Abstract: Disclosed are a busbar for cooling battery cells and a battery module using the same. The busbar for cooling battery cells is a busbar configured to cool a plurality of battery cells included in a battery module, and includes: a body portion formed in a strap shape and contacting an electrode lead of each battery cell; and a bent portion integrally formed with the body portion and extending from one end of the body portion to be bent in a thickness direction of the body portion, wherein the bent portion includes: a coupling groove coupled to a coupling protrusion that is prepared on a cooling plate of the battery module or a coupling protrusion that is prepared on a predetermined frame of the battery module, the predetermined frame supporting the busbar; and a thermal contact surface thermally contacting the cooling plate.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a contact plate configured to establish electrical bonds between battery cells in a battery module. In a first embodiment, the contact plate includes at least one primary conductive layer, wherein the contact plate is configured to exchange current with at least one group of battery cells in the battery module, and wherein a thickness of the at least one primary conductive layer scales with a current expectation at different portions of the contact plate. In a second embodiment, the contact plate includes at least one primary conductive layer, and a set of bonding connectors that is configured to provide direct electrical bonds between the contact plate and terminals of at least one group of battery cells, wherein the set of bonding connectors is pre-assembled with the contact plate before the contact plate is installed into the battery module.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to contact plates configured to establish electrical bonds between battery cells in a battery module. In a first embodiment, the contact plate includes at least one primary conductive layer including a hole that is aligned with two or more terminals of two or more battery cells in a group of battery cells that are configured to be connected in parallel with each other, and a bonding connector configured to provide direct electrical bonds between the contact plate and the two or more terminals of the two or more battery cells. In a second embodiment, a contact plate includes at least one primary conductive layer and a set of bonding connectors made from at least one material that is selected to match at least one material used for the terminals of the at least one group of battery cells.

Abstract: An endplate of a battery module is configured with holes through which an inlet and outlet for a cooling tube are arranged. Cooling interfaces between the inlet and outlet and a cooling manifold are arranged outside of a battery module compartment that houses the battery module. In a first embodiment, sealing components separate from the cooling tube are arranged inside the inlet and outlet holes, with each sealing component defining multiple sealing areas (e.g., ring-shaped sealing areas) for sealing a respective hole. In a second embodiment, the cooling tube includes integrated sealing components (e.g., threaded sections of the cooling tube) inside the inlet and outlet holes, with each integrated sealing component defining a single sealing area (e.g., a ring-shaped sealing area) for sealing a respective hole.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a center contact plate configured to establish electrical bonds between battery cells in a battery module. In an embodiment, the center contact plate includes at least one primary conductive layer including a first set of holes formed within the at least one primary conductive layer that are aligned with positive terminals of a first group of battery cells that are configured to be connected in parallel with each other, and a second set of holes formed within the at least one primary conductive layer that are aligned with negative terminals of a second group of battery cells that are configured to be connected in parallel with each other, wherein the first and second sets of holes are each clustered together on different sides of the at least one primary conductive layer.

Abstract: An embodiment is directed to a battery module comprising an external frame that comprises a bottom plate configured to mechanically reinforce the battery module, and a plurality of battery cells enclosed by the external frame, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells is thermally coupled to the bottom plate to facilitate heat being spread between the plurality of battery cells via the bottom plate.

Abstract: An embodiment is directed to a cylindrical battery cell, comprising a cell can, a jelly roll area of anode electrode, separator, and cathode electrode foils arranged in a middle section of the cell can. The anode electrode foils, the cathode electrode foils, or both extend out of the jelly roll area into an electrolyte area of the cell can. In one embodiment, some of the extended electrode foils are in direct contact with an end (e.g., top or bottom) of the cell can. In another embodiment, the extended electrode foils contact a plurality of connection taps that are thermally and electrically connected to an end (e.g., top or bottom) of the cell can. In another embodiment, the extended electrode foils are bent and stacked so as to function as a foil-integrated connection tap that is thermally and electrically connected to an end (e.g., top or bottom) of the cell can.

