DE112021004495T5 - components for batteries - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide components for batteries and methods of manufacturing batteries or battery modules. In some embodiments, the methods include fabricating a plurality of subassemblies (300) comprising a group of mechanically connected cells (100A, 100B) and an associated bus bar assembly (304), and then assembling the subassemblies into a housing and electrically connecting the Busbar arrangements for manufacturing a battery module.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates generally to components for batteries. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to components for vehicle traction batteries. Aspects of the invention relate to a battery module, a method of manufacturing a battery, a subassembly arranged to form part of a battery module, a bus bar assembly, and a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Recently, interest in battery-powered vehicles has increased, leading to developments in the field of vehicle batteries, particularly traction battery technology. In general, it is desirable for vehicle batteries to provide high energy capacity and peak current while minimizing the size and weight of the battery module, and therefore the vehicle. Vehicle traction batteries often consist of one or more modules, each containing a large number of cells. In general, it is desirable to pack the cells in a battery module as densely as possible in order to maximize the energy and current capacity that can be provided in a given packaging volume. The electrical connections between the cells are usually made by a busbar arrangement. In general, it is desirable to reduce the size and weight of bus bars while reducing the electrical resistance presented by the bus bars. In addition, it is desirable that the manufacturing processes be highly repeatable and that faulty electrical connections be avoided. A single battery module typically includes a large number of electrical connections between the cells and the bus bar assembly, and faulty connections can cause the entire module to malfunction, which can result in the entire module failing quality control and possibly being reworked or otherwise must be scrapped.

An object of the invention is to at least mitigate one or more of the problems of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

1. a. Verbinden der Vielzahl von Zellen mit einem Klebstoff auf den zylindrischen Oberflächen, so dass die ersten Enden der Zellen im Wesentlichen koplanar sind;
2. b. elektrisches Verbinden der Vielzahl von Zellen mit einer Stromschienenanordnung, wobei die Stromschienenanordnung in der Nähe der ersten Enden der Zellen angeordnet ist und so beschaffen ist, dass sie die Vielzahl von Zellen elektrisch parallel schaltet, um dadurch eine erste Unterbaugruppe zu bilden;
3. c. Wiederholung der Schritte a und b zur Herstellung einer zweiten Unterbaugruppe;
4. d. Positionierung der ersten und zweiten Unterbaugruppe in einem Gehäuse; und
5. e. elektrisches Verbinden der Stromschienenanordnungen der ersten und zweiten Unterbaugruppe, so dass die Zellen in der ersten Unterbaugruppe mit den Zellen in der zweiten Unterbaugruppe elektrisch in Reihe geschaltet sind.

According to one aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a method of manufacturing a battery module comprising a plurality of cylindrical cells, each of the cells having a first end surface, a second end surface and a cylindrical surface between the first and second end surface, a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is arranged in a central area of the first end surface and at least part of a second terminal is arranged in a peripheral area of the first end surface, the method comprising:

1. a. joining the plurality of cells with an adhesive on the cylindrical surfaces such that the first ends of the cells are substantially coplanar;
2. b. electrically connecting the plurality of cells to a bus bar assembly, the bus bar assembly being disposed proximate the first ends of the cells and adapted to electrically connect the plurality of cells in parallel to thereby form a first subassembly;
3. c. repeating steps a and b to produce a second subassembly;
4. i.e. positioning the first and second subassemblies in a housing; and
5. e. electrically connecting the bus bar assemblies of the first and second subassemblies such that the cells in the first subassembly are electrically connected in series with the cells in the second subassembly.

1. a. Verbinden der Vielzahl von Zellen mit einem Klebstoff auf den zylindrischen Oberflächen, so dass die ersten Enden der Zellen im Wesentlichen koplanar sind;
2. b. elektrisches Verbinden der Vielzahl von Zellen mit einer Stromschienenanordnung, wobei die Stromschienenanordnung in der Nähe der ersten Enden der Zellen angeordnet ist und so beschaffen ist, dass sie die Vielzahl von Zellen elektrisch parallel schaltet, um dadurch eine erste Unterbaugruppe zu bilden;
3. c. Wiederholung der Schritte a und b zur Herstellung einer zweiten Unterbaugruppe;
4. d. elektrisches Verbinden der Stromschienenanordnungen der ersten und zweiten Unterbaugruppe, so dass die Zellen in der ersten Unterbaugruppe mit den Zellen in der zweiten Unterbaugruppe elektrisch in Reihe geschaltet sind; und
5. e. Versiegeln der ersten und zweiten Unterbaugruppe in einem Gehäuse.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a method of manufacturing a battery module comprising a plurality of cylindrical cells, each of the cells having a first end surface, a second end surface, a cylindrical surface between the first and of the second end surface, a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is arranged in a central area of the first end surface and at least part of a second terminal is arranged in a peripheral area of the first end surface, the method comprising:

1. a. joining the plurality of cells with an adhesive on the cylindrical surfaces such that the first ends of the cells are substantially coplanar;
2. b. electrically connecting the plurality of cells to a bus bar assembly, the bus bar assembly being disposed proximate the first ends of the cells and adapted to electrically connect the plurality of cells in parallel to thereby form a first subassembly;
3. c. repeating steps a and b to produce a second subassembly;
4. i.e. electrically connecting the bus bar assemblies of the first and second subassemblies such that the cells in the first subassembly are electrically connected in series with the cells in the second subassembly; and
5. e. sealing the first and second subassemblies in a housing.

It should be understood that the use of letters to identify each step in the above methods is for convenience only and does not imply that the steps must be performed in the order listed above. It is also understood that the sealing of the housing does not necessarily have to prevent the ingress or egress of gases and/or moisture. Instead, the housing can be considered sealed if there is a closure preventing removal of the subassemblies from the housing.

It is advantageous that the methods mentioned above enable a battery module to be constructed from a large number of subassemblies, the subassemblies already containing the connections between the cells and the busbars. This improves the reliability of the process as the connections on the sub-assemblies can be easily tested before the overall module is assembled. In addition, the method is flexible as different combinations of sub-assemblies can be used for different battery modules.

In one embodiment, the method further includes attaching an insulating covering around the plurality of cells in each subassembly. The provision of such an insulating covering helps prevent unwanted electrical connections from being made between adjacent subassemblies.

In one embodiment, the adhesive connecting adjacent cells has a thickness of 0.5 mm or less, preferably 0.3 mm or less. The thickness of the adhesive can be viewed as the distance between the cylindrical surfaces of the cells at their narrowest point. It is understood that this gap is generally filled by the adhesive.

