Cooling member for battery device, battery structure including cooling member, and method for manufacturing cooling member

Abstract

To provide a cooling member constituting a battery device that realizes shock and heat countermeasures for a battery structure mounted under a floor of a vehicle with a relatively simple configuration, and a manufacturing method thereof.SOLUTION: A cooling member for mounting a plurality of battery cells that constitute a battery device of a battery structure mounted on a vehicle that uses electric energy as a driving source is integrally formed by arranging cooling means on a foam metal layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling member for mounting a plurality of battery cells that constitute a battery device of a battery structure mounted on a vehicle that uses electric energy as a driving source, and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] EVs, so-called electric vehicles, or HVs (hybrid cars) are equipped with a battery structure equipped with a battery device in which a large-capacity battery is disposed. Due to their weight and volume, battery structures are generally mounted under the vehicle body, which requires measures to protect against impacts such as contact with the ground, and to reduce the thickness of the battery structure (to make it more compact) without sacrificing passenger compartment height. Furthermore, the weight of the large-capacity battery and the metal fixing and reinforcing members used to house and secure the battery to the vehicle body accounts for a large proportion of the vehicle's overall weight, posing a major challenge to reducing vehicle weight for improved fuel efficiency.

[0003] Furthermore, batteries generate heat during charging and discharging, and their power generation efficiency decreases in cold conditions. To counter heat generation, it is necessary to add cooling means, and measures to prevent the decrease in power generation efficiency in cold conditions are also necessary, so in addition to measures to counter heat generation, measures to cool the battery are also necessary.

[0004] In recent years, battery structures mounted on electric vehicles have been constructed in such a way that, for example, a steel panel called a lower case is attached to the body underpanel, with the battery cells mounted above it, and the battery cooling means is installed below the lower case, which is then covered with an aluminum panel to protect the cooling means from impacts from flying stones or other objects from the underside of the vehicle, resulting in a four-layer structure. This structure also includes aluminum extrusions or other materials covering the sides to prevent deformation of the battery pack in a side collision. As a result, the battery structure has very poor cooling efficiency and is heavy.

[0005] In response to these problems, many documents have been disclosed that disclose battery structures to be mounted on automobiles, and in particular, patent documents 1, 2, 3, and 4 are cited as examples that relate to weight reduction, compactness, and increased rigidity. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2023-552417 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-124101 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 4399675 [Patent Document 4] Special Publication No. 2023-542694 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Regarding shock protection, Patent Document 1 discloses a shock protection method in which the battery structure is reinforced with an aluminum frame. Patent Document 2 describes a structure in which a partition is provided in a resin battery structure to increase rigidity. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a battery cell structure reinforced with foamed aluminum. While this is similar to the present invention in that it uses foamed aluminum in the battery structure, it does not disclose any heat countermeasures.

[0008] Furthermore, a battery tray that uses an aluminum alloy plate with a high elastic modulus (over 77 GPa) at the bottom as a shock absorber (Patent Document 4) is also known.

[0009] However, the above patent documents aim to reduce weight, compactness, and rigidity, and do not disclose any measures to deal with heat generation or cold conditions. One possible measure to deal with heat generation is to circulate cooling water between the battery cells, but this type of battery is extremely incompatible with water, and is therefore highly dangerous.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a cooling member and a manufacturing method for the same that constitute a battery device that achieves impact protection, heat protection, and weight reduction for a battery structure mounted under the floor of a vehicle with a relatively simple configuration, by integrating mechanisms for shock absorption and cooling by using foam metal, thereby achieving weight reduction and high cooling efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a cooling member for placing battery cells that constitute a battery device of a battery structure installed under the floor of a vehicle, which is formed from a uniform single layer of foam metal, and by arranging the cooling means disposed on the cooling member so that it is in direct or indirect contact with the battery cells, it is possible to ensure safety, light weight and high rigidity, protect from impacts such as flying stones from the underside of the vehicle, improve cooling efficiency and provide cold weather protection.

[0012] The following is a structural example that explains the above-mentioned features of the present invention in more detail. For easier understanding, the reference numerals used in the drawings in the embodiments described below are also used. That is, the present invention relates to a cooling member that is placed under a battery in a battery structure 100 that is mounted under the floor of a vehicle that uses electrical energy as a driving source and that performs a cooling function, and its features are as follows.

