Molded frame with corrugated cooling fin for air-cooled battery

• US 8,574,740 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Quick, Megan J., Weber, Derek R., Grey, Thaddeus J., Duffield, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Cullen, Sean P
• Application Number:
  US12/853,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 429/120, 429/149, 429/156, 429/158, 429/159
• US Class Current: 429/120
• 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 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49393 with metallurgical bonding

Abstract

A molded cooling fin and frame is described. The molded cooling fin and frame includes a corrugated center cooling fin; a pair of outer cooling fins on opposite sides of the corrugated center cooling fin, each of the outer cooling fins having a ridge around an edge; and a frame covering an edge of each of the outer cooling fins, the frame sealed to the edge of each of the outer cooling fins. A battery pack including the molded cooling fin and frame and a method of making the molded cooling fin and frame are also described.

Claims

1. A cooling assembly for a battery, the cooling assembly comprising:

a frame comprising a pair of half frames that are coupled to one another; and

a cooling fin comprising;

a corrugated center cooling fin; and

a pair of outer cooling fins on opposite sides of the corrugated center cooling fin and defining an edge that forms a seal with at least one of the half frames, each of the outer cooling fins having a ridge formed adjacent the edge such that upon receipt of a force imparted onto a generally planar surface of the outer cooling fin from a facingly-adjacent portion of the corrugated cooling fin, the force couples with the ridge to substantially decouple the force from the edge of the outer cooling fin in order to prevent damage to the seal.

2. The cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the corrugated cooling fin, or the outer cooling fin, or both, is made of a thermally conductive material.

3. The cooling assembly of claim 2 wherein the thermally conductive material is aluminum.

4. The cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the frame is molded with the outer cooling fins forming the seal.

5. The cooling assembly of claim 4 wherein the frame is insert molded with the outer cooling fins forming the seal.

6. The cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the half frame is insert molded with the outer cooling fin forming the seal.

7. The cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the half frames are connected by heat staking, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, vibration welding, mechanical connections, glue, or combinations thereof.

8. The cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the frame has at least one hole for a mechanical connector.

9. The cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the frame has at least one tab with a hole for a mechanical connector.

10. The cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the ridge extends completely around the edge of the outer cooling fin.

11. The cooling assembly of claim 1 wherein the ridge extends away from the corrugated center cooling fin.

12. The cooling assembly of claim 1 further comprising a compression limiter.

13. A battery pack comprising;

a pair of end frames, one end frame having a positive terminal and the other end frame having a negative terminal;

a force-dissipating cooling assembly comprising;

a frame cooperative with the end frames and comprising a pair of half frames that are coupled to one another; and

a cooling fin comprising;

a corrugated center cooling fin; and

a pair of outer cooling fins on opposite sides of the corrugated center cooling fin and defining an edge that forms a seal with at least one of the half frames, each of the outer cooling fins having a ridge formed adjacent the edge such that upon receipt of a force imparted onto a generally planar surface of the outer cooling fin from a facingly-adjacent portion of the corrugated cooling fin, the force couples with the ridge to substantially decouple the force from the edge of the outer cooling fin in order to prevent damage to the seal;

a plurality of battery cells placed within the frames, each of the plurality of battery cells having a positive tab and a negative tab, the positive tab of one of the plurality of battery cells electrically connected to the positive terminal, and the negative tab of another one of the plurality of battery cells electrically connected to the negative terminal; and

at least one power connector electrically connecting the negative tab of one of the battery cells with the positive tab of an adjacent one of the plurality of battery cells.

14. The battery pack of claim 13 wherein the half frame is insert molded with the outer cooling fin forming the seal.

15. The battery pack of claim 13 wherein the half frames are connected by heat staking, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, vibration welding, mechanical connections, glue, or combinations thereof.

16. A method of making a cooling assembly for a battery, the cooling assembly comprising a molded cooling fin and frame, the method comprising:

molding a frame portion over an edge of an outer cooling fin forming a seal between the frame and the outer cooling fin to form a half frame, the outer cooling fin having a ridge formed adjacent the edge;

placing a pair of half frames around a center corrugated cooling fin; and

connecting the pair of half frames together; and

providing that upon receipt of a force imparted onto a generally planar surface of the outer cooling fin from a facingly-adjacent portion of the corrugated cooling fin, the force couples with the ridge to substantially decouple the force from the edge of the outer cooling fin in order to prevent damage to the seal.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the molding is insert molding.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the joining is by heat staking, ultrasonic welding, laser welding, vibration welding, mechanical connections, glue, or combinations thereof.