battery-to-battery connector is configured to extend inside a gap portion of the battery receptacle defined by the space fins and the batteries, and the first link portion and the second link portion are laterally displaced as the abutting receptacles of the abutting receptacle rows are laterally displaced.

[0133] In an exemplary embodiment such as this embodiment, the first link portion extends axially within the battery receptacle and the second link portion extends axially within an adjacent battery receptacle of an adjacent receptacle row. The exemplary first link portion extends and the row links are orthogonal to each other to define a T-shaped section within the battery receptacle. The exemplary second link portion extends and the row links are orthogonal to each other to define another T-shaped section within the battery receptacle. The T-shaped cross section formed by the two mutually orthogonal tab portions forms a more stable connector structure within the battery receptacle. Each battery receptacle has either the first link portion or the second link portion, but not both.

[0134] To mitigate the risk of electrical contact between adjacent battery terminal contact tabs of abutting receptacle rows while minimizing the space between adjacent rows, adjacent rows of contact tabs may be partially electrically insulated. For example, an electrically insulating medium may be applied to a portion of the second tab abutting the intermediate link portion of the battery-to-battery connector. In an exemplary embodiment, an electrically insulating (preferably non-insulating) tape may be applied across the row of second contact tabs to cover the portion of the second contact tab proximal to the intermediate link portion to mitigate the potential risk of electrical contact between the second contact tabs of abutting receptacle rows. Because the first contact tabs typically have smaller surface dimensions than the second contact tabs, electrical insulation may not be required for adjacent rows of first contact tabs.

[0135] Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary battery tray includes an exemplary plurality of M=14 receptacle rows and an exemplary plurality of N=9 battery receptacles per row. Two battery modules forming an exemplary battery assembly are mounted side-by-side with aligned rows such that each row of the battery assembly includes N=18 batteries. The inter-row connectors have N first terminal tabs and N second terminal tabs. The inter-cell connectors are distributed in the row direction such that adjacent inter-cell connectors have a substantially uniform separation distance, but the separation distance between two directly adjacent inter-cell connectors of two adjacent battery trays is greater than the separation distance between two directly adjacent inter-cell connectors of the same battery tray. With M rows of batteries connected in series, the battery assembly is an MV b and has an output voltage equal to V b is the voltage of each battery string. For 18650 batteries, V b is set to 3.6V, and the battery assembly has a voltage of approximately 50.4V.

[0136] When the inter-row connectors and batteries are properly placed in position in the tray and the batteries are assembled, the batteries in the receptacle row are electrically connected in parallel and the rows of batteries or adjacent rows of batteries are connected in series. When so assembled, the first battery terminals of the batteries in the row are connected to the first contact tabs of one inter-row connector and the second battery terminals of all the batteries in the row are connected to the second contact tabs of another inter-row connector. The first battery terminals of the batteries in the row are at the same electrical potential due to the electrical interconnection of the first battery terminals by the row tabs of one inter-row connector. The second battery terminals of the batteries in the row are at the same electrical potential due to the electrical interconnection of the second battery terminals by the row tabs of the other inter-row connector.

[0137] After the battery modules are assembled, the base plate 120 is attached to the battery modules to form the battery assembly 100. The battery assemblies are mounted to the main housing and electrically connected to the battery management circuitry. When the battery assemblies are mounted, their top surface is proximate to and faces the ceiling of the exhaust chamber. The exemplary batteries of the exemplary battery module have a safety vent adjacent to the first battery terminal, the positive terminal. When the battery assembly is properly mounted, the first battery terminal of the battery is aligned with the top surface of the battery tray, exposed to the air chamber, and facing the ceiling of the air chamber.

[0138] Before the battery assembly is attached to the upper housing portion, a thermal sensor is attached to the exhaust chamber to facilitate detection of the temperature inside the battery compartment. In this example, the vent openings are formed in the top wall of the main housing and are distributed symmetrically on both sides of the longitudinal central axis of the main housing. The vent openings 232 are distributed near a central portion of the top wall of the upper housing portion. The inner surface of the top wall defines the ceiling of the exhaust chamber, which in this example is also the ceiling of the battery compartment since the exhaust chamber is part of the battery compartment. A thermal sensor is attached to the vent opening so that the temperature inside the battery compartment can be monitored and the temperature of the gas exhaust leaving the battery compartment through the vent opening can be detected. In some embodiments, the thermal sensor may alternatively or additionally be attached elsewhere in the battery compartment 106 or the exhaust compartment 108. The battery compartment is configured such that gas exhaust originating from the batteries of the battery module exits only through the vent opening. In an exemplary embodiment, the upper housing portion of the main housing is integrally formed of a non-breathable material (hard plastic) and the vent opening is integrally molded therein. When the upper housing portion and the battery assembly are properly assembled, the base plate and upper housing portion cooperate to form an airtight battery compartment, except for the vent opening.

