Battery pack

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery pack (10). A battery pack (10) includes: a plurality of battery cells (22) electrically coupled to each other; a BMS module (50) adapted to manage the plurality of battery cells (22); a housing (20) adapted to accommodate a plurality of battery cells (22); a top cover (30) adapted to cover the housing (20) and house the BMS module (50); and a heat sink (40) in thermal contact with the BMS module (50). The heat sink (40) is mounted on at least a first portion (57) of the BMS module (50) and embedded in the top cover (30), or the heat sink (40) is integrally overmolded in at least a second portion (37) of the top cover (30). The heat sink (40) is adapted to dissipate heat from the BMS module (50) to the outside of the housing (20) and the top cover (30).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a battery pack, and more particularly, to a top cover, a BMS module, and a heat sink of the battery pack. Background Art

[0002] Advances in electric and hybrid electric vehicle technology have ushered in a new era in which cars run on stored electrical energy. Typically, a battery pack serves as the energy source for an electric vehicle. A battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells that are electrically connected to each other. A battery management system (BMS) plays an important role in managing a battery pack and monitoring its health. A BMS is an electronic system that manages a rechargeable battery pack and protects the battery pack by preventing the battery pack from operating outside its safe operating range, monitoring its status, calculating secondary data, reporting collected data, controlling its environment, authenticating and / or balancing it, etc. The BMS monitors the voltage, charging current, temperature, charging status, etc. of the battery cells of the battery pack to ensure the effective operation and service life of the battery pack.

[0003] The BMS is composed of many electronic components that generate heat during operation. As long as the battery pack is running, the BMS will keep running. Thus, during the vehicle driving state when the battery pack discharges energy, or during the vehicle charging state when the battery pack accumulates energy, the BMS is running and generates a lot of heat. The BMS is conventionally a printed circuit board (PCB) in which various electrical and electronic components, including metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), are embedded. The various electrical and electronic components embedded in the BMS heat up and release heat during the operation of the BMS. In addition, the battery cells of the battery pack also generate heat while in operation, and increase the heat generated by the BMS, resulting in heat accumulation in the battery pack. This brings the risk of failure of the entire battery pack. In order for the battery pack to operate safely and reliably, the BMS must be maintained within its safe temperature limits. Otherwise, it may cause BMS failure, thereby affecting the service life of the battery pack. BMS failure may even cause fatal accidents, endangering the lives of vehicle operators and passengers.

[0004] In existing designs, the heat sink can be located in the battery pack by mounting it on the PCB of the BMS. However, the entire assembly of the heat sink and the BMS will be located inside the battery pack surrounded by entrapped air. Air is a very poor thermal conductor and does not allow heat to dissipate from the heat sink, thereby collecting and increasing the heat accumulation in the BMS. Further, the battery pack, which is hermetically sealed for safety reasons, is also not conducive to efficient heat dissipation. The hot air remains stagnant inside the battery pack as entrapped hot air. Over time, the heat sink becomes less effective in dissipating the heat generated in the BMS, and the temperature of the battery pack as well as the BMS also increases due to the surrounding entrapped hot air. Further, the higher temperature in the battery pack negatively affects multiple battery cells of the battery pack, reducing battery pack performance and leading to customer dissatisfaction.

[0005] Likewise, the battery pack's housings and covers for the battery cells are typically made of resin materials and therefore do not conduct heat effectively. As a result, the entire battery pack continues to heat up during vehicle operation and charging, resulting in very high temperatures and longer cooling times. Other obvious solutions to this problem are to change the material used for the battery pack housing and its cover to metal and / or use fans for cooling. However, this results in a heavier battery pack and higher power consumption, and the addition of more parts results in an increase in the overall cost of the battery pack. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the heat generated by the BMS is effectively dissipated to the surrounding environment outside the battery pack in an efficient manner to avoid failure of the BMS and the battery pack.

[0006] Thus, there is a need in the art for a battery pack having an efficient and inexpensive heat dissipation mechanism for a BMS of the battery pack that solves at least the above-mentioned problems. Summary of the invention

[0007] In one aspect, the present invention relates to a battery pack. The battery pack includes a plurality of battery cells electrically connected to each other and a BMS module suitable for managing the plurality of battery cells. The battery pack is provided with a housing suitable for containing the plurality of battery cells and a top cover suitable for covering the housing. The top cover is further suitable for accommodating the BMS module and a radiator. The radiator is suitable for dissipating heat from the BMS module to the outside of the housing and the top cover. The radiator is in thermal contact with at least a first portion of the BMS module. In one embodiment, the radiator is mounted on at least a first portion of the BMS module and embedded in the top cover. In another embodiment, the radiator is integrally overmolded in at least a second portion of the top cover.

