FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of battery systems and, more specifically, to battery pack systems including a plurality of batteries and their electrical interconnection.
BACKGROUND
Batteries can be used as a source of power in portable electric devices. For example, conventional lithium-ion batteries may be used to power portable or mobile devices.
Multiple conventional rechargeable batteries such as Lithium-ion or metal metal hydride batteries may be arranged in series or parallel to obtain any desired voltage or current. For example, a set of batteries may be arranged in parallel by sandwiching the batteries between two conductors to obtain a desired current.
Many of the parallel sets may be coupled in series to obtain a desired voltage of the larger set. The larger set may be electrically coupled in series or parallel with other similarly sized sets to obtain an even higher voltage or current.
One method of managing the electrical connections in the smaller sets of batteries, in which multiple batteries are sandwiched in parallel between two conductors. That application describes a bracket which is laid into slots in the conductor and wave soldered to the conductor. The slots are aligned over the end terminals of the batteries, and the bracket is then welded to the batteries.
However, the problem with this approach is the lack of electrical protection due to permanent connection of batteries with the conductors. A single battery can internally short, due to a malfunction or damage. The short can thus make the entire set of batteries unusable to which it is connected in parallel.

[007] Because rechargeable batteries can overheat and catch fire when short circuited, a short circuit can be catastrophic, not only to the batteries being shorted, but to the other batteries as well, because these non-shorted batteries can be overheated to the point at which they will catch fire. Hence, a major short circuit can cause the failure of one or more of the smaller sets of batteries.
[008] One method to overcome this problem is using the conventional wire bonding techniques to wire bond the batteries to the conductors. The wire bonds are constructed of metallic wires that act as fuses such that it allows for the expected current to pass through it without significant heating, while allowing the wires bonds to break in an overcurrent condition, such as would be expected during a short circuit.
[009] The major problem with this approach is its high cost. This method of electrical connection of batteries with protection increases the production cost of battery modules.
[0010] What is needed is a system and method of interconnecting batteries that can help prevent a short circuit from causing the batteries to overheat and can prevent the failure of a plurality of batteries in the event of an internal short circuit of a single battery of the battery module, while being cost effective for low and high scale manufacturing.
[0011] The present invention discloses one such cost effective method of manufacturing battery pack systems with short-circuit or overcurrent protection using resistance welding.
SUMMARY
[0012] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simple manner that is further described in the detailed description of the disclosure. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the subject matter nor is it intended for determining the scope of the disclosure.

[0013] In one embodiment, a battery module is disclosed with a method of protecting a plurality of batteries. The battery module comprises at least one battery cell, each having at least two terminals. Further, the battery module provides a plurality of insulating plate comprising a plurality of slots, configured for providing structural support to the at least one battery cell, wherein the terminals of the battery cell are aligned over the slot of each insulating plate. The positive ends of the batteries are supported by one insulating plate and the negative ends of the batteries are supported by another insulating plate. Further, the battery module provides a plurality of conducting metal plates comprising a plurality of surfaces which further comprise a slot to provide a suitable path for the current to flow through the surface which adjusts the resistance of the path so that required heat is generated for effective welding. Further, the conducting metal plate comprises of one or more fusible links and one or more bridges which connect the surface for resistance welding with the conducting metal plate. Each insulating plate is coupled with a conducting metal plate. Each conducting metal plate is placed on the side of the insulating plate that does not touch the batteries, so that the batteries and the insulating plates are sandwiched between two conducting metal plates. The first terminal of said one or more batteries is coupled to a first of the plurality of conducting metal plate for each of the pluralities of the battery via resistance welding of the surface present in the first of the plurality of conducting metal plate. The second terminal of the said battery is coupled to another conducting metal plate in the same manner.
[0014] A method of manufacturing a battery module, wherein the elimination of bridges is done via manual cutting of the bridges or by using an automated method in which high current is passed through the bridges for sufficient amount of time to blow them out as only fusible links are responsible for conducting currents through the battery and act as fuses in case of overcurrent condition.
[0015] The battery cells are electrically connected according to the voltage and current requirements from the battery module system and any number of such electrical connections are possible.

