CN114639908A - Vehicle energy storage system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to vehicle energy storage systems. In some aspects, the energy storage system may be used to power an electric vehicle. The energy storage system may include a plurality of individual battery cells. The cells may be cylindrical and may have positive and negative terminals at the same end. The units may be physically and/or electrically organized into bricks. The tiles may be physically and/or electrically organized into modules. The modules may be physically and/or electrically organized into strings. The strings may be physically and/or electrically organized into groups. In some embodiments, the groups, strings, modules and/or bricks may include flexible circuits and/or may be liquid cooled.

Description

Vehicle energy storage system

The present application is a divisional application of chinese patent application No.201680050022.6 entitled "vehicle energy storage system" filed on 28/6/2016.

Technical Field

The present application relates generally to energy storage systems, and more particularly to energy storage systems for vehicles.

Background

Electrically driven vehicles may reduce the impact of fossil fuel engines on the environment and may promote increased sustainability of the automobile transportation mode. Energy storage systems are essential for electric vehicles, such as hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and all-electric vehicles. Size, efficiency and safety are important considerations for these energy storage systems. Space efficient storage, improved thermal management, and a balance between battery cells promote these goals.

Disclosure of Invention

Each of the systems and methods of the present disclosure has several innovative aspects, and the desired attributes are not fully accounted for by a single aspect. Without limiting the scope as expressed by the claims which follow, their more prominent features will now be described briefly. The electrical and mechanical arrangement of the components described herein has several advantages over the prior art. For example, a single battery cell may be subjected to fewer cycles, thereby increasing battery life. A single cell may contain terminals at only one end of the cylindrical body-thereby simplifying manufacturing. The configuration of the battery cells within the liquid cooled module may provide increased energy storage density.

Modular energy storage systems are described in some embodiments. A battery pack for an electric vehicle may include a plurality of independently detachable battery string sets (strings). Each battery string may include a plurality of battery modules. Each battery module may include a plurality of electrochemical cells. The cells may be organized into rows and columns. In some aspects, the battery cells are electrically coupled in parallel and/or series. The electrochemical cells may be disposed within various cell retainer structures and may be electrically connected by a flexible circuit. Coupling of the various components within the battery, battery string, and/or module may be accomplished by press fitting, snap fitting, welding (e.g., laser welding), application of chemical adhesives, or other coupling methods. In some embodiments, the battery pack, battery string, and/or module may be liquid cooled.

Drawings

The above aspects and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present technology will now be described in conjunction with the various embodiments, with reference to the drawings. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. Throughout the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary electric vehicle drive system according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary voltage source and battery management system, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is another block diagram of an exemplary voltage source and battery management system according to one embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary electric vehicle having an exemplary battery pack.

Fig. 5A is a schematic view of the exemplary battery pack of fig. 4 removed from the electric vehicle.

Fig. 5B is a schematic diagram of the example battery pack of fig. 5A disposed in an example housing.

Fig. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams of an example coolant flow path in the example battery pack of fig. 5A. Fig. 6B is an enlarged module of the battery pack depicted in fig. 6A.

Fig. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams of example coupling arrangements between two example battery modules shown separated in fig. 7A and coupled together in fig. 7B. As an example, multiple modules may be joined together as shown in fig. 5A.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of the internal components of the module of fig. 7A.

Fig. 9 is an example diagram of the example battery module of fig. 8 with the current carrier and the battery cells removed from one half of the battery module.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of the exemplary battery module of fig. 8 with the current carrier removed from one half of the battery module.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary half module.

Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary battery cell.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary current carrier.

Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary current carrier.

Fig. 15 is a front view of the exemplary current carrier of fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a side view of the exemplary current carrier of fig. 14.

Fig. 17 is a detailed schematic diagram of an exemplary current carrier.

Fig. 18A is an exploded view of an exemplary current carrier.

Fig. 18B is another exploded view of the illustrated current carrier.

Fig. 18C is a detailed schematic diagram of the circuit design of the exemplary current carrier.

Fig. 19 depicts an exploded view of a battery module according to various embodiments.

Fig. 20A-C depict different perspective views of a blast plate (blast plate) that may be included in a battery module as shown in fig. 19, according to some embodiments.

Fig. 21 shows a perspective view of a half-shell of a battery module according to various embodiments.

Fig. 22 depicts a cross-sectional view of a battery module according to some embodiments.

Fig. 23 shows a simplified flow diagram of a process for assembling a battery module according to some embodiments.

Fig. 24A-B depict perspective views of a battery pack housing and a plurality of modular battery string sets, according to an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 25A depicts a top external perspective view of a modular battery string, according to an illustrative embodiment.

Fig. 25B is a bottom perspective view of the modular battery string of fig. 25A. Such a string may be mounted in a rack as shown in fig. 24A-24B.

Fig. 25C schematically illustrates various components of a modular battery string according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 26 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 27 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 28 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment. Inputs a and B may continue from fig. 26-27. Input C may be continued from fig. 29. Output D may continue to fig. 30.

Fig. 29 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 30 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment. The output E may continue to fig. 31.

Fig. 31 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment. Input F may be continued from fig. 32. The output G may continue to fig. 33.

Fig. 32 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 33 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment. Output H may continue to fig. 34.

Fig. 34 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment. Output I may continue to fig. 35.

Fig. 35 is a partial process flow diagram for assembling a battery module according to an example embodiment.

Fig. 36 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a battery module.

Fig. 37A is a perspective view of an exemplary cylindrical battery cell.

Fig. 37B is an end view of the exemplary battery cell.

Fig. 38 is a perspective view of the example module housing of fig. 36 with a circuit board and copper bars.

Fig. 39 is a perspective view of the example module housing of fig. 38 with a promoter applied.

Fig. 40 is a top view of the example module housing of fig. 39 with an accelerant and a protective layer applied.

Fig. 41 illustrates a perspective view of the example module housing of fig. 40 with battery cells inserted into the module housing.

Fig. 42 is a side cross-sectional view of an exemplary cell mounted in the bottom cell retention plate of the module.

Fig. 43A is a perspective view of an exemplary top battery retention plate and flexible circuit showing how the top battery retention plate and flexible circuit are assembled.

Fig. 43B is a perspective view of an exemplary assembled top cell retention plate and flexible circuit.

Fig. 44A is a perspective view of the exemplary module housing of fig. 41 with battery cells installed and a top battery cell retention plate and flex circuit assembled and shown how they are installed.

Fig. 44B is a top view of the example module housing of fig. 44A with the top cell retention plate and flex circuit attached.

Fig. 45 is a perspective view of the exemplary assembled module housing of fig. 44B with a mask attached.

Fig. 46A is a perspective view of the example assembled module housing of fig. 44B with an O-ring inserted into the module port.

FIG. 46B is an enlarged partial perspective view of FIG. 46A with the O-ring in place.

Fig. 47 is a flow diagram of an example method for assembling a battery module.

Fig. 48 is a flow diagram of an example method for assembling a battery module.

Fig. 49 is a flow diagram of an example method for assembling a battery module.

Detailed Description

The following description is directed to certain embodiments, which are intended to describe innovative aspects of the disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the teachings herein may be applied in a number of different ways. Fig. 1-49 illustrate example assemblies, methods, and systems for use in an electric vehicle. An exemplary system may include a battery pack organized into strings having current carriers and battery modules. Such a system may be implemented in any type of vehicle. For example, the vehicle may be an automobile, truck, semi-truck, motorcycle, airplane, train, moped, scooter, or other type of vehicle. Further, the vehicle may use multiple types of powertrain systems. For example, the vehicle may be an electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, a plug-in electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a hybrid electric vehicle. Although described with reference to vehicle components, the illustrated current carrier and battery module are not limited to use in a vehicle. For example, the current carrier and battery module may be used to power household or commercial appliances.

In some embodiments, a battery management system design implemented with multiple battery strings of an electric vehicle is disclosed. In this embodiment, there is one string control unit per battery pack and there are multiple module monitoring boards for module voltage and temperature measurements. Using a single battery pack controller simplifies the interaction of other controllers in the vehicle with the plurality of strings. Each battery string is also coupled to a current sensor and a set of contactors.

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary electric vehicle drive system 10 incorporating a battery management system 16 as described herein. The electric vehicle drive system 10 includes a battery or voltage source 11, an inverter 12 coupled to the battery 11, a current controller 13, a motor 14, a load 15, and a battery management system 16. The battery 11 may be a single-phase Direct Current (DC) power source. In some embodiments, the battery 11 may be a rechargeable electric vehicle battery or a traction battery that provides power to drive an electric vehicle that includes the drive system 10. Although battery 11 is illustrated in fig. 1 as a single component. The battery 11 depicted in fig. 1 is merely representative, and further details regarding the battery 11 will be discussed below in conjunction with fig. 2.

The inverter 12 includes a power input connected to conductors of the battery 11 to receive DC power, single phase current, or multi-phase current, as examples. In addition, the inverter 12 also includes an input coupled to an output of a current controller 13, described further below. The inverter 12 also includes three outputs representing three phases with currents separated by 12 electrical degrees, where each phase is provided on a conductor coupled to the motor 14. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the inverter 12 may produce more or less than three phases.

The motor 14 is fed by a voltage source inverter 12 controlled by a current controller 13. The inputs of the motor 14 are coupled to respective coils distributed around the stator. The motor 14 may be coupled to a mechanical output, such as a mechanical coupling between the motor 14 and a mechanical load 15. The mechanical load 15 may represent one or more wheels of an electric vehicle.

The controller 13 may be used to generate a gating signal for the inverter 12. Accordingly, the control of the vehicle speed is performed by adjusting the voltage or the current flowing through the stator of the motor 14 from the inverter 12. Many control schemes may be used in the electric vehicle drive system 10, including current control, voltage control, and direct torque control. By selecting the characteristics of inverter 12 and selecting the control technique of controller 13, the efficacy of drive system 10 may be determined.

The battery management system 16 may receive data from the battery 11 and may generate control signals for managing the battery 11. Further details of the battery management system 16 will be discussed below in conjunction with fig. 2-3.

Although not illustrated, the electric vehicle drive system 10 may include one or more position sensors for determining the rotor position of the electric motor 14 and providing this information to the controller 13. As an example, the motor 14 can include a signal output that can convey a position of a rotor assembly of the motor 14 relative to a stator assembly of the motor 14. By way of example, the position sensor may be a hall effect sensor, a potentiometer, a linear variable differential transformer, an optical encoder, or a position resolver. In other embodiments, the significance that the motor 14 exhibits may also provide for sensorless control applications. Although not shown, the electric vehicle drive system 10 may include one or more current sensors for determining the phase currents of the stator coils and providing this information to the controller 13. The current sensor may be, for example, a hall effect current sensor, a sense resistor connected to an amplifier, or a current clamp.

It should be appreciated that while the electric motor 14 is described as a motor that can receive electric power to generate mechanical power, it can also be used to receive mechanical power and thereby convert it into electric power. In such a configuration, by using appropriate control, the inverter 12 can be used to energize the coils and thereafter extract power from the motor 14 while the motor 14 receives mechanical power.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary voltage source according to one embodiment. The voltage source 11 may include a plurality of battery strings 26a, 26b, 26n, 26. (individually or collectively referred to herein as one or more battery strings 26), and a plurality of current sensors 28a, 28b, 28. The battery string 26 may be connected to or disconnected from the positive or high power bus 20 and the negative or low power bus 25 by a plurality of switches 21a, 21b, 21a, 21n, 22a, 22b, 22. Switches 21 and 22 may be controlled by control signals from battery management system 16. Among other things, the battery management system 16 may receive voltages V _ a, V _ b,... turn, V _ n,. turn, which are output voltages across the respective battery string groups 26a, 26b,. turn 26n, and which are determined with, by way of example, a plurality of sensors (not shown). The battery management system 16 may also receive currents I _ a, I _ b,... I _ n,. from the respective battery string groups 26a, 26b,. 26n. The battery management system 16 may also receive temperature measurements temp _ a, temp _ b,... turn, temp _ n,. turn, which are one or more temperature measurements from the respective battery string groups 26a, 26b,. turn 26n and are measured by one or more temperature sensors (not shown) of the accompanying battery string groups. Based at least in part on the voltages V _ a, V _ b, and/or the voltages temp _ a, temp _ b, and/or the voltages V _ n, the battery management system 16 may generate control signals 24a, 24b, and 24n, which may be used individually or collectively herein as one or more control signals 24, to control the respective switches 21 and 22. Further details of the battery management system 16 will be discussed below with reference to fig. 3.

The battery string 26 may include a plurality of modules, each of which may in turn include a plurality of cells. Within each battery string 26, the constituent modules and units may be connected in series as symbolically depicted in fig. 2. In some embodiments, the voltage source 11 may include six battery strings 26 that can be connected or disconnected from the power buses 20, 25. The battery strings 26 may be implemented with a variety of different types of rechargeable batteries made using a variety of materials, such as lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, lithium-ion, or other suitable materials. In some embodiments, each battery string may output approximately 375V-400V if charged to approximately 80% or more.

Current sensors 28 may be connected in series with each battery string 26 between the high power bus 20 and the low power bus 25. As shown in fig. 2, the current sensor 28 may be connected to the positive terminal of the respective battery string 26 to measure the current discharged by the battery string 26. In other embodiments, the current sensor 28 may be connected to the battery string 26 in other ways to measure the current generated as a result of the battery string 26 discharging.