[0008] In another embodiment, the housing includes a base portion and four side surfaces. The four side surfaces extend orthogonally from the edges of the base portion to form the housing. A top cover is disposed opposite to the base portion to cover the housing.

[0009] In another embodiment, the plurality of battery cells are stacked in a row such that the length of the plurality of battery cells is parallel to the base portion and the top cover of the housing. Likewise, the width of each of the plurality of battery cells is parallel to any of the sides of the housing. In one embodiment, the BMS module is disposed adjacent to the distal row of the plurality of battery cells.

[0010] In yet another embodiment, the top cover includes a cutout adapted to receive the heat sink and a corresponding gasket. The gasket is adapted to prevent water and dust from entering the housing through the cutout of the top cover. In one embodiment, the heat sink is fixed in the cutout of the top cover, and the gasket is fixed to the periphery of the cutout.

[0011] In yet another embodiment, the heat sink includes an inner surface disposed on the BMS module and an outer surface exposed to the outside of the housing. The inner surface is thermally coupled to the BMS module. The outer surface is adapted to dissipate heat to the atmosphere outside the housing and is provided with a plurality of fins exposed to the outside of the housing. In one embodiment, the plurality of fins are pin-shaped fins. In another embodiment, the heat sink has a substantially T-shaped profile when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the top cover.

[0012] In yet another embodiment, the BMS module includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components connected to each other for controlling the operation of the battery pack. In addition, the base member has a first surface facing the plurality of battery cells and a second surface opposite to the first surface facing the top cover.

[0013] In one embodiment, the heat sink is mounted on the base member of the BMS module such that an inner face of the heat sink is in thermal contact with the second surface of the base member.

[0014] In another embodiment, a plurality of heat dissipating electronic components of the BMS module are mounted on at least a portion of a first surface of the base member opposite to an inner surface of the heat sink. Heat generated in the plurality of heat dissipating electronic components is dissipated to the heat sink.

[0015] In yet another embodiment, the heat sink is made of a metal material, and the top cover is made of a resin material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Reference will be made to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These drawings are intended to be illustrative, not restrictive. Although the present invention is generally described in the context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to these specific embodiments.

[0017] Figure 1 A top perspective view of an exemplary battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0018] Figure 2 A top view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0019] Figure 3 A side elevation view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0020] Figure 4 The embodiment according to the present invention is illustrated in Figure 2 0010 is a cross-sectional view of the top portion of the battery pack as viewed along the Z-axis of the battery pack at the plane A indicated in .

[0021] Figure 5 The embodiment according to the present invention is illustrated in Figure 2 Another cross-sectional view of the top portion of the battery pack as viewed along the X-axis of the battery pack at plane B indicated in FIG.

[0022] Figure 6 A top perspective view of an exemplary top cover of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0023] Figure 7 An exploded view of a top cover of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0024] Figure 8 A top perspective view of an exemplary heat sink for a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0025] Fig. 9 The embodiment according to the present invention is illustrated in Figure 2 Schematic cross-sectional view of the top portion of the battery pack as viewed along the X-axis of the battery pack at the plane B indicated in . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Various features and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the further description of the invention as set forth below. The present invention generally relates to a battery pack, and more particularly to a top cover, a BMS module and a heat sink of the battery pack.

[0027] Figure 1 A top perspective view of an exemplary battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is illustrated. The battery pack 10 includes a plurality of battery cells 22 (eg, Figure 4 In one embodiment, the plurality of battery cells 22 may be grouped into one or more battery modules of the battery pack 10. The illustrated embodiment indicates an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis of the battery pack 10. Figure 2 illustrates a top view of a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present subject matter, Figure 3 A side elevation view of the battery pack 10 is illustrated. Figure 2, two imaginary planes A and B are defined along the Y axis of the battery pack 10 for dividing the battery pack 10 into sections. Plane A is parallel to the X axis of the battery pack 10, and plane B is parallel to the Z axis of the battery pack 10 accordingly. Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The battery pack 10 includes a housing 20 and a top cover 30, and the housing 20 is suitable for containing a plurality of battery cells 22. The top cover 30 is suitable for covering the housing 20 from the top portion. In one embodiment, the housing 20 is in a cubic shape. The housing 20 includes a base portion 24 and four side surfaces 26 extending orthogonally from the edge of the base portion 24. The housing 20 is open at the top portion opposite to the base portion 24, so that the plurality of battery cells 22 and other electrical and electronic components of the battery pack 10 are received in the housing 20 via the open top portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the top cover 30 is disposed opposite to the base portion 24 to cover the housing 20 at the open top portion of the housing 20. Further, the Y axis of the battery pack 10 is perpendicular to the base portion 24 and the top cover 30. In another embodiment, the four side surfaces 26 extending orthogonally from the edge of the base portion 24 of the housing 20 are suitable for receiving the top cover 30 and fixing the top cover 30 to the housing 20. In yet another embodiment, the housing 20 and the top cover 30 are made of a resin material.

