# US 7,746,034 B2 · Battery module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,746,034 B2 - Document ID: US7746034B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/497,574 - Filed: 2006-07-31 - Published: 2007-02-08 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-29 - Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Gun-Goo Lee; Tae-Yong Kim; Yoon-Cheol Jeon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746034B2 ## CPC - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/647: Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells - H01M 10/651: characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations - H01M 10/6557: arranged between the cells - H01M 10/6563: with forced flow, e.g. by blowers - H01M 10/6566: Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers (H01M10/6565 takes precedence) - H01M 50/209: adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells (H01M50/216 takes precedence) - 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 10/617: for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature - H01M 10/6556: Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) - H01M 10/6567: Liquids - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A battery module includes unit cells and a housing for accommodating the unit cells therein, the housing having paths for circulating a cooling medium. The housing includes: a unit cell receptor for receiving the unit cells, the unit cell receptor having an inner space with an inner spatial section area perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the housing; and a cooling medium circulator having an inner space for circulating a cooling medium, the inner space being in communication with the inner space of the unit cell receptor and having an inner spatial section area perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the housing. The inner spatial section area of the unit cell receptor is larger than the inner spatial section area of the circulator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A battery module comprising: unit cells; and a housing accommodating the unit cells therein, the housing having paths for circulating a cooling medium, wherein the housing comprises: a unit cell receptor for receiving the unit cells, the unit cell receptor having side walls defining an inner space with an inner spatial section area perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the housing; and a cooling medium circulator having a channel extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing for circulating a cooling medium, the channel being in direct communication with the unit cell receptor at an interface, wherein the unit cell receptor is configured to receive the cooling medium from the channel at the interface; wherein the side walls of the unit cell receptor extend from the channel at an angle in at least two directions at the interface to provide a stepped structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the cooling medium circulator comprises an inlet for accepting the cooling medium into the channel of the cooling medium circulator and for allowing a flow of the cooling medium to the unit cells. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein internal corners of the interface have an angled structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The battery module of claim 3, wherein the internal corners of the interface have a right-angled structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the inner spatial section area of the unit cell receptor and the channel of the cooling medium circulator have a rectangular cross section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein a step-height of the interface is from about 13%-23% of the inner spatial section area of the unit cell receptor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the unit cells are mounted as a first cell assembly within the unit cell receptor and spaced from one another along the longitudinal direction of the housing, and the cooling medium circulator is connected to the unit cell receptor along the longitudinal direction of the housing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The battery module of claim 7, further comprising a second cell assembly, the first cell assembly and the second cell assembly arranged within the housing to face each other with a distance therebetween. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The battery module of claim 8, wherein the first cell assembly and the second cell assembly are positioned on a same plane within the housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The battery module of claim 7, wherein the first cell assembly comprises barriers between the unit cells. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The battery module of claim 7, wherein the cooling medium circulator comprises an inlet for allowing a flow of the cooling medium to the cell assembly, and an outlet for exhausting the cooling medium after the cooling medium has passed through the cell assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The battery module of claim 2, further comprising a second cell receptor, wherein the inlet is disposed between the unit cell receptor and the second cell receptor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein the unit cells are within a plurality of cell assemblies, and the plurality of cell assemblies are mounted within the unit cell receptor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The battery module of claim 1, wherein a number of the unit cells is between 20-80. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The battery module of claim 14, wherein the unit cells are arranged within at least one cell assembly in groups of 20.