Coupling for electric vehicle battery pack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11028947-B2
Application number	US-201314087268-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2013
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

An example coupling for an electric vehicle battery pack includes an attachment member configured to connect to a cold plate, a fluid inlet extending from the attachment member, and a fluid outlet extending from the attachment member.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of communicating fluid to and from a cold plate of an electric vehicle, comprising:
securing an attachment member of a coupling to a cold plate extension that is affixed to the cold plate of a battery pack within the electric vehicle;
communicating fluid into the cold plate extension from a fluid outlet extending from the attachment member;
communicating fluid from the cold plate extension to a fluid inlet extending from the attachment member; and
redirecting the fluid within the attachment member.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising securing by fastening the coupling to the cold plate extension with a mechanical fastener, wherein the fluid enters the attachment member from the cold plate through an opening in a common surface of the attachment member and is communicated from the attachment member back to the heat exchanger through another opening in the common surface, wherein the fastener extends through a fastener surface of the attachment member that is separate and distinct from the common surface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet interface with a common surface of the attachment member, wherein the common surface is aligned along a first plane, and the attachment member interfaces with the extension of the cold plate at an interfacing surface that is aligned along a second plane containing a line that is transverse to the first plane.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the attachment member comprises an interfacing surface, and a plurality of walls extending away from the interfacing surface, the interfacing surface interfacing with the cold plate, the fluid inlet extending from at least one of the plurality of walls, the fluid outlet extending from at least one of the plurality of walls, wherein the plurality of walls extend from the interfacing surface to a fastener surface, the fastener surface defining an opening to receive a fastener that secures the attachment member to the extension.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Srinivasan Giriraj
• Burrows Neil Robert
• Mcmanaman James

Classifications

• F16L23/026 Primary

  by welding · CPC title

• F28F9/0253

  with multiple channels, e.g. with combined inflow and outflow channels · CPC title

• F16L39/00

  Joints or fittings for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies {(quick-acting joints for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies F16L37/56)} · CPC title

• H01M10/6556

  Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) · CPC title

• H01M10/6567

  Liquids · CPC title