BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded end view of a battery cell showing several component layers of the battery cell and a pair of bussing tabs;
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional side view of an alignment device of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the alignment device of FIG. 2 with multiple electrodes of the battery cell layered on the alignment device;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the alignment device;
FIG. 5 is a top view of a body of the alignment device;
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional side view of the body;
FIG. 7 is a top view of a support of the alignment device;
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the support;
FIG. 9 is a top view of a cover plate of the alignment device;
FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the cover plate;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an inventive conductor device defined by a tubular member having a radial lip integral with and extending outwardly from the tubular member;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the conductor device of FIG. 1 having folded terminal ends presenting a contact portion;
FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view of a battery cell having a pair of insulators disposed therein and extending through the openings defined in the battery cell and the conductor device disposed between the insulators and extending outwardly and transversely through the openings with the conductor device being folded over the insulators to form a contact surface;
FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of the pair of battery cell of FIG. 13 with the battery cells being interconnected by a pin; and
FIG. 15 is an exploded view of the alignment device of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the FIGS., wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts, a battery cell, generally shown at 10 in FIGS. 13 and 14 is assembled by an alignment device of the present invention, which is generally shown at 20 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The alignment device 20 is an integrated part of an assembly line 21, defined by a conveyor without limiting the scope of the present invention. FIG. 15 shows an exploded view of the alignment device 20 of FIGS. 2 and 3. Referring to FIG. 1, the multi-layered battery cell 10 comprises several component layers 24, sandwiched together to define the battery cell 10, as is well known in the battery art. The several component layers include a first electrode 26 adjacent a first current collector 28, and a second electrode 30 adjacent a second current collector 32. The first electrode 26 and the second electrode 30 are oppositely charged, i.e., one is positively charged and the other is negatively charged. The first electrodes 26, the first current collectors 28, the second electrodes 30, and the second current collectors 32 are moved by the assembly line 21 and are placed thereupon in a predetermined fashion by a multi-axial robotic device. The battery cell 10 of the present invention is adaptable to be utilized in various configurations including and not limited to an overlapping battery cell packaging configuration and a vertical stack battery cell packaging configuration used in an automotive vehicle applications.
A separator layer (not shown) is disposed between the first electrode 26 and the second electrode 30, with the first electrode 26 and the second electrode 30 conducting an electrolyte therebetween. A first insulator (not shown) and a second insulator (not shown) are disposed on opposite sides of the first electrode 26 and the second electrode 30 to sandwich the first electrode 26, the separator layer 34, and the second electrode 30 between the first insulator and the second insulator.
An envelope extends around the periphery of the first insulator and the second insulator and encapsulates the several component layers 24 of the battery cell 10 in a protective covering. The envelope terminates into a positive terminal and a negative terminal opposite the positive terminal as is known in the art. As best shown in FIG. 3, each of the several component layers 24 include at least two alignment apertures 42, located near the periphery of the several component layers 24 and concentric with the alignment apertures 42 defined by the several component layers 24 disposed above and below, i.e., the several component layers 24 cooperate together to define at least two concentric alignment apertures 42 extending through the several component layers 24 as a whole.
As shown in the FIG. 3, each of the several component layers 24 include four alignment apertures 42, located near the corners of each of the several rectangular shaped component layers 24. The alignment device 20 aligns the several different component layers 24 of the multi-layered battery cell 10 during production. The alignment device 20 includes a body 44. The body 44 is generally rectangular shaped having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal sides and a pair of laterally spaced end walls. The body 44 further includes a recess 46 on each of the longitudinal sides. The body 44 defines at least one ejector bore 48 extending therethrough.
As shown in the Figures, the body 44 defines four ejector bores 48 therethrough. The body 44 further defines at least two alignment bores 50. Preferably, and as shown in the Figures, the body 44 defines four alignment bores 50. The alignment bores 50 include a shank portion 52 and a head portion 54, with the head portion 54 located adjacent a bottom surface of the body 56 and defining a diameter greater in size than a diameter defined by the shank portion 52, with the shank portion 52 of the alignment bores 50 extending from the head portion 54 to a top surface of the body 58.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an alignment pin 60 is disposed within each of the alignment bores 50 defined by the body 44. The alignment pins 60 each include a head 62 located within the head portion 54 of the alignment bore 50, and a shank 64 located within the shank portion 52 of the alignment bore 50 and extending above the top surface of the body 58. The alignment pin 60 extends from the heat to a distal end 66 having a generally conical point.
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, a support 68 is disposed adjacent the bottom surface of the support 68. The support 68 defines at least one ejector bore 48 therethrough. Preferably, and as shown in the Figures, the body 44 defines four ejector bores 48 therethrough, with the ejector bores 48 of the support 68 concentric with the ejector bores 48 defined by the body 44. The support 68 includes a generally rectangular shape having a pair of laterally space longitudinal sides and a pair of laterally spaced end walls. The support 68 defines a recess 46 in each of the longitudinal sides of the support 68, identical in size and shape and disposed adjacent the recesses 46 defined by the longitudinal sides of the body 44. It should be understood, with reference to the Figures, that the heads 62 of the ejector pins rest on and are sandwiched between the body 44 and the support 68, thereby securing the alignment pins 60 in position.
Preferably, the alignment pins 60 are press fit into the alignment bores 50 defined by the body 44. However, it should be understood that the alignment pins 60 may be attached to the body 44 by other methods, such as a set screw, tangent pin, glue, or some other method known to those skilled in the art.
Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a cover plate 70 is disposed adjacent the top surface of the body 58. The cover plate 70 includes a generally rectangular shape having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal sides and a pair of laterally spaced end walls. The cover plate 70 also defines a recess 46 in each of the longitudinal sides identical in size and shape and disposed over the recesses 46 defined by the body 44 and the support 68. The cover plate 70 defines at least two alignment bores 50 concentric with the alignment bores 50 defined by the body 44. The alignment bores 50 defined by the cover plate 70 include a diameter equal to the diameter of the shank portion 52 of the alignment bore 50 defined by the body 44. The cover plate 70 further defines a fastener passage 72 corresponding to each of the ejector bores 48 defined by the body 44 and the support 68. Preferably, and as shown in the Figures, the cover plate 70 defines four fastener passages 72 therethrough. Each of the fastener passages 72 is countersunk on a top surface of the cover plate 74.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an ejector shaft 76 is disposed in each of the ejector bores 48, and extends from a bottom surface of the cover plate 78 to near a bottom surface of the support 80. A fastener 82, such as a screw 82, is disposed within each of the fastener passages 72 and is in threaded engagement with the ejector shaft 76, thereby connecting the ejector shafts 76 to the cover plate 70. A head 62 of each of the fasteners is disposed within the countersunk portion of the fastener passage 72, below the top surface of the cover plate 74, to not interfere with movement of the several component layers 24 of the battery cell 10 over the top surface of the cover plate 74. The subject invention also provides a method of manufacturing the multi-layered battery cell 10.
Referring to FIG. 3, the method includes placing the several component layers 24 on the alignment device 20. Accordingly, the first insulator 36 layer is placed on the top surface of the cover plate 74, with the alignment apertures 42 positioned over the alignment pins 60. Likewise, the first electrode 26 layer is positioned over the first insulator 36 layer, the separator layer 34 is placed over the first electrode 26 layer, the second electrode 30 layer is placed over the separator layer 34, and the second insulator 38 layer is placed over the second electrode 30. The first current collector 28 is placed along one longitudinal side of the alignment device 20, over the second insulator 38 layer, and the second current collector 32 is placed along the other longitudinal side of the alignment device 20, over the second insulator 38 layer. Just as described for the first insulator 36 layer, the alignment apertures 42 defined by the first electrode 26, the separator layer 34, the second electrode 30, the second isolator layer, the first current collector 28 and the second current collector 32 are positioned over the alignment pin 60, with the alignment pin 60 extending through the several component layers 24 of the battery cell 10. In so doing, each of the several component layers 24 are properly aligned relative to each other. The several different component layers 24 are then attached together.
Preferably, and as is known in the art, the several different component layers 24 are attached by welding. After the several component layers 24 are assembled, i.e., attached together, an actuator (not shown) pushes upward on the ejector shafts 76 to raise the top cover and the assembled component layers 24 disposed thereon above the alignment pins 60. The assembled component layers 24 are then removed from the alignment device 20 for further manufacturing processes at other work stations. It is contemplated that at least one robotic arm (not shown) may be employed for moving the several different component layers 24 into position on the alignment device 20, and for moving the assembled component layers 24 from the alignment device 20 to the other manufacturing processes.
Referring to the FIGS. 11 through 14, another aspect of the present invention is shown. As best illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, each battery cell 10 includes an envelope or shell, generally indicated at 200 formed from a sheet of packaging material, such as aluminum. Those skilled in the lithium battery art will appreciate that the shell 200 may also be fabricated from any other suitable materials without limiting functional characteristics of the present invention. The shell 200 includes an upper wall 202 and a lower wall 204 defining a pocket 206 therebetween and extending over the first and second electrodes thereby encapsulating the first and second conductors with the shell 200 terminating into a negative terminal, defined by a lip 208 and a positive terminal (not shown) defined by another lip opposed the negative terminal with each of the positive and negative 208 terminals defining at least one contact with each of the negative and positive terminals.
Each of the contacts is provided for each polar contact to divide the current carrying capacity and to provide auxiliary paths for current flow in the event that one or more contacts would develop high resistance or electrically open. Each contact is further defined by an aperture or opening 210 defined in each terminal lip 208 transversely extending through the upper wall 202 and the lower wall 204. A pair first and second insulators 212 and 214 extend outwardly from the opposed openings 210 to define terminal ends 218 and 220, respectively.
A conductor device, generally shown at 230, formed from a copper or any other electrically conductive material, extends through each of the openings 210. A stud or the tie rod 234 extends through each opening 210 at each of the terminal lips 208 and is secured by a nut 236. As further illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, the device 230 is disposed between the first and second insulators 212 and 214 at the positive and negative terminals to define a boss or rivet, generally indicated at 240, around and above each of the openings 210.
FIG. 11 illustrates the device 230 in a non-folded stage and FIGS. 12 through 14 illustrate the device 230 in a folded stage. As best shown in FIG. 11, the device 230 is further defined by a tube 242 having terminal ends 244 and 246 and a radial lip 248 integral with and extending outwardly from tube 242. The terminal ends 246 and 248 are folded over the openings 210 and over the terminal ends 218 and 220 of the first and second insulators 212 and 214 to define a contact surface 250 that may include a concave configuration, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, or a rectangular configuration, as shown in FIG. 12, to provide improved “surface-to-surface” contact.
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080020272
