RECEIVING STRUCTURE FOR BATTERY CELLS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A RECEIVING STRUCTURE FOR BATTERY CELLS

Abstract

The present disclosure sets out a receiving structure for battery cells and, in particular for a high-voltage battery for a motor vehicle, the structure including a cell holder made of a foam material with recesses for receiving and fixing the respective battery cells, the cell holder being shaped in such a way that, when the battery cells are arranged in the recesses as intended, at least one region is left free at the respective battery cells, so that an electrically non-conductive cooling medium can flow around this region. The disclosure further sets out a battery and in particular a high-voltage battery for a motor vehicle, having at least one such receiving structure as well as to a method for producing a receiving structure for battery cells.

Claims

1. A receiving structure for at least one of battery cells and a high-voltage battery for a motor vehicle, the receiving structure comprising: a cell holder comprising a foam material with recesses configured for receiving and fixing the battery cells, wherein the cell holder is configured such that when the battery cells are arranged in the recesses, at least one region is recessed at the respective battery cells, so that an electrically non-conductive cooling medium can flow around this region.

2. The receiving structure according to claim 1, wherein the foam is closed-cell.

3. The receiving structure according to claim 1, wherein the foam is a rigid foam.

4. The receiving structure according to claim 1, wherein the foam is self-extinguishing.

5. The receiving structure according to claim 1, wherein the recesses are cylindrical and are configured for radial fixing of the battery cells configured as round cells, wherein at least respective end faces of the round cells are exposed when the round cells are arranged in the recesses.

6. The receiving structure according to claim 1, wherein the receiving structure comprises a cell frame, and wherein the cell holder is arranged at least partially within the cell frame.

7. The receiving structure according to claim 6, wherein the cell frame comprises two frame halves and the cell holder is arranged at least partially in a receiving space enclosed by the frame halves.

8. The receiving structure according to claim 6, wherein the cell frame is configured to be liquid-tight and the cell holder is arranged inside the cell frame comprising connections for supplying and discharging the electrically non-conductive cooling medium.

9. At least one of a battery and a high-voltage battery for a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one receiving structure comprising a cell holder comprising a foam material with recesses configured for receiving and fixing the battery cells, wherein the cell holder is configured such that when the battery cells are arranged in the recesses, at least one region is recessed at the respective battery cells, so that an electrically non-conductive cooling medium can flow around this region, and wherein the at least one receiving structure is configured to receive and fix a plurality of battery cells, and a cooling system configured for cooling the battery cells with an electrically non-conductive cooling medium.

10. The battery according to claim 9, further comprising a liquid-tight housing comprising connections for supplying and discharging the electrically non-conductive cooling medium and wherein the receiving structure is arranged in the liquid-tight housing.

11. A method for producing a receiving structure for at least one of battery cells and a high-voltage battery for a motor vehicle, comprising: producing from a foam material a cell holder comprising recesses configured for receiving and fixing the respective battery cells of the receiving structure, and shaping the cell holder such that when the battery cells are arranged in the recesses, at least one region is left free at the respective battery cells, so that an electrically non-conductive cooling medium can flow around this region.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: manufacturing the cell holder as an individual part from a foam block; and inserting the cell holder into a cell frame of the receiving structure.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: arranging a cell frame of the receiving structure in a foaming tool; and thereafter foaming the foam into the cell frame so as to form the cell holder.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: arranging a first frame half of a cell frame of the receiving structure in a foaming tool; filling the first frame half of the cell frame with the foam so as to form the cell holder in such a way that the foam protrudes over the first frame half; and slipping a second frame half of the cell frame the over the protruding foam and connected the second frame half to the first half.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of: arranging two frame halves of a cell frame of the receiving structure in respective foaming tools; filling the respective forming tools foam so as to form respective parts of the cell holders, filling the frame halves with the foam; and closing and joining the frame halves together.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Further advantages features and details of the various embodiments of this disclosure will become apparent from the ensuing description of a preferred exemplary embodiment and with the aid of the drawings. The features and combinations of features recited below in the description, as well as the features and feature combination shown after that in the drawing description or in the drawings alone, may be used not only in the particular combination recited, but also in other combinations on their own, with departing from the scope of the disclosure.

[0029] In the following, advantageous examples of the invention are explained with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0030] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective exploded view of a receiving structure for battery cells, comprising a cell frame with two frame halves for receiving a cell holder made of a foam material with recesses for receiving and fixing respective battery cells;

[0031] FIG. 2a depicts perspective view of the receiving structure in the assembled state;

[0032] FIG. 3a depicts perspective view of several such recording structures;

[0033] FIG. 4a depicts highly schematized illustration of a battery having a housing within which one or more of the receiving structures can be arranged, and a cooling system for cooling the battery cells.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] As used throughout the present disclosure, unless specifically stated otherwise, the term or encompasses all possible combinations, except where infeasible. For example, the expression A or B shall mean A alone, B alone, or A and B together. If it is stated that a component includes A, B, or C, then, unless specifically stated otherwise or infeasible, the component may include A, or B, or C, or A and B, or A and C, or B and C, or A and B and C. Expressions such as at least one of do not necessarily modify an entirety of the following list and do not necessarily modify each member of the list, such that at least one of A, B, and C should be understood as including only one of A, only one of B, only one of C, or any combination of A, B, and C.