[0028] Figure 4 The embodiment according to the present subject is illustrated in Figure 2 , a cross-sectional view of the top portion of the battery pack 10 as viewed along the Z-axis of the battery pack 10 at the plane A indicated in . A plurality of battery cells 22 are stacked in a plurality of rows. The plurality of battery cells 22 are stacked so that the lengths of the plurality of battery cells 22 are parallel to the base portion 24 and the top cover 30 of the housing 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the lengths of the plurality of battery cells 22 are parallel to the Z-axis of the battery pack 10. Further, the width W of each of the plurality of battery cells 22 is parallel to any one of the sides 26 of the housing 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the width W of each of the plurality of battery cells 22 is parallel to a shorter pair of sides of the four sides 26 of the housing 20, i.e., the width W of each of the plurality of battery cells 22 is parallel to the X-axis of the battery pack 10. In another embodiment, the BMS module 50 is disposed adjacent to the distal row 23 of the plurality of battery cells 22 in the battery pack 10.

[0029] Figure 5 The embodiment according to the present subject is illustrated in Figure 2, a cross-sectional view of the top portion of the battery pack 10 observed along the X-axis of the battery pack 10 at the plane B indicated in FIG. The battery pack 10 includes a BMS module 50 suitable for managing a plurality of battery cells 22. The BMS module 50 monitors the voltage, charging current, temperature, charging state, etc. of the plurality of battery cells 22 and maintains them within a safe operating range to ensure the effective operation and service life of the plurality of battery cells 22 and the battery pack 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the BMS module 50 is housed in the top cover 30. The battery pack 10 includes a heat sink 40 in thermal contact with at least a first portion 57 of the BMS module 50. The heat sink 40 is suitable for dissipating heat from the BMS module 50 to the outside of the housing 20 and the top cover 30. In one embodiment, the heat sink 40 includes an inner face 42 disposed on the BMS module 50. The inner face 42 of the heat sink 40 is also thermally coupled to the BMS module 50 so as to conduct heat away from the BMS module 50 to the body of the heat sink 40. The heat sink 40 further includes an outer face 44 having a plurality of fins 46. The plurality of fins 46 are exposed to the outside of the housing 20 and the top cover 30 and are adapted to dissipate heat to the atmosphere outside the housing 20 and the top cover 30. Thus, the heat generated in the BMS module 50 is transferred to the heat sink 40 via the plurality of fins 46 and effectively dissipated to the atmosphere outside the housing 20 and the top cover 30.

[0030] In one embodiment, the BMS module 50 includes a base member 51 having a plurality of electrical and electronic components interconnected therewith for controlling the operation of the battery pack 10. The base member 51 is a printed circuit board (PCB) in which a plurality of electrical and electronic components, including a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), are embedded. In the illustrated embodiment, the base member 51 includes a first surface 52 facing a plurality of battery cells 22 and a second surface 54 opposite to the first surface 52. The second surface 54 faces the top cover 30. In one embodiment, the heat sink 40 is mounted on the base member 51 of the BMS module 50, and the inner surface 42 of the heat sink 40 is in thermal contact with the second surface 54 of the base member 51. In another embodiment, the heat sink 40 is mounted only on a portion of the base member 51, and a plurality of electrical and electronic components are mounted on the remaining area of ​​the base member 51. Thermally conductive paste may be applied at the interface between the second surface 54 of the base member 51 and the inner surface 42 of the heat sink 40 for effective heat dissipation.

[0031] Figure 6 A top perspective view of an exemplary top cover 30 of a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is illustrated. The heat sink 40 is integrally overmolded in at least a second portion 37 of the top cover 30. This ensures that the top cover 30 and the heat sink 40 form an integral unit without any gap in between, thereby allowing a hermetically sealed assembly of the battery pack 10.

