Battery thermal system with a stacking frame

A vehicle propulsion system for an automobile having a battery pack assembly comprising a plurality of battery cells, said system comprising:

• a plurality of cooling fin assemblies, each of which is positioned in thermal communication with at least one of said plurality of battery cells for thermal cooling thereof, said plurality of cooling fin assemblies comprising a pair of generally planar cooling fins defining a compliant structure therein, and at least one foot defining a flat surface along an edge of said pair of cooling fins;
• a heat sink;
• and
• a frame structure comprising structural components configured to contain said plurality of battery cells and said plurality of cooling fin assemblies, wherein said structural components of said frame structure comprise a top structural frame, a bottom structural frame and an end cap such that upon placement of said plurality of cooling fin assemblies in said frame structure a substantial entirety of said flat surfaces of said feet of said plurality of cooling fin assemblies are aligned to define a generally planar surface with which to thermally engage said heat sink.

A method of assembling a battery pack assembly for an automobile wherein said battery pack assembly comprises a plurality of battery cells;

• a plurality of cooling fin assemblies, each of which comprising at least one generally planar cooling fin defining a compliant structure therein and at least one foot defining a flat surface along an edge of said at least one cooling fin;
• a heat sink and a frame structure comprising structural components, said frame structure comprising a top structural frame, a bottom structural frame and an end cap, said method comprising:
• stacking in said frame structure said plurality of cooling fin assemblies in thermal communication with at least one of said plurality of battery cells, wherein said feet on opposing edges of said plurality of cooling fin assemblies are slotted on the outside of said frame structure resulting in said flat surfaces and at least one space between adjacent feet of said plurality of cooling fin assemblies;
• compressing said plurality of cooling fin assemblies and said plurality of battery cells with said end cap until said end cap bottoms-out on said top structural frame;
• and
• attaching said heat sink to said flat surfaces of said feet such that maximum generally planar contact between said plurality of cooling fin assemblies and said heat sink is ensured for thermal cooling of said battery pack assembly.