US 11,806,813 B2
Accumulator assembly with an improved welding technique for a cell connector element
Daniel Scherer, Munich (DE); Bernhard Nitschke, Munich (DE); Ruediger Daub, Groebenzell (DE); Christoph Born, Munich (DE); and Philip Kotter, Munich (DE)
Assigned to Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, Munich (DE)
Filed by Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, Munich (DE)
Filed on Dec. 29, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/858,291.
Application 15/858,291 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2016/062463, filed on Jun. 2, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2015 213 129.7 (DE), filed on Jul. 14, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2018/0117714 A1, May 3, 2018
Int. Cl. B23K 20/12 (2006.01); B23K 31/02 (2006.01); H01M 50/50 (2021.01); B60L 50/64 (2019.01); H01M 50/51 (2021.01); H01M 50/516 (2021.01); B23K 101/38 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 31/025 (2013.01) [B23K 20/1265 (2013.01); B60L 50/64 (2019.02); H01M 50/51 (2021.01); H01M 50/516 (2021.01); B23K 2101/38 (2018.08); H01M 2220/20 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An accumulator assembly, comprising:
a first accumulator cell having a first electrical connection element;
a second accumulator cell having a second electrical connection element; and
a cell connector element which electrically connects the first electrical connection element of the first accumulator cell with the second electrical connection element of the second accumulator cell and which is welded at least to one of the electrical connection elements by way of a plurality of weld locations, wherein
a number and a location of the weld locations are selected in accordance with an anticipated current density in such a manner that, at locations with a higher anticipated current density, more weld locations are arranged and, at locations with a lower anticipated current density, fewer weld locations are arranged, wherein
a number of the fewer weld locations is greater than zero,
the cell connector element defines an opening in the cell connector element which extends between an electrode of the first accumulator cell and an electrode of the second accumulator cell,
the opening is narrower than the electrode of the first accumulator cell and the electrode of the second accumulator cell,
the opening extends over the electrode of the first or second accumulator cell,
the cell connector element has a U-shaped curvature that extends above the first electrical connection element of the first accumulator cell and the second electrical connection element of the second accumulator cell in a region between the first electrical connection element of the first accumulator cell and the second electrical connection element of the second accumulator cell,
a portion of the opening is disposed in the U-shaped curvature, and
the U-shaped curvature extends perpendicularly relative to the opening.