Traction battery packs with second tier integrated supporting, thermal, and sealing structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021226274-A1
Application number	US-202016749107-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2020
Priority date	Jan 22, 2020
Publication date	Jul 22, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

This disclosure details exemplary battery pack designs, such as those designed for use within electrified vehicles. Exemplary battery packs may include an enclosure assembly and a plurality of battery arrays housed inside the enclosure assembly. The enclosure assembly may include a mid-tray that is configured for supporting, cooling/heating, and sealing second tier battery arrays. The configuration of the mid-tray allows coolant joints to be eliminated inside of the battery pack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery pack, comprising:
a tray; a first battery array positioned within the tray; a mid-tray received relative to the tray; a second battery array positioned within the mid-tray; and an internal cooling circuit disposed inside the mid-tray and configured to thermally manage the second battery array.

2 . The battery pack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the tray includes a peripheral flange, and the mid-tray is secured to the peripheral flange by a fastener.

3 . The battery pack as recited in claim 2 , comprising a seal disposed between the peripheral flange and the mid-tray.

4 . The battery pack as recited in claim 1 , comprising:
a third battery array spaced apart from the first battery array within the tray; and a fourth battery array spaced apart from the second battery array within the mid-tray.

5 . The battery pack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mid-tray includes a floor and at least three side walls that protrude upwardly from the floor.

6 . The battery pack as recited in claim 5 , wherein the mid-tray includes an open side.

7 . The battery pack as recited in claim 5 , wherein the internal cooling circuit is inside the floor of the mid-tray.

8 . The battery pack as recited in claim 1 , comprising a thermal interface material (TIM) disposed between the second battery array and the mid-tray.

9 . The battery pack as recited in claim 1 , wherein the internal cooling circuit includes a plurality of fluid passes arranged between an inlet port and an outlet port of the mid-tray.

10 . The battery pack as recited in claim 8 , wherein the plurality of fluid passes are arranged together to establish a serpentine path.

11 . The battery pack as recited in claim 8 , wherein the inlet port and the outlet port protrude outwardly from an external surface of a wall of the mid-tray.

12 . The battery pack as recited in claim 1 , comprising a cover secured over both the tray and the mid-tray such at least a portion of both the tray and the mid-tray are exposed outside of the cover.

13 . A battery pack, comprising:
a tray; a first tier of battery arrays supported by the tray; a mid-tray positioned over at least a portion of the first tier of battery arrays and secured to a peripheral flange of the tray; a second tier of battery arrays supported by the mid-tray; and a cover secured to both the peripheral flange of the tray and a sealing surface of the mid-tray.

14 . The battery pack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the mid-tray includes a floor and at least three side walls that protrude upwardly from the floor.

15 . The battery pack as recited in claim 14 , comprising an internal cooling circuit having a plurality of fluid passes disposed inside of the floor.

16 . The battery pack as recited in claim 13 , comprising a first seal disposed between the peripheral flange and the mid-tray and a second seal disposed between the cover and the peripheral flange and between the cover and the mid-tray.

17 . The battery pack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the mid-tray includes an inlet port and an outlet port that are both exposed outside of the battery pack.

18 . The battery pack as recited in claim 17 , wherein an internal cooling circuit of the mid-tray connects between the inlet port and the outlet port.

19 . The battery pack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the mid-tray is secured to the tray by a first plurality of fasteners and the cover is secured to both the tray and the mid-tray by a second plurality of fasteners.

20 . The battery pack as recited in claim 13 , wherein the battery pack excludes any internal coolant joints.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Negrete Justin Eugene
• Bilezikjian John Peter

Classifications

• 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

• H01M2220/20

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

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M50/209

  adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M50/258

  Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling · CPC title