In one embodiment, each of the bus bar assemblies includes: a first bus bar component including a first terminal bus plate connected to the first terminals of each cell in the respective subassembly and including a first series connection portion located at a first longitudinal end of the subassembly; and a second bus bar component including a second terminal bus plate connected to the second terminals of each cell in the respective subassembly and including a second series connection portion located at a second longitudinal end of the subassembly, wherein electrically connecting the bus bar assemblies of the first and the second subassembly comprises electrically connecting the first series connection portion on the first subassembly to the second series connection portion on the second subassembly. Electrically connecting the first series connection portion on the first subassembly to the second series connection portion on the second subassembly may include, for example, welding the first series connection portion on the first subassembly to the second series connection portion on the second subassembly.

This provides a simple and reliable method of connecting adjacent subassemblies in series.

In one embodiment, the first and second subassemblies are longitudinally juxtaposed within the housing.

Optionally step a. performed within one device. Such a device can help to keep the cells in the desired relative positions.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a subassembly arranged to form part of a battery module, the subassembly comprising: a plurality of cylindrical cells, each cylindrical cell having a first end face , a second end surface and a cylindrical surface between the first and second end surfaces, a first port and a second port, the first port of each of the cylindrical cells being located in a central region of the first end surface and at least part of a second port of each of the cylindrical cells is arranged in a peripheral region of the first end surface, the cylindrical cells being arranged in a common orientation such that the first end surfaces of all cylindrical cells in the set are substantially coplanar, and the cells being bonded to the cylindrical cells by an adhesive surfaces of the cells are connected to each other; a first bus bar component comprising a first terminal bus plate connected to the first terminals sen of each cell in the set of cells is connected and is proximate to the first end face of the cells; and a second bus bar component comprising a second terminal bus plate connected to the second terminals of each cell in the set of cells and located proximate to the first end face of the cells; wherein: the first bus bar component includes a first series connection portion located at a first longitudinal end of the subassembly; the second bus bar component includes a second series connection portion located at a second longitudinal end of the subassembly; and the second series connection portion is arranged to contact the first series connection portion of a similar subassembly arranged adjacent to the subassembly in a longitudinal end-to-end arrangement.

Advantageously, such a subassembly can be used in conjunction with one or more similar subassemblies to form a battery module with a higher output voltage than the individual cells.

In one embodiment, the first bus bar component further includes at least one parallel connection portion located at a first transverse end of the bus bar assembly. Advantageously, such a parallel connection section offers the possibility of connecting the sub-assembly in parallel with another sub-assembly arranged in an end-to-end transverse arrangement with the sub-assembly.

In one embodiment, the second series connection portion is arranged to overlie the first series connection portion of a similar bus bar assembly positioned adjacent the bus bar assembly in an elongated end-to-end arrangement. This is a simple arrangement to ensure that reliable series electrical connections can be made between adjacent bus bar assemblies. Optionally, the second series connection section is configured to form a lap joint with the first series connection section of a similar bus bar assembly arranged in a longitudinal end-to-end arrangement adjacent the bus bar assembly.

In one embodiment, the bus bar assembly further includes an insulating layer disposed between the first and second terminal collector plates, and wherein the first terminal collector plate is disposed in a first plane and the second terminal collector plate is disposed in a second plane, the second Plane is offset from the first plane in a direction perpendicular to the first plane. The insulating layer is preferably heat resistant and non-combustible so that it is not destroyed when a cell in the subassembly is vented.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a battery module comprising at least two subassemblies as described above and a housing, wherein the first series connection portion of a first one of the subassemblies is electrically connected to the second series connection portion of a second one of the subassemblies is.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a bus bar assembly for electrically connecting a set of cylindrical cells in a battery module, each cylindrical cell comprising a first terminal and a second terminal, the bus bar assembly comprising: a first component comprising a first terminal header; a second component including a second terminal header; and an insulating layer disposed between the first and second terminal connection plates, wherein: the first terminal collector plate is arranged in a first plane, and the second terminal collector plate is arranged in a second plane, the second plane being separated from the first plane is offset in a direction perpendicular to the first plane. Advantageously, such a bus bar assembly is easier to assemble on a set of cylindrical cells than conventional bus bar assemblies.

In one embodiment, a first plurality of terminal lugs are electrically connected to the first terminal header and a second plurality of terminal lugs are electrically connected to the second terminal header, and the first terminal header includes at least one void, wherein at least some of the second terminal lugs are operable to be be connected to the second terminals of the cells via the empty space.

In one embodiment, the first connection bus plate comprises a multiplicity of first connection lugs and the second connection bus plate comprises a multiplicity of second connection lugs. Optionally, the first terminal lugs are provided on a metal sheet that is electrically and mechanically connected to the first terminal collector plate, and the second terminal lugs are provided on a metal sheet that is electrically and mechanically connected to the second terminal collector plate. Advantageously, the provision of the terminal lugs allows for separa ten sheets, the use of different materials for the bodies of the connection collector plates and the lugs. For example, the first and second terminal lugs may be at least partially made of copper. The first and second terminal lugs may be plated with an anti-oxidation material such as nickel.

Optionally, the first and second components can be connected to the insulating layer by electrically insulating fasteners passed through aligned holes in the first and second components and the electrically insulating layer. However, it goes without saying that other methods of connecting the first and second components to the insulating layer are also useful, e.g. e.g. ultrasonic or other welding techniques, by injection molding a fastener directly into aligned holes or by using a suitable adhesive.

In one embodiment, both the first and the second connection collector plate are at least partially made of aluminum. For example, the first and second terminal headers may consist essentially or entirely of aluminum.

According to a further aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a battery module comprising a bus bar assembly according to any one of the preceding claims and a plurality of cylindrical cells.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a battery module comprising a bus bar assembly and a plurality of cylindrical cells, each of the cylindrical cells comprising a first end face, wherein: a first terminal of each of the cylindrical cells in located at a substantially central portion of the first end surface; at least a part of a second terminal of each of the cylindrical cells is arranged in a peripheral portion of the first end surface; each of the cylindrical cells is arranged to circumferentially abut at least two other cylindrical cells, and the cylindrical cells are arranged within the battery module in a common alignment such that the first end faces of all of the cylindrical cells are substantially coplanar; the bus bar assembly is arranged near the first end surfaces of the plurality of cylindrical cells and includes a first component electrically connected to the first terminals via a plurality of first terminal lugs and a second component electrically connected to the second terminals via a plurality of second terminal lugs ; and at least some of the second terminal lugs are electrically connected to the second terminal of at least two of the cylindrical cells. Advantageously, each cell abutting at least two other cells can help prevent individual cells from overheating as adjacent cells act as thermal shrouds. In addition, the connecting tabs of the second terminal can be connected to the shoulder portions of two adjacent cylindrical cells, so that fewer connecting tabs can be used.

