The present invention is related to a battery module, and more particularly related to the battery module with battery core being suspendedly welded with a top integrated battery core frame and a bottom integrated battery core frame to make the battery module stably discharge power in a vibration condition.
Because of the increasing price of fossil-based fuel and the rising awareness of environment protection, many alternative energy sources, such as bio-diesel, fuel cell, solar energy or wind energy, had been developed for vehicles. Among the various alternative fuel vehicles, electric car is still the main trend in present. The battery module for the electric car usually includes a plurality of battery cores, a cathode metal electrode plate, and an anode metal electrode plate to connect the battery cores in serial or parallel according to the need.
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However, any person skilled in the art can easily know that when the battery module PA1 is assembled into a dynamic device, such as an electric car, the battery module PA1 have to work in a vibration condition. Please refer to
Nevertheless, the effective contact conditions between the conductive coil spring PA 112, the battery core(s) PA13 and the bottom conductive coil spring PA122 are also continuously and irregularly varied due to the reason that the lengths of the top conductive coil spring PA 112 and the bottom conductive coil spring PA122 are continuously and irregularly varied in the vibration condition, such as in the instant presented in
In the prior art, in order to reduce the variation altitude of the contact resistance, it is necessary to use the top conductive coil spring PA 112 and the bottom conductive coil spring PA122 with larger elasticity coefficient, so as to provide greater elastic restoring force to reduce the vibration amplitude, so as to thinly secure the battery cores PA 13 therebetween. However, greater elastic restoring force will make the top and the bottom battery core electrode of the battery core PA13 suffer larger stress to cause permanent or fatigue damage occurred more easily.
Since the battery module in prior art has the problem that when it works in the vibration condition, the effective contact conditions are continuously and irregularly varied to cause the power charged and discharged from the battery module become unstable, or the (top and bottom) battery core electrodes may be easily damaged when suffering larger stress caused by the conductive coil springs. An objective of the present invention is to provide a new battery module, in which the effect contact condition between the battery cores and the top and the bottom contact members (i.e., the top and the bottom electrode layers) substantially keeps in the same (only varied in little amplitude) during the period that the battery module works in a vibration condition, so as to make the power discharged from the battery module become more stable when the battery module works in a vibration condition. Another objective of the present invention is to provide the new battery module, in which the the (top and bottom) battery core electrodes no longer suffer larger stress caused by greater elastic restoring force with respect to prior art.
To fulfill the objective, a battery module is provided in the present invention. The battery module includes a top integrated battery core frame, a plurality of battery cores and a bottom integrated battery core frame. The top integrated battery core frame includes a top electrode layer and a top insulation frame. The top electrode layer includes a top electrode frame assembly and a plurality of top suspension plates. The top suspension plates are separated from each other, and are further separated from the top electrode frame assembly. Each top suspension plate includes a top supporting portion, a top bent portion and a top suspension portion. The top bent portion is integrally extended from the top supporting portion. The top suspension portion is integrally extended from the top bent portion, and downwardly formed with at least one top welding protrusion.
The top insulation frame covers the top electrode layer to fasten the top supporting portion of each top suspension plate. The top insulation frame is fanned with a plurality of top welding openings and top wire-bonding openings with respect to the top suspension plates. Each top welding opening is formed to make the top bent portion and the top suspension portion of a respective one of the top suspension plates exposed from the top insulation frame. Each top wire-bonding opening is formed to make the respective one of the top suspension plates partially exposed from the top insulation frame for bonding at least one top wire from the respective one of the top suspension plates to the top electrode frame assembly.
Each battery core includes a top battery code electrode and a bottom battery core electrode, and the top battery code electrode is welded with the top welding protrusion of the top suspension portion of the respective one of the top suspension plates, so as to forth at least one top weld contact zone between the top battery code electrode and the at least one top welding protrusion of the top suspension portion of the respective one of the top suspension plates.
The structure of the bottom integrated battery core frame is similar to the top integrated battery core frame. In detail, the bottom integrated battery core frame includes a bottom electrode layer and a bottom insulation frame. The bottom electrode layer includes a bottom electrode frame assembly and a plurality of bottom suspension plates. The bottom suspension plates are integrally extended from the bottom electrode frame assembly.
