EP4677672A1 - Frame for vehicle battery - Google Patents

Frame for vehicle battery

Info

Publication number
EP4677672A1
EP4677672A1 EP24711488.7A EP24711488A EP4677672A1 EP 4677672 A1 EP4677672 A1 EP 4677672A1 EP 24711488 A EP24711488 A EP 24711488A EP 4677672 A1 EP4677672 A1 EP 4677672A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cell
battery
clamping
clamping portion
joining portion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24711488.7A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Stephen Nicholls
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Original Assignee
Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Jaguar Land Rover Ltd filed Critical Jaguar Land Rover Ltd
Publication of EP4677672A1 publication Critical patent/EP4677672A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/233—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by physical properties of casings or racks, e.g. dimensions
    • H01M50/24—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by physical properties of casings or racks, e.g. dimensions adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
    • B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L50/00—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle
    • B60L50/50—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
    • B60L50/60—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells using power supplied by batteries
    • B60L50/66—Arrangements of batteries
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M10/04—Construction or manufacture in general
    • H01M10/0481—Compression means other than compression means for stacks of electrodes and separators
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M10/60—Heating or cooling; Temperature control
    • H01M10/62—Heating or cooling; Temperature control specially adapted for specific applications
    • H01M10/625—Vehicles
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/204—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/233—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by physical properties of casings or racks, e.g. dimensions
    • H01M50/242—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by physical properties of casings or racks, e.g. dimensions adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/249—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
    • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
    • H01M50/262—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders with fastening means, e.g. locks
    • H01M50/264—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders with fastening means, e.g. locks for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates to a frame for a vehicle battery. Aspects of the invention relate to a frame, to a solid state cell, to a battery subassembly, to a battery module, to a battery pack and to a vehicle.
  • Solid state cells for powering a traction motor of a vehicle.
  • Such cells are typically structured with a metallic core and surrounding active layers of electrodes. Integrating such cells into battery assemblies poses an ongoing challenge, because loading these electrode layers with any clamping forces can cause premature cell failure and damage. Furthermore, the solid state cells are sensitive to vibration and bending, so should be retained rigidly.
  • the cells In addition to the problems associated with retaining the cells, the cells must also be provided with a means to efficiently heat or cool the cells. This can be a particular concern for solid state cells which have a poor resilience to low temperatures.
  • aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a frame, a solid state cell, a battery subassembly, a battery module, a battery pack and a vehicle as claimed in the appended claims.
  • a frame for retaining at least one cell of a vehicle battery comprising: a first member comprising a first joining portion and a first clamping portion; and a second member comprising a second joining portion and a second clamping portion; wherein the first member and second member are arranged to co-operate, in use, to retain a first cell of the vehicle battery between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion through a clamping force applied by securing the first joining portion to the second joining portion.
  • the at least one cell may be at least one solid state cell.
  • the frame can directly interface with the cells to provide a robust and stiff structure which can keep the cells rigid and robust to vibration (in particular for solid state cells which are less resilient to bending), also improving structural integration.
  • coolant can be integrated into frame providing a dual function of strong structural support and temperature control for cells as the cells are clamped by the frame (providing a reliable thermal path). This dual function provides a space efficient assembly.
  • the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion define opposing sides of a recess arranged to house a periphery of the first cell and apply the clamping force to the periphery of the first cell.
  • a recess arranged to house a periphery of the first cell and apply the clamping force to the periphery of the first cell.
  • first joining portion and second joining portion are arranged to interlock, or tesselate, in use to form an interlocked joining portion.
  • this provides structural integrity between members, provides alignment of joining portions and also improves ease of construction.
  • At least one of the first joining portion and the second joining portion may protrude from the first member or the second member such that in use, the joining portions provide a spacing between the first and second clamping portions for receiving the first cell.
  • the frame is modular. This may be achieved by the first member having a corresponding shape to the second member. Beneficially, this means the frame is easily scalable and configurable for different sizes of battery assembly.
  • first joining portion and the first clamping portion are each disposed on a first side of the first member; the second joining portion and the second clamping portion are each disposed on a second side of the second member; and the second member comprises a further joining portion and a further clamping portion disposed on a first side of the second member opposite the second side.
  • the first side of each of the first member and the second member may have same shape.
  • the first member comprises a further joining portion and a further clamping portion on a second side of the first member opposite the first side.
  • the second side of each of the first member and second member may also have same shape.
  • This facilitates stacking of the first and second members in any order.
  • the frame may comprise a third member comprising a third joining portion and a third clamping portion.
  • the second member may be arranged to co-operate, in use, with the third member to retain a second cell of the vehicle battery between the third clamping portion and the further clamping portion of the second member through a clamping force applied by securing the further joining portion of the second member to the third joining portion of the third member.
  • the third member may have a same shape as the first and the second members, facilitating a stacking of the first to third members to retain the first and second cells in any order.
  • the frame may have any number of additional members also stacked in the first dimension.
  • Each additional member may have a same shape as the first and the second members.
  • a respective cell may be retained between each neighbouring pair of members.
  • the first member, the second member and the third member are stacked in a first dimension to retain the first cell and the second cell in a stack in the first dimension.
  • a depth of the second member may provide a spacing in use between the first cell and the second cell.
  • this spacing is intrinsic to the frame design and acts to minimise cell damage and provide spacing to facilitate cell expansion over a lifetime of the cell.
  • the spacing may be in the range of 15%-20% of a height of the first or second cell in the first dimension. For example, if each of the first and second cells have a height of 10mm, the spacing may be in the range 1.5mm- 2mm. Such a spacing facilitates sufficient expansion without taking up too much space to retain space efficiency for the battery.
  • each of the first member and the second member are arranged to extend around a periphery of the first cell. Beneficially, this provides structural support around an extent of the first cell.
  • the first member may be disposed in use on a first or upper side of the first cell.
  • the second member may be disposed in use on second or lower side of the first cell.
  • the first clamping portion provides a thermal interface between the first cell and the first channel.
  • the clamping force applied along the first clamping portion provides a reliable interface as the clamping causes close contact, thus by providing the flow of coolant adjacent to the first clamping portion, an efficient thermal path is provided between the coolant and the first cell.
  • the second member defines a second channel through the second member for the flow of coolant.
  • thermal contact between the cell and coolant is provided on two sides of the portion of the cell being clamped, thus increasing the efficiency of the thermal path between the cell and coolant system.
  • the second clamping portion may provide a thermal interface between the first cell and the second channel.
  • there may be a coolant channel through each member of the frame thereby providing a thermal path between each side of the periphery of each cell and the coolant.
  • the first cell comprises a main body and a metallic core layer extending through the main body and beyond a periphery of the main body to form a protruding rim, wherein the protruding rim has a thickness less than a thickness of the main body; and wherein the first member and the second member are arranged to co-operate, in use, to retain the protruding rim of the first cell between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion.
  • the metallic portion can be strongly clamped without compromising the integrity of the cell. The reduced thickness of rim facilitates clamping whilst maintaining space efficiency.