In one embodiment, the first component includes a first group of fingers and the second component includes a second group of fingers, and wherein at least some of the first terminal lugs extend from the first group of fingers and at least some of the second terminal lugs extend from the second group of fingers.

The first poles can be positive poles and the second poles can be negative poles. It will be understood that it is common for the positive terminal of a cylindrical cell to be defined on a cap at a first end and for the negative terminal to be defined on a cell case having a second end opposite the first end covering the entire cylindrical surface between the first and second ends and a peripheral or "shoulder" area of the first end. Accordingly, the negative terminal of each cell may include a case of the cell.

In one embodiment, the second terminal lugs are connected to the edge areas of two adjacent cells.

In one embodiment, the first and second busbar components are each made of aluminum.

Optionally, the first and second connecting lugs are made of copper. The first and second terminal lugs may be plated with an anti-oxidation material such as nickel.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a vehicle comprising a battery module as described above.

According to a further aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a bus bar assembly component for electrically connecting a plurality of cylindrical cells in a battery module, each cylindrical cell having a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the component comprising: an end bar and a first set of fingers extending from the end bar, each of the fingers in the first set including a plurality of connection tabs, at least some of the fingers being tapered such that a cross-sectional area of each tapered finger is greater at a proximal portion of the finger than a distal portion of the finger. This has the advantage that the current distribution can be better optimized compared to conventional busbar components.

In one embodiment, at least some of the fingers are serpentine in shape. This can advantageously help provide a path with minimal obstruction for any vent gases that may be expelled from a malfunctioning cell.

In one embodiment, the fingers are made of aluminum. The connecting lugs can be made of copper and have a metallic coating to prevent oxidation. The metallic coating can be a nickel coating, for example.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a bus bar assembly comprising a plurality of components as described above.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, a battery module is provided that includes a plurality of cells and a bus bar assembly or one or more components as described above.

In one embodiment, the battery module further includes a housing and a cell carrier arranged to position the cells within the housing, the cell carrier being made of an electrically insulating material. Optionally, the cell carrier is also configured to position the components of the bus bar assembly. Advantageously, the cell carrier can contribute to ensuring that a sufficient distance is always maintained between components that are not intended to be electrically connected to one another.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a vehicle comprising a battery module as described above.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a bus bar assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of cylindrical cells in a battery module, each cylindrical cell including a positive terminal and a negative terminal, the bus bar assembly comprising: a first A component comprising a positive end rail and a first group of fingers extending from the positive end rail, each of the fingers in the first group comprising a plurality of positive terminal lugs; a second component including a negative end bar and a second group of fingers extending from the negative end bar, each of the fingers in the second group including a plurality of negative terminal lugs; and an intermediate component comprising a third group of fingers and a fourth group of fingers electrically connected to the third group of fingers, each of the fingers in the third group of fingers comprising a plurality of negative terminal lugs and each of the fingers in the fourth group of fingers comprises a plurality of positive terminal lugs, the first group of fingers being arranged to be interleaved with the third group of fingers and the second group of fingers being arranged to be interleaved with the fourth group of fingers is nested. This has the advantage that a one-sided busbar arrangement with a lower height than in conventional busbar arrangements is created.

The busbar arrangement optionally includes at least one additional intermediate component. In one embodiment, the additional intermediate component includes a fifth group of fingers and a sixth group of fingers electrically connected to the fifth group of fingers, each of the fingers in the fifth group of fingers including a plurality of negative connection tabs and each of the fingers in the sixth group of fingers comprises a plurality of positive connection tabs, the fifth group of fingers being arranged to be interleaved with the fourth group of fingers or the first group of fingers and the sixth group of fingers being so arranged that it is nested with the third group of fingers or the second group of fingers. The intermediate component and the additional intermediate component can be substantially identical to each other. In some embodiments, multiple additional intermediate components may be provided.

In one embodiment, each of the positive terminal lugs is arranged to be connected to a positive terminal of a corresponding cylindrical cell. Each of the negative terminal lugs can be arranged to mate with a negative terminal of a or more of the cylindrical cells can be connected.

In one embodiment, each of the negative terminal lugs is arranged to connect to a negative terminal of two of the cylindrical cells.

In one embodiment, at least some of the fingers in the first, second, third, and fourth groups are tapered such that the cross-sectional area of each tapered finger is greater at a proximal portion of the finger than at a distal portion of the finger. This has the advantage that the current distribution can be better optimized compared to conventional busbar arrangements.

At least some of the fingers of the first, second, third and fourth groups can be serpentine.

In one embodiment, the fingers of the first, second, and intermediate bus bars are at least partially made of aluminum. The fingers can be made essentially of aluminum or made entirely of aluminum.

Optionally, the positive and negative terminal lugs are at least partially made of copper. The positive and negative terminal lugs may be coated with a material that prevents oxidation. For example, the positive and negative terminal lugs can be plated with nickel.

According to a further aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a battery module comprising a bus bar assembly according to any one of the preceding claims and a plurality of cylindrical cells.

The battery module may include a cell carrier arranged to position the cells in a housing of the battery module, the cell carrier being made of an electrically insulating material. Optionally, the cell carrier is configured to position one or more components of the bus bar assembly.

In one embodiment, a plurality of upwardly extending tabs are provided on the cell carrier for positioning the one or more components of the bus bar assembly.

In one embodiment, the plurality of cylindrical cells includes a first group of cells and a second group of cells, wherein: the positive terminal of each cell in the first group of cells is electrically connected to a finger in the first group of fingers via a positive connection strap ; the negative terminal of each cell in the first group of cells is electrically connected to a finger in the third group of fingers via a negative connection strap; the negative terminal of each cell in the second group of cells is electrically connected to a finger in the second group of fingers via a negative connection strap; the positive terminal of each cell in the second group of cells is electrically connected to a finger in the fourth group of fingers via a positive connection tab, whereby the cells in the first group of cells are electrically connected in parallel, the cells in the second group of cells are electrically connected in parallel and the first and second groups of cells are electrically connected in series.

In one embodiment, each of the cylindrical cells circumferentially abuts at least one, preferably at least two, other cylindrical cells.

The negative terminal of each cell may include a case of the cell.

In one embodiment, the case of each cell covers a peripheral portion of the first end face, and the negative terminal lugs are connected to the peripheral portions of the first end faces of two adjacent cells.

According to another aspect of the invention for which protection is sought, there is provided a vehicle comprising a battery module as described above.

