Battery pack

Abstract

A battery pack comprising a housing having a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion. The first portion has a first wall, with an interface extending from the first wall. The interface comprises a plurality of terminal openings providing access to electrical terminals within the housing. The second portion has a second wall, with the second wall disposed opposite the first wall. A first plurality of vents extends through the first wall and a second plurality of vents extends through the second wall. A cumulative surface area of ​​the first plurality of vents is different from a cumulative surface area of ​​the second plurality of vents.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 224,175, filed on July 21, 2021, and the entire content of the U.S. Provisional Patent Application is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This disclosure relates to a battery pack.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0003] In one aspect, the disclosure provides a battery pack comprising a housing having a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion. The first portion has a first wall from which an interface extends. The interface comprises a plurality of terminal openings that enable access to electrical terminals within the housing. The second portion has a second wall, and the second wall is disposed on the opposite side of the first wall. A first plurality of ventilation openings extend through the first wall, and a second plurality of ventilation openings extend through the second wall. The integrated surface area of the first plurality of ventilation openings is different from the integrated surface area of the second plurality of ventilation openings.

[0004] In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a battery pack comprising a housing having an interface and a battery cell holder enclosed within the housing. The battery cell holder is configured to receive and secure a plurality of battery cells and has an opening extending through the battery cell holder to allow access to at least one of the plurality of battery cells. The battery pack also has a battery pack circuit supported by the battery cell holder and a temperature measuring assembly supported by the battery cell holder and electrically communicating with the battery pack circuit to measure the temperature of at least one of the plurality of battery cells. The temperature measuring assembly comprises a sensor having a first end electrically communicating with the battery pack circuit and a second end extending through an opening in the battery cell holder. The second end is configured to directly contact at least one of the plurality of battery cells. A pressing member is positioned at least partially with the opening and is configured to press the second end of the sensor against at least one of the plurality of battery cells. The clamp is fixed to the battery cell holder and is configured to fix the pressing member to the battery cell holder such that the pressing member maintains contact between the second end of the sensor and at least one of the multiple battery cells.

[0005] In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a battery pack comprising a housing having a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion. The first portion has a first wall and an interface extending from the first wall. The interface includes a plurality of terminal openings that allow access to electrical terminals within the housing. The second portion has a second wall, the second wall located opposite to the first wall. A plurality of first housing vents extend through the first wall, and a plurality of second housing vents extend through the second wall. A battery holder is enclosed within the housing and configured to receive and secure a plurality of battery cells. The battery cell holder comprises a first wall and a second wall located opposite to the first wall. The first wall of the battery cell holder is located adjacent to the first wall of the housing, and the second wall of the battery cell holder is located adjacent to the second wall of the housing. At least one of the first wall and the second wall of the battery cell holder is provided with a plurality of battery cell holder vents arranged adjacent to one or more of the corresponding first plurality of housing vents or second plurality of housing vents. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a battery pack with a single structure. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a side view of the battery pack. [Figure 2B] Figure 1 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the battery pack. [Figure 3] This is another perspective view of the battery pack shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is another perspective view of the battery pack shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack in Figure 1 along line 5-5 in Figure 1. [Figure 6] This is a detailed view of a part of Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack in Figure 1 along line 7-7 in Figure 1. [Figure 8] This is a detailed view of a part of Figure 7. [Figure 9]This is a cross-sectional view of the battery pack in Figure 1, along line 9-9 in Figure 1. [Figure 10] This is a detailed view of a part of Figure 9. [Figure 11] This is a detailed view of a part of Figure 1. [Figure 12] This is a detailed view of a part of Figure 1. [Figure 13] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the battery pack with the housing removed, showing the printed circuit board, battery cell holder, and terminal block, among other features. [Figure 14] This is another perspective view of the battery pack shown in Figure 1, with the housing removed, revealing other features such as the printed circuit board, battery cell holder, and terminal block. [Figure 15] This is a detailed perspective view of the terminal block relative to the battery cell holder. [Figure 16] This is a perspective view of the battery cell holder. [Figure 17] Another perspective view of the battery cell holder. [Figure 18A] A detailed perspective view of a cell temperature measurement assembly with a portion of a printed circuit board and a clamp. [Figure 18B] Another detailed perspective view of the printed circuit board. [Figure 19] A perspective view of the clamp of the cell temperature measurement assembly. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view of a cell temperature measurement assembly. [Figure 21] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the battery pack and the cell temperature measurement assembly. [Figure 22A] This shows one step in assembling a cell temperature measurement assembly. [Figure 22B] This shows one step in assembling a cell temperature measurement assembly. [Figure 22C] This shows one step in assembling a cell temperature measurement assembly. [Figure 22D] This shows one step in assembling a cell temperature measurement assembly. [Figure 23]Perspective view of a battery pack with a different structure. [Figure 24] Detailed perspective view of a part of the battery pack of FIG. 23.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] Before explaining the independent structure of the present disclosure in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details of the structures and the arrangements of the components described in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings in its application. The present disclosure allows other independent structures and can be practiced or executed in various ways.