  • the metallic core is directly interfaced by the coolant channel and extends into body of cell thereby providing an efficient thermal path.
  • a solid state cell for a vehicle battery comprising: a main body portion having a first thickness, the main body portion comprising a metallic core layer, a first plurality of electrode layers disposed on a first side of the metallic core layer, and a second plurality of electrode layers disposed on a second side of the metallic core layer opposite the first side; wherein the metallic core layer extends beyond a periphery of the main body portion to form a protruding rim having a second thickness less than the first thickness.
  • a battery subassembly for a vehicle comprising: a solid state cell according to the above aspect; and a frame according to one of the above aspects arranged to retain the protruding rim of the solid state cell between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion through a clamping force applied by securing the first joining portion to the second joining portion.
  • a battery module for a vehicle comprising at least: a first battery subassembly according to the above aspect; and a second battery subassembly according to the above aspect; wherein the first battery subassembly and second battery subassembly are stacked along a first dimension and wherein the solid state cell of the first battery subassembly is electrically connected to the solid state cell of the second battery subassembly.
  • a vehicle battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules according to the above aspect.
  • a vehicle comprising a frame, a solid state cell, a battery subassembly, a battery module or a vehicle battery pack according to any of the above aspects.
  • Figure 1 shows two solid state cells according to the prior art
  • Figure 2A shows a solid state cell according to one embodiment of the invention
  • Figure 2B shows a solid state cell according to another embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a frame according to an embodiment of the invention in use holding a cell
  • Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a frame according to another embodiment of the invention in use holding two cells
  • Figure 5 shows a battery sub-assembly according to an embodiment during construction
  • Figure 6 shows the battery sub-assembly of Figure 5 in a constructed state
  • Figure 7 shows a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
  • Solid state cells utilise a solid electrolyte and solid electrodes. Such solid state cells show promise for use in traction batteries for vehicles, due to the potential for higher energy densities than traditional liquid or polymer electrolyte cells.
  • solid state cells pose some challenges for integration in a battery pack, including temperature sensitivity and sensitivity to mechanical stress.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of two solid state cells 100 according to the prior art.
  • Each solid state cell comprises a metallic core layer 110 and a plurality of electrode layers 120.
  • the metallic core layer 110 acts to structurally support the electrode layers 120 and prevent bending of the electrode layers 120 which can cause cell failure.
  • the metallic core layer 110 extends past a periphery P of the electrode layers 120 to form a supportive rim 130.
  • the supportive rim 130 has a thickness greater than a thickness of the solid state cell 100 at the electrode layers 120. This supportive rim 130 extends around the entire periphery of the cell 100 and acts to support the cell and ensure a spacing between electrode layers 120 of adjacent cells, as shown.
  • this supportive rim 130 causes issues when integrating the cells 100 into a battery assembly.
  • Each cell 100 needs to be held by a framework to be located and secured within the battery assembly, and the bulky arrangement of the supportive rim 130 causes issues with providing a suitable space-efficient framework.
  • the arrangement of the cell 100 provides a limited interface for a coolant system 140 to exchange heat with the cell 100.
  • the solid state cell 210 comprises a main body portion 212 having a first thickness T1.
  • the main body portion 212 is formed from a metallic core layer 213, a first plurality of electrode layers 215 disposed on a first side of the metallic core layer 213 and a second plurality of electrode layers 217 disposed on a second side of the metallic core layer 213.
  • the metallic core layer 213 may be formed from any metallic material having sufficient stiffness to provide strength to the cell 210 with good thermal conductivity, as well as sufficient ductility to allow the metallic material to be formed into the metallic core layer 213.
  • the metallic core layer 213 may have a low weight to reduce the weight of the battery.
  • the metallic core layer 213 may be formed from aluminium or an alloy thereof.
  • the thickness T1 of the main body portion 212 is defined in a z direction as illustrated, normal to a plane of each of the layers 213, 215, 217 and extending through each layer 213, 215, 217.
  • the metallic core layer 213 extends beyond a periphery 216 of the main body portion 212 to form a protruding rim 214.
  • the protruding rim 214 of the solid state cell 210 has a second thickness T2 in the z direction less than the first thickness T 1. That is, the metallic protruding rim is thinner than the main body of the cell.
  • the protruding rim 214 may have the same thickness as the metallic core layer 213 of the main body portion 212, which can improve the ease of manufacturing the cell as the thickness of the metallic component will be uniform. Uniform pieces are easier to manufacture, for example, through diecasting. However, in other embodiments it can be envisaged that the protruding rim 214 may have a thickness T2 less than the metallic core layer 213 of the main body portion 212, or a thickness T2 greater than the metallic core layer 213 of the main body portion 212.
  • the thickness T2 being less than the thickness T1 provides a means for the cell 210 to be integrated into a frame during assembly into a battery which provides space efficiency, ease of integration, structural integrity for the cell 210 and an efficient thermal interface to a coolant system, as explained with reference to Figure 3 below.
  • the solid state cell 210 is illustrated in partial cross section in Figure 2A.
  • each layer 213, 215, 217 extends as a plate across the main body portion 212 of the cell 210 in a first (x,y) plane normal to the page.
  • the shape of the cell 210 in the (x,y) plane may typically be quadrilateral, such as a rectangular cell as shown in Figures 5 and 6, however other shapes could be envisaged.
  • the protruding rim 214 of the metallic core layer 213 surrounds the main body portion 212 in the (x,y) plane and thus provides a rim extending around the periphery of the cell 210.
  • the entire cell may be surrounded by a cell casing 230.
  • the cell casing 230 acts to protect the cell 210 from damage and comprises a thin polymer layer.
  • the cell casing 230 acts to prevent the external atmosphere contacting the cell which can cause damage through oxidation from atmospheric oxygen and corrosion from atmospheric moisture.
  • the cell casing 230 also acts to contain cell gases produced as a by-product of chemical processes acting in the cell.
  • the cell casing 230 may be applied by heat shrinking the casing 230 around the cell and sealing along a protruding edge 232 about the periphery of the cell 210.
  • the protruding seal 232 may be arranged to extend from the protruding rim 214.
  • the solid state cell may have additional structural components.
  • a cross section of a solid state cell 220 according to a second embodiment is illustrated in Figure 2B.
  • the solid state cell 220 comprises a main body portion 222 having a metallic core layer 223 and electrode layers 225, 227 arranged analogously to the cell 210 of Figure 2A.
  • the metallic core layer 223 extends beyond a periphery of the main body portion 222 to form a protruding rim 224 having a thickness less than the thickness of the main body portion 222, again, analogously to Figure 2A.
  • the cell 220 of Figure 2B comprises an additional supporting member 228 formed by the metallic core layer 223 disposed between the main body portion 222 and the protruding rim 224.
  • the supporting member 228 has a thickness equal to or greater than the main body portion and acts to provide additional structural support to surround the cell 220 without impacting the ease of integration that is described with reference to the remaining Figures.
  • the metallic core layer 223 may be an integrally formed component across the main body portion 222, supporting member 228 and protruding rim 224 to provide structural integrity across the cell 220.
