Temporary insulator for battery packs and associated systems and methods

A battery pack, comprising:

• a plurality of battery cells, each having a first conductive surface;
• a generally flat, strip-shaped electrically conductive member electrically connected between the first conductive surfaces of at least two of the battery cells, the electrically conductive member having two oppositely-facing surfaces, one of which is uninsulated, the other of which includes a second conductive surface that is attached to the first conductive surfaces of the battery cell;
• and
• an electrically insulating material carried by the electrically conductive member adjacent to the second conductive surface, the electrically insulating material having individual ablated passages facing toward the corresponding first surfaces of the at least two battery cells, the electrically conductive member being electrically welded to the corresponding first surfaces at welds that extend through the ablated passages.

A method for assembling a battery pack, comprising:

• positioning a battery cell having a first conductive surface adjacent to an electrically conductive member having a second conductive surface facing toward the first conductive surface;
• heating a portion of the electrically conductive member to ablate at least a portion of an electrical insulator positioned between the first conductive surface of the battery cell and the second conductive surface of the electrically conductive member to form an ablated region through the electrical insulator;
• and
• attaching, via the ablated region, a first portion of the first conductive surface to a second portion of the second conductive surface to electrically connect the electrically conductive member to the battery cell.

A method for assembling a battery pack, the method comprising:

• positioning a battery cell having a first conductive surface adjacent to an electrically conductive member having a second conductive surface facing toward the first conductive surface;
• heating the electrically conductive member in a continuous heating process by passing an electrical current through the electrically conductive member to:
• (a) ablate at least a portion of an electrical insulator carried by the electrically conductive member and positioned between the electrically conductive member and a battery cell to form a passage through the electrical insulator;
• and
• (b) weld, via the passage, a first portion of the first conductive surface to a second portion of the second conductive surface to electrically connect the electrically conductive member to the battery cell;
• visually testing an integrity of the electrical connection between the electrically conductive member and the battery cell before bending the electrically conductive member;
• determining that the electrical connection is faulty;
• re-attaching the first conductive surface to the second conductive surface;
• and
• bending the electrically conductive member after re-attaching the first conductive surface to the second conductive surface, without electrically disconnecting the first conductive surface from the second conductive surface.