[0008] The use of "including, comprising" and their variants, when used in this specification, means including the items listed thereafter, their equivalents, and additional items. When used in this specification, the use of "consisting of" and its variants means including only the items listed thereafter and their equivalents.

[0009] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the battery pack 10 may include a battery pack housing 20 having a longitudinal axis A, a first portion 24, and a second portion 28 coupled to the first portion 24. The battery pack housing 20 includes a first wall 32, a second wall 36 opposite the first wall 32, a first side wall 40, a second side wall 44 opposite the first side wall 40, a third side wall 48, and a fourth side wall 52 opposite the third side wall 48. The side walls 40, 44, 48, 52 couple the first wall 32 and the second wall 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the third side wall 48 is the front wall and the fourth side wall 52 is the rear wall.

[0010] Referring to Figure 1, the battery pack interface 60 protrudes from the first wall 32. The battery pack interface 60 is receivable within a battery pack receptacle (not shown) of a power tool or charger. The battery pack interface 60 includes a plurality of terminal openings 64 (e.g., openings) extending through the battery pack interface 60, allowing access to electrical terminals 68 (Figure 15) located within the battery pack housing 20. The plurality of terminal openings 64 are located adjacent to the front wall 48 of the battery pack housing 20. The battery pack interface 60 further includes a latch receiving recess 72. In the illustrated embodiment, the latch receiving recess 72 is adjacent to the rear wall 52 of the battery pack housing 20. On both sides of the battery pack interface 60 are rails 76 and grooves 80 defined between the corresponding rails 76 and the first wall 32. Each groove 80 is at least partially defined by a groove wall 84 extending between the corresponding rails 76 and the first wall 32. The rail 76 and groove 80 extend parallel to the longitudinal axis A from the front wall 48 to the rear wall 52.

[0011] Continuing to refer to Figure 1, in the illustrated embodiment, the first wall 32, part of the front wall 48, and the battery pack interface 60 constitute the first part 24, and the second wall 36, the first side wall 40, the second side wall 44, part of the front wall 48, and the rear wall 52 constitute the second part 28. The first part 24 and the second part 28 are joined to each other, for example, by fasteners. In other embodiments, other combinations of walls may constitute the corresponding first part 24 and second part 28. In yet another embodiment, the entire battery pack housing 20 may be formed integrally as a single piece. The battery pack housing 20 may be constructed from any suitable material such as plastic. In the illustrated embodiment, a protective member 88 is joined to the battery pack housing 20. The protective member 88 may be formed from an elastomer material or other suitable shock-absorbing material. A handle 92 (Figure 2A) extends from the rear wall 52.