[0013] (1) The cooling member 1 on which the plurality of battery cells 5 constituting the battery device 50 of the battery structure 100 are placed is characterized in that the cooling means 3 are disposed on the foam metal layer 2 and are integrally formed.

[0014] (2) The cooling means 3 disposed on the foam metal layer 2 is disposed on the upper surface of the foam metal layer 2 and is integrally formed therewith. (3) The cooling means 3 disposed in the foam metal layer 2 is disposed within the foam metal layer 2 and is integrally formed therewith.

[0015] (4) The cooling means 3 is characterized by using a cooling pipe 30 for circulating a refrigerant.

[0016] (5) The cooling pipe 30 is disposed so as to be in direct contact with the lower surface of the battery cell 5 arrangement. (6) The cooling pipe 30 is disposed below the arrangement of the battery cells 5 via an aluminum panel 7a.

[0017] (7) The cooling pipe 30 is integrally joined to the aluminum panel 7a. (8) The cooling pipe of (6) or (7) is disposed on the upper surface of another aluminum panel 7b disposed within the foam metal layer.

[0018] (9) The cooling member for a battery device 1 according to (1) above is characterized in that side impact-resistant members 4a, 4b for protecting against impact are integrally molded on both side edges of the cooling member for a battery device 1. (10) The side impact compliant members 4a, 4b are characterized in that one or more grooves are formed on the joining side of the cooling member 1 with the foam metal layer 2, and the foam metal constituting the foam metal layer 2 enters the grooves to fix them together.

[0019] (11) The side collision corresponding members 4a, 4b are characterized by having screw holes 4c for joining with a joining member to screw holes 12c of the cover member 12 that covers the top surface of the battery device 50.

[0020] (12) The cooling member 1 is disposed below the battery cells 5. (13) The foam metal constituting the foam metal layer 2 is foam aluminum.

[0021] (14) The plurality of battery cells 5 mounted on the cooling member 1 are modularized to form a battery pack. (15) The cooling member 1 is characterized in that it is configured to mount a plurality of battery cells 5 that are directly incorporated into the vehicle body frame.

[0022] (16) A battery structure 100 is formed by a battery device 50 in which an arrangement of a plurality of battery cells 5 and a cooling member 1 are stacked via a thermal interface material (TIM), and a cover member 12 that covers the upper surface of the battery device 50, is joined to the battery device 50, and forms a housing that can be attached to a vehicle body, and is characterized in that the cooling member 1 that forms the battery device 50 has a cooling means 30 arranged on a foam metal layer 2.

[0023] (17) The method for manufacturing the cooling member 1 on which a plurality of battery cells are mounted is as follows. a box formwork preparation step (S11) of preparing a box formwork 9 capable of accommodating the outer diameter size of the cooling member 1; a cooling means installation step (S12) in which the cooling means 3 constituting the cooling member 1 is disposed and set at the bottom of the box formwork 9; a foam metal pouring step (S13) of pouring molten foam metal 10 into the box formwork 9; and a foam metal hardening step (S14) of cooling and hardening the poured foam metal 10.

[0024] (18) The method is characterized by including an aluminum panel installation step of placing an aluminum panel 7a having an outer diameter size equivalent to that of the cooling means 3 on the bottom of the box formwork 9 before setting the cooling means 3 on the bottom of the box formwork 9.

[0025] (19) The method is characterized in that it includes a step of placing another aluminum panel 7b, which has an outer diameter size equivalent to that of the cooling means 3, on the cooling means 3 between the cooling means placing step and the foam metal pouring step.

[0026] The present invention is not limited to the above-described configurations and the configurations of the examples described in the embodiments below, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0027] According to the cooling member for a battery device of the present invention, the lower structure of the battery cell can be made into a single layer member in which a cooling means is disposed in a metal foam layer, thereby realizing a reduction in weight and thickness of the battery device and the entire battery structure. Furthermore, by forming the cooling member from metal foam, damage caused by an impact object from the underside of the vehicle body can be suppressed. Therefore, the cooling member of the present invention has a cooling structure, and functions as both a battery tray and a lower case with high rigidity and excellent collision performance.

[0028] Furthermore, the single layer of foam metal reduces the thickness and allows for efficient heat conduction between the battery cell group and the cooling means, which effectively dissipates the heat generated by the battery itself.Furthermore, under cold conditions, the heat retention effect of the foam metal itself and the circulation of a warm medium through the cooling means can prevent a decrease in power generation efficiency.

