Abuse tolerance in battery modules
AssigneeNIO USA, Inc.
InventorsMarc W. Juzkow, Alexander J. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An energy storage device and structure for energy storage cells is provided that includes a plurality of energy storage cells, each of the energy storage cells having side surface areas. The plurality of energy storage cells are arranged in a pattern with each energy storage cell being spaced a specified distance apart from one another. An expandable material is adhered, by an adhesive backing, to at least a portion of the side surface areas of one or more of the energy storage cells, and the expandable material expands within and at least part of the specified distance.
Claims7
A battery module, comprising:
- a plurality of energy storage cells, each of the plurality of energy storage cells having side surface areas, wherein the plurality of energy storage cells are arranged in a pattern with each energy storage cell in the plurality of energy storage cells being spaced apart a specified distance from one another;
- and
- an expandable material adhered, by an adhesive backing, to at least a portion of a side surface area of one or more of the energy storage cells in the plurality of energy storage cells,
- wherein the expandable material, in an expanded state, expands within the specified distance, and
- wherein the expandable material is adhered to only every other cell in the plurality of energy storage cells, and wherein the expandable material has a fully expanded height that is at least 125% of the specified distance.
An energy storage device, comprising:
- a plurality of energy storage cells, each of the plurality of energy storage cells having a side surface area, wherein the plurality of energy storage cells are arranged in a pattern with each energy storage cell in the plurality of energy storage cells being spaced apart a specified distance from one another;
- and
- an expandable material adhered, by an adhesive layer, to at least some of the side surface areas,
- wherein the expandable material, when expanded, expands within and at least part of the specified distance, and
- wherein, in a fully expanded state, the expandable material has a fully expanded height of at least 125% of a compressed height, wherein the compressed height is equal to or less than the specified distance, and wherein the fully expanded height is greater than the specified distance.
A battery for an electric vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of battery modules electrically interconnected with one another, wherein each battery module of the plurality of battery modules comprises:
- a plurality of energy storage cells, each of the plurality of energy storage cells having a side surface area, wherein the plurality of energy storage cells are arranged in a pattern with each energy storage cell of the plurality of energy storage cells being spaced apart a specified distance from one another;
- and
- an expandable material adhered, by an adhesive layer, to at least a portion of the side surface areas,
- wherein the expandable material, in an expanded state, expands within and at least part of the specified distance, and
- wherein the expandable material has a fully expanded state that is at least 125% of a compressed state of the expandable material, and wherein, when the expandable material is in the expanded state, it is less than 125% of the compressed state and substantially occupies the specified distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.