[0012] In relation to Figures 1, 5-8, and 11-12, the first wall 32 comprises a plurality of recesses 100 (Figures 6, 8, and 12) located on both sides of the battery pack interface 60. Referring particularly to Figures 6 and 8, each of the recesses 100 defines a recessed wall 104 and is separated from adjacent recesses 100 by a partition wall 108. One or more openings 112 extend through the partition wall 108. Each of the openings 112 is oriented along an axis B (Figure 8) parallel to the longitudinal axis A. An opening 112 in a partition wall may be aligned with an opening 112 in an adjacent partition wall, or it may be offset from an opening 112 in an adjacent partition wall. For example, in some cases, the partition wall 108 has openings 112 (e.g., two openings) that are aligned with openings 112 (e.g., two openings) in an adjacent partition wall 108. In some cases, the partition wall 108 has openings 112 (e.g., three openings) that are offset from openings 112 (e.g., two openings) in adjacent partition walls 108. In some cases, the partition wall 108 may have a single opening 112. The openings 112 in the partition wall 108 define a first plurality of vents 120 that allow fluid communication between the outside and inside of the battery pack housing 20. The recessed wall 104 and partition wall 108 define airflow guide members (e.g., louvers). The louvers guide the airflow and form a labyrinth for protection against fluid intrusion, protection against solid intrusion (e.g., protection against nails, saw dust, etc.), or both.

[0013] In relation to Figure 4, the second wall 36 includes a second plurality of vents 130 that allow fluid communication between the outside and inside of the battery pack housing 20. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the second plurality of vents 130 in the second wall 36 defines an opening 134 oriented along an axis C substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the opening 134 is longer in the width direction of the second wall 36 than in the length direction of the second wall 36. In other embodiments, the opening 134 may be longer in the length direction of the second wall 36 than in the width direction of the second wall 36. The orientation of the opening 134 may be determined by the orientation of the battery cells arranged in the battery pack housing 20, as will be described later. In the illustrated embodiment, a third plurality of vents 140 are located in both the second wall 36 and the first side wall 40. That is, each of the third plurality of vents 140 extends between the second wall 36 and the first side wall 40. Similarly, a fourth set of multiple vents 150 are located in both the second wall 36 and the second side wall 44. That is, each of the fourth set of multiple vents 150 extends between the second wall 36 and the second side wall 44. Each of the third set of multiple vents 140 and the fourth set of multiple vents 150 defines openings 144, 154 having a first portion oriented along an axis D perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A and a second portion oriented along an axis E perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. The axis D of each of the first portions of the openings 144, 154 is perpendicular to the axis E of each of the second portions of the openings 144, 154. The protective member 88 has a set of multiple openings 160, each accommodating one of the multiple vents 130, 140, 150 located in the second wall 36 and side walls 40, 44 of the battery pack housing 20. In some embodiments, either or both of the third vent 140 and the fourth vent 150 may be omitted.

[0014] In relation to Figures 1 to 5 and Figure 7, the front wall 48 is provided with a fifth plurality of vents 170 that allow fluid communication between the outside of the battery pack housing 20 and the inside of the battery pack housing 20. Each of the fifth plurality of vents 170 defines an opening 174 having an axis F (Figure 1) that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis A.

[0015] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 2B, the battery pack interface 60 includes a sixth set of multiple vents 180a, 180b, and 190 that enable fluid communication between the outside and inside of the battery pack housing 20. In the illustrated embodiments, the first set of vents 180a and 180b of the sixth set of multiple vents is positioned adjacent to the front wall 48 and the multiple terminal openings 64. That is, in the illustrated embodiments, some of the sixth set of multiple vents of the battery pack interface 60 (e.g., the first set of vents 180a and 180b) are positioned closer to the front wall 48 and the multiple terminal openings 64 than to the rear wall 52. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiments, the second set of vents 190 of the sixth set of multiple vents (Figure 2B) extends through the battery pack interface 60 adjacent to the rear wall 52. In other words, some of the sixth set of vents (for example, the second set of vents 190) are located closer to the rear wall 52 than to the front wall 48.