[0016] The summary above is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Further aspects, exemplary embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0017] Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0018] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the battery module (100), in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the battery module (100) excluding the conducting metal plates (130), in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the battery module (100) excluding the conducting metal plates (130) and the insulating plates (120), in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 1D is a perspective view of the battery module (100) with a plurality of metal plates (130) on the top insulating plate in accordance with a variation of the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a top view of insulating plate (120), in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a top view of conducting metal plate (130), in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 4A is a top view of one possible design pattern of metal plate (130). The metal plate (410) comprises three bridges (134) and one fusible link (133) coupled with circular resistance welding surface (131), the resistance welding surface (131) further comprises a slot (132), in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 4B is a top view of another possible design pattern of metal plate (130). The metal plate (420) comprises five bridges (134) and one fusible link (133) coupled with circular resistance welding surface (131), the resistance welding surface (131) further comprises a slot (132), in accordance with variation of the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 4C is a top view of yet another possible design pattern of metal plate (130). The metal plate (430) comprises three bridges (134) and one fusible link (133) coupled with rectangular resistance welding surface (131), the resistance welding surface (131) further comprises a slot (132), in accordance with another variation of the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 4D is a top view of yet another possible design pattern of metal plate (130). The metal plate (440) comprises three bridges (134) and two fusible links (133) coupled with circular resistance welding surface (131), the resistance welding surface (131) further comprises a slot (132), in accordance with yet another variation of the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the manufacturing setup (500) of the battery module (100) with the automated resistance welding machine (510), the automated resistance welding machine (510) further comprises a resistance welder (512) and a bridge eliminator (522), in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 5B provides a bottom view of automated resistance welding machine (510) comprising positive (516) and negative (518) electrodes of resistance welder (512) and

electrodes (524) of bridge eliminator (524), in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 5C provides a bottom view of the positive (526) and negative (528) electrodes of the bridge eliminator (522), in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 5D is a perspective view of an arrangement (540) including resistance welder (512) with positive (516) and negative (518) electrodes resting on the surface for resistance welding (131) with dotted lines showing the direction of flow of welding current, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 6 is a side section view of the battery module (100) after the connection of batteries with the conducting metal plate (130) and detachment of the bridges (134), in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 7 is a top view of the battery module (100) after the connection of batteries with the conducting metal plate (130) and detachment of the bridges (134), in accordance with the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 8 is a flowchart (800) illustrating a manufacturing method of fusibly coupling batteries, in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] Further, persons skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the figures by conventional symbols, and the figures may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the figures with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0036] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the figures and specific language will be used to describe them. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications to the disclosure, and such further applications of the principles of the disclosure as described herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates are deemed to be a part of this disclosure.
[0037] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory of the disclosure and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.
[0038] The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such a process or a method. Similarly, one or more devices or subsystems or elements or structures or components preceded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices, other subsystems, other elements, other structures, other components, additional devices, additional sub-systems, additional elements, additional structures, or additional components. Appearances of the phrase “in an embodiment”, “in another embodiment” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.
[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

[0040] In the following specification and the claims, reference will be made to a number of terms which shall be defined to have the following meanings. The singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
[0041] Embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a method of protecting the batteries present in the battery module system in case of internal short circuit or overdischarge of any individual battery.
[0042] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying figures.
[0043] For exemplary and simplicity purpose, the present disclosure and the corresponding drawings explain a battery module comprising “cylindrical battery cells”. However, it is to be noted that the various embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable for battery cells having different geometries in the battery module. Other types of battery cell geometries include prismatic cell geometry, pouch cell geometry, etc.
[0044] Referring to Fig.1A, a battery module 100 is provided for protection of the battery cells 110 in case of internal short circuit of any individual battery cell 110. A battery module 100 in FIG. 1A comprises of at least one battery cell 110 and supported by at least one insulating plates 120 configured for providing structural support to the at least one battery cell 110. As used herein, a battery module is a group of electrically connected battery cells arranged together with the insulating plates mechanically configured as a supporting structure. Referring to FIG. 1B, the insulating plates 120 are plates with provision of slots 121 wherein battery cells 110 may fit. One or more such battery modules constitute the battery pack system. FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the battery module 100 excluding the conducting metal plate 130 and the insulating plate 120, in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1D is a perspective view of the battery module 100 with a plurality of metal plates 130 on the top insulating plate in accordance with a variation of the first embodiment of the present invention. This arrangement varies with the

