System for enhanced lithium-ion battery performance at low temperatures

• US 6,797,427 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2001
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amperex Technology Limited (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Venugopal, Ganesh, Anani, Anaba, Maleki, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): YUAN, DAH WEI D
• Application Number:
  US09/925,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20030031922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 429/120, 429/149, 429/153, 429/159, 429/163, 624/577
• US Class Current: 429/120
• 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 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/659 by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery for use in various temperature environments includes a plurality of cells arranged in a close packing arrangement and a sleeve that is disposed around the cells. The sleeve is constructed from a material that acts as an insulator at relatively low temperatures and that acts as a conductor at relatively high temperatures.

Claims

1. A battery for use in various temperature environments, comprising:

a. at least one electro-chemical cell; and

b. a sleeve disposed around the at least one electro-chemical cell, the sleeve comprising a material that acts as an insulator at relatively low temperatures and that acts as a conductor at relatively high temperatures, wherein the material that acts as an insulator at relatively low temperatures and that acts as a conductor at relatively high temperatures comprises an aluminum filled thermally conductive phase change material.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein the electro-chemical cell comprises a lithium-ion cell.

3. A battery for use in various temperature environments, comprising:

a. a plurality of lithium-ion cells, the plurality of lithium-ion cells being arranged in a close packing arrangement; and

b. a sleeve disposed around the lithium ion cells, the sleeve comprising a material that acts as an insulator at relatively low temperatures and that acts as a conductor at relatively high temperatures, wherein the material that acts as an insulator at relatively low temperatures and that acts as a conductor at relatively high temperatures comprises an aluminum filled thermally conductive phase change material.