[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, some of the first set of vents 180a of the sixth set of vents extend through each groove wall 84. In the illustrated embodiment, the first set of vents 180a (Figures 1, 2A, 5, and 7) define openings 184a (Figure 2A) oriented along axis Ga (in the plane of paper shown in Figure 2A) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. The axes Ga of the first set of vents 180a are parallel to each other. Additionally, some of the first set of vents 180b of the sixth set of vents extend through the top surface of the battery pack interface 60. In the illustrated embodiment, some of the first set of vents 180b (Figures 2A, 5, and 7) define openings 184b oriented along axis Gb perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. The axes Gb of the first set of vents 180b are parallel to each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the second vent set 190 defines openings 194 oriented along axes H, I perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A. Some axes H, I of the second vent set 190 are parallel to each other, and some axes H, I of the second vent set 190 are perpendicular to each other. As shown in the illustration, two of the openings 194 are oriented along axis H. The wall of the opening 194 has an opening 194' that extends through the wall of the opening 194. The opening 194' communicates with the interior of the housing 20 and extends along axis H' perpendicular to axis H and parallel to the longitudinal axis A.

[0017] In another embodiment shown in Figures 23-24, the battery pack interface 60 may have a different ventilation structure. As shown in Figure 23, the first set of ventilation openings 180, 180b is omitted. Additionally, as shown in Figure 24, the openings 194 aligned along the I-axis are omitted.

[0018] As described above, the battery pack housing 20 has vents 120, 130, 140, 150, 170, 180a, 180b, and 190 distributed throughout the walls of the battery pack housing 20. The vents 120, 130, 140, 150, 170, 180a, 180b, and 190 are molded together with the battery pack housing 20. In other embodiments, the portion containing the vents may be molded from a separate piece and bonded to the battery pack housing 20. The battery pack housing 20 defines a maximum surface area and encloses a maximum volume. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the maximum surface area is approximately 242650 mm². 2 The maximum volume is approximately 3,776,350 mm³. 3 The first set of multiple vents 120 in the first wall 32 define the first cumulative surface area. The second set of multiple vents 130, the third set of multiple vents 140, and the fourth set of multiple vents 150 in the second wall 36 define the second cumulative surface area. The fifth set of multiple vents 170 and the sixth set of multiple vents 180a, 180b, 190, and the multiple terminal openings 64 in the battery pack interface 60 define the third cumulative surface area. In the embodiment of Figure 23, the fifth set of multiple vents 170 and the sixth set of multiple vents 190, and the multiple terminal openings 64 in the battery pack interface 60 define the third cumulative surface area.

[0019] In general, the various vents 120, 130, 140, 150, 170, 180a, 180b, 190 (and the various vents 120, 130, 140, 150, 170, 190 in Figure 23) in the battery pack housing 20 increase the total airflow through the battery pack housing 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cumulative surface area of ​​the first set of vents 120 is greater than the second cumulative surface area of ​​the second set of vents 130. In other embodiments, the second cumulative surface area of ​​the second set of vents 130 is greater than the first cumulative surface area of ​​the first set of vents 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the first cumulative surface area is approximately 4210 mm². 2Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the first accumulated surface area is approximately 2% of the maximum surface area. As used herein, the term "approximately" means plus or minus 1%. In other embodiments, the first accumulated surface area may be 1% to 10% of the maximum surface area. In yet another embodiment, the first accumulated surface area may be 1% to 50% of the maximum surface area. In the illustrated embodiment, the second accumulated surface area is approximately 1130 mm². 2 Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the second cumulative surface area is less than 1% of the maximum surface area (e.g., 0.4%). In other embodiments, the second cumulative surface area may be 0% to 10% of the maximum surface area. In the illustrated embodiment, the third cumulative surface area is approximately 275 mm². 2 In other embodiments, the third surface may be 1% to 10% of the maximum surface area. That is, in the illustrated embodiment, the third cumulative surface area is less than 1% (e.g., 0.1%) of the maximum surface area. In other embodiments, the third cumulative surface area may be 1% to 10% of the maximum surface area. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the cumulative surface area resulting from the first and second cumulative surface areas is approximately 5335 mm². 2 Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, it is greater than approximately 2% of the maximum surface area. In other embodiments, the resulting combined surface area from the first and second combined surface areas may range from approximately 2% to 10% of the maximum surface area. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the resulting combined surface area from the first, second, and third combined surface areas is approximately 5610 mm². 2 In other words, in the illustrated embodiment, the resulting combined surface area from the first combined surface area, the second combined surface area, and the third combined surface area is greater than 2% of the maximum surface area. In other embodiments, the resulting combined surface area from the first combined surface area, the second combined surface area, and the third combined surface area may range from about 2% to 10% of the maximum surface area. In yet another embodiment, the resulting combined surface area from the first combined surface area, the second combined surface area, and the third combined surface area may range from about 1% to 50% of the maximum surface area.

