Patent · US Expired

Induction heating apparatus and method for fusing battery cell terminals

US6008480A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
13References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 13, 1997
Grant dateDec 28, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 13, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49108
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An induction heating method and apparatus for simultaneously and efficiently fusing battery cell terminal posts and bushings in a battery production line. The apparatus includes an induction heating generator having a T-shaped bus bar for symmetrically supporting a plurality of pairs of induction heating coils, with one coil of each pair being supported on the forward side of a transverse bus bar section and the other coil of each pair being supported on a rear side of the transverse bus bar section. The coils each have respective mounting structures for permitting individual vertical adjustment of the coil with respect to the bus bar to enable uniform positioning of the coils with respect to a plurality of bushings and terminal posts for effecting uniform depth fusion of the plurality of posts and bushings. The induction heating coils define a water flow path through which cooling water is circulated during the fusion operation, while efficiencies and symmetries in the bus bar design enable it to support and conduct current to the respective coils without water cooling.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.