Battery Expansion Control System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022102691-A1
Application number	US-202017032685-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 25, 2020
Priority date	Sep 25, 2020
Publication date	Mar 31, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A battery pack includes a battery, an outer enclosure housing the battery to form a battery pack, and an expandable portion extending from the outer enclosure and allowing the battery pack to expand along an X-axis of the battery pack. The expandable portion includes an inner portion, an outer portion, and a gap portion between the inner portion and the outer portion. The inner portion and the outer portion have a sealing layer to seal off an interior space and the gap portion is devoid of the sealing layer. The sealing layer allows for fluid communication between the gap portion and the interior space when a pressure exerted on the sealing layer exceeds a pressure threshold. The expandable portion includes folds allowing the expandable portion to fold toward the battery pack in an initial folded configuration and expand away from the battery pack in an at least partially unfolded configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A battery pack comprising:
a battery; an outer enclosure housing the battery to form a battery pack; and an expandable portion extending from the outer enclosure and allowing the battery pack to expand along an X-axis of the battery pack, the expandable portion having an inner portion, an outer portion, and a gap portion disposed between the inner portion and the outer portion, the inner portion and the outer portion having a sealing layer to seal off an interior space and the gap portion being devoid of the sealing layer, the sealing layer allowing for fluid communication between the gap portion and the interior space when a pressure exerted on the sealing layer exceeds a pressure threshold, wherein the expandable portion includes one or more folds allowing the expandable portion to fold toward the battery pack in an initial folded configuration and expand away from the battery pack in an at least partially unfolded configuration.

2 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the interior space is a space between the battery and the enclosure.

3 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the pressure threshold is less than 1000 kPa.

4 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the sealing layer is less than a thickness of the expandable portion.

5 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein a length of the gap portion is greater than a length of the inner portion.

6 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the inner portion includes a notch.

7 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the inner portion includes an aperture.

8 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the inner portion includes an oleophobic mesh.

9 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the expandable portion folds to form an “N” shape.

10 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the outer enclosure and the expandable portion are comprised of a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including one or more of a nylon layer, an aluminum layer, a polypropylene layer, and a thermoplastic layer.

11 . The battery pack of claim 1 , wherein the inner portion is disposed between the gap portion and the battery.

12 . A battery pack comprising:
an enclosure; and a battery disposed within the enclosure, the enclosure having an expandable portion including an inner portion, an outer portion, and a gap portion disposed between the inner portion and the outer portion, the inner portion and the outer portion having a sealing layer to seal off an interior space and the gap portion being devoid of the sealing layer, wherein the expandable portion expands in a predetermined direction to direct swelling of the enclosure upon degradation of the battery.

13 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the sealing layer allows for fluid communication between the gap portion and the interior space when a pressure exerted on the sealing layer exceeds a pressure threshold.

14 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the expandable portion extends from the enclosure.

15 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined direction is along an X-axis of the battery.

16 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the expandable portion is includes one or more folds allowing the expandable portion to fold toward the battery and expand away from the battery.

17 . The battery pack of claim 12 , wherein the inner portion is disposed between the gap portion and the battery.

18 . An electronic device comprising:
a processor; a battery coupled to the processor and disposed within an enclosure of the electronic device; an outer enclosure housing the battery to form a battery pack; and an expandable portion extending from the outer enclosure and allowing the battery pack to expand along an X-axis of the battery pack, the expandable portion having an inner portion, an outer portion, and a gap portion disposed between the inner portion and the outer portion, the inner portion and the outer portion having a sealing layer to seal off an interior space and the gap portion being devoid of the sealing layer, the sealing layer allowing for fluid communication between the gap portion and the interior space when a pressure exerted on the sealing layer exceeds a pressure threshold, wherein the expandable portion includes one or more folds allowing the expandable portion to fold toward the battery pack in an initial folded configuration and expand away from the battery pack in an at least partially unfolded configuration.

19 . The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the enclosure includes a target area sized and shaped to house the expandable portion in the unfolded configuration.

20 . The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is a system on a chip (SoC).

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Wang David
• Chanen Lauren Francine
• Lim James Robert
• Dixit Neha Ravi
• Wroblewski Alexander P

Classifications

• H01M50/209 Primary

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

• H01M50/105

  Pouches or flexible bags · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/242

  adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling · CPC title

• H01M50/231

  having a layered structure · CPC title