Offset bus bar current collectors
AssigneesRobert Bosch Battery Systems LLC, Robert Bosch GmbH
InventorMark Kotik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A battery system includes a pair of current collectors that are configured to provide a parallel electrical connection between electrochemical cells of a cell array. The pair of current collectors includes a first current collector plate that provides an electrical connection between the ends of the respective cells, and a second current collector plate that includes openings that receive the cells therein, and provide an electrical connection between the sidewalls of the respective cells. The current collectors are each on the same end of the cells and the opposed end of the cell can be protected or electrically isolated for a multitude of functions, such as cell cooling.
Claims17
A battery module comprising:
- a first current collector comprising an electrically conductive first plate having a first plate first surface, a first plate second surface that is parallel to the first plate first surface, and a first plate peripheral edge that extends between the first plate first surface and the first plate second surface;
- a second current collector comprising an electrically conductive second plate having a second plate first surface, a second plate second surface that is parallel to the second plate first surface, a second plate peripheral edge that extends between the second plate first surface and the second plate second surface and an opening that extends between the second plate first surface and the second plate second surface;
- and
- at least one electrochemical cell, each cell including
- a cell housing having
- a cell housing first end that has a first polarity and serves as a first terminal of the cell,
- a cell housing second end that is opposed to the cell housing first end, and
- a cell housing sidewall that extends between the cell housing first end and the cell housing second end, the cell housing sidewall having a second polarity and serving as a second terminal of the cell, the second polarity being different from the first polarity,
- wherein
- the cell is disposed in the opening in such a way that the second terminal of the cell directly contacts the opening and is electrically connected to the opening;
- and
- the first plate second surface directly contacts the first terminal of the cell and is electrically connected to the first terminal of the cell.
A battery module comprising
- an array of electrochemical cells, a first current collector and a second current collector, wherein
- each cell includes a cell housing having
- a cell housing first end that has a first polarity and serves as a first terminal of the cell,
- a cell housing second end that is opposed to the cell housing first end,
- a longitudinal axis that extends between the cell housing first end and the cell housing second end, and
- a cell housing sidewall that extends between the cell housing first end and the cell housing second end, the cell housing sidewall having a second polarity and serving as a second terminal of the cell, the second polarity being different from the first polarity,
- the first current collector comprises a first plate that is
- disposed at the first end of the cell housing,
- in direct contact with the first terminal of at least one electrical cell of the array, and
- is electrically connected to the cell housing first end of the at least one electrical cell of the array, and
- the second current collector comprises a second plate that is
- disposed at the first end of the cell housing,
- in direct contact with the second terminal of the at least one electrical cell of the array,
- is electrically connected to the second tem final of the at least one electrochemical cell of the array,
- is parallel to the first current collector,
- underlies the first current collector along an axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cells,
- is spaced apart from the first current collector, and
- at least one of the first current collector and the second current collector forms the respective electrical connection with the at least one electrochemical cell of the array via the direct contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.