# US 2014/0154547 A1 · Battery thermal system with a stacking frame > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154547 A1 - Document ID: US20140154547A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/705,398 - Filed: 2012-12-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Alastair Gordon Anderson; Karsten Reinhard Spaeter - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154547A1 ## CPC - H01M 10/647: Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - H01M 10/0413: {Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes} - H01M 10/4207: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 10/6555: arranged between the cells - H01M 50/209: adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) - H01M 50/227: Organic material - H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) - H01M 50/271: Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings - H01M 50/289: characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs (spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471) - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - Y10T 29/49108: Electric battery cell making - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A battery pack assembly. Each assembly includes a battery cell and a cooling fin assembly positioned in thermal communication with the battery cell for thermal cooling thereof. The cooling fin assembly includes a generally planar cooling fin defining a compliant structure and at least one foot defining a flat surface along an edge of the cooling fin. A heat sink and a frame structure contain the battery cells and the cooling fin assemblies such that upon placement of the cooling fin assemblies and the battery cells in the frame structure, a substantial entirety of the flat surfaces of the feet of the cooling fin assemblies are aligned to define a generally planar surface with which to thermally engage the heat sink. A vehicle propulsion system having a battery pack assembly and methods of assembling a battery pack assembly is also described. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery pack assembly for an automobile, said battery pack assembly comprising: a plurality of battery cells; 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, each of said plurality of cooling fin assemblies 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 configured to contain said plurality of battery cells and said plurality of cooling fin assemblies such that upon placement of said plurality of cooling fin assemblies and said plurality of battery cells 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The battery pack assembly of claim 1, further comprising a layer of thermal interface material between of said flat surfaces of said feet and said heat sink. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The battery pack assembly of claim 2, wherein said layer of thermal interface material comprises an adhesive to secure said flat surfaces of said feet and said heat sink. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The battery pack assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one cooling fin comprises a foot disposed on each opposing edge of said at least one cooling fin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The battery pack assembly of claim 4, wherein said feet on opposing edges of said at least one cooling fin align to said frame structure to define length and ensure parallelism of said battery pack assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The battery pack assembly of claim 1, wherein said structural components of said frame structure comprise a top structural frame, a bottom structural frame and an end cap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The battery pack assembly of claim 1, wherein said cooling fin assemblies comprise a pair of cooling fins disposed on opposing surfaces of an expansion unit, wherein said expansion unit is a layer of foam or a leaf spring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The battery pack assembly of claim 1, wherein a space is formed between adjacent feet of said plurality of cooling fin assemblies contained in said frame structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The battery pack assembly of claim 8, wherein said space is approximately 0.1 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The battery pack assembly of claim 1, wherein said compliant structure of said at least one cooling fin is a v-profile section which allows for flexible width tolerance of said at least one cooling fin and said foot to align with said frame structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The battery pack assembly of claim 1, wherein said compliant structure of said at least one cooling fin is an opening which allows width tolerance of said at least one cooling fin and said at least one foot to align with said frame structure. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle propulsion system of claim 12, further comprising a layer of thermal interface material between said flat surfaces of said feet and said heat sink. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The vehicle propulsion system of claim 12, wherein said plurality of cooling fin assemblies comprising said pair of cooling fins disposed on opposing surfaces of an expansion unit, wherein said expansion unit is a layer of foam or a leaf spring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vehicle propulsion system of claim 12, wherein said compliant structure of said pair of cooling fins is a v-profile section which allows for flexible width tolerance of said pair of cooling fins and said feet to align with said frame structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The vehicle propulsion system of claim 12, wherein said compliant structure of said pair of cooling fins is an opening which allows width tolerance of said pair of cooling fins and said feet to align with said frame structure. ### Claim 17 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. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising a layer of thermal interface material between said flat surfaces of said feet and heat sink. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein said plurality of cooling fin assemblies comprise a pair of cooling fins disposed on opposing surfaces of an expansion unit, wherein said expansion unit is a layer of foam or a leaf spring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein said compliant structure of said at least one cooling fin is a v-profile section which allows for flexible width tolerance of said at least one cooling fin and said foot to align with said frame structure. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein said compliant structure of said at least one cooling fin is an opening which allows width tolerance of said at least one cooling fin and said foot to align with said frame structure.