A battery module may include a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing, a battery terminal extending from the battery module for coupling the battery module with electrical components in the vehicle, and a contactor. A voltage supplied to a relay coil in the contactor may generate a magnetic field to actuate a contactor switch. The battery module may also include a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the housing. The PCB may include a relay control circuit configured to control a current flowing across the relay coil, and the relay control circuit may operate in a pull-in mode to transition the contactor switch into a closed position and in a hold mode to maintain the contactor switch in the closed position.

Battery electrodes are provided that can include a conductive core supported by a polymeric frame. Methods for manufacturing battery electrodes are provided that can include: providing a sheet of conductive material; and framing the sheet of conductive material with a polymeric material. Batteries are provided that can include a plurality of electrodes, with individual ones of the electrodes comprising a conductive core supported by a polymeric frame.

A production method is provided for producing a lithium ion secondary battery. The lithium ion secondary battery has an external casing that houses an electrolytic solution and a power generating element. The power generating element includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode layered with a separator. The production method includes first charging the lithium ion secondary battery at a voltage range of 4.0 V or lower and then opening the external casing of the lithium ion secondary battery that has been charged at a range of 4.0 V or lower to discharge gas inside the lithium ion secondary battery to the exterior. Next, the production method further includes re-sealing the external casing and charging the lithium ion secondary battery from which the gas has been discharged until the cell voltage is greater than 4.0 V.

A battery can include a cathode; an anode; a case; and an electrolyte; wherein the cathode and anode are formed of active material positioned on charge collectors. In one aspect, a battery includes a cathode comprising at least one charge collector; an anode comprising at least one charge collector; a separator; a cell case; and an electrolyte. The cathode and anode are formed of active material positioned on charge collectors. Examples of the aspect can include some, all, or none of the following features. The charge collector contains at least one weakening feature selected from the group consisting of bumps, notches, grooves, cracks, voids, sharp openings, folds, ridges, valleys, and hollow cross-section profiles.

A bus bar including a first end comprising a first material and a second end comprising a second material and a method of manufacture are provided. The first end is designed to be coupled to a terminal of a first battery cell of a battery module and includes a first collar disposed on the first end designed to receive and surround the terminal of the first battery cell of the battery module. The second end is designed to be coupled to a terminal of a second battery cell of the battery module and includes a second collar disposed on the second end designed to receive and surround the terminal of the second battery of the battery module. The first and second batteries of the battery module are adjacent to one another. Moreover, the bus bar includes a joint electrically and mechanically coupling the first end and the second end.

A lithium ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The positive electrode includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode active material layer over the positive electrode current collector. The positive electrode active material layer includes a plurality of lithium-containing composite oxides each of which is expressed by LiMPO.sub.4 (M is one or more of Fe (II), Mn (II), Co (II), and Ni (II)) that is a general formula. The lithium-containing composite oxide is a flat single crystal particle in which the length in the b-axis direction is shorter than each of the lengths in the a-axis direction and the c-axis direction. The lithium-containing composite oxide is provided over the positive electrode current collector so that the b-axis of the single crystal particle intersects with the surface of the positive electrode current collector.

A battery module includes a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing, and a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly disposed in the housing. The PCB assembly includes a PCB and a shunt disposed across a first surface of the PCB. A second surface of the shunt directly contacts the first surface of the PCB, and the shunt is electrically coupled between the battery cells and a terminal of the battery module.

A system includes a lid disposed over battery cells in a battery module. The lid includes flexible fingers, and each of the flexible fingers aligns with a corresponding one of the battery cells. Each of the flexible fingers is configured to exert a downward force against the corresponding one of the battery cells, and the flexible fingers are configured to accommodate varying heights of the battery cells.

A battery module may include a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing, a battery terminal extending from the battery module for coupling the battery module with electrical components in the vehicle, and a contactor. A voltage supplied to a relay coil in the contactor may generate a magnetic field to actuate a contactor switch. The battery module may also include a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed in the housing. The PCB may include a relay control circuit configured to control a current flowing across the relay coil, and the relay control circuit may operate in a pull-in mode to transition the contactor switch into a closed position and in a hold mode to maintain the contactor switch in the closed position.

A battery module includes a housing, a plurality of battery cells disposed in the housing, and a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly disposed in the housing. The PCB assembly includes a PCB and a shunt disposed across a first surface of the PCB. A second surface of the shunt directly contacts the first surface of the PCB, and the shunt is electrically coupled between the battery cells and a terminal of the battery module.