Integrated cooling fin and frame

• US 8,673,473 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2010
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• 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: Odumodu, Kennedy U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cullen, Sean P
• Application Number:
  US12/853,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20120040223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 429/120, 429/156, 429/159, 429/162
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2280/04 Means for preventing wrong assembling of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/086 having one or more openings therein forming tubular heat-exchange passages
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

An integrated cooling fin and frame is described. The integrated cooling fin and frame includes a cooling fin having a cooling channel adjacent to at least one edge, the cooling channel having an inlet and an outlet; and a frame around the cooling fin and covering the edges of the cooling fin, the frame having an opening for the inlet and outlet of the cooling channel. A battery pack containing the integrated cooling fin and frame and a method of making the integrated cooling fin and frame are also described.

Claims

1. An integrated cooling fin and frame comprising:

a generally planar cooling fin having at least one cooling channel formed adjacent to a surface and at least one edge thereof, the cooling channel having an inlet and an outlet; and

a frame configured to be placed around the cooling fin and the cooling channel to cover the edges of the cooling fin and a substantial entirety of the cooling channel, the frame having a first opening formed therein for the inlet and a second opening formed therein for the outlet of the cooling channel.

2. The integrated cooling fin and frame of claim 1 wherein the cooling fin is made of a thermally conductive material.

3. The integrated cooling fin and frame of claim 2 wherein the thermally conductive material is aluminum, alumina, copper, aluminum silicon carbide, beryllium oxide, or combinations thereof.

4. The integrated cooling fin and frame of claim 1 wherein the frame has at least one hole for a mechanical connector.

5. The integrated cooling fin and frame of claim 1 wherein the frame has a tab with a hole for a mechanical connector.

6. The integrated cooling fin and frame of claim 1 wherein the cooling channel extends around three edges.

7. The integrated cooling fin and frame of claim 1 wherein the cooling channel extends around four edges.

8. The integrated cooling fin and frame of claim 1 wherein the cooling fin comprises a pair of thermally conductive plates separated by a layer of an expansion compensator.

9. The integrated cooling fin and frame of claim 8

wherein the expansion compensator is a compressible foam.

10. 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;

at least one integrated cooling fin and frame comprising;

a generally planar cooling fin having a cooling channel formed adjacent to a surface and at least one edge thereof, the cooling channel having an inlet and an outlet; and

a frame configured to be placed around the cooling fin and the cooling channel to cover the edges of the cooling fin and a substantial entirety of the cooling channel, the frame having a first opening formed therein for the inlet and a second opening formed therein for the outlet of the cooling channel;

a plurality of battery cells placed within the integrated cooling fin and frame, 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, the integrated cooling fin and frame cooperative to electrically isolate edges of each of the plurality of battery cells from the cooling fin by the covering of the edge of the cooling fin with the frame;

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; and

a fluid manifold connected to the cooling channel inlet and outlet for circulating fluid to the cooling channel.

11. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the cooling fin is made of a thermally conductive material.

12. The battery pack of claim 11 wherein the thermally conductive material is aluminum, alumina, copper, aluminum silicon carbide, beryllium oxide, or combinations thereof.

13. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the frame has at least one hole for a mechanical connector.

14. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the frame has a tab with a hole for a mechanical connector.

15. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the cooling channel extends around three edges.

16. The battery pack of claim 10

wherein the integrated cooling fin and frame electrically isolate the cell tabs from the cooling fin.

17. The battery pack of claim 10 wherein the cooling fin comprises a pair of thermally conductive plates separated by a layer of an expansion compensator.

18. A method of making an integrated cooling fin and frame comprising:

providing a generally planar cooling fin having a cooling channel formed adjacent to a surface and on at least one edge thereof, the cooling channel having an inlet and an outlet; and

molding a frame around the cooling fin so that the frame;

covers a substantial entirety of the cooling channel and the edges of the cooling fin;

seals the cooling fin to the frame, and

has an opening for the inlet and an opening for the outlet of the cooling channel.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the frame is molded using injection molding.