  • FIG. 3 there is illustrated a cross-section of a frame 300 for retaining a cell of a vehicle battery according to an embodiment.
  • the frame 300 is illustrated in use retaining a solid state cell of the type of cell 210 described above with reference to Figure 2A, however the frame 300 may also be used to retain different cells, such as cells of the type of cell 220 shown in Figure 2B.
  • the frame 300 comprises a first member 310 and a second member 320 which act to co-operate to clamp the protruding rim 214 to retain the cell 210 in a battery assembly.
  • the members 310, 320 act to retain the cell through clamping forces applied during construction, providing ease of structural integration. Because the protruding rim 214 has a thickness less than the main body portion, this clamping can also be performed in a space-efficient manner.
  • the protruding rim 214 is robust to withstanding clamping forces due to its metallic construction.
  • the frame 300 can directly interface with the cell to provide a robust and stiff structure which can keep the cell rigid and robust to vibration.
  • the first member 310 and second member 320 are illustrated in cross-sectional view. Each of the first member 310 and second member 320 comprises a beam or other supporting structure.
  • the members 310, 320 may extend along the length of the protruding rim around the entire periphery of the cell 210 to provide a stiff and rigid structure around the entirety of the cell. However, in other embodiments the first member 310 and second member 320 may only extend along a portion of the protruding rim 214, for example along one side of the cell 210, or two sides of the cell 210.
  • the first member 310 comprises a first joining portion 312 and a first clamping portion 314.
  • Each of the first joining portion 312 and first clamping portion 314 are located on a first side of the first member 310 and extend along a length of the first member.
  • the first clamping portion 314 is located along an inner edge of the first side proximate to the cell 210 in use, and the first joining portion 312 is located along an outer edge of the first side.
  • the second member 320 comprises a second joining portion 322 and a second clamping portion 324.
  • Each of the second joining portion 322 and second clamping portion 324 are located on a second side of the second member 320 and extend along a length of the second member.
  • the second clamping portion 324 is located along an inner edge of the second side proximate to the cell 210 in use, and the second joining portion 322 is located along an outer edge of the second side.
  • the first member 310 and the second member 320 have a complementary shape and are arranged to co-operate to retain the protruding rim 214 of the cell 210 between the first clamping portion 314 and the second clamping portion 324.
  • the cell 210 is placed such that the protruding rim extends along the second clamping portion 320.
  • the first member is then placed such that the first clamping portion 314 sits along the protruding rim 214.
  • the first joining portion 312 is then secured to the second joining portion 322 which causes a clamping force to be applied to the protruding rim 214 through the clamping portions 314, 324.
  • suitable securing means may include a clip, a weld, a bolt, or any other suitable securing mechanism.
  • the first joining portion 312 protrudes from the first side of the first member and the second joining portion protrudes partially from the second side of the second member. These protrusions are shaped and dimensioned such that when the first joining portion 312 and the second joining portion 322 are joined together, a spacing is provided between the first and second clamping portions 314, 324 for receiving the protruding rim 214 of the cell 210.
  • the clamping portions 314, 324 define opposing sides of a recess arranged to house the protruding rim 214 and apply the clamping force to the protruding rim 214.
  • the dimensions of the joining portions 312, 322 can thus be tailored depending on the thickness T2 of the protruding rim 214 to ensure that the recess is deep enough to house the rim 214 but narrow enough that a sufficient clamping force is applied when the joining portions are secured together. In this way, no additional mechanism needs to be supplied to secure the cells within the frame 300 because the construction of the frame 300 itself supplies the clamping force to the cells 210 to rigidly secure them.
  • the first joining portion 312 and the second joining portion 322 are arranged to interlock or tesselate along the length of each of the members 310, 320 to form an interlocked joining portion when assembled.
  • This interlock provides additional structural support between the members 310, 320 and ease of alignment during assembly of the frame 300.
  • the interlock can be provided by shaping each of the joining portions 312, 322 with a complementary shape, such as the stepped shape shown in Figure 3.
  • the interlocked joining portion is further shaped to provide a gap or recess to house the seal 232. The depth of this gap is determined by the height of each of the steps of the joining portions and should be sufficiently deep to house the seal without applying stress to the seal.
  • the shaping may leave a recess for the seal 232 such that no clamping force is applied to the seal 232 in order to protect the seal from damage which could compromise the function of the cell casing.
  • Efficient temperature control of cells by a coolant system of a vehicle can be particularly important for solid state cells such as the cells 210 and 220, because solid state cells have a low tolerance to low temperatures.
  • the first member 310 of the frame 300 defines a first channel 316 for a flow of coolant.
  • the first channel 316 is connected, in use, to a coolant system of the vehicle such that coolant is supplied to the first member 310 and flows through the first channel 316 to heat or cool the cell 210.
  • the frame 300 can provide a dual function of structural support and an efficient heat transfer mechanism, as the cell is clamped by the frame 300 providing a reliable thermal path.
  • the first clamping portion 314 thus acts as a thermal interface between the cell 210 and the first channel 316. Because the clamping force is applied by the first clamping portion 314, the thermal path is reliable and so it is possible to avoid the need to use any thermal interface material (TIM) at the interface.
  • the protruding rim 214 which is clamped by the first clamping portion 314 is metallic and extends through the center of the main body portion 212 of the cell. As metallic materials are good conductors of heat, there is an efficient thermal path directly from the first channel 316 right to a core of the cell 210.
  • the first channel 316 is connected, in use, to a coolant system of the vehicle via a conduit system.
  • warm coolant fluid is supplied through the conduit system to the first channel 316 by the coolant system of the vehicle.
  • a temperature gradient causes heat from the coolant fluid to be conducted across the first clamping portion to the protruding rim and along the metallic core layer 213 into the main body portion 212 of the cell to heat the electrode layers 215, 217.
  • the chilled coolant fluid is then directed away from the cell back through the conduit system.
  • chilled coolant fluid is supplied to the first channel 316 by the coolant system of the vehicle via the conduit system.
  • a temperature gradient causes heat from the electrode layers 215, 217 of the cell to be conducted through the metallic core layer 213 to the protruding rim 214 and across the first clamping portion 314 to warm the coolant fluid in the first channel 316.
  • the warmed coolant fluid is then directed away from the cell through the conduit system to be chilled by the coolant system.
  • the second member 320 of the frame 300 defines a second channel 326 for a flow of coolant.
  • the second channel 326 is connected, in use, to the coolant system of the vehicle analogously to the first channel 316.
  • the second clamping portion 324 acts as a thermal interface between the cell 210 and the second channel 326.
  • the second channel 326 functions as described for the first channel 316.
  • thermal interface of the second clamping portion 324 is on an opposite side of the protruding rim 214 to the thermal interface of the first clamping portion 314, thermal contact between the cell 210 and the coolant system is provided on both sides of the protruding rim 214. This provides the benefit of increasing the surface area available for heat transfer and so increasing the efficiency of the heating or cooling of the cells.
