Electrical feedthroughs for battery housings
Electrical feedthroughs for battery housings are presented. The electrical feedthroughs include a connector, a ceramic insulator, and a terminal. A first seal couples the connector to the ceramic insulator via a first braze alloy. A second seal couples the ceramic insulator to the terminal via a second braze alloy. The electrical feedthroughs can also include a spacer. A first seal couples the connector to the ceramic insulator; a second seal couples the ceramic insulator to the spacer; and the third seal couples the spacer to the terminal. The first seal, the second seal, and the third seal include, respectively, a first braze alloy, a second braze alloy, and a third braze alloy.
1. An electrical feedthrough comprising:
a ceramic insulator;
a connector for coupling the ceramic insulator to a housing;
wherein the connector comprises a cylindrical body with a central opening for receiving the ceramic insulator, the connector further comprising a lip surrounding the cylindrical body, the lip comprising an inner surface for bonding to the housing;
wherein the housing has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the connector;
a terminal disposed within the ceramic insulator;
a spacer disposed between the ceramic insulator and the terminal;
a first seal coupling the ceramic insulator to the connector, the first seal formed from a first braze alloy capable of bonding the ceramic insulator and the connector;
a second seal coupling the ceramic insulator to the spacer, the second seal formed from a second braze alloy capable of bonding the ceramic insulator and the spacer; and
a third seal coupling the terminal to the spacer, the third seal formed from a third braze alloy capable of bonding the terminal and the spacer.
2. The electrical feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the connector is formed of an iron-cobalt-nickel alloy.
3. The electrical feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the terminal comprises an aluminum alloy.
4. The electrical feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises an iron-cobalt-nickel alloy.
5. The electrical feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the first braze alloy, the second braze alloy, and the third braze alloy comprise a gold alloy having alloying elements not exceeding 50 weight percent in total.
6. The electrical feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the connector, the terminal, the spacer, or combinations thereof, have at least corresponding portions that are coated with a nickel layer.
7. The electrical feedthrough of claim 6 , wherein a gold layer is disposed over the nickel layer or portions thereof.
8. The electrical feedthrough of claim 1 , wherein the terminal is electrically connected to a battery.
9. A battery comprising:
a set of layers comprising a cathode layer, an anode layer, and a separator layer disposed between the cathode layer and the anode layer;
an enclosure enclosing the set of layers;
a feedthrough comprising:
a ceramic insulator;
a connector for coupling the ceramic insulator to a housing;
wherein the connector comprises a cylindrical body with a central opening for receiving the ceramic insulator, the connector further comprising a lip surrounding the cylindrical body, the lip comprising an inner surface for bonding to the housing;
wherein the housing has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the connector;
a terminal disposed within the ceramic insulator;
a spacer disposed between the ceramic insulator and the terminal;
a first seal coupling the ceramic insulator to the connector, the first seal formed from a first braze alloy capable of bonding the ceramic insulator and the connector;
a second seal coupling the ceramic insulator to the spacer, the second seal formed from a second braze alloy capable of bonding the ceramic insulator and the spacer; and
a third seal coupling the terminal to the spacer, the third seal formed from a third braze alloy capable of bonding the terminal and the spacer.
10. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the connector is formed of an iron-cobalt-nickel alloy.
11. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the terminal comprises an aluminum alloy.
12. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the spacer comprises an iron-cobalt-nickel alloy.
13. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the first braze alloy, the second braze alloy, and the third braze alloy comprise a gold alloy having alloying elements not exceeding 50 weight percent in total.
14. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the connector, the terminal, the spacer, or combinations thereof, have at least corresponding portions that are coated with a nickel layer.
15. The battery of claim 14 , wherein a gold layer is disposed over the nickel layer or portions thereof.
16. A method for manufacturing a feedthrough, the method comprising:
coupling a ceramic insulator to a housing using a connector, wherein the connector comprises a cylindrical body with a central opening for receiving the ceramic insulator, the connector further comprising a lip surrounding the cylindrical body, the lip comprising an inner surface for bonding to the housing, wherein the housing has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the connector;
disposing a terminal within the ceramic insulator;
disposing a spacer between the ceramic insulator and the terminal;
coupling the ceramic insulator to the connector using a first seal, the first seal formed from a first braze alloy capable of bonding the ceramic insulator and the connector;
coupling the ceramic insulator to the spacer using a second seal, the second seal formed from a second braze alloy capable of bonding the ceramic insulator and the spacer; and
coupling the terminal to the spacer using a third seal, the third seal formed from a third braze alloy capable of bonding the terminal and the spacer.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the connector is formed of an iron-cobalt-nickel alloy.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the terminal comprises an aluminum alloy.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the spacer comprises an iron-cobalt-nickel alloy.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first braze alloy, the second braze alloy, and the third braze alloy comprise a gold alloy having alloying elements not exceeding 50 weight percent in total.