Battery spacer

Abstract

A battery spacer 100 for mounting between components of a battery comprising an outer frame 102 and a central aperture 104 for receiving an adhesive component. A wire 110 extends around at least a por

Description

14 04 25 TECHNICAL FIELD 5 The present disclosure relates to a battery spacer. Aspects of the invention relate to a battery spacer, to a battery pack comprising a battery spacer, and to a vehicle comprising a battery pack, as well as to a method of separating components of a battery. BACKGROUND 10 It is known to provide batteries, for example for electric vehicles, which include a number of cells which are arranged in stacks and / or in a module and housed, individually adhered together and provided within a thermal insulator such as expanding foam. Such an arrangement is referred to as a battery pack. The pack arrangement protects the cells from 15 external shocks, heat or vibration. However, in the event that one of the cells within the pack becomes damaged or otherwise reaches the end of its useful life, it is a laborious task to remove a battery module from the battery pack, and so it often becomes necessary to replace the entire battery. 20 It is desirable to recycle the valuable components of a battery at the end of its life. Present methods of recycling are labour and energy intensive. An example of one method involves an operative or team breaking down the battery with tools. A less labour-intensive method involves destroying the battery in a shredder, melting or burning off the less valuable components, such as the housing, and recovering the valuable components, e.g. of the cells 25 and connectors. A disadvantage of this approach is that impurities may be retained within the recovered components. It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. 30 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a battery spacer, a battery pack and a vehicle comprising a battery pack as claimed in the appended claims. 35 14 04 25 According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a battery spacer for mounting in a battery pack, for example for mounting between a first component of the battery pack and a second component of the battery pack. The battery spacer may comprise an outer frame portion and a central aperture for receiving an adhesive component. The battery spacer may 5 comprise a wire located with respect to the outer frame portion such that the wire extends around at least a portion of the central aperture. The wire may be configured to be pulled across at least a portion of the central aperture to cut the adhesive component received within the central aperture. 10 According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a battery spacer for mounting between a first component of a battery pack and a second component of the battery pack, the battery spacer comprising: an outer frame portion and a central aperture for receiving an adhesive component; and a wire located with respect to the outer frame portion such that the wire extends around at least a portion of the central aperture, wherein the wire is 15 configured to be pulled across at least a portion of the central aperture to cut the adhesive component received within the central aperture. The adhesive component holds the first component and the second component together within the battery pack. Passing a wire through the adhesive component at least partially destroys 20 the adhesive component, thereby breaking the connection or joint between the first component and the second component. Such an arrangement advantageously enables the removal of one or more individual components, for example one or more cell stacks or one or more cell modules, from a battery pack. It is, therefore, not necessary to break down or destroy a battery if it is necessary or desirable to remove one or more components from the battery pack, for 25 example if repair or replacement of a component of the battery is required. The arrangement improves the efficiency with which battery components can be recycled. The spacer advantageously ensures that the wire is correctly positioned relative to the adhesive component, occupies minimal space within the battery pack and provides structural support to the first and second components. The free ends of the wire can be manipulated or fitted 30 with handles or other equipment to allow a user to apply force to the wire and therefore the adhesive component. A further benefit of using a wire is that a slicing action can be used to shear the adhesive component, for example into two clean parts. 35 In an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the first component and the second component is a cell stack or a cell module. Each of the first component and the second component may be a cell stack or a cell module. 14 04 25 5 Alternatively, the first component or the second component may be a cell stack or a cell module, and the other of the first component and the second component may be a structural component or a housing member or a battery module or a bracket or a thermal interface layer or a cooling plate of the battery pack. 10 In some embodiments, at least one of the first component and the second component is a structural component or a housing member or a battery module or a bracket or a thermal interface layer or a cooling plate of the battery pack. Each of the first component and the second component may be a structural component or a housing member or a battery module or a bracket or a thermal interface layer or a cooling plate of the battery pack. 15 The wire may extends around at least a portion of a periphery of the central aperture. The wire may, for example, extend around the periphery of the central aperture. The wire may be at least partially embedded within the outer frame portion. 