The switches 21 and 22 may be contactors configured to connect the battery string 26 to the power buses 20, 25 or disconnect the battery string 26 from the power buses 20, 25 in response to the respective control signals 24. The switch 21 may be implemented with any suitable contactor capable of handling current and voltage levels as needed, for example, in connection with the battery string 26, the power buses 20, 25, and the load 15 (fig. 1) within the electric vehicle drive system 10 (fig. 1). In some embodiments, switches 21 and 22 may be implemented with mechanical contactors having solenoids therein. In some embodiments, the switch 21 may be powered by one or more drivers in the battery management system 16. Although in the example shown in fig. 2, switches 21 (e.g., 21n) and switches 22 (e.g., 22n) are controlled by the same respective control signal 24 (e.g., 24n), in other embodiments, switches 21 (e.g., 21n) may be controlled by respective positive bus connection control signals, and switches 22 (e.g., 22n) may be controlled by respective negative bus connection control signals.

The battery management system 16 may include a number of passive and/or active circuit components, signal processing components such as analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), amplifiers, buffers, drivers, regulators, or other suitable components. In some embodiments, the battery management system 16 may also include one or more processors for processing input data to generate an output (e.g., control signals 24). In some embodiments, the battery management system 16 may also include one or more components for communicating with and sending and receiving data within the battery management system 16 and/or with other components or circuitry in the electric vehicle. For example, various components and circuits within system 10, including components in battery management system 16, may communicate with each other using a protocol or interface, such as a CAN bus, SPI, or other suitable interface. Also, in some embodiments, processing of the input data may be performed at least in part by other components within the battery management system 16 that are not internal to the electric vehicle when the battery management system 16 is in communication with the other components.

FIG. 3 is another block diagram of an exemplary voltage source and battery management system according to one embodiment. An exemplary battery string 26n of one of the plurality of battery strings 26 of fig. 2 is shown in fig. 3, and accordingly the corresponding current sensor 28n, switches 21n, 22n and connection control signal 24n. Furthermore, fuses 31n corresponding to the battery string groups 26n are also shown here, and although not illustrated, each of the battery string groups 26a, 26b, a. The battery string 26n includes a plurality of battery modules 38n _1, 38n _2,.. 38n _ k (which are referred to herein individually or collectively as 38n for the battery string 26 n), each of which transmits battery module telemetry data to a respective module monitoring board 36n _1, 36n _2,.. 36n _ k (which are referred to herein individually or collectively as 36n for the battery string 26 n). The battery management system 16 includes a string control unit 34n for the battery string 26n for communicating with the battery modules 38n _1, 38n _2, 38n _ k of the battery string 26n. The battery management system 16 may include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC)32n for processing analog data from the battery string 26n. In some embodiments, the ADC 32n may be internal to the string control unit 34n, and in other embodiments, the ADC 32n may be separate from the string control unit 34 n. Although not illustrated, the battery management system 16 may also include respective string control units 34a, 34b, the.., 34n, and respective ADCs 32a, 32b, the.., 32n, the.. for the plurality of battery strings 26a, 26b, the.., 26n, the.. shown in fig. 2. The battery management system 16 also includes a battery pack controller 31 that controls a switch driver 35 and communicates with a plurality of string control units 34.

In the illustrated embodiment, the nth battery string 26n has k battery modules 38n and k module monitoring boards 36 n. In some embodiments, as an example, one battery string 26 may include 6 battery modules 38 connected in series. In some embodiments, as an example, one battery module 38 may include 16 battery bricks (battery bricks) in series, and one battery brick may include 13 battery cells in parallel. Also, in some embodiments, the voltage source 11 (fig. 1) of the electric vehicle drive system 10 (fig. 1) may include 1 battery pack, which includes, by way of example, 6 battery strings 26. As an example, the battery cells may be lithium ion batteries, and the battery pack of the electric vehicle drive system 10 may provide more than 500kW of power.

Each battery module 38 may be equipped with an interface, such as a plate or plane (not shown), configured to collect various battery module telemetry data (e.g., voltage, current, charge, temperature, etc.) that is communicated to module monitoring board 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the module monitoring boards 36n _1, 36n _2,. loganj, 36n _ k communicate with the string control unit 34n using a communication protocol (e.g., isoSPI). In the illustrated embodiment, as an example, the module monitoring board 36n may collect temperature and voltage data for the respective module 38n and communicate it to the string control unit 34 n. Also, in some embodiments, as an example, analog measurement data from the battery modules 38n and battery string 26n may be processed with the ADC 32n for further digital processing on the string control unit 34n and the battery string controller 31. In some embodiments, the module monitoring boards 36n may individually communicate directly with the string control unit 34n, and in other embodiments, the module monitoring boards 36n may communicate collectively and/or indirectly with the string control unit 34n via a communications bus or in a daisy-chained configuration.

The string control unit 34n may be a processor configured to perform the following processes: monitoring the status of the battery modules 38n and battery string 26n, testing and monitoring the insulation of the battery string 26n, managing the temperature of the battery modules 38n and battery string 26n, executing a battery management algorithm, and generating a control signal 24n for controlling one or both of the switches 21n and 22n of the battery string 26n. Likewise, the respective string control units 34a, 34b, …, 34n,. for the battery string groups 26a, 26b,..,. 26n,. shown in fig. 2 may perform the same function for the respective battery string groups 26, such that the battery management system 16 as a whole outputs control signals 24a, 24b,.., 24n,. from the respective string control units 34a, 34b,..., 34n,. to the respective switches 21a, 21b,..., 21n,... and 22a, 22b,... 22 n. In the illustrated embodiment, the string control unit 34n may also be in communication with the current sensor 28n, and as an example, may receive a current reading I _ n of the battery string 26n. Also, as an example, string control unit 34n may also be coupled to fuse 31n to receive an indication that the trip circuit or fuse is blown.

The battery pack controller 31 in the illustrated embodiment may communicate with a plurality of string control units 34a, 34b, 34n …. In some embodiments, various data from one or more battery strings (e.g., string _ a, string _ b, string.., string _ n, string..) may be communicated using a CAN bus, and battery management system 16 may include a plurality of CAN bus transceivers (not shown). The battery pack controller 31 is also coupled to a switch driver 35, which switch driver 35 may supply power to the switches 21 and 22 (e.g., contactors) of the battery string 26, and the battery pack controller 31 may further communicate with other devices, components, or modules of the electric vehicle. In some cases, the battery pack controller 31 may communicate with the switch driver 35 to disconnect the power supply and to disconnect all the switches 21 and 22. For example, the battery controller 16 may be configured to open all of the switches 21 and 22 when it receives a signal indicating airbag deployment. Also, in some cases, the string control unit 34n may receive high temperature data from one of the modules 38n and may send a warning signal to the battery pack controller 31. In this case, the multi-string battery configuration and the built-in redundancy of the battery management system will allow disconnection of a battery string that may have a fault without having to affirmatively determine whether disconnection of the battery string is required.

It would be advantageous if a battery management system were implemented for an electric vehicle as disclosed herein. In conventional thinking, a parallel system would appear to cost n times the cost of a conventional system, where n is the number of parallel strings. However, in lithium battery systems with very stringent safety, redundancy is often required anyway to improve the improvement of false positive or negative errors (trip). Furthermore, a battery pack split into multiple battery strings will allow the use of low current contactors, thereby reducing cost while improving modularity. In conventional systems using lithium batteries, most battery management systems are forced to open switches or contactors of the entire battery pack if a voltage sensor fails due to the risk of overcharging, which may cause a fire or explosion. As such, conventional systems incorporate redundant voltage measurements. The voltage measurement may be another circuit board, such as an additional module monitoring board or a hardware overvoltage device at the cell level.

For a multi-string system, if a voltage sensor or a current sensor or a temperature sensor is damaged, one string can be taken out of the battery pack alone and the battery pack will still be powered by the remaining strings. With a battery management system implemented in the manner disclosed herein, additional voltage redundancy will no longer be necessary for reliability, as the redundancy levels are already built into the multi-string management system. If the voltage sensor fails, care can be taken to remove the string and the vehicle will still receive utility power from the remaining strings.

By eliminating redundant temperature, voltage and current sensors in a multi-string battery pack, costs may be reduced while improving reliability and safety. The control unit can be programmed to be safer than conventional systems and has the ability to independently open and close the contactors as compared to conventional battery management systems because the other strings provide redundant backup.

The multi-string battery configuration and battery management system disclosed herein also have advantages in providing continuous power to an electric vehicle because the distributed current in the multi-string battery configuration and battery management system allows for increased continuous power capability of the battery pack. In some cases, continuous current consumption in excess of 1kA may be achieved using the disclosed system. Furthermore, because multiple battery strings distribute the total output current over multiple branches, the disclosed battery structure and battery management system allow the system to be implemented with cost-and size-effective components (e.g., fuses, current sensors, and contactors) because the current in one battery string is lower than that present in a system that is not multi-string, and thus, individual components in a string need not carry or measure such high currents. For example, if there are six separate string groups, and each processes the maximum output of 300A, then a total maximum output of 1.8kA may be produced. While this multi-string system may use a set of six contactors, fuses, and current measurement devices, the total cost of the set of six devices, all suitable for 300A operation, is relatively lower and the accuracy of their operation is relatively higher than a single set suitable for 1.8kA operation. In particular, the built-in redundancy of the system disclosed herein provides high reliability because a failed string can be disconnected and removed from operation while the remaining strings can continue to provide power to the electric vehicle. The multi-string battery configuration and battery management system also provides modularity, adaptability, and scalability depending on the size and type of vehicle and the power level required for the intended use of the vehicle. While efficiently and effectively managing a large number of contactors and fuses, the battery management system disclosed herein provides the benefit of having multiple battery strings.

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of the illustrated electric vehicle 100. The electric vehicle 100 may be propelled by one or more electric motors 110. The motor 110 may be coupled to one or more wheels 120 through a transmission system (not shown in fig. 4). The electric vehicle 100 may include a frame 130 (also referred to as a underbody or chassis). The frame 130 may be a support structure of the electric vehicle 100 to which other components, such as the battery pack 140, may be attached or mounted.

Electric vehicle 100 may further include structural rails 150, a rear crash cushion 160, a front crash cushion 170, and a lateral crash cushion 180. Battery pack 140 may have a compact "footprint" and be arranged such that it may be at least partially surrounded by frame 130. The battery pack 140 may be positioned at a predetermined distance from the structural rails 150. In some embodiments, battery pack 140 may be positioned such that frame 130, structural rails 150, rear crash cushion 160, front crash cushion 170, and lateral crash cushion 180 protect battery pack 140 from forces or impacts applied from outside electric vehicle 100 (e.g., in a collision). In some embodiments, the battery pack 140 may be disposed in the frame 130 to help improve directional stability (e.g., yaw acceleration). For example, the battery pack 140 may be disposed in the frame 130 such that the center of gravity of the electric vehicle 100 may be forward of the wheel base center (which may be limited by the plurality of wheels 120, as an example).

Fig. 5A is a schematic diagram illustrating the battery pack 140. Imaginary x, y and z axes are depicted on the battery pack 140. The battery pack 140 may have any size and dimensions. For example, the width of the battery pack 140 is about 1000mm (along the x-axis), the length is about 1798mm (along the y-axis), and the height is about 152mm (along the z-axis).

In some embodiments, the battery pack 140 may be modular and/or may be subdivided into smaller functional units. For example, the battery pack 140 may include a plurality of battery modules 210. In one example, the battery pack 140 may include thirty-six battery modules 210. At least some of the battery modules 210 may be electrically connected in series to form a string 212, and two or more strings 212 may be electrically connected in parallel. In various embodiments, a modular battery configuration may be advantageous, by way of example, by allowing battery pack 140 to continue to operate even if one or more strings 212 fail or malfunction (e.g., by disconnecting a failed string 212). In this example configuration, if one of the string groups 212 fails, the other string groups 212 are not affected.

Fig. 5B depicts an example battery pack 140 in an example housing 200. The housing 200 may include a tray 260. The housing 200 may further include a mask (not shown).

The tray 260 may include a positive bus bar 220 and a negative bus bar 230. The negative bus bar 230 and the positive bus bar 220 may be arranged along opposite edges of the tray 260, or may be arranged to have a predetermined degree of separation between the negative bus bar 230 and the positive bus bar 220.

The positive bus bar 220 may be electrically coupled to the positive portion of the power connector of each battery module 210. The negative bus bar 230 may be electrically coupled to the negative portion of the power connector of each battery module 210. The positive bus bar 220 may be electrically coupled to the positive terminal 225 of the housing 200. The negative bus bar 230 may be electrically coupled to the negative terminal 235 of the housing 200. When used in the electric vehicle 100, the bus bars 220 and 230 may be disposed inside the structural rails 150.

In electric vehicle 100, battery pack 140 may supply power to one or more electric motors 110 (e.g., via an inverter). According to some embodiments, the inverter may convert Direct Current (DC) from the battery pack 140 to Alternating Current (AC) as required by the motor 110.

In some embodiments, the battery pack 140 may be liquid cooled. By providing efficient heat transfer in a relatively compact battery configuration, liquid cooling is desirable for different battery pack configurations, thereby providing reliable temperature regulation and maintaining the battery cells within a desired operating temperature range. In a liquid-cooled embodiment, coolant may enter the battery pack 140 at a coolant inlet 240 and exit at a coolant outlet 250.

Fig. 6A and 6B illustrate example coolant flows that may be used in conjunction with the battery pack 140 and example operations of an example coolant system and an example coolant subsystem. Fig. 6B is an enlarged module 210 in the battery pack 140 depicted in fig. 6A. As shown in fig. 6A and 6B, an exemplary coolant system may include an inlet 310 and an outlet 320. As an example, coolant may be pumped into the battery pack 140 at an inlet 310 and pumped out of the battery pack 140 at an outlet 320. As an example, the coolant may be wired in parallel with each battery module 210 in the battery pack 140. The resulting pressure gradient inside the battery pack 140 may provide sufficient coolant circulation to minimize temperature gradients inside the battery pack 140 (e.g., a temperature gradient inside one of the battery modules 210, a temperature gradient between the battery modules 210, and/or a temperature gradient between two or more strings 212 shown in fig. 5A).

