Battery pack

• US 10,312,560 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2015
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Ahn, Jang-Gun
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Eric R
• Application Number:
  US14/616,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20150229010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/652 characterised by gradients for achieving a desired temperature gradient H01M10/617
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/289 characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A battery pack includes at least one battery module and a housing. The at least one battery module includes a plurality of battery cells arranged along one direction and barriers respectively positioned between adjacent ones of the plurality of battery cells, the plurality of battery cells being electrically coupled to each other. The housing accommodates the battery module therein and has inlets at opposite edges of a first end of the housing at one end of the battery module, and an outlet at a lower portion of a second end of the housing at an opposite end of the battery module. Each barrier includes a base portion facing an adjacent one of the battery cells, an upper spacer at at least one top corner of the base portion, and a lower spacer at at least one bottom corner of the base portion. Sides and a bottom of the battery module are spaced from the housing.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a plurality of battery modules, each of the battery modules comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged along a first direction and barriers positioned between adjacent ones of the plurality of battery cells, the plurality of battery cells being electrically coupled to each other;

a housing accommodating the battery modules therein, the housing having inlets at opposite edges of a first end of the housing at a first end of the battery modules, and an outlet at a lower portion of a second end of the housing at a second end of the battery modules, the first and second ends of the housing being opposite each other in the first direction, the first and second ends of the battery modules being opposite each other in the first direction; and

first and second end plates respectively at the first and second ends of the battery modules and between the battery modules and the housing,

wherein each barrier comprises a base portion facing an adjacent one of the battery cells, an upper spacer at at least one top corner of the base portion, and a lower spacer at at least one bottom corner of the base portion,

wherein sides and a bottom of the battery modules are spaced from the housing,

wherein the first end plate has a pair of side groove portions at positions respectively aligned with the inlets in the first end of the housing in the first direction and extending from a first surface of the first end plate facing the first end of the housing to a second surface of the first end plate facing the second end of the housing,

wherein the second end plate has a bottom groove portion at a position aligned with the outlet in the second end of the housing in the first direction and extending from a first surface of the second end plate facing the first end of the housing to a second surface of the second end plate facing the second end of the housing, and

wherein one side surface of a first battery module of the battery modules faces a side surface of a second battery module of the battery modules, and a blocking plate is between the first and second battery modules, the blocking plate being configured to block movement of a refrigerant between the first and second battery modules.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the base portion of the barrier comprises at least one rib protruded from the base portion.

3. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein the at least one rib is curved from one edge of the base portion toward a bottom edge of the base portion.

4. The battery pack of claim 3, wherein the at least one rib comprises a plurality of ribs, and the ribs are spaced from each other at an interval.

5. The battery pack of claim 4, wherein the interval between the ribs gradually increases as the ribs approach a top of the base portion.

6. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein the at least one rib comprises a plurality of ribs, and the ribs are dots.

7. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the housing and the barriers are configured to accommodate a refrigerant flowing into the housing through the inlets of the housing, flowing from the side of each battery cell to the bottom of each battery cell, and being exhausted to an outside of the housing through the outlet of the housing.

8. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower spacers of the barrier have a thickness such that the upper spacer contacts a side surface and a top surface of both battery cells that are adjacent to the respective barrier, and the lower spacer contacts the side surface and a bottom surface of both battery cells that are adjacent to the respective barrier.

9. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the blocking plate comprises upper and lower support portions respectively at a top and bottom of the blocking plate.