Structural side plate for a rechargeable energy storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12500303-B2
Application number	US-202318153449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2023
Priority date	Jan 12, 2023
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A rechargeable energy storage system (RESS), in accordance with a non-limiting example, includes a first energy storage cell including a first outer surface, a second outer surface, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side. The second lateral side includes a first structural side plate including a first side member extending from the first outer surface toward the second outer surface. A second energy storage cell includes a first outer surface portion, a second outer surface portion, a first lateral side surface, and a second lateral side surface. The first lateral side surface includes a second structural side plate including a second side member extending from the second outer surface portion toward the first outer surface portion. The first side member stacks with the second side member to form an interface joining the first energy storage cell with the second energy storage cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) defining a first axis, a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis, first and second directions extending opposite each other along the first axis, and third and fourth directions extending opposite each other along the second axis, the RESS comprising:
a first energy storage cell including a first outer surface facing the first direction, a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface and facing the second direction, a first lateral side facing the third direction, and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side and facing the fourth direction, the second lateral side including a first structural side plate including a first side member extending in the second direction from the first outer surface, wherein the first side member being spaced from the second outer surface along the first axis; and a second energy storage cell including a first outer surface portion facing the first direction, a second outer surface portion opposite the first outer surface portion and facing the second direction, a first lateral side surface facing the third direction, and a second lateral side surface opposite the first lateral side surface and facing the fourth direction, the first lateral side surface including a second structural side plate including a second side member extending in the first direction from the second outer surface portion, the second side member being spaced from the first outer surface portion along the first axis, wherein the first side member stacks with the second side member along the first axis with direct contact between the first lateral side of the first energy storage cell and the second lateral side surface of the second energy storage cell to form an interface joining the first energy storage cell with the second energy storage cell, the interface defining a direct structural load path along the second axis between the first lateral side and the second lateral side surface, and wherein the first side member is hollow and defines a first cooling channel extending along the third axis entirely through the first side member, wherein the second side member is hollow and defines a second cooling channel extending along the third axis entirely through the second side member, wherein the first side member comprises a plurality of first bushings extending entirely through the first side member along the first axis, the first bushing passing through the first cooling channel, wherein the second side member comprises a plurality of first bushings extending entirely through the second side member along the first axis, the second bushing passing through the second cooling channel, and wherein the first bushings and the second bushings are aligned along the first axis.

2 . The RESS according to claim 1 ,
wherein a halfway point is defined equidistant from the first outer surface and the second outer surface along the first axis, wherein the first side member includes a first surface perpendicular to the first axis and positioned closer to the halfway point than to the first outer surface and the second outer surface, and a second surface perpendicular to the first axis and positioned closer to the second outer surface than the halfway point.

3 . The RESS according to claim 2 ,
wherein a second halfway point is defined equidistant from the first outer surface portion and the second outer surface portion along the first axis, wherein the second side member includes a first surface portion perpendicular to the first axis and positioned closer to the first outer surface portion than the second halfway point and a second surface portion perpendicular to the first axis and positioned closer to the second halfway point than the first outer surface portion and the second outer surface portion.

4 . The RESS according to claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of mechanical fasteners extending through each of the first bushings and the second bushings.

5 . The RESS according to claim 4 , further comprising a first clamp down plate arranged at each of the of bushings on the first surface, and a second clamp down plate arranged at each of the second bushings on the first surface portion, the each of the plurality of mechanical fasteners connect the first clamp down plate to the second clamp down plate.

6 . The RESS according to claim 5 , wherein the first clamp down plate engages the first outer surface and the first outer surface portion and the second clamp down plate engages the second outer surface and the second outer surface portion.

7 . The RESS according to claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of mechanical fasteners threadably engage with the second clamp down plate.

8 . The RESS according to claim 4 , wherein the mechanical fasteners extend entirely through the first bushings and the second bushings.

9 . The RESS according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first structural side plate comprises a first planar structure that extends along the first axis and the third axis, and the first side member includes a first wall that extends along the first axis and the third axis, the first planar structure directly attached to an entirety of an outer surface of the first wall, and wherein the second structural side plate comprises a second planar structure that extends along the first axis and the third axis, and the second side member includes a second wall that extends along the first axis and the third axis, the second planar structure directly attached to an entirety of an outer surface of the second wall.

10 . The RESS according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first planar structure and the second planar structure do not directly contact each other, and wherein the first side member and the second side member do not overlap each other along the second axis.

11 . A vehicle comprising:
a body; an electric motor supported relative to the body; and a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) operatively connected to the electric motor, the RESS defining a first axis, a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, and a third axis orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis, first and second directions extending opposite each other along the first axis, and third and fourth directions extending opposite each other along the second axis, the RESS includes: a first energy storage cell including a first outer surface facing the first direction, a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface and facing the second direction, a first lateral side facing the third direction, and a second lateral side opposite the first lateral side and facing the fourth direction, the second lateral side including a first structural side plate including a first side member extending in the second direction from the first outer surface, wherein the first side member being spaced from the second outer surface along the first axis; and a second energy storage cell including a first outer surface portion facing the first direction, a second outer surface portion opposite the first outer surface portion and facing the second direction, a first lateral side surface facing the third direction, and a second lateral side surface opposite the first lateral side surface and facing the fourth direction, the first lateral side surface including a second structural side plate including a second side member extending in the first direction from the second outer surface portion, the second side member being spaced from the first outer surface portion along the first axis, wherein the first side member stacks with the second side member along the first axis w

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Simonin Matthew
• Clark Patrick H
• Prescott Ryan J
• Yan Xianfeng

Classifications

• H01M50/264

  for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

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

• H01M10/65

  Means for temperature control structurally associated with the cells · CPC title

• H01M10/6556

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