[0020] When the battery pack 10 is connected to either a power tool or a charger, cooler air is drawn (e.g., sucked in) from the second part 28 of the battery pack 10 (e.g., the bottom) into the battery pack housing 20, thereby cooling the internal components (described later) housed in the battery pack housing 20. In either case, cooler air moves from outside the battery pack 10 into the multiple vents 130, 140, 150, 170 in the second part 28 (for example, the second multiple vents 130, the third multiple vents 140, the fourth multiple vents 150, and the fifth multiple vents 170), into the interior of the battery pack housing 20, and moves towards the multiple vents 120, 180a, 180b, 190 in the first part of the battery pack 10 (or the multiple vents 120, 190 in Figure 23) (for example, the first multiple vents 120 and the sixth multiple vents 180a, 180b, 190 in Figure 1, or the first multiple vents 120 and the sixth multiple vents 190 in Figure 23) and the multiple terminal openings 64. In some cases, cooler air moves within the battery pack housing 10 by convection (for example, when the battery pack 10 is coupled to a power tool). In other cases, cooler air moves within the battery pack 10 via forced airflow from, for example, a fan or blower (not shown). In particular, for example, when the battery pack 10 is coupled to a power tool or charger, one or more fans actively draw or force air into the battery pack housing 20. In some embodiments, for example, a charger may comprise a mating rail / groove structure and one or more fans (e.g., two fans) positioned below or adjacent to each rail. Each of the fans used to cool the battery pack 10 may move 31.64 CFM of air under no load. In the four-fan configuration described above, the maximum airflow through the pack may be 126.6 CFM (63.3 CFM per rail). The power tool to which the battery pack is attached may also have an active cooling element such as a fan.

[0021] In some embodiments, the airflow through the battery pack 10 may be less than 126.6 CFM (63.3 CFM per rail), depending, for example, whether the airflow enters and moves via convection and / or how many fans are used to move the airflow. For example, in some embodiments, the airflow through the battery pack 10 may be 63.3 CFM. In another example, in some embodiments, the airflow through the battery pack 10 may be 31.64 CFM. In another example, in some embodiments, the airflow through the battery pack 10 may be up to 31.64 CFM. In another example, in some embodiments, the airflow through the battery pack 10 may be between 31.64 CFM and 63.3 CFM. In another example, in some embodiments, the airflow through the battery pack 10 may be between 63.3 CFM and 126.6 CFM. In another example, in some embodiments, the airflow through the battery pack 10 may be greater than 126.6 CFM.

[0022] In relation to Figures 13 to 15, the battery pack housing 20, among other features, encloses a battery cell holder 200, a plurality of battery cells 204 secured by the battery cell holder 200, a cell strap 206 coupled at the distal end to one or more battery cells 204, a battery pack circuit 208, electrical terminals 68 (Figure 15) electrically communicating with the battery pack circuit 208, and a temperature sensing assembly 212 (e.g., a temperature sensing assembly) electrically communicating with the battery pack circuit 208. The electrical terminals 68 are configured to mate with electrical terminals (not shown) of a power tool to supply power to the power tool, and with electrical terminals (not shown) of a charger to charge the battery cells 204.

