GRAPHITE THERMOELECTRIC AND/OR RESISTIVE THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20180226699A1
• Filed: 01/10/2018
• Published: 08/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Inventors: Piggott, Alfred, Thomas, David Scott, Guerithault, Daniel Charles
• Granted Patent: US 10,700,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/14 Solid materials, e.g. powdery or granular
• 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 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/253 adapted for specific cells, e.g. electrochemical cells operating at high temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/284 with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Disclosed embodiments include thermal management systems and methods configured to heat and/or cool an electrical device. Thermal management systems can include a heat spreader in thermal communication with a temperature sensitive region of the electrical device. The heat spreader can include the one or more pyrolytic graphite sheets. The heat spreader can include thermal/electrical elevators connecting the one or more pyrolytic graphite sheets. The systems can include a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the heat spreader. Electric power can be directed to the heat spreader and/or thermoelectric device to provide controlled heating and/or cooling of the electrical device.

Claims

1-103. -103. (canceled)

104. A heat spreader assembly for managing temperature of a temperature sensitive region of an electrical device, the heat spreader assembly comprising:

a graphite sheet in thermal communication with a temperature sensitive region of an electrical device, the graphite sheet configured to transfer thermal energy and electric current along the graphite sheet; and

a conductor in electrical communication with the graphite sheet, the conductor configured to deliver electric current to the graphite sheet,

wherein the graphite sheet is configured to generate heat with application of electric current to the graphite sheet via the conductor, and

wherein the graphite sheet is configured to heat the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device by generating heat that is transferred to the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device with application of electric current to the graphite sheet via the conductor.

105. The heat spreader assembly of claim 104, further comprising an other conductor in electrical communication with the graphite sheet, wherein graphite sheet is configured to generate heat that is transferred to the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device with electric current applied to the graphite sheet for the electric current to flow along the graphite sheet between the conductor and the other conductor.

106. The heat spreader assembly of claim 105, wherein the graphite sheet comprises a first side and a second side, the first side substantially opposite the second side, and wherein the conductor is on the first side, and the other conductor is on the second side.

107. The heat spreader assembly of claim 105, wherein the other conductor comprises an electrical junction configured to electrically connect to a printed circuit board comprising a controller configured to manage temperature of the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device, the electrical junction configured to deliver electric current to the heat spreader assembly.

108. The heat spreader assembly of claim 104, further comprising a substrate configured to transfer thermal energy along the substrate, the graphite sheet extending along at least a portion of the substrate.

109. The heat spreader assembly of claim 108, wherein the substrate is configured to transfer electric current along the substrate, wherein the substrate is configured to heat the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device with electric current applied to the substrate.

110. The heat spreader assembly of claim 108, wherein the graphite sheet extends along at least two side surfaces of the substrate.

111. The heat spreader assembly of claim 104, wherein the graphite sheet comprises a break in covalent bonds in the graphite sheet, the break configured to increase a travel path for electric current through the graphite sheet to increase resistive heating capacity of the graphite sheet.

112. The heat spreader assembly of claim 104, wherein the graphite sheet is crinkled to increase a length of the graphite sheet, the increased length of graphite sheet configured to increase a travel path for electric current through the graphite sheet to increase resistive heating capacity of the graphite sheet.

113. A method of heating a temperature sensitive region of an electrical device with a graphite sheet, the method comprising:

applying electric current to a conductor of a heat spreader in thermal communication with a temperature sensitive region of an electrical device;

directing electric current along a graphite sheet of the heat spreader, wherein the conductor is in electrical communication with the graphite sheet and electric current is directed along the graphite sheet from the conductor;

generating heat in the graphite sheet with electric current being directed through the graphite sheet; and

transferring thermal energy from the graphite sheet to the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device to heat the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device using heat generated in the graphite sheet.

114. The method of claim 113, further comprising:

applying electric current to a thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device comprising a main side and a waste side; and

transferring thermal energy from the main side of the thermoelectric device to the heat spreader to heat the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device.

115. The method of claim 113, further comprising directing electric current from one end of the graphite sheet to the other end of the graphite sheet.

116. The method of claim 113, further comprising directing electric current along at least one of a serpentine path or a zigzag path in the graphite sheet.

117. A heat spreader for managing temperature of a temperature sensitive region of an electrical device, the heat spreader comprising:

a substrate configured to transfer thermal energy along the substrate, the substrate in thermal communication with a temperature sensitive region of an electrical device; and

a graphite sheet disposed on the substrate, the graphite sheet in thermal communication with the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device, the graphite sheet configured to transfer thermal energy to the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device with application of electric power to the graphite sheet, and the graphite sheet configured to transfer thermal energy away from the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device without application of electric power to the graphite sheet,

wherein one of the substrate or the graphite sheet is configured to transfer thermal energy from the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device to a heat sink via the other of the substrate or the graphite sheet.

118. The heat spreader of claim 117, wherein the substrate is configured to transfer electric current along the substrate, wherein the substrate is configured to heat the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device with application of electric power to the substrate.

119. The heat spreader of claim 117, wherein the graphite sheet extends along at least two sides of the substrate.

120. The heat spreader of claim 117, wherein the substrate comprises a metallic material.

121. The heat spreader of claim 117, further comprising a conductor in electrical communication with the graphite sheet, the graphite sheet configured to heat the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device with application of electric current to the graphite sheet via the conductor.

122. The heat spreader of claim 117, wherein the graphite sheet comprises a break in covalent bonds in the graphite sheet, the break configured to increase a travel path for electric current through the graphite sheet to increase resistive heating capacity of the graphite sheet.

123. The heat spreader of claim 117, wherein the graphite sheet is in thermal communication with the heat sink, and wherein the substrate is configured to transfer thermal energy from the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device to the heat sink via the graphite sheet.

124. The heat spreader of claim 117, wherein the graphite sheet is in thermal communication with a thermoelectric device, the thermoelectric device comprising a main side and a waste side, the thermoelectric device configured to transfer thermal energy between the main side and the waste side of the thermoelectric device with application of electric power to the thermoelectric device, wherein the main side of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the heat spreader, the main side of the thermoelectric device configured to heat or cool the temperature sensitive region of the electrical device with application of electric power to the thermoelectric device, and wherein the waste side of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the heat sink.