IP Library Granted Patent US 11,862,774
Granted Patent B2
US 11,862,774 · App. 17/966,641 · Granted Jan 2, 2024

Systems and methods for battery structure, interconnects, sensing, and balancing

Inventors: W. Porter Harris (Pasadena, CA); Kenneth Kawanishi (Whittier, CA); W. Hunter Greene (Madison, GA); Robert Wesley Thibault (Santa Monica, CA); Arun Gunasekaran (Los Angeles, CA)
Assignee: MULLEN AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
H01M10/482H01M10/486H01M50/502H01M50/503H01M50/51H01M50/516H01M50/583H01M50/213
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,862,774
App. No.
17/966,641
Granted
Jan 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Exemplary systems and methods enable efficient and reliable positioning, assembly, retention, interconnection, and management of battery cells in battery packs, for example battery packs utilized in electric vehicles.

Claims (49)

1. A battery interconnect assembly for electrically connecting a plurality of cells of a battery pack, the battery interconnect assembly comprising:

a first layer comprising:

a first current carrying plate having a first thickness,

a first window, and

a first interconnect plate having a second thickness, the first interconnect plate electrically connected to the first current carrying plate, the first interconnect plate comprising a first tab configured to couple to a cell in the plurality of cells, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness; and

a second layer comprising:

a second current carrying plate having a third thickness,

a second window, and

a second interconnect plate having a fourth thickness, the second interconnect plate electrically connected to the second current carrying plate, the second interconnect plate comprising a second tab configured to couple to the cell in the plurality of cells, the third thickness being greater than the fourth thickness,

wherein the first window is aligned with the second window, and

wherein a first shape of the first window and a second shape of the second window are different.

2. The battery interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first thickness is between 0.3 mm and 2 mm, and

the second thickness is between 0.05 mm and 0.3 mm.

3. The battery interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first current carrying plate comprises a first conductive material,

the first interconnect plate comprises a second conductive material, and

the second conductive material is different than the first conductive material.

4. The battery interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first current carrying plate is configured for bulk transmission of electrical current, and

the first interconnect plate is configured to be electrically coupled to the plurality of cells.

5. The battery interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first thickness and the third thickness are each between 0.3 mm and 2 mm, and

the second thickness and the fourth thickness are each between 0.05 mm and 0.3 mm.

6. The battery interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first tab is configured to connect the first interconnect plate to a first terminal of the cell, and

the second tab is configured to connect the second interconnect plate to a second terminal of the cell.

7. The battery interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first hole disposed in the first tab causes the first tab to operate as a fuse structure isolating the cell, from a remainder of the plurality of cells, in response to current through the first tab exceeding a threshold for a predetermined amount of time.

8. The battery interconnect assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first tab comprises a first narrow neck having a lower cross-sectional area than any other portion of the first tab.

9. The battery pack including the plurality of cells and the battery interconnect assembly of claim 1 .

10. A method of manufacturing a battery interconnect assembly, the method comprising:

forming a first current carrying plate having a first thickness;

forming a first interconnect plate having a second thickness, the first interconnect plate comprising a first tab, the second thickness being less than the first thickness;

coupling the first current carrying plate to the first interconnect plate;

coupling the first tab to a first terminal of a first cell in a plurality of cells in a battery pack;

forming a second current carrying plate having a third thickness;

forming a second interconnect plate having a fourth thickness, the second interconnect plate comprising a second tab, the fourth thickness being less than the third thickness;

coupling the second current carrying plate to the second interconnect plate;

coupling the second tab to a second terminal of the first cell in the plurality of cells in the battery pack; and

disposing the second tab through a first window of the first current carrying plate prior to coupling the second tab to the second terminal.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the first thickness is between 0.3 mm and 2 mm, and

the second thickness is between 0.05 mm and 0.3 mm.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the first current carrying plate comprises a first conductive material,

the first interconnect plate comprises a second conductive material, and

the second conductive material is different than the first conductive material.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein coupling the first current carrying plate to the first interconnect plate further comprises physically and electrically coupling the first current carrying plate to the first interconnect plate.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second current carrying plate comprises a second window having a different shape relative to the first window of the first current carrying plate.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2024
From: ROMEO SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY, LLC; ROMEO SYSTEMS, INC.; ROMEO POWER, INC.
To: SG SERVICE CO., LLC, AS ASSIGNEE FOR ROMEO POWER, INC.
Reel/Frame 066178/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2023
From: SG SERVICE CO., LLC, AS ASSIGNEE FOR ROMEO POWER, INC.
To: MULLEN AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
Reel/Frame 064849/0948 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2022
From: HARRIS, W. PORTER; KAWANISHI, KENNETH; GREENE, W. HUNTER; THIBAULT, ROBERT WESLEY; GUNASEKARAN, ARUN
To: ROMEO SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 061431/0041 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 14, 2022
From: ROMEO SYSTEMS, INC.
To: ROMEO SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 061431/0057 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16925589 · Jul 10, 2020
Continuation 15857949 · Dec 29, 2017
Provisional Application 62440102 · Dec 29, 2016
Related Publication 20230033985A1 · Feb 2, 2023