Inside the battery pack 140, a coolant system can circulate coolant, such as to the battery modules 210 (e.g., reference numeral 330 indicates circulation). The coolant may include at least one of: synthetic oils (e.g., polyalphaolefin (or poly-alpha-olefin, also abbreviated as PAO) oils, glycols and water, and liquid dielectric cooling based on phase change, among others.

One or more additional pumps (not shown) may be used to maintain a substantially constant pressure across and between the plurality of battery modules 210 connected in series (e.g., in the string 212 of fig. 5A).

The coolant subsystem can circulate a coolant (e.g., a circulation indicated by reference numeral 340) within the battery module 210. In some embodiments, coolant may enter each battery module 210 through the interface 350. The coolant may flow through the battery module 210. Interface 350 may be oriented to direct coolant into battery module 210 along the y-axis. The coolant may then be driven by the pressure inside the coolant system to exit the battery module 210 through one or more channels 350B oriented along the x-axis. The coolant may then be collected at both (opposing) side surfaces 360A and 360B of the module. The side surfaces 360A and 360B may be perpendicular to the x-axis. In some embodiments, the coolant system and coolant subsystem may be used to maintain a substantially uniform and/or constant temperature inside the battery pack 140.

As discussed, the example battery pack 140 may include a plurality of battery modules 210. FIGS. 7A and 7B showTwo battery modules 210 are present: 210₁And 210₂Exemplary arrangements and couplings therebetween. Fig. 7A depicts an exemplary battery module 210 that is separated but calibrated for coupling₁And 210₂. By way of example, battery module 210₁And 210₂Can be positioned in the manner shown in fig. 7A and then moved together until coupled as shown in the example of fig. 7B. Generally, the battery module 210₁And 210₂The female connector 410 on one of_FCan respectively receive and engage the battery modules 210₂And 210₁Male connector 410 on the other one_M. At each battery module 210₁And 210₂May include one or more female-male connector pairs.

As shown in the example of fig. 7A, the battery module 210₁And 210₂May have a male connector 410_MAnd a battery module 210₁And 210₂May have a female connector 410 on the right side_F. Alternatively, the male connector 410_MAnd female connector 410_FMixtures of (a) and (b) may also be used. Each female connector 410F may include an (elastomeric) O-ring or other seal. Male connector 410_MAnd female connector 410_FMay serve only as a connection point or may also be a power connector, coolant port, or the like.

FIG. 7B depicts example battery modules 210 coupled together₁And 210₂Cross-sectional view of (a). By way of example, the male connector 410_MAnd female connector 410_FCombine to form coupled connector 410 c. As discussed, the male connector 410_MAnd a female connector 410_FWhich may be a power connector or a coolant port of the battery module 210. For example, the male connector 410_MOne of which may be a battery module 210₂And a coolant output port of, and a female connector 410_FOne of which may be a battery module 210₁The parent coolant output port. Thus, the male and female ports may be coupled and the internal cooling channels of the battery module may be connected (e.g., forming the schematic in fig. 6A and 6B)The cooling system shown). Also, when coupled together, a plurality of battery modules 210 may be coupled together via male connector 410_MAnd female connector 410_FAnd (6) electrically connecting.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary battery module 210. The battery module 210 may include two half-modules 510₁And 510₂A coolant input port 520, a coolant output port 530, a communication and low power connector 540, and/or a main power connector 550. Each half module 510₁And 510₂A housing 560 for housing the battery therein may also be included. The housing 560 may further include a plate member 570 (discussed in more detail below with reference to FIG. 9).

With continued reference to fig. 8, half-module 510 of battery module 210₁And 510₂A current carrier 580 may be further included (discussed in more detail below with reference to fig. 11 and 12-18), and one or more staking (poke) features 590 (e.g., plastic stakes) may be included to retain the current carrier 580 in the battery module 210. Half module 510₁And 510₂May be the same or different (e.g., in some embodiments, half module 510₁And 510₂May be mirror images of each other). Coolant may be provided to the battery module 210 at the main coolant input port 520, which may be circulated within the battery module 210 and received at the main coolant output port 530.

As an example, the communication and low power connector 540 may provide very low power to the electronics and sensors for data acquisition and/or control. In some embodiments, for example, the communication and low power connector 540 may be at least partially electrically coupled to the current carrier 580 (e.g., through electronics for data acquisition and/or control). Each of the coolant input port 520, the coolant output port 530, the communication and low power connector 540, and the main power connector 550 can function as the male connector 410_MAnd female connector 410_F。

Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a battery module 210 with battery cells removed from one half module for illustration purposesAnd a current carrier 580. As described, the battery module 210 may include two half-modules 510₁And 510₂A main power connector 550, a main coolant output port 530, a main coolant input port 520, and a communications and low power connector 540. In addition, each half module 510₁And 510₂May include a housing 560.

The housing 560 may be made of one or more plastics having a sufficiently low thermal conductivity. The respective housings 560 of each half-module may be coupled to each other to form a housing for the battery module 210. The housing 560 may further include a shade (not shown). Each shell 560 may further include a plate 570 (e.g., a bracket). The plate member 570 may include structures for fixing the battery cells inside the case 560 and maintaining the distance between the battery cells.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary battery module 210 with the current carrier 580 removed from one of the half modules for purposes of illustration. Each half module may include at least one battery cell 710. The main power connector 550 may provide power from the battery unit 710 to the outside of the battery module 210.

Fig. 11 is a schematic view of a half module 510 without a housing 560. Half-module 510 may include a coolant inlet 840 and a coolant outlet 850, which may allow for the use of the coolant subsystems discussed with reference to fig. 6A and 6B. The half module 510 may further comprise an electrical interface 830 electrically connectable to the current carrier 580. The electrical interface 830 may be coupled to the communication and low power connector 540. Half-module 510 may also include a plurality of battery cells 710. The battery cells 710 may have a cylindrical body, and may be disposed between the current carrier 580 and the rupture plate 810 in the space 820 such that the outer side of each battery cell 710 does not contact the outer sides of other (e.g., adjacent) battery cells 710.

Fig. 12 depicts an exemplary battery cell 710. In some embodiments, the battery cell 710 may be a lithium-ion (li-ion) battery or any other type of battery. For example, battery cell 710 may be a 18650 type lithium ion battery, which may have a cylindrical shape with an approximate diameter of 18.6mm and an approximate length of 65.2 mm. Alternatively or additionally, other rechargeable battery form factors and chemistries may be used. In various embodiments, the battery cell 710 may include a first end 910, a can 920 (e.g., a cylindrical body), and a second end 940. Both the anode terminal 970 and the cathode terminal 980 may be disposed on the first end 910. The anode terminal 970 may be the negative terminal of the battery cell 710 and the cathode terminal 980 may be the positive terminal of the battery cell 710. Anode terminal 970 and cathode terminal 980 can be electrically isolated from each other by an insulator or dielectric.

The cell 710 may also include a score at the second end 940 to facilitate cleaving to enable venting (venting) in the event of overpressure. In various embodiments, all of the cells 710 may be oriented to allow venting to the burst plates 810 of both half modules.

Inside the half-module 510, the battery cells 710 may be arranged such that the cylindrical bodies of the battery cells may be parallel to an imaginary x-axis ("x-axis cell orientation"). According to some embodiments, the x-axis cell orientation may provide additional safety and performance benefits. For example, if half module 510 or battery module 210 is defective, the cells are drained along the x-axis. Furthermore, according to some embodiments, the x-axis cell orientation is also very advantageous for efficient electrical and fluid routing for each battery module 210 in the battery pack 140.

Additionally, according to some embodiments, the x-axis cell orientation also facilitates channeling coolant (cooling fluid) in parallel to each battery module 210 in the battery pack 140. As shown in fig. 11, by using the coolant system described with reference to fig. 6A and 6B, coolant may enter the half module 510 through the coolant inlet 840 and may exit through the coolant outlet 850. Each of the coolant inlet 840 and the coolant outlet 850 may be a male or female fluid fitting.

Referring to fig. 6A and 6B, a channel 350B may be formed in a space between cylindrical bodies of adjacent battery cells 710. The channels 350B may be metal tubes, but may also be spaces between the cylindrical bodies of the battery cells 710, which may allow for a higher cell density inside the battery module 210, and in some embodiments, may be as high as 15% or higher. The channels 350B may or may not occupy the entire space between adjacent battery cells 710. Air pockets may also be formed in the spaces between adjacent cells 710, which may reduce the weight of the half module 510.

Such an exemplary parallel cooling system may be used to maintain the temperature of the battery cells 710 within the battery module 210 (and across the battery back side 140) at a substantially uniform level. According to some embodiments, the Direct Current Internal Resistance (DCIR) of each cell may change with temperature; thus, by maintaining the temperature of each battery cell in the battery pack 140 at a substantially uniform and predefined temperature range, each battery cell may be allowed to have substantially the same DCIR. The voltage across each cell may be reduced in accordance with its corresponding DCIR, whereby each cell 710 in the battery pack 140 experiences approximately the same voltage loss. In this illustrative manner, each of the battery cells 710 in the battery pack 140 may be maintained at approximately the same capacity, and imbalances between the battery cells 710 in the battery pack 140 may be reduced and/or minimized, in accordance with some embodiments.

Returning to FIG. 10, according to some embodiments, each half-module 510₁And 510₂May include the same number of cells 710. In various embodiments, each half-module may include a plurality of battery cells 710 in the range of 20, 50, 100, 200, or more. For example, each half module may include one hundred forty battery cells 710. The battery cells 710 may be electrically connected by means of a current carrier 580. For example, thirteen battery cells 710 may form a group and may be electrically connected in parallel, with a total of eight such groups of thirteen battery cells 710 electrically connected in series. This exemplary configuration may be referred to as "8S 13P" (8 in series, 13 in parallel). Other combinations and arrangements of battery cells 710 electrically coupled in series and/or parallel may also be used. An exemplary grouping of battery cells will be discussed in more detail in connection with current carriers providing electrical connections in the battery cells。

Referring to fig. 11, in various embodiments, a battery half-module 510₁And 510₂A current carrier 580 configured to connect terminals of a plurality of electrochemical cells may be included. By way of example, the current carrier 580 may comprise a plurality of wires or a flexible circuit or the like. Various embodiments may include a flex circuit as the current carrier 580. Flexible circuits may provide various advantages such as flexibility, durability, and ease of manufacture (e.g., a flexible circuit designed for a particular battery cell configuration may be placed on top of the configured battery cell and secured in place, thereby eliminating the need for additional wiring or other complex electrical connections). Without limiting the scope of current carriers that may be included with the battery systems described herein, an exemplary embodiment of a current carrier will now be described.

Fig. 13 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary current carrier 580. In some embodiments, the current carrier 580 may be substantially flat and may have any size and dimension depending on the size and dimension of the half-module 510. The current carrier 580 may be electrically connected with the battery cells 710 and may conduct current between the battery cells (e.g., through the positive contact 1010, the negative contact 1020, and the fuse 1030). For example, the positive contact 1010 may be in electrical contact with the cathode terminal 980 and the negative contact 1020 may be in electrical contact with the anode terminal 970. The current carrier 580 may be electrically coupled to an electrical interface 830, which may carry signals from the current carrier 580 (e.g., from a signal plane of the current carrier 580). The electrical interface 830 may include an electrical connector (not shown). Current carrier 580 may also provide an electrical connection to the exterior of battery module 210, such as through main power connector 550.

Fig. 14 is a second schematic diagram of an exemplary current carrier 580. As shown in fig. 14, main power connector 550 and low power connector 540 may be coupled to a current carrier 580. According to some embodiments, the current carrier 580 may also include a telemetry board connector 1110, a center hole 1120, and an aperture 1130.

Telemetry board connector 1110 may communicatively couple a telemetry board (not shown) with current carrier 580 and communication and low power connector 540. As an example, the telemetry pad may include electronics for data acquisition and/or control and sensors, such as sensors for battery module telemetry.

The central hole 1120 and the small hole 1130 may be used to fix the current carrier 580 to the plate member 570. For example, the current carrier 580 may be heat riveted to the plate 570 through the aperture 1130 or the central aperture 1120, or the aperture 1130 or the central aperture 1120 may be coupled to the riveting feature 590. Alternatively or additionally, coolant may be circulated through the central bore 1120 and/or the small bore 1130.

Current carrier 580 may include printed circuit boards and flexible printed circuits. As an example, the printed circuit board may contain at least one of the following in different ways: copper, FR-2 (phenolic cotton paper), FR-3 (cotton paper and epoxy), FR-4 (glass cloth and epoxy), FR-5 (glass cloth and epoxy), FR-6 (matte glass and polyester), G-10 (glass cloth and epoxy), CEM-1 (cotton paper and epoxy), CEM-2 (cotton paper and epoxy), CEM-3 (no glass cloth and epoxy), CEM-4 (glass cloth and epoxy), and CEM-5 (glass cloth and polyester). As other non-limiting examples, the flexible printed circuit may include at least one of a copper foil and a flexible polymer film, such as Polyester (PET), Polyimide (PI), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), Polyetherimide (PEI), and various Fluoropolymers (FEP) and copolymers.

As shown in fig. 14, the current carrier 580 may also be composed of multiple parts in order to achieve a flexible configuration of the electrical connections of the battery cells 710.