[0029] Furthermore, because the battery cell is placed on top of the cooling member, other components (such as a lower case) are not required, reducing the number of components and therefore the number of interfaces between components. Therefore, whereas two layers of thermal interface material (TIM) were previously required, for example, between the battery cell and lower case and between the lower case and cooling member, only one layer is required, between the battery cell and cooling member, reducing the TIM. This reduces contact thermal resistance in terms of thermal conductivity, improving heat dissipation, and also reduces manufacturing processes, resulting in cost savings.

[0030] The cooling means constituting the cooling member may be arranged on the upper surface of the foam metal layer and configured as an integral unit, or may be arranged within the foam metal layer and configured as an integral unit, taking into consideration the shape and structure of the cooling means or the number of battery cells mounted.

[0031] Furthermore, if the cooling component is placed under the battery cell, it will have the effect of absorbing energy from below (protecting the battery) when driving over a curb, etc.

[0032] Furthermore, if the foam metal constituting the foam metal layer is made of foam aluminum, it is possible to provide a cooling member that is lightweight, has high thermal conductivity, and has high rigidity and excellent collision performance.

[0033] Furthermore, since the battery cells in the present invention are configured to be placed on a cooling member, the battery cells may be modularized to form a battery pack, or the battery cells may be directly incorporated into the battery pack without being modularized, or the battery cells may be directly incorporated and mounted on the vehicle frame, and therefore the present invention can be applied without being limited by the shape, arrangement, or mounting configuration of the battery cells that make up the battery device.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the battery device is composed of a battery cell and a single layer of cooling material including the cooling means, so the overall thickness can be made thin, and when mounted on the vehicle body, it does not compress the space inside the vehicle, making it easier to ensure head clearance in particular in the rear seats, and also reduces the frontal projection area, contributing to reduced air resistance.

[0035] In the method for manufacturing a cooling member according to the present invention, the molten metal foam is poured into a mold, filled, and solidified, thereby forming a uniform single layer of metal foam. Furthermore, by placing an aluminum panel on the top surface or on both the top and bottom surfaces of the aluminum layer that makes up the cooling member, pouring in molten foam metal at a temperature above the boiling point of aluminum will create a partial fusion structure between the aluminum panel and the foam metal. This will improve the thermal conductivity of the upper aluminum panel, significantly increasing the heat dissipation effect during cooling, and the lower aluminum panel is expected to have improved resistance to impacts from the road surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0036] [Figure 1] 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an entire battery structure according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cooling member constituting the battery structure according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a main part of an assembled state of a battery device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which constitutes the battery structure shown in FIG. 1; [Figure 4] 1A is a cross-sectional view of a battery device according to a second embodiment of the present invention taken along line BB in FIG. 1; and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 5] 1. A cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1 in a battery device constituting a battery structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1. A cross-sectional view of a battery device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention taken along line BB in FIG. [Figure 7] 5A to 5C are explanatory diagrams of a manufacturing method for a cooling member according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a further explanatory diagram of a method for manufacturing a cooling member according to a second embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are further explanatory views of the method for manufacturing Example 2 of the cooling member according to the present invention. [Figure 10] 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a cooling member according to the present invention; [Figure 11]FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing another embodiment of a method for manufacturing a cooling member according to the present invention; [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a method for manufacturing a cooling member according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a cooling member for a battery device, a battery structure including the cooling member, and a method for manufacturing the cooling member according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings of the embodiments. [Example]

[0038] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a battery structure according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cooling member constituting the battery structure according to the present invention shown in FIG. The battery structure 100 of the present invention is configured to be mounted under the vehicle body as shown in Figure 1, and is composed of a battery device 50 having a plurality of battery cells 5 arranged on the same surface and a cooling member 1 on which the battery cells 5 are placed, and a cover member 12 that covers the top surface of the battery device 50, is joined to the battery device 50 having the function of a tray, and forms a housing that can be attached to the vehicle.

