Prismatic battery made of multiple individual cells

• US 7,572,549 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Wegner, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiner, Laura S
• Application Number:
  US11/481,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20070018610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 429/120, 429/149, 429/152, 429/156, 622/39, 165/43
• US Class Current: 429/152
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0413 Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0468 Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/63 Control systems charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 , H01M10/443; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 , H01M10/486
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/652 characterised by gradients for achieving a desired temperature gradient H01M10/617
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/653 characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6569 Fluids undergoing a liquid-gas phase change or transition, e.g. evaporation or condensation heat pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/557 Plate-shaped terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A prismatic battery including multiple individual cells, at least two of which are combined to form a prismatic module. At least two of the modules, in turn, are stacked to form the battery and joined together under tension between two end plates. The prismatic battery also has at least one cooling member which is in heat-conducting contact with at least one of the modules. This cooling member has at least one cooling fin which is provided parallel to the direction of the tensioning force.

Claims

1. A prismatic battery comprising:

at least two prismatic modules being stacked and joined together under a tensioning force between two end plates, each of the prismatic modules including at least two individual cells,

at least one cooling member in heat-conducting contact with the modules, the cooling member having at least one cooling fin provided parallel to a direction of the tensioning force.

2. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 1 wherein the cooling member includes a planar base element supporting the at least one cooling fin.

3. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 2 wherein the at least one cooling fin includes a plurality of cooling fins tapered in a direction of ends facing away from the base element.

4. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 2 wherein the cooling member includes at least one cooling channel in an area of the base element, the at least one cooling channel being in thermal contact with the at least one cooling fin.

5. A vehicle air conditioner comprising the prismatic battery as recited in claim 4 and a working medium, the working medium flowing through the cooling channels in the base element of the cooling member.

6. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 2 wherein the base element of the cooling member has a thickness varying laterally to the direction of the tensioning force.

7. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 6 wherein the base element of the cooling member has a greater thickness in the middle laterally to the direction of the tensioning force than it does at edges.

8. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the prismatic modules has slot-shaped recesses positioned between the individual cells and running in the direction of the tensioning force, the at least one cooling fin including a plurality of cooling fins provided in the slot-shaped recesses.

9. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 8 wherein the recesses are tapered in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the tensioning force.

10. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 8 wherein the recesses have, at least in part, a ceramic material in an area of walls of the recesses.

11. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one cooling fin includes a plurality of cooling fins connectable to the end plates so that the end plates exert a force on one another.

12. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 1 wherein the cooling member is subject to active cooling.

13. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one cooling member includes at least two cooling members.

14. A traction battery in a vehicle comprising the prismatic battery as recited in claim 1.

15. The traction battery as recited in claim 14 wherein the traction battery is a vehicle hybrid drive traction battery.

16. A prismatic battery comprising:

a plurality of prismatic modules stacked and joined together under a tensioning force between two end plates, each of the prismatic modules including a plurality of individual cells aligned side-by-side in a longitudinal direction of the respective prismatic module,

at least one cooling member in heat-conducting contact with the prismatic modules, the cooling member having at least one cooling fin positioned between two of the individual cells of at least one of the prismatic modules and arranged transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the respective at least one of the prismatic modules.

17. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 16 further comprising cell connectors between individual cells in each of the prismatic modules, each cell connector including a recess.

18. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 17 wherein the at least one cooling fin includes a plurality of cooling fins and each of the cooling fins is positioned in at least one of the recesses.

19. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 16 wherein each individual cell includes a plurality of stacked electrodes and the at least one cooling fin is positioned transversely to a direction of a length of the electrodes.

20. The prismatic battery as recited in claim 16 wherein the at least one cooling fin includes a plurality of cooling fins and each of the cooling fins is in thermal contact with each of the plurality of prismatic modules.