Fig. 15 is a top view and fig. 16 is a side view of the exemplary current carrier of fig. 14. The current carrier 580 may include multiple layers that may be sandwiched between dielectric isolation layers (e.g., made of polyimide). According to some embodiments, current carriers 580 may provide electrical connections between and among battery cells 710. As depicted, current carrier 580 may be electrically connected to multiple battery cells 710, and battery cells 710 may be connected in series or parallel.

Fig. 17 is an enlarged schematic view of a portion of an exemplary current carrier 580. FIG. 17 depicts an exemplary positive contact 1010, negative contact 1020, and fuse 1030. Each of the positive contact 1010, the negative contact 1020, and the fuse 1030 included in the current carrier 580 may be plural. The positive contact 1010 and the negative contact 1020 may be separate. The position and shape of the positive contact 1010 and the negative contact 1020 may vary based on the shape of the battery cell 710. In some embodiments, positive contact 1010 may be welded (e.g., laser welded) to cathode terminal 980 of cell 710, and negative contact 1020 may be welded (e.g., laser welded) to anode terminal 970 of cell 710. In some embodiments, the welded connection may have a resistance of about 5 milliohms or less. In contrast, a process of electrically coupling components using ultrasonic bonding of aluminum bond wires may have a resistance of about 10 milliohms. Such welding also provides lower impedance for higher power efficiency and may take less time to perform than ultrasonic wire welding.

The current carrier 580 may be configured such that the positive contact 1010 and the negative contact 1020 may be connected to respective cathode and anode terminals of the respective battery cells 710, for example, when the first end 910 of each battery cell 710 is facing the same direction. Thus, when the negative contact 1020 connected to the anode of the first battery cell and the positive contact 1020 connected to the cathode of the second battery cell are electrically connected, the two battery cells 710 may be connected in series with each other. Also, when the negative contacts 1020 connected to the battery cells are electrically connected to each other, the two battery cells 710 may be connected in parallel to each other.

Accordingly, by tailoring the electrical connectivity of the positive contact 1010 and the negative contact 1020 on the current carrier 580, the battery cells 710 may be connected in series or in parallel. For example, a group of battery cells 710 may be connected in parallel by means of a plurality of electrically connected positive contacts 1010 of a current carrier 580 and a corresponding plurality of electrically connected negative contacts 1020 of the current carrier 580. According to some embodiments, the first group of cells 710 and the second group of cells 710 may be connected in series if the negative contact 1020 of the first group of cells 710 is electrically connected with the positive contact 1010 of the second group of cells 710. According to some embodiments, the number of battery cells in the first group and the number of battery cells in the second group may be the same or different.

The current carrier 580 may also include a fuse 1030 formed with a portion of a metal layer (e.g., copper, aluminum, etc.) of the current carrier 580. In some embodiments, the dimensions of the fuse 1030 formed in the metal layer (e.g., laser etched) correspond to the type of low resistance resistor, and the fuse may act as a sacrificial device for providing overcurrent protection. For example, if one of the battery cells 710 thermally runaway (e.g., due to an internal short circuit), the fuse will "blow" and will break the electrical connection to the battery cell 710 and electrically isolate the battery cell 710 from the current carrier 580.

Fig. 18A shows an exploded view of an exemplary current carrier 580. Current carrier 580 may include a main power connector 550, a low power connector 540, and/or a telemetry board connector 1110. Current carrier 580 may include a first layer 1410, a base layer 1420 that may provide dielectric isolation, and a second layer 1430. As shown in fig. 18B, one or more isolation layers 1440 may also be included in current carrier 580. The current carrier 580 may further include a signal plane, which in some embodiments may include signal traces, and may be used to provide battery module telemetry (e.g., cell voltage, state of charge, and/or temperature from optional sensors of the current carrier 580) to the exterior of the battery module 210. Alternatively, the signal plane may be integrated into one or more current carrier layers 580, or may be omitted. First and second layers 1410, 1430 may be disposed on respective first and second sides of base layer 1420.

As shown in fig. 18A and 18C, first layer 1410 may include a plurality of segments. Likewise, the second layer 1430 can include a plurality of sections. Each segment may include a contact group electrically connected with the anode/cathode of a respective cell 710 in the cell group. Each segment may have the same number of contacts or may have a different number of contacts. The contact inside each section may be a positive contact 1010 or a negative contact 1020.

The first layer 1410 and the second layer 1430 may include segments of any shape or dimension depending on the desired location of the battery cells 710, the desired shape and size of the battery module 210, and the desired electrical connections between and among the battery cells 710. First layer 1410 and second layer 1430 may be constructed of metal or other conductive materials known in the art. Both first layer 1410 and second layer 1430 may have more or fewer sections than depicted in fig. 18A and 18B. Second layer 1430 may have the same number of segments as first layer 1410, or may have a different number of segments.

When used in a half module 510, the current carrier 580 may electrically connect a plurality of battery cells 710 in the half module 510. The plurality of battery cells 710 in the half module 510 may be divided into groups and may be oriented such that the first end 910 of each battery cell 710 is oriented in the same direction. For example, according to some embodiments, the plurality of battery cells 710 may be divided into eight cell groups CG₀To CG₇. According to some embodiments, the number of battery cells 710 in each cell line may be the same. It is also contemplated that the number of battery cells 710 in one cell line may be different from the number of battery cells 710 in another cell line. The anode terminal 970 of each battery cell 710 within the first cell stack may be electrically connected to the negative contact 1020 on the first layer 1410 of the current carrier 580. The cathode terminal 980 of each battery cell 710 within the first cell stack may be electrically connected to the positive contact 1010 on the second layer 1430. The electrically connected contacts form equipotential surfaces (which are referred to as "nodes"). Thus, the battery cells 710 inside each cell line are connected between two nodes.

For example, the first cell group CG₀A node N on the second layer 1430 may be electrically coupled₀And node N on the first layer 1410₁In the meantime. Thereby, the unit group CG₀The battery cells 710 in (a) are electrically connected in parallel.

Second unit group CG₁Node N on first layer 1410 can be electrically coupled₁And node N on the second layer 1430₂In the meantime. Thereby, the second cell group CG₁The battery cells 710 are also connected in parallelAnd (4) electrically connected. First unit group CG₀And the second cell group CG₁The battery cells 710 are electrically connected in series.

Likewise, the third cell group CG₂A node N on the second layer 1430 may be electrically coupled₂And node N on first level 1410₃In the meantime. Thereby, the third cell group CG₂The internal cells 710 may be electrically connected in parallel. Third unit group CG₂The battery cell 710 and the second cell group CG₁The battery cells 710 are electrically connected in series.

The remaining unit group CG₃To CG₇May be connected in a similar manner. As a result, the battery cells 710 inside each of the eight cell lines may be electrically connected in parallel, and the corresponding cell lines may be electrically connected in series. This exemplary circuit is depicted in fig. 18C.

The exemplary circuit configurations described above may increase the number of battery cells within a compact package. For example, all of the battery cells 710 inside the half module 510 may be oriented in the same direction and still be connected by means of this illustrated three-dimensional circuit design. With the disclosed current carrier 580, series and parallel connections may be achieved by alternating sets of positive and negative contacts between multiple nodes inside layers 1410 and 1430 of the current carrier 580, rather than by physically reorienting the battery cells 710. This exemplary configuration also results in a simplified manufacturing process.

Non-limiting examples of battery module structures will now be described with reference to fig. 19-23. In various embodiments, battery modules (e.g., as described herein) may provide several advantages, which relate to, by way of example, simplified assembly, reduced weight, durability, reliable operation, and/or other advantages to be described. Fig. 19 shows an exploded view of a battery module 210c according to some embodiments. As described with respect to the battery module 210 in fig. 8 and 11, the battery module 210c may include two half- modules 415c and 420 c. As described with respect to fig. 7A, half- modules 415c and 420c may be coupled together.

Half-module 415c may be a three-dimensional mirror image of half-module 420c and vice versa. Half- modules 415c and 420c may include half- shells 430P and 430N, battery cells 450P and 450N, cell retainers 915P and 915N, battery cell retainer plates 1125P and 1125N, flexible circuits 515P and 515N, and module masks 1115P and 1115N, respectively. The half shells 430P and 430N are further described in connection with housing 560 in fig. 8-10. Battery cells 450P and 450N are further described in conjunction with battery cell 710 in fig. 10-12. The unit retainers 915P and 915N are further described in connection with the first end 910 in fig. 12. Flexible circuits 510P and 510N are further described in conjunction with fig. 11 and 12-18. The central divider is further described in connection with the blast plate 810 in fig. 11.

As an example, as shown in fig. 19, the battery cells 450P and 450N include eight rows of thirteen cells. The thirteen cells may be electrically connected in parallel and may be referred to as a brick. The tiles may be electrically coupled in series such that each module includes sixteen tiles electrically connected in series. A plurality of modules may be electrically connected to form a string. In some aspects, a string includes six modules electrically connected in series. A group may include one or more string groups. In some aspects, a group includes three to six string groups electrically connected in parallel.

In some embodiments, battery module 210c may include telemetry module 1131. Telemetry module 1131 and similar components are described herein in connection with electronics and sensors for data acquisition and/or control at other locations (e.g., in fig. 8 and 24A-25C). Telemetry module 1131 may be communicatively coupled to flexible circuits 515P and/or 515N. Additionally or alternatively, telemetry module 1131 may be communicatively coupled to male communication and low power connector 835M and/or female communication and low power connector 835F.

Fig. 20A-C depict sorted views of a central divider 525C. The central divider 525c may include an opening 815O for coolant flow associated with the main coolant output port 530 (fig. 8) and/or an opening 825O for coolant flow associated with the main coolant input port 520. The center divider 525c may include an opening 1210 that may be occupied by a portion of the telemetry module 1131. Central divider 525c may include at least one of: polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). In an exemplary embodiment, the central spacer 525c can include one or more materials having low electrical conductivity or high electrical resistance, such as a dielectric constant or relative dielectric constant (e.g., epsilon or kappa) less than 15 and/or a bulk resistance greater than 1010 ohm-cm and/or low thermal conductivity (e.g., less than 1W/m ° K).

Fig. 21 shows half shell 430P depicted in fig. 19, in accordance with some embodiments. Half shell 430P (and 430N shown in fig. 19) may comprise at least one of polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and ABS. In an exemplary embodiment, half shells 430P (and 430N) may comprise one or more materials having low electrical conductivity or high electrical resistance (e.g., a dielectric constant or relative dielectric constant (e.g., epsilon or kappa) of less than 15 and/or a bulk resistance greater than 1010 ohm-cm, and/or low thermal conductivity (e.g., less than 1W/m deg. K)).

Half shell 430P may include a base 1310P. In some embodiments, the base 1310P and the rest of the half shell 430P may be formed from a single mold. Base 1310P may include channels 1340P formed in half shell 430P for coolant flow associated with main coolant output port 810 (fig. 11), and/or channels 1320P formed in half shell 430P for coolant flow associated with main coolant input port 820. The base 1310P may include a (small) hole 1330P. By way of example, the size and/or arrangement of the holes 1330P in the base 1310P may be optimized with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to subject each hole 1330P to the same inlet pressure (e.g., in the range of 0.05 pounds per square inch (psi) to 5 psi), the flow distribution of coolant through the holes 1330P is uniform, and the same volumetric flow rate is maintained through each hole 1330P (e.g., ± 0.5L/min in the range of 0.05L/min to 5L/min). By way of example, each of the holes 1330P may have substantially the same diameter (e.g., ± 1mm within a range of 0.5mm to 5 mm). Such optimized size and/or placement of the apertures 1330P in the base 1310P facilitates uniform cooling of the batteries 450P, as each of the batteries 450P experiences substantially the same volumetric flow of coolant.

In some embodiments, the base 1310P helps to retain the battery 450P in the half module 410 c. The base 1310P may include battery apertures 1350P and the batteries 450P are disposed around the battery apertures (e.g., with the end 940 (fig. 12) of one of the battery cells 450 positioned centered about one of the battery apertures 1350P). As an example, at least some of the cells 450P may be fixedly attached to the base 1310P with an Ultraviolet (UV) light curing adhesive, also referred to as a Light Curing Material (LCM). Light curable adhesives can advantageously cure in as little as one second, and many formulations can advantageously bond dissimilar materials and withstand harsh temperatures. Other adhesives may also be used, such as synthetic thermosetting adhesives (e.g., epoxies, polyurethanes, cyanoacrylates, and acrylic polymers).

Continuing with fig. 21, half shell 430P may also include tabs 1370P and gussets 1360P. Half shell 430N (fig. 19) may be a three-dimensional mirror image of half shell 430P. For example, half shell 430N may include a base, (small) holes, battery holes, fins, and gussets having channels for coolant flow associated with main coolant output port 810 (fig. 8) and/or channels for coolant flow associated with main coolant input port 820, and these are three-dimensional mirror images of counterparts in their respective half shells 430P (e.g., channels 1340P for coolant flow associated with main coolant output port 810 (fig. 8), channels 1320P for coolant flow associated with main coolant output input port 820 (fig. 8), (small) holes P, battery holes 1350P, fins 1370P, and gussets 1360P, respectively).

Gusset 1360P, and corresponding gussets on half shell 430N, may include holes M. In some embodiments, a portion of a tie rod (not shown in fig. 21) may be located on (occupy) gusset 1360P and a corresponding gusset on half shell 430N, and will pass through each hole M of half modules 410c and 420 c. As an example, each of the half- modules 410c and 420c may have two gussets located at opposite ends of the half- shells 430P and 430N (respectively) and two tie rods, such that each of the two tie rods passes through two locations on the battery module 210c, thereby providing four (secondary) retention points. The tie rods may also hold two or more battery modules 210a together for holding and handling/movement when combined into a string 212 (fig. 5A).

