Battery pack cooling structure

• US 6,709,783 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamada, Shinji, Ogata, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martin, Angela J.
• Application Number:
  US09/753,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20010007728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 429/120, 429/148, 429/129, 429/130, 429/143, 429/153, 429/157
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2240/00 Spacing means
• 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 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/656 characterised by the type of heat-exchange fluid
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• 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 50/258 Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

In a battery pack 1 wherein prismatic battery modules 2 are arranged parallel with each other, cooling passages 7 are formed by interposing spacers 6 made of metallic material between mutually facing long side faces 2a, 2a of the battery modules 2, 2.

Claims

1. A cooling structure for a battery pack, wherein prismatic battery modules are arranged parallel with each other such that their side faces of largest area face each other, comprising:

a plurality of spacers made of a metallic material and interposed between mutually opposed side faces of the battery modules, said plurality of spacers being configured such as to form cooling medium passages between the battery modules;

wherein the spacers are made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.

2. The cooling structure for a battery pack according to claim 1 wherein the spacers are made of a sheet material formed with alternating angular ridges and grooves.

3. The cooling structure for a battery pack according to claim 1 wherein the spacers are made of a sheet material formed with alternating curved ridges and grooves.

4. The cooling structure for a battery pack according to claim 1 wherein the spacers are made of extrusion or pultrusion moldings formed with grooves or cavities constituting the cooling medium passages.