It is expressly intended within the scope of this application that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives presented in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, independently or can be used in any combination. This means that all embodiments and/or features of an embodiment can be combined with one another in any way and/or combination, provided these features are not incompatible. Applicant reserves the right to amend any originally filed claim or to file a new claim accordingly, including the right to amend an originally filed claim to depend on another claim and/or to incorporate a feature of another claim, even if he was not originally so claimed.

character list

• Die 1A-C zeigen verschiedene Ansichten einer zylindrischen Zelle, die in einem Fahrzeugbatteriemodul verwendet werden kann (Stand der Technik);
• 2 zeigt eine Gruppe von zylindrischen Zellen, die gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung mechanisch miteinander verbunden sind;
• 3 zeigt eine Explosionszeichnung einer Unterbaugruppe, die eine Stromschienenanordnung und eine Gruppe zylindrischer Zellen gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung umfasst;
• 4A zeigt eine Vielzahl von Zellengruppen, die durch eine Vielzahl von Stromschienenanordnungen , wie in 3 dargestellt, elektrisch miteinander verbunden sind;
• 4B zeigt einen Querschnitt durch die in 4A dargestellten Zellgruppen;
• 5 zeigt eine Explosionszeichnung eines Batteriemoduls in einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 6 zeigt ein Flussdiagramm, das ein Verfahren zum Zusammenbau eines Batteriemoduls gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung veranschaulicht;
• 7 zeigt eine Vielzahl von Zellengruppen, die in einer anderen Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung durch eine Stromschienenanordnung elektrisch miteinander verbunden sind;
• 8 zeigt eine Stromschienenanordnung in einer anderen Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung; und
• 9 zeigt ein Fahrzeug in einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

• The 1A-C Figure 12 shows various views of a cylindrical cell that can be used in a vehicle battery module (prior art);
• 2 Figure 12 shows a group of cylindrical cells mechanically connected together according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 3 Figure 12 shows an exploded view of a subassembly including a bus bar assembly and a group of cylindrical cells according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 4A shows a large number of cell groups, which are connected by a large number of busbar arrangements, as in FIG 3 shown are electrically connected together;
• 4B shows a cross section through the in 4A cell groups shown;
• 5 Fig. 12 shows an exploded view of a battery module in an embodiment of the present invention;
• 6 12 is a flow chart illustrating a method of assembling a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 7 Figure 12 shows a plurality of cell groups electrically interconnected by a bus bar assembly in another embodiment of the present invention;
• 8th Fig. 12 shows a bus bar assembly in another embodiment of the present invention; and
• 9 12 shows a vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The 1A-C 12 show various views of a conventional cylindrical cell 100. Cylindrical cells 100 are available in a variety of different sizes. In traction batteries for vehicles, for example, cells with a diameter D of 21 mm and a length L of 70 mm are often used. Such cells are commonly referred to as 21700 cells (the first two numbers refer to the diameter D in mm and the last three numbers to the length L in tenths of a mm). However, it should be understood that other cell sizes may be used in embodiments of the present invention.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the cell 100 includes a positive terminal 100P, a negative terminal 100N, and a vent 100V. The positive terminal is provided by a steel end cap 106 in a central portion of the first end 104 of the cell and the negative terminal is provided by a cylindrical steel housing 108 . The cylindrical steel case 108 covers the second end 102, the entire cylindrical surface between the first and second ends, and a peripheral portion 100S of the first end surface. The edge area of the first end face can also be referred to as the “shoulder area” 100S of the first end face 104 . In commercial cells, it is sometimes the case that the end cap that defines the positive terminal 100P on the first end face 104 protrudes beyond the shoulder portion of the first end face, although this is the case in FIG 1 cell shown is not the case. This allows a substantially planar connector to be connected to the positive terminal and not to the negative terminal. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, it is important to avoid direct electrical connections between the positive and negative terminals, since such connections create a short circuit that can damage the cell.

As in 1 As shown, the cell 100 includes three vents 100V in the first end face 104 between the steel end cap 106 that defines the positive terminal 100P and the shoulder portion 100S of the cylindrical steel housing 108. The vents 100V are gaps covered with a material ruptures to allow hot gases to escape through the gap between the end cap 106 and the cylindrical steel housing 108 if excessive pressure develops inside the cell, thereby reducing the risk of cell explosion.

2 Figure 12 shows a block 200 having a plurality of cylindrical cells 100 mechanically connected together by an adhesive on the cylindrical surfaces of the cells 100. FIG. At its narrowest point, the adhesive has a thickness of 0-0.5 mm, preferably 0.2-0.4 mm. It goes without saying that the diameter of the cells is not controlled with a very high dimensional tolerance. Accordingly, the thickness of the adhesive layer may vary between adjacent cells depending on the actual dimensions of the cells, and this variation may contribute to reducing the effects of dimensional tolerance tolerance of the cells 100 to the overall dimensional tolerance of the block 200.

the inside 2 The illustrated block 200 consists of 30 cylindrical cells arranged in a common orientation and in a side-by-side configuration. The block consists of six rows of five cells each, each row being offset from the adjacent rows by a distance approximately equal to the radius of one of the cylindrical cells, thereby improving the efficiency with which the cells are packed into a given volume can. It is understood that other configurations of the block 200 are useful and that the block may include more or fewer cells in different embodiments.

The adhesive layer between the cells 100 in the block 200 has a relatively high electrical resistance. Therefore, while the cells 100 in the block 200 are mechanically connected to each other, the cylindrical surfaces (which are part of the negative pole of the cells) are probably not electrically connected to each other. However, when the blocks 200 are assembled into a battery module, the cells in each block are electrically connected in parallel, as will be explained in more detail below. Accordingly, it is entirely permissible for electrical connections to exist between the cylindrical surfaces of some or all of the cells within block 200 .

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a cell block 200 can be fabricated in any suitable apparatus capable of holding the cells 100 in the proper relative positions during application of the adhesive and during curing of the adhesive.

3 12 shows an exploded view of a subassembly 300 for installation in a battery module. The subassembly 300 includes the 2 Cell group 200 is shown with an electrically insulating cover 302 placed around the cell group such that the outwardly facing cylindrical surfaces of the cells in group 200 are all covered by cover 302. A single-sided bus bar assembly 304 is provided adjacent the first ends of the cells within cell array 200 . Bus bar assembly 304 is arranged to electrically connect all cells within group 200 in parallel with one another.

The bus bar assembly 304 includes a negative terminal bus plate 308 arranged to be electrically connected to the negative terminals of all cells within the cell group 200 . The connection between the negative terminal collector plate 308 and the negative terminals of the cells is facilitated by a thin sheet of metal 306. In the embodiment shown, the negative terminal bus plate 308 is aluminum and the sheet metal 306 is copper plated with nickel. The electrical and mechanical connections between the negative terminals, sheet metal 306, and negative terminal header 308 are discussed in more detail below.

