Perforation apparatus and method for electric vehicle battery enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941555-B2
Application number	US-94250110-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2010
Priority date	Nov 9, 2010
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A perforation tool for a battery enclosure system of a vehicle battery pack, comprising: an engaging tip configured to mechanically breach a thermal-control-agent-retaining enclosure of a traction battery pack including a plurality of interconnected batteries with the enclosure reinforced for mechanical protection of the batteries when installed in an electric vehicle; a port for receiving a thermal-control agent having a pressure in a range of about 5-100 psi; and a housing, coupled to the tip and to the port, wherein the tip includes an aperture and wherein the housing includes a channel communicating the port to the aperture wherein the pressurized thermal-control agent is produced at the tip at about the pressure.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A perforation-enabled battery enclosure system for a vehicle battery pack, the system comprising:
a thermal-control-agent-retaining enclosure of a traction battery pack including a plurality of interconnected batteries; and
first means for allowing controlled breaching that defines destructive puncturing of the enclosure from outside, the puncturing of the enclosure defining a second means for permitting an ingress of a sufficient amount of a thermal-control agent into said enclosure through said second means to terminate a runaway thermal event in the battery pack, the first means further permitting extension of a perforation tool, through the second means into an interior of the enclosure, such that the perforation tool is separated from the battery pack and conductors.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said thermal-control agent is a fluid.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said fluid includes a major portion of H 2 0.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first means includes an attachment structure cooperable with a perforating tool providing mechanical advantage to said perforating tool when breaching said enclosure.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first means includes an attachment structure cooperable with an attachment system providing coupling to said enclosure permitting said ingress of said thermal-control agent to be pressurized at a pressure range of about 5-100 psi without decoupling.

6. A perforation-enabled battery enclosure system for a vehicle battery pack, the system comprising:
an electric vehicle including a chassis and a body;
a thermal-control-agent-retaining enclosure of a battery pack including a plurality of interconnected batteries;
first means for allowing controlled breaching that defines destructive puncturing of the enclosure from outside, the puncturing of the enclosure defining a second means for permitting an ingress of a sufficient amount of a thermal-control agent into said enclosure through said second means to terminate a runaway thermal event in the battery pack; and
a third means, said third means including a tip, a fill port, and a channel communicating said fill port to an aperture defined proximate said tip, said third means for destructively puncturing and mechanically breaching said enclosure to define said second means, said third means further for engaging said enclosure to resist disengagement when said thermal-control agent is pumped into said enclosure through said third means at a pressure in a range of about 5-100 psi, the first means further for permitting extension of the third means, through the second means into an interior of the enclosure, such that the third means is separated from the battery pack and conductors.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said enclosure is coupled to said chassis and wherein said first means is structurally isolated from access external to said vehicle.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein an external element of said vehicle includes an operation mode permitting external access to said first means.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said first means includes an attachment structure cooperable with said third means providing mechanical advantage to said third means when breaching said enclosure.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein said third means includes an attachment element and wherein said first means includes an attachment structure cooperable with said attachment element providing attachment of said third means to said enclosure permitting said pressurized ingress of said thermal-control agent.

Assignees

• Hermann Weston A
• Tesla Inc

Inventors

• Hermann Weston A

Classifications

• H01M10/6567

  Liquids · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/613 Primary

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• Y10T29/49108

  Electric battery cell making · CPC title

• Y02P70/50

  Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product · CPC title