Bus bar assembly having a temperature sensing interface, battery module including the bus bar assembly, and method of manufacturing the battery module

1 . A bus bar assembly for a battery module having a plurality of electrochemical cells, the bus bar assembly comprising:

a bus bar carrier configured to receive bus bars to interface with terminals of the plurality of electrochemical cells, the bus bar carrier having a window extending through a thickness of the bus bar carrier;

a flex circuit disposed on the bus bar carrier, the flex circuit including a flexible extension configured to extend through at least a portion of the window;

a temperature sensor welding tab comprising a circuit engagement region secured to the flexible extension of the flex circuit, a welding region to be welded to an end of an electrochemical cell, and a transverse region extending transversely between the circuit engagement region and the welding region, wherein the transverse region extends through the window; and

wherein the circuit engagement region of the temperature sensor welding tab comprises a first tab and a second tab each protruding in a first direction away from the circuit engagement region, each of the first and second tabs comprising a bend that causes the first and second tabs to protrude in a second direction through vias of the flexible extension of the flex circuit.

2 . The bus bar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexible extension of the flex circuit is provided between a first notch and a second notch, wherein the temperature sensor welding tab is disposed on the flexible extension via a solder pad.

3 . The bus bar assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor, and wherein the flex circuit includes a conductive trace coupled to the temperature sensor.

4 . The bus bar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor welding tab includes a bent plate.

5 . The bus bar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the transverse region is bent relative to the circuit engagement region, and the welding region is bent relative to the transverse region.

6 . The bus bar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the transverse region extends at a non-right angle relative to the circuit engagement region, and the welding region extends at a non-right angle relative to the transverse region.

7 . The bus bar assembly of one of claim 4 , wherein the temperature sensor welding tab extends from the flex circuit on an upper side of the bus bar carrier through the window and adjacent an underside of the bus bar carrier.

8 . The bus bar assembly of one of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor, wherein the flex circuit includes a conductive trace coupled to the temperature sensor, and the transverse region results in a gap between the terminal end of the electrochemical cell and the temperature sensor.

9 . The bus bar assembly of claim 8 , wherein the temperature sensor includes thermistors disposed on the flex circuit adjacent to the temperature sensor welding tab.

10 . The bus bar assembly of claim 9 , wherein the thermistors are disposed on an underside of a flexible extension of the flex circuit to bring the thermistors in close proximity to the terminal end of the electrochemical cell.

11 . The bus bar assembly of one of claim 8 , wherein the flex circuit includes an electrical contact coupled to the conductive trace, wherein the conductive trace is encapsulated by the flex circuit, and wherein the conductive trace electrically connects the temperature sensor to the electrical contact.

12 . A battery module comprising:

a housing; and

a plurality of electrochemical cells disposed in the housing, the plurality of electrochemical cells including an electrochemical cell having a terminal end;

the bus bar assembly of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor welding tab is welded to the terminal end of the electrochemical cell.

13 . The battery module of claim 12 , wherein the circuit engagement region of the temperature sensor welding tab comprises a first tab and a second tab protruding in a first direction away from the circuit engagement region, each of the first and second tabs comprising a bend that causes the first and second tabs to protrude in a second direction through vias of the flex circuit.

14 . A method of making a battery module including a housing, the method comprising:

placing a plurality of electrochemical cells in the housing, the plurality of electrochemical cells including an electrochemical cell having a terminal end;

providing a bus bar assembly including a bus bar carrier and a flex circuit disposed on the bus bar carrier, the flex circuit including a flexible extension configured to extend through a window of the bus bar carrier;

soldering a circuit engagement region of a temperature sensor welding tab to the flexible extension of the flex circuit;

bending a transverse region of the temperature sensor welding tab through the window of the bus bar carrier;

placing the bus bar assembly adjacent to the plurality of electrochemical cells;

flexing the flexible extension toward the electrochemical cells such that a temperature sensor of the flex circuit is in close proximity to the terminal end of the electrochemical cell; and

welding a welding region of the temperature sensor welding tab to the terminal end of the electrochemical cell.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the temperature sensor welding tab extends from the flex circuit on an upper side of the bus bar carrier through the window and adjacent an underside of the bus bar carrier.

16 . A battery module comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of electrochemical cells disposed in the housing, the plurality of electrochemical cells including an electrochemical cell having a terminal end;

a bus bar carrier configured to receive bus bars to interface with terminals of the plurality of electrochemical cells, the bus bar carrier having a window extending through a thickness of the bus bar carrier;

a flex circuit disposed on the bus bar carrier, the flex circuit including an electrical contact, a flexible extension configured to extend through at least a portion of the window, and a conductive trace extending from the flexible extension to the electrical contact;

a temperature sensor welding tab comprising a circuit engagement region secured to the flexible extension of the flex circuit via a tab and a solder pad, a welding region welded to the terminal end of the electrochemical cell, and a transverse region extending transversely between the circuit engagement region and the welding region, and the transverse region extending through the window; and

a temperature sensor secured to the flexible extension and connected to the conductive trace.

17 . The battery module of claim 16 , wherein the temperature sensor welding tab includes a bent plate having a first bend and a second bend, the transverse region extending between the first bend and the second bend.

18 . The battery module of claim 16 , wherein the transverse region is bent relative to the circuit engagement region, and the welding region is bent relative to the transverse region.

19 . The battery module of one of claim 16 , wherein the transverse region extends at a non-right angle relative to the circuit engagement region, and the welding region extends at a non-right angle relative to the transverse region.

20 . The battery module of one of claim 16 , wherein the temperature sensor welding tab extends from the flex circuit on an upper side of the bus bar carrier through the window and adjacent an underside of the bus bar carrier, wherein the temperature sensor includes thermistors disposed on the flex circuit adjacent to the temperature sensor welding tab, and wherein the thermistors are disposed on an underside of the flexible extension of the flex circuit to bring the thermistors in close proximity to the terminal end of the electrochemical cell.