[0139] To facilitate more accurate detection of the temperature inside the battery compartment, and more specifically, the exhaust chamber, which is the portion of the battery compartment intermediate the battery assembly and the main housing, the upper housing portion is made of an insulating material, such as a hard plastic, such that the exhaust chamber is thermally insulated from the ambient air to mitigate non-detection of abnormally high temperatures due to heat exchange between the air in the exhaust chamber and the ambient air through the upper housing portion (which could cause a drop in temperature inside the battery compartment and adversely affect the accurate detection of adverse battery conditions and the timing of initiation of countermeasures).

[0140] When the battery assembly is in place, the battery safety vent is proximate to and exposed to the top surface and exhaust chamber of the battery assembly. When the failed battery safety vent is operated to vent hot gases from the battery, hot gases inside the failed battery exit the top or upper portion of the battery as hot gas exhaust and travel directly into the exhaust chamber.

[0141] Batteries may deteriorate and gradually become defective, for example, due to aging and weathering. When a battery becomes defective, it may begin to have a higher temperature and hot gas may be emitted from the battery. The initial rate of gas emission rate is relatively low, and the initial hot gas temperature is also relatively low, for example, 100 to 120 degrees Celsius (°C). If the temperature of the battery is further increased to a critical temperature, for example, the melting temperature of the battery's electrode separator, the melting of the separator will promote and exacerbate the battery damage, and the temperature of the hot gas emitted by the defective battery may rapidly reach 500 or 650, or even 800 or 1000 degrees Celsius. The high temperature of the defective battery may spread to adjacent cells in the battery module, causing thermal runaway and possible explosion. The electrode separator is typically made of polyethylene, which has a melting temperature of 133°C, or polypropylene, which has a melting temperature of 159°C. The melting temperature of the separator may be considered as a critical temperature for battery condition monitoring.

[0142] In some embodiments, a first cooling power may be applied when a first activation temperature (operating temperature) is detected, and a second, higher cooling power may be applied when a second, higher activation temperature is detected a predetermined time after activation of the cooling power to cool the battery assembly.

[0143] A number of thermal sensors substantially less than the number of batteries are distributed to detect the temperature inside the vent chamber such that the temperature inside the battery compartment is detected without having a thermal sensor for each battery. The thermal sensors in this example are distributed inside the vent chamber and are configured to detect the temperature of the vent compartment that is part of the battery compartment proximate the battery safety vent and that defines the vent chamber.

[0144] To mitigate mixing of the hot gas exhaust from the battery with the air in the exhaust chamber, the exhaust chamber is configured to allow the gas exhaust to flow a short distance to the vent openings, for example, the vent openings and thermal sensors are distributed in the ceiling of the exhaust chamber such that the hot gases from the battery can travel up to the ceiling and then to the vent openings at or near where the thermal sensors are located.

[0145] To minimize the distance the hot gas exhaust must travel to reach the thermal sensor or vent opening, the axial extent of the exhaust chamber is configured to be substantially smaller than the axial extent of the battery compartment. For example, the axial extent of the air chamber may be less than 5%, less than 10%, or less than 15% but less than 20%, less than 25%, or less than 30% of the axial extent of the battery compartment. The axial extent of the exhaust chamber may be less than 20%, less than 25%, less than 30%, or less than 40% of the axial extent of the battery assembly, and more than 5%, more than 10%, or more than 15%.

