# US 12,191,465 B2 · Modular heat exchangers for battery thermal modulation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,465 B2 - Document ID: US12191465B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/356,070 - Filed: 2023-07-20 - Published: 2023-11-09 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-24 - Assignees: Dana Canada Corporation - Applicants: Dana Canada Corporation - Inventors: Garreth D. G. Graves; Benjamin A. Kenney; Michael A. Martin; Kenneth M. A. Abels; Lee M. Kinder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191465B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/63: Control systems (charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 {, H01M10/443}; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 {, H01M10/486}) - F28F 3/046: {the deformations being linear, e.g. corrugations} - F28F 3/12: Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)} - H01M 10/615: Heating or keeping warm - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 10/6554: Rods or plates - H01M 10/6556: Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) - H01M 10/6567: Liquids - F28D 1/035: {with U-flow or serpentine-flow inside the conduits (F28D1/0341 takes precedence)} - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) ## Abstract A modular heat exchanger for battery thermal management having a plurality of similarly constructed heat exchange elements affixed to a cover plate and fluidly coupled with one another via a single external manifold structure that functions as both an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold for each of the heat exchange elements. Rigidity is improved with alternating tabs or overlapping tabs between adjacent elements, and/or side edges between adjacent elements having cutouts for receiving stiffening ribs formed in the cover plate. The external manifold structure provides additional stiffening for the interconnected heat exchange elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat exchanger, comprising: a plurality of heat exchanger elements, wherein the plurality of heat exchanger elements are co-planar, and wherein each of the plurality of heat exchanger elements comprises: a first plate of a plurality of first plates and a second plate of a plurality of second plates each comprising an inner surface and an outer surface; wherein in each of the heat exchanger elements, the first plate has a pair of side edges and the first and second plates of each heat exchanger element are sealingly joined together, wherein an external manifold portion comprises a flattened tubular structure enclosing both an inlet manifold channel and an outlet manifold channel, the external manifold portion extending across all the heat exchanger elements along an axis which is perpendicular to side edges of the first and second plates, wherein at least one stiffening element comprises a plurality of bends in the external manifold portion, the plurality of bends creating a plurality of first portions and a plurality of second portions of the external manifold portion which are located in different planes and which are separated by inclined shoulders, and wherein the plurality of first portions are located in a first plane and the plurality of second portions are located in a second plane, the first and second planes being parallel and spaced apart by a thickness of the plurality of heat exchanger elements. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bends in the external manifold portion interconnect adjacent heat exchanger elements. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each of the first portions extends along the outer surface of one of the second plates and each of the second portions is located in an aperture provided between an adjacent pair of heat exchanger elements, the aperture formed by inwardly extending portions near a middle of each heat exchanger element of the plurality of heat exchanger elements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each of the inclined shoulders is formed by a pair of opposite bends, and wherein the inclined shoulders are adjacent to the side edges of the first and second plates and span a distance between the outer surface of the first plate and the outer surface of the second plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein each of the first portions of the external manifold portion is mechanically secured to one of the heat exchanger elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the first plane aligns with an outer surface of the second plate and the second plane aligns with the outer surface of the first plate.