Battery module

• US 8,974,934 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Merriman, Robert, Gadawski, Thomas J., Payne, Josh
• Primary Examiner(s): Cano, Milton I
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZENG, LINGWEN R
• Application Number:
  US13/587,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20140050952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 429/71, 429/72, 429/88, 429/120, 165/159, 165/158, 165/157, 165/76, 165/174, 285/321, 285/345, 285/347, 285/196, 285/213, 285/215
• US Class Current: 429/72
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0043 for fuel cells heat exchange in fuel cell H01M8/04007
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/00 Tubular elements; Assemblies of tubular elements specially adapted for movement F28F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0243 Header boxes having a circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/14 by force-joining
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module is provided. The battery module includes a battery cell and a heat exchanger disposed adjacent to the battery cell. The battery module further includes a cooling manifold having a tubular wall, a first fluid port, and a ring shaped member. The tubular wall defines an interior region and having first and second end portions. The first fluid port extends outwardly from an outer surface of the tubular wall and fluidly communicates with the interior region of the tubular wall. The ring shaped member is disposed on an outer surface of the first fluid port a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the tubular wall.

Claims

1. A battery module, comprising:

a battery cell;

a heat exchanger disposed adjacent to the battery cell, the heat exchanger having a tube;

a cooling manifold having a tubular wall, a first elastomeric fluid port, and a ring shaped member;

the tubular wall defining an interior region and having first and second end portions;

the first elastomeric fluid port extending outwardly from an outer surface of the tubular wall and fluidly communicating with the interior region, the first elastomeric fluid port extending through the tubular wall and being integrally attached to the tubular wall, the first elastomeric fluid port having an aperture extending therethrough being configured and sized to receive the tube of the heat exchanger therein, the first elastomeric fluid port further having an outer elastomeric lip portion extending around an outer periphery of the first elastomeric fluid port at an end of the first elastomeric fluid port, the first elastomeric fluid port further having a groove extending into the first elastomeric fluid port that is disposed between the outer elastomeric lip portion and the tubular wall, the first elastomeric fluid port having the groove when the ring shaped member is not disposed on the first elastomeric fluid port and when the ring shaped member is disposed on the first elastomeric fluid port, the outer elastomeric lip portion having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of a portion of the first elastomeric fluid port defining the groove;

the tube of the heat exchanger being disposed into the aperture of the first elastomeric fluid port and extending within the aperture past the outer elastomeric lip portion and the groove of the elastomeric fluid port; and

the ring shaped member being disposed in the groove and being disposed on and contacting an outer surface of the first elastomeric fluid port a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the tubular wall, the ring shaped member being constructed of a rigid material having a fixed non-adjustable inner diameter that prevents the first elastomeric fluid port from expanding radially outwardly when the tube from the heat exchanger is inserted into the aperture of the first elastomeric fluid port.

2. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the ring shaped member is a unitary ring shaped member and has an inner diameter that is less than an uncompressed outer diameter of a tubular port body of the first elastomeric fluid port.

3. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the ring shaped member is constructed of the rigid material, and the tubular wall is constructed of plastic.

4. The battery module of claim 3, wherein the first elastomeric fluid port is constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer.

5. The battery module of claim 4, wherein the rigid material comprises steel.

6. The battery module of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the ring shaped member is greater than an outer diameter of a tubular port body of the first fluid port.

7. The battery module of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additional elastomeric fluid ports extending outwardly from the outer surface of the tubular wall and fluidly communicating with the interior region, the plurality of additional elastomeric fluid ports being disposed linearly along the outer surface and spaced apart from one another, the plurality of additional elastomeric fluid ports having a structure identical to a structure of the first elastomeric fluid port.

15. The battery module of claim 1, wherein the first elastomeric fluid port further includes a tubular port body;

the tubular port body having a coupling body portion, a central body portion, and the outer elastomeric lip portion;

the coupling body portion being configured to extend through the tubular wall of the cooling manifold and being attached to the tubular wall, the central body portion extending from the coupling body portion and is further coupled to the outer elastomeric lip portion.

16. The battery module of claim 15, wherein the first elastomeric fluid port further includes a ring shaped seating portion, the ring shaped seating portion extending outwardly from the central body portion and extending around an outer periphery of the central body portion.

17. The battery module of claim 16, wherein the central body portion defines the groove thereon that is disposed between the ring shaped seating portion and the outer elastomeric lip portion, the ring shaped member being disposed on and contacting the outer surface of the first elastomeric fluid port within the groove.

18. The battery module of claim 15, wherein the central body portion defines the groove thereon disposed between the outer surface of the tubular wall of the cooling manifold and the outer elastomeric lip portion, the ring shaped member being disposed on and contacting the outer surface of the first elastomeric fluid port within the groove.

19. The battery module of claim 18, wherein the outer elastomeric lip portion has the outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the central body portion.

