BATTERY CELL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A COOLING FIN FOR THE BATTERY CELL ASSEMBLY

• US 20140308558A1
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Merriman, Robert, Ketkar, Satish, Nielson, Michael, Isayev, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 9,647,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/20 the means being attachable to the element F28F1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/02 of carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0481 Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0486 Frames for plates or membranes
• 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 10/6551 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 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• 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 cell assembly having a cooling fin with a tube and a flexible thermally conductive sheet disposed on the tube is provided. The tube has first, second, and third tube portions. The sheet has first, second, and third sheet portions. The first and second sheet portions are disposed on at least the first and second tube portions, respectively, and the third sheet portion extends between the first and second tube portions. The assembly further includes a first clamping member clamping the first sheet portion to the first tube portion, and a second clamping member clamping the second sheet portion to the second tube portion. The assembly further includes a battery cell disposed against the third sheet portion.

Claims

1. A battery cell assembly, comprising:

a cooling fin having a tube and a flexible thermally conductive sheet disposed on the tube;

the tube having first, second, and third tube portions fluidly communicating with one another, the first and second tube portions being substantially parallel to one another, the third tube portion being substantially perpendicular to the first and second tube portions and extending between the first and second tube portions;

the flexible thermally conductive sheet having first, second, and third sheet portions;

the first and second sheet portions being disposed on at least the first and second tube portions, respectively, and the third sheet portion extending between the first and second tube portions;

a first clamping member configured to clamp the first sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet to the first tube portion;

a second clamping member configured to clamp the second sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet to the second tube portion; and

a battery cell disposed against the third sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet.

2. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the first clamping member has a C-shaped cross-sectional profile.

3. The battery cell assembly of claim 2, wherein a diameter of the C-shaped cross-sectional profile is substantially equal to a diameter of the tube.

4. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a third clamping member configured to further clamp the first sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet to the first tube portion; and

a fourth clamping member configured to further clamp the second sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet to the second tube portion.

5. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the first clamping member is constructed of plastic.

6. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally conductive sheet is configured to transfer heat energy from the battery cell to the tube.

7. The battery cell assembly of claim 6, wherein the tube is configured to transfer at least a portion of the heat energy to a liquid or a refrigerant flowing through the tube.

8. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the tube is an aluminum tube.

9. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sheet portion is sized to cover substantially an entire generally rectangular-shaped side surface of the battery cell.

10. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible thermally conductive sheet has a roughness average in a range of 0.8-4.0 micro-inches.

11. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, further comprising fourth and fifth tube portions extending from the first and second tube portions, respectively, the fourth and fifth tube portions being substantially perpendicular to the first and second tube portions, respectively.

12. The battery cell assembly of claim 11, further comprising sixth and seventh tube portions extending from the fourth and fifth tube portions, respectively, the sixth and seventh tube portions being substantially perpendicular to the fourth and fifth tube portions, respectively.

13. A method for manufacturing a cooling fin of a battery cell assembly, comprising:

providing a cooling fin having a tube;

the tube having first, second, and third tube portions fluidly communicating with one another, the first and second tube portions being substantially parallel to one another, the third tube portion being substantially perpendicular to the first and second tube portions and extending between the first and second tube portions;

providing a flexible thermally conductive sheet having first, second, and third sheet portions;

disposing the first and second sheet portions of the flexible thermally conductive sheet on at least the first and second tube portions, respectively, such that the third sheet portion extends between the first and second tube portions;

clamping the first sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet to the first tube portion utilizing a first clamping member;

clamping the second sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet to the second tube portion utilizing a second clamping member; and

disposing a battery cell against the third sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

clamping the first sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet to the first tube portion utilizing a third clamping member; and

clamping the second sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet to the second tube portion utilizing a fourth clamping member.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first clamping member has a C-shaped cross-sectional profile.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a diameter of the C-shaped cross-sectional profile is substantially equal to a diameter of the tube.