[0039] In this embodiment, the battery device 50 is composed of battery cells 5 and a cooling member 1, and the battery cells 5 are placed on the upper side of the foam metal layer 2. The cooling member 1 is configured such that cooling pipes 30 serving as cooling means 3 are disposed in the foam metal layer 2, and side-impact resistant members 4a, 4b for protecting the battery cells 5 from impact are respectively joined to both side edges in the arrangement direction of the battery cells 5 (the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when mounted on the vehicle). In this embodiment, the battery cells 5 constituting the battery device 50 are placed on the cooling member 1, and may be a battery pack formed by modularizing multiple battery cells, a configuration in which the battery cells are directly incorporated into the battery pack without being modularized, or a configuration in which the battery cells are directly incorporated and mounted on the vehicle frame.In other words, the present invention is applicable to any battery that is arranged to be located on the upper surface of the cooling member 1, and there are no particular limitations on the configuration or mounting form.

[0040] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the cooling means 3 is disposed within the metal foam layer 2 and is integrally formed as the cooling member 1. In this embodiment, the cooling means 3 is enclosed by the metal foam layer, which prevents the cooling means 3 from being damaged. As will be described later, the cooling means 3 may be disposed on the upper surface of the metal foam layer 2. In this case, the cooling means 3 is disposed directly on the lower surface of the array of battery cells 5, thereby improving the efficiency of heat conduction.

[0041] In the present invention, the metal foam layer 2 is made of a metal foam that forms a porous foam, and for example, one or more metals selected from aluminum, titanium, copper, brass, steel, or alloys thereof are used. In particular, an aluminum foam layer made of aluminum foam is a lightweight porous metal material based on aluminum and containing numerous bubbles, and is shock-resistant and shock-absorbing, lightweight, highly rigid, and has excellent thermal conductivity. Aluminum foam is also easily molded, and is most preferably used for the cooling member 1 of the present invention. However, this does not preclude the use of one or more metals selected from titanium, copper, brass, steel, or alloys thereof, as long as they form a porous foam that can be expected to have similar effects.

[0042] The side-impact resistant members 4a, 4b have the function of protecting the battery device 50 from an impact when the vehicle is subjected to a lateral impact, and are formed, for example, from a high-strength thin steel plate, and are molded integrally with the cooling member 1. In this embodiment, the side-impact resistant members 4a, 4b have screw holes 4c, and function as a battery tray so that they can be joined to the screw holes 12c of the cover member 12 with bolts and nuts (not shown) or the like and mounted on the vehicle body. In addition, reference numeral 30a denotes a medium inlet for the cooling medium when a cooling pipe 30 is used as the cooling means 3, and reference numeral 30b denotes a medium outlet of the cooling pipe 30 for the cooling medium. Although the cooling means 3 is explained as the cooling pipe 30 in this embodiment, it is not limited to the cooling pipe 30, and any means capable of controlling heat generation from the battery cells 5 can be adopted.

[0043] Furthermore, it is preferable that a layer containing a thermal interface material 15 (TIM, hereinafter also referred to as "TIM" or "thermal conductive material") be present at the interface where the battery cells 5 and the cooling member 1 come into contact. From another perspective, the gaps that occur between the battery cells 5 and the cooling member 1 may be filled with the TIM. This prevents air from entering between the components and improves heat transfer efficiency. Commonly used TIM materials such as silicone and urethane resin can be used as the TIM. In the battery device 50 of the battery structure 100 according to the present invention, only the upper surface of the cooling member 1 comes into contact with the battery cells, which are heat-generating bodies. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a layer containing the TIM 15 in at least one layer between the battery cells 5 and the cooling member 1, which is expected to simplify the manufacturing process. Furthermore, by placing the cooling member 1 below the battery cell 5, the cooling member 1 is disposed on the road surface side when the vehicle is placed, and this has the effect of absorbing energy from the bottom (battery protection) when driving over a curb, etc.

[0044] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the main parts of the assembled state of Example 1 of the battery device that constitutes the battery structure shown in Figure 1, and the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 and 2 indicate the same components. In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes a reinforcing member that is inserted between the battery cells 5 and has the function of reinforcing the strength of the arrangement of the battery cells 5 placed on the cooling member 1. Furthermore, the side impact compatible members 4a, 4b have one or more grooves formed on the side where they are joined to the metal foam layer 2 of the cooling member 1, and the metal foam enters into these grooves to be fixed together. [Example]

[0045] 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1 of a battery device constituting a battery structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. In Example 2, an aluminum panel 7a is interposed between a battery cell 5 and the foam metal layer 2 of the cooling member 1. The battery cell 5 is stacked on this aluminum panel 7a via a thermal interface material (TIM) 15, and is placed on the aluminum panel 7a while being reinforced by a reinforcing member 6.