The bus bar assembly 304 further includes a positive terminal bus plate 314 arranged to be electrically connected to the positive terminals of all cells within the cell group 200 . Connections between the positive terminal collector plate 314 and the positive terminals of the cells are facilitated by another thin sheet of metal 312. Between the negative terminal bus plate 308 and the thin metal sheet 312 is an insulating layer 310 to ensure that the positive and negative terminal bus plates are electrically isolated from each other.

Before the bus bar assembly 304 is connected to the cell group 200, each of the thin metal sheets 306, 312 is electrically and mechanically connected to the respective terminal header 308, 314 by welding a portion of the metal sheet to the respective terminal header. Although this can be achieved using any suitable welding method, laser welding is particularly effective through the thin sheets of metal. Once the metal sheet 306 is welded to the negative terminal bus plate 308, a negative bus bar component 316 having a plurality of negative tabs 306T extending from the body of the negative terminal bus plate 308 is formed. As will be explained in more detail below, the negative tabs 306T can be welded to the negative terminals of the cells in the cell group 200, and the positioning of the tabs is such that each cell 100 can be connected to a corresponding tab 306T when the negative bus bar component 316 is correctly positioned relative to cell group 200. Similarly, when thin metal sheet 312 is welded to positive terminal bus plate 314, a positive bus bar component 318 is formed the positioning of the tabs is such that each cell 100 can be connected to a respective tab 312T when the positive bus bar component 318 is correctly positioned relative to the cell group 200. FIG. How out of 3 As can be seen, the negative tabs 306T are coplanar with the remainder of the sheet metal 306, while the positive tabs 312T extend outwardly and downwardly from the portions of the sheet metal 312 that are welded to the positive terminal header plate 314. This allows the positive tabs to pass through voids in the negative bus bar component 316 and the insulating layer 310 and connect to the positive terminals of the cells 100 without touching any part of the negative bus bar component. It will be appreciated that the extent to which the tabs 312T extend downwardly depends, at least in part, on the shape of the cells used in the cluster, particularly the extent to which the steel end cap 106 extends over or is recessed below the shoulder region 100S is.

Once the positive and negative bus bar members 316, 318 are formed by welding the metal sheets to the respective terminal bus plates, the bus bar assembly 304 can be formed by mechanically joining the positive and negative bus bar members with the insulating layer 310 being sandwiched between the two bus bar members. This can be accomplished by passing electrically insulating fasteners through the aligned holes 314H, 312H, 310H, 308H, 306H in the terminal bus plates, the metal sheets and the insulating layer. Additionally or alternatively, the insulating layer 310 may include integrally molded fasteners that are arranged to reside in and cooperate with through-holes in the bus bar components. These attachments can then be thermally anchored or ultrasonically welded once the busbar components have been correctly placed on either side of the insulating layer. Additionally or alternatively, the two busbar components can be attached to the insulating layer 310 by a suitable electrically insulating adhesive.

Once formed, bus bar assembly 304 is positioned adjacent cell array 200 such that positive and negative tabs 306T, 312T contact the positive and negative terminals of cells 100 within cell array 200. FIG. The tabs are then electrically and mechanically connected to the respective terminals by laser welding. It is understood that other methods of electrically and mechanically connecting the tabs to the terminals, including but not limited to other welding techniques, are also useful.

Each of the positive connection tabs 312T is positioned adjacent a corresponding positive terminal of a single cell 100 within the cell group 200, and a planar portion of the tab is laser welded to the positive terminal 100P. The negative tabs 306T are each positioned adjacent the shoulder portions 100S of the respective cells 100 which are part of the negative terminal of the cells. However, unlike the positive tabs 312T, a plurality of the negative tabs 306T are positioned adjacent the shoulder portions 100S of two adjacent cells 100 within the cell group 200. FIG. For example, it can be readily appreciated that the tab 306TA is positioned adjacent the shoulder areas of the two cells 100A, 100B and that the tab 306TA can be used to electrically and mechanically connect both cells 100A, 100B to the negative bus bar member 316. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, several of the other tabs 306T may also be connected to the shoulder regions of two adjacent cells 100 within the cell group 200. FIG.

When laser welding the tabs 306T, 312T to their respective terminals, it is important to control the amount of energy used in the weld to ensure that the internal components of the cells are not damaged by the heat generated during the welding process. Accordingly, laser welding can be a particularly suitable technique as it allows for precise control of the amount of energy used in each welding operation.

Once all of the poles are welded to the tabs, all of the positive poles within cell assembly 200 are electrically connected together and all of the negative poles within cell assembly 200 are electrically connected together. Accordingly, the cells 100 within the group 200 are electrically connected in parallel. Subassembly 300 may therefore be referred to as a "parallel set" or "P-set". A battery module may include multiple assemblies 300 electrically connected in series, parallel, or a combination of series and parallel assemblies required to achieve the desired battery voltage and current capacity.

4A shows a variety of assemblies 300A-D, as in 3 1, with parallel and series connections between adjacent assemblies to provide an arrangement with increased voltage and current capacity compared to a single subassembly 300. FIG. 4A also shows a coordinate system. In the following description, the in 4A X-axis shown can be referred to as "longitudinal axis" and the Y-axis as "transverse axis". However, it goes without saying it goes without saying that this notation is only used for the sake of simplicity. In particular, the use of "longitudinal" and "transverse" does not imply that the subassemblies must have any greater length along the longitudinal or transverse axis. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the subassemblies can have a greater length along their transverse axis than along their longitudinal axis, in some embodiments, the subassemblies can have a greater length along their longitudinal axis than along their transverse axis, and in other embodiments, the lengths along the longitudinal and transverse axes be equal.

In 4A For example, the positive terminal bus plate of subassembly 300A is electrically connected to the negative terminal bus plate of subassembly 300C, creating a series connection between assemblies 300A and 300C. Similarly, the positive terminal bus plate of subassembly 300B is electrically connected to the negative terminal bus plate of subassembly 300D, thereby establishing a series connection between assemblies 300B and 300D. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the provision of series connections between assemblies 300 allows a battery module composed of a plurality of assemblies to output a much higher voltage than the individual cells within the case.

The series connections between assemblies located along the in 4A juxtaposed X-axis, as shown, are facilitated by the series connection section 320 on each of the positive terminal headers 314 and the corresponding first series connection section 322 on each of the negative terminal headers 308. FIG. As in 4B As best seen, when assemblies 300A, 300C are in the Fig 4A longitudinal orientation shown are arranged side by side. As in 4B Best illustrated, the first series connection portion 320A substantially overlies the second series connection portion 322C.

