Battery pack enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12166227-B1
Application number	US-202318527189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 1, 2023
Priority date	Jun 30, 2023
Publication date	Dec 10, 2024
Grant date	Dec 10, 2024

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to an enclosure for a battery pack. The enclosure may include one or more casted portions, such as a casted front member and a casted rear member. The casted portions may provide benefits including reducing a number of seal paths on the enclosure, facilitating serviceability of various electrical components from a bottom of the battery pack, reducing a number of parts of the enclosure, facilitating efficient battery pack assembly, facilitating connector placement for ergonomics and/or damage protection, facilitating placement of vents, providing casted in lid, lung, and/or skid plate attachments, and/or improving strike reinforcement features.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a casted member for an enclosure for a battery pack, the enclosure comprising a top configured to be attached to a vehicle and a bottom opposite the top, wherein the casted member comprises:
a first opening configured to receive a pressure release valve and a second opening configured to receive a drive unit connector for a vehicle;
a first cavity configured to enclose an electrical component that is electrically coupled to one or more battery cells located within the enclosure and outside the cavity;
a third opening configured to provide access to the electrical component from the bottom of the enclosure;
a front wall that defines in part the first cavity;
a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion bend from the front wall to form a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of the enclosure, and the first end portion and the second end portion are configured to be attached to a respective sidewall of the enclosure;
a second cavity configured to carry a battery module of the battery pack; and
an integral wall that covers the first cavity and separates the first cavity from the second cavity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical component comprises a high voltage distribution box in the cavity, and wherein the casted member further comprises a second cavity configured to receive a plurality of additional battery cells.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the casted member comprises a casted front member for the enclosure and is connectable to a plurality of additional housing structures that combine with the casted member to form the enclosure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrical component comprises a pyrofuse that is configured to be electrically coupled to the one or more battery cells located within the enclosure and outside the cavity.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the casted member comprises a casted rear member for the enclosure and is connectable to a plurality of additional housing structures that combine with the casted member to form the enclosure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the casted member comprises:
a plurality of bore holes configured to receive a plurality of respective fasteners for securing a cover plate to the casted member over the third opening, the cover plate being removable and/or hingedly openable to expose the third opening; and
an outer surface configured to receive a sealing material when the cover plate is fastened to the casted member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the front wall defines the first cavity and the second cavity.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the casted member is attached to the bottom.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the casted member forms a mounting structure for the battery module in the second cavity.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second casted member, wherein the casted member and the second casted member are separated by sidewall structures of the enclosure.

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Thayer Brandon
• Arens Ryan
• Mahajan Tripur Udhav
• Tillapaugh Michael Ryan
• Lent Steven David
• Krasts Andrew Robert
• Dunn Casey Taylor

Classifications

• H01M50/588

  outside the batteries, e.g. incorrect connections of terminals or busbars · CPC title

• H01M50/593

  Spacers; Insulating plates · CPC title

• H01M50/583

  in response to current, e.g. fuses · CPC title

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M50/507

  comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules · CPC title