[0046] In this embodiment, the cooling member 1 has the aluminum panel 7a and the cooling means 3 integrally formed by the foam metal layer 2, the battery cells 5 are firmly held on the aluminum panel 7a, and the upper ends of the cooling pipes 30, which are the cooling means 3, are in contact with the aluminum panel 7a, thereby improving the efficiency of heat transfer between the cooling pipes 30 and the battery cells 5. The aluminum panel 7a and the cooling means 3 can be fixed by brazing to prevent displacement or separation of the two due to vibration or the like.

[0047] The aluminum panel 7a is made of an aluminum plate having a thickness of about 0.1 to 5.0 mm, and has the effect of increasing the thermal conductivity between the battery cells 5 and the cooling member 1. In the present invention, an aluminum plate is preferably used because it is lightweight and has excellent thermal conductivity, but the present invention is not limited to an aluminum plate, and a metal plate having the same effect may also be used. [Example]

[0048] 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a battery device constituting a battery structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention, taken along line BB in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the cooling pipes 30 are arranged on the upper surface of another aluminum panel 7b arranged in the metal foam layer 2, and another aluminum panel 7b is also arranged below the metal foam layer 2 of the cooling member 1 in the second embodiment (on the side opposite to the battery cell 5 side). [Example]

[0049] Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a battery device constituting a battery structure according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, taken along line BB in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, a cooling means 3 is disposed on the upper surface of a metal foam layer 2 to form an integral structure, and an aluminum panel 8 formed from two plates as shown in Fig. 6 is disposed on the upper surface of the metal foam layer 2 as a cooling water flow path. In Example 4, the cooling member 1 is composed of an aluminum panel 8 formed from two plates arranged on the upper surface of the foam metal layer 2, and the battery cells 5 and the aluminum panel 8 formed from two plates, which is the cooling means 3, are in contact with each other via an aluminum panel 7a arranged on the underside of the arrangement of the battery cells 5. Preferably, a layer including a thermal interface material (TIM) 15 is present between the battery cell 5 and the aluminum panel 7a. When the aluminum panel 8 formed from the two plates is used as the cooling means 3, a refrigerant (a fluid such as water or airflow) or a heating medium can be circulated through this gap to allow heat exchange with the battery cells 5. In this embodiment, this forms a flow path for cooling water.

[0050] As in the above-mentioned Example 4, the cooling means 3 constituting the cooling member 1 may be disposed on the upper surface of the foam metal layer 2, or may be disposed within the foam metal layer 2 as in Example 3, or may be configured so that a portion thereof protrudes from the upper surface of the cooling member 1. Taking into consideration the type and shape of the cooling means 3, the number of mounted battery cells 5, etc., it is preferable to place the cooling means 3 in a position that improves the heat dissipation effect.

[0051] Next, a method for manufacturing a cooling member according to the present invention will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a method for manufacturing a cooling member according to the present invention, which corresponds to the structure of the above-mentioned Example 2. That is, in Fig. 7, a cooling member 1 is manufactured in which an aluminum panel 7a and a cooling pipe 30 are disposed within a metal foam layer 2.

[0052] First, a box formwork 9 capable of accommodating the outer diameter size of the cooling member 1 shown in Fig. 2 is prepared (S21: formwork preparation step). The size of the bottom surface of the box formwork 9 is such that it includes the side impact compliant members 4a and 4b.

[0053] Next, an aluminum panel 7a is placed on the bottom of the box formwork 9 (S22: aluminum panel installation step), and then the cooling pipe 30 of the cooling means 3 that constitutes the cooling member 1 is laid out on top of the aluminum panel 7a and set in place (S23: cooling means installation step). At this time, side impact resistant members 4a, 4b are placed on both sides of the cooling pipe 30.

[0054] Figure 8 is a further explanatory diagram of the manufacturing method of the cooling member according to the present invention, showing the aluminum panel 7a, cooling pipe 30, and side impact compliant members 4a and 4b installed on the box formwork 9 in the order described in Figure 7. As is clear from the figure, the surface of the component placed in the box formwork 9 on which the battery cells 5 are placed faces downward. The U arrow shown in Figure 8 indicates that the component is arranged with the upside facing downward (upside down).