4B shows a schematic cross-sectional view through a similar arrangement as in FIG 4A , along the in 4A XZ plane shown was recorded. In 4B only the respective terminal bus plates 308, 314 and insulating layers 310 are visible for clarity. As in 4B As can be seen, each of the positive terminal bus plates 314A,C includes a first series connection portion 320A,C that extends beyond the ends of the respective insulating layer 310A,C and the negative terminal bus plate 308A,C. The first series connection portions 320A,C also extend in a downward direction such that a bottom surface of the series connection portion is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the negative terminal bus plates 308A,C.

Each of the assemblies 300A,C also includes a second series connection portion 322A,C at an end opposite the respective first series connection portion 320A,C. The second series connection portions 322A,C include a portion of the negative terminal bus plates 308A,C that extends beyond the ends of the respective insulating layer 310A,C and the positive terminal bus plate 314A,C. If the two assemblies 300A, C in the in the 4A and 4B When placed side-by-side in the orientation shown, first series connection portion 320A of subassembly 300A is in contact with second series connection portion 322C of subassembly 300B, thereby establishing an electrical connection between positive terminal busplate 314A and negative terminal busplate 308C. The first series connection portion 320A and the second series connection portion 322C are then mechanically connected by welding. This improves the electrical connection between the terminal headers and also helps to mechanically connect the assemblies 300A,C together in the required alignment.

It will be appreciated that various configurations of the first and second series connection portions are possible and allow for series connections between assemblies juxtaposed in an end-to-end longitudinal arrangement as illustrated in FIGS 4A and B shown (i.e. side by side and linearly along the in 4A X-axis shown). Instead of the first connecting portions 320 extending downward (as in 4B shown), for example, the second connecting sections 322 could extend upwards, or both connecting sections could extend towards one another. Importantly, when two assemblies 300 are arranged longitudinally side by side, the respective first and second serial connection portions 320, 322 must be close enough to each other that they can be easily electrically connected to each other. A reliable and robust electrical and mechanical connection between the series connection sections is preferably made by welding and/or soldering, but it is understood that other connection means such as screws, bolts or rivets can also be used instead or in addition can. In some embodiments, the first series connection portions 320 may have a reduced thickness compared to the remainder of the positive terminal bus plate 314 to facilitate welding the first and second connection portions 320, 322 together through the top surface of the first connection portion 320.

Back to 4A : It can be seen that there are also parallel connections between assemblies that are adjacent and linear along the in 4A Y-axis shown (ie assemblies positioned in an end-to-end transverse arrangement). In particular, one parallel connection exists between assemblies 300A and 300B, and another parallel connection exists between assemblies 300C and 300D. Each of the negative terminal header plate 308 includes a first parallel link portion 324 and a second parallel link portion 326 located at opposite transverse ends of the negative terminal header plate 308 . When the assemblies are arranged in an end-to-end transverse arrangement (as in 4A for assemblies 300A and B and for assemblies 300C and D), the first parallel connection portion 324 of one of the negative terminal collector plates 308 is positioned near, but not touching, the second parallel connection portion 326 of another of the negative terminal collector plates 308 . in the in 4A As shown in the arrangement, the first connection sections 324B,D are arranged in the vicinity of the second connection sections 326A,C, respectively. Parallel connections between assemblies 300A and 300B and between assemblies 300C and 300D are then formed by connectors 328 which electrically connect the proximate first and second parallel connection portions.

In the 4A The assembly of assemblies 300 shown can be used as a battery by connecting a negative terminal (in 4 not shown) with series connection sections 322A and 322B and a positive terminal (in 4 not shown) is connected to the series connection portions 320C, 320D. Such a battery would have a voltage level twice the voltage of a single cell because there are effectively two groups of cells connected in series with each other, the first group containing all the cells in assemblies 300A and 300B and the second group containing all the cells in Assemblies 300C and 300D. In some embodiments, such a battery can be housed in a housing to form a battery module. However, it goes without saying that typical battery modules can include significantly more assemblies 300 than in 4 shown, with the total number of modules depending on the required voltage level and charging capacity. 5 For example, FIG. 12 shows an exploded view of a battery module 500 having a total of 22 modules 300 arranged in two rows, each row including eleven modules 300 arranged in a transverse end-to-end arrangement, and the two rows in a end-to-end transverse arrangement.

In the module 500, the assemblies 300 face down with the first ends 104 of the cells such that the bus bar components are below the cells. Since there are no connections at the second ends 102 of the cells, the second ends can be cooled by the cooling plate 502 without intervening components affecting the cooling performance. Between the second ends 102 of the cells 100 and the cold plate 502 is a layer of thermal interface material 504 to improve the thermal connection between the cells and the cold plate.

A particular advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that a battery module with a very large total number of cells can be constructed from a large number of substantially identical assemblies, each of which can be individually tested before being assembled into the battery module. A method for assembling such a battery module is described below with reference to FIG 6 explained in more detail.

A particular advantage of providing first and second parallel connection portions 324, 326 which are in close proximity but not in electrical contact when two assemblies 300 are juxtaposed in an end-to-end transverse arrangement is that thereby parallel connections can be made if required, but there is also the possibility that parallel connections between adjacent assemblies will not be made. This results in flexibility in the voltage output that can be provided by a given arrangement of packages 300. FIG. In some embodiments, e.g. B. four assemblies 300 as in 4A as shown, but the connectors 328 which make the parallel connections between adjacent assemblies can be omitted. Alternatively, a wiring harness or other component may be provided to connect series connection portion 320C to series connection portion 322B, resulting in a battery having four groups of cells, shown in FIG are arranged in series with one another, albeit with half the number of cells in each group compared to that in 4A arrangement shown. Conveniently, the wiring harness may run along the space between the adjacent bus bar assemblies.

6 FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a method 600 for manufacturing a battery module having a plurality of cylindrical cells in an embodiment of the present invention.

The method begins at step 602 and proceeds to step 604 where a plurality of cylindrical cells are positioned in a common orientation such that the first ends of the cells are substantially coplanar. Adjacent cells within the plurality of cells may abut one another, or they may be spaced a small distance apart, which distance may be up to 2mm, but preferably 0.5mm or less, most preferably 0.3mm or less amounts. To ensure accurate positioning of the cells at the desired locations, this step can be performed in a template.

The cells are then assembled at step 606 with an adhesive on the cylindrical surfaces. The adhesive may have a thickness of 0.5mm or less, preferably 0.3mm or less. It is understood that in some embodiments the adhesive can be applied before the cells are positioned relative to one another.

