Scissor fixture for battery assembly and related method
AssigneeGridtential Energy, Inc.
InventorNicholas G. Bauer
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Abstract
Fabrication of a battery assembly, such as a bipolar battery assembly, can include placing a stack of modules or bipolar plate (e.g., “biplate”) elements in compression and keeping such a stack captive in compression during or after a welding operation. To facilitate such stacking and compression, the present inventor has, among other things, developed a fixture comprising tray structures that can hold (e.g., support) respective casing portions of the bipolar battery assembly. The tray structures can move away from or toward each other, such as having motion constrained by an articulating structure between respective trays. For example, as shown and described herein one or more scissor structures can be included to couple respective trays to each other.
Claims20
A method for fabricating a battery assembly, the method comprising:
- assembling a stack of biplate assemblies including aligning the biplate assemblies using a fixture, the fixture having at least one feature sized and shaped to engage a corresponding feature in a first casing portion in the stack of biplate assemblies;
- compressing the stack of biplate assemblies;
- mating a second casing portion comprising an optically-transmissive region to the first casing portion;
- irradiating an optically-absorbing region of the first casing portion through an optically-transmissive portion of the second casing portion to form a weld structure along at least one edge of the second casing portion.
A method for fabricating a battery assembly, the method comprising:
- assembling a stack of biplate assemblies including aligning the biplate assemblies using a fixture, the fixture having at least one feature sized and shaped to engage a corresponding feature in a first casing portion in the stack of biplate assemblies;
- compressing the stack of biplate assemblies;
- mating a panel comprising an optically-transmissive region to the first casing portion;
- securing the compressed stack of biplate assemblies by end structures applied to the compressed stack of biplate assemblies, the end structures fastened to a fixture that aligns the compressed stack of biplate assemblies;
- and
- irradiating an optically-absorbing region of the first casing portion through an optically-transmissive portion of the panel using a laser to thermally form a weld structure along at least one edge of the panel.
An assembly comprising:
- two or more biplate assemblies;
- a fixture comprising at least one feature sized and shaped to engage a corresponding feature in the two or more biplate assemblies to align the biplate assemblies in a stack for a welding operation;
- and
- respective end structures fastened to the fixture to maintain compression of the two or more biplate assemblies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.