Battery thermal interface material installation assembly and method
US-2018026321-A1 · Jan 25, 2018 · US
Electrified vehicle battery packs with improved thermal interface material distribution
US11069933B2 · US · B2
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Publication number | US-11069933-B2 |
| Application number | US-201815977485-A |
| Country | US |
| Kind code | B2 |
| Filing date | May 11, 2018 |
| Priority date | May 11, 2018 |
| Publication date | Jul 20, 2021 |
| Grant date | Jul 20, 2021 |
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- Title
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- Abstract
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Abstract
Official abstract text for this publication.
This disclosure details exemplary battery pack designs for use in electrified vehicles. An exemplary battery pack assembly process may include supporting one or more components, such as a heat exchanger plate, of the battery pack against deflection during the assembly process. Supporting the heat exchanger plate to keep the plate relatively flat during the battery pack assembly process improves the flow distribution of a thermal interface material (TIM), thereby achieving improved TIM coverage and improved heat transfer between battery cells and the heat exchanger plate of the battery pack.
First claim
Opening claim text (preview).
What is claimed is: 1. A method, comprising: during an assembly process, supporting a heat exchanger plate of a battery pack against deflection, wherein supporting the heat exchanger plate against deflection includes: positioning a tray of the battery pack against a rigid workstation; and positioning the heat exchanger plate against the tray, wherein the rigid workstation includes a convex surface in contact with a bottom of the tray. 2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the convex surface contacts the bottom of the tray near a center of the tray. 3. The method as recited in claim 1 , comprising: applying a plurality of bead lines of a thermal interface material on the heat exchanger plate; and positioning a battery array against the plurality of bead lines, wherein positioning the battery array against the plurality of bead lines spreads the thermal interface material between the battery array and the heat exchanger plate. 4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein applying the plurality of bead lines and positioning the battery array against the plurality of bead lines occurs after supporting the heat exchanger plate of the battery pack. 5. The method as recited in claim 3 , comprising: curing the thermal interface material subsequent to positioning the battery array against the plurality of bead lines. 6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein supporting the heat exchanger plate includes substantially rigidly supporting the heat exchanger plate during the assembly process. 7. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the plurality of bead lines are elongated and extend across a substantial portion of a width of the heat exchanger plate. 8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the convex surface is a protruding surface of the rigid workstation. 9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the protruding surface forces the tray into the heat exchanger plate during the assembly process. 10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the protruding surface protrudes from a substantially flat surface of the rigid workstation. 11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger plate is maintained substantially flat during the assembly process.
Assignees
Inventors
Classifications
Organic material · CPC title
Flexibility or foldability · CPC title
Hardness · CPC title
- H01M10/613Primary
Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title
- H01M10/6556Primary
Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) · CPC title
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Frequently asked questions
Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.
- What does patent US11069933B2 cover?
- This disclosure details exemplary battery pack designs for use in electrified vehicles. An exemplary battery pack assembly process may include supporting one or more components, such as a heat exchanger plate, of the battery pack against deflection during the assembly process. Supporting the heat exchanger plate to keep the plate relatively flat during the battery pack assembly process improves…
- Who is the assignee on this patent?
- Ford Global Tech Llc
- What technology area does this patent fall under?
- Primary CPC classification H01M10/613. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
- When was this patent published?
- Publication date Tue Jul 20 2021 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
- What related patents are in patentsdb?
- We list 6 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).