Battery thermal management assembly and method
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsStephen Pien, Andrew Charles Samyn, Erik Billimoria
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exemplary vehicle assembly includes, among other things, inner and outer panels of a cargo bed, and a heat exchange module that manages thermal energy levels of a traction battery. The heat exchange module is disposed within a chamber between the inner and outer panels. An exemplary thermal management method includes, among other things, managing thermal energy within a traction battery by exchanging thermal energy between a first fluid and a second fluid at a heat exchange module. The heat exchange module is disposed within a chamber between inner and outer panels of a cargo bed.
Claims22
A vehicle assembly, comprising:
- inner and outer panels of a cargo bed;
- a heat exchange module that manages thermal energy levels of a traction battery, the heat exchange module disposed within a chamber between the inner and outer panels;
- and
- an outlet that communicates the flow of air from the chamber, the outlet opening to a downwardly facing side of the vehicle.
A vehicle assembly, comprising:
- inner and outer panels of a cargo bed;
- a heat exchange module that manages thermal energy levels of a traction battery, the heat exchange module disposed within a chamber between the inner and outer panels;
- an inlet that communicates a flow of air to the chamber, the inlet opening to a horizontally facing side of a vehicle having the cargo bed;
- and
- an outlet that communicates the flow of air from the chamber, the outlet opening to a downwardly facing side of the vehicle.
A vehicle assembly, comprising:
- a cargo bed of a pickup truck;
- a sidewall of the cargo bed, the sidewall extending longitudinally from a front wall of the cargo bed to a tailgate of the cargo bed;
- and
- a heat exchange module that manages thermal energy levels of a traction battery, the heat exchange module disposed within a chamber between an inner panel and an outer panel, of the sidewall;
- an inlet that communicates a flow of air to the chamber, the inlet provided by the sidewall;
- and
- an outlet that communicates the flow of air from the chamber, the outlet opening to a downwardly facing side of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.