Snap-in extensions and guide walls for bus bar bridges of a battery module

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a battery module having a group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells, a battery module terminal configured to be coupled to a load for powering the load, and an electrical path extending between the group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells and the battery module terminal, where the electrical path includes a bus bar bridge. The battery module also includes a housing, where the group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells is disposed within the housing, and the housing includes a pair of extensions positioned along sides of the bus bar bridge and configured to retain the bus bar bridge and to block movement of the bus bar bridge in at least one direction.

1 . A lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery module, comprising:
 a group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells;   a battery module terminal configured to be coupled to a load for powering the load;   an electrical path extending between the group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells and the battery module terminal, wherein the electrical path comprises a bus bar bridge; and   a housing, wherein the group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells is disposed within the housing, and wherein the housing comprises a pair of extensions positioned along sides of the bus bar bridge and configured to retain the bus bar bridge and to block movement of the bus bar bridge in at least one direction.   
     
     
         2 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of extensions is configured to block movement of the bus bar bridge only along a transverse axis of the bus bar bridge. 
     
     
         3 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of extensions is configured to block movement of the bus bar bridge only along a transverse axis of the bus bar bridge and a longitudinal axis of the bus bar bridge perpendicular to the transverse axis. 
     
     
         4 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of extensions is configured to block movement of the bus bar bridge only along a transverse axis of the bus bar bridge, a longitudinal axis of the bus bar bridge perpendicular to the transverse axis, and an axis along a thickness of the bus bar bridge perpendicular to both the transverse and longitudinal axes. 
     
     
         5 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the bus bar bridge comprises an S-shape having a first base, a second base, and an S-bend extending between the first base and the second base. 
     
     
         6 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 5 , wherein the first base of the bus bar bridge extends between the extensions of the pair of extensions. 
     
     
         7 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 5 , wherein the S-bend extends between the extensions of the pair of extensions. 
     
     
         8 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 5 , wherein the housing comprises an additional pair of extensions positioned along the sides of the bus bar bridge and configured to retain the bus bar bridge and to block movement of the bus bar bridge in at least one direction, wherein the first base of the bus bar bridge extends between the extensions of the pair of extensions, wherein the second base of the bus bar bridge extends between the additional extensions of the additional pair of extensions, and wherein the pair of extensions and the additional pair of extensions extend in a first vertical direction substantially parallel to at least the portion of the S-bend of the bus bar bridge. 
     
     
         9 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein each extension of the pair of extensions comprises a hook that extends toward the other extension of the pair of extensions and over at least a portion of the bus bar bridge. 
     
     
         10 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 9 , wherein the hook of each extension comprises a corresponding right triangle having a base facing a first portion of the bus bar bridge and parallel with the first portion of the bus bar bridge. 
     
     
         11 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells comprises a group of electrically interconnected prismatic lithium-ion (Li-ion) electrochemical cells. 
     
     
         12 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the bus bar bridge is positioned proximate to the pair of extensions such that a first weld point of the bus bar bridge is exposed with sufficient clearance for access via a welding tool on a first side of the pair of extensions, and a second weld point of the bus bar bridge is exposed with sufficient clearance for access via the welding tool on a second side of the pair of extensions opposite to the first side. 
     
     
         13 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the battery module comprises a shunt, and the bus bar bridge is welded to the shunt. 
     
     
         14 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of extensions extend above a first surface of a first base of the bus bar bridge. 
     
     
         15 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the battery module comprises a relay switch mechanism and the bus bar bridge is coupled to a component of the relay switch mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the housing and the pair of extensions are plastic, and the pair of extensions is integrally formed with the housing. 
     
     
         17 . A lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery module, comprising:
 a housing;   a plurality of electrochemical cells disposed in the housing;   a major terminal of the battery module; and   an electrical path extending between the plurality of electrochemical cells and the major terminal of the battery module, wherein the electrical path comprises an S-shaped bus bar bridge having a first base, a second base, and an S-bend extending between the first and second bases, wherein the housing comprises a first extension extending upwardly and proximate to a first side of the S-shaped bus bar bridge and a second extension extending upwardly and proximate to a second side of the S-shaped bus bar bridge opposite to the first side, and wherein the first and second extensions are configured to block movement of the S-shaped bus bar bridge along at least one axis of the S-shaped bus bar bridge.   
     
     
         18 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second extensions are together configured to block movement of the S-shaped bus bar bridge along at least a first axis of the S-shaped bus bar bridge and a second axis of the S-shaped bus bar bridge perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
         19 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second extensions are together configured to block movement of the S-shaped bus bar bridge along at least a first axis of the S-shaped bus bar bridge, a second axis of the S-shaped bus bar bridge perpendicular to the first axis, and a third axis of the S-shaped bus bar bridge perpendicular to the first and second axes. 
     
     
         20 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 17 , wherein the first extension comprises a first pointed edge extending toward the second extension, and the second extension comprises a second pointed edge extending toward the first extension. 
     
     
         21 . A lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery module, comprising:
 an electrical path extending between a group of electrically interconnected electrochemical cells and a terminal of the battery module, wherein the terminal is configured to be coupled to a load for powering the load;   a bus bar bridge of the electrical path; and   at least one snap-in extension integrally formed with a housing of the battery module and disposed immediately adjacent the bus bar bridge, wherein the at least one snap-in extension comprises a hook extending over the bus bar bridge and the at least one snap-in extension is configured to at least temporarily block movement of the bus bar bridge in at least one direction.   
     
     
         22 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 21 , wherein the hook comprises a first right triangle having a lower flat surface facing a base of the bus bar bridge and parallel with the base. 
     
     
         23 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 21 , wherein the bus bar bridge is an S-shaped bus bar bridge having a first base, a second base, and an S-bend extending between the first base and the second base. 
     
     
         24 . The Li-ion battery module of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one snap-in extension is disposed immediately adjacent the base of the bus bar bridge such that the hook extends over the base of the bus bar bridge.