[0032] Figure 7 An exploded view of the top cover 30 of the battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is illustrated. The heat sink 40 is mounted on at least a first portion 57 (eg, Figure 5 The top cover 30 is provided with a heat sink 40 and a gasket (not shown). In one embodiment, the top cover 30 includes a cutout 32 adapted to receive a heat sink 40 and a gasket (not shown). The heat sink 40 is fixed in the cutout 32 of the top cover 30. The gasket is fixed to the periphery of the cutout 32, and the gasket is adapted to prevent water, dust, and any foreign particles from entering the housing 20 through the cutout 32 of the top cover 30. In this case, the top cover 30 is molded separately from the heat sink 40, and they are mechanically assembled by installing the heat sink 40 in the cutout 32. The gasket helps to waterproof the battery pack 10 on the side of the top cover 30. In yet another embodiment, an adhesive is used to glue the heat sink 40 to the top cover 30 so as to be disposed in the cutout 32. The adhesive achieves the purpose of fixing the heat sink 40 to the top cover 30, and also seals the edges of the cutout 32 to hermetically seal the interface.

[0033] Figure 8 A top perspective view of an exemplary heat sink 40 of a battery pack 10 according to an embodiment of the present subject matter is illustrated. In one embodiment, the heat sink 40 has a substantially T-shaped profile (also in FIG. Figure 2 ). The T-shaped profile of the heat sink 40 is designed to provide effective heat dissipation from the BMS module 50 without compromising the strength and integrity of the top cover 30. In another embodiment, the plurality of fins 46 on the outer face 44 of the heat sink 40 are pin-shaped fins. The pin-shaped fins provide more heat dissipation surface area, thereby improving the efficiency of cooling the BMS module. In yet another embodiment, the heat sink 40 is constructed of a metal material. Preferably, a metal material that is thermally conductive and lightweight, such as aluminum, is preferred. By ensuring that the fins 46 of the heat sink 40 are exposed outside the battery pack 10, effective cooling of the BMS module 50 is achieved because the fins 46 can directly conduct, convect, and radiate the accumulated heat to the environment outside the battery pack 10.

[0034] Fig. 9 The embodiment according to the present subject is illustrated in Figure 2Schematic cross-sectional view of the top portion of the battery pack 10 observed along the X-axis of the battery pack 10 at the plane B indicated in . A plurality of heat dissipating electronic components 56 of the BMS module 50 are mounted on at least a portion of the first surface 52 of the base member 51 for dissipating the heat generated in the plurality of heat dissipating electronic components 56 to the heat sink 40. Thus, the plurality of heat dissipating electronic components 56 of the BMS module 50 are mounted opposite to the inner surface 42 of the heat sink 40, and the heat generated in the plurality of heat dissipating electronic components 56 is transferred to the second surface 54 of the base member 51 through the BMS module 50 to be dissipated to the heat sink 40. In one embodiment, the plurality of heat dissipating electronic components 56 may be mounted on the second surface 54 of the base member 51 on the same side as the inner surface 42 of the heat sink. In one embodiment, the plurality of heat dissipating electronic components 56 are composed of MOSFETs. Since MOSFETs are the main source of heat generation in the BMS module 50, they generate the maximum heat energy that needs to be dissipated.

[0035] Advantageously, the present invention provides an improved design of a battery pack and a top cover for a housing of the battery pack, wherein a heat sink is provided in the top cover to effectively dissipate heat generated mainly in the BMS module of the battery pack to the external surrounding environment. The present invention provides a direct conduction path from the heat source (i.e., the BMS module) to the surrounding environment through the heat sink. This achieves effective and efficient heat dissipation. Since the heat sink is integrated with the top cover of the battery pack, the number of component sub-parts required for the heat sink assembly in the battery pack is reduced. This leads to a reduction in the overall weight and cost of the battery pack. The efficient heat dissipation of the heat sink prevents heat from being trapped within the boundaries of the battery pack and ensures that the battery system operates at the expected operating temperature, thereby ensuring safety while leading to an improvement in product life, durability and performance. Further, the present invention proposes effective passive cooling of the BMS module, thereby eliminating the need for any external active energy source for cooling the BMS module. Thus, the claimed mechanism is simple and economical. The integration of the heat sink with the top cover forms a subassembly, which makes the assembly process easier. Since the claimed system efficiently dissipates heat, the thermal mass required for the heat sink is also relatively small.

[0036] The claimed configuration of the battery pack as discussed above is not conventional, traditional or well-known in the art because the claimed configuration of the battery pack achieves a solution to the problems existing in the conventional technology. Specifically, the present invention achieves effective heat dissipation of heat generated mainly in the BMS module of the battery pack. It provides a direct conduction path from the heat source (i.e., the BMS module) to the surrounding environment through the heat sink. This achieves effective and efficient heat dissipation. The efficient heat dissipation of the radiator prevents heat from being trapped within the boundaries of the battery pack and ensures that the battery system operates at the expected operating temperature, thereby ensuring safety while leading to improvements in product service life, durability and performance.

