Flexible circuit having a fuse, bus bar holder including a lead-in structure, electrical conduction assembly having a bus bar and battery including the same

Abstract

An electrical conduction assembly comprising a flexible layer, an interface being associated with and electrically coupled to a terminal of an external electrical element, and a circuit trace coupled to the flexible layer and to the interface. The circuit trace includes a fuse as part of the trace, and the fuse is associated with the interface. Also disclosed is a battery including the electrical conduction assembly. Further disclosed is a bus bar holder for a battery. The bus bar holder includes a lead-in structure coupled with a main body on a first side. The lead in structure includes a first lead-in wall to be disposed between a first plurality of battery cells and a second lead-in wall orthogonal to the first lead-in wall. The bus bar holder can also include a plurality of pockets, each or which includes a respective aperture and a respective recess.

1 . A flexible circuit comprising:
 a flexible layer;   an interface being associate with and electrically coupled to a terminal of an external electrical element; and   a circuit trace coupled to the flexible layer and to the interface, the circuit trace including a fuse as part of the trace, the fuse being associated with the interface.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible circuit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a trace cover layer at least covering a portion of the circuit trace, the trace cover including a fuse coating encapsulating the fuse. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuse coating includes a plurality of layers of polyimide. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuse includes a non-straight trace. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuse includes a plurality of fuses as part of the trace, wherein the plurality of fuses work in conjunction. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuse being associated with the interface includes the fuse being in spaced relation to the interface. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible circuit according to  claim 1 , wherein the flexible layer includes a flexible film dielectric. 
     
     
         8 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A battery comprising:
 a housing;   a plurality of battery cells housed by the housing, the plurality of battery cells including a battery cell having a cell terminal;   an electrical conduction assembly housed by the housing and electrically coupled to the plurality of battery cells, the electrical conduction assembly comprising:
 a flexible layer; 
 a cell interface being associate with and electrically coupled to the cell terminal; 
 a circuit trace supported by the flexible layer and coupled to the cell interface, the circuit trace including a fuse as part of the trace, the fuse being associated with the cell interface. 
   
     
     
         24 . The battery according to  claim 23 , wherein the electrical conduction assembly further comprises a fuse coating encapsulating the fuse. 
     
     
         25 . The battery according to  claim 23 , having fuse coating includes a plurality of layers of polyimide. 
     
     
         26 . The battery according to  claim 23 , wherein the fuse includes a non-straight trace. 
     
     
         27 . The battery according to  claim 26 , wherein the fuse includes a sinusoidal-shaped trace. 
     
     
         28 . The battery according to  claim 23 , wherein the fuse includes a plurality of fuses as part of the trace, wherein the plurality of fuses work in conjunction. 
     
     
         29 . The battery according to  claim 23 , wherein the fuse being associated with the cell interface includes the fuse being in spaced relation to the cell interface. 
     
     
         30 . The battery according to  claim 23 , wherein the flexible layer includes a flexible film dielectric. 
     
     
         31 . The battery according to  claim 23 , wherein the electrical conduction assembly further comprises a trace cover layer. 
     
     
         32 . The battery according to  claim 23  and further comprising a battery control module housed by the housing, and wherein the electrical conduction assembly further includes a control module interface coupled to the circuit trace, and wherein the control module interface electrically couples the circuit trace to the battery control module. 
     
     
         33 . The battery according to  claim 23 , wherein the electrical conduction assembly further comprises a holder supporting the flexible layer and the cell interface. 
     
     
         34 . The battery according to  claim 33 , wherein the holder further includes a bus bar coupling the cell terminal to the cell interface. 
     
     
         35 . The battery according to  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of battery cells includes a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells 
     
     
         36 . A vehicle having the battery according to  claim 23 . 
     
     
         37 . A bus bar holder for a battery comprising a housing having a wall, a first plurality of battery cells and a second plurality of battery cells housed by the housing, the bus bar holder comprising:
 a main body comprising:
 a first side to be disposed next to the first plurality of battery cells and the second plurality of battery cells; and 
 a second side opposite the first side and to be disposed away from the first plurality of battery cells and the second plurality of battery cells; and 
   a lead-in structure coupled with the main body on the first side, the lead-in structure comprising:
 a first lead-in wall to be disposed between the first plurality of battery cells and the second plurality of battery cells; and 
 a second lead-in wall orthogonal to the first lead-in wall, the second lead-in wall to be disposed between the wall of the housing, and the first plurality of battery cells and the second plurality of battery cells. 
   
     
     
         38 - 63 . (canceled)