BATTERY CELL ASSEMBLY

• US 20150111075A1
• Filed: 10/22/2013
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yum, Juil, Ketkar, Satish, Yang, Heekook, Lent, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,257,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/83
• 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 10/651 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 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6569 Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/581 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery cell assembly having a first battery cell and a cooling fin is provided. The first battery cell has a first housing and first and second electrical terminals. The cooling fin is disposed against the first housing. The cooling fin has a substantially rectangular-shaped plate that extends along a longitudinal axis. The substantially rectangular-shaped plate has a plate portion with a first side and a second side. The first side has a first plurality of recessed regions and a first plurality of flat regions. Each recessed region of the first plurality of recessed regions is disposed between two flat regions of the first plurality of flat regions along the longitudinal axis. The first housing of the first battery cell is disposed against the first side such that the first housing contacts the first plurality of flat regions.

Claims

1. A battery cell assembly, comprising:

a first battery cell having a first housing and first and second electrical terminals extending from the first housing; and

a cooling fin disposed against the first housing of the first battery cell, the cooling fin having a substantially rectangular-shaped plate that extends along a longitudinal axis, the substantially rectangular-shaped plate having a plate portion with a first side and a second side, the first side having a first plurality of recessed regions and a first plurality of flat regions, each recessed region of the first plurality of recessed regions being disposed between two flat regions of the first plurality of flat regions along the longitudinal axis, the first housing of the first battery cell being disposed against the first side such that the first housing contacts the first plurality of flat regions.

2. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of recessed regions are configured to receive portions of the first housing of the first battery cell therein as the first housing expands outwardly over time.

3. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein a depth of the each recessed region of the first plurality of recessed regions is less than one-half of a thickness of the plate portion.

4. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein each recessed region of the first plurality of recessed regions extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and extends across at least two-thirds of a width of the plate portion.

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

a second battery cell having a second housing and first and second electrical terminals extending from the second housing; and

the second side of the plate portion having a second plurality of recessed regions and a second plurality of flat regions, each recessed region of the second plurality of recessed regions being disposed between two flat regions of the second plurality of flat regions along the longitudinal axis, the second housing of the second battery cell being disposed against the second side such that the second housing contacts the second plurality of flat regions.

6. The battery cell assembly of claim 5, wherein the second plurality of recessed regions are configured to receive portions of the second housing of the second battery cell therein as the second housing expands outwardly over time.

7. The battery cell assembly of claim 5, wherein a depth of the each recessed region of the second plurality of recessed regions is less than one-half of a thickness of the plate portion.

8. The battery cell assembly of claim 5, wherein each recessed region of the second plurality of recessed regions extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and extends across at least two-thirds of a width of the plate portion.

9. The battery cell assembly of claim 5, wherein each recessed region of the first plurality of recessed regions is disposed opposite to a respective flat region of the second plurality of flat regions.

10. The battery cell assembly of claim 5, further comprising first and second rectangular ring-shaped frame members, the cooling fin and the first and second battery cells being disposed between the first and second rectangular ring-shaped frame members.

11. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the substantially rectangular-shaped plate further includes first, second, third, and fourth peripheral edge portions coupled to and extending from the plate portion, the cooling fin further having a tube coupled to the first, second, third, and fourth peripheral edge portions, the tube defining an internal flow path therein.

12. The battery cell assembly of claim 11, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth peripheral edge portions of the substantially rectangular-shaped plate define an arcuate-shaped groove configured to receive the tube thereon.

13. The battery cell assembly of claim 11, wherein the tube includes an inlet port, an outlet port, and an internal flow path disposed between the inlet port and the outlet port, the cooling fin configured to receive a two-phase refrigerant in the inlet port, the cooling fin further configured to receive heat energy from the first battery cell and to transition the two-phase refrigerant into a gaseous refrigerant within the internal flow path utilizing the heat energy.

14. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the substantially rectangular-shaped plate is constructed of aluminum.

15. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the plate portion of the substantially rectangular-shaped plate is sized to cover substantially all of a substantially rectangular-shaped side surface of the first battery cell.