battery module 100 in FIG. 1A by extra numbers of conducting metal plate 130 which explains that a plurality of conducting metal plates 130 may be used.
[0045] The arrangement pattern of the battery cells 110 may be staggered or inline. Moreover, the battery cells may be in a triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal arrangement or any possible geometry. The present invention does not intend to limit the arrangement pattern of the battery cells 110 inside the battery modules 100.
[0046] Further, the battery module 100 comprises a plurality of conducting metal plate 130 comprising at least one surface for resistance welding 131, one or more fusible links 133 and one or more bridges 134. As used herein, resistance welding is a process of bonding two or more metal plates or surfaces by passing huge amount of current such that the contact point of two or more metal plates or surfaces undergo melting and a bond is formed. As used herein, a ‘fusible link’ or ‘fusible links’ is a term that represents a metal conductor capable of getting fused when large amount of current passes through it. The term ‘bridge’ or ‘bridges’ represents a mechanical metal connection configured for providing structural rigidity to the surface used for resistance welding.
[0047] FIG. 2 is a top view of insulating plate 120, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The insulating plates 120 are plates with provision of slots 121 wherein the battery cells 110 may fit.
[0048] For exemplary and simplicity purposes, the present disclosure and the corresponding drawings explain an insulating plate 120 comprising circular slots 121. However, it is to be noted that the various embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable for slots having different geometries in the insulating plates 120. Other types of slots geometries include rectangular geometry, triangular geometry, etc.
[0049] FIG. 3 is a top view of conducting metal plate 130, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of conducting metal plates 130 are provided to electrically connect a plurality of batteries 110.

[0050] Each conducting metal plate 130 is placed on the side of the insulating plates 120 that does not touch the batteries 110, such that the batteries 110 and insulating plates 120 are sandwiched between two conducting metal plates 130, as illustrated in Fig. 1A.
[0051] Each conducting metal plate 130 comprises of a plurality of surfaces for resistance welding 131 depending upon the number of batteries 110 to be connected with the conducting metal plate 130. The metal sheet 130 further comprises a singular or plurality of fusible link 133 and a singular or plurality of bridges 134 which connects the surface 131 with the metal sheet 130, as illustrated in FIG. 4A to 4D. Further each surface for resistance welding 131 comprises a slot 132. The slot 132 provides a suitable path for the current to flow through the surface 131 which adjusts the resistance of the path so that required heat is generated for effective welding. The surface 131 may be punched downward to suitable extent for better interaction of the surface 131 with the batteries 110 as further explained in FIG. 6.
[0052] The one or more bridges 134 between each battery cell 110 and the conducting metal plate 130 is removed manually by a removal method 912 or by using an automated method 914.
[0053] Manual method 912 for cutting off the bridge is a process in which a person manually remove each bridge 134 between batteries 110 and conducting metal plates 130 with the help of any equipment like wire cutter.
[0054] Whereas in the automated method 914 a bridge eliminator 522 is connected to the bridges 134, the bridge eliminator 522 passes high current through the bridges 134 to blow them out as only fusible links 132 are responsible for conducting currents through the battery 110 and act as fuses in case of overcurrent condition. The automated method 914 can also be used to remove the bridges 134 in large scale of production. In this method 914, high current is passed through bridges 134 for the sufficient amount of time to blow them out. Automated bridge eliminator 522 is described below in detail with reference to accompanying figures.

