Multi-part battery module wall

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11949115-B2
Application number	US-202017107164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2020
Priority date	Nov 30, 2020
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

A battery system for providing electric power to a vehicle includes an assembly having battery cells. The battery system also includes a shear wall that is arranged along a lateral side of the assembly to provide structural support. The shear wall is two-part, including a first element and a second element, both of which may be formed from sheet metal and welded together. The first element has a first flange extending away from the lateral side of the assembly, and the second element has a second flange. The first flange and the second flange are layered together to form an interface. The flanges are welded together at the interface, proximal to the assembly, to form a resulting flange that is thicker than either individual flange and that may be mounted to a frame member. The battery system may also include another shear wall on the opposite lateral side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery system configured to provide electric power to a vehicle, the battery system comprising:
an assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells; and
a shear wall arranged along a lateral side of the assembly, wherein the shear wall comprises:
a first element comprising a first flange extending away from the lateral side of the assembly, and
a second element comprising:
a second flange, wherein the first flange and the second flange are layered together to form an interface; and
a lifting feature comprising a C-shaped structure having a central portion that extends vertically away from the interface and two end portions that extend laterally away from the central portion.

2. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises a first material thickness, wherein the second element comprises a second material thickness, and wherein a resulting flange formed at the interface comprises a thickness equal to a sum of the first material thickness and the second material thickness.

3. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first element and the second element are welded together at a backside of the interface along a path proximal to and along the lateral side of the assembly;
the lifting feature comprising the C-shaped structure is a first lifting feature;
the battery system further comprises a second lifting feature; and
the first lifting feature and the second lifting feature are arranged at opposite ends of the second element.

4. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the first flange comprises:
a first through feature for mounting to the vehicle; and
a first alignment feature for locating a battery assembly relative to the vehicle.

5. The battery system of claim 4 , wherein the second flange comprises:
a second through feature aligned with the first through feature; and
a second alignment feature aligned with the first alignment feature.

6. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises a third flange arranged at the bottom of the first element and extending underneath the assembly.

7. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises an electrical terminal for electrically grounding the shear wall.

8. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the assembly further comprises:
at least one module comprising the plurality of battery cells arranged in at least one enclosure; and
a cooling plate coupled to the enclosure, wherein the shear wall is electrically coupled to the cooling plate.

9. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the shear wall is a first shear wall, and wherein the battery system comprises a second shear wall arranged along an opposite side of the assembly, wherein the second shear wall comprises:
a third element comprising a third flange extending away from the opposite side of the assembly; and
a fourth element arranged above the third element, wherein the fourth element comprises a fourth flange, and wherein the third flange and the fourth flange are layered together to form another interface.

10. The battery system of claim 1 , wherein the first element comprises a plurality of through features configured to accommodate corresponding extensions of the assembly to constrain relative motion between the shear wall and the assembly.

11. A shear wall for a vehicle battery system having an assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged in at least one enclosure, the shear wall comprising:
a first element configured to be arranged along a lateral side of the assembly, wherein the first element comprises a first flange configured to extend away from the side of the assembly; and
a second element configured to be arranged above the first element along the lateral side of the assembly, wherein:
the second element comprises a second flange and a lifting feature comprising a central portion connecting first and second bends, and
the first flange and the second flange are layered together to form a multi-layer mounting flange and an interface, wherein the first flange and the second flange are joined at the interface by a weld seam along a backside of the interface.

12. The shear wall of claim 11 , wherein:
the first element comprises a first material thickness,
the second element comprises a second material thickness,
the lifting feature is comprised of a C-shaped structure,
the weld seam faces the lateral side of the assembly, and
a resulting flange formed at the interface comprises a thickness equal to a sum of the first material thickness and the second material thickness.

13. The shear wall of claim 11 , wherein:
the weld seam does not extend out into a portion of the interface that extends away from the lateral side of the assembly, and
the first and second flanges extend laterally away from the weld seam.

14. The shear wall of claim 11 , further comprising at least one reinforcement element arranged adjacent to at least one element of the first element or the second element, and wherein the at least one reinforcement element is welded to the at least one element of the first element or the second element.

15. The shear wall of claim 11 , wherein the first flange comprises:
a first through feature for mounting to a frame member; and
a first alignment feature for locating a battery assembly relative to the frame member.

16. The shear wall of claim 15 , wherein the second flange comprises:
a second through feature aligned with the first through feature; and
a second alignment feature aligned with the first alignment feature.

17. The shear wall of claim 11 , wherein the first element comprises a third flange configured to be arranged at the bottom of the first element and extending underneath the assembly.

18. The shear wall of claim 11 , wherein the first element comprises an electrical terminal for electrically grounding the shear wall.

19. The shear wall of claim 11 , wherein the first element comprises a plurality of through features configured to accommodate corresponding extensions of the assembly to constrain relative motion between the shear wall and the assembly.

20. A method for making a shear wall for a vehicle battery system having an assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells arranged in at least one enclosure, the method comprising:
forming a first element configured to be arranged along a lateral side of the assembly, wherein the first element comprises a first flange extending away from the side of the assembly;
forming a second element configured to be arranged above the first element along the lateral side of the assembly, wherein:
the second element comprises a second flange and a C-shaped lifting feature comprising a central portion that extends vertically away from an interface between the first flange and the second flange and two end portions that extend laterally away from the central portion, and
the first flange and the second flange are layered together to form the interface; and

welding the first element and the second element together to form a multi-layer mounting flange, wherein:
a weld path joining the first element and the second element is along a backside of the interface and proximal to an interior surface of the shear wall configured to interface with the assembly,
a weld seam along the weld path faces the lateral side of the assembly and does not extend out into a portion of the interface that extends away from the lateral side of the assembly, and
the first and second flanges extend laterally away from t

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Wynn Nathaniel
• Butterfield Kyle
• Jacobs Tyler

Classifications

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/207 Primary

  characterised by their shape · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/6554

  Rods or plates · CPC title