# US 12,002,972 B2 · Top cover assembly, battery cell, battery module and manufacturing methods therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,972 B2 - Document ID: US12002972B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/138,852 - Filed: 2020-12-30 - Published: 2021-04-22 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-20 - Assignees: Jiangsu Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited - Applicants: Jiangsu Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited - Inventors: Yuyong Lei; Chengyou Xing; Peng Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002972B2 ## CPC - H01M 50/147: Lids or covers - H01M 50/15: for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/153 takes precedence) - H01M 10/425: {Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing (printed circuits H05K1/00)} - H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 50/209: adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) - H01M 50/258: Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling - H01M 50/271: Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings - H01M 50/298: characterised by the wiring of battery packs - H01M 50/30: Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases - H01M 50/507: comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules - H01M 50/516: by welding, soldering or brazing - H01M 50/536: characterised by the method of fixing the leads to the electrodes, e.g. by welding - H01M 50/569: Constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals (battery terminal connectors with integrated measuring arrangements G01R31/364) - H01M 50/284: with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB] - H01M 50/287: Fixing of circuit boards to lids or covers - H01M 50/55: on the same side of the cell - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A top cover assembly of a battery cell, a battery cell, and a battery module. The top cover assembly of the battery cell includes: a separator plate and a top cover assembly. The separator plate is provided with sampling channel(s) for accommodating a sampling member. The top cover plate is configured for sealing an electrode assembly of the battery cell into the battery housing, where the top cover plate is provided below the separator plate, and the separator plate is fixed to the top cover plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A top cover assembly, for a battery cell, comprising: a separator plate, wherein the separator plate is provided with sampling channel(s) for accommodating a sampling member; and a top cover plate, wherein the top cover plate is configured to seal an electrode assembly of the battery cell into a battery housing, wherein the top cover plate is provided below the separator plate, and the separator plate is fixed to the top cover plate; wherein the separator plate comprises a first plate and a second plate, the first plate and the second plate both extend along a widthwise direction and are disposed opposite each other along a lengthwise direction, and the sampling channel(s) is formed between the first plate and the second plate; the sampling channel(s) is disposed on an upper surface of the separator plate, a recess is disposed on a lower surface of the separator plate, the recess is disposed opposite an explosion-proof valve of the battery cell, and the recess extends along a widthwise direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The top cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the separator plate is fixed to the top cover plate by means of bonding, bolt connection, riveting, clamping, or interference fit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The top cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein a bottom of the separator plate is provided with a protrusion portion, a top of the top cover plate is provided with a blind hole, and the protrusion portion is accommodated in the blind hole so as to fix the separator plate to the top cover plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The top cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein a top of the top cover plate is provided with a projection portion, the separator plate is provided with a through hole, and the projection part penetrates the through hole and rivets the separator plate so as to fix the separator to the top cover plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The top cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the separator plate is further provided with an electrode connecting sheet positioning structure, and the electrode connecting sheet positioning structure is configured to limit displacement of an electrode connecting sheet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The top cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the number of the first plate is two, and the two first plates are disposed opposite each other along the lengthwise direction; the number of the second plate is two, and the two second plates are disposed opposite each other along the lengthwise direction; three sampling channels are formed between the two first plates and the two second plates. