Battery module having a heat dissipation structure

Abstract

To provide a battery module including multiple cells, a battery fixing frame, and a heat radiation structure.SOLUTION: In a battery module, a battery fixing frame 23 including a first fixing frame 231 and a second fixing frame 232 is used to house and fix cells 22. A heat radiation structure 24 includes at least one metallic plate 241 and at least one heat conductor 242. The metallic plate is installed in a gap between the cells. The heat conductors are members which are installed at left and right sides of the metallic plate and have elasticity. When the metallic plate is installed in the gap between the cells, parts of the heat conductors are pressed by the metallic plate and the cells to contact with the cell tightly. When the cell is charged or discharges, heat generated by charging or discharging of the cell is transmitted to the metallic plate through the heat conductor. Then, the heat generated by charging or discharging of the cell is removed through the metallic plate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module, and particularly to a battery module that utilizes a heat dissipation structure to remove and dissipate the heat generated by the charging and discharging of cells.

Background Art

[0002] Refer to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, which are a plan sectional view, a front sectional view, and a side sectional view of a conventional battery module. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the battery module 100 includes a housing 11, a plurality of cells 12, and a battery fixing frame 13. The battery fixing frame 13 includes a first fixing frame 131 and a second fixing frame 132. Further, the plurality of cells 12 are housed and fixed between the first fixing frame 131 and the second fixing frame 132. And the first fixing frame 131 and the second fixing frame 132 where these cells 12 are disposed are arranged in the housing 11, and the cells 12, the first fixing frame 131, and the second fixing frame 132 are protected by the housing 11.

[0003] The cells 12 of the battery module 100 generate heat and increase in temperature during charging and discharging. In order to enable the heat generated by the charging and discharging of the cells 12 to be released, usually, a blowing fan 151 and a suction fan 153 are respectively installed on both sides of the housing 11. The first fixing frame 131 and the second fixing frame 132 that house the cells 12 are arranged between the blowing fan 151 and the suction fan 153. The blowing fan 151 sends out external cold air toward the position where the cells 12 are present inside the housing 11, and the sent-in cold air becomes hot air after passing through the heated cells 12. Subsequently, the suction fan 153 sucks in the hot air to release the hot air to the outside. In this way, by the blowing of the blowing fan 151 and the suction of the hot air by the suction fan 153, it is possible to lower the temperature of the cells 12 that generate heat during charging and discharging.

[0004] When the cell 12 of the battery module 100 is charged and discharged, the center of the can body in the cell 12 becomes the hottest part of the entire cell 12. In addition, usually, the cells 12 are arranged in the battery fixing frame 13 in a parallel arrangement. Therefore, the hottest part of the cells 12 will be located in the middle of the battery fixing frame 13. In other words, when the cells 12 are arranged in the battery fixing frame 13 in a parallel arrangement, the hottest part of the cells 12 exactly corresponds to the hottest part of the adjacent cells 12. Therefore, when the temperature of the cell 12 and the adjacent cells 12 is the same, the cell 12 will be in an equivalent heat insulation state, and the heat source of the hottest part of the cells 12 cannot be dispersed to the adjacent cells 12. In addition, usually, the battery fixing frame 13 is made of plastic, but plastic itself has extremely poor thermal conductivity. Therefore, the battery fixing frame 13 itself cannot conduct the heat of the cells 12.

