# US 12,191,511 B2 · Battery cell with serpentine tab

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- Number: US 12,191,511 B2
- Document ID: US12191511B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/874,355
- Filed: 2020-05-14
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-20
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Kyle Tse; Abhishek P. Shiwalkar; Shawn G. Fink; Christopher R. Pasma; Hirotsugu Oba; Brian K. Shiu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191511B2

## CPC

- H01M 50/109: of button or coin shape
- H01M 50/186: characterised by the disposition of the sealing members
- H01M 50/153: for button or coin cells
- H01M 50/181: for button or coin cells
- H01M 50/191: Inorganic material
- H01M 50/474: characterised by their position inside the cells
- H01M 50/528: Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection
- H01M 50/531: Electrode connections inside a battery casing
- H01M 50/533: characterised by the shape of the leads or tabs
- H01M 50/559: Terminals adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round, elliptic or button cells (H01M50/553 takes precedence)
- H01M 50/562: characterised by the material
- H01M 50/586: inside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of electrodes
- H01M 50/566: by welding, soldering or brazing
- 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

The disclosed technology relates to an electrical feedthrough for a battery cell. The electrical feedthrough may include a pin configured to form an external battery terminal, an insulator surrounding the pin and configured to electrically isolate the pin, a channel, and a serpentine tab electrically coupled to the pin at a first end. The serpentine tab is nested within the channel to minimize use of space within an enclosure of the battery cell thereby increasing energy capacity of the battery cell by eliminating the need to allot space within the enclosure to accommodate the tab.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A battery cell, comprising:
a set of layers comprising a cathode layer, an anode layer, and a separator layer disposed between the cathode layer and the anode layer;
an enclosure enclosing the set of layers;
a cap disposed over an opening of the enclosure, wherein the cap comprises a channel extending along a periphery of a surface of the cap; and
a feedthrough comprising:
a pin extending from the surface of the cap to form an external battery terminal;
an insulator surrounding the pin and configured to electrically isolate the pin;
a serpentine tab electrically coupled to the pin extending from the surface of the cap at a first end, the serpentine tab electrically coupled to a tab extending from the set of layers at a second end; and
wherein the serpentine tab is nested within the channel to minimize use of space within the enclosure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The battery cell of claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the set of layers and the serpentine tab.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The battery cell of claim 1, wherein the feedthrough further comprises a plug configured to seal a hole used to fill the enclosure with electrolyte.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The battery cell of claim 1, wherein the feedthrough further comprises an insert disposed within the channel, the insert configured to electrically isolate the serpentine tab from the channel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The battery cell of claim 1, wherein an intermediate portion of the serpentine tab and the second end of the serpentine tab are disposed entirely within the channel, the intermediate portion extending from the first end.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The battery cell of claim 1, wherein the serpentine tab comprises an insulated portion extending between the first end and the second end.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The battery cell of claim 1, wherein the insulator is formed of glass.

### Claim 8

A battery feedthrough, comprising:
a cap configured to be disposed over an opening of the enclosure, wherein the cap comprises a channel extending along a periphery of a surface of the cap;
a pin disposed through an opening of the cap, the pin extending from the surface of the cap to form an external battery terminal;
an insulator surrounding the pin, the insulator bonded to a periphery of the opening of the cap and configured to electrically isolate the pin from the cap;
a channel formed on a surface of the cap;
a serpentine tab electrically coupled to the pin extending from the surface of the cap at a first end; and
wherein an intermediate portion of the serpentine tab and a second end of the serpentine tab are disposed entirely within the channel to minimize use of space within the cap.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The battery feedthrough of claim 8, wherein the feedthrough further comprises an insert disposed within the channel, the insert configured to electrically isolate the serpentine tab from the cap.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The battery feedthrough of claim 8, wherein a material of the pin comprises molybdenum.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The battery feedthrough of claim 8, wherein the serpentine tab comprises an insulated portion extending between the first end and the second end.