[0037] While the present invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

[0038] List of reference numerals:

[0039] 10-Battery Pack

[0040] 20- Shell

[0041] 22-Multiple battery cells

[0042] 23- Distal row of multiple battery cells in a battery pack

[0043] 24-base portion of the housing

[0044] 26- Shell side

[0045] 30-Top cover

[0046] 32-cutout for top cover

[0047] 37-Second part of the top cover

[0048] 40-Radiator

[0049] 42-Inner surface of radiator

[0050] 44-Outside of radiator

[0051] 46-Multiple Fins

[0052] 50-BMS module

[0053] 51-Base components of BMS module

[0054] 52-First surface of the base member

[0055] 54-Second surface of the base member

[0056] 56-BMS module heat dissipation electronic components

[0057] 57-BMS module part 1

[0058] W - width of each battery cell in the plurality of battery cells

[0059] X, Y, Z - Axis of the battery pack

[0060] A, B - imaginary planes defined for the cross-sectional division of the battery pack.

Claims

1. A battery pack (10), comprising: A plurality of battery cells (22), the plurality of battery cells (22) being electrically coupled to each other; A BMS module (50) configured to manage the plurality of battery cells (22); a housing (20), the housing (20) being configured to accommodate the plurality of battery cells (22); a top cover (30) configured to cover the housing (20) and accommodate the BMS module (50); and A heat sink (40) in thermal contact with at least a first portion (57) of the BMS module (50), wherein the heat sink (40) is in one of the following situations: mounted on the at least one first portion (57) of the BMS module (50) and embedded in the top cover (30); and integrally overmolded in at least a second portion (37) of the top cover (30), The heat sink (40) is configured to dissipate heat from the BMS module (50) to the outside of the housing (20) and the top cover (30).

2. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The housing (20) includes: a base portion (24); and four side surfaces (26), wherein the four side surfaces (26) extend orthogonally from edges of the base portion (24) to form the housing (20).

3. The battery pack (10) according to claim 2, wherein: The top cover (30) is disposed opposite to the base portion (24) to cover the housing (20).

4. The battery pack (10) according to claim 3, wherein: The plurality of battery cells (22) are stacked in a row, the length of the plurality of battery cells (22) is parallel to the base portion (24) and the top cover (30) of the housing (20), and the width (W) of each of the plurality of battery cells (22) is parallel to any one of the side surfaces (26).

5. The battery pack (10) according to claim 4, wherein: The BMS module (50) is disposed adjacent to a distal row (23) of the plurality of battery cells (22).

6. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The top cover (30) includes a cutout (32) configured to receive the heat sink (40) and a gasket.

7. The battery pack (10) according to claim 6, wherein: The heat sink (40) is fixed in the cutout (32) of the top cover (30), and the gasket is fixed around the cutout (32), the gasket being configured to prevent water and dust from entering the housing (20) through the cutout (32).

8. The battery pack (10) according to claim 1, wherein: The radiator (40) comprises: an inner surface (42) disposed on the BMS module (50) and thermally coupled to the BMS module (50); and An outer face (44) having a plurality of fins (46) exposed to the exterior of the housing (20) and configured to dissipate heat to the atmosphere outside the housing (20).

9. The battery pack (10) according to claim 8, wherein: The plurality of fins (46) are pin-shaped fins.

10. The battery pack (10) according to claim 3, wherein: When viewed in a direction perpendicular to the top cover (30), the heat sink (40) has a substantially T-shaped profile.

11. The battery pack (10) according to claim 5, wherein: The BMS module (50) comprises: a base member (51) having a plurality of electric and electronic components interconnected to control the operation of the battery pack (10); wherein: The first surface (52) of the base member (51) faces the plurality of battery cells (22); and The second surface (54) of the base member (51) is opposite to the first surface (52) and faces the top cover (30).

12. The battery pack (10) according to claim 11, wherein: The heat sink (40) is mounted on the base member (51) of the BMS module (50), and the inner surface (42) of the heat sink (40) is in thermal contact with the second surface (54) of the base member (51).

13. The battery pack (10) as described in claim 12 comprises a plurality of heat dissipating electronic components (56) of the BMS module (50), wherein the plurality of heat dissipating electronic components (56) are mounted on at least a portion of the first surface (52) of the base member (51) opposite to the inner surface (42) of the heat sink (40) for dissipating heat generated in the plurality of heat dissipating electronic components (56) to the heat sink (40).

14. The battery pack (10) of claim 1, wherein: The heat sink (40) is made of metal material, and the top cover (30) is made of resin material.

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