  • the channels are contained within the members 310, 320, no additional space is required to implement the channels, providing a space efficient framework for securing and cooling or warming the cells.
  • the frame 300 can be modular. This modularity is achieved by shaping the first member 310 with a corresponding shape to the second member 320 as illustrated in Figure 3. That is, a first side of the second member corresponds to the first side of the first member 310, and a second side of the first member 310 corresponds to the second side of the second member 320.
  • the frame 300 can be made easily scalable and configurable for different assembly sizes.
  • FIG. 4 there is illustrated a cross-section of another frame 400 according to an embodiment of the invention.
  • the frame 400 is arranged to secure two cells, a first cell 410 and a second cell 420.
  • Each cell 410, 420 is shown to be of the type of cell 210, however as discussed with reference to Figure 3, the frame 400 may be used to secure other cells, such as cells of the type of cell 220.
  • the frame 400 comprises a first member 310 and a second member 320 which co-operate to retain the first cell 410 as described with reference to Figure 3.
  • the frame 400 further comprises a third member 430.
  • each of the first to third members have the same shape to facilitate stacking in any order.
  • the first side of the second member 320 has a corresponding shape to the first side of the first member 310.
  • the second member 320 therefore comprises a further joining portion 422 and a further clamping portion 424 disposed on the first side of the second member 320 opposite the second side.
  • the further joining portion 422 is shaped analogously to the first joining portion 312 of the first member 310
  • the further clamping portion 424 is shaped analogously to the first clamping portion 314 of the first member 310.
  • the third member 430 comprises a third joining portion 431 and a third clamping portion 432 disposed on a second side of the third member 430 and shaped analogously to the second joining portion 321 and second clamping portion 322 of the second member 320.
  • the second member 320 and third member 430 are therefore arranged to co-operate to retain the protruding rim of the second cell 420 through a clamping force applied in the same way as has been described with reference to Figure 3.
  • the first member 310, the second member 320 and the third member 430 are stacked in the z dimension to retain the first cell 410 and the second cell 420 in a stack in the z dimension.
  • a depth of the second member 320 in the z dimension defines a spacing 440 in use between the first cell 410 and the second cell 420.
  • Such a spacing should be provided to minimise cell damage and provide spacing to facilitate cell expansion over the lifetime of the cells 410, 420.
  • the spacing should be kept small to improve space efficiency.
  • a suitable range of depths for the spacing 440 may typically be 15% to 20% of a height of the first or second cell 420 in the z dimension.
  • the spacing 440 may be between 1.5mm to 2mm. This range ensures sufficient space for cell expansion whilst maintaining space efficiency.
  • the depth of the members 310, 320, 430 can be tailored to achieve this desired spacing depending on the thickness of the cells 410, 420.
  • the third member 430 defines a third channel 436 for a flow of coolant.
  • the third channel 436 is connected, in use, to the coolant system of the vehicle analogously to the first channel 316 and second channel 326.
  • the third clamping portion 434 acts as a thermal interface between the protruding rim of the second cell 420 and the third channel 436 to heat or cool the second cell 420.
  • a thermal interface is also provided between the protruding rim of the second cell 420 and the second channel 326 via the further clamping portion 424 of the second member 320.
  • the second cell 420 is provided with an efficient thermal path on each side of the protruding rim.
  • the arrows illustrated on Figure 4 show an example thermal path between the core of each of the first and second cells 410, 420 and the first to third channels.
  • the frame 300, 400 is used to retain one or more cells 210 in a battery subassembly.
  • a battery subassembly 500 according to an embodiment of the invention during a construction phase.
  • the battery subassembly 500 comprises a frame including a first member 510.
  • the first member 510 may be arranged as described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. As discussed, the first member 510 is shaped to surround a periphery of at least one cell 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the first member 510 extends around the periphery of three cells 210, however it will be appreciated that the first member 510 may be shaped differently to retain a different number of cells.
  • Each cell 210 is placed in a respective location on the first member such that the protruding rim of each cell 210 runs along the first clamping portion of the first member 510 (not shown in this diagram).
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the battery subassembly in a constructed state.
  • the frame comprises a second member 520 which is also arranged as described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 and has the same shape as the first member 510.
  • the second member is placed in the battery sub-assembly such that the second clamping portion of the second member 520 runs along the protruding rim of each cell 210 on the opposite side to the first member 510.
  • the first joining portion of the first member 510 is secured to the second joining portion of the second member 520, to provide a clamping force to retain each of the cells 210 securely between the first member 510 and the second member 520.
  • Additional layers may be added to the battery subassembly by adding additional layers of cells and additional members to the frame.
  • the battery sub-assembly 500 may be installed in a vehicle 700 to power a traction motor of the vehicle 700.
  • vehicle 700 may be any electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) having a traction battery.
  • EV electric vehicle
  • HEV hybrid electric vehicle

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Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to a frame, a solid state cell, a battery subassembly, a battery module, a battery pack and a vehicle. The frame (300) is retaining at least one cell (210) of a vehicle battery. The frame (300) comprises: a first member (310) comprising a first joining portion (312) and a first clamping portion (314) and a second member (320) comprising a second joining portion (322) and a second clamping portion (324). The first member (310) and second member (320) are arranged to co-operate, in use, to retain a first cell (210) of the vehicle battery between the first clamping portion (314) and the second clamping portion (324) through a clamping force applied by securing the first joining portion (312) to the second joining portion (322). The first member (310) defines a first channel (316) through the first member for a flow of coolant.

Description

FRAME FOR VEHICLE BATTERY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a frame for a vehicle battery. Aspects of the invention relate to a frame, to a solid state cell, to a battery subassembly, to a battery module, to a battery pack and to a vehicle.
BACKGROUND
It is known to provide solid state cells for powering a traction motor of a vehicle. Such cells are typically structured with a metallic core and surrounding active layers of electrodes. Integrating such cells into battery assemblies poses an ongoing challenge, because loading these electrode layers with any clamping forces can cause premature cell failure and damage. Furthermore, the solid state cells are sensitive to vibration and bending, so should be retained rigidly.
In addition to the problems associated with retaining the cells, the cells must also be provided with a means to efficiently heat or cool the cells. This can be a particular concern for solid state cells which have a poor resilience to low temperatures.
It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a frame, a solid state cell, a battery subassembly, a battery module, a battery pack and a vehicle as claimed in the appended claims.
According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame for retaining at least one cell of a vehicle battery, the frame comprising: a first member comprising a first joining portion and a first clamping portion; and a second member comprising a second joining portion and a second clamping portion; wherein the first member and second member are arranged to co-operate, in use, to retain a first cell of the vehicle battery between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion through a clamping force applied by securing the first joining portion to the second joining portion. The at least one cell may be at least one solid state cell.
