Scalable battery module

Abstract

A scalable battery module (10, 210) includes a plurality of similarly configured cell groupings (1251, 1851), a plurality of framed heatsink assemblies (50, 250), and a plurality of jumper tabs (32, 232). Each cell grouping (1251, 1751) includes a plurality of cell packs (52, 1752) electrically coupled in parallel including a negative terminal (70, 270) and a positive terminal (64, 264). Each plurality of framed heatsink assemblies (50, 250) is disposed between one cell pack (52, 1752) of the plurality of cell packs of each cell groupings (1251, 1751) and an adjacent cell pack (52, 1752) of the plurality of cell packs of each cell grouping (1251, 1751) and includes a thermally conductive sheet portion. Each of the plurality of jumper tabs (32, 232) electrically couples a negative terminal (70, 270) of one of the plurality of cell groupings (1251, 1851) to a positive terminal (64, 264) of an adjacent cell grouping (1251, 1851).

1 . A scalable battery module, comprising:
 a plurality of similarly configured cell groupings comprising a plurality of cell packs electrically coupled in parallel, each cell grouping of the plurality of cell groupings including a negative terminal and a positive terminal;   a plurality of framed heatsink assemblies each having a thermally conductive sheet portion each of the plurality of framed heat sink assemblies being disposed between one cell pack of the plurality of cell packs of each cell groupings and an adjacent cell pack of the plurality of cell packs of each cell grouping; and   a plurality of jumper tabs each of the plurality of jumper tabs electrically coupling a negative terminal of one of the plurality of cell groupings to a positive terminal of an adjacent cell grouping.   
     
     
         2 . The scalable battery module of  claim 1  wherein each cell pack of the plurality of cell packs in each cell grouping are prismatic cell packs. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The scalable battery module of  claim 1  wherein each cell pack of the plurality of cell packs include oppositely facing large area surfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The scalable battery module of  claim 4  wherein the negative and positive terminals of each cell grouping of the plurality of cell groupings each include a coupling surface of a corresponding terminal of each cell pack of the plurality of cell packs forming the cell grouping wherein the coupling surface extends laterally with respect to the oppositely facing large area surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The scalable battery module of  claim 5  wherein the positive terminal of each cell pack positioned along a first edge of the cell pack and the negative terminal of each cell pack is positioned along a second edge opposite the first edge of the cell pack with the oppositely facing large area surfaces disposed between the positive terminal and negative terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The scalable battery module of  claim 6  wherein the coupling surfaces of the positive and negative terminals of each cell pack extend in the same direction laterally relative to the large area surfaces. 
     
     
         8 . The scalable battery module of  claim 7  wherein each coupling surface is formed to include openings along a distal edge. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The scalable battery module of  claim 8  wherein the each heatsink assembly of the plurality of heatsink assemblies is a framed heatsink assembly including a heatsink portion and a frame portion with the thermally conductive sheet portion being framed by the frame portion. 
     
     
         11 . The scalable battery module of  claim 10  wherein the frame portion of each heatsink assembly of the plurality of heatsink assemblies is formed to include jumper tab capture features and coupling surface capture features. 
     
     
         12 . The scalable battery module of  claim 11  wherein the jumper tab capture features and coupling surface capture features comprise at least one threaded stud. 
     
     
         13 . The scalable battery module of  claim 12  wherein the jumper tabs include a plurality of stud-receiving holes for receiving the threaded stud therein. 
     
     
         14 . The scalable battery module of  claim 13  wherein the orientation of the cell groupings determines whether they are coupled in parallel or in series to an adjacent cell pack. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The scalable battery module of  claim 1  wherein each cell grouping of the plurality of cell groupings has at least one large area surface in thermal conduction communication with the sheet portion of at least one heatsink assembly of the plurality of heatsink assemblies. 
     