Then, in step 608, a bus bar assembly is connected to the first ends of the cells. The bus bar assembly can include a positive terminal bus plate that can be electrically connected to the positive terminals of all cells 100 assembled in step 606 and a negative terminal bus plate that can be electrically connected to the negative terminals of all cells 100. merged in step 606. In this manner, all of the cells assembled in step 606 are electrically connected in parallel, forming a subassembly 300. FIG. In some embodiments, the bus bar assembly may be a bus bar assembly 304 as shown in FIG 3 shown, and the electrical connections may be made by welding, preferably laser welding.

The method then proceeds to step 610 where an electrically insulative coating is applied around subassembly 300 to the exposed cylindrical surfaces of the outermost cells in subassembly 300. FIG.

In step 612, a determination is made as to whether enough subassemblies have been manufactured to manufacture the battery module with the desired voltage and/or capacity. If more subassemblies are needed, the method returns to step 604. Once enough subassemblies have been manufactured, the method proceeds to step 614 where the subassemblies are positioned in a housing with at least some of the subassemblies being placed in end-to-end longitudinal relationship with one another. The assemblies are then electrically connected together at step 616 . In the case of end-to-end assemblies, the electrical connections are made by electrically connecting a first series connection portion on a negative terminal bus plate of one assembly to a second series connection portion on a positive terminal bus plate of another, adjacent assembly, thereby electrically connecting the assemblies in series be switched. The electrical connections between the series connection sections can be made by welding the series connection sections together. When one of the subassemblies is to be positioned in an end-to-end transverse arrangement, parallel connections can be made between such subassemblies by terminating corresponding parallel connector sections on the respective bus bar assemblies. Such parallel connection sections can connect the negative terminal bus plates of adjacent subassemblies together, or they can connect the positive terminal bus plates of adjacent subassemblies together. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the order of steps 614 and 616 may be reversed such that the subassemblies are electrically connected together and then subsequently positioned within the housing.

Once the required electrical connections are made between the subassemblies, in step 617 the housing is sealed. It is understood that in some embodiments the housing or a part thereof is substantially sealed against the ingress of moisture. However, the sealing of the housing does not necessarily have to prevent the ingress or egress of gases and/or moisture. Instead, the case can be considered sealed once a closure is in place to prevent removal of the subassemblies from the case. The method then ends with step 618.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, 600 different quality controls may be performed at various stages of the process. A particularly advantageous feature of the present invention, however, is that the quality controls can be carried out on the sub-assemblies before they are assembled into the battery module. The only electrical connections made after the subassemblies are inserted into the module housing are the connections between the bus bars of adjacent subassemblies, and these connections are generally more reliable than the connections between the cells and the bus bar assemblies. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention help avoid a situation where a defective cell or connection can render an entire module unusable, requiring either expensive repair or scrapping of the entire battery module.

It goes without saying that the order of the in 6 Acts shown is not essential and that in some embodiments the order of the steps may be changed and/or some steps may be omitted altogether.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a vehicle platform may provide a predefined location for a battery module and/or battery modules of substantially similar geometry may be used between different vehicle lines. Accordingly, it is particularly advantageous that embodiments of the present invention allow battery modules to be manufactured with different voltage outputs and/or capacities with minimal change in module design and without impacting the packaging requirements for the module.

7 FIG. 7 shows a portion of a battery module 700 comprised of a plurality of subassemblies 702 and a bus bar assembly 704 in another embodiment of the present invention. The battery module 700 includes a plurality of groups 200 of cells 100 similar to those in FIG 2 shown. The cells 100 are mechanically connected to each other with adhesive on the cylindrical surfaces of adjacent cells. To ensure consistency, the cells can be placed and then connected using an assembly jig. Accordingly, adjacent cells within each subassembly 702 are preferably spaced apart by less than 0.3 mm.

The groups 200 of cells 100 are then surrounded by an insulating covering on the exposed cylindrical surfaces of the outermost cells so that two subassemblies can be placed side by side without making electrical connections between the negative terminals of the adjacent groups. Accordingly, subassemblies 702 differ from subassemblies 300 only in that they are not provided with an individual bus bar assembly prior to being assembled. Instead, the six subassemblies 702 are positioned side-by-side in a battery module housing (not shown) and a bus bar assembly 704 is then welded to the first ends 104 of the cells 100 . Although the boundaries between subassemblies 702A-F in 7 are not clearly visible, it is assumed that each sub-assembly comprises six staggered adjacent rows of five cells, with the rows of five cells parallel to the in 7 shown X-axis.

The bus bar assembly 704 includes a negative end bus bar assembly 706 having an end bar 706E and seven fingers 706F extending from the negative end bar. Fingers 706F may be referred to as a first group of fingers 706F1. The middle five fingers 706F all follow a serpentine path that helps reduce resistance to the flow of vent gases from any of the cells that may be vented, since the serpentine path prevents blockage of the venting means 100V in the first ends 104 of the cells 100 prevented.

Each of the fingers includes a plurality of negative terminal lugs 712 that electrically connect the fingers to the negative terminals of all cells in subassemblies 702A and 702B. Specifically, the negative terminal lugs are connected to the shoulder portions 100S of the cells. As in 7 As can clearly be seen, several of the negative terminal lugs are connected to the shoulder regions 100S of two adjacent cells. This can simplify the process of welding the negative terminal lugs to the shoulder portions 100S.

The bus bar assembly 704 further includes first and second intermediate members 708, 710. The first intermediate member 708 includes a second set of fingers 708F2 and a third set of fingers 708F3. How out 7 As can be seen, the second group of fingers is interleaved with the first group of fingers 706F1 and with the positive terminals of all cells inner between subassemblies 702A and 702B via positive connection tabs 714. The third group of fingers 708F3 is connected to the negative terminals of all cells within subassemblies 702C and 702D via negative connection tabs similar to tabs 712 on the negative end member. Accordingly, the first intermediate component and the negative terminal component connect all cells within subassemblies 702A and 702B in parallel, and the first intermediate component connects in series with the cells in groups 702C and 702D.

The second intermediate component 710 is similar to the first intermediate component 708 and includes a fourth group of fingers 710F4 that are similar to the second group of fingers 708F2 and overlap with the third group of fingers 708F3. The second intermediate component also includes a fifth group of fingers 710F5 that are similar to the third group of fingers 708F3. Although in 7 not shown, a positive end component can also be provided having a positive end bar and a sixth set of fingers interdigitated with the fifth set of fingers and connected to the positive terminals of the cells within sets 702E and 702F. However, in some embodiments, additional subassemblies and intermediate components may be present before the positive end component. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the positive and negative end bars form the positive and negative poles of battery module 700.

