IP Library Granted Patent US 11,600,891
Granted Patent B1
US 11,600,891 · App. 17/014,768 · Granted Mar 7, 2023

Battery configurations having balanced current collectors

Inventors: Dylan Erb (San Jose, CA); Abraham B. Caulk (San Jose, CA); Ross L. Johnstal (Cincinnati, OH); Paul W. Firehammer (Saline, MI); Edward T. Hillstrom (San Jose, CA); Zhongying Shi (San Jose, CA); Isaac S. Harper (Campbell, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H01M50/502H01M4/64H01M10/425H01M10/4207H01M50/20H01M2010/4271
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,600,891
App. No.
17/014,768
Granted
Mar 7, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Energy storage devices, battery cells, and batteries of the present technology may include a first circuit board characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface may include a conductive layer. The batteries may include a battery stack overlying the first circuit board and electrically coupled with the second surface of the first circuit board. The battery stack may include a plurality of battery cells. The batteries may include a second circuit board overlying the battery stack. The second circuit board may be characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface may include a conductive layer, and the battery stack may be electrically coupled with the second surface of the second circuit board. The batteries may include a power distribution block electrically coupled with the first and second circuit boards.

Claims (32)

1. A battery comprising:

a first circuit board characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface comprises a conductive layer;

a battery stack overlying the first circuit board and electrically coupled with the second surface of the first circuit board, wherein the battery stack comprises a plurality of battery cells;

a second circuit board overlying the battery stack, wherein the second circuit board is characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface comprises a conductive layer, and wherein the battery stack is electrically coupled with the second surface of the second circuit board; and

a power distribution block electrically coupled with the first surface of the first circuit board along a first edge of the first circuit board, wherein the power distribution block is also electrically coupled with the first surface of the second circuit board along a first edge of the first circuit board, wherein the first circuit board is characterized by a second edge extending orthogonally to the first edge, and wherein the second edge is plated with a conductive material extending about the second edge and coupling the second surface of the first circuit board with the first surface of the first circuit board.

2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises a plurality of conductive vias.

3. The battery of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of conductive vias are distributed equidistantly along the second edge of the first circuit board.

4. The battery of claim 2 , wherein a plurality of conductive traces are formed along the first surface of the first circuit board extending from the first edge of the first circuit board to the second edge of the first circuit board to electrically couple with the plurality of conductive vias through the first circuit board.

5. The battery of claim 4 , wherein the first edge of the first circuit board is characterized by a proximal end at which the second edge intersects the first edge, wherein a first conductive trace formed adjacent the proximal end is characterized by a first impedance, and wherein a second conductive trace adjacent a distal end of the first edge of the first circuit board is characterized by a second impedance less than the first conductive trace.

6. The battery of claim 5 , wherein the second conductive trace is characterized by a greater width than the first conductive trace.

7. The battery of claim 5 , wherein each successive trace of the plurality of traces positioned along the first edge of the first circuit board from the distal end of the first edge of the first circuit board to the proximal end of the first edge of the first circuit board is characterized by an increasing impedance relative to a preceding trace.

8. The battery of claim 5 , wherein each successive trace of the plurality of traces positioned along the first edge of the first circuit board from the distal end of the first edge of the first circuit board to the proximal end of the first edge of the first circuit board is characterized by a decreasing trace length relative to a preceding trace.

9. The battery of claim 4 , wherein the second circuit board is characterized by a second edge extending orthogonally to the first edge of the second circuit board from a proximal end of the first edge of the second circuit board, wherein the second edge of the second circuit board is vertically aligned with the second edge of the first circuit board, wherein the second circuit board is characterized by a third edge opposite the second edge and extending from a distal end of the first edge of the second circuit board, wherein a plurality of conductive vias are defined through the third edge of the second circuit board and electrically couple the second surface of the second circuit board with the first surface of the second circuit board.

10. The battery of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of conductive traces are formed along the first surface of the second circuit board extending from the first edge of the second circuit board to the third edge of the second circuit board to electrically couple with the plurality of conductive vias through the second circuit board.

11. The battery of claim 10 , wherein a first conductive trace formed adjacent the proximal end of the first edge of the second circuit board is characterized by a first impedance, and wherein a second conductive trace adjacent a distal end of the first edge of the second circuit board is characterized by a second impedance greater than the first conductive trace.

12. A battery comprising:

a first circuit board characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface comprises a conductive layer;

a battery stack overlying the first circuit board and electrically coupled with the second surface of the first circuit board, wherein the battery stack comprises a plurality of battery cells, and wherein the battery stack defines a plurality of apertures through an active region of the battery stack;

a second circuit board overlying the battery stack, wherein the second circuit board is characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface comprises a conductive layer, and wherein the battery stack is electrically coupled with the second surface of the second circuit board;

a power distribution block electrically coupled with the first surface of the first circuit board along a first edge of the first circuit board, wherein the power distribution block is also electrically coupled with the first surface of the second circuit board along a first edge of the first circuit board; and

a plurality of retaining members coupling the second circuit board with the first circuit board, wherein each retaining member of the plurality of retaining members extends through a separate aperture of the plurality of apertures through the active region of the battery stack.

13. The battery of claim 12 , further comprising:

a plurality of busbars extending laterally across the first surface of the first circuit board.

14. The battery of claim 13 , wherein each busbar is coupled with at least two retaining members of the plurality of retaining members.

15. The battery of claim 14 , wherein a first set of busbars of the plurality of busbars is electrically coupled with the second surface of the first circuit board via a first set of retaining members of the plurality of retaining members.

16. The battery of claim 15 , wherein each retaining member of the first set of retaining members of the plurality of retaining members comprises a conductive coupler extending through the first circuit board and electrically coupling the first set of busbars of the plurality of busbars with the second surface of the first circuit board.

17. The battery of claim 14 , wherein a second set of busbars of the plurality of busbars is electrically coupled with the second surface of the second circuit board via a second set of retaining members of the plurality of retaining members.

18. The battery of claim 17 , wherein each retaining member of the second set of retaining members of the plurality of retaining members comprises a conductive coupler extending through the first circuit board and the battery stack and electrically coupling the second set of busbars of the plurality of busbars with the second surface of the second circuit board.

19. The battery of claim 18 , wherein a recess is formed within the active region of the battery stack through one or more battery cells of the battery stack.

20. The battery of claim 19 , further comprising:

electrical components disposed within the recess formed within the active region of the battery stack.

21. The battery of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of busbars are connected through the first circuit board with the electrical components seated within the recess formed within the active region of the battery stack.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2024
From: APPLE INC.
To: STACKED ENERGY, INC.
Reel/Frame 069543/0126 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2024
From: STACKED ENERGY, INC.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 069209/0540 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2023
From: ERB, DYLAN; CAULK, ABRAHAM B.; JOHNSTAL, ROSS L.; FIREHAMMER, PAUL W.; HILLSTROM, EDWARD T.; SHI, ZHONGYING; HARPER, ISAAC S.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 062398/0540 →
Cited By (4)
US 12,288,900 US 12,294,059 US 12,412,903 US 12,438,238