[0146] A plurality of fluid movement guides are formed in the ceiling surrounding the vent opening so that the hot gas exhaust may be guided to travel a short distance within the exhaust chamber before reaching the nearest thermal sensor or nearest vent opening closest to the discharging battery. Each fluid movement guide defines a guide track extending radially relative to the vent opening, and the guide tracks formed by the plurality of fluid movement guides define a plurality of tapered channels each tapering to become narrower as it extends toward the vent opening. The guide tracks extend perpendicular to the axial direction of the battery assembly, which is also the axial direction of the batteries, and the guide tracks provide a guide for the hot gas exhaust to travel a short distance from the battery safety vent to the vent opening 232 so that the temperature of the hot gas exhaust is substantially maintained when it reaches the thermal sensor, also known as the temperature sensor, to minimize mixing of the hot gas exhaust with the air in the air chamber.

[0147] The end tab portions 118a of the inter-row connectors in the end rows of the battery assemblies are connected to the power input and power output terminals of the device, and the end tab portions of the inter-row connectors in the middle rows are connected to battery management circuitry to facilitate management of the battery voltages in each battery row.

[0148] In an exemplary embodiment, the control circuitry is configured to monitor the temperature of the batteries by monitoring the temperature at the multiple vent openings, for example, by a thermal sensor. If the temperature detected at the vent openings exceeds a predetermined threshold, a safety measure may be initiated by the control circuitry. The safety measure may include shutting down the battery module, isolating a battery or group of batteries, for example, by a fuse, or initiating a cooling measure by operating a fan. If a battery cooling measure is initiated within a short period of detecting an alarm temperature, the movement of cooling air through the air compartment desirably quickly cools the damaged battery or batteries below a critical temperature above which the risk of battery meltdown due to thermal runaway may substantially increase.

[0149] In some embodiments, active cooling measures, for example through the use of thermoelectric cooling elements such as Peltier elements, may further enhance the cooling process. The active cooling elements may conveniently be attached to the heat exchanger and / or to the bottom portion of the main housing.

[0150] Because the inter-battery connectors are directly connected to the battery terminals, particularly those where the battery safety vent is located, the network of inter-battery connectors acts as a heat transfer network to transfer heat from the interior of the batteries to the heat exchanger. Additionally, the configuration of the inter-battery connectors, particularly the configuration of the intermediate link portion with an exposed metal flap, also helps to dissipate heat during normal operation of the battery assembly and helps to maintain the batteries operating at a preferred or desired operating temperature.

[0151] During operation, if an activation temperature is detected by the thermal sensor, the control circuit initiates countermeasures to cool the battery assembly to prevent or mitigate the risk of thermal runaway and possible meltdown. In an exemplary embodiment, when a critical temperature, e.g., 80° C. or 90° C., is detected by the thermal sensor, a fan is initiated to accelerate heat exchange between the battery module and the air in the air compartment, this process serving to cool the battery assembly. In some embodiments, active thermal cooling may additionally or alternatively be used. In some embodiments, an external fan may be used or cooling air may be provided by an external source. The battery group may also be shut off, e.g., by a fusible link upon detection of the critical temperature. In some embodiments, the control circuit may operate to shut off the battery module or battery assembly when the temperature reaches a second, higher temperature, e.g., 100° C. The battery module may be shut off, e.g., by isolation by an electronic switch, such as a semiconductor switch or fuse. In addition, the control circuit may generate an alarm signal when the critical temperature is reached. The alarm signal may include a local signal on the device and / or a remote alarm transmitted from the device over a communications network, for example through a communications front end of the device.

[0152] The heat exchange assembly of the present disclosure is configured as a heat sink, more specifically as a distributed heat sink with a distributed heat transfer network formed by the inter-cell connectors. As a distributed heat sink, the heat exchange assembly has an inherent ability to equalize the temperature of the cells forming the battery module or battery assembly. The temperature equalization ability can be enhanced by active cooling through forced air movement or thermoelectric cooling to facilitate heat exchange with the heat exchange assembly.

[0153] Batteries typically have a certain operating temperature range, which is defined between a minimum and a maximum operating temperature. Most Li-ion cells are manufactured to be operable below the maximum temperature of about 60-65 °C. For longer battery life and greater long-term safety, an operating temperature well below the maximum is generally preferred.

[0154] An exemplary device may be configured to operate the battery at a preferred operating temperature range, which is an intermediate temperature range selected between a maximum temperature and a minimum temperature. For example, the device may be configured to operate such that the operating temperature of the battery is maintained below an upper temperature limit, e.g., 40° C. or 42° C. If the battery reaches the upper temperature limit, the control circuitry initiates a cooling mechanism to reduce the battery temperature toward the lower end of the intermediate temperature range, e.g., to the upper temperature limit or by a few degrees, e.g., 1, 2, or 3 degrees, and the process is continually repeated. In general, it has been found that an intermediate temperature range between 25° C. and 42° C. is preferred.