[0055] FIG. 9 is a further explanatory view of the method for manufacturing a cooling member according to the present invention, showing the state in which molten aluminum is poured into the box mold 9 in the state shown in FIG. That is, molten metal foam 10 is poured into box formwork 9 (S24: metal foam pouring step). The poured molten foam metal 10 penetrates into the aluminum panel 7a and the inner bottom surface of the box formwork 9, forming the aluminum panel 7a into one with the aluminum layer 2. The amount of molten foam metal 10 to be poured is determined so that it completely covers at least the cooling pipe 30 on the surface that will become the underside of the cooling member 1, taking into consideration the design value of heat transfer.

[0056] After pouring a specified amount of the metal foam 10, it is left to stand or cooled by an appropriate cooling means to harden (S25: metal foam hardening step).

[0057] Thereafter, it is removed from the box mold, and thus the cooling member 1 used in Example 2 of the battery device 50 constituting the battery structure 100 described above is obtained.

[0058] In order to manufacture the cooling member 1 used in the first embodiment of the present invention, the aluminum panel 7a in FIG. 7 may be omitted. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11, first, a box formwork 9 capable of accommodating the outer diameter size of the cooling member 1 is prepared (S11: formwork preparation step).

[0059] Next, the cooling pipes 30 of the cooling means 3 constituting the cooling member 1 are set on the bottom surface of this box formwork 9 (S12: cooling means installation step). At this time, it is preferable to arrange side collision corresponding members 4a, 4b on both sides of the cooling pipe 30.

[0060] Then, molten metal foam 10 is poured into box formwork 9 (S13: metal foam pouring step). The amount of molten metal foam 10 to be poured is determined so that at least the surface that will become the lower surface of cooling member 1 completely covers cooling pipe 30, taking into consideration the design value of heat transfer.

[0061] After pouring a specified amount of metal foam 10, it is left to stand or cooled by an appropriate cooling means to harden (S14: metal foam hardening step).

[0062] Thereafter, it is removed from the box mold, and thus the cooling member 1 used in Example 1 of the battery device 50 constituting the battery structure 100 described above is obtained.

[0063] Furthermore, in the manufacturing of the cooling member 1 used in Example 3 shown in Figure 5, a step of arranging another aluminum panel 7b having an outer diameter size equivalent to that of the cooling member 1 can be added between the cooling means installation step and the foam metal pouring step. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12, first, a box formwork 9 capable of accommodating the outer diameter size of the cooling member 1 is prepared (S31: formwork preparation step).

[0064] Next, an aluminum panel 7a is placed on the bottom of the box formwork 9 (S32: aluminum panel installation step), and then the cooling pipe 30 of the cooling means 3 that constitutes the cooling member 1 is laid out on top of the aluminum panel 7a (S33: cooling means installation step). At this time, side impact resistant members 4a, 4b are placed on both sides of the cooling pipe 30.

[0065] Next, another aluminum panel 7b is placed on the cooling pump 30 of the cooling means 3 (S34: another aluminum panel placement step). Thereafter, molten metal foam 10 is poured into box mold 9 (S35: metal foam pouring step). The amount of molten metal foam 10 to be poured is determined so that at least the surface that will become the lower surface of cooling member 1 completely covers cooling pipe 30, taking into consideration the design value of heat transfer.

[0066] After pouring a specified amount of metal foam 10, it is left to stand or cooled by an appropriate cooling means to harden (S36: metal foam step).

[0067] Thereafter, it is removed from the box mold, and thus the cooling member 1 used in Example 3 of the battery device 50 constituting the battery structure 100 described above is obtained.

[0068] Furthermore, in the manufacture of the cooling member 1 used in Example 4 shown in Fig. 6, instead of the cooling pipe 30 of the cooling means 3, an aluminum panel 8 formed from two plates is used as a flow path for cooling water as the cooling means 3. The other steps are the same as those of the other examples.

[0069] According to each of the embodiments described above, the cooling member 1 is integrally constructed by disposing the cooling means 3 on the metal foam layer 2, so the battery device 50 can be constructed without stacking other heavy frames or trays, and the entire battery structure can be made lighter and thinner. Furthermore, because the bottom surface is constructed of the metal foam layer 2, damage to the cooling means 3 and battery cells 5 caused by an impact from the underside of the vehicle (underfloor side) can be suppressed.

