Methods of welding a bonding connector of a contact plate to a battery cell terminal

US11024924B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• TIVENI MERGECO, INC. · US

Inventors

• Heiner Fees · Bietigheim-Bissingen, DE
• Andreas Track · Sachsenheim, DE
• Alexander Eichhorn · Eppingen, DE
• Ralf Maisch · Abstatt, DE
• Jörg Damaske · Freiberg, DE
• Martin Eberhard · Woodside, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 5, 2017
• Grant date: Jun 1, 2021
• Expiry date: Dec 1, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T10/70
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to establishing a direct electrical bond between a bonding connector of a contact plate and a battery cell in a battery module. In a first embodiment, an oscillating laser is used to weld the bonding connector to a battery cell terminal over a target area over which the bonding connector makes non-flush contact. In a second embodiment, the bonding connector is flattened to reduce a gap between the bonding connector and the target area on the battery cell terminal, and then laser-welded (e.g., using an oscillating or non-oscillating laser). In a third embodiment, at least one hold-down mechanism is applied over the bonding connector to secure the bonding connector to the battery cell terminal, after which the bonding connector is laser-welded to the battery cell terminal.