Tabs 1370P and corresponding tabs on half shell 430N may include cutout sections N. The tabs 1370P and corresponding tabs on the half shells 430N may be used to laterally support two or more battery modules 210c coupled together, as exemplified by the string 212 (fig. 5A) installed in the housing 200 (fig. 5B). For example, retaining plates (not shown in fig. 21) may be placed on the tabs 1370P and corresponding tabs on the half shell 430N. Fasteners (not depicted in fig. 21) may secure the retaining plate to the transverse extrusion 225 in the housing 200 shown in fig. 5B. The fastener may pass through the cutout portion N.

Referring back to fig. 19, the cell retainers 915P and 915N may help structurally support the batteries 450P and 450N, respectively. For example, the cell retainers 915P and 915N may hold or retain the batteries 450P and 450N (respectively) in place. In some embodiments, as an example, at least some of the batteries 450P and 450N may be fixedly attached to the unit retainers 915P and 915N (respectively) by using an Ultraviolet (UV) light curing adhesive or other adhesive, as described above in connection with fig. 21. The unit retainers 915P and 915N may include at least one of polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, and nylon, and ABS. In an exemplary embodiment, the cell retainers 915P and 915N can comprise one or more materials having low electrical conductivity or high electrical resistance (e.g., a dielectric constant or relative dielectric constant (e.g., epsilon or kappa) of less than 15 and/or a bulk resistance greater than 1010 ohm-cm, and/or low thermal conductivity (e.g., less than 1W/m ° K)). The unit retainers 915P and 915N also help to structurally support the flexible circuits 515P and 515N, respectively. For example, the unit retainers 915P and 915N may hold the flexible circuits 515P and 515N, respectively.

The flexible circuit 515P may include a power plug (bud) JP, and the flexible circuit 515N may include a power outlet JN. The power plug JP and the power outlet JN are described in conjunction with the main power connector 550 (fig. 10). The power plug JP may be soldered to the flexible circuit 515P and the power outlet JN may be soldered to the flexible circuit 515N. The power plug JP and the power socket JN may comprise any conductor, such as aluminum (alloy) and/or copper (alloy). The power plug JP and the power socket JN may comprise a conductive ring KP and KN, respectively. Conductive rings KP and KN may be placed in (attached to) holes LP and LN of (respectively) unit retainers 915P and 915N, respectively. As such, the conductive rings KP and KN may provide a greater surface area for attaching the flexible circuits 515P and 515N (respectively) to the cell retainers 915P and 915N. The conductive rings KP and KN may comprise any conductor, such as aluminum (alloy) and copper (alloy). In some embodiments, the conductive loops KP and KN may comprise the same material as the power plug JP and the power socket JN, respectively.

The module shroud 1115P may include a male main power connector 460M, a male main coolant output port 815M, a male main coolant input port 825M (not shown in fig. 19), and a male communications and low power connector 835M. The module shroud 1115N may include a female main power connector 460F, a female main coolant output port 815F, a female main coolant input port 825F, and a female communications and low power connector 835F. The male main power connector 460M, female main power connector 460F, male main coolant output port 815M, female main coolant output port 815F, male main coolant input port 825M, female main coolant input port 825F, male communications and low power connector 835M, female communications and low power connector 835F are described in connection with the various components in fig. 7. In various embodiments, half module 415c is the "positive" end of battery module 210c and half module 420c is the "negative" end of battery module 210 c.

Module masks 1115P and 1115N may comprise at least one of polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and ABS. In an exemplary embodiment, the module masks 1115P and 1115N may comprise one or more materials having low electrical conductivity or high electrical resistance (e.g., a dielectric constant or relative dielectric constant (e.g., epsilon or kappa) less than 15 and/or a bulk resistance greater than 1010 ohm-cm, and/or low thermal conductivity (e.g., less than 1W/m deg. K)).

Fig. 22 shows a cross-sectional view of the battery module 210 c. Fig. 22 depicts half- modules 415c and 420c coupled together to form battery module 210 c. Central divider 525c may be disposed between half modules 415c and 420 c. Half- modules 415c and 420c may include bases 1310P and 1310N, battery cells 450P and 450N, and module masks 1115P and 1115N, respectively.

Referring back to fig. 19, during operation, coolant may enter or flow into the battery module 210c at the male primary coolant input port 8410M (not depicted in fig. 19, see fig. 7A). For example, a pump (not shown in fig. 19) may pump coolant through the battery module 210c such that the coolant pressure is less than about 5 pounds per square inch (psi), such as about 0.7 psi. Coolant may travel through channels 1320P (fig. 21) to central divider 525c, where the coolant (flow) may be split between half- modules 415c and 420c (by way of example, whereby there is a first coolant flow (represented by dashed line 1415P in fig. 22) for half-module 415c and a second coolant flow (represented by dashed line 1415N in fig. 22) for half-module 420 c).

In base 1310P (fig. 21) and base 1310N (not depicted in fig. 21), separate coolants flow through apertures 1330P and 1330N (not depicted in fig. 21), respectively, and toward module shields 1115P and 1115N, respectively. In half-module 415c, coolant flowing to module shield 1115P may enter channels 1340P, flow through channels 1340N (not depicted in fig. 21) in half-module 420c, and exit battery module 210c on female main coolant output port 815F. In half module 420c, coolant flowing to module shroud 1115N exits battery module 210c at female main coolant outlet port 815F. In various embodiments, the channels 1320P, 1340P, 1320N (not depicted in fig. 21), and 1340N are configured such that coolant flow is not "shorted" (e.g., coolant flows from 1320P to 1340P and/or from 1320N to 1340N without reaching the cells 450P and 450N (respectively) through the base 1310P and/or 1310N (respectively)). As a non-limiting example, the central divider 525c may be configured to cause the coolant (flow) to be evenly divided between the half- modules 415c and 420 c. As a further non-limiting example, the pedestal 1310P and/or the pedestal 1310N may be configured (e.g., the size and location of the apertures 1330P and 1330N) to cause the coolant to flow uniformly through the apertures 1330P and 1330N. In some embodiments, the first coolant flow flows through the battery cells in a first direction (represented in fig. 22 as dashed line 1415P) inside the half module 415C and the second coolant flow flows through the battery cells in a second direction (represented in fig. 22 as dashed line 1415N) inside the half module 420C. The first and second directions may be (substantially) opposite to each other.

According to some embodiments, the coolant may include any non-conductive fluid that inhibits ion transfer and has a high thermal or heat capacity (e.g., at least 60J/(mol K) at 90 ℃). As an example, the coolant may be at least one of: synthetic oils, Water and Ethylene Glycol (WEG), poly-alpha-olefin (or poly-alpha-olefin, also referred to as PAO for short) oils, and liquid dielectric cooling based on phase change, among others. As further non-limiting examples, the coolant may be at least one of: perfluorohexane (Flutec PP1), perfluoromethylcyclohexane (Flutec PP2), perfluoro-1, 3-dimethylcyclohexane (flutech PP3), perfluorodecalin (Flutec PP6), perfluoromethyldecalin (Flutec PP9), trichlorofluoromethane (Freon 11), trichlorotrifluoroethane (Freon 113), methanol (methanol 283-.

In various embodiments, the half shells 430P and 430N may comprise an opaque (e.g., laser light absorbing) material, such as at least one of polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and ABS. In some embodiments, each of the central divider 525c, the cell retainers 915P and 915N, and the module masks 1115P and 1115N may comprise a (different) transparent (e.g., laser transmissive) material, such as polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and ABS. In the illustrated embodiment, half shells 430P and 430N, central divider 525c, unit retainers 915P and 915N, and module masks 1115P and 1115N all comprise the same material, thereby advantageously simplifying the laser welding plan.

Half shells 430P and 430N may be laser welded to central divider 525c, unit retainers 915P and 915N, and module masks 1115P and 1115N, where the two portions are stressed as the laser beam moves along the bond line. The laser beam may pass through the transparent portions and be absorbed by the opaque portions, thereby generating sufficient heat to soften the interface between the portions to form a permanent weld. Semiconductor diode lasers with wavelengths of about 808nm to 980nm and power levels from 1W to 100W may be used depending on the material, thickness and desired processing speed. Laser welding offers the following advantages: are cleaner than adhesive bonding, do not allow micro-nozzles to clog, do not have liquids or fumes to affect surface finish, are free of consumables, have higher productivity than other bonding methods, provide convenience for parts with challenging geometries, and have a high level of process control. Other welding methods may be used as well, such as ultrasonic welding.

Fig. 23 depicts a simplified flow diagram of a process 1500 for assembling battery module 210 c. Although the steps making up process 1500 are shown in a particular order, these steps may be performed in any order. In addition, various combinations of these steps may be performed simultaneously. In the illustrated embodiment, the process 1500 creates a hermetic seal at each of the following fluid boundary regions of the battery module 210 c: half shells 430P and 430N, central divider 525c, and module shields 1115P and 1115N.

At step 1510, at least some of the battery cells 450P (and 450N) may be fixedly attached to the base 1310P (and base 1310N of the half shell 430N (not depicted in fig. 21)) as described above in connection with fig. 16. At step 1520, unit retainers 915P and 915N may be coupled to half shells 430P and 430N, respectively. For example, the unit retainers 915P and 915N may be joined to the half shells 430P and 430N, respectively, using at least one of laser welding, ultrasonic welding, and gluing (e.g., using one or more synthetic thermosetting adhesives).

At step 1530, flexible circuits 515P and 515N may be mounted in half shells 430P and 430N, respectively. For example, the flexible circuits 515P and 515N may be heat staked to the unit retainers 915P and 915N and/or the half shells 430P and 430N, respectively. Module masks 1115P and 1115N may be bonded to half shells 430P and 430N, respectively, at step 1540. By way of example, module masks 1115P and 1115N may be joined to half shells 430P and 430N by at least one of laser welding, ultrasonic welding, and gluing (e.g., using one or more synthetic thermosetting adhesives).

At step 1550, central divider 525c may be attached to half shells 430P and 430N. For example, central divider 525c may be joined to half shells 430P and 430N with at least one of laser welding, ultrasonic welding, and adhesives (e.g., using one or more synthetic thermosetting adhesives).

A modular battery system will now be described with reference to fig. 24A-B. As described above, the battery pack 140 may include one or more battery string packs 212. In some embodiments, the battery string 212 may be configured to be individually removed, inserted, and/or replaced. The modular battery string 212 described herein may provide several advantages for electric vehicle operation. For example, a technician or owner may remove a battery string 212 that has failed or otherwise needed to be repaired or repaired. The removed string 212 may be replaced with a functional string 212 or the vehicle may be operated with one less string until the removed string 212 is repaired or replaced. The modular battery string 212 may also be used for convenient battery exchange (e.g., replacing a discharged or partially discharged battery string 212 with a largely or fully charged replacement string 212), thereby reducing the time spent charging.

The battery pack 140 depicted in fig. 24A-B includes six strings 140 that may be mounted in a rack or enclosure 200. The housing 200 may include one or more lower support members, such as trays 260, positioned to support the string 212 from below. The housing 200 may further include one or more upper support members 265 positioned to prevent upward movement of the string 212 during vehicle operation. The upper support component 265 and/or the tray 260 may include a locating member (not shown), such as a male or female recess, configured to hold the string 212 in place and/or prevent movement of the string by interfacing with a complementary structure of the string 212. For example, the locating member may comprise a bolt or similar structure, the complementary structure of which comprises a fastener that can receive and/or secure the bolt. In some embodiments, the housing 200 may include one or more thermal barriers 215 comprising any suitable thermally insulating material, each thermal barrier 215 being disposed between two strings 212 to prevent overheating strings 212 from causing adjacent strings 212 to overheat.

The strings 212 may be connected in parallel, series, or a combination of parallel and series connections. Each string 212 may have a positive high voltage connector (not shown) and a negative high voltage connector (not shown) for charging and delivering power to the vehicle systems. In some embodiments, a current carrier (e.g., a bus bar or flexible conduit) (not shown) may be located within or adjacent to one or more of the lower support member (e.g., tray 260) or the upper support element 265. For example, current carriers arranged inside the tray 260 may allow establishing a connection with a high voltage connector by or near a positioning member (not shown) and by gravity assistance.

Additional electrical contact to the battery string 212 may be made through the auxiliary connector 270. The auxiliary connector 270 may allow for connection between internal components (not shown) of the battery string 212 and the data or low voltage power system of the vehicle. For example, the auxiliary connector 270 may include a CAN connector for connecting monitoring and/or control circuitry (not shown) within the battery string 212 and a CAN bus or other line connector 275 of the vehicle. The auxiliary connector 270 may also include a low voltage power source (e.g., from a low voltage battery, DC-to-DC converter, or other vehicle power source) to provide power to components within the battery string 212, such as monitoring and control circuitry (e.g., string control units, battery module monitoring boards, etc.) and/or circuit interrupting components (e.g., magnetic contactors, fusible components, etc.). In some embodiments, the auxiliary connector 270 may include a single connector configured to communicate power and data to and/or from internal components of the battery string 212.

The battery pack 140 may further include a cooling system (e.g., a liquid cooling system) to control the operating temperature of the components inside the battery string 212. The cooling system may include one or more conduits (e.g., coolant supply conduit 280 and coolant return conduit 282) configured to carry liquid coolant to and from the battery strings. The conduits 280 and 282 may be connected to the battery string 212 at an inlet 284 and an outlet 286, which inlet 284 and outlet 286 may include sealable valves, dry-parts, or other interruptible fluid connections. In some embodiments, the conduits 280 and 282 are manually connectable, whereby a user can connect the supply conduit 280 to the coolant inlet 284 and the return conduit 282 to the coolant outlet 286 after placing the battery string 212 into the available space inside the battery pack 140. The cooling system may further include components for storing, circulating, and cooling a liquid coolant, such as a heat exchanger, pump, reservoir, or other component in fluid communication with the conduit (not shown).

