Adhesive vent pad for a battery module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016197322-A1
Application number	US-201514675413-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Jan 5, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure includes a battery module having a vent path with an exit port. The battery module also includes a vent pad disposed within the vent path and blocking at least a portion of the exit port, coupled to a boundary surface of the exit port via an adhesive layer between the vent pad and the boundary surface, and configured to enable venting through the exit port by separating from the boundary surface along the adhesive layer in response to a pressure against the vent pad exceeding a venting pressure threshold of the battery module.

First claim

1 . A battery module, comprising:
a vent path having an exit port; a vent pad disposed within the vent path and blocking at least a portion of the exit port, coupled to a boundary surface of the exit port via an adhesive layer between the vent pad and the boundary surface, and configured to enable venting through the exit port by separating from the boundary surface along the adhesive layer in response to a pressure against the vent pad exceeding a venting pressure threshold of the battery module.

2 . The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer fully encircles the exit port.

3 . The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the venting pressure threshold of the battery module is calibrated by including one or more venting calibration features of the battery module.

4 . The battery module of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more venting calibration features comprises a surface texture of the exit port, a surface texture of the vent pad, a surface texture of the adhesive layer, or a combination thereof.

5 . The battery module of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more venting calibration features comprises a thickness of the adhesive layer, a thickness of the vent pad, a surface area of the adhesive layer, a surface area of the vent pad, a wetted surface area of the vent pad, an overlapping surface area of the vent pad and the boundary layer of the exit port, or a combination thereof.

6 . The battery module of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more calibration features comprises a material of the adhesive layer, a material of the vent pad, a material of the boundary surface of the exit port, or a combination thereof.

7 . The battery module of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the one or more calibration features comprises a pull-off strength of the adhesive layer.

8 . The battery module of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of electrochemical cells disposed within a housing, wherein the vent path is at least partially defined by the housing and the exit port extends through a portion of the housing, wherein the plurality of electrochemical cells is disposed within the housing, and wherein the plurality of electrochemical cells is a plurality of prismatic lithium-ion (Li-ion) electrochemical cells.

9 . The battery module of claim 1 , comprising at least one sharp edge disposed proximate to the vent pad, wherein the vent pad is configured to flex into the at least one sharp edge in response to the pressure against the vent pad exceeding the venting pressure threshold of the battery module, thereby causing the at least one sharp edge to tear the vent pad.

10 . The battery module of claim 9 , wherein the vent pad comprises a pouch or bubble and the at least one sharp edge is disposed in the pouch or bubble.

11 . The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the vent pad comprises a score or kiss-cut.

12 . The battery module of claim 1 , comprising a vent spout through which at least a portion of the exit port extends, wherein the vent spout comprises an end extending into an environment external to the battery module, wherein the vent spout is configured to protect the vent pad from contaminants and/or objects external to the vent path.

13 . The battery module of claim 1 , comprising:
a plurality of electrochemical cells; a housing configured to receive the plurality of electrochemical cells through an opening in the housing; and a cover disposed over the opening in the housing, wherein the exit port extends through a wall of the cover.

14 . The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the vent pad is configured to tear in response to the pressure against the vent pad exceeding a secondary venting pressure threshold of the battery module and the secondary venting pressure threshold of the battery module is greater than the venting pressure threshold of the battery module.

15 . The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the vent pad is disposed on the boundary surface of the exit port proximate to an entrance to the exit port or proximate to an exit of the exit port.

16 . A housing of a battery module, comprising:
a cover disposed over an opening in the housing; a vent path having an exit port disposed through a wall of the cover; and a vent pad blocking the exit port, coupled to a surface of the wall of the cover via an adhesive layer between the vent pad and the surface of the wall, and configured to enable venting through the exit port in response to a pressure within the vent path and against the vent pad exceeding a pressure threshold of the battery module.

17 . The housing of claim 16 , wherein the vent pad is configured to enable venting through the exit port by tearing through a middle region of the vent pad in response to the pressure within the vent path and against the vent pad exceeding the pressure threshold.

18 . The housing of claim 16 , wherein the vent pad is configured to enable venting through the exit port by separating from the surface of the cover along the adhesive layer in response to the pressure within the vent path and against the vent pad exceeding the pressure threshold.

19 . The battery module of claim 16 , wherein the pressure threshold is calibrated by controlling one or more venting calibration features, wherein at least one of the one or more venting calibration features comprises a surface texture of the wall of the cover, a surface texture of the vent pad, a surface texture of the adhesive layer, a thickness of the adhesive layer, a thickness of the vent pad, a surface area of the adhesive layer, a surface area of the vent pad, a wetted surface area of the vent pad, a material of the adhesive layer, a material of the vent pad, a material of the wall, a pull-off strength of the adhesive layer or vent pad, or a combination thereof.

20 . The battery module of claim 16 , comprising a plurality of prismatic lithium-ion (Li-ion) electrochemical cells disposed within the housing.

21 . The battery module of claim 16 , comprising at least one sharp edge disposed proximate to the vent pad, wherein the vent pad is configured to enable venting through the exit port by deflecting or flexing into the at least one sharp edge in response to the pressure within the vent path and against the vent pad exceeding the venting pressure of the battery module, thereby causing the at least one sharp edge to tear the vent pad.

22 . A battery module, comprising:
a vent path and an exit port of the vent path; a vent pad coupled to a first surface of the battery module through which the exit port extends and disposed over the vent opening; and a sharp edge facing the vent pad a first distance from a resting position of the vent pad, wherein the vent pad is configured to deflect from the resting position at least the first distance in response to a pressure within the vent path and against the vent pad exceeding a venting pressure threshold of the battery module, such that the sharp edge contacts and opens the vent pad to enable venting through the vent opening.

23 . The battery module of claim 22 , wherein the vent pad comprises a kiss-cut or score.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Tyler Matthew R
• Nakayama Ken
• Mack Robert J
• Dekeuster Richard M
• Fan Binbin

Classifications

• H01M10/052 Primary

  Li-accumulators · CPC title

• H01M10/482

  for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H01M50/524

  Organic material · CPC title

• H01M50/503

  characterised by the shape of the interconnectors · CPC title

• H01M50/209

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