Beneficially, by forming the frame from members which retain the cells between the members through clamping forces applied during construction, the frame can directly interface with the cells to provide a robust and stiff structure which can keep the cells rigid and robust to vibration (in particular for solid state cells which are less resilient to bending), also improving structural integration.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a frame for retaining at least one cell of a vehicle battery, the frame comprising: a first member comprising a first joining portion and a first clamping portion; and a second member comprising a second joining portion and a second clamping portion; wherein the first member and second member are arranged to co-operate, in use, to retain a first cell of the vehicle battery between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion through a clamping force applied by securing the first joining portion to the second joining portion; and wherein the first member defines a first channel through the first member for a flow of coolant. The at least one cell may be at least one solid state cell.
Beneficially, coolant can be integrated into frame providing a dual function of strong structural support and temperature control for cells as the cells are clamped by the frame (providing a reliable thermal path). This dual function provides a space efficient assembly.
Optionally, when the first joining portion and the second joining portion are secured together, the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion define opposing sides of a recess arranged to house a periphery of the first cell and apply the clamping force to the periphery of the first cell. Advantageously, no additional mechanism needs to be provided to secure the cells within the frame, as this is entirely provided by structure of frame itself, improving the efficiency of the frame. The recess may be dimensioned such that when the first joining portion and second joining portion are secured, the clamping force is applied to the periphery of the first cell.
Optionally, the first joining portion and second joining portion are arranged to interlock, or tesselate, in use to form an interlocked joining portion. Thus, this provides structural integrity between members, provides alignment of joining portions and also improves ease of construction.
At least one of the first joining portion and the second joining portion may protrude from the first member or the second member such that in use, the joining portions provide a spacing between the first and second clamping portions for receiving the first cell.
Optionally, the frame is modular. This may be achieved by the first member having a corresponding shape to the second member. Beneficially, this means the frame is easily scalable and configurable for different sizes of battery assembly.
Optionally, the first joining portion and the first clamping portion are each disposed on a first side of the first member; the second joining portion and the second clamping portion are each disposed on a second side of the second member; and the second member comprises a further joining portion and a further clamping portion disposed on a first side of the second member opposite the second side. The first side of each of the first member and the second member may have same shape.
Optionally, the first member comprises a further joining portion and a further clamping portion on a second side of the first member opposite the first side. The second side of each of the first member and second member may also have same shape. Advantageously, this facilitates stacking of the first and second members in any order. The frame may comprise a third member comprising a third joining portion and a third clamping portion. The second member may be arranged to co-operate, in use, with the third member to retain a second cell of the vehicle battery between the third clamping portion and the further clamping portion of the second member through a clamping force applied by securing the further joining portion of the second member to the third joining portion of the third member. The third member may have a same shape as the first and the second members, facilitating a stacking of the first to third members to retain the first and second cells in any order.
The frame may have any number of additional members also stacked in the first dimension. Each additional member may have a same shape as the first and the second members. A respective cell may be retained between each neighbouring pair of members.
Optionally, in use, the first member, the second member and the third member are stacked in a first dimension to retain the first cell and the second cell in a stack in the first dimension. A depth of the second member may provide a spacing in use between the first cell and the second cell. Advantageously, this spacing is intrinsic to the frame design and acts to minimise cell damage and provide spacing to facilitate cell expansion over a lifetime of the cell. The spacing may be in the range of 15%-20% of a height of the first or second cell in the first dimension. For example, if each of the first and second cells have a height of 10mm, the spacing may be in the range 1.5mm- 2mm. Such a spacing facilitates sufficient expansion without taking up too much space to retain space efficiency for the battery.
Optionally, each of the first member and the second member are arranged to extend around a periphery of the first cell. Beneficially, this provides structural support around an extent of the first cell. The first member may be disposed in use on a first or upper side of the first cell. The second member may be disposed in use on second or lower side of the first cell.
Optionally, the first clamping portion provides a thermal interface between the first cell and the first channel. Beneficially, the clamping force applied along the first clamping portion provides a reliable interface as the clamping causes close contact, thus by providing the flow of coolant adjacent to the first clamping portion, an efficient thermal path is provided between the coolant and the first cell.
Optionally, the second member defines a second channel through the second member for the flow of coolant. Thus, thermal contact between the cell and coolant is provided on two sides of the portion of the cell being clamped, thus increasing the efficiency of the thermal path between the cell and coolant system. The second clamping portion may provide a thermal interface between the first cell and the second channel. In embodiments with additional members, there may be a coolant channel through each member of the frame thereby providing a thermal path between each side of the periphery of each cell and the coolant.
Optionally, the first cell comprises a main body and a metallic core layer extending through the main body and beyond a periphery of the main body to form a protruding rim, wherein the protruding rim has a thickness less than a thickness of the main body; and wherein the first member and the second member are arranged to co-operate, in use, to retain the protruding rim of the first cell between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion. Advantageously, the metallic portion can be strongly clamped without compromising the integrity of the cell. The reduced thickness of rim facilitates clamping whilst maintaining space efficiency. Furthermore, for temperature control purposes, the metallic core is directly interfaced by the coolant channel and extends into body of cell thereby providing an efficient thermal path.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a solid state cell for a vehicle battery, the solid state cell comprising: a main body portion having a first thickness, the main body portion comprising a metallic core layer, a first plurality of electrode layers disposed on a first side of the metallic core layer, and a second plurality of electrode layers disposed on a second side of the metallic core layer opposite the first side; wherein the metallic core layer extends beyond a periphery of the main body portion to form a protruding rim having a second thickness less than the first thickness.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a battery subassembly for a vehicle, the battery subassembly comprising: a solid state cell according to the above aspect; and a frame according to one of the above aspects arranged to retain the protruding rim of the solid state cell between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion through a clamping force applied by securing the first joining portion to the second joining portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a battery module for a vehicle, the battery module comprising at least: a first battery subassembly according to the above aspect; and a second battery subassembly according to the above aspect; wherein the first battery subassembly and second battery subassembly are stacked along a first dimension and wherein the solid state cell of the first battery subassembly is electrically connected to the solid state cell of the second battery subassembly.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules according to the above aspect.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising a frame, a solid state cell, a battery subassembly, a battery module or a vehicle battery pack according to any of the above aspects. Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and/or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and/or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and/or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows two solid state cells according to the prior art;
Figure 2A shows a solid state cell according to one embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2B shows a solid state cell according to another embodiment of the invention;
Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a frame according to an embodiment of the invention in use holding a cell;
Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a frame according to another embodiment of the invention in use holding two cells;
Figure 5 shows a battery sub-assembly according to an embodiment during construction;
Figure 6 shows the battery sub-assembly of Figure 5 in a constructed state; and Figure 7 shows a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Solid state cells utilise a solid electrolyte and solid electrodes. Such solid state cells show promise for use in traction batteries for vehicles, due to the potential for higher energy densities than traditional liquid or polymer electrolyte cells. However, solid state cells pose some challenges for integration in a battery pack, including temperature sensitivity and sensitivity to mechanical stress. Thus, there is a need to provide a means to rigidly support the cells in a battery assembly without causing damage to the electrodes and whilst facilitating efficient temperature control.
