Air-cooled battery module for a vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsSaravanan Paramasivam, LeeAnn Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A high voltage battery module comprises a plurality of battery cells stacked in an array. The array is covered on its ends by a pair of opposing end plates, and is covered on its sides by a pair of opposing sidewalls. The sidewalls partially cover upper surfaces of the battery cells. Internal channels provide gaps between the sides of the battery cells and the interior surfaces of the sidewalls. An external channel is vertically spaced from the internal channel and is defined by the exterior surfaces of the sidewalls. Brackets secure the end plates to the sidewalls by at least partially extending into the external channels of the sidewalls.
Claims19
A high-voltage traction battery assembly for a hybrid electric vehicle, the assembly comprising:
- an array of battery cells stacked along a longitudinal axis;
- a first end plate and an opposing second end plate spaced therefrom along the longitudinal axis, the end plates secured to respective ends of the array;
- and
- a first sidewall and an opposing second sidewall spaced therefrom, each sidewall secured to both end plates and extending generally perpendicular to the end plates such that the traction battery assembly does not include an upper cover or a lower cover, the first sidewall having a first ridge to define a first airflow passage between the array and the first ridge, and the second sidewall having a second ridge to define a second airflow passage between the array and the second ridge;
- wherein the first end plate defines an inlet opening therethrough and aligned with the first airflow passage, and the second end plate defines an outlet opening therethrough and aligned with the second airflow passage to enable air to flow through the inlet opening and the first airflow passage, across the array, and through the second airflow passage and outlet.
A battery module comprising:
- a first and a second array of battery cells, the arrays being arranged side-by-side and each having an upper surface and two longitudinal side surfaces;
- a first pair of sidewalls covering the side surfaces of the first array and a second pair of sidewalls covering the side surfaces of the second array, each sidewall having an interior channel extending along the length of the sidewall and spaced apart from its respective covered side surface to define an airflow passage between the respective side surface and the interior channel;
- and
- two end plates disposed at opposing ends of each array and secured to at least some of the sidewalls such that the battery module does not include an upper cover or a lower cover attached thereto, each end plate defining a pair of openings that align with at least some of the airflow passages.
A battery module comprising:
- an array of battery cells, each cell having a top surface and opposing side surfaces;
- a pair of opposing sidewalls each having an interior channel spaced apart from respective side surfaces of the sidewall and defining an airflow passage therebetween, and an exterior channel spaced from the interior channel;
- and
- a pair of end plates each mounted to the exterior channels of both of the sidewalls.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.