Battery cell support assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018083239-A1
Application number	US-201615271314-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Mar 22, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An exemplary support assembly for a battery array includes, among other things, a frame and an insert secured to the frame. The insert is configured to hold at least one battery cell within the frame. The frame is made of a first material and the insert is made of a second material that is softer than the first material. An exemplary method of securing a battery cell within a traction battery pack of an electrified vehicle includes, among other things, compressing an insert against the at least one battery cell. The insert is secured to a frame made of a first material. The insert is made of a second material that is softer than the first material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A support assembly for a battery array, comprising:
a frame; and an insert secured to the frame, the insert configured to hold at least one battery cell within the frame, the frame made of a first material and the insert made of a second material that is softer than the first material.

2 . The support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes an aperture configured to receive the at least one battery cell, the insert disposed about a perimeter of the aperture.

3 . The support assembly of claim 2 , further comprising the at least one battery cell, wherein the at least one battery cell is press-fit into the aperture such that the at least one battery cell compresses the insert.

4 . The support assembly of claim 2 , further comprising the at least one battery cell, wherein the at least one battery cell is a pouch cell.

5 . The support assembly of claim 2 , further comprising the at least one battery cell, wherein the at least one battery cell includes a first battery cell having a portion positioned within the aperture, and a second battery cell having a portion positioned within the aperture.

6 . The support assembly of claim 2 , wherein the aperture has a rectangular perimeter, and the insert includes a portion disposed on a first lateral side, an opposing, second lateral side, a top side, and a bottom side of the rectangular perimeter.

7 . The support assembly of claim 2 , wherein the perimeter includes a plurality of corners without the insert to provide relief areas for the at least one battery cell.

8 . The support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame is disposed about an axis, and the insert is configured face toward the axis such that the insert directly contacts a surface of the at least one battery cell facing away from the axis.

9 . The support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first material has a higher durometer than the second material.

10 . The support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises nylon, and the second material is a polyurethane foam.

11 . The support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the frame and insert are portions of a traction battery pack of an electrified vehicle.

12 . An electrified vehicle battery array comprising the support assembly of claim 1 as a first support assembly and further comprising:
a plurality of second support assemblies disposed along an axis with first support assembly, the first frame and second support assemblies compressed along the axis.

13 . A method of securing a battery cell within a traction battery pack of an electrified vehicle, comprising:
compressing an insert against at least one battery cell, the insert secured to a frame made of a first material, the insert made of a second material that is softer than the first material.

14 . The method of claim 13 , comprising securing the insert to the frame by molding the insert on to the frame.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first material has a higher durometer than the second material.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first material comprises nylon, and the second material is a polyurethane foam.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the frame and insert are portions of a traction battery pack of an electrified vehicle.

18 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising powering at least one drive wheel of an electrified vehicle with the at least one battery cell.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one battery cell is disposed along an axis of a battery array, and the compressing is in a radial direction relative to the axis.

20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one battery cell is a pouch cell.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Subramanian Rajaram
• Boddakayala Bhaskara
• Paramasivam Saravanan
• Droste Steve
• Rivera Enrique

Classifications

• B29C44/1228 Primary

  Joining preformed parts by the expanding material · CPC title

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title

• B29K2105/04

  cellular or porous · CPC title

• B29K2995/007

  Hardness · CPC title

• H01M10/0468

  Compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators · CPC title