BATTERY ASSEMBLY WITH TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20150024246A1
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,141,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/99
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/623 Portable devices, e.g. mobile telephones, cameras or pacemakers
• 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 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6565 with recirculation or U-turn in the flow path, i.e. back and forth
• 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 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• 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: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery module of the present invention is adaptable to be utilized in various configurations including and not limited to an overlapping battery cell packaging configuration and a vertical stack battery cell packaging configuration used in an automotive and non-automotive applications. The battery module has a plurality of battery heatsink assemblies with the cells disposed therebetween. A plurality of rods extend through the each heatsink assemblies to secure the heatsink assemblies and the cell with one another to form the battery module.

Claims

1. A battery assembly comprising:

a battery housing;

a plurality of battery packs positioned inside said housing, each of said battery packs having a plurality of cells disposed in each said battery pack and enclosed with a cover portion; and

a fluid circulation system defined by at least one inlet port in said battery housing for receiving fluid introduced into said housing as fluid enters in each of said battery packs through an intake port defined in each of said cover portion and at least one outlet port defined in said battery housing for allowing fluid to escape from said housing as fluid manipulates temperature of each battery packs by removing heat therefrom as fluid enters each of said battery housings through said inlet port and escapes therefrom through an escape port.

2. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a bottom portion and a top portion, said bottom portion is separated into halves by a bridge.

3. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said escape ports is further defined by a slot.

4. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said cells is a prismatic cell.

5. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said cells is a lithium ion cell.

6. A battery assembly as set forth in 5 including at least one cell retaining element extending between two of said prismatic cells and presenting a pair of mechanical devices with one of said devices mechanically engaging one of said prismatic cells and another of said devices mechanically engaging the other of said prismatic cells thereby locking said prismatic cells with said cell retaining element and forming contact between said at least one cell retaining element and said prismatic cells for manipulating temperature of said prismatic cells through said at least one cell retaining element.

7. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein one of said mechanical devices is further defined by a plate formed from at least one of thermally conductive materials.

8. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said at least one cell retaining element is further defined by a pair of first frames with said plate being sandwiched between said pair of first frames.

9. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said first frames includes a peripheral edge, a plurality of male connectors extending from each of said first frames, a plurality of female connectors defined in each of said first frames.

10. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said first frames includes at least one pin extending therefrom to mechanically engage one of said female connectors defined in another of said first frames thereby sandwiching said plate between said first frames.

11. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said first frames are fabricated from at least one of polymeric and non-polymeric materials.

12. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein each of said prismatic cells includes raised portions extending to a peripheral lip portion, a negative terminal and a positive terminal.

13. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein each of said first frames includes a pair of studs extending from said peripheral edge of each said first frame to engage at least one of said positive terminals and said negative terminals.

14. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein another of said mechanical devices is further defined by a pair of second frames.

15. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein each of said second frames includes a peripheral edge and a plurality of female connectors defined in each of said second frames.

16. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of said second frames are mechanically engaged with said first frames, respectively, for retaining two of said prismatic cells with said plate engaging raised portions of each of said prismatic cells.

17. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of said second frames are fabricated from at least one of polymeric and non-polymeric materials.

18. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 17 including a device sandwiched between each of said cell retaining elements for allowing expansion and contraction of said prismatic cells during charge and discharge states therefore causing said prismatic cell to maintain intimate contact with said plate for efficient thermal transfer.

19. A battery assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said device is further defined by a layer of expandable material substantially covering said raised portion of each said prismatic cell.