Figure 1 illustrates a cross section of two solid state cells 100 according to the prior art. Each solid state cell comprises a metallic core layer 110 and a plurality of electrode layers 120. The metallic core layer 110 acts to structurally support the electrode layers 120 and prevent bending of the electrode layers 120 which can cause cell failure. To provide sufficient structural support across a whole height of the cell 100, the metallic core layer 110 extends past a periphery P of the electrode layers 120 to form a supportive rim 130. The supportive rim 130 has a thickness greater than a thickness of the solid state cell 100 at the electrode layers 120. This supportive rim 130 extends around the entire periphery of the cell 100 and acts to support the cell and ensure a spacing between electrode layers 120 of adjacent cells, as shown. However, this supportive rim 130 causes issues when integrating the cells 100 into a battery assembly. Each cell 100 needs to be held by a framework to be located and secured within the battery assembly, and the bulky arrangement of the supportive rim 130 causes issues with providing a suitable space-efficient framework. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1 , the arrangement of the cell 100 provides a limited interface for a coolant system 140 to exchange heat with the cell 100.
With reference to Figure 2A, there is shown a cross section of an improved solid state cell 210 according to an embodiment of the invention. The solid state cell 210 comprises a main body portion 212 having a first thickness T1. The main body portion 212 is formed from a metallic core layer 213, a first plurality of electrode layers 215 disposed on a first side of the metallic core layer 213 and a second plurality of electrode layers 217 disposed on a second side of the metallic core layer 213. The metallic core layer 213 may be formed from any metallic material having sufficient stiffness to provide strength to the cell 210 with good thermal conductivity, as well as sufficient ductility to allow the metallic material to be formed into the metallic core layer 213. It is preferable for the metallic core layer 213 to have a low weight to reduce the weight of the battery. For example, the metallic core layer 213 may be formed from aluminium or an alloy thereof. The thickness T1 of the main body portion 212 is defined in a z direction as illustrated, normal to a plane of each of the layers 213, 215, 217 and extending through each layer 213, 215, 217. The metallic core layer 213 extends beyond a periphery 216 of the main body portion 212 to form a protruding rim 214. The protruding rim 214 of the solid state cell 210 has a second thickness T2 in the z direction less than the first thickness T 1. That is, the metallic protruding rim is thinner than the main body of the cell. Typically, as shown, the protruding rim 214 may have the same thickness as the metallic core layer 213 of the main body portion 212, which can improve the ease of manufacturing the cell as the thickness of the metallic component will be uniform. Uniform pieces are easier to manufacture, for example, through diecasting. However, in other embodiments it can be envisaged that the protruding rim 214 may have a thickness T2 less than the metallic core layer 213 of the main body portion 212, or a thickness T2 greater than the metallic core layer 213 of the main body portion 212. The thickness T2 being less than the thickness T1 provides a means for the cell 210 to be integrated into a frame during assembly into a battery which provides space efficiency, ease of integration, structural integrity for the cell 210 and an efficient thermal interface to a coolant system, as explained with reference to Figure 3 below.
The solid state cell 210 is illustrated in partial cross section in Figure 2A. Although not shown, each layer 213, 215, 217 extends as a plate across the main body portion 212 of the cell 210 in a first (x,y) plane normal to the page. The shape of the cell 210 in the (x,y) plane may typically be quadrilateral, such as a rectangular cell as shown in Figures 5 and 6, however other shapes could be envisaged. The protruding rim 214 of the metallic core layer 213 surrounds the main body portion 212 in the (x,y) plane and thus provides a rim extending around the periphery of the cell 210. As shown in Figure 2A, the entire cell may be surrounded by a cell casing 230. The cell casing 230 acts to protect the cell 210 from damage and comprises a thin polymer layer. The cell casing 230 acts to prevent the external atmosphere contacting the cell which can cause damage through oxidation from atmospheric oxygen and corrosion from atmospheric moisture. The cell casing 230 also acts to contain cell gases produced as a by-product of chemical processes acting in the cell. The cell casing 230 may be applied by heat shrinking the casing 230 around the cell and sealing along a protruding edge 232 about the periphery of the cell 210. The protruding seal 232 may be arranged to extend from the protruding rim 214.
In some embodiments, the solid state cell may have additional structural components. A cross section of a solid state cell 220 according to a second embodiment is illustrated in Figure 2B. The solid state cell 220 comprises a main body portion 222 having a metallic core layer 223 and electrode layers 225, 227 arranged analogously to the cell 210 of Figure 2A. The metallic core layer 223 extends beyond a periphery of the main body portion 222 to form a protruding rim 224 having a thickness less than the thickness of the main body portion 222, again, analogously to Figure 2A. However, the cell 220 of Figure 2B comprises an additional supporting member 228 formed by the metallic core layer 223 disposed between the main body portion 222 and the protruding rim 224. The supporting member 228 has a thickness equal to or greater than the main body portion and acts to provide additional structural support to surround the cell 220 without impacting the ease of integration that is described with reference to the remaining Figures. The metallic core layer 223 may be an integrally formed component across the main body portion 222, supporting member 228 and protruding rim 224 to provide structural integrity across the cell 220.
With reference to Figure 3, there is illustrated a cross-section of a frame 300 for retaining a cell of a vehicle battery according to an embodiment. The frame 300 is illustrated in use retaining a solid state cell of the type of cell 210 described above with reference to Figure 2A, however the frame 300 may also be used to retain different cells, such as cells of the type of cell 220 shown in Figure 2B.
The frame 300 comprises a first member 310 and a second member 320 which act to co-operate to clamp the protruding rim 214 to retain the cell 210 in a battery assembly. The members 310, 320 act to retain the cell through clamping forces applied during construction, providing ease of structural integration. Because the protruding rim 214 has a thickness less than the main body portion, this clamping can also be performed in a space-efficient manner. The protruding rim 214 is robust to withstanding clamping forces due to its metallic construction. The frame 300 can directly interface with the cell to provide a robust and stiff structure which can keep the cell rigid and robust to vibration.
The first member 310 and second member 320 are illustrated in cross-sectional view. Each of the first member 310 and second member 320 comprises a beam or other supporting structure. The members 310, 320 may extend along the length of the protruding rim around the entire periphery of the cell 210 to provide a stiff and rigid structure around the entirety of the cell. However, in other embodiments the first member 310 and second member 320 may only extend along a portion of the protruding rim 214, for example along one side of the cell 210, or two sides of the cell 210. The first member 310 comprises a first joining portion 312 and a first clamping portion 314. Each of the first joining portion 312 and first clamping portion 314 are located on a first side of the first member 310 and extend along a length of the first member. The first clamping portion 314 is located along an inner edge of the first side proximate to the cell 210 in use, and the first joining portion 312 is located along an outer edge of the first side.
Likewise, the second member 320 comprises a second joining portion 322 and a second clamping portion 324. Each of the second joining portion 322 and second clamping portion 324 are located on a second side of the second member 320 and extend along a length of the second member. The second clamping portion 324 is located along an inner edge of the second side proximate to the cell 210 in use, and the second joining portion 322 is located along an outer edge of the second side.
