Battery cell containment and venting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9281506-B2
Application number	US-32713208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2008
Priority date	Dec 3, 2008
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A battery has a casing holding plural cells and a mesh wrapped around the cells to contain pieces of an exploding cell within the casing. To prevent overpressurization of the casing from the gas emitted by an exploding cell, a pressure relief feature is provided that allows gas to pass through battery casing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery, comprising:
at least one battery cell, the battery cell including a first end defining a closed periphery, the battery cell including a second end defining a closed periphery, the first and second ends being spaced from each other and being parallel to each other but not being coplanar with each other, the battery cell including an enclosing wall connecting the ends and contiguous to the closed peripheries entirely around the closed peripheries;
an outer casing holding the battery cell; and
a mesh at least one of overmolded onto at least part of the enclosing wall and embedded onto at least part of the enclosing wall, the mesh being porous to gas emitted by the battery cell such that the gas can pass through the mesh to the casing.

2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the casing has at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being structurally weaker than the second portion at least in part based on the first portion being thinner than the second portion to establish at least one pressure relief feature of the battery arranged to permit gas to pass through the casing when pressure in the casing exceeds a threshold.

3. The battery of claim 1 , further comprising at least one pressure relief feature arranged to permit gas to pass through the casing when pressure in the casing exceeds a threshold, the pressure relief feature established by at least one pressure relief valve.

4. The battery of claim 3 , wherein the valve is a one-way valve.

5. The battery of claim 3 , wherein the battery is disposed in a motor vehicle; and wherein the pressure relief feature is connected to an engine exhaust system of the motor vehicle, the exhaust system directing gas emerging from the pressure relief feature to an intended location.

6. The battery of claim 1 , further comprising at least one thermal barrier disposed between at least two adjacent battery cells.

7. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the thermal barrier is disposed between ends of at least two adjacent battery cells and includes at least one ceramic plate.

8. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the battery is disposed in a computer.

9. The battery of claim 1 , comprising only one battery cell, wherein the mesh surrounds the enclosing wall.

10. The battery of claim 9 , wherein the mesh is disposed along the entire outer area of the enclosing wall.

11. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the mesh is disposed along at least a portion of the enclosing wall of plural respective battery cells.

12. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the mesh surrounds the at least one battery cell entirely around the first and second ends and the enclosing wall.

13. A battery, comprising:
a battery casing holding at least one battery cell, the casing having:
a first end defining a closed periphery, a second end defining a closed periphery, and an enclosing wall connecting the ends and contiguous to the closed peripheries entirely around the closed peripheries, wherein the first and second ends are spaced from each other and are parallel to each other but are not coplanar with each other; and
a mesh material at least one of overmolded onto at least part of the enclosing wall and embedded onto at least part of the enclosing wall.

14. The battery of claim 13 , where the mesh is wrapped at least partially around battery cells contained in the battery.

15. The battery of claim 13 , where the mesh is one of glass fiber mat and carbon fiber mat.

16. The battery of claim 13 , where the mesh substantially prevents expulsion of battery components through the mesh.

17. The battery of claim 13 , further comprising at least one relief feature capable of allowing gas to pass from at least one battery cell through the battery casing when gas pressure exceeds a threshold, where the relief feature opens upon sufficient buildup of gas pressure in the battery casing.

18. A method, comprising:
constraining a battery cell within a casing using structure within the casing in addition to a housing within the casing for the battery cell, wherein the casing includes a first end defining a closed periphery, a second end defining a closed periphery, and an enclosing wall connecting the ends and contiguous to the closed peripheries entirely around the closed peripheries, wherein the first and second ends are spaced from each other and are parallel to each other but are not coplanar with each other, the structure at least partially disposed along at least a portion of the enclosing wall and comprising a mesh at least one of overmolded onto at least a portion of the enclosing wall and embedded onto at least a portion of the enclosing wall; and
providing a gas vent through the casing.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the battery cell is constrained by the mesh.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the gas vent is provided by a pressure relief feature.

21. The method of claim 18 , comprising engaging the battery casing with a vehicle; wherein the vent is connected to an exhaust system of the vehicle, the exhaust system directing gas emerging from the vent to an intended location.

22. An apparatus, comprising:
at least two battery cells, each battery cell defined by opposed cell ends and at least one cell side extending between the cell ends and connecting the cell ends;
an outer casing holding the battery cells, the casing having opposing casing ends and comprising a mesh at least one of overmolded onto at least a portion of the casing and embedded onto at least a portion of the casing;
at least one pressure relief feature including at least one portion at least partially disposed between at least two battery cells to permit gas to pass between the battery cells and through the casing when pressure in the casing exceeds a threshold.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the casing has at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being structurally weaker than the second portion at least in part based on the first portion being thinner than the second portion to in part establish the pressure relief feature.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the pressure relief feature includes at least one pressure relief valve.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the valve is a one-way valve.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the mesh surrounds at least one battery cell, and wherein the mesh is fire resistant.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the mesh is juxtaposed next to at least one battery cell to contain cell parts should the battery cell explode, the mesh juxtaposed next to the at least one battery cell such that the mesh is at least partially disposed along at least one cell side.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 , comprising at least four battery cells arranged such that a cell side of each respective battery cell of the four battery cells establishes part of a first gas channel defining the portion, the first gas channel extending between the four cells along the respective cell sides of each battery cell establishing the first gas channel, the first gas channel forming at least part of the pressure relief feature.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 , comprising at least six battery cells arranged such that a cell side of each respective battery cell of a first battery cell, a second battery cell, a third battery cell, and a fourth battery cell establish part of the

Assignees

• Holung Joseph Anthony
• Wong Tin-Lup
• Yebka Bouziane
• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Holung Joseph Anthony
• Wong Tin-Lup
• Yebka Bouziane

Classifications

• H01M2/1241

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M10/623

  Portable devices, e.g. mobile telephones, cameras or pacemakers · CPC title

• H01M10/617

  for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature · CPC title

• H01M2/1094 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title