Battery pack with phase change material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10305155-B2
Application number	US-201715667402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2017
Priority date	Aug 11, 2014
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A bladder configured to support a phase change material in a heat transfer relationship with at least one battery cell including a wall defining a channel, the phase change material surrounding a portion of the channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bladder configured to support phase change material in a heat transfer relationship with at least one battery cell, the bladder comprising:
a wall defining a channel, the phase change material surrounding a portion of the channel.

2. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the wall defines an opening fluidly connected to the channel.

3. The bladder of claim 2 , further comprising a flange, the opening being defined in the flange.

4. The bladder of claim 2 , wherein, in response to a change in phase of the phase change material, the wall is configured to collapse the channel.

5. The bladder of claim 4 , wherein, in response to the channel collapsing, a fluid in the channel is configured to be displaced through the opening.

6. The bladder of claim 5 , wherein the fluid includes air.

7. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein the wall is an inner wall, and wherein the bladder further comprises an outer wall spaced from the inner wall.

8. The bladder of claim 7 , wherein the phase change material is positioned between the outer wall and the inner wall.

9. The bladder of claim 7 , wherein, in response to a change in phase of the phase change material, the inner wall is configured to collapse the channel.

10. The bladder of claim 9 , wherein the inner wall is formed of an elastic material.

11. The bladder of claim 9 , wherein the inner wall defines an opening fluidly connected to the channel, and wherein, in response to the channel collapsing, a fluid in the channel is configured to be displaced through the opening.

12. The bladder of claim 11 , wherein the fluid includes air.

13. The bladder of claim 1 , further comprising a vent in fluid communication with the channel, and wherein, in response to a change in phase of the phase change material, a fluid in the channel is configured to be displaced through the vent.

14. The bladder of claim 1 , wherein, in response to a change in phase of the phase change material, the channel is configured to change in volume.

15. A vessel containing phase change material, the phase change material in a heat transfer relationship with at least one battery cell, the vessel comprising:
an outer wall;
an inner wall defining a channel; and
a vent in fluid communication with the channel, the phase change material being positioned between the outer wall and the inner wall.

16. The vessel of claim 15 , wherein the phase change material surrounds a portion of the channel.

17. The vessel of claim 15 , wherein, in response to a change in phase of the phase change material, the inner wall is configured to collapse the channel.

18. The vessel of claim 15 , wherein, in response to a change in phase of the phase change material, a fluid in the channel is configured to pass through the vent.

19. The vessel of claim 18 , wherein the fluid includes air.

20. The vessel of claim 15 , further comprising a flange, the vent being positioned through the flange.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Ebner Jeremy R
• Schulz Cameron R
• Thorson Troy C
• Gehring Todd M
• Kolden Michael

Classifications

• H01M2/1223

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M10/659 Primary

  by heat storage or buffering, e.g. heat capacity or liquid-solid phase changes or transition · CPC title

• H01M2/105

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M50/317

  Re-sealable arrangements · CPC title

• H01M50/213

  adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence) · CPC title