Abstract: An embodiment of the disclosure is directed to a battery module, comprising a plurality of battery cells that each include a cell terminal formed from a first metal, and a contact plate including a conductive plate that is formed from a second metal and a first metallic surface layer (e.g., a surface coating or clad material) arranged on a first side of the conductive plate that is formed from the first metal, wherein part of the contact plate is arranged as a plurality of bonding connectors that form direct electrical connections to the cell terminals of the plurality of battery cells. In some designs, a second metallic surface layer (e.g., a surface coating or clad material) may further be arranged on a second side of the conductive plate and may also be formed from the first metal.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an expansion component (e.g., expanding foam element, inflatable pad, a pneumatic or hydraulic mechanism, etc.) is arranged inside of a battery module compartment (e.g., on a bottom interior surface of the battery module compartment). A battery module is inserted into the battery module component and is fixated, or secured, within the battery module compartment at least in part based upon the expanding component which starts to expand or continues to expand after the insertion. In a further embodiment, the battery module may be removed from the battery module compartment after a contraction function (e.g., collapse of the foam element, deflation of the inflatable pad, etc.) of the expansion component is initiated.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a module-side optical transceiver is configured to exchange optical signals with a battery module controller (BMC)-side optical transceiver coupled to a BMC. The optical signals are transported inside of a tunnel space between the BMC and the battery module. In one embodiment, the optical signals are transported via a light tube, a deflection element such as a mirror, or a combination thereof. In another embodiment, the optical signals are transported via a cable harness coupled to a plurality of BMC-side optical transceivers in the tunnel space and configured to support optical line of sight (LoS) links to various module-side optical transceivers.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a battery module includes a first layer of battery cells, and a first set of brackets that are each configured to fix at least one battery cell of the first layer of battery cells into a defined position.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a battery module includes a plurality of battery cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, and foil arranged between two or more adjacent battery cells among the plurality of battery cells.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a battery module includes a bottom plate, and a set of positioning elements integrated into the bottom plate or attached to the bottom plate, the set of positioning elements arranged defining a cell fixation region where a bottom of a cylindrical battery cell interfaces with a surface of the bottom plate.

Abstract: An embodiment is directed to a hybrid contact plate arrangement in a battery module that includes a plurality of contact plates configured to be arranged on a given side of a set of battery cells in the battery module, at least one insulation layer configured to provide insulation between each of the plurality of contact plates, wherein the set of battery cells includes a plurality of groups of battery cells, and wherein the plurality of contact plates each include a set of bonding connectors, the sets of bonding connectors being configured to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the plurality of groups of battery cells so as to connect battery cells in each of the plurality of groups of battery cells in parallel with each other, and to connect the plurality of groups of battery cells in series with each other.

Abstract: An embodiment is directed to a cylindrical battery cell with a multi-terminal cell side that includes an inner cell head and an outer cell rim, with an insulative ring arranged in a recessed area between the outer cell rim and the inner cell head. Another embodiment is directed to a cylindrical battery cell configured with one or more insulation layers integrated into (e.g., wrapped around) a shaft of the cylindrical battery cell. Another embodiment is directed to a battery module including a set of cylindrical battery cells including shaft-integrated insulation, with exposed non-insulated sections of the set of cylindrical battery cells upon insertion into a battery housing being overlapped by one or more insulative housing ribs of the battery housing.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an expansion component (e.g., expanding foam element, inflatable pad, a pneumatic or hydraulic mechanism, etc.) is arranged inside of a battery module compartment (e.g., on a bottom interior surface of the battery module compartment). A battery module is inserted into the battery module component and is fixated, or secured, within the battery module compartment at least in part based upon the expanding component which starts to expand or continues to expand after the insertion. In a further embodiment, the battery module may be removed from the battery module compartment after a contraction function (e.g., collapse of the foam element, deflation of the inflatable pad, etc.) of the expansion component is initiated.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to contact plates configured to establish electrical bonds between battery cells in a battery module. In a first embodiment, the contact plate includes at least one primary conductive layer including a hole that is aligned with two or more terminals of two or more battery cells in a group of battery cells that are configured to be connected in parallel with each other, and a bonding connector configured to provide direct electrical bonds between the contact plate and the two or more terminals of the two or more battery cells. In a second embodiment, a contact plate includes at least one primary conductive layer and a set of bonding connectors made from at least one material that is selected to match at least one material used for the terminals of the at least one group of battery cells.

Abstract: An embodiment is directed to a battery module, including a plurality of battery cell groups that are connected in series with each other, each of the plurality of battery cell groups including a plurality of battery cells that are connected to each other in parallel, a first terminal component at a first terminal of the battery module, the first terminal corresponding to either a positive terminal of the battery module or a negative terminal of the battery module, and a first heat pipe positioned in proximity to the first terminal component and configured to transfer heat away from the first terminal component.

Abstract: An embodiment is directed to a module-to-module power connector configured to form connections between battery modules installed in a battery housing of an energy storage system. The module-to-module power connector includes electrical interfaces and busbar(s) configured to form one or more electrical connections terminals of adjacent battery modules. The busbar(s) is flexibly configured to permit a defined range of movement of the electrical interfaces during insertion of the respective battery modules into respective battery module compartments. The module-to-module power connector may further be arranged inside in a tunnel space, whereby holes are defined in a battery module mounting area housing the battery modules that open into the tunnel space.

Abstract: An embodiment is directed to a battery module, including a plurality of battery cell groups that are connected in series with each other, each of the plurality of battery cell groups including a plurality of battery cells that are connected to each other in parallel, a first terminal component at a first terminal of the battery module, the first terminal corresponding to either a positive terminal of the battery module or a negative terminal of the battery module, and a first heat pipe positioned in proximity to the first terminal component and configured to transfer heat away from the first terminal component.