A connection module configured to connect a plurality of battery packs having positive and negative electrode terminals, the connection module including an insulating member having a holding portion that holds a bus bar configured to connect electrode terminals of adjacent battery packs, and a temperature detection portion that detects the temperature of the bus bar, the insulating member having a temporary locking portion that detachably locks the temperature detection portion.

The present invention relates to a system and a method of detecting swelling of a battery cell, which, when abnormal swelling is generated in a battery cell embedded in a battery pack, rapidly detect the abnormal swelling and control a supply of a power source to the battery pack to be blocked, thereby preventing a structural deformation of the battery cell and the battery pack and life shortening of the battery, and preventing an accident, such as ignition and explosion.

A single-electrode battery subassembly includes a separator comprising an electrolyte. The separator has a first surface and an opposing second surface. A single electrode is disposed over the first surface of the separator. A removable, electrically inert substrate disposed on the second surface of the separator.

The invention relates to a cell coil (30, 40, 50, 60, 100, 200) for a lithium-ion battery, comprising at least two sub-cells (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82), which are wound in a space-saving manner and are thermally coupled to each other. According to the invention, the at least two sub-cells (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82) are electrically connected in parallel in normal operation, and, in the event of a fault, in particular in the event of an internal short circuit in at least one defective sub-cell (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82), at least one defective sub-cell (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82) can be electrically separated from the at least one intact sub-cell (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82). Because of the at least one defective sub-cell (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82) that can be immediately electrically separated from the intact sub-cells (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82) by means of an electronic monitoring device (36) in the “event of a fault”, a high level of robustness of the cell coil (30, 40, 50, 60, 100, 200) in respect of internal short circuits is achieved. Among other things, the intact sub-cells (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82) act, because of the thermal coupling between the sub-cells (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82), as a damage-reducing heat sink for the waste heat that is released during the fast discharge of the affected defective sub-cell (10, 32, 42, 44, 52, 54, 68, 70, 80, 82) generally occurring in the event of a short circuit.

An object is to reduce the overall height and outside dimensions of a secondary battery. Another object is to prevent the secondary battery from being damaged by nut tightening torque. A secondary battery includes an electrode body (15), an outer can (11), a sealing plate (12), a pair of electrode terminals (13), and a short-circuit mechanism (20). The pair of electrode terminals (13) includes a first electrode terminal (13A) and a second electrode terminal (13B). The short-circuit mechanism (20) includes a conductive reversible plate (22) secured to the sealing plate (12), and a reversible plate receiver (25) disposed opposite the reversible plate (22). The reversible plate receiver (25) includes a first output terminal (31), and the first output terminal (31) is electrically insulated from the sealing plate (12). The first output terminal is electrically connected to the first electrode terminal, and is spaced from the first electrode terminal.

A flexible sheet of positive temperature coefficient (PTC) material formed of a polymer resin and a conductive filler, the sheet of PTC material having a thickness in a range of 10 μm to 100 μm. A method for forming the flexible sheet of positive temperature coefficient material may include preparing a PTC ink from a polymer resin, a conductive filler, and a solvent, applying the PTC ink to a substrate, pulling a blade over the PTC ink to create a uniformly thick layer of the PTC ink on the substrate, and allowing the PTC ink to dry so that the solvent evaporates and leaves a solid layer of PTC material on the substrate.

An embodiment is directed to a contact plate configured to establish electrical bonds between battery cells in a battery module, including at least one primary conductive layer, and a set of bonding connectors that are configured to provide direct electrical bonds between the contact plate and terminals of a group of battery cells, the set of bonding connectors being configured to connect the group of battery cells in parallel with each other, wherein at least one bonding connector in the set of bonding connectors is configured with a higher fuse rating than each other bonding connector in the set of bonding connectors so as to contain arcs among the set of bonding connectors to the at least one bonding connector.

A rechargeable battery is provided with a pressure release valve and a current interruption mechanism. The current interruption mechanism includes a deformation plate. When the internal pressure of the case reaches an interruption activation pressure, the deformation plate receives the internal pressure and is deformed to break a conducting portion. In the current interruption mechanism, a pressure that is set for maintaining the sealing at the contact portion between the deformation plate and a negative electrode conductor is defined as a sealing portion withstanding pressure, and the pressure that is set for maintaining the shape of the case is defined as a case withstanding pressure. The pressure for activating the pressure release valve is defined as a valve activation pressure. In this case, the sealing portion withstanding pressure and the valve activation pressure are set higher than the interruption activation pressure and lower than the case withstanding pressure.

An energy storage device includes: a casing 30 having an opening; an energy storage element 20 housed in the casing 30; a lid plate 40 mounted in the opening of the casing 30; a positive electrode terminal member 100 and a negative electrode terminal member 71 integrally fixed to the lid plate 40 in an insulation state by an insulating synthetic resin; a positive electrode current collector 60P configured to electrically connect the energy storage element 20 and the positive electrode terminal member 100 to each other; and a negative electrode current collector 60N configured to electrically connect the energy storage element 20 and the negative electrode terminal member 71 to each other, wherein an easy-to-break portion 65 is formed on at least either one of the positive electrode terminal member 100 or the positive electrode current collector 60P.

Provided is a secondary battery with a high electric characteristic and reliability that prevents the short circuit between a positive electrode and a negative electrode by an insulating member and that prevents or reduces the volume increase and deformation of a battery electrode assembly. A secondary battery includes a battery electrode assembly in which positive electrode 1 and negative electrode 6 are alternately laminated while separator 20 is interposed therebetween. Positive electrode 1 and negative electrode 6 include current collectors 3, 8 and active materials 2, 7, each surface of current collectors 3, 8 is provided with an application portion and a non-application portion of active materials 2, 8, and the active materials 2, 7 include a thin portion whose thickness is small. A charging capacity ratio A/C between negative electrode 6 and positive electrode 1 that face each other at an outer edge portion containing the thin portion is greater than the charging capacity ratio A/C between negative electrode 6 and positive electrode 1 that face each other at a center side with respect to the outer edge portion.