BATTERY CELL ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR COUPLING A COOLING FIN TO FIRST AND SECOND COOLING MANIFOLDS

• US 20150207187A1
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Energy Solution Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Beltz, David, Yang, Heekook, Arena, Anthony, Ketkar, Satish
• Granted Patent: US 9,444,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2230/00 Sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2275/04 by brazing brazing heat exchangers B23K1/0012
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0256 Arrangements for coupling connectors with flow lines
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/0258 of quick acting type, e.g. with snap action
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/06 by dismountable joints
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0472 Vertically superposed cells with vertically disposed plates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49359 Cooling apparatus making, e.g., air conditioner, refrigerator

Abstract

A battery cell assembly having a cooling fin with a tube, a substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate, first and second cylindrical coupling members, and first and second O-ring gaskets is provided. The tube has an inlet tube portion and an outlet tube portion. The tube is coupled to a peripheral region of the metal plate. The first cylindrical coupling member has a first aperture extending therethrough, and first and second circumferential grooves. The inlet tube portion is disposed in the first aperture and coupled to the first cylindrical coupling member. The first and second O-ring gaskets are disposed in the first and second circumferential grooves, respectively. The outlet tube portion is disposed in the second aperture and is coupled to the second cylindrical coupling member.

Claims

1. A battery cell assembly, comprising:

a cooling fin having a tube, a substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate, first and second cylindrical coupling members, and first, second, third and fourth O-ring gaskets;

the tube having an inlet tube portion and an outlet tube portion, the tube being disposed on and coupled to a peripheral region of the substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate;

the first cylindrical coupling member having a first aperture extending therethrough, and first and second circumferential grooves extending around the first cylindrical coupling member;

the inlet tube portion being disposed in the first aperture and fixedly coupled to the first cylindrical coupling member;

the first and second O-ring gaskets being disposed in the first and second circumferential grooves, respectively, such that the first and second O-ring gaskets are removably coupled to the first cylindrical coupling member;

the second cylindrical coupling member having a second aperture extending therethrough, and third and fourth circumferential grooves extending around the second cylindrical coupling member;

the outlet tube portion being disposed in the second aperture and fixedly coupled to the second cylindrical coupling member;

the third and fourth O-ring gaskets being disposed in the third and fourth circumferential grooves, respectively, such that the third and fourth O-ring gaskets are removably coupled to the second cylindrical coupling member; and

first and second battery cells being disposed against first and second sides, respectively, of the cooling fin.

2. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the inlet tube portion and the outlet tube portion extending substantially parallel to one another, and the inlet tube portion and the outlet tube portion both extending in substantially a first direction.

3. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, wherein the peripheral region of the substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate includes at least first, second, and third peripheral edge portions, the substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate has a first side and a second side, at least a portion of the tube being coupled to the first side and being disposed on the first, second, and third peripheral edge portions, the tube defining an internal flow path therein.

4. The battery cell assembly of claim 3, wherein the substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate is constructed of aluminum and the tube is constructed of aluminum.

5. The battery cell assembly of claim 3, wherein the substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate is sized to cover substantially all of a substantially rectangular-shaped side surface of the first battery cell.

6. The battery cell assembly of claim 3, wherein the first, second, third peripheral edge portions of the substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate define an arcuate-shaped groove configured to receive a portion of the tube therein.

7. The battery cell assembly of claim 1, further comprising first and second frame members being coupled together, the cooling fin and the first and second battery cells being disposed between the first and second frame members.

8. The battery cell assembly of claim 7, wherein:

the first frame member having a first rectangular ring-shaped frame portion and first and second leg portions extending from an end of the first rectangular ring-shaped frame portion; and

the second frame member having a second rectangular ring-shaped frame portion and third and fourth leg portions extending from an end of the second rectangular ring-shaped frame portion.

9. The battery cell assembly of claim 8, further comprising a first cooling manifold fluidly and removably coupled to the first cylindrical coupling member such that the first and second O-ring gaskets form first and second fluid-tight seals, respectively, with the first cooling manifold.

10. The battery cell assembly of claim 9, wherein the first cooling manifold is disposed between the first and second leg portions of the first frame member, and a height of the first cooling manifold in a first direction is less than or equal to a height of each of the first and second leg portions in the first direction.

11. A method for coupling a cooling fin to first and second cooling manifolds, comprising:

providing a cooling fin having a tube, a substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate, first and second cylindrical coupling members, and first, second, third and fourth O-ring gaskets;

the tube having an inlet tube portion and an outlet tube portion, the tube being disposed on and coupled to a peripheral region of the substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate;

the first cylindrical coupling member having a first aperture extending therethrough, and first and second circumferential grooves extending around the first cylindrical coupling member;

the inlet tube portion being disposed in the first aperture and fixedly coupled to the first cylindrical coupling member;

the first and second O-ring gaskets being disposed in the first and second circumferential grooves, respectively, such that the first and second O-ring gaskets are removably coupled to the first cylindrical coupling member;

the second cylindrical coupling member having a second aperture extending therethrough, and third and fourth circumferential grooves extending around the second cylindrical coupling member;

the outlet tube portion being disposed in the second aperture and fixedly coupled to the second cylindrical coupling member;

the third and fourth O-ring gaskets being disposed in the third and fourth circumferential grooves, respectively, such that the third and fourth O-ring gaskets are removably coupled to the second cylindrical coupling member;

disposing the first cylindrical coupling member into an aperture of a port member of the first cooling manifold such that the first and second O-ring gaskets form first and second fluid-tight seals, respectively, with the port member of the first cylindrical coupling member; and

disposing the second cylindrical coupling member into an aperture of a port member of the second cooling manifold such that the third and fourth O-ring gaskets form first and second fluid-tight seals, respectively, with the port member of the second cylindrical coupling member.