Battery and battery with spring plate
A battery including a housing, a plurality of battery cells in the housing, and a spring plate providing a biasing force against the plurality of battery cells. The spring plate is configured such that a tension of the spring plate may be adjusted from outside of the housing.
1 . A battery assembly, comprising:
a housing being a rectangular box and having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface comprising a housing top opening;
a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing;
a bottom plate below the plurality of battery cells and adjacent to the bottom of the housing;
a top plate having an engagement portion in the form of a connector at a central location thereof, the top plate being located above the plurality of battery cells;
a spring plate between the top plate and the top of the housing;
wherein the spring plate includes a spring plate opening, is curved and has a radius of curvature;
wherein the spring plate is configured to provide a biasing force to the plurality of battery cells through the top plate,
and wherein the housing top opening and the spring plate opening align with each other and with the connector of the top plate so as to allow for the tension of the spring plate to be changed from outside the housing.
2 . The battery assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the spring plate opening is configured to be engaged by a tensioner.
3 . The battery assembly of claim 1 , wherein a radius of curvature of the spring plate varies as a state of charge of one or more of the plurality of battery cells changes.
4 . The battery assembly of claim 3 , wherein the radius of curvature of the spring plate increases as one or more of the plurality of battery cells is discharging.
5 . The battery assembly of claim 4 , wherein the radius of curvature is configured to vary such that a maximum of the radius of curvature is 50% or more greater than a minimum of the radius of curvature.
6 . The battery assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the connector is a threaded connector.
7 . The battery assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the threaded connector is a mounting nut.
8 . The battery assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising an adjustment rod attached to the connector of the top plate.
9 . The battery assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the adjustment rod
is configured to be rotated in a first direction to pull the top plate upward and increase compression of the spring plate.
10 . The battery assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the adjustment rod
is configured to be rotated in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to allow the top plate to move downwardly and decrease compression of the spring plate.
11 . A method of assembling a battery, the method comprising:
providing a housing which is a rectangular box having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface comprising a housing top opening;
providing in the housing a top plate having an engagement portion in the form of a connector at a central location thereof,
providing a spring plate in the housing wherein the spring plate includes a spring plate opening, is curved and has a radius of curvature;
wherein the housing top opening and the spring plate opening align with each other and with the connector of the top plate so as to allow for the tension of the spring plate to be changed from outside the housing,
tensioning the spring plate from outside the housing through the housing top opening by a tensioner;
inserting a plurality of battery cells into the housing; and
releasing the tensioning of the spring plate by the tensioner.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising assembling a lid on the housing to enclose the plurality of battery cells and the spring plate in the housing.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein
the radius of curvature of the spring plate varies as the plurality of battery cells are discharging.