The first member 310 and the second member 320 have a complementary shape and are arranged to co-operate to retain the protruding rim 214 of the cell 210 between the first clamping portion 314 and the second clamping portion 324. In use, the cell 210 is placed such that the protruding rim extends along the second clamping portion 320. The first member is then placed such that the first clamping portion 314 sits along the protruding rim 214. The first joining portion 312 is then secured to the second joining portion 322 which causes a clamping force to be applied to the protruding rim 214 through the clamping portions 314, 324. This is achieved by joining the first joining portion 312 to the second joining portion 314 and applying a securing means to secure the parts together. For example, suitable securing means may include a clip, a weld, a bolt, or any other suitable securing mechanism.
The first joining portion 312 protrudes from the first side of the first member and the second joining portion protrudes partially from the second side of the second member. These protrusions are shaped and dimensioned such that when the first joining portion 312 and the second joining portion 322 are joined together, a spacing is provided between the first and second clamping portions 314, 324 for receiving the protruding rim 214 of the cell 210. Thus, the clamping portions 314, 324 define opposing sides of a recess arranged to house the protruding rim 214 and apply the clamping force to the protruding rim 214. The dimensions of the joining portions 312, 322 can thus be tailored depending on the thickness T2 of the protruding rim 214 to ensure that the recess is deep enough to house the rim 214 but narrow enough that a sufficient clamping force is applied when the joining portions are secured together. In this way, no additional mechanism needs to be supplied to secure the cells within the frame 300 because the construction of the frame 300 itself supplies the clamping force to the cells 210 to rigidly secure them.
The first joining portion 312 and the second joining portion 322 are arranged to interlock or tesselate along the length of each of the members 310, 320 to form an interlocked joining portion when assembled. This interlock provides additional structural support between the members 310, 320 and ease of alignment during assembly of the frame 300. The interlock can be provided by shaping each of the joining portions 312, 322 with a complementary shape, such as the stepped shape shown in Figure 3. The interlocked joining portion is further shaped to provide a gap or recess to house the seal 232. The depth of this gap is determined by the height of each of the steps of the joining portions and should be sufficiently deep to house the seal without applying stress to the seal. Thus, even when the first and second joining portions are secured together in use, the shaping may leave a recess for the seal 232 such that no clamping force is applied to the seal 232 in order to protect the seal from damage which could compromise the function of the cell casing.
Efficient temperature control of cells by a coolant system of a vehicle can be particularly important for solid state cells such as the cells 210 and 220, because solid state cells have a low tolerance to low temperatures. To provide an efficient transfer of heat between a coolant system and the cell 210, the first member 310 of the frame 300 defines a first channel 316 for a flow of coolant. The first channel 316 is connected, in use, to a coolant system of the vehicle such that coolant is supplied to the first member 310 and flows through the first channel 316 to heat or cool the cell 210. By integrating the first channel 316 for the flow of coolant into the frame 300, the frame 300 can provide a dual function of structural support and an efficient heat transfer mechanism, as the cell is clamped by the frame 300 providing a reliable thermal path. The first clamping portion 314 thus acts as a thermal interface between the cell 210 and the first channel 316. Because the clamping force is applied by the first clamping portion 314, the thermal path is reliable and so it is possible to avoid the need to use any thermal interface material (TIM) at the interface. Furthermore, the protruding rim 214 which is clamped by the first clamping portion 314 is metallic and extends through the center of the main body portion 212 of the cell. As metallic materials are good conductors of heat, there is an efficient thermal path directly from the first channel 316 right to a core of the cell 210.
The first channel 316 is connected, in use, to a coolant system of the vehicle via a conduit system. To heat the cell 210, warm coolant fluid is supplied through the conduit system to the first channel 316 by the coolant system of the vehicle. A temperature gradient causes heat from the coolant fluid to be conducted across the first clamping portion to the protruding rim and along the metallic core layer 213 into the main body portion 212 of the cell to heat the electrode layers 215, 217. The chilled coolant fluid is then directed away from the cell back through the conduit system.
Conversely, to cool the cell, chilled coolant fluid is supplied to the first channel 316 by the coolant system of the vehicle via the conduit system. A temperature gradient causes heat from the electrode layers 215, 217 of the cell to be conducted through the metallic core layer 213 to the protruding rim 214 and across the first clamping portion 314 to warm the coolant fluid in the first channel 316. The warmed coolant fluid is then directed away from the cell through the conduit system to be chilled by the coolant system.
The second member 320 of the frame 300 defines a second channel 326 for a flow of coolant. The second channel 326 is connected, in use, to the coolant system of the vehicle analogously to the first channel 316. The second clamping portion 324 acts as a thermal interface between the cell 210 and the second channel 326. The second channel 326 functions as described for the first channel 316. As the thermal interface of the second clamping portion 324 is on an opposite side of the protruding rim 214 to the thermal interface of the first clamping portion 314, thermal contact between the cell 210 and the coolant system is provided on both sides of the protruding rim 214. This provides the benefit of increasing the surface area available for heat transfer and so increasing the efficiency of the heating or cooling of the cells. Furthermore, since the channels are contained within the members 310, 320, no additional space is required to implement the channels, providing a space efficient framework for securing and cooling or warming the cells.
The frame 300 can be modular. This modularity is achieved by shaping the first member 310 with a corresponding shape to the second member 320 as illustrated in Figure 3. That is, a first side of the second member corresponds to the first side of the first member 310, and a second side of the first member 310 corresponds to the second side of the second member 320. Thus, the frame 300 can be made easily scalable and configurable for different assembly sizes.
With reference to Figure 4, there is illustrated a cross-section of another frame 400 according to an embodiment of the invention. The frame 400 is arranged to secure two cells, a first cell 410 and a second cell 420. Each cell 410, 420 is shown to be of the type of cell 210, however as discussed with reference to Figure 3, the frame 400 may be used to secure other cells, such as cells of the type of cell 220.
The frame 400 comprises a first member 310 and a second member 320 which co-operate to retain the first cell 410 as described with reference to Figure 3. The frame 400 further comprises a third member 430.
To provide modularity, each of the first to third members have the same shape to facilitate stacking in any order. Thus, the first side of the second member 320 has a corresponding shape to the first side of the first member 310. The second member 320 therefore comprises a further joining portion 422 and a further clamping portion 424 disposed on the first side of the second member 320 opposite the second side. The further joining portion 422 is shaped analogously to the first joining portion 312 of the first member 310, and the further clamping portion 424 is shaped analogously to the first clamping portion 314 of the first member 310.
The third member 430 comprises a third joining portion 431 and a third clamping portion 432 disposed on a second side of the third member 430 and shaped analogously to the second joining portion 321 and second clamping portion 322 of the second member 320. The second member 320 and third member 430 are therefore arranged to co-operate to retain the protruding rim of the second cell 420 through a clamping force applied in the same way as has been described with reference to Figure 3.
