Patent Application
20140120390
A metal cooling plate has been disposed against a battery cell to cool the battery cell. However, the inventors have recognized that a side of the metal cooling plate may have an abrasive residue formed thereon which can undesirably rub against an adjacent battery cell.
Accordingly, the inventors herein have recognized a need for an improved battery cell assembly and a method for manufacturing a cooling fin in the battery cell assembly that minimizes and/or eliminates the above-mentioned deficiency.
A battery cell assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided. The battery cell assembly includes a cooling fin having a tube and a flexible thermally conductive sheet disposed on the tube. The tube has first, second, and third tube portions fluidly communicating with one another. The first and second tube portions are substantially parallel to one another. The third tube portion is substantially perpendicular to the first and second tube portions and extends between the first and second tube portions. The flexible thermally conductive sheet is coupled to at least the first and second tube portions and has a first sheet portion extending between the first and second tube portions. The battery cell assembly further includes a battery cell disposed against the first sheet portion of the flexible thermally conductive sheet of the cooling fin.
A method for manufacturing a cooling fin of a battery cell assembly in accordance with another exemplary embodiment is provided. The method includes providing a tube having at least first, second, and third tube portions fluidly communicating with one another. The first and second tube portions are substantially parallel to one another. The third tube portion is substantially perpendicular to the first and second tube portions and extends between the first and second tube portions. The method further includes providing a flexible thermally conductive sheet having first, second, and third coupling portions, and first, second, third, and fourth sheet portions. The method further includes coupling the first coupling portion around an outer surface of the first tube portion utilizing the adhesive layer, and coupling the second coupling portion around an outer surface of the second tube portion utilizing the adhesive layer, such that the first sheet portion extends between the first and second tube portions. The method further includes coupling the third coupling portion around an outer surface of the third tube portion utilizing the adhesive layer. The method further includes coupling the second, third, and fourth sheet portions to the first sheet portion utilizing the adhesive layer.
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The rectangular ring-shaped frame members 20, 22 are configured to be coupled together to hold the battery cells 30, 32 and the cooling fin 40 therebetween. In one exemplary embodiment, the rectangular ring-shaped frame members 20, 22 are constructed of plastic. However, in alternative embodiments, the rectangular ring-shaped frame members 20, 22 could be constructed of other materials known to those skilled in the art.
The battery cells 30, 32 are each configured to generate an operational voltage. In one exemplary embodiment, each of the battery cells 30, 32 are pouch-type lithium-ion battery cells. Of course, other types of battery cells known to those skilled in the art could be utilized. Also, in an exemplary embodiment, the battery cells 30, 32 are electrically coupled in series to one another.
The battery cell 30 includes a rectangular-shaped pouch 50 and electrodes 52, 54 extending from the pouch 50. The battery cell 30 is disposed between the rectangular ring-shaped frame member 20 and the cooling fin 40.
The battery cell 32 has an identical structure as the battery cell 30. The battery cell 32 is disposed between the rectangular ring-shaped frame member 22 and the cooling fin 40.
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Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6-9, the flexible thermally conductive sheet 84 is configured to transfer heat energy from the battery cells 30, 32 to the tube 82. The flexible thermally conductive sheet 84 includes a flexible layer 130 and an adhesive layer 132 (shown in
In one exemplary embodiment, the flexible layer 130 is constructed at least in part utilizing graphite having a thickness in a range of 0.25-0.5 millimeters. Further, the sheet 84 has an in-plane heat conductivity of greater than 200 Watts/meter-Kelvin. Also, in one exemplary embodiment, a side of the flexible layer 130 contacting the battery cell 30 has a roughness average (RA) in a range of 0.8-4.0 micro inches. Of course, in an alternative embodiment, the flexible layer 130 could have an RA less than 0.8 or greater than 4.0. Of course, in alternative embodiments, the flexible layer 130 could have other shapes and sizes known to those skilled in the art. The flexible layer 130 is configured to transfer heat energy from the battery cell 30 to the tube 82. In particular, for example, the flexible layer 130 could comprise “Spreadershield SS-400” manufactured by GrafTech International Holdings Inc.
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At step 180, the user provides the tube 82 having at least first, second, and third tube portions 90, 92, 94 fluidly communicating with one another. The first and second tube portions 90, 92 are substantially parallel to one another. The third tube portion 94 is substantially perpendicular to the first and second tube portions 90, 92 and extends between the first and second tube portions 90, 92. After step 180, the method advances to step 182.
At step 182, the user provides the flexible thermally conductive sheet 84 having first, second, and third coupling portions 160, 162, 164, and first, second, third, and fourth sheet portions 150, 152, 154, 156. The first coupling portion 160 is disposed between the first sheet portion 150 and the second sheet portion 152. The second coupling portion 162 is disposed between the first sheet portion 150 and the third sheet portion 154, and the third coupling portion 164 is disposed between the first sheet portion 150 and the fourth sheet portion 156. After step 182, the method advances to step 184.
At step 184, the user couples the first coupling portion 160 around an outer surface of the first tube portion 90 utilizing the adhesive layer 132, and couples the second coupling portion 162 around an outer surface of the second tube portion 92 utilizing the adhesive layer 132, such that the first sheet portion 150 extends between the first and second tube portions 90, 92. After step 184, the method advances to step 186.
At step 186, the user couples the third coupling portion 164 around an outer surface of the third tube portion 94 utilizing the adhesive layer 132. After step 186, the method advances to step 188.
At step 188, the user couples the second, third, and fourth sheet portions 152, 154, 156 to the first sheet portion 150 utilizing the adhesive layer 132.
The battery cell assembly 10 and the method for manufacturing the cooling fin 40 provide a substantial advantage over other battery cell assemblies and methods. In particular, the battery cell assembly 10 and the method provide a technical effect of utilizing a cooling fin 40 with a flexible thermally conductive sheet 84 to extract heat energy from battery cells.
While the claimed invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the claimed invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the claimed invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the claimed invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description.
