Electrical system with thermal protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10985352-B2
Application number	US-201816212251-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 6, 2018
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

A battery pack for a vehicle electrical system includes a casing for receiving one or more battery modules. The battery modules are insertable into a casing of the battery pack by sliding couplers along pairs of rails and are securable to the ends of the rails. After insertion, the rails thermally insulate one battery module from other battery modules in the battery pack. Additionally, the battery modules may include a top cover with an insulating material to further thermally insulate one battery module from another battery module. The battery pack may additionally be configured with vents for venting the hot gases, such as those generated by a battery module in a thermal runaway event. Additionally, the battery modules may include a second insulating material disposed between cells and configured to thermally insulate the cells from one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical system configured to supply electric power to an electric load of a vehicle, the electrical system comprising:
a casing comprising:
a first set of rails coupled to a first interior surface of the casing; and
a second set of rails coupled to a second interior surface of the casing and spaced from the first set of rails;

a first battery module comprising a first housing mechanically coupled to the first set of rails; and
a second battery module comprising a second housing mechanically coupled to the second set of rails, the second housing separated a distance from the first housing, the distance defining a gap between the first battery module and the second battery module, the gap being configured to thermally insulate the second battery module from the first battery module,
wherein at least one of the first set of rails or the second set of rails comprises a barrier configured to restrict gases from traveling between at least one of the first set of rails and the first battery module or the second set of rails and the second battery module.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of rails and the second set of rails extend substantially a length of the interior surface of the casing to restrict gases from traveling from an area proximate the first battery module to an area proximate the second battery module.

3. The electrical system of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating material disposed between cells of at least one of the first battery module or the second battery module.

4. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the casing further comprises a vent in a side of the casing disposed between the first set of rails and the second set of rails to vent pressurized gas from the gap.

5. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the housing of at least one of the first battery module or the second battery module comprises:
a cover; and
an insulating material covering at least a portion of the cover.

6. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a coating.

7. A battery pack comprising:
a casing comprising a casing attachment mechanism disposed on an interior surface of the casing; and
a battery module comprising a module attachment mechanism mechanically coupled to the casing attachment mechanism,
wherein at least one of the casing attachment mechanism or the module attachment mechanism supports the battery module with a gap on at least one side of the battery module, and
wherein the at least one of the casing attachment mechanism or the module attachment mechanism comprises a barrier configured to restrict gas from traveling between the casing attachment mechanism and the module attachment mechanism.

8. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the module attachment mechanism is complimentary in shape to the casing attachment mechanism, such that the module attachment mechanism one of receives or is received by the casing attachment mechanism.

9. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the casing attachment mechanism comprises at least one of a rail or a coupler and wherein the module attachment mechanism comprises the other of the rail or the coupler.

10. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the battery module is a first battery module and wherein at least one of the casing attachment mechanism or the module attachment mechanism extends substantially a length of the interior surface of the casing to restrict the gas from traveling from an area proximate the first battery module to an area proximate a second battery module.

11. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the barrier comprises a coating that is further configured to:
increase a frictional component between the casing attachment mechanism and the module attachment mechanism.

12. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the battery module comprises:
a plurality of cells arranged with space between adjacent cells of the plurality of cells; and
an insulating material disposed in the space between adjacent cells of the plurality of cells.

13. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the casing further comprises a vent in a side of the casing to selectively vent pressurized gas generated by the battery module.

14. The battery pack of claim 7 , wherein the battery module comprises:
a cover; and
a thermally insulating material coupled to at least a portion of the cover.

15. The battery pack of claim 7 , further comprising a second battery module configured to couple to a second casing attachment mechanism, the second battery module separated from the first battery module by a distance, the distance defining the gap and substantially insulating the second battery module from the first battery module.

16. A battery system comprising:
a casing comprising a casing attachment mechanism disposed on an interior surface of the casing; and
a battery module comprising a module attachment mechanism mechanically coupled to the casing attachment mechanism,
wherein the module attachment mechanism is configured to couple to the casing attachment mechanism, and wherein the at least one of the casing attachment mechanism or the module attachment mechanism comprises a barrier configured to restrict gases from traveling between the casing attachment mechanism and the module attachment mechanism.

17. The battery system of claim 16 , wherein the barrier comprises a coating comprising at least one of:
a rubber material;
a silicone material;
a plastic material; or
a nylon material.

18. The battery system of claim 16 , wherein the barrier is configured to increase a frictional component between the casing attachment mechanism and the module attachment mechanism.

19. The battery system of claim 16 , wherein the casing attachment mechanism is configured to couple a first battery module at a distance from a second battery module coupled to a second casing attachment mechanism, the distance being configured to thermally insulate the second battery module from the first battery module.

20. The battery system of claim 16 , wherein the battery module further comprises:
a cover; and
a thermally insulating material coupled to at least a portion of the cover.

Assignees

• Zoox Inc

Inventors

• Ng Robert Alan
• Boecker Moritz
• Foley Kyle Matthew
• Haer Jason Jaspreet Singh
• Sands David

Classifications

• H01M50/24 Primary

  adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion (thermal insulation H01M10/658) · CPC title

• H01M50/282

  having a layered structure · CPC title

• H01M50/51

  Connection only in series · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• H01M50/264

  for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames · CPC title