Thus, in use, the first member 310, the second member 320 and the third member 430 are stacked in the z dimension to retain the first cell 410 and the second cell 420 in a stack in the z dimension. Notably, a depth of the second member 320 in the z dimension defines a spacing 440 in use between the first cell 410 and the second cell 420. Such a spacing should be provided to minimise cell damage and provide spacing to facilitate cell expansion over the lifetime of the cells 410, 420. However, within that requirement, the spacing should be kept small to improve space efficiency. A suitable range of depths for the spacing 440 may typically be 15% to 20% of a height of the first or second cell 420 in the z dimension. For example, if each of the cells 410, 420 has a height of 10mm in the z dimension, the spacing 440 may be between 1.5mm to 2mm. This range ensures sufficient space for cell expansion whilst maintaining space efficiency. Thus, the depth of the members 310, 320, 430 can be tailored to achieve this desired spacing depending on the thickness of the cells 410, 420.
Furthermore, the third member 430 defines a third channel 436 for a flow of coolant. The third channel 436 is connected, in use, to the coolant system of the vehicle analogously to the first channel 316 and second channel 326. The third clamping portion 434 acts as a thermal interface between the protruding rim of the second cell 420 and the third channel 436 to heat or cool the second cell 420. A thermal interface is also provided between the protruding rim of the second cell 420 and the second channel 326 via the further clamping portion 424 of the second member 320. Thus, as for the first cell 410, the second cell 420 is provided with an efficient thermal path on each side of the protruding rim. The arrows illustrated on Figure 4 show an example thermal path between the core of each of the first and second cells 410, 420 and the first to third channels.
The frame 300, 400 is used to retain one or more cells 210 in a battery subassembly. With reference to Figure 5, there is illustrated a battery subassembly 500 according to an embodiment of the invention during a construction phase.
The battery subassembly 500 comprises a frame including a first member 510. The first member 510 may be arranged as described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. As discussed, the first member 510 is shaped to surround a periphery of at least one cell 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the first member 510 extends around the periphery of three cells 210, however it will be appreciated that the first member 510 may be shaped differently to retain a different number of cells. Each cell 210 is placed in a respective location on the first member such that the protruding rim of each cell 210 runs along the first clamping portion of the first member 510 (not shown in this diagram).
Figure 6 illustrates the battery subassembly in a constructed state. The frame comprises a second member 520 which is also arranged as described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 and has the same shape as the first member 510. The second member is placed in the battery sub-assembly such that the second clamping portion of the second member 520 runs along the protruding rim of each cell 210 on the opposite side to the first member 510. Then, the first joining portion of the first member 510 is secured to the second joining portion of the second member 520, to provide a clamping force to retain each of the cells 210 securely between the first member 510 and the second member 520. Additional layers may be added to the battery subassembly by adding additional layers of cells and additional members to the frame. Multiple battery sub-assemblies may then be combined to form a battery module by electrically connecting the cells 210 of each sub-assembly. With reference to Figure 7, the battery sub-assembly 500 may be installed in a vehicle 700 to power a traction motor of the vehicle 700. The vehicle 700 may be any electric vehicle (EV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) having a traction battery. It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1 . A frame for retaining at least one cell of a vehicle battery, the frame comprising: a first member comprising a first joining portion and a first clamping portion; and a second member comprising a second joining portion and a second clamping portion; wherein the first member and second member are arranged to co-operate, in use, to retain a first cell of the vehicle battery between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion through a clamping force applied by securing the first joining portion to the second joining portion; and wherein the first member defines a first channel through the first member for a flow of coolant.
2. A frame according to claim 1 , wherein when the first joining portion and the second joining portion are secured together, the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion define opposing sides of a recess arranged to house a periphery of the first cell and apply the clamping force to the periphery of the first cell.
3. A frame according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the first joining portion and the second joining portion protrudes from the first member or the second member such that in use, the joining portions provide a spacing between the first and second clamping portions for receiving the first cell.
4. A frame according to any preceding claim, wherein: the first joining portion and the first clamping portion are each disposed on a first side of the first member; the second joining portion and the second clamping portion are each disposed on a second side of the second member; and the second member comprises a further joining portion and a further clamping portion disposed on a first side of the second member opposite the second side.
5. A frame according to claim 4, wherein the frame comprises a third member comprising a third joining portion and a third clamping portion, and wherein the second member is arranged to co-operate, in use, with the third member to retain a second cell of the vehicle battery between the third clamping portion and the further clamping portion of the second member through a clamping force applied by securing the further joining portion of the second member to the third joining portion of the third member.
6. A frame according to claim 5, wherein in use, the first member, the second member and the third member are stacked in a first dimension to retain the first cell and the second cell in a stack in the first dimension.
7. A frame according to claim 6, wherein a depth of the second member provides a spacing in use between the first cell and the second cell.
8. A frame according to any preceding claim, wherein each of the first member and the second member are arranged to extend around a periphery of the first cell.
9. A frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the first clamping portion provides a thermal interface between the first cell and the first channel.
10. A frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the second member defines a second channel through the second member for the flow of coolant and wherein the second clamping portion provides a thermal interface between the first cell and the second channel.
11. A frame according to any preceding claim, wherein the first cell comprises a main body and a metallic core layer extending through the main body and beyond a periphery of the main body to form a protruding rim, wherein the protruding rim has a thickness less than a thickness of the main body; and wherein the first member and the second member are arranged to co-operate, in use, to retain the protruding rim of the first cell between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion.
12. A solid state cell for a vehicle battery, the solid state cell comprising: a main body portion having a first thickness, the main body portion comprising a metallic core layer, a first plurality of electrode layers disposed on a first side of the metallic core layer, and a second plurality of electrode layers disposed on a second side of the metallic core layer opposite the first side; wherein the metallic core layer extends beyond a periphery of the main body portion to form a protruding rim having a second thickness less than the first thickness.
13. A battery subassembly for a vehicle, the battery subassembly comprising: a solid state cell according to claim 12; and a frame according to any of claims 1 to 11 arranged to retain the protruding rim of the solid state cell between the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion through a clamping force applied by securing the first joining portion to the second joining portion.
14. A battery module for a vehicle, the battery module comprising at least: a first battery subassembly according to claim 13; and a second battery subassembly according to claim 13; wherein the first battery subassembly and second battery subassembly are stacked along a first dimension and wherein the solid state cell of the first battery subassembly is electrically connected to the solid state cell of the second battery subassembly.
15. A vehicle comprising a frame according to any of claims 1 to 11, a solid state cell according to claim 12, a battery subassembly according to claim 13, a battery module according to claim 14 or a vehicle battery pack comprising a plurality of battery modules according to claim 14.
EP24711488.7A 2023-03-10 2024-03-11 Frame for vehicle battery Pending EP4677672A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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GB2303506.6A GB2627978A (en) 2023-03-10 2023-03-10 Frame for vehicle battery
PCT/EP2024/056342 WO2024188929A1 (en) 2023-03-10 2024-03-11 Frame for vehicle battery

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EP4677672A1 true EP4677672A1 (en) 2026-01-14

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GB202303506D0 (en) 2023-04-26
GB2627978A (en) 2024-09-11

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