Heat sink fixation through plastic melting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12159985-B2
Application number	US-202017603522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2020
Priority date	Apr 18, 2019
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

A battery housing for a battery module is disclosed. The battery housing has a plurality of exterior walls surrounding a base forming an internal section which is configured to receive one or more battery cells. The internal section has a bottom surface. A heat sink is joined to the bottom surface of the battery housing by a plastic deformation of a portion of the housing. A cover encloses the internal section of the battery housing. A battery module and a method of installation of a heat sink in a battery housing are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A battery housing for a battery module comprising:
a plurality of exterior walls surrounding a base forming an internal section which is configured to receive one or more battery cells;
a bottom surface in the internal section;
a heat sink joined to the bottom surface of the battery housing by a plastic deformation of a portion of the housing, the heat sink being a U-shape plate, wherein a first wall segment and a second wall segment of the U-shape plate are at least partially embedded in a respective first sidewall and second sidewall of the internal section of the battery housing; and
a cover enclosing the internal section.

2. The battery housing of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink is joined to the bottom surface by one or more plastically deformed ribs.

3. The battery housing of claim 2 , wherein the one or more plastically deformed ribs extend over an edge and a portion of a surface of the heat sink.

4. The battery housing of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of interior walls, wherein one or more exterior walls and one or more interior walls form the internal section.

5. The battery housing of claim 4 , comprising a plurality of internal sections.

6. The battery housing of claim 5 , comprising a plurality of heat sinks joined to the battery housing in the plurality of internal sections.

7. A battery module having the battery housing of claim 1 and a plurality of battery cells provided in the internal section, wherein the heat sink is provided between the plurality of battery cells and 2024, or wherein the plurality of battery cells is seated on top of the heat sink in the internal section and the cover is enclosing the internal section and the plurality of battery cells.

8. The battery module of claim 7 , further comprising an isolation component between the plurality of battery cells and the heat sink.

9. A method of installation of a heat sink in a battery housing for a battery module comprising:
providing the battery housing comprised of plastic and having an internal section formed by a plurality of exterior walls surrounding a base, the internal section having a bottom surface;
installing the heat sink on a heating fixture;
moving the heating fixture with installed heat sink into the internal section of the battery housing;
pressing the heat sink into the bottom surface while heating with the heating fixture to at least partially melt the plastic and affix the heat sink to the housing; and
removing the heating fixture from the housing.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the internal section of the battery housing has one or more ribs, and wherein the heating fixture plastically deforms the one or more ribs.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the heat sink has a U-shape profile and further comprising the steps of:
introducing a second heating fixture into the battery housing, the second heating fixture having a tapered profile;
wherein movement of the second heating fixture into the battery housing and heating presses first and second sidewalls of the heat sink into first and second walls of the internal section of the battery housing, and at least partially embeds the heat sink in the housing; and
removing the second heating fixture from the housing.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing an isolation sheet to separate an inserted battery element from the heat sink and housing.

13. A battery module comprising:
a battery housing having a plurality of exterior walls surrounding a base forming an internal section which receives one or more battery cells, a bottom surface in the internal section, and a heat sink joined to the bottom surface of the battery housing by a plastic deformation of a portion of the housing;
a plurality of battery cells seated on top of the heat sink in the internal section; and
a cover enclosing the internal section and plurality of battery cells.

14. The battery module of claim 13 , wherein the heat sink is joined to the bottom surface by one or more plastically deformed ribs.

15. The battery module of claim 14 , wherein the one or more plastically deformed ribs extend over an edge and a portion of a surface of the heat sink.

16. The battery module of claim 13 , wherein the heat sink is a planar plate.

17. The battery module of claim 13 , wherein the heat sink is a U-shape plate.

18. The battery module of claim 17 , wherein a first wall segment and a second wall segment of the U-shape plate are at least partially embedded in a respective first sidewall and second sidewall of the internal section.

19. The battery module of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of interior walls, wherein one or more exterior walls and one or more interior walls form the internal section.

20. The battery module of claim 19 , comprising a plurality of internal sections.

21. The battery module of claim 20 , comprising a plurality of heat sinks joined to the battery housing in the plurality of internal sections.

22. The battery module of claim 13 , further comprising an isolation component between the plurality of battery cells and the heat sink.

Assignees

• Cps Tech Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Lee Eric Kar Wai
• Liu Chang

Classifications

• H01M50/271

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

• H01M50/289

  characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs (spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471) · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M10/0525 Primary

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/209

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