BATTERY ASSEMBLY WITH COOLING

• US 20110318618A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Inventors: Sohn, Kwon, Kim, Tae-Yong, Yajima, Seijiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,337,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• 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 10/651 characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/652 characterised by gradients for achieving a desired temperature gradient H01M10/617
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6554 Rods or plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A battery assembly has a structure that can effectively cool batteries. A battery assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a housing, a first battery pack in the housing, and a second battery pack in the housing, the second battery pack being spaced from the first battery pack with a first flow path therebetween, wherein a second flow path is between the battery packs and an inner surface of the housing.

Claims

1. A battery assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first battery pack in the housing; and

a second battery pack in the housing, the second battery pack being spaced from the first battery pack with a first flow path therebetween, wherein a second flow path is between the battery packs and an inner surface of the housing.

2. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the first flow path narrows or remains the same in size in a flow direction of coolant in the first flow path.

3. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the second flow path widens or remains the same in size in a flow direction of coolant in the second flow path.

4. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a heat conductive material along the second flow path.

5. The battery assembly of claim 4, wherein the heat conductive material is selected from the group consisting of steel, stainless steel, aluminum, zinc-coated steel, and combinations thereof.

6. The battery assembly of claim 4, wherein the housing comprises a heat insulating material at an interface between the first and second flow paths.

7. The battery assembly of claim 6, wherein the heat insulating material comprises resin.

8. The battery assembly of claim 6, wherein the heat insulating material is at a location substantially aligned with the first flow path, and a width of the heat insulating material is greater than a distance between the battery packs.

9. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the battery packs comprises a battery module comprising a plurality of batteries and a support supporting the battery module, the support comprising a heat insulating material between the battery module and the second flow path.

10. The battery assembly of claim 9, wherein the heat insulating material comprises resin.

11. The battery assembly of claim 9, further comprising one or more protrusions located in the second flow path between the inner surface of the housing and the support.

12. The battery assembly of claim 11, wherein the one or more protrusions protrude from at least one of the support or the inner surface of the housing at an oblique angle.

13. The battery assembly of claim 12, wherein the one or more protrusions are integrally formed with at least one of the support or the housing.

14. The battery assembly of claim 9, wherein the battery module further comprises at least one connection member for fixing the batteries to the support.

15. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a cooling device along the second flow path.

16. The battery assembly of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the flow paths is nozzle-shaped or diffuser-shaped.

17. An electric vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a motor fixed to the frame for propelling the vehicle;

a battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the battery assembly is fixed to the frame and configured to power the motor.

18. A battery housing comprising:

an outer shell;

a first inner compartment;

a second inner compartment;

a first flow path between the first inner compartment and the second inner compartment; and

a second flow path between the inner compartments and an inner surface of the outer shell.

19. The battery housing of claim 18, wherein the inner compartments comprise a first heat insulating material along the second flow path, and wherein the outer shell comprises:

a heat conductive material along the second flow path; and

a second heat insulating material at an interface between the flow paths.

20. The battery housing of claim 18, wherein the outer shell comprises a cooling device along the second flow path.