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The top cover assembly according to claim 6, wherein the separator plate is provided with a pole through hole, the pole through hole is configured to penetrate a pole of the battery cell, and the first plate is provided with a sampling opening for the sampling member to penetrate. ### Claim 8 A battery cell, comprising: a battery housing, with an opening; an electrode assembly, accommodated in the battery housing; and a top cover assembly, comprising: a separator plate, wherein the separator plate is provided with sampling channel(s) for accommodating a sampling member; and a top cover plate, wherein the top cover plate is configured to seal an electrode assembly of the battery cell into a battery housing, wherein the top cover plate is provided below the separator plate, and the separator plate is fixed to the top cover plate, and the top cover assembly covers the opening; wherein the separator plate comprises a first plate and a second plate, the first plate and the second plate both extend along a widthwise direction and are disposed opposite each other along a lengthwise direction, and the sampling channel(s) is formed between the first plate and the second plate; the sampling channel(s) is disposed on an upper surface of the separator plate, a recess is disposed on a lower surface of the separator plate, the recess is disposed opposite an explosion-proof valve of the battery cell, and the recess extends along a widthwise direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The battery cell according to claim 8, wherein the separator plate is fixed to the top cover plate by means of bonding, bolt connection, riveting, clamping, or interference fit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The battery cell according to claim 8, wherein a bottom of the separator plate is provided with a protrusion portion, a top of the top cover plate is provided with a blind hole, and the protrusion portion is accommodated in the blind hole so as to fix the separator plate to the top cover plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The battery cell according to claim 8, wherein a top of the top cover plate is provided with a projection portion, the separator plate is provided with a through hole, and the projection part penetrates the through hole and rivets the separator plate so as to fix the separator to the top cover plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The battery cell according to claim 8, wherein the separator plate is further provided with an electrode connecting sheet positioning structure, and the electrode connecting sheet positioning structure is configured to limit displacement of an electrode connecting sheet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A battery module, comprising: more than two of the battery cells according to claim 10, wherein more than two of the battery cells are arranged in sequence, the sampling channels among more than two of the battery cells are connected to each other, and more than two of the battery cells are electrically connected by the electrode connecting sheet; and the sampling member, wherein the sampling member is accommodated in the sampling channels. ### Claim 14 A manufacturing method for a top cover assembly, comprising following steps: providing a separator plate and a top cover plate configured to seal an electrode assembly of a battery cell into a battery housing; wherein a pole is disposed on the top cover plate, a pole through hole and sampling channel(s) for accommodating a sampling member are disposed on the separator plate; covering the separator plate on the top cover plate, so that the pole through hole of the separator plate penetrates the pole of the top cover plate; and fixing the separator plate to the top cover plate to obtain a top cover assembly; wherein the separator plate comprises a first plate and a second plate, the first plate and the second plate both extend along a widthwise direction and are disposed opposite each other along a lengthwise direction, and the sampling channel(s) is formed between the first plate and the second plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The manufacturing method for a top cover assembly according to claim 14, wherein in the step of covering the separator plate on the top cover plate, specifically comprises: providing a backside blind hole to the top cover plate; making a protrusion portion at a bottom of the separator plate; extending the protrusion portion into the blind hole until the separator plate is attached to the top cover plate; or making a projection portion at a top of the top cover plate; providing a through hole to the separator plate; and making the projection portion penetrate the through hole until the separator plate is attached to the top cover plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A manufacturing method for a battery cell, comprising following steps: providing a battery housing equipped with an electrode assembly, and the top cover assembly produced with the manufacturing method for a top cover assembly according to claim 14; wherein the battery housing is provided with an opening; and assembling the top cover assembly and the battery housing so that the top cover plate seals the opening to produce the battery cell. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A manufacturing method for a battery module, comprising following steps: providing a sampling member, at least one electrode connecting sheet and a plurality of battery cells produced with the manufacturing method for the battery cell according to claim 16; arranging the plurality of battery cells along a preset direction, so that sampling channels on each battery cell communicate with each other; welding at least one of the electrode connecting sheet to the poles of the plurality of battery cells, so that the plurality of the battery cells are connected in parallel or in series; and connecting one end of the sampling member to the electrode connecting sheet, and introducing the other end of the sampling member to the sampling channels to obtain the battery module. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The manufacturing method for a battery module according to claim 17, wherein the separator plate of each battery cell is further provided with an electrode connecting sheet positioning structure; after the step of arranging the plurality of battery cells along the preset direction and before the step of welding the electrode connecting sheet to the pole of the plurality of battery cells, wherein further comprises a following step: positioning the electrode connecting sheet with the electrode connecting sheet positioning structure of each battery cell.