Press assembly and method for bending electrical terminals of battery cells

A press assembly for bending electrical terminals of battery cells, comprising:

• a supporting member having a receiving surface, a raised peripheral surface, and at least first and second guide members;
• the raised peripheral surface disposed around at least a portion of the receiving surface;
• the receiving surface configured to hold a first body portion of a first battery cell thereon, the first and second guide members disposed on the raised peripheral surface and configured to guide placement of the first battery cell onto the supporting member, the first battery cell having first and second electrical terminals extending from the first body portion;
• a lower plate having first and second dies coupled thereto, the first and second dies configured to hold the first and second electrical terminals, respectively, of the first battery cell thereon;
• an upper plate having third and fourth dies coupled thereto;
• at least first and second guide rods being disposed between the lower plate and the upper plate such that the upper plate is configured to move vertically on the first and second guide rods relative to the lower plate;
• and
• an actuation assembly configured to move the upper plate toward the lower plate such that the third die contacts the first electrical terminal and the first electrical terminal is bent into a first predetermined shape between the first and third dies, and the fourth die contacts the second electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal is bent into a second predetermined shape between the second and fourth dies.