[0005] In addition, the conventional plurality of cells 12 are arranged in parallel at the same height in the long battery fixing frame 13. Therefore, the cold air sent out from the blower fan 151 is blocked by most of the wind force by the front-row cells 12 close to the blower fan 151, and a high flow resistance is generated. As a result, only a small amount of wind force can flow through the gaps between the front-row cells 12 and reach the rear-row cells 12. As a result, it is not easy to effectively remove the heat of the rear-row cells 12 far from the blower fan. Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a battery module having a heat dissipation structure. The battery module includes a plurality of cells, a battery fixing frame, and a heat dissipation structure. The battery fixing frame is used to house and fix the cells. The heat dissipation structure includes at least one metal plate and at least one heat conductor. The metal plate is installed in the gaps between the plurality of cells. The heat conductor is installed on both the left and right sides of the metal plate and is a member having elasticity. When the metal plate is installed in the gaps between the plurality of cells, the heat conductor contacts the outer surface of the center of the can body in those cells, and a part of the structure of the heat conductor is pressed by the metal plate and those cells. A part of the structure of the pressed heat conductor forms a large-area contact surface with the cells. In this way, by installing the heat conductor, a large-area contact surface is provided between the metal plate and the cells. When the cells are charged and discharged, the heat conductor uses the large-area contact surface to absorb the heat generated by the charging and discharging of the cells and transmits the absorbed heat to the metal plate. Thereby, the metal plate can rapidly remove heat from the cells, so that the situation where the cells operate in a high-temperature state is avoided, and thus the risk of cell damage is reduced.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a battery module having a heat dissipation structure. The battery module includes a metal housing, a plurality of cells, a battery fixing frame installed in the metal housing and used to house and fix the plurality of cells, and a heat dissipation structure. The heat dissipation structure includes at least one metal plate installed in the gaps between the plurality of cells or in the gaps between the plurality of cells and the inner wall of the metal housing, and at least one heat conductor installed on both the left and right sides of the metal plate. The heat conductor is a member having elasticity. When the metal plate is installed in the gaps between the plurality of cells or in the gaps between the plurality of cells and the inner wall of the metal housing, a part of the heat conductor is pressed by the metal plate and the plurality of cells and adheres closely to these cells.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, an air inlet is installed on one side inside the metal housing, an exhaust port is installed on the other side, and the battery fixing frame is installed between the air inlet and the exhaust port.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention, the metal plate is a long sheet-shaped plate body, and both ends of the metal plate are installed facing the air inlet and the exhaust port respectively.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, one end of the metal plate penetrates through the battery fixing frame and is connected to the heat dissipation fins.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the heat dissipation fins are provided near the air inlet or near the exhaust port.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the heat conductor is a heat conduction filler, a heat conduction pad or a heat conduction tape.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the battery fixing frame includes a first fixing frame and a second fixing frame. The lower surface of the first fixing frame includes at least one first positioning groove, and the upper surface of the second fixing frame includes at least one second positioning groove. The upper side of the metal plate is fitted into the first positioning groove of the first fixing frame, and the lower side of the metal plate is fitted into the second positioning groove of the second fixing frame.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, further includes a plurality of fixing members, and at least one fixing hole is provided on each of the upper side and the lower side of the metal plate. At least one first through hole is provided in the plate body of the first fixing frame, and at least one second through hole is provided in the plate body of the second fixing frame. Each fixing member penetrates through the corresponding first through hole in the first fixing frame or the corresponding second through hole in the second fixing frame and is respectively fixed in the fixing hole of the metal plate.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the metal plate includes a first metal plate unit and two second metal plate units. The first metal plate unit is sandwiched between the two second metal plate units. The first metal plate unit includes a connection base, and a plurality of cells are electrically connected by being joined to the connection base of the first metal plate unit through connectors of conductive connection members. The first metal plate unit and the second metal plate units are members made of different metal materials, and the first metal plate unit and the conductive connection members are members made of the same metal material.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, each cell is connected in series to another cell through a metal conductive frame. Among them, the negative electrode of one cell is connected to the system device through a first wire, and the positive electrode of one cell is connected to the connection base of the metal plate through a connector of the conductive connection member. The metal plate is connected to the system device through a second wire. The discharge current flows from the system device toward a plurality of cells connected in series, and returns to the system device through the metal plate.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

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Figure 7B

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Refer to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7A and 7B. These are, respectively, a plan perspective view of an embodiment of the battery module of the present invention, an exploded perspective view of a partial structure in an embodiment of the battery module of the present invention, an assembled perspective view of a partial structure in an embodiment of the battery module of the present invention, a schematic perspective view and a schematic front view of an embodiment of the heat dissipation structure of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the battery module 200 of the present invention includes a metal housing 21, a plurality of cells 22, a battery fixing frame 23 and at least one heat dissipation structure 24.

[0019] The battery fixing frame 23 includes a first fixing frame 231 and a second fixing frame 232. The first fixing frame 231 includes a plurality of sleeves 2310, and the second fixing frame 232 includes a plurality of sleeves 2320. The upper end of each cell 22 is fitted into the sleeve 2310 of the first fixing frame 231, and the lower end is fitted into the sleeve 2320 of the second fixing frame 232. Thereby, each cell 22 can be fixed between the first fixing frame 231 and the second fixing frame 232, and the distance between them is maintained. In addition, by disposing the battery fixing frame 23 in which the cells 22 are accommodated and fixed inside the metal housing 21, the metal housing 21 protects the battery fixing frame 23 and its cells 22.

