Battery pack with intracell heat conducting members

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017222284-A1
Application number	US-201615014567-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 3, 2016
Priority date	Feb 3, 2016
Publication date	Aug 3, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery cell includes a pouch, an electrolyte material, positive and negative electrodes, and one or more heat conducting members. The pouch has an inner surface defining an internal volume, within which is contained the electrolyte material. The electrodes form current collectors that are positioned within the internal volume of the pouch. The electrode terminals are connected to a respective one of the positive and negative electrodes. Each heat conducting member is in thermal communication with a respective electrode terminal fully within the internal volume of the pouch, and extends between the electrodes and the inner surface of the pouch. The heat conducting members form a parallel heat transfer path within the battery cell. A battery pack includes a housing containing multiple such battery cells.

First claim

1 . A battery cell comprising:
a pouch having an inner surface defining an internal volume; an electrolyte material contained in the internal volume of the pouch; positive and negative electrodes configured as current collectors and positioned within the internal volume of the pouch; positive and negative electrode terminals connected to the respective positive and negative electrodes; and at least one intracell heat conducting member in thermal communication with a respective one of the positive and negative electrode terminals, and positioned fully within the internal volume of the pouch, wherein the at least one heat conducting member extends between the electrodes and the inner surface of the pouch.

2 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein each of the electrodes is arranged in a respective plane each parallel to a plane of the at least one intracell heat conducting member, such that the at least one intracell heat conducting member forms a parallel heat transfer path with respect to the planes of the electrodes.

3 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the positive and negative electrode terminals extend from opposite edges of the pouch.

4 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the positive and negative electrode terminals extend from a common edge of the pouch.

5 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat intracell conducting member is integrally formed with a respective one of the positive and negative electrode terminals.

6 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one intracell heat conducting member is welded to a respective one of the positive or negative electrode terminals.

7 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one intracell heat conducting member is attached to a respective one of the positive and negative electrode terminals using an electrically insulating adhesive material.

8 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one intracell heat conducting member is configured as another positive or negative electrode plate.

9 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one intracell heat conducting member is constructed at least partially of an electrically insulating material.

10 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the positive and negative electrodes include a lithium chemistry-based active material.

11 . The battery cell of claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat intracell conducting member includes a first heat conducting member in thermal communication with the positive electrode terminal and a second heat conducting member in thermal communication with the negative electrode terminal.

12 . A battery pack comprising:
a housing; and a plurality of battery cells positioned within the housing, with each battery cell having:
a pouch having an inner surface defining an internal volume;
an electrolyte material contained in the internal volume of the pouch;
positive and negative electrodes positioned within the internal volume of the pouch;
positive and negative electrodes connected to the respective positive and negative electrodes; and
at least one intracell heat conducting member in thermal communication with a respective one of the positive and negative electrode terminals, and positioned fully within the internal volume of the pouch, wherein the at least intracell one heat conducting member extends between the electrodes and the inner surface of the pouch.

13 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein each of the positive and negative electrodes is arranged in a respective plane each parallel to a plane of the at least one intracell heat conducting member, such that the at least one intracell heat conducting member forms a parallel heat transfer path with respect to the planes of the electrodes.

14 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the positive and negative electrode terminals extend from opposite edges of the pouch.

15 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the positive and negative electrode terminals extend from a common edge of the pouch.

16 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the at least one intracell heat conducting member is integrally formed with the respective positive and negative electrode terminals.

17 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the at least one intracell heat conducting member is welded to the respective positive and negative electrode terminals.

18 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the at least one intracell heat conducting member is attached to a respective one of the positive and negative electrode terminals using an electrically insulating adhesive material.

19 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the at least one intracell heat conducting member includes a first heat conducting member in thermal communication with the positive electrode terminal and a second heat conducting member in thermal communication with the negative electrode terminal.

20 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the positive and negative electrodes include a lithium ion chemistry-based active material.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Ottomano Anthony
• Valencia Jr Pablo
• Leutheuser Andrew H

Classifications

• H01M10/613 Primary

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• H01M10/6557

  arranged between the cells · CPC title

• H01M10/654

  located inside the innermost case of the cells, e.g. mandrels, electrodes or electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M10/653

  characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials · CPC title

• H01M10/647

  Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells · CPC title