Battery assembly with multi-function structural assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016344061-A1
Application number	US-201514716092-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first cell stack including a plurality of battery cells and a structural assembly including a first pocket sized and shaped to receive the first cell stack. The structural assembly is configured to assert a compressive load on the first cell stack and at least partially enclose the first cell stack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery assembly, comprising:
a first cell stack including a plurality of battery cells; and a structural assembly including a first pocket sized and shaped to receive said first cell stack, said structural assembly configured to assert a compressive load on said first cell stack and at least partially enclose said first cell stack.

2 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein said plurality of battery cells are individual cells disposed side-by-side and unbound relative to one another.

3 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 2 , wherein each of said plurality of battery cells is contiguous with at least one wall of said structural assembly.

4 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 1 , comprising a second cell stack received within a second pocket of said structural assembly.

5 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 4 , wherein a wall of said structural assembly separates said first pocket from said second pocket.

6 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein said structural assembly includes a plurality of walls that are joined together.

7 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein at least one of said plurality of walls includes a channel configured to communicate a fluid to thermally condition said plurality of battery cells.

8 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 1 , comprising a bus bar module positioned over top of said first cell stack.

9 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein a base is positioned at a bottom of said structural assembly and a cover is positioned at a top of said structural assembly.

10 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 1 , comprising a resilient envelope disposed around an entire perimeter of said structural assembly.

11 . A battery assembly, comprising:
a cell stack; and a structural assembly at least partially surrounding said cell stack, said structural assembly including a plurality of walls each including at least one channel configured to communicate a fluid to thermally condition said cell stack.

12 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein said structural assembly includes a first wall having a first channel of a first cross-sectional area and a second wall having a second channel of a second cross-sectional area greater than said first cross-section area.

13 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein said cell stack includes a plurality of battery cells that are unbound to one another prior to insertion into a pocket of said structural assembly.

14 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 13 , wherein said structural assembly is configured to assert a compressive load on said cell stack after insertion of said cell stack into said pocket.

15 . The battery assembly as recited in claim 11 , wherein said structural assembly is configured in a figure-eight shape.

16 . A method, comprising:
compressing a cell stack of a battery assembly; and inserting the cell stack into a pocket of a structural assembly, the cell stack unbound prior to insertion into the pocket and the structural assembly configured to apply a compressive load against the cell stack after insertion into the pocket.

17 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the compressing step includes:
disposing a plurality of battery cells of the cell stack between opposing end spacers; and applying a force to the cell stack at the opposing end spacers.

18 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the structural assembly is configured to at least partially enclose the cell stack.

19 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the structural assembly is configured to thermally manage a plurality of battery cells of the cell stack.

20 . The method as recited in claim 16 , comprising:
sealing the cell stack of the battery assembly relative to an exterior environment after the inserting step.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Maguire Patrick Daniel
• Bilezikjian John Peter

Classifications

• H01M2220/20

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

• H01M10/04 Primary

  Construction or manufacture in general (H01M10/058, H01M10/12, H01M10/28, H01M10/38 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/625 Primary

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/6557

  arranged between the cells · CPC title

• H01M10/6555

  arranged between the cells · CPC title