Each bottom suspension plate includes a bottom supporting portion, a bottom bent portion and a bottom suspension portion. The bottom bent portion is integrally extended from the bottom supporting portion. The bottom suspension portion is integrally extended from the bottom bent portion, and upwardly formed with at least one bottom welding protrusion. The at least one bottom welding protrusion is welded with the bottom battery core electrode, so as to form at least one bottom weld contact zone between the bottom battery code electrode and the at least one bottom welding protrusion of the bottom suspension portion of the respective one of the bottom suspension plates.
The bottom insulation frame covers the bottom electrode layer to fasten the bottom supporting portion of each bottom suspension plate. The bottom insulation frame is formed with a plurality of bottom welding openings with respect to the bottom suspension plates. Each bottom welding opening is formed to make the bottom bent portion and the bottom suspension portion of a respective one of the bottom suspension plates exposed from the bottom insulation frame.
Preferably, the top battery code electrode is welded with the top welding protrusion of the top suspension portion by spot-welding or laser welding. Similarly, the bottom battery code electrode is also welded with the bottom welding protrusion of the bottom suspension portion by spot-welding or laser-welding. Therefore, the at least one top weld contact zone and the at least one bottom weld contact zone can be a plurality of spot-welded contact zones or laser-welded contact zones.
In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the battery cores are arranged in a first row and a second row. The battery cores are arranged in a first row and a second row, the first row of the battery cores are upright battery cores, the top battery core electrode of each the upright battery core is a positive top battery core electrode, and the bottom battery core electrode of each upright battery core is a negative bottom battery core electrode. The second row of the battery cores are inverted battery cores, the top battery core electrode of each inverted battery core is a negative top battery core electrode, and the bottom battery core electrode of each inverted battery core is a positive bottom battery core electrode.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top electrode frame assembly includes a positive top electrode frame and a negative top electrode frame, the positive top electrode frame is electrically connected to each top suspension plate welded with the positive top battery core electrode through wire bonding. The negative top electrode frame is separated from the positive electrode frame, and also electrically connected to each top suspension plate welded with the negative top battery core electrode through wire bonding.
Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top insulation frame is formed with a plurality of top positioning tubes with respect to the top welding openings and the battery cores, and the bottom insulation frame is formed with a plurality of bottom positioning tubes paired with the top positioning tubes. Each pair of the top positioning tube and the bottom positioning tube is applied to position and restrain the respective one of the battery cores therebetween. And an adhesive glue or epoxy is applied inside the top and the bottom positioning tubes to further secure the battery cores therebetween.
In the preferred embodiment, each of the top insulation frame and the bottom insulation frame is formed with at least one assembling protrusion and at least one assembling notch. Through assembling the at least one assembling protrusion of the battery module to the at least one assembling notch of another the same battery module, the battery module can be easily and firmly assembled to another one or more the same battery module(s) to from an integrated battery module. Nevertheless, in order to strengthen the structure of the battery module, in the preferred embodiment, the top insulation frame and the bottom insulation frame can be made of a plastic material with glass fiber therein.
It is clear that in the present invention, the top battery core electrode is welded to the top welding protrusion of the top suspension portion of the top suspension plate, and the bottom electrode core is welded to the bottom welding protrusion of the bottom suspension portion of the bottom suspension plate. Namely, because the battery cores are suspendedly welded between the top integrated battery core frame and the bottom integrated battery core frame, the effective contact conditions (i.e. the plane areas of top weld contact zone and the at least one bottom weld contact zone) can always keep in substantially the same before or during the period of working in the vibration condition.
It is undoubted that by using aforesaid technology, when the battery module or the integrated battery module is assembled to any dynamic device, such as an electric car, to work in the vibration condition, the effective contact resistance will also be substantially kept stable before or during the period of the vibration condition, so as to ensure the battery module or the integrated battery module can stably store and discharge power.
Nevertheless, in the present invention, the (top and bottom) battery core electrodes of the battery cores are structurally and electrically connected to the (top and bottom) electrode layers of the (top and the bottom) integrated battery core frame by welding means, the (top and bottom) battery core electrodes will no longer suffer greater stress with respect to prior art, so as to further prevent the (top and bottom) battery core electrodes from fatigue or permanent damage.