20 Additionally or alternatively, the wire may be configured to cut through at least a portion of the outer frame portion. In an embodiment of the invention, a first end of the wire is adapted to be manipulated by a 25 user, for example so that the wire is moved across the at least a portion of the central aperture to cut through adhesive component within the central aperture. The first end of the wire may, for example, be adapted to attach to a spindle or handle, e.g. a first spindle or handle, such that rotation of the spindle or handle causes movement of the wire relative to the central aperture. 30 A second end of the wire may be adapted to be manipulated by a user, for example so that the wire is moved across at least a portion of the central aperture to cut through adhesive component within the central aperture. 35 The second end of the wire may be attached to a second spindle or handle such that rotation of the second spindle or handle causes movement of the wire relative to the central aperture. 14 04 25 Alternatively, the second end of the wire may be anchored to prevent relative motion of the second end of the wire and the central aperture. The wire may be inserted into the battery spacer during manufacture of the battery spacer. 5 In another aspect, the invention provides a method of separating a first component of a battery from a second component, wherein the first and second components are connected to each other by a battery spacer as defined above, wherein the method comprises manipulating each end of the wire to pull the wire across at least a portion of the central aperture to cut the 10 adhesive component received within the central aperture, thereby weakening the bond between the two components to facilitate their mutual separation. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a battery pack comprising at least one battery spacer as described above. 15 According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising at least one battery pack as described above. Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following 20 figures, descriptions, and claims. 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 25 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 clam although not originally claimed 30 in that manner BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, 35 with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 14 04 25 Figure 1 shows a prior art battery pack; Figures 2A and 2B show battery spacers; Figures 3A and 3B show perspective views of parts of a battery pack; Figures 4A to 4C show a battery spacer; 5 Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view of a battery pack; and Figure 6 shows a vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 shows a prior art battery pack 10 comprising a plurality of first components in the 10 form of cell modules 12, a plurality of second components in the form of cell modules 14 and a connecting component 16 which holds the first and second components together. Such battery packs are cumbersome and, when used in vehicles, difficult to access, to either repair or replace components, or to remove components for recycling. 15 Figure 2A shows a battery spacer 100, with an outer frame portion 102, a central aperture 104 and a wire 110 extending around frame portion surrounding the central aperture 104. The outer frame portion 102 may be include a polymeric material. The wire 110 extends around the outside of the outer frame portion 102. A first end 112 and a second end 114 of the wire 110 protrude from the outer frame portion 102. The battery spacer 100 can be used in a battery 20 pack to separate two components by a known distance. The central aperture 104 is open and is sized to receive a wet applied structural component which can adhere two or more components together within a battery pack (not shown). The battery spacer 100 can be placed onto a first component, for example a stack of cells 202 as shown in Figure 3A, with the outer frame portion 102 and the first component forming a barrier to hold a wet applied structural 25 component in position. After the wet applied structural component is applied, the second component, for example a housing member 204 as shown in Figure 3A, can be placed in position on the battery spacer 100 such that both the components 202, 204 are in contact with the wet applied structural component. The wet applied structural component may be an adhesive which dries / cures to form an adhesive component, thereby adhering the two 30 components together. It will be clear to the skilled person that the adhesive component need not be an adhesive or a glue. The adhesive component can be any wet applied structural component which sets, dries or cures after application, including but not limited to expanding foams, a thermal interface material, anti-thermal propagation material, intumescent material, mastic, silane material an epoxy material or any combination thereof. One purpose of the 35 adhesive component is to attach the components, but there may also be a requirement to 14 04 25 prevent or reduce the impact of thermal events in cells as well as reduce the impact of vibrations on the battery pack. Prior to use, the wire ends may be tucked away or rolled up to minimise their footprint (and 5 thus the space they occupy within the battery pack). The wire can be formed of any appropriate material, including for example, steel, titanium, tungsten, nylon or high molecular weight polyethylene. In use, and in the example shown in Figure 2A, the first end 112 is attached to a device 106 which can increase the tension on the wire 110. For example, the device may be a spindle with a bore (not shown) within which one end of the wire can be accommodated 10 and fastened. When the wire 110 is attached to the spindle, the spindle can be turned thus increasing the tension of the wire and urging it to move towards the central aperture 104. To prevent the wire 110 being pulled through the outer frame portion 102, the second end 114 is attached to an anchor 108 which prevents the second end moving with respect to the outer frame portion 102. The wire 110 may be embedded within the battery spacer 100, for example 15 by being over-moulded during construction of the spacer, and located in the outer frame portion. Alternatively, it may simply be located around the inner or outer edge of the outer frame portion 102. When tension is applied to the wire, the outer frame portion 102 may be sliced apart by the wire 110. 