Battery component with a flow path

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10818894-B2
Application number	US-201815920564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2018
Priority date	Nov 7, 2017
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

An exemplary method includes, among other things, providing first and second blanks that are nominally identical and that include an array of raised features. The method further includes removing a first combination of individual raised features from the first blank to provide a first battery component with a first flow path, and removing a different, second combination of individual raised features from the second blank to provide a second battery component with a different, second flow path. An exemplary battery assembly includes, among other things, a blank having a plurality of ribs extending from a floor. The blank is configured such that a first combination of the ribs are removable from the blank to provide a first battery component having first flow path, and a different, second combination of the ribs are removable from the blank to provide a second battery component having a different, second flow path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
providing first and second blanks that are nominally identical and that include an array of raised features;
removing a first combination of individual raised features from the first blank to provide a first battery component with a first flow path; and
removing a different, second combination of individual raised features from the second blank to provide a second battery component with a different, second flow path.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second battery components are enclosure trays.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the individual raised features of the first and second blanks is a rib extending from a respective floor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second battery components are fluid jackets.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein each of the individual raised features of the first and second blanks is a rib extending from a respective floor.

6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first flow path extends from a first flow path inlet to a first flow path outlet, and the second flow path extends from a second flow path inlet to a second flow path outlet,
wherein a position of the first flow path inlet within the first battery component is different than a position of the second flow path inlet within the second battery component, wherein a position of the first flow path outlet within the first battery component is different than a position of the second flow path outlet within the second battery component, or both.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising
machining openings within respective bosses of the first blank to provide the first flow path inlet and the first flow path outlet; and
machining openings within respective bosses of the second blank to provide the second flow path inlet and the second flow path outlet,
the first and second blanks nominally identical prior to the removing and prior to the machining.

8. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first flow path has a circumferential perimeter established entirely by the first battery component and a fluid jacket, or established entirely by the first battery component and an enclosure tray,
wherein the second flow path has a circumferential perimeter defined entirely by the second battery component and the fluid jacket, or established entirely by the second battery component and the enclosure tray.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the combinations of raised features from the first and second blanks comprises machining away material from the first and second blanks.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving fluid through the first flow path to exchange thermal energy with an array of traction battery cells having a first configuration, and moving fluid through the second flow path to exchange thermal energy with an array of traction battery cells having a different, second configuration.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the removing, the array of raised features is a grid of the raised features disposed on a floor of the first and second blanks.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Paramasivam Saravanan
• Zapczynski Brent
• Droste Steve
• Addanki Hari Krishna
• Subba Samir
• Saad Ali
• Reibling Michael E

Classifications

• H01M10/613 Primary

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title

• H01M50/271

  Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings · CPC title

• H01M50/209

  adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/227

  Organic material · CPC title