The individual strings 212 of battery packs 140 may be removable, insertable, and/or replaceable. For example, in a battery pack 140 including six strings 212 as shown in fig. 24A, it may be desirable to remove one or more strings 212, e.g., for repair, replacement, maintenance, inspection, external charging, battery exchange, or other purposes. The string 212 may first be disconnected by disconnecting, for example, the vehicle wiring connector 275, the cold zone agent conduits 280 and 282, and a high voltage connector (not shown). The string 212 may then be removed, such as by moving vertically, laterally, or a combination of vertical and lateral movement (e.g., lifting one or both ends of the string 212 and sliding the string 212 out of the housing 200). In some embodiments, disconnection of one or more connections may be accomplished by the act of removing the battery string 212 rather than by a separate disconnection step. Fig. 24B depicts the battery pack 140 in the removal process described herein. In fig. 24B, one string 212' is partially removed from the battery pack 140 and housing 200, thereby disconnecting the vehicle wiring connectors 272 and coolant conduits 280 and 282, and the string is also slid laterally for removal from the housing 200. After the string 212 'is removed, a replacement string 212 or the same string 212' may then be inserted into the open space inside the housing 200, for example by flipping the steps listed above. As an example, the battery string 212 may be slid into the opening of the housing 200 and to the position depicted in fig. 24A. The vehicle wiring connector 275, coolant conduits 280 and 282, and a high voltage connection (not shown) may be connected to provide the desired functionality of the battery string 212.

Fig. 25A-B depict external views of a modular battery string 212 according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 25A depicts an upper perspective view of the battery string 212, while fig. 25B depicts a lower perspective view. In some embodiments, the battery string 212 may be enclosed inside a protective housing 214. The housing 214 may include a material, such as metal, plastic, or other material, configured to support and/or protect the battery modules (not shown) inside the battery string 212. The battery string 212 may further include a number of external connections. For example, the battery string 212 may include an auxiliary connector 270 configured to accommodate a connection to a vehicle line connector 275 (e.g., a CAN bus or other data network) or a low voltage connection to power monitoring and control circuitry (not shown) internal to the string 212, or the like. The battery string 212 may also include a coolant inlet 284 and a coolant outlet 286, which may include sealing assemblies for preventing leakage of coolant inside the string 212 when the string 212 is disconnected from the cooling system. The positive high voltage connector 288 and the negative high voltage connector 290 may be located on an outer surface of the string 212, such as at the bottom. In some embodiments, the positive and negative high voltage connectors 288, 290 may be spaced apart, thereby preventing accidental shorting between the connectors 288, 290. All of the external battery string connections described herein (e.g., auxiliary connector 270, coolant inlet 284 and outlet 286, high voltage connectors 288, 290, etc.) may include openings in the material of string housing 214 and/or additional reinforcing or protective structures, such as cable inlet systems, cable connectors, watertight line connectors, cable bundles, valves or dry disconnects, etc., to allow connection between the internal components of battery string 212 and the external components of the vehicle interior. In various embodiments, any of the auxiliary connector 270, the coolant inlet 284, the coolant outlet 286, and the high voltage connectors 288, 290 may be located on a top, bottom, or side surface of the housing 214.

Fig. 25C schematically illustrates different components of a modular battery string 212, according to an example embodiment. The battery string 212 may include one or more battery modules 210 configured to provide high voltage power to the vehicle powertrain. The battery string 212 may further include a coolant circulation system (e.g., one or more inlet conduits 281 and a coolant outlet conduit 283) and monitoring and/or control circuitry (e.g., a String Control Unit (SCU) 300). The battery string 212 may include external connections as described above, such as a positive high voltage connector 288 and a negative high voltage connector 290 for the battery module 210, an auxiliary connector 270 for the SCU 300, a coolant inlet 284 for the coolant introduction conduit 281, and a coolant outlet 286 for the coolant outlet conduit 283.

The battery modules 210 may be connected in parallel, series, or a combination of parallel and series connections within the battery string 212. For example, the six modules 25C depicted in fig. 25C are connected in series, thereby producing a total string voltage that is six times the voltage of each module 210. The module 210 may be electrically connected to the positive high voltage connector 288 and the negative high voltage connector 290 for delivering electrical power to the vehicle system. The module 210 may be separated from the vehicle power circuit by one or more circuit interrupting components (e.g., the contactor 310 and/or one or more fusible components 312). The fusible component 312 may be included as a redundant circuit disconnect device (e.g., configured to open a circuit in the event of a failure of the contactor 310). In some embodiments, the fusible element 312 may be a passive fuse or a thermal fuse, among others. The fusible component 312 may also be a selectively blowable fuse configured to blow in response to electrical or thermal input generated by a detected contactor failure or other fault.

In various embodiments, one or more contactors 310 may be used to control the current flowing through the battery module 210. While one contactor 310 is generally sufficient to open the circuit through the battery module 210 and prevent current flow, two contactors 310 may be used to implement additional control and/or redundancy (e.g., in the event of a contactor welding event or other failure). The contactor 310 may be located inside the battery string 212 and/or outside the battery string 212, such as inside a circuit connecting the battery string 212 to the vehicle's main high voltage circuit. By positioning the contactor 310 inside the battery string 212, enhanced safety may be provided. For example, the contactor 310 will normally open the contactor operational status only when the string is installed in the vehicle interior (e.g., powered by the SCU 300, which is powered when connected to the low voltage vehicle power source on the auxiliary connector 270), so that inadvertent connection between the high voltage connectors 288 and 290 will not result in current flow from the battery module 210 when the battery string 212 is not installed in the vehicle interior.

The battery modules 210 and other structures within the string 212 may be monitored and/or controlled by one or more Module Monitoring Boards (MMB)305 and a String Control Unit (SCU) 300. In some embodiments, each battery module 210 may have an associated MMB 305. The MMB 305 connected to the battery module 210 may monitor any characteristic or state of the module 210. For example, MMB 305 may monitor any one or a combination of: the temperature of the battery module 210, the coolant temperature, the temperature of one or more individual battery cells, the current flowing into or out of the battery module 210, the current flowing at a location within the battery module 210, the open circuit voltage of the battery module 210, the voltage between two points within the battery module 210, the state of charge of the battery module 210, or a detected state (e.g., a fault or alarm generated by a sensor within the battery module 210), etc.

The MMB 305 may be connected to the SCU 300 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, each MMB 305 may be directly connected to the SCU 300, or the MMBs 305 may also be connected in a chain fashion, where one or a subset of the MMBs 305 are directly connected to the SCU 300. The connection between the MMB 305 and the SCU 300 may allow any data collected on the MMB 305 to be transferred from the MMB 305 to the SCU 300, e.g., for analysis or monitoring, etc. The SCU 300 may include one or more processors, memory units, input/output devices, or other components for storing, analyzing, and/or transmitting data. In some embodiments, a wired connection between the SCU 300 and one or more MMBs 305 may allow the MMBs 305 to draw power from the SCU 300 for operation. Global monitoring and/or control functions for the battery string 212 may be performed on the SCU 300. By way of example, the SCU 300 may monitor any characteristic or state of the battery string 212 or any one or combination of the battery modules 210 within the string 212, such as temperature, current, voltage, state of charge, or detected state (e.g., fault or alarm), and so forth. As an example, the SCU 300 may cause one or more circuit interrupting components (e.g., contactors 310) to close or open to allow or stop current flow between the battery modules 210 and the high voltage connectors 288 and 290, thereby controlling the operation of the battery string 212.

The SCU 300 may be connected to the auxiliary connector 270 of the battery string 212 to receive power, receive data, and/or transmit data to other vehicle systems. For example, the auxiliary connector 270 may include a CAN bus connector, other data connector, or a power connector, etc. The SCU 300 may communicate any features or status, or other information determined based on the characteristics or status of at least a portion of the string 212, to other systems of the vehicle through a vehicle wiring connector (not shown) connected to the battery string at the auxiliary connector 270. In some embodiments, the auxiliary connector 270 may be further configured to draw current from a vehicle line connector (not shown), as well as deliver power to the SCU 300 (e.g., for operation of electrical components in the SCU 300 and/or the MMB 305).

The battery string 212 may include one or more internal conduits 281, 283 for liquid coolant. As described above, coolant may enter the battery string 212 from an external conduit (not shown) at the inlet 284 and exit the battery string 212 at the outlet 286. Once the battery string is accessed at the inlet 284, the coolant can enter one of the battery modules 210 through the internal coolant inlet duct 281. After passing through the battery module 210, if the coolant absorbs heat from one or more components of the battery module 210 (e.g., electrochemical cells or internal electronic components, etc.), the coolant may travel through the internal coolant outlet conduit 283 to the coolant outlet 286, where it may be returned to an external cooling system. As described above, the coolant exiting at the outlet 286 may be propelled by one or more pumps (not shown) to a heat exchanger, reservoir, and/or other components of the cooling system.

An exemplary method for an assembly and manufacturing process flow for a battery module and battery module string will now be described with reference to fig. 26-49. Different embodiments of the process flow are described with respect to the steps shown in fig. 26-35, and the assembly of components along the process flow is shown in fig. 21-36 according to different embodiments.

Referring first to fig. 36, an exploded perspective view of a battery module 1100 is shown to provide context for a subsequent description of the process flow with reference to fig. 26-35. The battery module 1100 may include a module housing 1105. The module housing 1105 may include a first opening 1145 for receiving the first plurality of battery cells 710 therein. Although not visible in fig. 36, the module housing 1105 may include a second opening 1150 opposite the first opening 1145 to receive the second plurality of battery cells 710 therein. The interior surface of the module housing 1105 may include a bottom cell retention plate 1175 that includes a plurality of openings to at least partially receive the battery cells 710 therein. The module housing 1105 may further include a circuit board receiving slot 1155 and a copper bar receiving slot 1160 proximate the outer edges of the module housing 1105. The circuit board 1110 and copper bars 1112 may be inserted into their respective receiving slots 1155, 1160. Still further, the module housing 1105 may include one or more channels 1165, wherein the channels 1165 extend completely through the module housing 1105 from the first opening 1145 to the second opening 1150 to allow wiring to pass through the battery module 1100 (e.g., when multiple battery modules 1100 are coupled together in a string of battery modules). The flexible circuit 1136 may be coupled to the top cell retention plate 1125 and the resulting assembly may be coupled to the module housing 1105 through the first opening 1145 to secure the first plurality of battery cells 710 in place. The mask 1135 may then be coupled to the module housing 1105 so as to seal the first opening 1145. The mask 1135 may include one or more ports 1170 aligned with the passage 1165. One or more O-rings 1140 (or other sealing mechanisms known in the art) may be placed over each port 1170. Likewise, battery retention plate 1125, flexible circuit 1136, and mask 1135 may be coupled to module housing 1105 through second opening 1150. The assembly and construction of the battery module 1100 will be discussed in detail below.

Referring now to fig. 26 in conjunction with fig. 36, the process flow for assembling the front half of the battery module 1100 may begin at step 3105, and then, at step 3110, one or more pallets (or other handling devices) for transporting containers of battery cells 710 may be moved from the storage area onto the manufacturing line. At step 3120, data regarding the identification information of the battery cell 710 (e.g., manufacturer, lot number, model number, serial number, and date of manufacture) may be obtained and logged. At step 3120, additional data related to the manufacturing process (e.g., date, time, operator performance and identification number, environmental conditions (e.g., temperature and humidity), and the product for which the battery module 110 under construction is being used, etc.) may be obtained and logged. At step 3115, the container of battery cells 710 may be removed from the pallet, and at step 3125, the battery cells 710 may be removed from the container individually or in groups of a plurality of battery cells 710.

In certain embodiments, at step 3125, the battery unit 710 may be removed from its container using a robotic device. When the robotic device grasps one or more battery cells 710, electrical contact may be made with each battery cell 710 so that the robotic device may perform quality control assessments with respect to the battery cells 710. For example, the voltage and impedance of each cell 710 may be checked. If the quality control assessment indicates that battery cell 710 is within acceptable parameters, the robotic device may transfer battery cell 710 to step 3140 to continue the process. If the battery cell 710 has not passed the quality control evaluation, then the battery cell 710 may be rejected at step 3130. At step 3135, the acquired data, whether a pass or fail condition, may be logged for each quality control assessment.

In certain embodiments, the battery cells 710 may be arranged in rows corresponding to the rows of openings in the bottom battery cell retention plate 1175. Thus, the robotic device may grasp one or more of the rows of battery cells 710 to facilitate placement of the battery cells 710 in the battery module housing 1105 as described in more detail below.