[0155] Control of the battery operating temperature within a selected intermediate temperature range between a maximum and minimum temperature requires more extensive and accurate battery temperature monitoring. To facilitate more extensive and accurate battery temperature monitoring, multiple temperature sensors, such as temperature probes, are disposed within the battery receptacle to monitor the battery temperature and control operation of the cooling mechanism via a control circuit.

[0156] The temperature sensor may be utilized to control temperature imbalances between the cells of a battery assembly or module. For example, when a temperature imbalance exceeding an imbalance threshold is detected, the control circuitry operates a cooling mechanism to reduce the battery temperature and the temperature imbalance is mitigated. An exemplary imbalance threshold may be selected between 3-5°C, as a convenient example.

[0157] The heat transfer network comprises a matrix of heat transfer members physically connected to the battery assemblies and extending through the battery receptacles of the battery assemblies. The heat transfer members have a first end physically connected to a first battery terminal of one battery and a second end connected to a second battery terminal of another battery. The second end of the heat transfer members is also connected to a main heat exchanger, which is physically connected to an axial end of the battery assemblies. The main heat exchanger has a thermal contact surface in physical contact with the heat transfer network but electrically insulated. The main heat exchanger has a heat exchange surface in physical contact with the thermal contact surface for efficient heat transfer. In an exemplary embodiment, the heat exchange surface and the thermal contact surface are major surfaces of opposing conductive plates such that the heat exchange surface and the thermal contact surface are connected together by a thermally and electrically conductive material. In some embodiments, the thermal contact surface is partitioned into a plurality of insulated or isolated conductive regions, each conductive region for thermal but not electrical contact with a heat transfer member, such as an array, or a group of heat transfer members. The heat transfer members are connected to the thermal contact surface by a thermally conductive medium that is electrically insulating to block electrical contact between the heat transfer network and the main heat exchanger. The heat transfer members are arranged in an array or row, and the array or row of heat transfer members extends in an axial direction generally perpendicular to the thermal contact surface to form a three-dimensional heat transfer assembly. An exemplary heat transfer member is also an inter-battery connector, comprising a first battery terminal tab in physical and electrical contact with a first battery terminal, and an inter-battery link extending through the interior of the battery receptacle to reach the thermal contact surface.

[0158] The exemplary battery assembly 1100 includes an exemplary plurality of batteries connected in parallel and in series, as shown in Figures 6 and 6A. The batteries are held within a battery tray formed of a corresponding plurality of battery receptacles. The exemplary battery tray includes an exemplary plurality of M=10 receptacle rows for receiving a corresponding plurality of M=10 receptacle rows of batteries, each row including an exemplary plurality of N=5 battery receptacles for receiving a corresponding plurality of N=5 receptacle rows of batteries. Each exemplary receptacle row is formed by two modular members, e.g., made of hard plastic, by snap-fitting, as shown in Figures 7A and 7B. Adjacent pairs of battery rows, consisting of two rows of batteries, are connected in series by inter-row connectors, as shown in Figure 7C. Each inter-row connector comprises a plurality, N, of inter-battery connectors, each inter-battery connector comprising a first battery terminal contact tab 1112, a second battery terminal contact tab 1114, and an inter-terminal tab 1116 interconnecting the first battery terminal contact tab 1112 and the second battery terminal contact tab 1114, as shown in Figure 8. A window or opening is formed in the inter-terminal tab 1116 that extends across a substantial portion of the axial length of the inter-battery connector.

[0159] To assemble a battery string of batteries in parallel, inter-row battery connectors are attached to a plurality of the batteries forming the battery string, as shown in Figure 7B, and the modular members are mated together to form the subassembly of Figure 7A. When the battery string is assembled, a first battery terminal contact tab 1112 is on a first axial end of the battery receptacle and in physical and electrical contact with a first battery terminal, a second battery terminal contact tab 1114 protrudes from a second end of the battery receptacle and extends into another row for physical and electrical contact with a second battery terminal of a battery in another row, and an inter-terminal tab 1116 extends axially within the battery receptacle between the first and second axial ends of the battery receptacle of the battery having a first terminal in contact with the first battery terminal contact tab 1112. The batteries and battery receptacle form a battery module that is received within a metal casing 1122 having a bottom portion with an inner surface in thermal contact with the second battery terminals of the batteries that form the battery module, the bottom portion being functionally equivalent to the base plate 112 of the exemplary device of FIG. 1.