[0023] Furthermore, relating to Figures 13 to 15, in the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack circuit 208 comprises one or more printed circuit boards (PCBs). In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack circuit 208 comprises a first PCB 208a, a second PCB 208b, a third PCB 208c, and a fourth PCB 280d. PCBs 208a to 208c are physically coupled to a support member 230 (e.g., a carrier), and the fourth PCB 208d is coupled to a holder 200 and communicates with the battery cell 204 and with one or more of the PCBs 208a to 208c via a cell strap 206. In the illustrated embodiment, an electrical terminal 68 is coupled to the first PCB 208a and is located adjacent to one end of the first PCB 208a. Additionally, a terminal block 234 surrounds the electrical terminal 68 at least partially. The terminal block 234 has multiple terminal openings 238, one for each electrical terminal 68, to provide access to the electrical terminals 68. The electrical terminals 68 and the terminal block 234 are at least partially located within the battery pack interface 60 adjacent to the front wall 48 of the battery pack housing 20. The multiple terminal openings 238 of the terminal block 234 are adjacent to the multiple terminal openings 64 in the battery pack interface 60. That is, each of the multiple terminal openings 238 of the terminal block 234 has a similar size and shape to one of the multiple terminal openings 64 in the battery pack interface 60. Furthermore, each of the multiple terminal openings 238 of the terminal block 234 is aligned with the corresponding one of the multiple terminal openings 64 in the battery pack interface 60. A gasket or sealing member (not shown) may be placed between the battery pack interface 60 and the terminal block 234.

[0024] As shown in Figures 9-10 and 16-17, the battery cell holder 200 comprises a first portion 250a and a second portion 250b coupled to the first portion 250a. Only the first portion 250a will be discussed in detail, but it should be understood that the second portion 250b has all the same elements as the first portion 250a. The first portion 250a comprises a first wall 254a, a second wall 258a on the opposite side of the first wall 254a, a first side wall 262a, a second side wall 266a, a third side wall 270a, and a fourth third side wall 274a. The side walls 262a, 266a, 270a, and 274a extend between the first wall 254a and the second wall 258a. The first wall 254a is located adjacent to the first wall 32 of the battery pack housing 20, the second wall 258a is located adjacent to the second wall 36 of the battery pack housing 20, the first side wall 262a is located adjacent to one of the first side wall 40 and the second side wall 44 of the battery pack housing 20, the second side wall 266a is located adjacent to the second portion of the battery cell holder 200, the third side wall 270a is located adjacent to the front wall 48 of the battery pack housing 20, and the fourth side wall 274a is located adjacent to the rear wall 52 of the battery pack housing 20. Multiple battery cell receiving sections 278a extend from the first side wall 262a to the second side wall 266a. Thus, the axis J of the battery cell 204 is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the battery pack 10. Therefore, as described above, the openings 134 of the second set of vents 130 are longer in the width direction of the second wall 36 than in the length direction of the second wall 36. That is, the length of the openings 134 is parallel to the axis J of the battery cell 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the first portion 250a is not formed integrally. Rather, in the illustrated embodiment, the first portion 250a comprises a central portion 250a' and a peripheral portion 250a'' which is coupled to the central portion 250a' via fasteners or the like. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, when the battery cell 204 is received in the battery cell holder 200, the battery cell is compressed axially by the first portion 250 and the second portion 250b. In other embodiments, the first portion 250a may be formed integrally as a single piece.In yet another embodiment, the entire battery cell holder 200 may be formed integrally as a single piece.

[0025] Furthermore, relating to Figures 9-10 and 16-17, the first wall 254a of the battery cell holder 200 is provided with a plurality of openings 300a, and the second wall 258a of the battery cell holder 200 is provided with a plurality of openings 304a. Each of the plurality of openings 300a, 304a is oriented along axes K, L perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis A and the axis J of the battery cell 204. The plurality of openings 300a, 304a in the first wall 254a and the second wall 258a define a plurality of battery cell holder vents 308a, 312a that enable fluid communication between the region between the battery cell holder 200 and the battery pack housing 20 and the region within the battery cell holder 200. Each of the plurality of battery holder vents 308a in the first wall 254a of the battery cell holder 200 is located adjacent to one or more of the first plurality of vents 120 of the battery pack housing 20. Similarly, each of the multiple vents 312a in the second wall 258a of the battery cell holder 200 is positioned adjacent to one or more of the second multiple vents 130 of the battery pack housing 20. In the illustrated embodiment, airflow guide members 316a, 320a (e.g., louvers) extend across each of the multiple openings 308a, 312a in the first wall 254a and the second wall 258a. Each louver 316a, 320a is recessed from the corresponding walls 254, 258 so as to be positioned within the battery cell holder 200. As shown in Figure 10, each of the louvers 316a, 320a at least partially defines the battery cell receiving section 278a. As with the louvers 104, 108 of the battery pack housing 20 (Figures 6 and 8), the louvers 316a, 320a of the battery cell holder 200 enter the vents 308a, 312a in the battery pack holder 200, guiding the airflow entering around the battery cells 204 and forming a labyrinth for fluid ingress protection. In some embodiments, the airflow guide members 315a, 3120a may be omitted (for example, if the width of the openings 308a, 312a in the battery cell holder 200 is less than 1 mm).