In various embodiments, as shown in fig. 37A, each battery cell 710 can have a mounting end 1205 and an electrical connection end 1206 opposite the mounting end 1205. At step 3140, after the battery cell 710 is evaluated by quality control, the robotic device may apply 1215 adhesive to the mounting end 1205 of the battery cell 710, as described in fig. 37B. The adhesive 1215 can be a paste, a liquid, a film tray, and a tape, so long as the adhesive is compatible with the dip or with the base material to be bonded. In this case, the adhesive is a one-part adhesive with an accelerator (LORD 202 adhesive with LORD 4 accelerator to bond nickel plated steel to plastic (PC, PCABS, etc.)). LORD 202 is an acrylic-based adhesive with a viscosity ranging from 8,000-32,000 cP. Such adhesives adhere to unprepared metal with little substrate preparation and are resistant to dilute acids, bases, solvents, greases, oils and moisture, thereby providing good exposure to ultraviolet radiation, salt spray and weathering. This adhesive is a no-mix adhesive that requires an accelerator (lor accelerator 4) to initiate the curing process. In addition, the binder may be used in a mixture using LORD accelerators 17, 18, and 19. Depending on the chosen treatment, the adhesive is placed on the cell or inside one of the half-shells and the accelerator is placed on the cell or on the one half-shell. Both methods are effective. The key aspect of the adhesive, in terms of the process of applying the adhesive, is its bond line giving the highest bond strength from.020 "-. 010". In this application, the amount of adhesive used is 36mg, which is dispensed in 4-12 dots of size 2.3 mm. In order to optimize the dispensing time, these points will be used to ensure that an even adhesive coverage is achieved during joining of the unit and one of the half-shells. The amount of accelerator is not critical since having a 0.002 "accelerator film on the mating surface activates the adhesive. If other forms of adhesive are used, the bond line will vary accordingly. Other adhesives may also be used, such as UV-curable, moisture sensitive, and two-part adhesives. As an example, Loctite 3972, 4311 are candidates that can be used in consideration in the joining process.

In various embodiments, as shown in fig. 37A and 37B, each cell 710 may have a substantially cylindrical shape with a radius ranging from R1-10 mm to R2-21.05 mm. If R1 were reduced from 10mm, it would likely affect battery cooling because it would cover the battery vents and would not provide adequate battery cooling. Based on the design of the placement unit, the optimal loop size should be determined to limit the amount of adhesive coverage or not to cover the vents of the unit. An optimal loop width of 2.3 millimeters for this process would yield the most consistent bond strength and adhesive coverage for the cell. Furthermore, as an alternative to a ring, dots ranging in all different sizes are suitable to achieve the same bond strength and cell coverage. For this procedure, a spot size of 2.3mm and 3.185mm³Will meet the design requirements to hold the battery in place. Adhesive 1215 may be applied in a ring shape as shown in fig. 37B, with the ring of adhesive 1215 having an outer radius R2 and an inner radius R1. The volume of adhesive 1215 applied to the mounting end 1205 of the battery cell 710 is 269.48mm each²May be 2.0mm in surface area³To 5mm³In order to meet the requirements and optimum coverage of the design unit and to provide the strongest joint strength.

After the adhesive 1215 is applied to the mounting end 1205 of the battery cell 710, a quality control assessment may be performed at this point in order to verify the correct location of the adhesive 1215 and the amount of adhesive at step 3145. If the applied adhesive 1215 is found to be problematic, the battery cell 710 may be moved to a rework station at step 3150. The battery cell 710 with the appropriate adhesive 1215 applied may then proceed to step 3305 (see fig. 28).

Referring now to fig. 27 in conjunction with fig. 36, at step 3205, one or more trays (or other handling devices) for transporting the battery module housings 1105 may be moved from the storage area onto the manufacturing line. At step 3210, the module housing 1105 may be removed from the pallet. In step 3215, identifying information about the module housing 1105 (e.g., manufacturer, lot number, model number, serial number, and date of manufacture) may be obtained and logged. At step 3220, a unique identification number (e.g., serial number) may be placed on each module housing 1105. The serial number may be printed, stamped, melted, laser etched, engraved, or otherwise permanently affixed to the module housing 1105 as is known in the art. At step 3225, the identification number may be logged.

At step 3230, circuit board 1110 and copper bar 1112 may be moved from the storage area onto the production line. As shown in fig. 38, at step 3235, the circuit board 1110 may be inserted into the circuit board receiving slot 1155 and the copper bars 1112 may be inserted into the copper bar receiving slots 1160 of the module housing 1105 using a manual or robotic device. At step 3240, identification information (e.g., manufacturer, date of manufacture, and serial number) about circuit board 1110 may be obtained. This information may also be associated with identification information of the module housing 1105 assembled with the circuit board 1110. The circuit board 1110 may provide a variety of functions, such as monitoring the performance of the battery module 1100, the current draw on the battery module 1100, the condition of the battery cells 710, and communication between the plurality of battery modules 1100 and one or more intelligent intermediaries. The copper bars 1112 connect one end of the battery module to the next and combine the two side voltages into one voltage. The module housing 1105, with circuit board 1110 and copper bars 1112 installed, may then be moved to the next step in the illustrated process, where accelerator 1405 may be applied inside each opening of the bottom cell retention plate 1175 at step 3245. In various embodiments, as shown in fig. 39 and 40, accelerant 1405 can be applied in a minimum of 0.002 "thin film to an unlimited volume, as long as it is sufficient to cover the engaging surfaces in the annular pattern inside each opening of the bottom cell retention plate 1175, whereby the accelerant 1405 does not cover the central portion of each opening.

Promoter 1405 may interact with adhesive 1215 previously applied to mounting end 1205 of each battery cell 710, as described more fully below. The accelerator 1405 is a mixed solvent of dichloromethane, trichloroethylene, methyl isobutyl ketone, benzoyl peroxide, and methyl methacrylate. Which will crystallize when sprayed on a substrate and needs to be applied to the LORD 202 in a dry state. It has a viscosity of less than 10cP and a density of 1.22-1.28g/cm³. At step 3250, by performing a quality control assessment of applied accelerator 1405, it can be checked that the correct total amount of accelerator 1405 has been applied and that accelerator 1405 has been applied in the correct pattern. At step 3255, module housings 1105 failing the quality control assessment may be reworked, while module housings 1105 failing the quality control assessment may proceed to step 3305 (see fig. 28).

Fig. 40 shows a top view of module housing 1105 after application of accelerant 1405, according to various embodiments. Now, the plurality of coolant holes 1505 in the bottom cell retention plate 1175 can be seen in this view. Coolant holes 1505 may allow coolant to flow through module housing 1105 and around battery cells 710 in order to remove excess heat that may be generated during charging or discharging of battery cells 710. In various embodiments, a protective layer (mask) may be applied over the coolant holes 1505 to prevent stray or excess amounts of promoter from clogging the coolant holes 1505. This protective layer may be removed prior to further processing of the module housing 1105.

Referring now to fig. 28 in conjunction with fig. 36, battery cell 710 with adhesive 1215 applied and module housing 1105 with accelerant 1405 applied all arrive at step 3305. At this step, the battery cell 710 may be inserted through the first opening 1145 as illustrated in fig. 41 such that the mounting end 1205 of the battery cell 710 engages the opening of the bottom battery cell retention plate 1175 within the module housing 1105. A force may be applied to cell 710 to contact adhesive 1215 with promoter 1405, thereby initiating a chemical reaction between adhesive 1215 and promoter 1405, which serves to accelerate the curing of adhesive 1215. In various embodiments, as shown in the cross-sectional view of fig. 42, the adhesive 1215 may begin to flow due to the applied force. The flowing adhesive 1215 may fill the gap between the side walls of the battery cell 710 and the opening in the bottom cell retention plate 1175, thereby creating a layer of adhesive 1215 along the mounting end 1205 of the battery cell 710 and along the side walls of the battery cell 710 and the opening of the bottom cell retention plate 1175. This continuous adhesive layer may provide a strong and durable bond between the battery cell 710 and the module housing 1105 to withstand physical shock and vibration. In some embodiments, as shown in the cross-sectional view of fig. 42, the adhesive 1215 may not flow completely through the mounting end 1205 of the cell 710. By having gaps in the coverage of the adhesive 1215, better and more controlled thermal management may be provided inside the battery module 1100. The force may be applied for about 1-2 minutes to allow the adhesive 1215 to flow and cure properly, but depending on various factors (e.g., the type and composition of the adhesive 1215, the type and composition of the accelerant 1405, the amount of adhesive 1215 and accelerant 1405 applied, and environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity), more or less time is also within the scope of the present disclosure. In this way, the ends of the units where the positive and negative terminals are not arranged will be fixed to the central panel in the module and movement of the units opposite the module will be inhibited.

Referring now to fig. 29, as well as fig. 28 and 36, at step 3405, one or more pallets (or other handling equipment) used to transport top cell retention plates 1125 may be moved from the storage area onto the production line, and at step 3410, one or more pallets (or other handling equipment) used to transport flexible circuits 1136 may be moved from the storage area onto the production line. At step 3415, top cell retention plate 1125 and flexible circuit 1136 may be removed from the tray. At step 3420, data regarding the identification information (e.g., manufacturer, lot number, model number, serial number, and date of manufacture) of top cell retention plate 1125 and flexible circuit 1136 may be obtained and logged. At step 3425, each flexible circuit 1136 may be assembled with one of the top cell retention plates 1125. In various embodiments, the flexible circuit 1136 may be thermally riveted to the top cell retention plate 1125 by ultrasonic welding, thermal welding, or any other technique known in the art. Alternatively, top cell retention plate 1125 and flexible circuit 1136 may be assembled by any mechanical method known in the art.

Referring to fig. 43A and 43B and fig. 36 in accordance with various embodiments, a top cell retention plate 1125 may have a plurality of studs 1805 dispersed on the surface. The flexible circuit 1136 may include a corresponding plurality of through holes 1810 aligned with the studs 1805. The studs 1805 may protrude through the through holes 1810 when the flexible circuit 1136 is assembled with the top cell retention plate 1125. A heat staking (or other) process may melt or otherwise deform the studs 1805, thereby coupling the flexible circuit 1136 to the top cell retention plate 1125.

At step 3430, the height of the studs 1805 (e.g., the rivet height) may be measured in order to determine that the studs have been sufficiently deformed without interfering with the subsequent attachment of the mask 1135. At step 3435, assemblies that fail the test may be sent for rework and, at step 3440, data collected during the test will be logged. At step 3445, the assembly passing the test may be further processed at step 3445, where a flexible circuit 1146 may be coupled to each of the battery cells.

Referring back to fig. 41 and 43B, the electrical connection terminals 1206 of the battery cells (opposite the end of the battery cell 710 that receives the adhesive 1215) can include a center electrode 1605 and an outer edge electrode 1610. Each of the electrodes 1605, 1610 can be coupled to a flex circuit 1136 to complete the circuit. The center electrode 1605 may be aligned with the openings 1815 in the flex circuit 1136 and the outer edge electrodes 1610 may be aligned with the tabs 1810 adjacent to each opening 1815. At step 3445, the tabs 1810 may be bent slightly inward (toward the battery cell 710) to reduce or eliminate any gap between the outer edge electrode 1610 and the tabs 1810.

Referring back now to fig. 28, at step 3315, the assembly of the top cell retention plate 1125 and the flexible circuit 1136 may be joined together in a process flow with the module housing 1105 where the battery cells 710 are assembled. As shown in various embodiments according to fig. 44A and 44B, the assembly of the top cell retention plate 1125 and the flexible circuit 1136 may be placed on the module cell 1105 through the first opening 1145. At step 3320, the entire seam between the outer edge of the top cell retention plate 1125 and the upper edge of the module housing 1105 (as indicated by the arrow in fig. 44B) defining the first opening 1145 may be laser welded (or other joining methods known in the art may be used).

At step 3325, the flexible circuit 1136 (which is now rigidly coupled to the module cell 1105 located directly above the electrical connection terminals 1206 of the battery cell 710) may be soldered or otherwise coupled to the electrical connection terminals 1206 of the battery cell 710. In various embodiments, by performing an optical scan, the position of each battery cell 710 relative to one or more reference points (not shown) on the module housing 1105 may be determined to determine the two-dimensional X-Y coordinates of each battery cell 710. In addition, the Z-height of each battery cell 710 may be determined during the scan. The optical scan data may be compared to stored three-dimensional CAD data to fix the position of the battery cell 710 to the rest of the structure of the battery module 1100, including the flexible circuit 1136. A holding fixture (holding fixture) for the laser weld tab 1810 may then be placed on top of the flex circuit 1136. The retention clip can include spring-loaded fingers that can press the tabs 1810 into contact with the outer edge electrode 1610 and the flex circuit opening 1815 into contact with the center electrode 1605. Then, by completing the second optical scanning process, the final Z height can be determined. A laser welder may then weld the tabs 1810 to the outer edge electrode 1610 and the flex circuit opening 1815 to the center electrode 1605. In addition, a laser welder may also weld copper bar 1112 to flex circuit 1136. Although the above description is given in terms of laser welding, any other joining method known in the art may be substituted for laser welding and still be within the scope of the present disclosure. At step 3330, the data collected by the optical scan may be logged.

Referring now to the process flow diagram of FIG. 30, at step 3505 the module housing 1105 may be flipped over so as to expose the second opening 1150. The process flow for assembling the back half of the battery module 1100 may begin at step 3510. The process steps for assembling the back half of the battery module 1100 are substantially the same as the process steps described above with respect to the front half of the battery module 1100, except that the process of removing the module housing 1105, laser etching the module housing 1105, and placing the circuit board 1110 and copper bars 1112 from the pallet occurs at steps 3205 through 3240. Thus, steps 3510 through 3550 in fig. 30 correspond to steps 3110 through 3150 in fig. 26; steps 3605 to 3615 of fig. 31 correspond to steps 3245 to 3255 in fig. 27; steps 3620 to 3630 in fig. 31 correspond to steps 3305 to 3315 in fig. 28; steps 3705 through 3745 in fig. 32 correspond to steps 3405 through 3445 in fig. 29; and steps 3805 through 3815 correspond to steps 3320 through 3330 in fig. 28.