[0055] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the manufacturing setup 500 of the battery module 100 with the automated resistance welding machine 510 attached with the resistance welder 512 and the bridge eliminator 522, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 5A, the welding electrode 514 of the resistance welder 512 is responsible for resistance welding of the batteries 110 with the conducting metal plate 130 whereas the bridge eliminator 522 helps in detaching the bridges 134.
[0056] FIG. 5B provides a bottom view of automated resistance welding machine 510 comprising a resistance welder 512 and a bridge eliminator 522, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 5B, the machine 510 comprises of two welding electrodes 514 of which one is denoted as positive electrode 516 and the other as negative electrode 518. The flow of current in the electrodes 514 is considered from positive 516 to negative 518. Further, the distance between the welding electrodes 514 and the bridge eliminator 522 is such that resistance welding and detachment of bridges 134 can be done on two batteries adjacent to each other simultaneously.
[0057] FIG. 5C provides a bottom view of the positive 526 and negative 528 electrodes of the bridge eliminator 522, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 5C, the bridge eliminator 522 also comprises of two electrodes 524 with a specific design according to the position of bridges 134 in the conducting metal plate 130. One electrode is denoted as positive electrode 526 and the other as negative electrode 528 with direction of flow of high current from positive electrode 526 to negative electrode 528 as illustrated in FIG. 5D. The bridge eliminator 522 is touched with the bridges 134 and high current is flown for large amount of time so that the bridges 134 are abolished.
[0058] FIG. 5D is a perspective view of an arrangement 540 including resistance welder 512 with positive 516 and negative 518 electrodes attached with the surface for resistance welding 131 with dotted lines showing the direction of flow of welding current, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] For exemplary and simplicity purpose, the present disclosure and the corresponding drawings explain a bridge eliminator 522 comprising electrodes 524 to detach the bridges 134 as illustrated in FIG. 3. However, it is to be noted that the various embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable for the electrodes having different designs in the bridge eliminator 522. Other types of electrode design can be used depending upon the position of bridges in the slot of the conducting metal plate.
[0060] For exemplary and simplicity purpose, the present disclosure and the corresponding drawings explain an automated resistance welding machine 510 comprising a resistance welder 512 and a bridge eliminator 522 as illustrated in FIG. 5A. However, it is to be noted that the various embodiments of the present disclosure are applicable for the designs of the automated resistance welding machine 510. Other types of design can be used in which the automated resistance welding machine comprise only of a resistance welder and the bridge eliminator is present on another machine.
[0061] FIG. 6 is a side section view of the battery module 100 after the connection of batteries 110 with the conducting metal plate 130 and detachment of the bridges 134, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 6, batteries 610 and 612 are conventional rechargeable batteries such as Lithium-ion or metal metal hydride batteries. Insulating plates 120 are configured as a supporting structure for the batteries from both sides. Conducting metal plates 130 are sheets of surfaces 131, layered over the insulating plates 120, with surfaces 131 in each conducting metal plate 130 aligned over the ends of each battery. The batteries’ positive terminals 614 are connected to conducting metal plate 130 via resistance welding of the surface 131 present in the conducting metal plate 130. The negative terminal 616 of the batteries are connected to the conducting metal plate 130 in similar manner.
[0062] As illustrated in FIG. 6, a fusible link 133 is used to couple the batteries and the conducting metal plates 130. The fusible link 133 connects the surface 132 and the conducting metal plate 130. A fusible link 133 is capable of carrying current slightly greater