[0026] In relation to Figures 13 to 16, the battery cell holder 200 is configured to support the battery pack circuit 208. As shown, a carrier 230 supporting at least some of the PCBs is positioned on and supported by the battery cell holder 200. The battery cell holder 200 further comprises posts or projections 330a, 330b extending from the first walls 254a, 254b of the first portion 250a and the second portion 250b of the battery cell holder 200, respectively. Each of the posts 254a, 254b defines openings 334a, 334b ​​extending through each of the posts 254a, 254b. Pins 338a, 338b are positioned and fixed in the openings 334a, 334b, respectively, and extend from the corresponding posts 330a, 330b. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the pins 338a and 338b is made of metal and is insert-molded together with the corresponding posts 330a and 330b. In other embodiments, each of the pins 338a and 338b may be molded by any suitable means (e.g., press-fit, screw-fit, etc.) and then inserted into the openings 334a and 334b ​​of the corresponding posts 330a and 330b. The pins 338a and 338b of each post are configured to be received by corresponding aligned openings in the carrier 230, the first PCB 208a, and the terminal block 234 in order to properly position the battery pack circuit 208 relative to the battery cell holder 200.

[0027] In relation to Figures 18 to 22D, the temperature measuring assembly 212 is at least partially supported by the battery cell holder 200. The temperature measuring assembly 212 comprises a temperature sensor 400 (e.g., a thermistor), a pressing member 404, and a clamp 408. As shown, the thermistor 400 comprises a first end 412 electrically coupled to the battery pack circuit 208 (e.g., a second PCB) and a second end 416 configured to directly contact one of the battery cells 204. The pressing member 404 is a foam pad in the illustrated embodiment, but may be constructed of any suitable material. The pressing member 404 comprises a first surface 420 and a second surface 424. The clamp 408 comprises a body 428 having an opening 432 extending through the body 428, and an arm 436 extending from the body 428.

[0028] As shown in Figures 22A to 22D, the first end 412 of the thermistor 400 is coupled to the battery pack circuit 208 (e.g., the second PCB 208b) for assembling the temperature measurement assembly 212. The second end 416 of the thermistor 400 is bonded (e.g., by adhesive) to the first surface 420 of the pressing member 404. The thermistor 400 and the first surface 420 of the pressing member 404 are inserted into an opening 440 in the battery cell holder 200 such that the second end 416 of the thermistor 400 contacts one of the battery cells 204. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening 440 extends through the first wall 254 of the second portion 250 of the battery cell holder 200. In other embodiments, the opening 440 may be located elsewhere. The pressing member 404 is positioned within the opening 440 such that the pressing member 404 protrudes from the battery cell holder 200. The clamp 408 is then fixed to the battery cell holder 200 adjacent to the opening 440 such that the clamp 408 exerts a pressing force on the pressing member 404 in the direction of arrow Z. In particular, the body 428 of the clamp 408 is fixed to the battery cell holder 200 (for example, by fasteners 444 that are received through the opening 232 in the body 428) such that the arm 436 is positioned to contact the second surface 424 of the pressing member 404 and exert a pressing force. The pressure applied to the thermistor 400 via the pressing member 400 and the clamp 428 ensures good contact with the surface of the battery cell 204, and therefore the thermistor 400 can more accurately detect and measure the temperature of the battery cell 204. Furthermore, the fact that the thermistor 400 is positioned to contact the uppermost battery cell 204 near the top of the battery pack 10 (for example, adjacent to the battery pack interface 60) allows for more accurate readings, as discussed above, because cooler air drawn into the battery pack housing 20 comes from the second portion 28 of the battery pack 10. In the illustrated embodiment, only a single thermistor 400 is required for the battery cell 204. In some embodiments as illustrated, an additional thermistor 448 may be coupled to the sense resistor 452.In the illustrated embodiment, thermistor 448 is located on the opposite side of the battery pack circuit 208 from thermistor 400.