20 Figure 2B shows a battery spacer 100, with an outer frame portion 102, a central aperture 104 and a wire 110 extending around the central aperture 104. In this example, the first end 112 of the wire and the second end 114 of the wire are attached to the same device 106. The device 106 may be a spindle with a single bore or two bores (not shown). The first end 112 and the second end 114 of the wire 110 may be accommodated and / or fastened within the 25 bore or otherwise attached to the spindle. When the spindle is turned, each turn of the spindle generates tension on the wire and causes it to move towards the central aperture. Figure 3A shows a section of a battery pack 200 with a first component, for example cell stacks 202, attached to a second component, for example a housing member 204, by an adhesive 30 component 122 of a battery spacer 100 provided within the central aperture of the outer frame 102 of the battery spacer 100. Figure 3B shows a detail view of the circled portion of figure 3A. The outer frame portion 102 is located between the housing member 204, and the cell stacks 202. The adhesive component 122 is located within the central aperture 104 and holds the cell stacks 202 in place, adhered to the housing member 204. In the example shown, the 35 wire 110 is located within the outer frame portion 102. When it is desired to remove the cell stacks 202 from the housing member, a technician can manipulate one or both ends 112, 114 of the wire. Manipulating the wire 110 can generate tension in the wire 110 so that the wire 14 04 25 110 is urged towards the central aperture and the adhesive component 122. The wire cuts through the outer frame portion 102, and subsequently through the adhesive component 122. In an alternative example, the wire 110 is held in place on an inner portion of the outer frame portion. In this example, the wire 110 does not cut through the outer frame portion 102. 5 Figure 4A shows a battery spacer 100 for locating between two components (not shown in this figure). The wire 110 is arranged around the inner face of the outer frame portion such that it is in position when the battery pack is manufactured. In this example, with the wire arranged around the inner face of the outer frame portion, the battery spacer is not cut through 10 when tension is applied to the wire. The ends 112, 114 of the wire are threaded through bores in the outer frame portion 102, such that they can be manipulated by a technician. Figure 4B shows the battery spacer of figure 4A with the wires attached to a spindle 106. As the spindle 106 is rotated, the wire is urged in the direction shown, away from the outer frame portion 102 and through the central aperture 104. The spindle 106 can be any device capable of 15 generating tension in the wire 110. Alternatively, a technician can pull on the wires by hand to generate tension in the wire 110. Figure 4C shows the final step of the process of decoupling the two components. When a sufficient portion of the adhesive component 122 has been cut through, the first component 20 202 can be lifted away from the second component 204 and removed from the battery pack. The battery spacer (not shown) can be removed and a small portion of the adhesive component 122A, 122B will remain on the first and second components. Preferably, a full length of the adhesive component will be sliced through. It will be clear to the skilled person that not all of the adhesive component needs to be cut in order for the first component to be 25 removed; the remaining section of the weakened adhesive component will break if a sufficient force is applied. Likewise, if the outer frame portion is not completely separated by the wire (which will be the case unless the wire is disposed around its outer periphery) then there may be some residual or leaked adhesive component between the outer frame 102 and both components 202,204. Such leaked or residual adhesive component that remains may partially 30 adhere the components together, but the weakening of the bond between the components by the drawing of the wire through the major part of the adhesive component will enable the components to nevertheless be easily separated. Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view of a battery pack with a cell stack 202 (first component) 35 adhered to an L-bracket 204 (second component) and the L-bracket adhered to a third component 206. The first, second or third components can be any of a cell stack, a structural component, a housing member, a battery module, a bracket, a thermal interface layer, or a cooling plate of the battery pack. The components are spaced apart by a first battery spacer 102A and a second battery spacer 102B. The central aperture of the battery spacers 102A, 102B are filled with an adhesive component 122A, 122B which adheres the first component 202 to the second component 204 and the second component 204 to the third component 5 206. A wire 110A, 11 OB is embedded in each of the outer frame portions 102A, 102B of the battery spacers. By providing a plurality of battery spacers in the battery pack, the various components can more easily be separated from one another. For example, if only a cell stack needs to be removed for repair / replacement, this can be achieved by cutting the upper adhesive layer using wire 110A. If the entire battery needs to be removed, the lower adhesive 10 component can be cut using wire 110B to remove the housing members. Figure 6 shows a vehicle 600 which includes a battery pack, or a battery spacer as described above. The vehicle may be an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. 15 It is explicitly intended that the present invention is applicable to vehicle batteries as well as domestic storage batteries, uninterruptible power supplies and any other applicable form of battery. It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present 20 invention without departing from the scope of the present application. 14 04 25