[0070] Furthermore, the single layer of foam metal reduces the thickness and allows for efficient heat conduction between the battery cells 5 and the cooling means 3, thereby effectively dissipating heat generated by the battery itself. In addition, under cold conditions, the heat retention effect of the foam metal itself and the circulation of a warm medium through the cooling means can prevent a decrease in power generation efficiency. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1. Cooling material 2. Metal foam layer 3...Cooling means 30 Cooling pipe 30a...Media inlet 30b...Media outlet 4. Side impact resistant parts 5. Battery cells 6. Reinforcement member 7. Aluminum panel 7a Aluminum panel (upper side) 7b Aluminum panel (lower side) 8. Aluminum panel formed from two plates 9. Box formwork 10. Molten metal foam 12···Cover 15...Thermal interface material (TIM) 50···Battery Device 100 Battery structure

Claims

1. A cooling member for mounting a plurality of battery cells constituting a battery device of a battery structure mounted on a vehicle that uses electric energy as a driving source, 1. A cooling member for a battery device, wherein the cooling member is integrally formed by disposing a cooling means on a foam metal layer.

2. 2. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling means disposed on the foam metal layer is disposed on an upper surface of the foam metal layer and is integrally formed therewith.

3. 2. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling means disposed in the foam metal layer is disposed within the foam metal layer and is integrally configured.

4. 2. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling means is a cooling pipe for circulating a refrigerant.

5. 5. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 4, wherein the cooling pipes are disposed so as to be in direct contact with a lower surface of the arrangement of the battery cells.

6. 5. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 4, wherein the cooling pipes are disposed on a lower surface of the battery cell arrangement via an aluminum panel.

7. 7. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 6, wherein the cooling pipe is integrally joined to the aluminum panel.

8. 8. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 6, wherein the cooling pipe is disposed on an upper surface of another aluminum panel disposed within the foam metal layer.

9. 2. A cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1, wherein side impact resistant members for protecting against impact are integrally molded on both side edges of the cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1.

10. The cooling member for a battery device as described in claim 9, characterized in that the side impact compliant member has one or more grooves formed on the joint side between the cooling member and the foam metal layer, and the foam metal constituting the foam metal layer enters the grooves to fix them together.

11. 10. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 9, wherein the side impact compliant member has a screw hole for joining with a joining member a screw hole of a cover member that covers the top surface of the battery device.

12. 2. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling member for a battery device is disposed below a battery cell.

13. 2. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1, wherein the foam metal constituting the foam metal layer is foam aluminum.

14. 2. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of battery cells mounted on the cooling member are modularized to form a battery pack.

15. 2. The cooling member for a battery device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling member is configured to mount a plurality of battery cells that are directly incorporated into a vehicle body frame.

16. A battery structure to be mounted on a vehicle that uses electric energy as a driving source, a battery device in which an array of a plurality of battery cells and a cooling member are stacked via a thermal interface material (TIM); a cover member that covers an upper surface of the battery device, is joined to the battery device, and constitutes a housing that can be attached to a vehicle; A battery structure characterized in that the cooling member constituting the battery device is formed by disposing a cooling means on a foam metal layer.

17. A method for manufacturing a cooling member on which a plurality of battery cells constituting a battery device of a battery structure mounted on a vehicle that uses electric energy as a driving source are mounted, comprising: a formwork preparation step of preparing a box formwork capable of accommodating the outer diameter size of the cooling member; a cooling means installation step of arranging and setting the cooling means constituting the cooling member at the bottom of the box formwork; a foam metal pouring step of pouring molten foam metal into the box formwork; a foam metal hardening step in which the poured foam metal is cooled and hardened; A method for manufacturing a cooling member, comprising:

18. 18. The method for manufacturing a cooling member according to claim 17, further comprising an aluminum panel installation step of placing an aluminum panel having an outer diameter corresponding to the cooling means on the bottom of the box formwork before setting the cooling means on the bottom of the box formwork.

19. 19. The method for manufacturing a cooling member according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that, between the cooling means installation step and the foam metal pouring step, a step of placing another aluminum panel having an outer diameter size equivalent to that of the cooling means on top of the cooling means is included.

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