ENHANCED THERMAL CONTACT

• US 20130288098A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Cobasys LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Hamlett, Marina L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,859,128 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 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/651 characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6571 Resistive heaters arrangements for heating the battery by its resistance to the internal current H01M10/637
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• 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 50/291 characterised by their shape
• 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 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

A battery module for enclosing at least one battery cell includes a cooling plate. At least one compressible pad is arranged on the cooling plate. The at least one compressible pad has a first surface in contact with the cooling plate and a second surface opposite the first surface arranged to contact the at least one battery cell. A compression limiting device is arranged adjacent to the at least one compressible pad. The compression limiting device has a first surface facing the cooling plate and a second surface opposite the first surface arranged to contact the at least one battery cell. A compressibility of the compression limiting device is less than a compressibility of the at least one compressible pad.

Claims

1. A battery module for enclosing at least one battery cell, the battery module comprising:

a cooling plate;

at least one compressible pad arranged on the cooling plate, the at least one compressible pad having a first surface in contact with the cooling plate and a second surface opposite the first surface arranged to contact the at least one battery cell; and

a compression limiting device arranged adjacent to the at least one compressible pad, the compression limiting device having a first surface facing the cooling plate and a second surface opposite the first surface arranged to contact the at least one battery cell, wherein a compressibility of the compression limiting device is less than a compressibility of the at least one compressible pad.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the compression limiting device surrounds the at least one compressible pad.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the compression limiting device is less than a thickness of the at least one compressible pad.

4. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the compression limiting device is spaced apart from the cooling plate.

5. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the at least one battery cell is arranged to compress the at least one compressible pad toward the cooling plate and to force the compression limiting device against the cooling plate.

6. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the at least one compressible pad and the compression limiting device are thermally conductive and electrically insulative.

7. The battery module of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the compression limiting device is greater than or equal to a maximum allowable particle size associated with the battery module.

8. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the at least one compressible pad includes a plurality of pads.

9. The battery module of claim 8, wherein the compression limiting device is arranged to surround each of the plurality of pads and fit between adjacent ones of the plurality of pads.

10. A method for assembling a battery module for enclosing at least one battery cell, the method comprising:

arranging at least one compressible pad arranged on a cooling plate, the at least one compressible pad having a first surface in contact with the cooling plate and a second surface opposite the first surface arranged to contact the at least one battery cell; and

arranging a compression limiting device adjacent to the at least one compressible pad, the compression limiting device having a first surface facing the cooling plate and a second surface opposite the first surface arranged to contact the at least one battery cell, wherein a compressibility of the compression limiting device is less than a compressibility of the at least one compressible pad.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising surrounding the at least one compressible pad with the compression limiting device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the compression limiting device is less than a thickness of the at least one compressible pad.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising spacing apart the first surface of the compression limiting device from the cooling plate.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising arranging the at least one battery cell to compress the at least one compressible pad toward the cooling plate and to force the compression limiting device against the cooling plate.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one compressible pad and the compression limiting device are thermally conductive and electrically insulative.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the compression limiting device is greater than or equal to a maximum allowable particle size associated with the battery module.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one compressible pad includes a plurality of pads.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising arranging the compression limiting device to surround each of the plurality of pads and fit between adjacent ones of the plurality of pads.