[0020] An air inlet 211 and an air outlet 213 are respectively installed on both sides of the metal housing 21. In one embodiment, a blower fan 212 may be installed at the air inlet 211, and an air suction fan 214 may be installed at the air outlet 213. The battery fixing frame 23 is installed between the air inlet 211 and the air outlet 213. By blowing air by the blower fan 212 at the air inlet 211 and sucking air by the air suction fan 214 at the air outlet 213, it becomes possible to pass air inside the metal housing 21.

[0021] Each heat dissipation structure 24 includes a metal plate 241 and at least one heat conductor 242 respectively. The metal plate 241 is, for example, a long sheet-like metal plate body such as an aluminum plate or a copper plate, and is installed in the gap between the corresponding plurality of cells 22. For example, the metal plate 241 is installed in the gap between one row of cells 22 and another row of cells 22. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, both ends of the metal plate 241 are respectively installed facing the positions of the air supply port 211 and the exhaust port 213. For example, one end (front end) of the metal plate 241 faces the air supply port 211, and the other end (rear end) faces the exhaust port 213. The heat conductor 242 is an elastic member, for example, a heat conduction filler (gap filler), a heat conduction pad or a heat conduction tape. As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the heat conductor 242 is installed on both left and right sides (for example, both longitudinal side surfaces) of the metal plate 241 by an adhesion or crimping method.

[0022] The lower surface of the first fixing frame 231 includes at least one first positioning groove 2311, and the upper surface of the second fixing frame 232 includes at least one second positioning groove 2321. When assembling the metal plate 241 with the first fixing frame 231 and the second fixing frame 232, the upper side of the metal plate 241 is fitted into the first positioning groove 2311 of the first fixing frame 231, and the lower side of the metal plate 241 is fitted into the second positioning groove 2321 of the second fixing frame 232. The metal plate 241 is positioned in the battery fixing frame 23 through the positioning grooves 2311 and 2321 of the fixing frames 231 and 232.

[0023] Furthermore, the battery module 200 also includes a plurality of fixing members 25 such as screws, for example. Also, at least one fixing hole 2410 such as a screw hole is provided on each of the upper and lower sides of the metal plate 241. At least one first through hole 2312 is provided in the plate body of the first fixing frame 231, and at least one second through hole 2322 is provided in the plate body of the second fixing frame 232. Each fixing member 25 passes through the corresponding first through hole 2312 in the first fixing frame 231 or the corresponding second through hole 2322 in the second fixing frame 232, and is respectively fastened into the fixing hole 2410 of the metal plate 241. Thereby, the metal plate 241 is firmly positioned on the battery fixing frame 23 by the connection between the fixing member 25 and the fixing hole 2410.

[0024] When the metal plate 241 is installed in the gap between the corresponding plurality of cells 22, a part of the structure of the heat conductor 242 contacts the outer surface of the center of the can body in the cell 22, and is pressed by the metal plate 241 and the cell 22 to be in close contact with the cell 22. Further explaining with reference to FIG. 8, the thickness of the heat conductor 242 may be 2 mm, and the distance between the cell 22 and the metal plate 241 may be 1 mm. When the metal plate 241 is installed in the gap between the corresponding plurality of cells 22, the heat conductor 242 contacts the outer surface of the center of the can body in the cell 22, and a part of the structure of the heat conductor 242 is pressed by the metal plate 241 and the cell 22 to have a thickness of 1 mm. A part of the structure of the pressed heat conductor 242 forms a large-area contact surface 2421 with respect to the cell 22. This large-area contact surface 2421 is in close contact with a region of the cell 22 where heat dissipation is not easy (for example, the outer surface region of the center of the can body in the cell 22).

