# US 10,312,554 B2 · Battery cooling channel with integrated cell retention features

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- Number: US 10,312,554 B2
- Document ID: US10312554B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/165,888
- Filed: 2014-01-28
- Published: 2015-07-30
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-01-28
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Steve Droste; Kevin A. Montgomery
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312554B2

## CPC

- H01M 10/482: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially}
- B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
- H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold
- H01M 10/625: Vehicles
- H01M 10/643: Cylindrical cells
- H01M 10/6557: arranged between the cells
- H01M 50/213: adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence)
- H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64)
- H01M 50/264: for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A battery cooling and retainer assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first retainer section that includes a first retention feature, a second retainer section that includes a second retention feature, and a cooling channel disposed between the first retainer section and the second retainer section.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A battery cooling and retainer assembly, comprising:
a first retainer section that includes a first retention feature;
a second retainer section that includes a second retention feature; and
a cooling channel disposed between said first retainer section and said second retainer section, and said cooling channel is a hollow space that extends uninterrupted along its entire length, and said first retainer section, said second retainer section, and said cooling channel establish a monolithic assembly,
wherein said first retention feature and said second retention feature each include spaced apart arms that establish a pocket and a shelf that extends between said spaced apart arms.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said first retainer section is disposed on a first side of a cooling housing and said second retainer section is disposed on a second, opposite side of said cooling housing.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein said cooling channel extends inside of said cooling housing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said pocket is semi-cylindrical shaped.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said spaced apart arms are flexible between a collapsed position and a flexed position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said first retainer section and said second retainer section include a plurality of retention features that are configured to hold battery cells.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said cooling channel includes a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein said cooling inlet and said cooling outlet extend along an axis that is parallel to a vertical axis of said first retention feature and said second retention feature.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said cooling channel extends along an undulated path.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said undulated path includes a plurality of alternating narrow regions and expanded regions that extend between opposing interior walls of said first retainer section and said second retainer section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said cooling channel extends along a longitudinal axis of said assembly.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said first retainer section and said second retainer section meet together at a seam.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said shelf extends between outermost edges of said spaced apart arms.

### Claim 14

A battery module, comprising:
a battery cell; and
a battery cooling and retainer assembly configured to hold said battery cell and cool said battery cell with a coolant communicated inside of said battery cooling and retainer assembly, said battery cooling and retainer assembly including spaced apart arms that vertically span across a distance between an open top and a bottom shelf, said bottom shelf extending between outermost edges of said spaced apart arms.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The battery module as recited in claim 14, wherein said battery cooling and retainer assembly includes a first retainer section, a second retainer section and a cooling channel between said first retainer section and said second retainer section.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The battery module as recited in claim 1, wherein said cooling channel extends along a longitudinal axis inside of a cooling housing of said battery cooling and retainer assembly.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The battery module as recited in claim 14, comprising a plurality of battery cells that are retained within a plurality of pockets of said battery cooling and retainer assembly.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The battery module as recited in claim 14, wherein said coolant is communicated along an undulated path inside of said battery cooling and retainer assembly.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The battery module as recited in claim 14, wherein said battery cell is positioned atop said bottom shelf.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The battery module as recited in claim 19, wherein said bottom shelf is fixedly secured to said spaced apart arms.

### Claim 21

An electrified vehicle, comprising:
a battery pack that includes a plurality of battery modules, wherein at least one of said plurality of battery modules includes:
a plurality of battery cells; and
a battery cooling and retainer assembly that includes a cooling channel and integrated retention features, said cooling channel extending uninterrupted along an undulated path inside of an enclosed housing of said battery cooling and retainer assembly, and said integrated retention features including spaced apart arms and a plurality of shelves connected to said spaced apart arms, said plurality of battery cells resting atop said plurality of shelves to locate said plurality of battery cells at a common height.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 21, wherein said undulated path includes a plurality of alternating narrow regions and expanded regions that extend between opposing interior walls of said enclosed housing.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The electrified vehicle as recited in claim 21, wherein said cooling channel extends uninterrupted across an entire length of said enclosed housing.

### Claim 24

A battery cooling and retainer assembly, comprising:
a cooling housing;
a cooling channel enclosed inside said cooling housing and extending uninterrupted along an undulated path that includes a plurality of narrow regions and a plurality of expanded regions that are wider than said narrow regions; and
a retainer section on a side of said cooling housing and including flexible spaced apart arms and a shelf extending between said flexible spaced apart arms.