Battery assembly including battery module with wrap blanket between module and encapsulating solution

• US 8,597,825 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EnerDel, Inc. (Ener1, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EnerDel, Inc. (Ener1, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buck, Derrick S., Fattig, Robert N., Silk, Bruce J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cullen, Sean P
• Application Number:
  US12/992,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20110104532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: 429/82, 429/120, 429/121, 429/56, 429/83, 429/159, 429/177
• US Class Current: 429/177
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/16 with fracturing diaphragm ; Rupture discs
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• 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: 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 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/258 Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/325 comprising deformable valve members, e.g. elastic or flexible valve members
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/3425 in the form of rupturable membranes or weakened parts, e.g. pierced with the aid of a sharp member
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module includes pressure release features for releasing excess pressure in a battery container, a wrap blanket disposed between a module and potting material disposed in a case to secure modules while allowing repair, replacement, recycling and/or reuse of modules and a connector.

Claims

1. A battery pack assembly for a vehicle having a device for introducing fluid therein thereby affecting temperature of said battery assembly, said battery assembly presenting at least one battery sub-pack comprising:

a battery module including a plurality of prismatic cells having side edges and a plurality of heat transfer elements extending between said prismatic cells with each heat transfer element presenting terminal ends and thermal transfer edges with at least one of said thermal transfer edges extending beyond said side edges of said prismatic cell with said heat transfer elements and said prismatic cells being removable interconnected with one another thereby applying pressure to said prismatic cells;

a case in which the battery module is received;

a potting material disposed in the case to at least partially encapsulate the battery module; and

a blanket material encompassing the battery module to the extent necessary to be disposed between the potting material and the battery module, wherein the blanket material adheres to the potting material and maintains a separation between the potting material and the battery module resulting in the battery module being removable from the potting material.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the potting material fully encapsulates portions of the module not including the thermal transfer edges extending beyond the edges of the prismatic cell and the blanket material is spaced apart from the thermal transfer edges.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the potting material is selected from the group of, polyurethane, polyurethane foams, silicones and epoxies.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the potting material is disposed in the case so as to substantially reduce air gaps between the module and the case.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each cell includes electrodes, electrolyte and cell packaging and the potting material is disposed in the case so as to substantially prevent the cell packaging from relaxing over time.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the potting material is disposed in the case so as to substantially prevent the electrolyte from settling within the cell packaging.

7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the potting material is disposed in the case so as to substantially prevent movement of the module within the case.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer edges extend above a top level of the potting material.

9. The assembly of claim 1, the battery module includes a terminal, wherein the terminal extends above a top level of the potting material.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the blanket material is spaced apart from the case by the potting material.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the blanket material covers a first side of the battery module and a second side of the battery module, a top of the battery module being uncovered by the blanket material.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the blanket material covers a bottom of the battery module.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the blanket material is spaced apart from the case by the potting material.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the potting material covers the first side of the battery module, the second side of the battery module, and the bottom of the battery module, the top of the battery module being uncovered by the potting material.

15. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the potting material covers the first side of the battery module and the second side of the battery module, the top of the battery module being uncovered by the potting material.