Battery cover having one or more quenching media

• US 8,076,022 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quallion, LLC (EnerSys)
• Original Assignee: Quallion, LLC (EnerSys)
• Inventors: Tsukamoto, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayes, Melvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, SMITA S
• Application Number:
  US11/784,727
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 429/163
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4235 Safety or regulating additives or arrangements in electrodes, separators or electrolyte H01M10/4242 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery includes a case having an interior holding an electrolyte activating one or more anodes and one or more cathodes. A cover is positioned on the case. The cover includes one or more quenching media that each has a phase transition that occurs at a temperature above a failure temperature of the battery and below a failure temperature of the battery. The failure temperature is the temperature at which a chain reaction associated with thermal runaway is initiated. The failure temperature of the battery is the temperature of the battery at which the thermal runaway causes failure of the battery.

Claims

1. A battery, comprising:

a case having an interior holding an electrolyte activating one or more anodes and one or more cathodes;

a cover on an exterior of the case such that the case is positioned between the cover and the interior of the case, the cover including a quenching layer between the case and a support layer, the quenching layer including one or more quenching media dispersed in a first support,

each quenching medium having a phase transition that occurs at a temperature above a exothermic reaction temperature of the battery and below the failure temperature of the battery,

the exothermic reaction temperature being the temperature at which a chain reaction associated with thermal runaway is initiated, and

the failure temperature of the battery being the temperature of the battery at which the thermal runaway causes failure of the battery.

2. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one quenching medium has a phase transition that occurs between 25°

C. and 150°

C.

3. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one quenching'"'"'medium is selected from a group consisting of parafin, polyethylene, silver nitrate and indium metal.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one quenching medium dispersed in the first support is a liquid at a temperature below exothermic reaction temperature and transitions from the liquid to a vapor at a temperature above the exothermic reaction temperature of the battery and below the failure temperature of the battery.

5. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one quenching medium is a solid at a temperature below the exothermic reaction temperature and transitions from the solid to a liquid at a temperature above the exothermic reaction temperature of the battery and below the failure temperature of the battery.

6. The battery of claim 1, wherein at least one quenching medium is a solid at a temperature below the exothermic reaction temperature and sublimes from the solid to a vapor at a temperature above the exothermic reaction temperature of the battery and below the failure temperature of the battery.

7. The battery of claim 1, wherein the cover surrounds the case.

8. The battery of claim 1, wherein the support layer includes one or more support materials that include one or more media that do not have a phase transition between the exothermic reaction temperature and the failure temperature.

9. The battery of claim 1, wherein microcapsules are dispersed in the first support and at least one of the quenching media is contained in the microcapsules.

10. The battery of claim 1, wherein the first support includes a cloth and the one or more quenching media are dispersed in the cloth.

11. The battery of claim 10, wherein the cloth is a polyethylene cloth.

12. The battery of claim 10, wherein the support layer holds the quenching layer against the case.

13. The battery of claim 10, wherein the cover includes microcapsules dispersed in the cloth and at least one of the quenching media is contained in the microcapsules.

14. A battery, comprising:

a case having an interior holding an electrolyte activating one or more anodes and one or more cathodes;

a cover on an exterior of the case such that the case is positioned between the cover and the interior of the case,

the cover including a quenching layer between the case and a support layer, the quenching layer including one or more quenching media dispersed in a first support,

each quenching medium having a phase transition that occurs at a temperature above a exothermic reaction temperature of the battery and below the failure temperature of the battery,

the exothermic reaction temperature being the temperature at which a chain reaction associated with thermal runaway is initiated, and

the failure temperature of the battery being the temperature of the battery at which the thermal runaway causes failure of the battery,

the cover including one or more shrinkwrap materials and the cover being shrinkwrapped onto the case.

15. The battery of claim 14, wherein the cover surrounds the case without covering terminals on opposing ends of the case.

16. The battery of claim 14, wherein the cover is coupled to the case in accordance with the case being received in the cover and the cover being heated so as to shrink the cover into contact with the case.