[0160] 6, the battery string is organized in a rectangular matrix such that a plurality of batteries are arranged in rows and columns, with the columns being orthogonal to the rows. In such an exemplary embodiment, the first battery terminal contact tab 1112 and the second battery terminal contact tab 1114 are aligned in the horizontal direction, i.e., in the column direction or T-direction, but the first battery terminal contact tab 1112 and the second battery terminal contact tab 1114 are on opposite sides relative to the inter-terminal tab 1116.

[0161] If the batteries forming the battery module or battery assembly are not aligned in a rectangular matrix, the first battery terminal contact tab and the second battery terminal contact tab are laterally offset, for example, as shown in Figures 9 and 9A, without loss of generality.

[0162] Apart from the differences, inter-row connector 1110 is similar to inter-row connector 110, and the description herein relating to inter-row connector 110 is incorporated herein by reference and applies mutatis mutandis, inclusive of 1000 numerals therein.

[0163] Although the disclosure is described with reference to embodiments, the embodiments are non-limiting examples. For example, the exemplary battery module comprises cylindrical batteries, but without loss of generality, non-cylindrical batteries may be used to construct the battery assembly. The exemplary device comprises an air compartment to define a path for air circulation and a fan compartment to move the air, but the air compartment and fan and / or compartment are not required. For example, without loss of generality, the heat exchange surface may be exposed to ambient air and the air may be circulated by an external air movement mechanism. The main housing of the exemplary device comprises an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion, but there is no limitation on the orientation and the main housing may be partitioned or oriented in another direction. For example, without loss of generality, the upper housing may be the lower housing, the lower housing may be the upper housing, and the main housing may comprise a left housing and a right housing. Additionally, the battery tray provides a robust structure to hold the batteries of the exemplary battery assembly, but without loss of generality, the batteries may be attached to other holding structures.

Claims

1. A battery inter-group connector comprising a plurality of first contact terminals, a plurality of second contact terminals, and an inter-terminal link interconnecting the plurality of first contact terminals and the plurality of second contact terminals, the inter-terminal link being a distributed connector comprising a plurality of first conductive strip portions, a plurality of second conductive strip portions, and an intermediate conductive strip portion, the first conductive strip portion extending from a first contact terminal to join with the intermediate conductive strip portion, the second conductive strip portion extending from a second contact terminal to join with the intermediate conductive strip portion, the first conductive strip portion, the second conductive strip portion, and the intermediate conductive strip portion configured to form a thermally and electrically conductive grid; the first contact terminal includes a first contact tab that projects perpendicularly away from the first conductive strip portion and away from the second contact terminal; the second contact terminal includes a second contact tab, the second contact tab projecting orthogonally away from the second conductive strip portion and projecting away from the first contact terminal.

2. 2. The battery group connector according to claim 1, wherein the first contact terminals are distributed along a first longitudinal direction defined by a first longitudinal axis, and the second contact terminals are distributed along a second longitudinal direction defined by a second longitudinal axis parallel to the first longitudinal axis.

3. A battery group connector as described in claim 2, wherein the plurality of first conductive strip portions are distributed along the first longitudinal direction, and the plurality of second conductive strip portions are distributed along the second longitudinal direction.

4. A battery group connector as described in claim 1, wherein the conductive lattice has a first conductive lattice portion, and the first conductive strip portion is distributed to form the first conductive lattice portion having a plurality of spaced apart first conductive strip portions.

5. A battery group connector as described in claim 1, wherein the conductive lattice has a second conductive lattice portion, and the second conductive strip portion is distributed to form the second conductive lattice portion having a plurality of spaced apart second conductive strip portions.

6. 2. The battery group connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive grid has a pair of opposing major surfaces located between the first contact terminal and the second contact terminal.

7. 2. The battery inter-group connector of claim 1, wherein the conductive grid has a thickness equal to or comparable to a thickness of the first contact terminal and / or the second contact terminal.