The present invention will now be specified with reference to its preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which:
There are various embodiments of the battery module and the manufacturing method thereof provided in the present invention, which are not repeated hereby. A preferred embodiment is mentioned in the following paragraphs as an example.
Please refer to
The battery module 1 includes a top integrated battery core frame 11, a plurality of battery cores and a bottom integrated battery core frame 12. The top integrated battery core frame 11 includes a top electrode frame assembly 111 and a top insulation frame 112. The top electrode layer 111 includes a top electrode frame assembly 1111 and a plurality of top suspension plates 1112.
The top electrode frame assembly 1111 includes a positive top electrode frame 11111 and a negative top electrode frame 11112, and the negative top electrode frame 11112 is separated from the positive electrode frame 11111. The top suspension plates 1112 are separated from each other, and are further separated from the top electrode frame assembly 1111. Each top suspension plate 1112 includes a top supporting portion 11121, a top bent portion 11122 and a top suspension portion 11123. The top bent portion 11122 is integrally extended from the top supporting portion 11121. The top suspension portion 11123 is integrally extended from the top bent portion 11122, and downwardly formed with at least one top welding protrusion TP.
Preferably, the top insulation frame 112 can be formed by insert-molding method, so as to make the top electrode layer 111 be embedded therein. Therefore, the top insulation frame 112 covers around the top electrode layer 111 to fasten the top supporting portion 11121 of each top suspension plate 1112. The top insulation frame 112 is further formed with a plurality of top welding openings TWO and top wire-bonding openings TBO with respect to the top suspension plates 1112. Each top welding opening TWO is formed to make the top bent portion 11122 and the top suspension portion 11123 of a respective one of the top suspension plates 1112 exposed from the top insulation frame 112. Each top wire-bonding opening TBO is formed to make the top supporting portion 1121 of the respective one of the top suspension plates 112 partially exposed from the top insulation frame for bonding at least one top wire 113 from the top supporting portion 11123 to the top electrode frame assembly 1111.
Each battery core includes a top battery code electrode and a bottom battery core electrode, and the top battery code electrode is welded with the top welding protrusion TP of the top suspension portion 11123 of the respective one of the top suspension plates 1112, so as to farm at least one top weld contact zone TWZ (see
In the preferred embodiment, the battery cores are arranged in two rows, i.e., a first row and a second row. The first row of battery cores are upright battery cores 13, each upright battery core 13 has a top battery core electrode and a bottom battery core electrode, the top battery core electrode of each upright battery core 13 is a positive top battery core electrode 131 (see
Aforesaid positive top electrode frame 11111 is electrically connected to each top suspension plate 1112 welded with the positive top battery core electrode 131 through bonding the top wire 113 therebetween. The negative top electrode frame 11112 is also electrically connected to each top suspension plate 1112 welded with the negative top battery core electrode 131a through bonding another top wire 113 therebetween.
The structure of the bottom integrated battery core frame 12 is similar to the top integrated battery core frame 11. In detail, the bottom integrated battery core frame 12 includes a bottom electrode layer 121 and a bottom insulation frame 122. The bottom electrode layer 121 includes a bottom electrode frame assembly 1211 and a plurality of bottom suspension plates 1212. The bottom suspension plates 1212 are integrally extended from the bottom electrode frame assembly 1211.
Each bottom suspension plate 1212 includes a bottom supporting portion 12121, a bottom bent portion 12122 and a bottom suspension portion 12123. The bottom bent portion 12122 is integrally extended from the bottom supporting portion 12121. The bottom suspension portion 12123 is integrally extended from the bottom bent portion 12122, and upwardly formed with at least one bottom welding protrusion BP. The at least one bottom welding protrusion BP is welded with the bottom battery core electrode (the negative bottom battery core electrode 132 of each upright battery core 13 or the positive bottom battery core electrode 132a or the inverted battery core 13a ), so as to form at least one bottom weld contact zone BWZ between the bottom battery code electrode and the at least one bottom welding protrusion BP of the bottom suspension portion 12123 of the respective one of the bottom suspension plates 1212.