[0035] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded perspective view of a housing structure 10 for battery cells 12. In the case shown here, the battery cells 12 are round cells. However, the following explanations also apply to battery cells of other shapes, for example in the form of prismatic battery cells, pouch cells and the like. In particular, the battery cells 12 may be battery cells for a high-voltage battery of an electrically driven motor vehicle.

[0036] The receiving structure 10 comprises a cell holder 14 made of a foam material, which has respective recesses 16 for receiving and fixing the respective battery cells 12. The cell holder 14 is shaped in such a way that, when the battery cells 12 are arranged in the recesses 16 as intended, at least one region at the respective battery cells 12 is recessed so that an electrically non-conductive cooling medium can flow around the respective regions. In the case shown here, the cell holder 14 serves to receive the battery cells 12 designed as round cells. Accordingly, the recesses 16 are cylindrical in shape and are designed for radial fixing of the battery cells 12 designed as round cells.

[0037] When the battery cells 12, which are designed as round cells, are arranged in the recesses 16 as intended, at least respective end faces 20 are not covered by the cell holder 14. The electrically non-conductive cooling medium, for example in the form of transformer oil, can therefore flow around the respective recessed end faces 20 and thus dissipate excess heat from the battery cells 12. Respective shell surfaces 22 are enclosed by the recesses 16 so that the battery cells 12 remain positioned and fixed within the recesses 16. The recesses 16 may, for example, be dimensioned such that they can frictionally retain the battery cells 12.

[0038] The receiving structure 10 further comprises two frame halves 18, which form an unspecified cell frame. Once the mounting structure 10 is fully assembled, the cell holder 14 is at least partially disposed within the cell frame formed by the two frame halves 18. The two frame halves 18 form an unspecified receiving space for receiving the cell holder 14 when the two frame halves 18 have been assembled together. In a departure from the present embodiment, it is also possible for the cell frame formed from the two frame halves 18 to be fluid-tight and for the cell holder 14 to be disposed entirely within the cell frame formed from the two frame halves 18 when the receiving structure 10 is in its fully assembled state. The cell frame may have connections, not shown here, for supplying and discharging the electrically non-conductive cooling medium.

[0039] The foam from which the cell holder 14 is made can be of closed-cell design so that the foam does not become saturated with the electrically non-conductive cooling medium. In addition, the foam may be a rigid foam. Furthermore, it is possible that the foam is self-extinguishing, so that it has a correspondingly good fire-retardant effect.

[0040] In FIG. 2, the receptacle structure 10 is shown in the fully assembled state. The cell holder 14, which is no longer visible here and is made of the foam material, is now arranged inside the frame halves 18, which have now been assembled to one another and form the cell frame, which is not described in more detail.

[0041] In FIG. 3, several of the fully assembled receptacle structures 10 are shown in a perspective view. The cell holders formed from the frame halves 18 may, for example, be configured such that the respective frame halves 18 can be particularly easily assembled and secured to one another. Thus, it is possible to form several packages in the form of the ready-assembled receiving structures 10 and to mount them on one another in order to form, for example, respective battery modules.

[0042] In FIG. 4, a battery 24, which may be a high-voltage battery for a motor vehicle, is shown in a highly schematized view. The battery 24 may have one or more of the receiving structures 10 in its interior. By means of the receiving structures 10, as previously explained, a plurality of the battery cells 12 are received and fixed. Further, the battery 24 includes a cooling system 26 for cooling the battery cells 12 with the electrically non-conductive cooling fluid. For example, the cooling system 26 may include a pump by means of which the non-conductive cooling fluid may be conveyed through a cooling circuit. This allows the cooling medium to circulate within the battery 24 and remove excess heat from the battery cells 12.

[0043] In addition, the battery 24 may include a fluid-tight housing 28 in which one or more of the receiving structures 10 may be disposed. The housing 28 may include connections for supplying and removing the electrically non-conductive cooling medium, such that the electrically non-conductive cooling medium may be conveyed from the cooling system 26 to the interior of the housing 28 and thus to the battery cells 12 to be cooled, and may be conveyed back out of the housing 28 to remove heat.

[0044] Since the devices and processes described in detail above are exemplary embodiments, they can be modified to a large extent in the usual way by a person skilled in the art without leaving the field of the invention. In particular, the mechanical arrangements and the proportions of the individual elements to each other are simply exemplary. Having described some aspects of the present disclosure in detail, it will be apparent that further modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure. All matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.