8. A battery module, comprising:

a battery cell;

a heat exchanger disposed adjacent to the battery cell, the heat exchanger having a tube;

a cooling manifold having a tubular wall, a first fluid port, and a split-ring shaped member;

the tubular wall defining an interior region and having first and second end portions;

the first elastomeric fluid port extending outwardly from an outer surface of the tubular wall and fluidly communicating with the interior region, the first elastomeric fluid port extending through the tubular wall and being integrally attached to the tubular wall, the first elastomeric fluid port having an aperture extending therethrough being configured and sized to receive the tube of the heat exchanger therein, the first elastomeric fluid port further having an outer elastomeric lip portion extending around an outer periphery of the first elastomeric fluid port at an end of the first elastomeric fluid port, the first elastomeric fluid port further having a groove extending into the first elastomeric fluid port that is disposed between the outer elastomeric lip portion and the tubular wall, the first elastomeric fluid port having the groove when the ring shaped member is not disposed on the first elastomeric fluid port and when the ring shaped member is disposed on the first elastomeric fluid port, the outer elastomeric lip portion having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of a portion of the first elastomeric fluid port defining the groove;

the tube of the heat exchanger being disposed into the aperture of the first elastomeric fluid port and extending within the aperture past the outer elastomeric lip portion and the groove of the elastomeric fluid port; and

the split-ring shaped member having a gap between first and second ends of the split-ring shaped member, the split-ring shaped member being disposed in the groove and being disposed on and contacting an outer surface of the first elastomeric fluid port a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the tubular wall, the split-ring shaped member being constructed of a rigid material that prevents the first elastomeric fluid port from expanding radially outwardly when a tube from the heat exchanger is inserted into the aperture of the first elastomeric fluid port, the split-ring shaped member being a ring-shaped member with an opening therein.

9. The battery module of claim 8, wherein the split-ring shaped member is a unitary split-ring shaped member that extends at least 270 degrees around the outer surface of the first elastomeric fluid port, the split-ring shaped member having an inner diameter that is less than an uncompressed outer diameter of a tubular port body of the first elastomeric fluid port.

10. The battery module of claim 8, wherein the split-ring shaped member is constructed of the rigid material, and the tubular wall is constructed of plastic.

11. The battery module of claim 10, wherein the first elastomeric port is constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer.

12. The battery module of claim 11, wherein the rigid material comprises steel.

13. The battery module of claim 8, wherein an outer diameter of the split-ring shaped member is greater than an outer diameter of a tubular port body of the first elastomeric fluid port.

14. The battery module of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of additional elastomeric fluid ports extending outwardly from the outer surface of the tubular wall and fluidly communicating with the interior region, the plurality of additional elastomeric fluid ports being disposed linearly along the outer surface and spaced apart from one another, the plurality of additional elastomeric fluid ports having a structure identical to a structure of the first elastomeric fluid port.

20. A battery module, comprising:

a battery cell;

a heat exchanger disposed adjacent to the battery cell, the heat exchanger having a tube;

a cooling manifold having a plastic tubular wall, a first elastomeric fluid port, and a ring shaped member;

the plastic tubular wall defining an interior region and having first and second end portions;

the first elastomeric fluid port having a tubular port body and a ring shaped seating portion;

the tubular elastomeric port body being coupled to the plastic tubular wall and extending through the plastic tubular wall and outwardly from the plastic tubular wall, the tubular elastomeric port body fluidly communicating with the interior region, the tubular elastomeric port body having an aperture extending therethrough being configured and sized to receive the tube of the heat exchanger therein, the tubular elastomeric port body further having an outer elastomeric lip portion extending around an outer periphery of the tubular elastomeric port body proximate to an end of the tubular port body, the tubular elastomeric port body further having a groove extending into the tubular elastomeric port body that is disposed between the outer elastomeric lip portion and the plastic tubular wall, the tubular elastomeric port body having the groove when the ring shaped member is not disposed on the tubular elastomeric port body and when the ring shaped member is disposed on the tubular elastomeric port body, the outer elastomeric lip portion having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of a portion of the tubular elastomeric port body defining the groove;

the tube of the heat exchanger being disposed into the aperture of the tubular elastomeric port body and extending within the aperture past the outer elastomeric lip portion and the groove of the tubular elastomeric port body;

the ring shaped seating portion extending around an outer periphery of the tubular elastomeric port body and being disposed between the plastic tubular wall and the groove, an outer diameter of the ring shaped seating portion being greater than an outer diameter of the outer elastomeric lip portion;

the ring shaped member being disposed in the groove and being disposed on and contacting an outer surface of the tubular elastomeric port body proximate to the ring shaped seating portion, the ring shaped member being constructed of a rigid material having a fixed non-adjustable inner diameter that prevents the tubular elastomeric port body from expanding radially outwardly when the tube from the heat exchanger is inserted into the aperture of the tubular elastomeric port body.

21. The battery module of claim 20, wherein the ring shaped member is a unitary ring shaped member.

22. The battery module of claim 20, wherein the tubular elastomeric port body has the outer elastomeric lip portion when the ring shaped member is not disposed on the tubular elastomeric port body and when the ring shaped member is disposed on the tubular elastomeric port body.