Similarly, the bottom insulation frame 122 also can be formed by insert-molding method, so as to make the bottom electrode layer 121 be embedded therein. Therefore, the bottom insulation frame 122 covers around the bottom electrode layer 121 to fasten the bottom supporting portion 12123 of each bottom suspension plate 1212. The bottom insulation frame 122 is formed with a plurality of bottom welding openings BWO (see
Preferably, the top battery code electrode (i.e. any one of the positive top battery core electrode 131 or the negative top battery core electrode 131a) can be welded with the top welding protrusion TP of the top suspension portion 11123 by spot-welding or laser welding, and similarly, the bottom battery code electrode (i.e. any one of the negative bottom battery core electrode 132 or the positive bottom battery core electrode 132a ) is also welded with the bottom welding protrusion BP of the bottom suspension portion 12123 by spot-welding or laser-welding. Therefore, the at least one top weld contact zone TWZ and the at least one bottom weld contact zone BWZ can be a plurality of spot-welded contact zones or laser-welded contact zones. Through adjusting to energy of spot-welding or laser-welding or adjusting the forming amount of top weld contact zone TWZ and the bottom weld contact zone BWZ (choosing the amount of the top welding protrusion TP and the bottom welding protrusion BP to be welded), the area of the top weld contact zone TWZ and the bottom weld contact zone BWZ can be adjusted, so as to further adjust the contact resistance between the top electrode layer 111 the battery cores (including the upright battery cores 13 an the inverted battery cores 13a) and the bottom electrode layer 121.
Furthermore, the top insulation frame 112 is further formed with at least one assembling protrusion 1121 and at least one assembling notch (not presented in drawings). Similarly, the bottom insulation frame 122 is formed with at least one assembling protrusion 1221 and at least one assembling notch 1222. Through assembling the assembling protrusion 1221 of the battery module 1 to the assembling notch of another the same battery module 1b, the battery module 1 can be easily and firmly assembled to another one or more the same battery module(s) 1b (all of the battery modules 1a, 1b and 1c) to from an integrated battery module 100. Moreover, in order to strengthen the structure of the battery module 1, in the preferred embodiment, each of the top insulation frame and the bottom insulation frame can be made of a plastic material with glass fiber therein.
The top insulation frame 112 is formed with a plurality of top positioning tubes 1122 (see
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As presented in
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After reading above description, it is clear that in the present invention, the top battery core electrode is welded to the top welding protrusion TP of the top suspension portion 11123 of the top suspension plate 1112, and the bottom electrode core is welded to the bottom welding protrusion BP of the bottom suspension portion 12123 of the bottom suspension plate 1112. Namely, because the battery cores (the upright battery cores 13 and the inverted battery cores 13a ) are suspendedly welded between the top integrated battery core frame 11 and the bottom integrated battery core frame 11, aforesaid effective contact condition can always keep in substantially sable before or during the period of working in the vibration condition.
It is undoubted that when the battery module 1 or the integrated battery module 100 is assembled to any dynamic device, such as an electric car, to work in the vibration condition, the effective contact resistance will also be substantially kept stable before or during the period of the vibration condition, so as to ensure the battery module 1 or the integrated battery module 100 can stably store and discharge power.
Nevertheless, in the present invention, the top and the bottom battery core electrodes of the battery cores are structurally and electrically connected to the top and bottom electrode layers 111 and 112 of the top and the bottom integrated battery core frame 11 and 12 by welding means, the top and bottom battery core electrodes will no longer suffer greater stress with respect to prior art, so as to further prevent the top and bottom battery core electrodes from fatigue or permanent damage.
The detail description of the aforementioned preferred embodiments is for clarifying the feature and the spirit of the present invention. The present invention should not be limited by any of the exemplary embodiments described herein, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. Specifically, those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiments as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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103146508 | Dec 2014 | TW | national |
This application is a CIP (Continuation In Part) application of the application Ser. No. 14/986,249; titling “BATTERY MODULE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF”, filed on Dec. 31, 2015, which claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application Serial No. 103146508, filed on Dec. 31, 2014, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14986249 | Dec 2015 | US |
Child | 15887627 | US |