Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Yunan Guo

Yongcai Wang

Francisco Fernandez

Tommy M Gunther

Rajaram Subramanian

Ahteram Khan

Stuart Schreiber

Debbi Callicoat

Louis Paspal

Wei Long Qiu

Patrick Daniel Maguire

Derek Hartl

Brian Utley

Steve Droste

James Lawrence Swoish

Jingmei Shen

Micah Smith

Tom M Gunther

Steve F Chorian

David James Chesney

Michael Luchtman

Melissa Kathryn Christensen

Guangyao Li

David Wardzala

A traction battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a tray, at least one battery module, a lid secured to the tray to provide an enclosure having an interior that houses the at least one battery module, the lid having a lid aperture, and a reinforcement member is secured directly to the lid. The reinforcement member has a reinforcement member aperture. A fastener extends through the lid aperture and the reinforcement member aperture. The fastener is secured to a structure within the interior. The reinforcement member is secured directly to the lid separately from the fastener.

Traction battery enclosure reinforcement assembly and reinforcing method

A vehicle traction battery assembly including a pair of battery cells and a busbar is provided. Each of the battery cells may include a terminal and one or more locating features. The busbar may span between the cells and define a pair of arms each having a member sized to at least partially interlock with the one or more locating features. The busbar may span between the cells such that the busbar covers at least a portion of upper surfaces defined by each of the cells. At least one of the terminal apertures may be spaced in between outer edges of the respective arms such that a first and second surface area provide space sufficient for weld spots.

Busbar assembly for vehicle traction battery

This disclosure relates to a battery assembly for an electrified vehicle and a corresponding method. An exemplary battery assembly includes a battery cell including a terminal, a busbar, and at least one first weld bead securing the busbar to the terminal. The at least one first weld bead is substantially Z-shaped.

Battery assembly joint with Z-shaped weld bead

An exemplary attachment method includes, among other things, to electrically couple a first battery cell to a busbar, joining a terminal of the first battery cell to the busbar with a first weld. The method further includes, to electrically couple a second battery cell to the busbar, joining a terminal of the second battery cell to the terminal of the first battery cell with a second weld. An exemplary attachment assembly includes, among other things, a busbar, a first terminal of a first battery cell, and a second terminal of a second battery cell. The first terminal is electrically coupled to the busbar with a first weld that joins the first terminal to the busbar. The second terminal is electrically coupled to the busbar with a second weld that joins the second terminal to the first terminal.

Terminal and busbar attachment method and assembly

A busbar assembly includes, among other things, a busbar, a battery terminal, and a deformed area securing together the busbar and the battery terminal. A securing method includes, among other things, positioning a first portion of an attachment structure within an aperture, deforming a second portion of the attachment structure to provide a deformed area, and using the deformed area to secure a busbar relative to a battery terminal.

Electrified vehicle busbar secured using a deformed area of an attachment structure

A battery assembly includes a first battery cell including a first terminal, a bus bar connected to the first terminal, and a first weld bead for securing the bus bar to the first terminal. The first weld bead includes a first end portion extending continuously to a second end portion and configured such that the first end portion faces in a direction toward the second end portion.

Weld patterns for battery assembly joints

An assembly connecting a battery bus bar to battery cell terminals, with the bus bar provided with spring clips. The clips fit over the battery terminals and hold the bus bar and terminals in contact, with welding attaching the clip to the terminals.

Bus bar attachment to battery terminals

A method of welding a bus bar to battery cell terminals to produce a bus bar clip assembly. A bus bar is provided with spring clips. The clips fit over the battery terminals and hold the bus bar and terminals in contact for welding the components together.

Method of welding a bus bar to battery cell terminals

A bus bar assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a plurality of battery cells and a bus bar assembly that electrically connects the plurality of battery cells. The bus bar assembly includes a flexible cable, a voltage sense lead connected to the flexible cable, and a bus bar connected to the voltage sense lead.

Bus bar assembly for electrified vehicle batteries

A self-locating bus bar assembly for locating a bus bar on a cell terminal of a battery cell includes a bus bar locating tab adapted for attachment to the bus bar; an assembly bracket; a tab opening in the assembly bracket, the tab opening sized and configured to accommodate the bus bar locating tab; and a bracket terminal opening in the assembly bracket, the bracket terminal opening sized, configured and located to accommodate the cell terminal of the battery cell when the bus bar locating tab is disposed within the tab opening.

Self-locating busbar assembly and alignment method

A bus bar assembly includes a deformable bus bar including a bus bar positive terminal flange, a bus bar negative terminal flange spaced-apart from the bus bar positive terminal flange and a flange connecting portion connecting the bus bar positive terminal flange and the bus bar negative terminal flange. A deformable bus bar frame includes a bus bar frame positive terminal flange carried by the bus bar positive terminal flange of the deformable bus bar and a bus bar frame negative terminal flange carried by the bus bar negative terminal flange of the deformable bus bar. A method of installing a deformable bus bar on positive and negative terminals of a battery cell is also disclosed.

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Yunan Guo