Battery cooling fin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017214104-A1
Application number	US-201615004129-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2016
Priority date	Jan 22, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A thermal fin according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a body, a leg that extends from the body and a thickened region of the body including a first thickness that is greater than a second thickness of another region of the body.

First claim

1 . A thermal fin, comprising:
a body that is slotted to establish a plurality of fingers; a leg that transversely extends from said body; and a thickened region of said body including a first thickness that is greater than a second thickness of another region of said body.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The thermal fin as recited in claim 1 , wherein said thickened region is a portion of said body that is proximate to said leg.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The thermal fin as recited in claim 1 , comprising a slot disposed between adjacent fingers of said plurality of fingers.

6 . The thermal fin as recited in claim 1 , wherein said thickened region is established by a wall of a first fin portion and a wall of a second fin portion.

7 . The thermal fin as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first thickness is at least double said second thickness.

8 . The thermal fin as recited in claim 1 , wherein said body and said leg are extruded parts configured in a single-piece design.

9 . The thermal fin as recited in claim 1 , wherein said body and said leg are configured in a two-piece design including a first fin portion positioned back-to-back with a second fin portion.

10 . The thermal fin as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one finger of said plurality of fingers forms an offset relative to a wall portion of said body.

11 . A battery pack, comprising:
a battery assembly including:
a first battery cell;
a second battery cell;
a thermal fin positioned between said first battery cell and said second battery cell, said thermal fin including a thickened region having an increased thermal conductivity compared to a first region of said thermal fin; and
said thermal fin is segmented into a plurality of fingers, and each of said plurality of fingers contacts a side face of each of said first battery cell and said second battery cell.

12 . The battery pack as recited in claim 11 , wherein said thermal fin includes a body and a leg that extends from said body.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The battery pack as recited in claim 11 , wherein said thermal fin includes a first fin portion positioned back-to-back relative to a second fin portion.

15 . The battery pack as recited in claim 11 , wherein said battery assembly is positioned in proximity to a heat exchanger plate.

16 . The battery pack as recited in claim 15 , comprising a thermal interface material disposed between a leg of said thermal fin and said heat exchanger plate.

17 . The battery pack as recited in claim 16 , wherein said thickened region is disposed near said leg of said thermal fin.

18 . The battery pack as recited in claim 11 , wherein said first battery cell, said second battery cell and said thermal fin are held within a frame.

19 . The battery pack as recited in claim 11 , wherein said thermal fin includes a first fin portion and a second fin portion, and each of said first fin portion and said second fin portion includes fingers and slots, said fingers of said first fin portion nesting within said slots of said second fin portion and said fingers of said second fin portion nesting within said slots of said first fin portion when said first fin portion is positioned back-to-back with said second fin portion.

20 . A method, comprising:
positioning a thermal fin between a first battery cell and a second battery cell of a battery assembly of an electrified vehicle such that a plurality of fingers of the thermal fin contact a side face of both the first and second battery cells, the thermal fin having a first region with a first thermal conductivity and a thickened region with a second thermal conductivity greater than the first thermal conductivity.

21 . A battery pack, comprising:
a first battery cell; a second battery cell; and a thermal fin segmented into a plurality of fingers that each contact a side face of each of said first battery cell and said second battery cell, wherein a slot separates adjacent fingers of said plurality of fingers.

22 . A battery pack, comprising:
a first battery cell; a second battery cell; a first fin portion and a second fin portion axially between side faces of said first battery cell and said second battery cell; and said first fin portion including a finger and said second fin portion including a slot, wherein said finger is nested within said slot when said first fin portion is positioned back-to-back with said second fin portion.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Garfinkel George Albert
• Bilezikjian John Peter
• Vejalla Dhanunjay

Classifications

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/6554

  Rods or plates · CPC title

• H01M10/613 Primary

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M10/6551 Primary

  Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

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