     
         17 . The scalable battery module of  claim 1  wherein the each heatsink assembly of the plurality of heat sink assemblies includes thermal edges extending beyond a frame member. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A scalable battery module, comprising;
 a plurality of similarly configured cell groupings comprising a plurality of lithium ion prismatic cell packs electrically coupled in parallel, each lithium ion prismatic cell pack including oppositely facing large area surfaces having oppositely facing first and second edges with a positive terminal extending beyond the first edge of the oppositely facing large area surfaces and a negative terminal extending beyond the second edge of the oppositely facing large area surfaces wherein the positive terminal includes a positive coupling surface extending laterally from the oppositely facing large area surfaces and having at least one opening formed in a distal edge of the coupling surface and the negative terminal includes a negative coupling surface extending laterally from the oppositely facing large area surfaces and having at least one opening formed in a distal edge of the coupling surface;   a plurality of framed heatsink assemblies each having a thermally conductive sheet portion framed by a frame portion formed to include jumper tab capture features and coupling surface capture features including at least one threaded stud formed on opposite sides of the frame portion, each of the plurality of framed heat sink assemblies being disposed between one cell pack of the plurality of cell packs of each cell groupings and an adjacent cell pack of the plurality of cell packs of each cell grouping with the opening formed in the distal edge of the negative coupling surface of the one cell pack and the opening formed in the distal edge of the negative coupling surface of the adjacent cell pack combining to surround portions of the at least one threaded stud on one side of the frame portion and with the opening formed in the distal edge of the positive coupling surface of the one cell pack and the opening formed in the distal edge of the positive coupling surface of the adjacent cell pack combining to surround portions of the at least one threaded stud on the opposite side of the frame portion; and   a plurality of jumper tabs each of the plurality of jumper tabs formed to include a plurality of stud-receiving holes each receiving a threaded stud therein at least one of the stud-receiving holes receiving a threaded stud with portions surrounded by cooperating openings in the distal edges of coupling surfaces and each of the plurality of jumper tabs electrically coupling a negative terminal of one of the plurality of cell groupings to a positive terminal of an adjacent cell grouping.   
     
     
         21 . The scalable battery module of  claim 20  further comprising a plurality of nuts each received on threaded stud to maintain the jumper tab in engagement with a positive or negative terminal of a cell grouping. 
     
     
         22 . The scalable battery module of  claim 21  wherein at least one of the plurality of nuts is received on a threaded stud with portions surrounded by cooperating openings in the distal edges of coupling surfaces to maintain the jumper tab in engagement with the coupling surfaces. 
     
     
         23 . The scalable battery module of  claim 20  wherein each of the plurality of framed heatsink assemblies includes at least two pairs of threaded studs, each pair of threaded studs being formed on opposite sides of the frame portion and being spaced apart by a displacement and each distal edge of each coupling surface being formed to include a pair of openings spaced apart from each other by a displacement substantially equal to the displacement of one of the pairs of studs formed on each framed heatsink assembly. 
     
     
         24 . The scalable battery module of  claim 23  wherein each cell grouping includes an odd number of cell packs electrically coupled in parallel. 
     
     
         25 . The scalable battery module of  claim 24  wherein the pair of threaded studs on one side of each framed heat sink assembly are spaced apart by a first displacement and the pair of threaded studs on the opposite side of each framed heat sink assembly are spaced apart by a second displacement different from the first displacement, the openings formed in the distal edge of each negative coupling surface are spaced apart by a displacement substantially equal to the first displacement and the openings formed in the distal edge of each positive coupling surface are spaced apart by a displacement substantially equal to the second displacement and each of the plurality of jumper tabs is formed to include at least a first pair of stud-receiving holes spaced apart by a displacement substantially equal to the first displacement each of the first pair of stud-receiving holes receiving a threaded stud from one side of a first framed heatsink assembly therein and at least a second pair of stud-receiving holes spaced apart by a displacement substantially equal to the second displacement each of the second pair of stud-receiving holes receiving a threaded stud from the other side of a second framed heatsink assembly adjacent to the first heat sink assembly therein. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled)