Battery interconnects including prebent electrical tabs and self-fixturing

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other implementations described herein relate to a battery for use in a battery cell assembly that facilitates pack manufacturing. A method of manufacturing the battery cell assembly for the battery pack includes providing at least one battery cell in the battery cell assembly. The battery cell includes at least one prebent electrical tab. The method further includes operatively connecting a busbar to the prebent electrical tab on the battery cell, without substantially deforming the prebent electrical tab, whereby subsequent bending of the at least one prebent electrical tab is unnecessary.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing a battery cell assembly for a battery pack, the method comprising:
 providing at least one battery cell in the battery cell assembly, the at least one battery cell including at least one prebent electrical tab; and   operatively connecting a busbar to the at least one prebent electrical tab on the at least one battery cell in the battery cell assembly, without substantially deforming the at least one prebent electrical tab, whereby subsequent bending of the at least one prebent electrical tab is unnecessary.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a shape of a portion of the at least one prebent electrical tab is complementary to a contour of the busbar. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one prebent electrical tab includes a semi-cylindrical portion, such that the semi-cylindrical portion of the at least one prebent electrical tab is complementary to a contour of the busbar. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 welding the busbar to the at least one prebent electrical tab.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 operatively connecting the busbar to a frame member, such that the frame member carries the busbar;   wherein operatively connecting the busbar to the at least one prebent electrical tab further includes attaching the frame member to the battery pack so as to cause the busbar to be aligned and in contact with the at least one prebent electrical tab.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab between a support structure and the busbar.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the support structure includes at least one tab backer, and positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab between the support structure and the busbar includes positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab between the at least one tab backer and the busbar. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 welding the busbar, the at least one prebent electrical tab, and the at least one tab backer together.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the support structure includes at least one clip and at least one tab backer, the method further comprising:
 clipping the at least one clip to a cell frame included in the support structure; and   clipping the at least one tab backer respectively to the at least one clip; wherein:
 positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab between the support structure and the busbar includes positioning the at least one prebent electrical tab between the at least one tab backer and the busbar. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one clip is electrically insulating. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one tab backer is conductive. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 bending, prior to providing the at least one battery cell, at least one electrical tab on the at least one battery cell, to form the at least one electrical tab.   
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a battery cell assembly for a battery pack, the method comprising:
 stacking a first battery cell including a first prebent electrical tab, a second battery cell including a second prebent electrical tab, and a support structure including a first cell frame and a second cell frame, such that the first cell frame is adjacent to the first battery cell, the second battery cell is adjacent to the first cell frame, the second cell frame is adjacent to the second battery cell, and the support structure is in contact with first sides of the first prebent electrical tab and the second prebent electrical tab; and   operatively connecting a busbar to second sides respectively of the first prebent electrical tab and the second prebent electrical tab, the second sides opposite the first sides, such that the first prebent electrical tab and second prebent electrical tab are disposed between the support structure and the busbar without substantially deforming the first and second prebent electrical tabs.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first prebent electrical tab and second prebent electrical tab include a portion with a shape complementary to the busbar. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 welding the busbar to the first prebent electrical tab and the second prebent electrical tab.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 prior to operatively connecting the busbar to the second sides of the first and second prebent electrical tabs, attaching the busbar to a frame member such that the frame member carries the busbar, wherein operatively connecting the busbar to the second sides of the first prebent electrical tab and the second prebent electrical tab further includes attaching the frame member to the battery pack so as to cause the busbar to be aligned and in contact with the second sides of the first and second prebent electrical tabs.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the support structure includes a first tab backer on the first cell frame and a second tab backer on the second cell frame; the method further comprising:
 positioning the first prebent electrical tab on the first tab backer; and   positioning the second prebent electrical tab on the second tab backer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 welding the first prebent electrical tab, the second prebent electrical tab, the first tab backer, the second tab backer, and the busbar together.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising, prior to positioning the first prebent electrical tab on the first tab backer and the second prebent electrical tab on the second tab backer:
 clipping a first clip on the first cell frame;   clipping a second clip on the second cell frame;   clipping the first tab backer on the first clip; and   clipping the second tab backer on the second clip.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 bending, a first electrical tab on the first battery cell to form first prebent electrical tab and a second electrical tab on the second battery cell to form the second prebent electrical tab on the second battery cell, prior to stacking the first battery cell, the second battery cell, and the support structure.