Battery pack terminal retention system including group of tab terminals secured to portion of busbar and another group of tab terminals secured to another portion, and method of usingthe same
A battery pack terminal retention system includes a busbar; a group of more than two first tab terminals secured directly to each other and to a first portion of the busbar; and a group of more than two second tab terminals secured directly to each other and to a different, second portion of the busbar.
1 . A battery pack terminal retention system, comprising:
a busbar having a first side;
a group of more than two first tab terminals secured directly to each other and to a first portion of the busbar, the group of more than two first tab terminals projecting outward from the first side of the busbar beyond the first portion and being folded over the first side of the busbar such that the group of more than two first tab terminals lie against the first side; and
a group of more than two second tab terminals secured directly to each other and to a different, second portion of the busbar, the group of more than two second tab terminals projecting outward from the first side of the busbar beyond the second portion and being folded over the first side of the busbar such that the group of more than two second tab terminals lie against the first side, the first and second portions being spaced apart from one another such that the first and second portions define non-overlapping regions of the busbar.
2 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 1 , wherein the tab terminals within the first and second groups of tab terminals each extend from a lithium-ion battery cell.
3 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor lead secured directly to the busbar.
4 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the busbar is a first vertically extending portion of the busbar, wherein the second portion of the busbar is a second vertically extending portion of the busbar.
5 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 4 , wherein the group of more than two first tab terminals includes at least one first tab terminal folded over the first portion of the busbar in a first direction and at least one other first tab terminal folded over the first portion of the busbar in an opposite, second direction, wherein the group of more than two second tab terminals includes at least one second tab terminal folded over the second portion of the busbar in the first direction and at least one other second tab terminal folded over the second portion of the busbar in the second direction.
6 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 1 , further comprising a cross-member, the busbar secured to the cross-member.
7 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 6 , wherein the first tab terminals and second tab terminals extend through respective apertures in the cross-member.
8 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one heat stake securing the busbar to the cross-member.
9 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 6 , wherein the cross-member is a composite material.
10 . The battery pack terminal retention system of claim 6 , wherein the busbar includes a first aperture and a second aperture, the group of more than two first tab terminals extending through the first aperture when the group of more than two first tab terminals are secured to the first portion of the busbar, the group of more than two second tab terminals extending through the second aperture when the group of more than two second tab terminals are secured to the second portion of the busbar.
11 . A battery pack terminal retention method:
securing a group of more than two first tab terminals directly to each other and to a first portion of a busbar; and
securing a group of more than two second tab terminals directly to each other and to a second portion of the busbar, the second portion being physically separated from the first portion by an intermediate region of the busbar such that the first and second portions are non-overlapping attachment regions, wherein the busbar is secured to a cross-member, wherein the first tab terminals and second tab terminals extend through respective apertures in the cross-member when the first and second groups of tab terminals are secured to the busbar.
12 . The battery pack terminal retention method of claim 11 , further comprising securing the group of more than two first tab terminals to the first portion of the busbar using a first plurality of welds, and securing the group of more than two second tab terminals to the second portion of the busbar using a second plurality of welds.
13 . The battery pack terminal retention method of claim 11 , wherein the group of more than two first tab terminals extend from a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells.
14 . The battery pack terminal retention method of claim 11 , wherein at least some of the tab terminals within the group of more than two first tab terminals extend through an aperture in the busbar.
15 . The battery pack terminal retention method of claim 11 , wherein at least some of first tab terminals in the group of more than two first tab terminals extend through a first aperture in the busbar when secured to the busbar, and at least some of the second tab terminals in the group of more than two second tab terminals extend through a different, second aperture in the busbar when secured to the busbar.
16 . The battery pack terminal retention method of claim 11 , wherein the group of more than two first tab terminals projects outward from a first side of the busbar beyond the first portion and are folded over the first side of the busbar such that the group of more than two first tab terminals lie against the first side.
17 . The battery pack terminal retention method of claim 11 , wherein the group of more than two first tab terminals includes at least one first tab terminal folded over the first portion of the busbar in a first direction and at least one other first tab terminal folded over the first portion of the busbar in an opposite, second direction, wherein the group of more than two second tab terminals includes at least one second tab terminal folded over the second portion of the busbar in the first direction and at least one other second tab terminal folded over the second portion of the busbar in the second direction.
18 . The battery pack terminal retention method of claim 17 , wherein the first portion of the busbar is a first vertically extending portion of the busbar, wherein the second portion of the busbar is a second vertically extending portion of the busbar.