BATTERY ASSEMBLY WITH TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20100304203A1
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EnerDel, Inc. (Ener1, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EnerDel, Inc. (Ener1, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buck, Derrick S., Fattig, Robert N., Silk, Bruce J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,846,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0468 Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0472 Vertically superposed cells with vertically disposed plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0486 Frames for plates or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/049 Processes for forming or storing electrodes in the battery container
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/38 Construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• 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 10/655 Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/656 characterised by the type of heat-exchange fluid
• 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53135 Storage cell or battery

Abstract

A battery module of the present invention is adaptable to be utilized in various configurations including and not limited to an overlapping battery cell packaging configuration and a vertical stack battery cell packaging configuration used in an automotive and non-automotive applications. The battery module has a plurality of battery heatsink assemblies with the cells disposed therebetween. A plurality of rods extend through the each heatsink assemblies to secure the heatsink assemblies and the cell with one another to form the battery module.

Claims

1. A battery assembly comprising:

at least one battery pack;

a plurality of prismatic cells of said at least one battery pack; and

at least one cell retaining element extending between two of said prismatic cells and presenting a pair of mechanical devices with one of said devices mechanically engaging one of said prismatic cells and another of said devices mechanically engaging the other of said prismatic cells thereby locking said prismatic cells with said cell retaining element and forming contact between said at least one cell retaining element and said prismatic cells for manipulating temperature of said prismatic cells through said at least one cell retaining element.

2. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said mechanical devices is further defined by a plate formed from at least one of thermally conductive materials.

3. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one cell retaining element is further defined by a pair of first frames with said plate being sandwiched between said pair of first frames.

4. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said first frames includes a peripheral edge, a plurality of male connectors extending from each of said first frames, a plurality of female connectors defined in each of said first frames.

5. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said first frames includes at least one pin extending therefrom to mechanically engage one of said female connectors defined in another of said first frames thereby sandwiching said plate between said first frames.

7. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said prismatic cells includes raised portions extending to a peripheral Hp portion, a negative terminal and a positive terminal.

8. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said first frames includes a pair of studs extending from said peripheral edge of each said first frame to engage at least one positive terminal and/or negative terminal.

9. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein another of said mechanical devices is further defined by a pair of second frames.

10. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said second frames includes a peripheral edge and a plurality of female connectors defined in each of said second frames.

11. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein each of said second frames are mechanically engaged with said first frames, respectively, for retaining two of said prismatic cells with said plate engaging raised portions of each of said prismatic cells.

13. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 2 including a device sandwiched between each of said cell retaining elements for allowing expansion and contraction of said prismatic cells during charge and discharge states therefore causing said prismatic cell to maintain intimate contact with said plate for efficient thermal transfer.

14. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said device is further defined by a layer of expandable material substantially covering said raised portion of each said prismatic cell.

15. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said layer is equally disposed between said peripheral lip portion of said prismatic cell and one of said second frames.

6. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

16. A method of forming a battery assembly comprising the steps of:

forming at least one battery pack by connecting a plurality of prismatic cells with one another;

placing at least one cell retaining element between two of the prismatic cells;

connecting a pair of mechanical devices to the cell retaining element with one of the devices mechanically engaging one of the prismatic cells and another of the devices mechanically engaging the other of the prismatic cells; and

locking the prismatic cell with the cell retaining element by the devices to form contact between at least one cell retaining element and the prismatic cells to manipulate temperature of the prismatic cell through at least one cell retaining element.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the step of connecting a pair of mechanical devices is further defined by connecting a pair of first frames with a plate of the cell retaining element wherein the plate is sandwiched between the pair of the first frames.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 including the step of forming a plurality of male connectors extending from each of the first frames and forming a plurality of female connectors defined in each of the first frames, and at least one pin extending from each of the first frames to mechanically engage the frames with one another with the plate sandwiched between the first frames.

20. A method as set forth in claim 18 including the step of forming a pair of second frames having a plurality of female connectors defined in each of the second frames.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20 including the step of mechanically engaging the second frames with the first frames, respectively, to retain two of the prismatic cells with the plate.

22. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of placing a device between each of the cell retaining elements, wherein the device is movable between an expanded mode and a contracted mode to form clearance between the prismatic cells as at least one of the prismatic cells expands during operational mode of the battery pack.

23. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of forming the device from a layer of expandable material substantially covering the prismatic cell.

19. (canceled)

24. A battery assembly comprising:

at least one battery pack;

a plurality of prismatic cells of said at least one battery pack;

a pair of heat transfer elements each extending between two of said prismatic cells; and

a pair of cell retaining devices connecting one of said heat transfer elements with at least one of said prismatic cells, each cell retaining device presenting a first frame and a second frame each having a pair of first and second mechanical connectors for removeably engaging said at least one prismatic cell with said heat transfer element as each of said first connectors mechanically engage with each of said second connectors thereby locking said at least one prismatic cell within said first and second frames and to said heat transfer element.

25. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said heat transfer element is further defined by a plate formed from at least one of thermally conductive materials.

26. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein each of said first frames includes a peripheral edge, a plurality of male connectors extending from each of said first frames, a plurality of female connectors defined in each of said first frames.

27. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 26 wherein each of said first frames includes at least one pin extending therefrom to mechanically engage one of said female connectors defined in another of said first frame thereby sandwiching said plate between said first frames.

29. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 25 wherein each of said prismatic cells includes raised portions extending to a peripheral lip, a negative terminal and a positive terminal.

30. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 26 wherein each of said first frames include a pair of studs extending from said peripheral edge of each said first frame to engage at least one of said positive terminals and said negative terminals.

31. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein each of said second frames includes a peripheral edge and a plurality of female connectors defined in each of said second frames.

32. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 29 wherein each of said second frames are mechanically engaged with said first frames, respectively, for retaining two of said prismatic cells with said plate engaging raised portions of each of said two prismatic cells.

34. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 24 including a device sandwiched between each of said heat transfer elements, said device movable between an expanded mode and a contracted mode thereby forming clearance between said prismatic cells as at least one of said prismatic cells expands during operational mode of said battery pack.

35. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 29 wherein said device is further defined by a layer of expandable material substantially covering said raised portion of each said prismatic cell.

36. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 35 wherein said layer is equally disposed between said peripheral lip portion of said prismatic cell and one of said second frames.

28. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

37. A battery assembly comprising:

at least one battery pack;

a plurality of prismatic cells of said at least one battery pack;

a pair of heat transfer elements each extending between two of said prismatic cells; and

a pair of cell retaining devices connecting one of said heat transfer elements with at least one of said prismatic cells, and a device sandwiched between each of said heat transfer elements, said device movable between an expanded mode and a contracted mode thereby forming clearance between said prismatic cells as at least one of said prismatic cells expands during operational mode of said battery pack.

38. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 37 wherein each said cell retaining device presenting a first frame and a second frame each having a pair of first and second connectors for removeably engaging said at least one prismatic cell with said heat transfer element as each of said first connectors mechanically engage with each of said second connectors thereby locking said at least one prismatic cell within said first and second frames and to said heat transfer element.

39. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 37 wherein said device is further defined by a layer of expandable material substantially covering a raised portion of each said prismatic cell.

40. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 39 wherein said layer is equally disposed between a peripheral lip portion of said prismatic cell and one of said second frames.

41. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 37 wherein said heat transfer element is further defined by a plate formed from at least one of thermally conductive materials.

42. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 38 wherein each of said first frames includes a peripheral edge, a plurality of male connectors extending from each of said first frames, a plurality of female connectors defined in each of said first frames.

43. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 42 wherein each of said first frames includes at least one pin extending therefrom to mechanically engage one of said female connectors defined in another of said first frame thereby sandwiching said plate between said first frames.

45. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 42 wherein each of said prismatic cells includes raised portions extending to a peripheral lip, a negative terminal and a positive terminal.

46. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 45 wherein each of said first frames include a pair of studs extending from said peripheral edge of each said first frame to engage at least one of said positive terminals and said negative terminals.

47. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 38 wherein each of said second frames includes a peripheral edge and a plurality of female connectors defined in each of said second frames.

48. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 38 wherein each of said second frames are mechanically engaged with said first frames, respectively, for retaining two of said prismatic cells with said plate engaging raised portions of each of said two prismatic cells.

44. (canceled)

49. (canceled)