[0025] In this way, by installing the heat conductor 242, a large-area contact surface 2421 is provided between the metal plate 241 and the cell 22. When the cell 22 is charged and discharged, the heat conductor 242 uses the large-area contact surface 2421 to absorb the heat generated by the charging and discharging of the cell 22, and transfers the absorbed heat to the metal plate 241. After receiving the heat generated by the charging and discharging of the cell 22, the metal plate 241 transfers the heat to a relatively low-temperature end close to the air supply port 211. Thereby, the heat can be released by the air sent by the blower fan 212 at the air supply port 211. In this way, the heat generated by the charging and discharging of the cells 22 arranged behind the air supply port 211 can be rapidly removed by the heat dissipation structure 24, so that the situation where the cells 22 arranged behind the air supply port 211 operate in a high-temperature state is avoided, and thus the risk of damage to the cells 22 is reduced.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in a further embodiment of the present invention, one end (for example, the front end) of the metal plate 241 penetrates the battery fixing frame 23 and is connected to the heat dissipation fins 26. The heat dissipation fins 26 may be selectively fixed to one end of the metal plate 241 by a fastening method and provided near the air supply port 211. Naturally, in a further embodiment of the present invention, the other end (for example, the rear end) of the metal plate 241 penetrates the battery fixing frame 23 and is connected to another heat dissipation fin 26, and the heat dissipation fin 26 may be fastened to the other end of the metal plate 241 and provided near the exhaust port 213. By installing the heat dissipation fins 26, the heat transmitted on the metal plate 241 converges on the heat dissipation fins 26 and can be rapidly released by the air blown by the blower fan 212 at the air supply port 211 or by the air suction by the suction fan 214 at the exhaust port 213.

[0027] Refer to FIG. 11, which is a plan perspective view of a further embodiment of the battery module of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 11, the metal plate 241 of this embodiment is not only installed in the gaps between the plurality of cells 22, but can also be installed in the gaps between these cells 241 and the metal housing 21. Thereby, the heat transmitted on the metal plate 241 in contact with the metal housing 21 can be accommodated in the metal housing 21 or released through the metal housing 21.

[0028] Refer to FIGS. 12, 13 and 14. These are, respectively, a plan perspective view of a further embodiment of the battery module of the present invention, an assembled perspective view of a partial structure in a further embodiment of the battery module of the present invention, and a schematic path diagram of the discharge current circuit in the battery module of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, each cell 22 is connected in series to another cell 22 through a metal conductive frame 223. Also, the negative electrode of one cell 22 in the battery module 200 is connected to the system device 300 through the first conductor 221, and the first metal plate unit 2411 is connected to the system device 300 through the second conductor 222. Further, the positive electrode of one cell 22 in the battery module 200 is connected to the metal plate 241 through the conductive connection member 224.

[0029] Generally, since copper is much more expensive per unit price than aluminum, in order to reduce the cost of the heat dissipation structure, an aluminum plate is preferentially selected for the metal plate 241 of the present invention. Also, since the electrical conductivity of copper is superior to that of aluminum, usually, connection terminals (for example, the conductive connection member 224, the metal conductive frame 223) are mainly made of copper. However, since the chemical properties of aluminum are more active than those of copper, when the copper material conductive connection member 224 is directly joined to the connection member of the aluminum material metal plate 241, as a result of an electrochemical reaction occurring at the joint between the conductive connection member 224 and the connection member of the metal plate 241, corrosion occurs in the connection member of the metal plate 241. When the connection member of the metal plate 241 corrodes, the contact resistance at the joint between the conductive connection member 224 and the connection member of the metal plate 241 increases, thereby increasing the electrical resistance and generating heat. And over a long period, a dangerous situation is likely to occur at the joint between the conductive connection member 224 and the connection member of the metal plate 241, which in turn leads to disconnection.

[0030] To avoid direct bonding between a copper connection member and an aluminum connection member, the metal plate 241 of the present invention is designed with a three-layer plate structure including a first metal plate unit 2411 and two second metal plate units 2412. The first metal plate unit 2411 is sandwiched between the two second metal plate units 2412. The first metal plate unit 2411 and the second metal plate units 2412 are members of different metal materials. For example, the first metal plate unit 2411 is a copper plate body, and the second metal plate units 2412 are aluminum plate bodies. In addition, the conductive connection member 224 and the first metal plate unit 2411 are members of the same metal material, such as copper. Furthermore, the conductive connection member 224 includes a connector 2241, and the first metal plate unit 2411 includes a connection base 2413. The conductive connection member 224 and the first metal plate unit 2411 are integrally joined by the coupling of the connector 2241 and the connection base 2413. By doing so, since the connector 2241 of the copper conductive connection member 224 and the connection base 2413 of the copper first metal plate unit 2411 are joined, it is possible to avoid a situation where corrosion occurs at the joint between the connector 2241 and the connection base 2413.

