Battery module compressed cell assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9911951-B2
Application number	US-201414501241-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A battery module includes a housing including a first interior surface, a second interior surface opposite the first interior surface, and a compressed cell assembly disposed within an interior space of the housing between the first and second interior surfaces. The compressed cell assembly includes a plurality of prismatic battery cells arranged in a cell stack that includes a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a retaining wall disposed between the first end of the cell stack and the first interior surface of the housing. The retaining wall includes a first surface in contact with the first end of the cell stack and a second surface opposite the first surface that contacts the first interior surface of the housing. The first and second interior surfaces are configured to maintain the compressed cell assembly in a compressed state having a compression force above a predetermined threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A battery module, comprising:
a housing comprising a first interior surface and a second interior surface opposite the first interior surface; and
a compressed cell assembly disposed within an interior space of the housing between the first and second interior surfaces, comprising:
a plurality of prismatic battery cells arranged in a cell stack comprising a first end and a second end disposed opposite the first end, wherein each of the plurality of prismatic battery cells has a substantially inflexible metallic packaging; and
a first retaining wall disposed between the first end of the cell stack and the first interior surface of the housing, wherein the first retaining wall comprises a respective first surface in contact with the first end of the cell stack and a respective second surface opposite the first surface that contacts the first interior surface of the housing; and
a second retaining wall disposed between the second end of the cell stack and the second interior surface of the housing, wherein the second retaining wall comprises a respective first surface in contact with the second end of the cell stack and a respective second surface opposite the first that contacts the second interior surface of the housing, and wherein the first and second interior surfaces are configured to maintain the compressed cell assembly in a compressed state having a compression force above a predetermined threshold, wherein the battery module does not include an actuating clamping mechanism, wherein the first interior surface of the housing comprises protrusions in contact with only a portion of the respective second surface of the first retaining wall, and wherein the battery module comprises a circuit board mounted to the respective second surface of the first retaining wall in a region not in contact with the first interior surface of the housing.

2. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the first and second retaining walls comprise one or more respective slots configured to temporarily engage an external actuating clamping mechanism to compress the compressed cell assembly prior to insertion into the housing.

3. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the first retaining wall electrically and thermally insulates the plurality of prismatic battery cells from the circuit board.

4. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the battery module comprises a relay configured to couple the battery module to a load, and wherein the relay is coupled to the respective second surface of the first retaining wall.

5. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the first and second retaining walls are constructed from glass.

6. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the first and second retaining walls are constructed from glass-filed polymer.

7. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the first and second retaining walls comprise a respective crumple zone configured to break due to expansion of a prismatic battery cell of the plurality of prismatic battery cells to enable the prismatic battery cell to expand into an additional space in the housing.

8. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein each prismatic battery cell of the plurality of prismatic battery cells is separated from an adjacent prismatic battery cell of the plurality of prismatic battery cells by a cell spacer.

9. The battery module of claim 8 , wherein the cell spacer is electrically insulating.

10. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of prismatic battery cells comprise lithium ion battery cells.

11. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the cell stack comprises a first column comprising a first half of the plurality of prismatic battery cells and a second column adjacent to the first column comprising a second half of the plurality of prismatic battery cells.

12. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a first portion defining a space in which the compressed cell assembly is disposed, the first portion surrounding and contacting the compressed cell assembly on only three sides.

13. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the first and second retaining walls are not integrated into or fastened to the housing.

14. A battery module, comprising:
a housing comprising a first interior surface and a second interior surface opposite the first interior surface spaced apart by a fixed distance;
a plurality of prismatic battery cells disposed in an interior space of the housing of the battery module, wherein each of the plurality of prismatic battery cells has a substantially inflexible metallic packaging, and wherein the plurality of prismatic battery cells are arranged in a cell stack comprising a first end and a second end;
a first retaining wall disposed between the first end of the cell stack and the first interior surface of the housing; and
a second retaining wall disposed between the second end of the cell stack and the second interior surface of the housing;
wherein the battery module does not include an actuating clamping mechanism, and wherein the first and second retaining walls and the housing are configured to cooperate to maintain compression of the cell stack, and wherein the first interior surface of the housing comprises protrusions in contact with only a portion of a surface of the first retaining wall, and wherein the battery module comprises a circuit board mounted to the surface of the first retaining wall in a region not in contact with the first interior surface of the housing.

15. The battery module of claim 14 , wherein the first and second retaining walls are configured to enable compression of the cell stack prior to installation of the cell stack within the housing, and wherein the first and second retaining walls and the housing are configured to maintain compression of the cell stack after installation of the cell stack and the first and second retaining walls within the housing.

16. The battery module of claim 14 , wherein the first and second retaining walls each comprise one or more slots configured to temporarily engage an external actuating clamping mechanism to compress the compressed cell assembly prior to insertion into the housing.

17. The battery module of claim 14 , wherein the first and second retaining walls are constructed from glass or glass-filled polymer.

18. The battery module of claim 14 , wherein the first and second retaining walls each comprise a crumple zone configured to absorb pressure created by battery cell venting.

19. The battery module of claim 14 , wherein the first and second retaining walls prevent each of the plurality of prismatic battery cells from expanding during operation of the battery module.

20. The battery module of claim 14 , wherein the first and second retaining walls are not integrated into or coupled to the housing.

21. The battery module of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of prismatic battery cells are arranged in a horizontal cell stack.

22. A battery module, comprising:
a polymer housing;
a compressed cell assembly disposed within an interior of the polymer housing, comprising:
a plurality of prismatic battery cells arranged in a cell stack; and
a plurality of retaining walls, each comprising:
a respective first surface that contacts the cell stack;
a respective second surface, opposite the respective first surface, that contacts an interior surface of the polymer housing; and
one or more respective slots configured to temporarily engage an external actuating clamping mechanism to compress t

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Dekeuster Richard M
• Fuhr Jason D
• Mack Robert J
• Lobert Jonathan P
• Czarnecki Jennifer L

Classifications

• H01M10/0525 Primary

  Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/289

  characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs (spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471) · CPC title

• H01M50/284

  with incorporated circuit boards, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB] · CPC title

• H01M50/262

  with fastening means, e.g. locks · CPC title

• H01M50/209

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