MULTI-CELL BATTERY MODULE WITH INTEGRAL COOLING AND ASSEMBLY AIDS

• US 20120156543A1
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Cobasys LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Cicero, Marke S., Ruehle, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 9,548,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0481 Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/119 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/26 Assemblies sealed to each other in a non-detachable manner
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/55 on the same side of the cell
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/553 Terminals adapted for prismatic, pouch or rectangular cells
• 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: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery pack includes a frame member, first and second lithium ion cells, and an isolation plate. The frame member includes a floor, walls formed perpendicular to the floor, and an aperture defined by the walls. The frame member is formed from an electrically non-conductive plastic. The first lithium ion cell includes a first positive terminal, a first negative terminal, and a first electrically conductive housing. The first positive terminal is electrically connected to the first electrically conductive housing. The second lithium ion cell includes a second positive terminal, a second negative terminal, and a second electrically conductive housing. The second positive terminal is electrically connected to the second electrically conductive housing. The isolation plate directly contacts both the first and second electrically conductive housings and electrically isolates the first electrically conductive housing from the second electrically conductive housing. The isolation plate is formed from the electrically non-conductive plastic.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a frame member that includes a floor, that includes walls formed perpendicular to the floor, and that includes an aperture defined by the walls,

wherein the frame member is formed from an electrically non-conductive plastic;

a first lithium ion cell that includes a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal, that includes a first electrically conductive housing, and that is disposed between the walls of the frame member,

wherein the first positive terminal is electrically connected to the first electrically conductive housing;

a second lithium ion cell that includes a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, that includes a second electrically conductive housing, and that is disposed between the walls of the frame member,

wherein the second positive terminal is electrically connected to the second electrically conductive housing; and

an isolation plate that directly contacts both the first and second electrically conductive housings and that electrically isolates the first electrically conductive housing from the second electrically conductive housing,

wherein the isolation plate is formed from the electrically non-conductive plastic.

2. The battery pack of claim 1 further comprising a cooling system that is integrally formed in the frame member, the cooling system including:

coolant inlet and outlet ports that are formed in the frame member; and

a coolant channel that is formed through the frame member and that connects the coolant inlet and outlet ports.

3. The battery pack of claim 2 wherein the frame member includes:

an upper frame member that includes the floor and the walls and that includes a first portion of the coolant channel; and

a lower frame member that includes a second portion of the coolant channel and that is joined to the upper frame member to seal the coolant channel.

4. The battery pack of claim 3 wherein the lower frame member is welded to the upper frame member.

5. The battery pack of claim 3 further comprising an adhesive that joins the lower frame member to the upper frame member.

6. The battery pack of claim 1 wherein the electrically non-conductive plastic is polypropylene (PPE).

7. The battery pack of claim 1 further comprising:

N other lithium ion cells that each include a positive terminal and a negative terminal, that each include an electrically conductive housing, and that are each disposed between the walls of the frame member,

wherein the positive terminal of each of the N other lithium ion cells is electrically connected to its electrically conductive housing, and

wherein N is an integer greater than zero; and

M other isolation plates that electrically isolate each of the electrically conductive housings and the first and second electrically conductive housings from each other,

wherein M is an integer that is greater than zero and less than or equal to N.

8. The battery pack of claim 1 further comprising:

a snap fitting element formed on an exterior surface of one of the walls of the frame member;

an end plate that interfaces the snap fitting element and that is held in abutment with the exterior surface when the end plate interfaces the snap fitting element;

a belt that encircles the frame member and the end plate; and

a compressing/restraining element that moves the belt to apply a compressive force on the first and second lithium ion cells.

9. The battery pack of claim 8 further comprising P other snap fitting elements formed on the exterior surface of the one of the walls of the frame member,

wherein P is an integer greater than zero, and

wherein the end plate further interfaces the P other snap fitting elements.

10. The battery pack of claim 8 wherein the snap fitting element is a cantilever type snap fitting element, and

wherein the end plate includes an aperture where the cantilever type snap fitting element interfaces the end plate.

11. A frame member of a battery pack, the frame member comprising:

an upper frame member that includes a floor for a plurality of cells, that includes walls formed perpendicular to the floor, that includes an aperture defined by the walls, that includes coolant inlet and outlet ports formed in the upper frame member, and that includes a first portion of a coolant channel connecting the coolant inlet port to the coolant outlet port,

wherein the upper frame member is formed from an electrically non-conductive plastic; and

a lower frame member that includes a second portion of the coolant channel and that is joined to the upper frame member to seal the coolant channel,

wherein the lower frame member is formed from the electrically non-conductive plastic.

12. The frame member of claim 11 wherein the lower frame member is welded to the upper frame member.

13. The frame member of claim 11 further comprising an adhesive that joins the lower frame member to the upper frame member.

14. The frame member of claim 11 further comprising N snap fitting elements formed on an exterior surface of one of the walls of the upper frame member,

wherein N is an integer greater than zero.

15. A battery pack comprising:

the frame member of claim 14;

a first lithium ion cell that includes a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal, that includes a first electrically conductive housing, and that is disposed between the walls,

wherein the first positive terminal is electrically connected to the first electrically conductive housing;

a second lithium ion cell that includes a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, that includes a second electrically conductive housing, and that is disposed between the walls,

wherein the second positive terminal is electrically connected to the second electrically conductive housing; and

an isolation plate that directly contacts both of the first and second electrically conductive housings and that electrically isolates the first electrically conductive housing from the second electrically conductive housing.

16. The battery pack of claim 15 further comprising:

an end plate that interfaces the N snap fitting elements and that is held in abutment with the exterior surface when the end plate interfaces at least one of the N snap fitting elements; and

a belt that encircles the upper frame member and the end plate and that includes a compressing/restraining element that moves the belt to apply a compressive force on the first and second lithium ion cells.

17. The battery pack of claim 16 wherein the N snap fitting elements are cantilever type snap fitting elements, and

wherein the end plate includes N apertures where the N cantilever type snap fitting elements interface the end plate.

18. The battery pack of claim 15 wherein the isolation plate is formed from the electrically non-conductive plastic.

19. The battery pack of claim 18 wherein the electrically non-conductive plastic is polypropylene (PPE).

20. The frame member of claim 11 wherein:

the upper frame member is formed using injection molding; and

the lower frame member is formed using injection molding.