# US 12,113,240 B1 · Insulator for battery cells > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,240 B1 - Document ID: US12113240B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/487,972 - Filed: 2023-10-16 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2023-10-16 - Assignees: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC - Applicants: Rivian IP Holdings, LLC - Inventors: Abigail Elizabeth Wucherer; Rajeev Dhiman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113240B1 ## CPC - H01M 50/463: Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their shape - H01M 50/103: prismatic or rectangular (H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence) - H01M 50/15: for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/153 takes precedence) - H01M 50/403: Manufacturing processes of separators, membranes or diaphragms - H01M 50/533: characterised by the shape of the leads or tabs - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - 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 Aspects of the disclosure relate to an insulator configured to attach to and extend along a length of a current collector of a battery cell. The insulator may include a body configured to prevent contact between the current collector and a housing of the battery cell. The insulator may include an attachment feature at a first end of the body. The attachment feature may be configured to attach the body to a first end of the current collector. The insulator may include a protrusion at a second end of the body. The protrusion may be configured to prevent rotation of the body with respect to the current collector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus, comprising: an insulator configured to attach to and extend along a length of a current collector of a battery cell, wherein the insulator comprises: a body configured to prevent a contact between the current collector and a housing of the battery cell; at least one attachment feature at a first end of the body, the at least one attachment feature configured to attach the body to a first end of the current collector; and at least one protrusion at a second end of the body, the at least one protrusion configured to prevent rotation of the body with respect to the current collector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion is configured to extend into an opening in the current collector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion, wherein the first protrusion is configured to engage with a first inner surface of the opening in the current collector, and wherein the second protrusion is configured to engage with an opposing second inner surface of the opening in the current collector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one attachment feature comprises a pair of snap-in features configured to attach the body to the current collector using a snap fit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body of the insulator is formed from an insert molded insulating material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body of the insulator further comprises at least one flange configured to wrap around at least one corresponding edge of the current collector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one flange comprises a first flange along a first edge of the body and configured to wrap around a first corresponding edge of the current collector, and a second flange along an opposing second edge of the body and configured to wrap around a second corresponding edge of the current collector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a portion of the at least one flange is that is configured to wrap around the at least one corresponding edge of the current collector is configured to be spaced apart from the current collector to form a gap between the current collector and the portion of the at least one flange for accommodating one or more tabs of an electrode stack of the battery cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body of the insulator comprises a central opening that is configured to align with a central opening of the current collector. ### Claim 10 A battery cell, comprising: an insulator configured to attach to and extend along a length of a current collector of the battery cell, wherein the insulator comprises: a body configured to prevent a contact between the current collector and a housing of the battery cell; at least one attachment feature at a first end of the body, the at least one attachment feature configured to attach the body to a first end of the current collector; and at least one protrusion at a second end of the body, the at least one protrusion configured to prevent rotation of the body with respect to the current collector. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The battery cell of claim 10, further comprising the current collector, wherein the battery cell comprises a prismatic cell. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The battery cell of claim 11, wherein the current collector is disposed at a first end of the battery cell. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The battery cell of claim 12, further comprising an additional current collector at an opposing second end of the battery cell, and an additional insulator attached to the additional current collector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The battery cell of claim 10, further comprising: an electrode stack; a lid; and an external contact forming a terminal on the lid; wherein the current collector connects the electrode stack to the terminal on the lid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The battery cell of claim 14, wherein the body of the insulator further comprises at least one flange configured to wrap around at least one corresponding edge of the current collector. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The battery cell of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of tabs extending from the electrode stack into a gap between the at least one flange and the current collector. ### Claim 17 A method, comprising: welding a current collector of a battery cell to an electrode stack for the battery cell; attaching an insulator to the current collector, wherein the insulator comprises at least one attachment feature at a first end and at least one protrusion at an opposing second end, the at least one protrusion configured to prevent rotation of the insulator with respect to the current collector; and inserting, into a housing for the battery cell, the electrode stack with the current collector welded thereto and having the insulator attached to the current collector, wherein, during the inserting, the insulator prevents contact between the current collector and the housing of the battery cell. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the welding comprises welding a plurality of foil tabs extending from the electrode stack to the current collector, and wherein attaching the insulator to the current collector comprises at least partially encompassing the plurality of foil tabs in a gab between the current collector and a flange of the insulator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, whetein the current collector is disposed at a first end of the battery cell, and wherein the method further comprises, prior to the inserting, attaching an additional insulator to an additional current collector at an opposing second end of the battery cell.