than the maximum expected current from the battery 110 to which the fusible link 133 is coupled and the first of the plurality of conducting metal plate 130. It also provides elimination of the coupling between the first of the plurality of conducting metal plate 130 and the respective battery to which it is coupled in the event that a higher than anticipated current flows through the battery 110 of the plurality of batteries to which it is coupled.
[0063] FIG. 7 is a top view of the battery module 100 after the connection of batteries 110 with the conducting metal plate 130 and detachment of the bridges 134, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the fusible link 133 is connecting the surface 132 where resistance welding is done and the conducting metal plate 130.
[0064] FIG. 8 is a flowchart 800 illustrating a method of fusibly coupling batteries, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in Fig. 8, multiple batteries are inserted in between two insulating plates 120 providing structural support to the batteries 812. Each insulating plate is layered with a conducting metal plate 814. Each conducting metal plate 130 is placed on the side of the insulating plate 120 that does not touch the batteries, so that the batteries 110 and insulating plates 120 are sandwiched between two conducting metal plates 130. When the insulating plates 120 have been sandwiched with conducting metal plates 130, the positive ends of each battery are linked to the surface 131 of one conducting metal plate 130 via resistance welding, and the negative ends of each battery are linked to the other conducting metal plate 130 in same way 816. Further, elimination of bridges via manual cutting 912 or by using an automated method 914 in which high current is passed through bridges for sufficient amount of time to blow them out 818.
[0065] While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person skilled in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein.

[0066] The figures and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope of embodiments is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

WE CLAIM:
1. A battery module (100), comprising:
at least one battery cell (110), each having at least two terminals (614) and (616);
a plurality of insulating plate (120) comprising a plurality of slots (121), configured for providing structural support to the at least one battery cell (110), wherein the terminals (614) and (616) of the battery cell (110) are aligned over the slot (121) of each insulating plate (120); and
a plurality of conducting metal plate (130) comprising a plurality of surfaces for resistance welding (131), one or more fusible links (133) and one or more bridges (134), wherein the surface for resistance welding (131) is attached with the conducting metal plate (130) through fusible links (133) and bridges (134), the surface (131) includes a slot (132) which provides a suitable path for the current to flow through the surface (131) which adjusts the resistance of the path so that required heat is generated for effective welding, wherein, the bridges (134) are responsible for providing mechanical support to the battery cells (110) until the resistance welding process is finished,
wherein, the one or more bridges (134) are removed via a manual process (912) or an automated process (914) after the resistance welding, such that only fusible links (133) remain in place,
wherein, fusible links (133) are responsible for short circuit or overcurrent protection of the battery module (100).
2. A method of manufacturing (800) a battery module (100), the method comprises the
steps of:
assembling a plurality of batteries (110) in a staggered or inline arrangement;
coupling the batteries (110) with two insulating plates (120) having at least one battery cell (110) aligned over at least one slot (121) of each insulating plate (120) attached to both terminals of the batteries (110); and

placing a conducting metal plate (130) on the side of each insulating plate (120) that does not touch the batteries (110), such that the batteries (110) and the insulating plates (120) are sandwiched between two conducting metal plates (130),
for each of the pluralities of batteries (110), coupling the first terminal of said battery (614) to a first of the plurality of conducting metal plate (130) via resistance welding of the surface (132) present in the first of the plurality of conducting metal plates (130) with the first terminal of said battery (614),
for each of the pluralities of batteries, removal of the bridges (134) between each battery cell (110) and the conducting metal plate (130) after resistance welding process, such that only fusible link (133) conducts the current through the batteries (110) and acts as a fuse in case of short circuit or overcurrent condition rather than the bridges (134).
3. The battery module (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each fusible link (133) is
capable of:
carrying an expected current from the battery to which the fusible link is coupled and the first of the plurality of conducting metal plate (130); and
eliminating the coupling between the first of the plurality of conducting metal plate (130) and the respective battery to which it is coupled in the event that a higher than anticipated current flows through the battery of the plurality of batteries to which it is coupled.
4. A method of manufacturing (800) a battery module (100) as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the elimination of bridges (134) is done via:
manual removal (912) of the bridges (134) between each battery cell (110) and the conducting metal plate (130) through cutting off the bridges (134) with the help of an equipment or a wire cutter, for each of the pluralities of batteries; and
automated removal (914) of the bridge connection between each battery cell (110) and the conducting metal plate (130) through passing high current from bridges (134) for sufficient amount of time to blow them out using bridge eliminator (522) having electrodes (524), for each of the pluralities of batteries.

5. The battery module (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery cells (110) are
separated from the conducting metal plate (130) with the insulating plate (120) in between them.