Battery pack

• US 5,639,571 A
• Filed: 06/24/1996
• Issued: 06/17/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Conner, Cynthia Lee, Borme, Andrew, Waters, John Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Skapars, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US08/668,946
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 429/71, 429/72, 429/99, 429/100, 429/96, 429/62, 429/148, 429/120, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 429/71
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/652 characterised by gradients for achieving a desired temperature gradient H01M10/617
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery pack for easy access to, and uniform cooling/heating of, the individual battery modules thereof. The pack comprises stackable housing parts (i.e., top and bottom) housing multiple tiers of battery modules supported by underlying trays having openings/holes therein aligned with gaps/spaces between adjacent battery modules through which cooling/heating air is uniformly flowed in parallel between the modules from an underlying plenum. The battery modules are compressively immobilized in the housing by resilient foam pads which bear down on the tops of the modules.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising:

a plurality of individual battery modules stacked in first and second tiers one atop the other;

a substantially closed housing enclosing said modules said housing having a lower part supporting said modules and a cover overlying said modules;

a floor at the bottom of said lower part;

a plurality of pedestals upstanding from said floor;

a first tray supported on said pedestals and together with said floor defining a plenum for conducting a heat transfer fluid beneath said first tray, said first tray including a first deck supporting said first tier of modules;

a gap between adjacent modules in said first tier;

a plurality of openings in said first deck each communicating said plenum with a said gap for passing said heat transfer fluid upwardly through said gap from said plenum;

a second tray overlying said first tier of modules, said second tray including a second deck supporting said second tier of modules;

a space between adjacent said modules in said second tier;

a plurality of holes in said second deck each communicating a said space with an underlying said gap for passing said heat transfer fluid upwardly through said space from said gap;

an inlet to said housing for admitting said heat transfer fluid into said plenum; and

an outlet from said housing for exhausting said heat transfer fluid from said housing after it has passed through said second tier of modules.

2. A battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said pedestals comprise ribs which extend in a first general direction along said floor to stiffen said housing and direct said heat transfer fluid beneath said first tray in said first general direction.

3. A battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said first tray is positioned in said lower part of said housing.

4. A battery pack according to claim 1 including a plurality of stanchions extending between said first and second trays for supporting said second tray on said first tray.

5. A battery pack according to claim 4 wherein said stanchions are integral with said first tray.

6. A battery pack according to claim 1 wherein said inlet to said housing is coupled to an outlet from a fan, and said outlet of said housing is coupled to an inlet to said fan for recirculating said heat transfer fluid through said housing.

7. A battery pack according to claim 1 including at least one resilient pad compressed between said second tray and a said module in said first tier.

8. A battery pack according to claim 1 including at least one resilient pad compressed between said upper part of said housing and a said module in said second tier.

9. A battery pack according to claim 1 including a plurality of baffles extending between said stanchions in said gap so as to separate said modules in said first tier one from the next, said openings lying on both sides of said baffles for directing said heat transfer fluid between said baffles and adjacent said modules.

10. A battery pack according to claim 9 including a plurality of partitions in said space so as to separate said modules in the second tier one from the next, said holes lying on both sides of said baffles for directing said heat transfer fluid between said partitions and adjacent said modules.

11. A battery pack according to claim 1 including a one-piece manifold integrally molded with said first tray for conducting said heat transfer fluid from said inlet into said plenum.