8th shows a bus bar arrangement 800, which corresponds to that in FIG 7 busbar arrangement shown is similar. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the bus bar assembly 800 is arranged to make electrical connections between cells (not shown) in four groups 801A-D, which resemble those shown in FIG 8th indicated positions. The cells within each group are all electrically connected in parallel and adjacent groups are connected in series.

The bus bar assembly 800 includes a negative end component 806, first, second, and third intermediate components 808, 810, 812, and a positive end component 820. The end components 806, 820 each include an end bar 806E, 820E. These end rails 806E, 820E can form or be connected to the respective poles of the assembled battery module. In the 8th The bus bar assembly shown includes interlocking fingers similar to those in 7 resemble in the in 8th However, in the embodiment shown, each finger is arranged to be connected to 18 cells, so that in the fingers of FIG 8th busbar shown compared to the fingers of the in 7 shown busbar allows a higher current to flow, particularly at the proximal ends of the fingers. The fingers of the in 8th The busbars shown are therefore tapered so that they have a larger cross-sectional area at their proximal ends than at their distal ends. This ensures that the total current density in the fingers of the in 8th bus bar components shown is relatively uniform, helping to reduce the overall cost and weight of the bus bar assembly 800 and preventing the occurrence of localized hot spots in the bus bar during operation that could otherwise adversely affect cells adjacent to these locally hotter areas.

9 9 shows a vehicle 900 into which a battery module 500, 700 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be installed.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Any such software may be in the form of volatile or non-volatile memory, e.g. B. a storage device such as a ROM, whether erasable or rewritable or not, or in the form of a memory such. B. RAM, memory chips, devices or integrated circuits or on an optically or magnetically readable medium such. B. a CD, DVD, magnetic disk or magnetic tape are stored. It is to be understood that the storage devices and storage media are machine-readable storage suitable for storing a program or programs which, when executed, implement embodiments of the present invention. Accordingly, embodiments provide a program comprising code for implementing a system or method according to any one of the preceding claims, and a machine-readable memory storing such a program. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention may be transmitted electronically via any medium, such as B. a communication signal transmitted over a wired or wireless connection can be transmitted and the embodiments suitably comprise the same.

Any feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract and drawings) and/or any step of any method or process so disclosed may be combined in any combination, excluding combinato operations where at least some of these features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including the associated claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Therefore, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a general set of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not limited to the details of the above embodiments. The invention extends to any new embodiment or combination of features disclosed in this specification (including the appended claims, abstract and drawings) or to any new embodiment or combination of steps of a method or process so disclosed. The claims should not be construed as covering only the above embodiments, but also all embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims (9)

A method of manufacturing a battery module comprising a plurality of cylindrical cells, each of the cells comprising a first end face, a second end face and a cylindrical face between the first and second end faces, a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal is arranged in a central area of the first end surface and at least part of a second terminal is arranged in a peripheral area of the first end surface, the method comprising: a. joining the plurality of cells with an adhesive on the cylindrical surfaces such that the first ends of the cells are substantially coplanar; b. electrically connecting the plurality of cells to a bus bar assembly, the bus bar assembly being disposed proximate the first ends of the cells and adapted to electrically connect the plurality of cells in parallel to thereby form a first subassembly; c. repeating steps a and b to produce a second subassembly; i.e. electrically connecting the bus bar assemblies of the first and second subassemblies such that the cells in the first subassembly are electrically connected in series with the cells in the second subassembly; and e. sealing the first and second subassemblies in a housing. procedure after claim 1 comprising placing an insulating covering around the plurality of cells in each subassembly. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the bus bar assemblies comprises: a first bus bar component including a first terminal bus plate connected to the first terminals of each cell in the respective subassembly and including a first series connection portion located at a first longitudinal end of the subassembly; and a second bus bar component including a second terminal bus plate connected to the second terminals of each cell in the respective subassembly and including a second series connection portion located at a second longitudinal end of the subassembly, wherein electrically connecting the bus bar assemblies of the first and second subassemblies comprises electrically connecting the first series connection portion on the first subassembly to the second series connection portion on the second subassembly, optionally electrically connecting the first series connection portion on the first subassembly to the second series connection portion on the second subassembly comprises welding the first series connection portion on the first subassembly to the second series connection portion on the second subassembly. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second subassemblies are arranged in the housing in an end-to-end longitudinal arrangement. A subassembly arranged to form part of a battery module, the subassembly comprising: a plurality of cylindrical cells, each cylindrical cell having a first end surface, a second end surface, and a cylindrical surface between the first and second end surfaces, a first port and a second port, wherein the first port of each of the cylindrical cells is located in a central portion of the first end face and at least a portion of a second port of each of the cylindrical cells is located in a peripheral portion of the first end face, the cylindrical cells are arranged in a common alignment, so that the first end faces of all cylindrical cells in the set are substantially coplanar and the cells are bonded together by an adhesive on the cylindrical surfaces of the cells; a first bus bar component comprising a first terminal bus plate connected to the first terminals of each cell in the set of cells and located proximate to the first end face of the cells; and a second bus bar component comprising a second terminal bus plate connected to the second terminals of each cell in the set of cells and located proximate to the first end face of the cells; wherein: the first bus bar component includes a first series connection portion located at a first longitudinal end of the subassembly; the second bus bar component includes a second series connection portion located at a second longitudinal end of the subassembly; and the second series connection portion is arranged to contact the first series connection portion of a similar subassembly positioned adjacent the subassembly in an end-to-end longitudinal arrangement. subassembly after claim 5 wherein the first bus bar component further comprises at least one parallel connection portion located at a first transverse end of the bus bar assembly. subassembly after claim 5 or 6 wherein the second series connection portion is arranged to overlie the first series connection portion of a similar bus bar assembly disposed adjacent the bus bar assembly in a longitudinal end-to-end arrangement; optionally, the second series connection portion is configured to form a lap joint with the first series connection portion of a similar bus bar assembly positioned adjacent the bus bar assembly in a longitudinal end-to-end arrangement. Subassembly according to one of Claims 5 until 7 , wherein the bus bar assembly further comprises an insulating layer disposed between the first and second terminal connection plates, and wherein the first terminal header plate is arranged in a first plane and the second terminal header plate is arranged in a second plane, the second plane being different from the first plane is offset in a direction perpendicular to the first plane. Battery module, which has at least two subassemblies according to one of Claims 5 until 8th and a housing, wherein the first series connection portion of a first one of the subassemblies is electrically connected to the second series connection portion of a second one of the subassemblies.

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