Connector assembly for connecting battery cells

A conductive weld cup for connecting a plurality of battery cells in a serial/parallel arrangement, each battery cell including a cover and a canister having a side and a bottom, where a segment of the side of the canister forms a top crimped portion that retains the cover and is electrically isolated from the cover, the conductive weld cup comprising:

• a bordered portion having a first side wall, a ledge and an integrated tab projecting from the first side wall, wherein the ledge and the integrated tab are disposed at an angle to the first side wall;
• and
• a recessed portion recessed within the ledge, wherein the recessed portion includes a second side wall and a floor that is bounded by the second side wall,
• where an inner surface of the bordered portion engages an outer surface of the side and the bottom of the canister of an upper adjacent battery cell and an outer surface of the floor engages a top surface of the cover of a lower adjacent battery cell, and where the integrated tab is provided for coupling the battery cells of two battery sticks in parallel.

A battery stick terminal end connector assembly for connecting a plurality of battery sticks in a serial/parallel arrangement, each of the battery sticks including a plurality of battery cells, each of the battery cells including a cover and a canister having a side and a bottom, where a segment of the side of the canister forms a top crimped portion that retains the cover and is electrically isolated from the cover, the battery stick end connector assembly comprising:

• a plurality of terminal end cups, each including:
• a bordered portion having, a first side wall and a ledge that is bordered by the first side wall;
• and
• a recessed portion recessed within the ledge, wherein the recessed portion includes a second side wall and a floor that is surrounded by the second side wall,
• where an outer surface of the floor engages the cover of an upper end battery cell or the bottom of the canister of a lower end battery cell;
• a plurality of conductive battery stick terminal end connectors, each including:
• a solid portion having an edge surface, a first face and a second face, wherein the first and second faces are substantially planar and are joined about their perimeter by the edge surface;
• and
• a central protrusion protruding from the second face, wherein the central protrusion includes a side surface and a third face that is substantially planar and substantially orthogonal to the side surface,
• where the first face and the edge surface engage an inner surface of the bordered portion of one of the terminal end cups, and where the central protrusion has a threaded bore for receiving a machine screw for retaining an end conductive strap;
• and
• an insulative cup for preventing the cover of the upper end battery cell from coming in electrical contact with the canister of the upper end battery cell when the terminal end cup is coupled to the cover of the upper end battery cell, the insulative cup including a rim and a substantially planar portion, wherein the planar portion includes an opening for receiving the recessed portion of the terminal end cup, and wherein an inner surface of the rim and the planar portion engage the side and the top crimped portion of the canister of the upper end battery cell.

A battery stick connector assembly for connecting a plurality of battery sticks and a plurality of battery cells in a serial/parallel arrangement, each of the battery sticks including a number of the battery cells, each of the battery cells including a cover and a canister having a side and a bottom, where a segment of the side of the canister forms a top crimped portion that retains the cover and is electrically isolated from the cover, the battery stick connector assembly comprising:

• a plurality of conductive weld cups, each including:
• a first bordered portion having a first side wall, a first ledge, and an integrated tab projecting from the first side wall, wherein the ledge and the integrated tab form an angle with the first side wall;
• and
• a first recessed portion recessed within the first bordered portion, wherein the first recessed portion includes a second side wall and a first floor bounded by the second side wall,
• where an inner surface of the first bordered portion engages an outer surface of the side and the bottom of the canister of an upper adjacent battery cell and an outer surface of the first floor engages the cover of a lower adjacent battery cell, and where the integrated tab is provided for coupling the battery cells of two adjacent battery sticks in parallel;
• a plurality of first insulative cups for preventing the top crimped portion of a lower adjacent battery cell from coming in electrical contact with the bottom of the canister of an upper adjacent battery cell when the lower and the upper adjacent battery cells are serially coupled, the first insulative cups located between the top crimped portion of the lower adjacent battery cell canister and the bottom of the canister of the upper adjacent battery cell, each of the first insulative cups including:
• a first rimmed portion having a first substantially planar portion and a first rim extending about the periphery of first planar portion, wherein the first substantially planar portion includes an opening for receiving the first recessed portion of a weld cup and is configured to accept an intermediate conductive strap that attaches to the integrated tab, and wherein an inner surface of the first rim and the first substantially planar portion engage the side and the top crimped portion of the canister of a lower adjacent battery cell;
• a plurality of conductive terminal end cups, each including:
• a second bordered portion having a third side wall and a second ledge that is bordered by the third side wall;
• and
• a second recessed portion recessed within the second bordered portion, wherein the second recessed portion includes a fourth side wall and a second floor that is bounded by the fourth side wall,
• where an outer surface of the second floor engages the cover of an upper end battery cell or the bottom of a canister of a lower end battery cell of one of the battery sticks;
• a plurality of conductive battery stick terminal end connectors, each of the terminal end connectors including:
• a solid portion having an edge surface, a first face and a second face, wherein the first and second faces are joined about their perimeter by the edge surface;
• and
• a central protrusion protruding from the second face, wherein the central protrusion includes a side surface and a third face that is substantially planar and is substantially orthogonal to the side surface,
• where the first face and the edge surface engage an inner surface of the second ledge and the third side wall of one of the terminal end cups, and where one of the solid portion and the central protrusion have a threaded bore for receiving a machine screw for retaining an end conductive strap;
• and
• a second insulative cup for preventing the cover of the upper end battery cell from coming in electrical contact with the canister of the upper end battery cell when a terminal end cup is coupled to the cover of the upper end battery cell, the second insulative cup including:
• a second rimmed portion having a second substantially planar portion and a second rim extending about the periphery of the second substantially planar portion, wherein the second substantially planar portion includes an opening for receiving the second recessed portion of a terminal end cup, and wherein an inner surface of the second rim and the second substantially planar portion engage the side and the top crimped portion of the canister of the upper end battery cell.

A battery stick terminal end assembly for connecting a plurality of battery sticks in a serial/parallel arrangement, each of the battery sticks including a plurality of battery cells, each of the battery cells including a cover and a canister having a side and a bottom, where a segment of the side of the canister forms a top crimped portion that retains the cover and is electrically isolated from the cover, the battery stick end connector assembly comprising:

• a plurality of conductive terminal end cups, each including:
• a bordered portion having a first side wall and a ledge that is bordered by the first side wall,
• where an outer surface of the terminal end cup engages the cover of an upper end battery cell or the bottom of the canister of a lower end battery cell;
• a plurality of conductive battery stick terminal end connectors, each including:
• a solid portion having an edge surface, a first face and a second face, wherein the first and second faces are substantially planar and are joined about their perimeter by the edge surface,
• where the first face and the edge surface engage an inner surface of the ledge and the first side wall of one of the terminal end cups, and where the solid portion has a threaded bore for receiving a machine screw for retaining an end conductive strap.

A battery stick terminal end connector assembly for connecting a plurality of battery sticks in a serial/parallel arrangement, each of the battery sticks including a plurality of battery cells, each of the battery cells including a cover and a canister having a side and a bottom, where a segment of the side of the canister forms a top crimped portion that retains the cover and is electrically isolated from the cover, the battery stick end connector assembly comprising:

• a first conductive terminal end cup, including:
• a first bordered portion having a first side wall and a first ledge that is disposed at an angle to the first side wall;
• and
• a recessed portion recessed within the first bordered portion, wherein the recessed portion includes a second side wall and a floor that is bounded by the second side wall,
• where an outer surface of the floor engages the cover of an upper end battery cell;
• a second conductive terminal end cup, including:
• a second bordered portion having a third side wall and a second ledge that is disposed at an angle to the third side wall,
• where an outer surface of the second ledge engages the bottom of the canister of a lower end battery cell;
• first and second conductive battery stick terminal end connectors, each including:
• a solid portion having an edge surface, a first face and a second face, wherein the first and second faces are substantially planar and are joined about their periphery by the edge surface,
• where the first face and the edge surface of the first and second terminal end connectors respectively engage an inner surface of the first and second bordered portions of the first and second conductive terminal end cups, and where the first and second terminal end connectors each have a threaded bore for receiving a machine screw for retaining an end conductive strap;
• and
• an insulative cup for preventing the cover of the upper end battery cell from coming in electrical contact with the canister of the upper end battery cell when the first terminal end cup is coupled to the cover of the upper end battery cell, the insulative cup including a rim and a substantially planar portion surrounded by the rim, wherein the planar portion includes an opening for receiving the recessed portion of the first terminal end cup, and wherein an inner surface of the rim and the planar portion engage the side and the top crimped portion of the canister of the upper end battery cell.