Apple Inc.

Haran Balaram

Brian Kinting Shiu

Christopher R Pasma

Junhua Liu

George V Anastas

YooEup Hyung

Bookeun Oh

Siddharth Mohapatra

Andrew S Meyers

Fletcher R Rothkopf

Colin M Ely

Nathan J Bohney

Charles W Werley

Jonathan C Wilson

Angelo V Marasco

Gerald K Cheung

Richard L Winslow

The disclosed technology relates to electrical feedthroughs for thin battery cells. A battery cell enclosure includes a terraced portion having a reduced thickness relative to another portion of the enclosure. The enclosure includes an opening disposed on a horizontal surface of the terraced portion for receiving the electrical feedthrough. Because the feedthrough is disposed on the horizontal surface of the terraced portion, the feedthrough may be over-sized thereby reducing the resistance and impedance of the feedthrough without increasing the height or thickness of the enclosure.

Feedthroughs for thin battery cells

Battery systems according to embodiments of the present technology may include a battery including a first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal accessible along a first surface of the battery. The battery systems may also include a module electrically coupled with the battery. The module may include a first mold extending toward the battery. The first mold may define a recess along a first surface of the first mold proximate the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal. The module may include a first conductive tab electrically coupling the module with the first electrode terminal. The first electrode terminal may be at least partially positioned within a space defined by the recess defined by the first mold. The module may also include a second conductive tab electrically coupling the module with the second electrode terminal.

Battery pack with overmolded module

Aspects of the present disclosure involve various battery can designs. In general, the battery can design includes two fitted surfaces oriented opposite each other and seam welded together to form an enclosure in which a battery stack is located. To form the enclosure, the two fitted surfaces are welded together along the large perimeter. Other swelling-resisting advantages may also be achieved utilizing the battery can design described herein including, but not limited to, the ability to modify one or more can wall thicknesses to control a pressure applied to the battery stack by the can, overall reduction in wall thickness of the can through the use of stronger materials for the can surfaces, additional supports structures included within the can design, and/or bossing or other localized thinning of surfaces of the can.

Battery can

The disclosed technology relates to an electrical feedthrough for a cylindrical battery cell. The electrical feedthrough may include an annular channel having an outer sidewall, an inner sidewall, and a base; an insulator formed of glass having an overmold portion; and a pin extending through the insulator and configured to form an external battery terminal. The insulator is bonded to the inner sidewall of the annular channel and a portion of the base of the annular channel. The overmold portion prevents electrical contact between a set of electrodes and the electrode feedthrough.

Cylindrical battery cell with overmolded glass feedthrough

Content on a display user interface of an electronic device, such as a wearable electronic device, can be manipulated using capacitive touch sensors that may be seamlessly integrated into the housing or strap of the electronic device. The capacitive touch sensors can advantageously replace mechanical buttons and other mechanical user interface components, such as a crown, to provide industrial design opportunities not possible with the inclusion of mechanical buttons and mechanical interface components. Moreover, the capacitive touch sensors can enable ambidextrous user interface control of content displayed on a touchscreen without requiring the user to touch the touchscreen. In some examples, content displayed on the touchscreen can be accessed in response to a variety of touch gestures processed by the capacitive touch sensors. The touch gestures can include, for example, single tap, double tap, extended touch, x-y coordinate selection, scrolling, scaling, or the like for manipulating a touchscreen user interface.

Processing capacitive touch gestures implemented on an electronic device

Electrical feedthroughs are presented for redistributing thermally-induced stresses that result from welding. In some embodiments, an electrical feedthrough includes a tubular conduit having a flange at one end. The flange includes a first surface disposed opposite a second surface. The first surface includes at least one of a protrusion and a notch. The electrical feedthrough also includes an electrically-conductive terminal disposed through the tubular conduit. An electrically-insulating material is disposed between the tubular conduit and the electrically-conductive terminal and forms a seal therebetween. The protrusion and the notch are configured individually or as a combination to reduce thermally-induced stresses within the electrically-insulating material that result from welding the flange. Methods for welding such electrical feedthroughs to a wall, such as a wall of a battery housing, are also presented.

Electrical feedthroughs for redistributing thermally-induced stresses that result from welding

A first electronic device is positionable between one or more contact positions and an aligned position with respect to a second electronic device. One or more actuators of the first electronic device are activated in response to one or more sensors of the first electronic device determining that the first electronic device and second electronic device are misaligned. Activation of the actuator may result in the first electronic device moving to the aligned position. In some implementations, the actuator may move the first electronic device toward the aligned position when activated. In other implementations, the actuator may overcome static friction to put the first electronic device in motion when activated and when the first electronic device is in motion one or more alignment mechanisms may overcome the kinetic friction to move the first electronic device to the aligned position.

Actuator assisted alignment of connectible devices

An electronic device having a circuit board and a battery is disclosed. The circuit board may include a through hole and an electrical pad surrounding the through hole. In order to electrically couple the circuit board to the battery, and in particular, an electrode of the battery, a tab (or plaque) is placed between the electrical pad and the electrode. The tab electrically couples with the electrical pad by a soldering operation. To couple (electrically and mechanically) the tab with the electrode, a welding operation is used. The welding operation may include a laser weld providing thermal energy through a laser beam. In this regard, the laser beam passes through the through hole, thereby (partially) melting the tab and forming a weld between the tab and the electrode. Accordingly, the tab covers the through hole such that the tab is positioned to receive the laser beam.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Haran Balaram