8. 2. The battery inter-connector of claim 1, wherein said conductive grid is integrally formed from a metal sheet such that said first conductive strip portion, said second conductive strip portion, and said intermediate conductive strip portion have a uniform thickness.

9. 10. The battery inter-group connector of claim 1, wherein said conductive grid is a flexible metal strip grid and said intermediate conductive strip portion is a flexible metal strip that can have a non-linear profile along its length.

10. 2. The battery intergroup connector of claim 1, wherein said conductive grid has a high metal surface area to metal thickness ratio of at least 100.

11. A battery battery includes a plurality of battery connectors connected in series, One inter-battery connector of the plurality of inter-battery connectors includes a first contact tab 112 that is a first contact terminal, a second contact tab 114 that is a second contact terminal, and an inter-terminal tab 116 that is an inter-battery link interconnecting the first contact tab 112 and the second contact tab 114; the inter-battery link comprises a first link portion 116a, a second link portion 116b, and an intermediate link portion 116c interconnecting the first link portion 116a and the second link portion 116b; 2. The battery group connector according to claim 1, wherein each of the first link portion (116a), the second link portion (116b), and the intermediate link portion (116c) is a tab portion having a major surface and a minor surface, and the major surface has an area that is five times or more than five times that of the minor surface.

12. 2. The inter-battery connector of claim 1, wherein said first contact terminal is on a first side of said intermediate conductive strip portion and said second contact terminal is on a second side of said intermediate conductive strip portion.

13. 2. The battery group connector according to claim 1, wherein the first contact terminals and the second contact terminals are alternately arranged along a longitudinal direction, which is an extension direction of the intermediate conductive strip portion, such that at least one of the first contact terminals is located midway between two directly adjacent second contact terminals and / or at least one of the second contact terminals is located midway between two directly adjacent first contact terminals.

14. 2. The battery group connector of claim 1, wherein the first contact terminal has a battery terminal contact surface and the second contact terminal has a battery terminal contact surface, the battery terminal contact surfaces of the first contact terminal and the second contact terminal being parallel but oppositely oriented.

15. 15. The inter-battery connector of claim 14, wherein an axial separation distance exists between the battery terminal contact surfaces of a first contact terminal and an adjacent second contact terminal, and wherein the axial separation distance between all adjacent pairs of first and second contact terminals is uniform.

16. 2. The battery inter-group connector of claim 1, wherein the first contact terminal projects away from the intermediate conductive strip portion and extends in a first lateral direction, and the second contact terminal projects away from the intermediate conductive strip portion and extends in a second lateral direction opposite the first lateral direction.

17. 12. The inter-battery connector of claim 11, wherein the first link portion comprises a first metal flap portion interconnecting together the first contact tab and an intermediate metal flap portion, the first contact tab projecting in a first projection direction away from the first metal flap portion, the second link portion comprises a second metal flap portion interconnecting together the second contact tab and the intermediate metal flap portion, the second contact tab projecting away from the second metal flap portion in a second projection direction opposite to the first projection direction, the first contact tab and the second contact tab are parallel and separated by an axial separation distance equal to the axial height of one of the connected batteries.

18. 20. The inter-battery connector of claim 17, wherein the first metal flap portion, the second metal flap portion, and the intermediate metal flap portion are joined together and have coplanar major flap surfaces.

19. 2. The battery inter-group connector of claim 1, wherein said first conductive strip portions are parallel to one another and / or said second conductive strip portions are parallel.

20. 2. The battery group connector according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive strip portions and the second conductive strip portions are alternately arranged along a longitudinal direction in which the intermediate conductive strip portions extend, such that at least one of the first conductive strip portions is between two immediately adjacent second conductive strip portions and at least one of the second conductive strip portions is between two immediately adjacent first conductive strip portions.

21. 2. The battery inter-group connector of claim 1, wherein said intermediate conductive strip portion is elongate and extends longitudinally to define a longitudinal extent of said battery inter-group connector.

22. 12. The battery group connector according to claim 11, wherein the major surface of the tab portion has an area 10 times, 15 times, 20 times, or more than 20 times larger than an area of ​​the minor surface thereof.

23. 23. A battery assembly comprising a plurality of batteries arranged in a plurality of battery groups, the batteries of the battery groups being connected in parallel and adjacent battery groups being connected in series, and pairs of adjacent battery groups being connected by an inter-battery group connector according to any one of claims 1 to 22.

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