IP Library › Granted Patent US 12689098

Granted Patent B2

US 12689098 · App. 17/421,667 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Energy storage apparatus

Inventor: Takaaki Ishikawa (Kyoto, JP)

Assignee: GS YUASA INTERNATIONAL LTD.

H01M50/507 H01M50/209 H01M50/242 H01M50/50 H01M50/547 H01M50/516

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12689098
App. No.: 17/421,667
Granted: Jul 21, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

An energy storage apparatus includes a plurality of energy storage devices and bus bars. The plurality of energy storage devices include four energy storage devices arranged in two rows and two columns in a Z-axis direction and an X-axis direction and arranged with long side surfaces a facing the Z-axis direction. Each of the four energy storage devices includes an electrode terminal at an end portion in a Y-axis direction. The bus bar includes four connecting portions connected to the respective electrode terminals of the four energy storage devices, a curved portion extending in the X-axis direction, and notch portions extending along the Z-axis direction from end edges in the Z-axis direction. The curved portion is arranged at a position in the Z-axis direction between two connecting portions arranged in the Z-axis direction among the four connecting portions.

Claims (63)

1 . An energy storage apparatus comprising:

a plurality of energy storage devices; and

a first bus bar,

wherein the plurality of energy storage devices includes four energy storage devices arranged in two rows and two columns in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and arranged with long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices facing the first direction, the long side surfaces being larger than other side surfaces of the four energy storage devices,

wherein each of the four energy storage devices includes an electrode terminal at an end portion of each of the four energy storage devices in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and

wherein the first bus bar includes:

four connecting portions electrically connected to the respective electrode terminals of the four energy storage devices and disposed so as for a line connecting the four connecting portions to make a rectangle shape;

a curved portion arranged at a position in the first direction between two connecting portions arranged in the first direction among the four connecting portions and extending in the second direction; and

wherein the first bus bar is an integral member and formed as a single bus bar,

wherein the curved portion is provided continuously from one end to the other end in the second direction in the first bus bar,

wherein the four connecting portions electrically and mechanically connect the electrode terminals of the four energy storage devices to each other,

wherein the long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices are exclusive of smaller side surfaces and edges, and

wherein the long side surfaces are larger in surface area than other side surfaces of the four energy storage devices.

2 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the notch portion extends from the end edge of the first bus bar in the first direction to a position in front of the curved portion, and

wherein the first bus bar comprises a rectangular plate-like member which is arranged on the third direction of the plurality of energy storage devices.

3 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second bus bar connected to another electrode terminal of each of two energy storage devices arranged in the first direction among the four energy storage devices,

wherein a minimum value of a cross-sectional area of the first bus bar in a conduction path is equal to or larger than a minimum value of a cross-sectional area of the second bus bar in a conduction path, and

wherein the first bus bar includes the four connecting portions, each including a via and connected to respective electrode terminals of the four energy storage devices in the single bus bar,

wherein the long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices are exclusive of side surfaces that are smaller in surface area than the long side surfaces and edges.

4 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the four connecting portions of the first bus bar is formed by welding the first bus bar and the electrode terminal of each of the four energy storage devices, and

wherein the first bus bar is provided with portions which facilitate deformation of the first bus bar at positions corresponding to inter-row portions and inter-column portions in the four energy storage devices arranged in the two rows and the two columns.

5 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices face toward the first direction, and

wherein positions of the four connecting portions are adjustable in the third direction.

6 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the notch portion is formed as a portion including a gap between the two connecting portions arranged in the second direction.

7 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices face toward the first direction,

wherein the first bus bar electrically and mechanically connects the plurality of energy storage devices to each other, and

wherein the first bus bar is a monolithic single bus bar.

8 . An energy storage apparatus comprising:

a plurality of energy storage devices; and

a first bus bar,

wherein the first bus bar includes:

four connecting portions electrically connected to the respective electrode terminals of the four energy storage devices, the four connecting portions spaced apart in the first bus bar in a rectangular configuration with each other;

a notch portion arranged between two connecting portions arranged in the second direction among the four connecting portions and extending along the first direction from an end edge of the first bus bar in the first direction and formed as a portion including a gap between the two connecting portions arranged in the second direction,

wherein the long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices are exclusive of edges.

9 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the notch portion extends from the end edge of the first bus bar in the first direction to a position in front of the curved portion.

10 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the curved portion is provided continuously from one end to the other end in the second direction in the first bus bar.

11 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a second bus bar connected to another electrode terminal of each of two energy storage devices arranged in the first direction among the four energy storage devices,

12 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein each of the four connecting portions of the first bus bar is formed by welding the first bus bar and the electrode terminal of each of the four energy storage devices.

13 . An energy storage apparatus comprising:

a plurality of energy storage devices; and

a first bus bar that electrically and mechanically connects at least four energy storage devices from among the plurality of energy storage devices to each other,

wherein long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices face toward the first direction, the long side surfaces being larger than other side surfaces of the four energy storage devices,

wherein the first bus bar includes:

four connecting portions electrically connected to the respective electrode terminals of the four energy storage devices and disposed to electrically and mechanically connect the four energy storage device arranged in the two rows and the two columns via the first bus bar;

further comprising a second bus bar connected to another electrode terminal of each of two energy storage devices arranged in the first direction among the four energy storage devices,

wherein the first bus bar includes the four connecting portions, each including a via and connected to respective electrode terminals of the four energy storage devices in the single bus bar,

wherein the long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices are exclusive of side surfaces that are smaller in surface area than the long side surfaces and edges.

14 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the notch portion extends from the end edge of the first bus bar in the first direction to a position in front of the curved portion.

15 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the curved portion is provided continuously from one end to the other end in the second direction in the first bus bar.

16 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a second bus bar connected to another electrode terminal of each of two energy storage devices arranged in the first direction among the four energy storage devices,

17 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein each of the four connecting portions of the first bus bar is formed by welding the first bus bar and the electrode terminal of each of the four energy storage devices.

18 . The energy storage apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the long side surfaces of the four energy storage devices are facing each other.