[0029] While this disclosure has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and intent of one or more independent embodiments of this disclosure described herein. Various features and advantages of this disclosure are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A housing having a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion, wherein the first portion has a first wall and an interface extending upward from a first portion of the first wall, the interface having a plurality of terminal openings that allow access to electrical terminals in the housing, and the second portion has a second wall, the second wall being located on the opposite side from the first wall, A plurality of first ventilation openings extending through the second portion of the first wall, It comprises a second plurality of vents extending through the second wall, The second portion of the first wall is spaced apart from the first portion of the first wall. The cumulative surface area of ​​the first plurality of vents is different from the cumulative surface area of ​​the second plurality of vents. Battery pack.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the sum of the cumulative surface area of ​​the first plurality of vents and the cumulative surface area of ​​the second plurality of vents is greater than 2 percent of the total surface area of ​​the housing.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cumulative surface area of ​​the first plurality of vents is at least 2 percent of the total surface area of ​​the housing.

4. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of vents are each provided with one or more louvers that guide airflow into the housing and prevent the ingress of fluid and solid blockages into the housing.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a pair of rails and a pair of grooves, each of the pair of rails being spaced apart from the first wall, and each of the pair of grooves being at least partially defined between one of the rails and the first wall, and a groove wall extending between a corresponding one of the rails and the first wall, the interface further comprising a plurality of vents extending through each of the groove walls and a plurality of vents located on the opposite side of the plurality of terminal openings.

6. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the interface comprises a pair of rails and a pair of grooves, each of the pair of rails being spaced apart from the first wall, and each of the pair of grooves being at least partially defined between one of the rails and the first wall, and a groove wall extending between a corresponding one of the rails and the first wall, and the interface further comprises a plurality of vents located on the opposite side of the plurality of terminal openings.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, wherein the cumulative surface area defined by each of the plurality of vents in the first wall, the second wall, and the interface, and the plurality of terminal openings, is greater than 2% of the total surface area of ​​the housing.

8. A battery cell holder enclosed within the housing and configured to receive and secure a plurality of battery cells, the battery cell holder further comprising a battery cell holder having a first wall and a second wall opposite to the first wall, the first wall having a first plurality of vents, the second wall having a second plurality of vents, each of the first plurality of vents of the battery cell holder being positioned adjacent to one or more of the first plurality of vents in the first wall of the housing, and each of the second plurality of vents of the battery cell holder being positioned adjacent to one or more of the second plurality of vents in the second wall of the housing, the battery pack according to claim 1.

9. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein each of the battery cells is compressed axially within the battery cell holder.

10. The battery pack according to claim 8, wherein each of the first plurality of vents and the second plurality of vents in the battery cell holder is provided with louvers that guide airflow toward the housing and prevent the intrusion of fluid and solid blockages into the housing.

11. The battery pack according to claim 8, further comprising a printed circuit board supported by the battery cell holder, wherein the battery cell holder has at least one pin for receiving an opening in the printed circuit board.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11, further comprising a terminal block at least partially disposed within the interface and at least partially surrounding the electrical terminals, wherein the terminal block comprises a plurality of terminal openings configured to align with the plurality of terminal openings in the interface, and the terminal block further comprises at least one opening configured to align with the opening in the printed circuit board and to receive at least one pin internally.

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