Claims

14 04 251. A battery spacer for mounting between a first component of a battery pack anda second component of the battery pack, the battery spacer comprising: an outer frame portion 5 and a central aperture for receiving an adhesive component; and a wire located with respect to the outer frame portion such that the wire extends around at least a portion of the central aperture, wherein the wire is configured to be pulled across at least a portion of the central aperture to cut the adhesive component received within the central aperture.10 2. A battery spacer according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the firstcomponent and the second component is a cell stack or a cell module.

3. A battery spacer according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first component orthe second component is a cell stack or a cell module, and the other of the first component 15 and the second component is a structural component or a housing member or a battery module or a bracket or a thermal interface layer or a cooling plate of the battery pack.

4. A battery spacer according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the firstcomponent and the second component is a structural component or a housing member or a 20 battery module or a bracket or a thermal interface layer or a cooling plate of the battery pack.

5. A battery spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the wire extendsaround a periphery of the central aperture.25 6. A battery spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the wire is atleast partially embedded within the outer frame portion and is configured to cut through at least a portion of the outer frame portion.

7. A battery spacer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein a first end of the30 wire is adapted to be manipulated by a user, such manipulation causing the wire to be moved across the at least a portion of the central aperture to cut through adhesive component within the central aperture.

8. A battery spacer according to claim 7 wherein the first end of the wire is adapted35 to attach to a spindle such that rotation of the spindle causes movement of the wire relative to the central aperture.14 04 259. A battery spacer according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the wire comprises a secondend which is adapted to be manipulated by a user, such manipulation causing the wire to be moved across at least a portion of the central aperture to cut through adhesive component within the central aperture.

510. A battery spacer according to claim 9 wherein the second end of the wire isattached to a second spindle such that rotation of the second spindle causes movement of the wire relative to the central aperture.10 11. A battery spacer according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the wire comprises a secondend which is anchored to prevent relative motion of the second end of the wire and the central aperture.

12. A battery spacer according any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the wire is15 embedded within the battery spacer by being over-moulded during manufacture of the battery spacer.

13. A battery pack comprising at least one battery spacer according to any one ofclaims 1 to 12.2014. A vehicle comprising at least one battery pack according to claim 13.

15. A method of separating a first component of a battery from a second componentof the battery, wherein the first and second components are connected to each other by an 25 adhesive component disposed in the central aperture of a battery spacer as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the method comprises manipulating each end of the wire to pull the wire across at least a portion of the central aperture to cut the adhesive component, thereby weakening the bond between the two components to facilitate their mutual separation.30

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