Extruded thermolastic battery enclosure
AssigneeSabic Global Technologies B.V.
InventorsCarlos Pereira Cadena, Dinesh Munjurulimana, Anil Tiwari
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Abstract
An apparatus for housing battery cells arranged in a cluster, the enclosure having a wall formed of a low-cost monolithic extrusion formed of a thermoplastic and defining a plurality of elongate parallel hollows extending across the enclosure. The extrusion can include a metal sheet fastened to one side to provide an out downward-facing barrier against heat and road debris.
Claims20
An apparatus for housing battery cells arranged in a cluster defining a planar face, the apparatus comprising:
- an enclosure component dimensioned to substantially cover the planar face, the enclosure component having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the enclosure component dimensioned such that a distance between the proximal portion and the distal portion is sized to extend from a first location proximal a first edge of the planar face, across the planar face, to a second location proximal a second edge of the planar face that is opposite the first edge of the planar face, the enclosure component comprising:
- an inner sheet defining an inner sheet upper contour along an upper major face and an inner sheet lower contour along a lower major face disposed opposite the upper major face, wherein the inner sheet comprises a monolithic extrusion formed of a thermoplastic and defining a plurality of elongate parallel hollows extending a length of the enclosure component, between the proximal portion and the distal portion;
- a lateral inner sheet disposed lateral to the inner sheet, defining a gap there between;
- a damper disposed in the gap;
- and
- a lower sheet disposed against the inner sheet, the damper and the lateral inner sheet, wherein the lower sheet defines a lower contour shaped to conform to the inner sheet lower contour of the inner sheet, wherein the lower sheet is formed of a material other than the thermoplastic of the inner sheet,
- wherein the inner sheet and the lower sheet are fastened together such that the enclosure component forms a rigid assembly, and
- wherein the damper is slidable with respect to the inner sheet, the lateral inner sheet and the lower sheet.
A battery pack housing having a bottom wall formed from an apparatus the apparatus comprising an enclosure component dimensioned to substantially cover a planar face of battery cells, the enclosure component having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the enclosure component dimensioned such that a distance between the proximal portion and the distal portion is sized to extend from a first location proximal a first edge of the planar face, across the planar face, to a second location proximal a second edge of the planar face that is opposite the first edge of the planar face, the enclosure component comprising:
- an inner sheet defining an inner sheet upper contour along an upper major face and an inner sheet lower contour along a lower major face disposed opposite the upper major face, wherein the inner sheet comprises a monolithic extrusion formed of a thermoplastic and defining a plurality of elongate parallel hollows extending a length of the enclosure component, between the proximal portion and the distal portion;
- a lateral inner sheet disposed lateral to the inner sheet, defining a gap there between;
- a damper disposed in the gap;
- and
- a lower sheet disposed against the inner sheet, the damper and the lateral inner sheet, wherein the lower sheet defines a lower contour shaped to conform to the inner sheet lower contour of the inner sheet, wherein the lower sheet is formed of a material other than the thermoplastic of the inner sheet,
- wherein the inner sheet and the lower sheet are fastened together such that the enclosure component forms a rigid assembly, and
- wherein the damper is slidable with respect to the inner sheet, the lateral inner sheet and the lower sheet.
A battery pack comprising one or more battery cells arranged in a cluster defining a planar face wherein the cluster is contained within an enclosure component dimensioned to substantially cover the planar face, the enclosure component having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the enclosure component dimensioned such that a distance between the proximal portion and the distal portion is sized to extend from a first location proximal a first edge of the planar face, across the planar face, to a second location proximal a second edge of the planar face that is opposite the first edge of the planar face, the enclosure component comprising:
- an inner sheet defining an inner sheet upper contour along an upper major face and an inner sheet lower contour along a lower major face disposed opposite the upper major face, wherein the inner sheet comprises a monolithic extrusion formed of a thermoplastic and defining a plurality of elongate parallel hollows extending a length of the enclosure component, between the proximal portion and the distal portion;
- a lateral inner sheet disposed lateral to the inner sheet, defining a gap there between;
- a damper disposed in the gap;
- and
- a lower sheet disposed against the inner sheet, the damper and the lateral inner sheet, wherein the lower sheet defines a lower contour shaped to conform to the inner sheet lower contour of the inner sheet, wherein the lower sheet is formed of a material other than the thermoplastic of the inner sheet,
- wherein the inner sheet and the lower sheet are fastened together such that the enclosure component forms a rigid assembly, and
- wherein the damper is slidable with respect to the inner sheet, the lateral inner sheet and the lower sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.