[0031] The first metal plate unit 2411 in the present invention is used as a power conductor. When the system device 300 supplies a discharge current I D the discharge current I D flows through the first conductor 221 towards the cell 22 of the battery module 200. The discharge current I D flows on the cells 22 connected in series via the metal conductive frame 223. After passing through the cells 22 connected in series, the discharge current I D flows towards the first metal plate unit 2411 via the conductive connection member 224. After passing through the first metal plate unit 2411, the discharge current I D returns from the second conductor 222 to the system device 300. By using the large-area first metal plate unit 2411 as a power conductor in this way, it is possible to enhance the stability of the power supply circuit of the battery module 200.

[0032] The above description is only an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. That is, equivalent deformations and modifications made based on the shape, structure, features, and spirit described in the claims of the present invention shall all be included in the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0033] 100 Battery Module 11 Housing 12 Cell 13 Battery Fixing Frame 131 First Fixing Frame 132 Second Fixing Frame 151 Blower Fan 153 Suction Fan 200 Battery Module 21 Metal Housing 211 Air Inlet 212 Blower Fan 213 Exhaust Port 214 Suction Fan 22 Cell 221 First Conductor 222 Second Conductor 223 Metal Conductive Frame 224 Conductive Connection Member 2241 Connector 23 Battery Fixing Frame 231 First Fixing Frame 2310 Sleeve 2311 First Positioning Groove 2312 First Through Hole 232 Second Fixing Frame 2320 Sleeve 2321 Second Positioning Groove 2322 Second Through Hole 24 Heat Dissipation Structure 241 Metal Plate 2410 Fixing Hole 2411 First Metal Plate Unit 2412 Second Metal Plate Unit 2413 Connection base 242 Heat conductor 2421 Contact surface 25 Fixing member 26 Heat dissipation fin 300 System device

Claims

1. A battery module having a heat dissipation structure, comprising: a metal housing; a plurality of cells; a battery fixing frame used for accommodating and fixing the plurality of cells and installed in the metal housing; a heat dissipation structure, wherein the heat dissipation structure includes: at least one metal plate installed in the gap between the plurality of cells or in the gap between the plurality of cells and the inner wall of the metal housing; at least one heat conductor installed on both left and right sides of the metal plate, wherein the heat conductor is an elastic member, and when the metal plate is installed in the gap between the plurality of cells or in the gap between the plurality of cells and the inner wall of the metal housing, some of the heat conductors are pressed by the metal plate and the plurality of cells and are in close contact with these cells, and the metal plate includes a first metal plate unit and two second metal plate units, the first metal plate unit is sandwiched between the two second metal plate units, the first metal plate unit includes a connection base, and the plurality of cells are electrically connected by being joined to the connection base of the first metal plate unit through a connector of a conductive connection member, the first metal plate unit and the second metal plate units are members made of different metal materials, and the first metal plate unit and the conductive connection member are members made of the same metal material.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein an air inlet is installed on one side inside the metal housing, an air outlet is installed on the other side, and the battery fixing frame is installed between the air inlet and the air outlet.

3. The battery module according to claim 2, wherein the metal plate is a long sheet-shaped plate body, and both ends of the metal plate are respectively installed facing the air inlet and the air outlet.

4. The battery module according to claim 3, wherein one end of the metal plate penetrates the battery fixing frame and is connected to a heat dissipation fin.

5. The battery module according to claim 4, wherein the heat dissipation fin is provided near the air inlet or near the air outlet.

6. The battery fixing frame includes a first fixing frame and a second fixing frame. The lower surface of the first fixing frame includes at least one first positioning groove, and the upper surface of the second fixing frame includes at least one second positioning groove. The upper side of the metal plate is fitted into the first positioning groove of the first fixing frame, and the lower side of the metal plate is fitted into the second positioning groove of the second fixing frame. The battery module according to claim 1.

7. Furthermore, it includes a plurality of fixing members. At least one fixing hole is provided on each of the upper side and the lower side of the metal plate. At least one first through hole is provided on the plate body of the first fixing frame, and at least one second through hole is provided on the plate body of the second fixing frame. Each of the fixing members respectively penetrates through the corresponding first through hole in the first fixing frame or the corresponding second through hole in the second fixing frame and is respectively fixed in the fixing hole of the metal plate. The battery module according to claim 6.

8. Each of the cells is connected in series to another cell through a metal conductive frame. Among them, the negative electrode of one of the cells is connected to the system device through a first wire, and the positive electrode of one of the cells is connected to the connection base of the metal plate through the connector of the conductive connection member. The metal plate is connected to the system device through a second wire. The discharge current flows from the system device towards the plurality of cells connected in series and returns to the system device through the metal plate. The battery module according to claim 1.

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