Capacitance reducing battery submodule with thermal runaway propagation prevention and containment features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021005942-A1
Application number	US-202016934017-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2020
Priority date	Jun 22, 2018
Publication date	Jan 7, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery system includes a can with a lip around an opening. At least an interior surface of the can is anodized and the lip of the can includes a longer and shorter side. The can further includes a flange on the longer side of the lip and a plurality of layers that are inserted into the can. The plurality of layers includes a battery cell and a thermally conducting layer with a fin and the fin has a spring force that pushes the fin towards the anodized interior surface. The battery system further includes a lid that is configured to cover the opening of the can, where the flange is configured to wrap around the lid when the lid covers the opening of the can.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
a can with an opening; a plurality of layers that are inserted into the can, wherein:
the plurality of layers includes a battery cell and a thermally conducting layer with a fin; and
the fin includes a plurality of independent adjacent sections, wherein each section has an independent spring force that independently pushes that section of the fin towards an interior surface of the can; and
a lid that is configured to cover the opening of the can.

2 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a tang-less and recessed electrical connector.

3 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the battery cell is one of a plurality of battery cells that are inserted into the can; the lid includes an electrical connector that reports voltages of the plurality of battery cells; and an electrical connection in the lid, associated with reporting the voltages of the plurality of battery cells, includes dual wire bonds and potting.

4 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein a first section, adjacent to a second section among the plurality of independent adjacent sections of the fin, bends or flexes independently from the second section such that the first section and the second section are in physical contact with an interior surface of the can.

5 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein edges of the plurality of independent adjacent sections are radiused.

6 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the thermally conducting layer includes the fin along a first side, and includes another fin including a plurality of independent adjacent sections along a second side opposite from the first side.

7 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of independent adjacent sections are angled toward the battery cell provided below the fin or toward the battery cell provided above the fin.

8 . The system recited in claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of an interior surface of the can is anodized.

9 . A system, comprising:
a can with an opening; a plurality of layers that are inserted into the can, wherein:
the plurality of layers includes a battery cell and a thermally conducting layer with a fin; and
a compressible material is placed between the fin and the battery cell, wherein the compressible material provides a spring force that pushes the fin towards an interior surface of the can; and
a lid that is configured to cover the opening of the can.

10 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein the plurality of layers further includes a layer of thermal insulation.

11 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein:
the battery cell includes a pouch cell; and the can applies a pressure within a range of 3 - 5 PSI to the plurality of layers.

12 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein the lid includes a recessed electrical connector.

13 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein the thermally conducting layer includes the fin along a first side, and includes another fin along a second side opposite from the first side, wherein the compressible material is placed between the fin and the first side of the battery cell, wherein another compressible material is placed between the fin and the second side of the battery cell.

14 . The system recited in claim 13 , wherein the battery cell is cradled by the thermally conducting layer with the fin and the another fin.

15 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein the compressible material is a compressible cord made of silicone foam.

16 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of an interior surface of the can is anodized.

17 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein the compressible material includes a plurality of compressible material segments extending between the fin and the battery cell.

18 . The system recited in claim 17 , wherein the plurality of compressible material segments are spheres or cylindrical in shape.

19 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein an adhesive is provided between the compressible material and the fin, or between the compressible material and the battery cell.

20 . The system recited in claim 9 , wherein the compressible material conducts heat from the battery cell to the can via the fin.

Assignees

• Wisk Aero Llc

Inventors

• Melack John
• Muniz Thomas P
• Brey Colin Charles

Classifications

• H01M10/647 Primary

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

• H01M50/20

  Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders (structural combination of accumulators with charging apparatus H01M10/46) · CPC title

• H01M50/147

  Lids or covers · CPC title

• H01M50/211

  adapted for pouch cells · CPC title

• H01M10/658

  by thermal insulation or shielding · CPC title