# US 9,040,187 B2 · Battery pack with cells of different capacities electrically coupled in parallel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,040,187 B2 - Document ID: US9040187B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/835,617 - Filed: 2010-07-13 - Published: 2012-01-19 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-13 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Ramesh C. Bhardwaj; Taisup Hwang; Richard M. Mank - Inventors: Ramesh C. Bhardwaj; Taisup Hwang; Richard M. Mank - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040187B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/0565: Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type - H01M 10/0431: {Cells with wound or folded electrodes (H01M10/045 takes precedence)} - H01M 10/052: Li-accumulators - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - H01M 10/0587: of accumulators having only wound construction elements, i.e. wound positive electrodes, wound negative electrodes and wound separators - H01M 50/267: having means for adapting to batteries or cells of different types or different sizes - H01M 50/51: Connection only in series - H01M 50/512: Connection only in parallel - H01M 50/211: adapted for pouch cells - H01M 50/55: on the same side of the cell - H01M 50/553: Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells - H01M 2220/30: Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y10T 29/49108: Electric battery cell making - 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 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract The disclosed embodiments provide a battery pack for use with a portable electronic device. The battery pack includes a first set of cells with different capacities electrically coupled in a parallel configuration. Cells within the first set of cells may also have different thicknesses and/or dimensions. The first set of cells is arranged within the battery pack to facilitate efficient use of space within a portable electronic device. For example, the first set of cells may be arranged to accommodate components in the portable electronic device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable computing device, comprising: a set of computing components including, a processor, a memory, and a display; a first set of battery cells having different capacities and dimensions electrically coupled in a parallel configuration, wherein an anode of each battery cell is electrically coupled to an anode of each of the other battery cells and a cathode of each battery cell is electrically coupled to a cathode of each of the other battery cells; and a second set of battery cells having different capacities and dimensions electrically coupled in a parallel configuration; wherein the first set of battery cells and the second set of battery cells have substantially the same capacity; wherein the first set of battery cells and the second set of battery cells are electrically coupled in a series configuration; and wherein the first and second sets of battery cells are arranged among the set of computing components within the portable computing device to substantially maximize the use of free space within the portable computing device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein the first set of battery cells is stacked, placed side-by-side, or placed top-to-bottom. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein battery cells within the first set of battery cells have different thicknesses. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first set of battery cells correspond to a lithium-polymer battery cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The portable computing device of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first set of battery cells comprise: a jelly roll comprising layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating; and a pouch enclosing the jelly roll. ### Claim 6 A method for providing a power source for a portable computing device, comprising: arranging a first set of battery cells having different dimensions and capacities within the portable computing device; arranging a second set of battery cells having different dimensions and capacities within the portable computing device; wherein the first and second sets of battery cells are arranged among a set of computing components within the portable computing to substantially maximize the use of free space within the portable computing device; wherein the set of computing components include, a processor, a memory, and a display; electrically coupling the first set of battery cells in a parallel configuration wherein, an anode of each battery cell is electrically coupled to an anode of each of the other battery cells and a cathode of each battery cell is electrically coupled to a cathode of each of the other battery cells; electrically coupling the second set of battery cells in a parallel configuration; wherein the first set of battery cells coupled in parallel and the second set of battery cells coupled in parallel have substantially the same capacity; and electrically coupling the first set of battery cells and the second set of battery cells in a series configuration. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the first set of battery cells is stacked, placed side-by-side, or placed top-to-bottom within the battery pack. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein one or more of the first set of battery cells comprise: a jelly roll comprising layers which are wound together, including a cathode with an active coating, a separator, and an anode with an active coating; and a pouch enclosing the jelly roll.