Beginning with step 3820 in FIG. 33, according to various embodiments, a circuit board 1110 can be coupled to each of the flexible circuits 1136. At this point, electrical testing may be performed on the battery module 1100 in step 3825. The electrical test may determine that each battery cell 710 is in communication with a respective flexible circuit 1136, each flexible circuit 1136 being in communication with the copper bars 1112 and the circuit board 1110. The test may also determine the functionality of the circuit board 1110, such as monitoring the charge on each battery cell 710, the voltage on the battery module 1100, the resistance of any portion of the circuitry in the battery module 1100, and any desired functionality. At step 3830, the battery module 1100 that failed the electrical test at step 3825 may be reworked. At step 3835, data acquired during the electrical testing and rework process may be logged.

Referring now to fig. 34 in conjunction with fig. 36, at step 3905 one or more pallets (or other handling equipment) for transporting the mask 1135 may be moved from the storage area onto the production line. At step 3910, the mask 1135 may be removed from the pallet. At step 3915, data regarding the identification information of the mask 1135 (e.g., manufacturer, lot number, model number, serial number, and date of manufacture) may be obtained and logged. At step 3920, a mask 1135 may be placed over the first opening 1145 to enclose the front half of the battery module 1100 as shown in fig. 45. At step 3925, the entire seam between the outer edge of the mask 1135 and the upper edge of the module housing 1105 defining the first opening 1145 may be laser welded (or other joining techniques known in the art may be used). At step 3930, data acquired during the laser welding process may be logged. At step 3935, the module housing 1105 may be flipped over to expose the second opening 1150. Steps 3940-3965 may repeat steps 3905-3925 previously described to attach mask 1135 over second opening 1150.

Referring now to FIG. 35 in conjunction with FIG. 36, at step 3005, one or more O-rings 1140 may be moved from the storage area to the production line. At step 3010, data relating to the identification information (e.g., manufacturer, lot number, model number, serial number, and date of manufacture) of the O-ring 1140 may be obtained and logged. At step 3015, according to various embodiments, an O-ring 1140 can be placed over each port 1170 of mask 1135, as shown in FIG. 46A. Fig. 46B shows the O-ring 1140 in place on the port 1170. Then, at step 3020. The completed battery module 1100 may be subjected to a leak test. At step 3025, the battery module 1100 that failed the leak test is reworked, and at step 3030, data collected during the leak test and rework process may be logged. In step 3035, the battery module 1100 that passed the leak test may move to the next process.

The movement of the components, assemblies, and supplies is described herein with respect to the process flow steps shown in accordance with the various embodiments of fig. 26-35. The actual movement may be by various mechanisms and the selection of a particular mechanism may take into account factors such as the number of items moved, the weight of items moved, the distance moved, queuing space on the table, availability of automated processes, and the like. This movement may include placing the item in a container and physically moving the container to the next station, placing the container on a manual or automatic conveyor, placing the container on a manual or automatic transport vehicle, and placing the item or container in the proper location for movement by a robot, among others. Any such movement mechanism may be used at any of the process flow steps of fig. 26-35 as appropriate.

Fig. 47 is a flow diagram of an example method 2200 for assembling a battery module 1100. At step 2205, the battery module housing 1105 may be accessed. At step 2210, a plurality of battery cells 710 may be placed in the battery module housing 1105. At step 2215, the battery cell 710 may be electrically coupled, and at step 2220, the control circuit 1110 may be electrically coupled to the battery cell 710.

Fig. 48 is a flow diagram of an example method 2300 for assembling the battery module 1100. At step 2305, a battery module housing 1105 for containing the battery cells 710 may be obtained. The module housing 1105 may have a retention plate 1175, the retention plate 1175 having a row of openings adapted to at least partially receive the battery cells 710 therein. At step 2310, the battery cells 710 may be arranged in rows corresponding to the rows of openings in the retention plate 1175. At step 2315, at least one row of battery cells 710 may be grasped with a robot. The cells 710 may be placed in at least one row of openings in the retention plate 1175 while electrical testing is performed on each cell 710. At step 2320, battery cell 710 may be electrically coupled, and at step 2325, control circuitry 1110 may be electrically coupled to battery cell 710.

Fig. 49 is a flow diagram of an example method 2400 for assembling a battery module. At step 2405, the battery module housing 1105 for housing the battery cells 710 may be obtained. The module housing 1105 may have a retention plate 1175, the retention plate 1175 having a row of openings adapted to at least partially receive the battery cells 710 therein. At step 2410, the battery cells 710 may be arranged in rows corresponding to the rows of openings of the retention plate 1175. The battery cell 710 may have an electrode terminal 1206 and a non-electrode terminal 1205. At step 2415, at least one row of battery cells 710 may be grasped with a robot, and the following steps may be performed while continuing to grasp the battery cells 710: performing an electrical test on each cell 710 (step 2420); placing an adhesive 1215 on the non-electrode end 1205 of each cell 710 (step 2425); and placing the non-electrode end 1205 of the cell 710 into the opening of the retention plate 1175 such that the adhesive 1215 contacts the retention plate 1175 (step 2430). At step 2435, battery cell 710 may be electrically coupled, and at step 2440, control circuit 1110 may be electrically coupled to battery cell 710.

In the above description, certain embodiments of the systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein have been detailed. It should be understood, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in text, the apparatus and methods can be practiced in many ways. As noted above, it should be noted that the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to including any specific characteristics of the technical features or aspects associated with the terminology. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure should be construed in accordance with the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

As used herein with respect to any plural and/or singular term, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. Various singular/plural permutations are expressly set forth herein for the sake of clarity.

It should be noted that these examples may be described as processes. Although operations may be described as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently, and the process can be repeated. In addition, the order of the operations may be rearranged. A process may terminate when its operations are completed. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the described technology. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the embodiments as defined by the appended claims. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that portions included in one embodiment may be interchanged with other embodiments; one or more portions from the described embodiments may be included in any combination in other described embodiments. For example, any of the various components described herein and/or depicted in the drawings can be combined with, interchanged with, or excluded from other embodiments.

Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that any of the various illustrative diagrams described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented as various forms of program or design code incorporating instructions in the form of electronic hardware, such as digital, analog or a combination of both, which may be programmed using source code or some other technique.

The various circuits, controllers, microcontrollers or switches, etc. disclosed herein may be implemented within or performed by an Integrated Circuit (IC), an access terminal or an access point. The IC may include a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, electronic components, optical components, mechanical components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein, and may execute code or instructions that reside within the IC, external to the IC, or both.

The functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that causes a computer program to be transferred from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The computer readable medium may take the form of a non-transitory or transitory computer readable medium.

The term "determining" encompasses a wide variety of actions, whereby "determining" can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database or another data structure) and ascertaining and the like. Also, "determining" may include receiving (e.g., receiving information) and accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory), and so forth. Further, the determination may also include resolution, selection, and establishment, among others.

Although described herein with respect to a vehicle, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the various embodiments described herein may be used in additional applications, such as energy storage systems for wind and solar power generation. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosed current carrier and battery module. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims (20)

1. A vessel having an energy storage system with parallel cooling, comprising:

a plurality of module housings, each module comprising two half module housings coupled together, each half module housing configured to receive a plurality of battery cells, each of the battery cells having an anode terminal and a cathode terminal disposed at one end,

the half module case further includes:

a current carrier electrically coupled with the battery cells, a cathode terminal of each of the battery cells being coupled to a respective first contact of the current carrier, an anode terminal of each of the battery cells being coupled to a respective second contact of the current carrier; the current carrier includes a plurality of fuses, each fuse electrically coupled to the respective first contact;

a retention feature arranged substantially parallel to the current carrier and configured to mount the battery cells horizontally inside each half-module housing; and

a housing having the current carrier and the retainer disposed therein;

a tray having the plurality of module housings disposed therein, the tray comprising:

a positive bus bar; and

a negative bus bar electrically coupled to power connectors associated with the plurality of module housings, respectively; and

a coolant system for circulating coolant flowing into the tray to pass through the plurality of module housings and battery cells in parallel such that each of the module housings and each of the battery cells are at substantially the same predetermined temperature,

wherein the current carrier comprises:

a positive power supply plane;

a negative power supply plane;

a dielectric isolation layer disposed between the positive power supply plane and the negative power supply plane;

a plurality of positive contacts formed in the positive power supply plane for electrically coupling to a respective cathode terminal of each of a plurality of battery cells; and

a plurality of negative contacts formed on the negative power supply plane for electrically coupling to a respective anode terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells.

2. A battery module, comprising:

a housing having a base in which a plurality of first holes are disposed, the housing including a coolant input port and a coolant output port; the housing having a coolant subsystem for circulating coolant directed into the housing through the coolant input port and the plurality of first apertures and exiting the housing through the coolant output port;

a central divider secured to the housing;

a module shroud coupled to the housing at an end of the module opposite the central divider;

a retainer disposed inside the housing and configured to support a plurality of battery cells;

a current carrier disposed between the module shroud and the retainer; and

the plurality of battery cells disposed between the current carrier and the central divider, the battery cells coupled to and supported by the retainer,

wherein the current carrier comprises:

a positive power supply plane;

a negative power supply plane;

a dielectric isolation layer disposed between the positive power supply plane and the negative power supply plane;

a plurality of positive contacts formed in the positive power supply plane for electrically coupling to a respective cathode terminal of each of a plurality of battery cells; and

a plurality of negative contacts formed on the negative power supply plane for electrically coupling to a respective anode terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells.

3. The battery module of claim 2, wherein the first plurality of holes each have a diameter within a range from 0.1mm to 5 mm.

4. The battery module of claim 3, wherein the plurality of first holes are arranged on the base such that each of the plurality of first holes receives substantially the same inlet pressure and maintains substantially the same volumetric flow rate through each first hole.

5. The battery module of claim 4, wherein the substantially identical inlet pressure is within a range of 0.05psi to 5psi and the substantially identical volumetric flow rate is 0.05L/min to 5L/min.

6. The battery module of claim 2, wherein the module mask, the outer housing, and the central separator are each comprised of at least one of: polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), and each of the module shroud and the center divider are secured to the housing to form a hermetic seal.

7. The battery module of claim 2, wherein the module mask and the central separator comprise a laser-transmissive polycarbonate, the housing comprises a laser-absorptive polycarbonate, and each of the module mask and the central separator is secured to the housing to form a hermetic seal.

8. The battery module of claim 2, further comprising:

a tray within which the plurality of modules are disposed, the tray comprising:

a positive bus bar;

a negative bus bar electrically coupled to the power connectors associated with the plurality of modules separately; and

a plurality of transverse supports; and

a coolant system for circulating coolant to the trays so that each module is at substantially the same predetermined temperature.

9. The battery module of claim 2, wherein the retainer comprises a plurality of second holes configured to direct coolant from the base of the housing to the current carrier.

10. The battery module of claim 9, wherein the current carrier comprises a plurality of third holes configured to direct the coolant outside of the housing.

11. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the plurality of second apertures and the plurality of third apertures are substantially calibrated.

12. The battery module of claim 2, wherein the current carrier is coupled to the retainer by a plurality of studs formed on the retainer.

13. A battery comprising a plurality of battery modules of claim 2, wherein at least some of the plurality of battery modules are fluidly coupled in series.

14. A vehicle energy storage system comprising:

a plurality of modules in fluid communication with each other, each module comprising:

a housing comprising a base having a plurality of holes disposed therein, the housing including a coolant input port, a coolant output port, and a power connector; the housing having a coolant subsystem for circulating coolant directed into the housing through a coolant input port and the plurality of apertures and exiting the housing through a coolant output port;

a blast plate coupled to the base of the housing;

a module shroud disposed at an end of the module opposite the blast plate;

a retainer disposed inside the housing and configured to support a plurality of battery cells;

a current carrier disposed between the module shield and the retainer and electrically coupled to the power connector; and

a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing and secured by the retainer and the base, electrical connections being formed between the plurality of battery cells and the current carrier,

wherein the current carrier comprises:

a positive power supply plane;

a negative power supply plane;

a dielectric isolation layer disposed between the positive power supply plane and the negative power supply plane;

a plurality of positive contacts formed in the positive power supply plane for electrically coupling to a respective cathode terminal of each of a plurality of battery cells; and

a plurality of negative contacts formed on the negative power supply plane for electrically coupling to a respective anode terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells.

15. The energy storage system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of holes has a diameter in the range of 0.1mm-5 mm.

16. The energy-storage system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of orifices are arranged on the base such that each of the plurality of orifices receives substantially the same inlet pressure and maintains substantially the same volumetric flow rate through each orifice.

17. The energy-storage system of claim 16, wherein the substantially same inlet pressure is in a range of 0.05psi to 5psi and the substantially same volumetric flow rate is 0.05L/min to 5L/min.

18. The energy-storage system of claim 14, wherein each of the module shield, the housing, and the burst plate is constructed of at least one of polycarbonate, polypropylene, acrylic, nylon, and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), and each of the module shield and the burst plate is secured to the housing so as to be hermetically sealed.

19. The energy storage system of claim 14, wherein the module shield and the blast plate comprise laser transmissive polycarbonate, the housing comprises laser absorptive polycarbonate, and each of the module shield and the blast plate is secured to the housing using at least laser welding to form a hermetic seal.

20. The energy storage system of claim 14, further comprising:

a tray having the plurality of modules disposed therein, the tray comprising:

a positive bus bar;

a negative bus bar electrically coupled to the power connectors associated with the plurality of modules separately; and

a plurality of transverse supports; and

a coolant system for circulating coolant pumped into the trays so that each of the modules is at substantially the same predetermined temperature,

wherein the housing further comprises a first tab disposed at a first end of the housing and a second tab disposed at a second end of the housing, the first end being distal from the second end, and the first tab and the second tab being mechanically coupled to respective ones of the plurality of transverse supports.

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