JP6717212B2 - Battery module - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a battery module.

As a battery module, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. The battery module described in Patent Document 1 has a plurality of batteries arranged side by side in one direction and a cooling plate arranged on the lower side in the vertical direction orthogonal to the direction in which the plurality of batteries are arranged. The battery module described in Patent Document 1 has flexibility and thermal conductivity between the plurality of batteries and the cooling plate in order to improve the thermal conductivity between the plurality of batteries and the cooling plate. A heat conductive sheet is interposed. In manufacturing the battery module, the battery module can be manufactured by, for example, pasting a heat conductive sheet on the upper surface of the cooling plate and pressing a plurality of batteries on the upper surface of the heat conductive sheet.

JP, 2013-84444, A

However, in the battery module described in Patent Document 1, when the heat conductive sheet is attached to the upper surface of the cooling plate, air or foreign matter may be caught between the heat conductive sheet and the cooling plate. As a result, the thermal resistance from the battery to the cooling plate increases, and the heat dissipation of the battery may decrease.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that easily improves the heat dissipation of the battery.

One aspect of the present invention is a heat exchanger (2),
A heat spreader (3) in thermal contact with the heat exchanger;
A heat conducting portion (4) arranged on the upper surface (31) of the heat diffusion portion;
A battery (5) that is in thermal contact with the upper surface of the heat conducting portion,
The thermal diffusion portion has a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conduction portion,
The heat diffusion portion includes at least a hole portion which opens towards the upper side (32), at positions overlapping in the vertical direction (Z) and the heat conducting portion, possess at least one,
At least one of the holes is formed at a position that vertically overlaps the lower surface (53) of the battery,
In the lateral direction of the lower surface of the battery, the central position of the lower surface of the battery is defined as the central position (xc), and the positions of both ends of the battery are the first end position (x1) and the second end, respectively. The central position between the central position and the first end position is defined as the first intermediate position (x1c), and the central position between the central position and the second end position is defined. When the position is defined as the second intermediate position (x2c), at least between the first intermediate position and the first end position, and between the second intermediate position and the second end position. Both are in the battery module (1) in which at least part of the holes are present .

In the battery module, the heat diffusion portion has at least one hole opening at least upwardly at a position overlapping the heat conduction portion in the vertical direction. Therefore, when disposing the heat conducting portion on the upper surface of the heat diffusing portion, air, foreign matter, and the like between the heat diffusing portion and the heat conducting portion can be pushed out into the hole. Therefore, it is easy to prevent air, foreign matter, or the like from being caught between the heat diffusion portion and the heat conduction portion. This makes it easy to improve the heat dissipation of the battery.

As described above, according to the above aspect, it is possible to provide the battery module in which the heat dissipation of the battery is easily improved.
The reference numerals in parentheses described in the claims and the means for solving the problems indicate the corresponding relationship with the specific means described in the embodiments described later, and limit the technical scope of the present invention. Not a thing.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery module according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a top view of the battery module according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. FIG. 3 is a top view of the heat diffusion unit according to the first embodiment. The partially expanded view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a heat conducting portion is applied to the lower surface of the battery in the first embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows the state in which the center part of the heat conduction part in Embodiment 1 contacted the center position of the heat diffusion part. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a state in which the battery to which the heat conducting portion is applied according to the first embodiment is pressed toward the heat diffusion portion side. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the heat diffusion unit, the heat diffusion unit, and the plurality of batteries are assembled in the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a top view of the heat diffusion portion according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a top view of the heat diffusion unit according to the third embodiment. The partially expanded side view of the battery module in a reference form . The partially expanded sectional view of the battery module in a reference form . Sectional drawing of the battery module in Embodiment 4 . The side view of the battery module in Embodiment 4 . Sectional drawing of the battery module in Embodiment 5 .

(Embodiment 1)
An embodiment of the battery module will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.
As shown in FIG. 1, the battery module 1 of the present embodiment has a heat exchanger 2, a heat diffusion portion 3, a heat conduction portion 4 and a battery 5. The heat diffusion portion 3 is in thermal contact with the heat exchanger 2. The heat conducting portion 4 is arranged on the upper surface 31 of the heat diffusion portion 3. The battery 5 is in thermal contact with the upper surface of the heat conducting unit 4. The thermal diffusion section 3 has a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conduction section 4. The heat diffusion portion 3 has at least one hole portion 32 that opens at least upward, at a position overlapping the heat conduction portion 4 in the vertical direction Z.

The battery module 1 is used as a power source of the device. For example, the battery module 1 can be used as a power source for driving a rotating electric machine for an internal combustion engine.
The direction in which the heat diffusion portion 3 and the heat conduction portion 4 are arranged is referred to as the vertical direction Z. Further, the heat conducting portion 4 side with respect to the heat diffusing portion 3 in the vertical direction Z is the upper side, and the opposite side is the lower side.

In the present embodiment, the battery 5 is a lithium ion secondary battery. The battery 5 is a so-called can-type battery whose outer package is made of metal such as iron or aluminum. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the battery 5 has a battery main body 51 and a pair of terminals 52 protruding upward from the battery main body 51.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery 5 has a flat plate shape having a thickness in one direction orthogonal to the vertical direction Z. In the present embodiment, the plurality of batteries 5 have substantially the same shape.

The plurality of batteries 5 are arranged in the arrangement direction X orthogonal to the vertical direction Z to form the battery structure 10. Although not shown, the battery structure 10 is constrained in the arrangement direction X. The plurality of batteries 5 are arranged side by side in the thickness direction of the batteries 5 to form the battery structure 10. In the present embodiment, the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 has a rectangular shape having a lateral direction in the arrangement direction X and a longitudinal direction in a vertical direction Y orthogonal to both the arrangement direction X and the vertical direction Z. There is. In the battery structure 10, an insulating material 11 for preventing the battery bodies 51 from electrically contacting each other is arranged between the adjacent batteries 5. It should be noted that the plurality of batteries 5 are configured such that the positions of the terminals 52 of each battery 5 are aligned with each other when the battery structure 10 is configured. That is, the plurality of batteries 5 are arranged so that the positions of the upper ends of the batteries 5 are aligned in the vertical direction Z. The plurality of batteries 5 are arranged on the upper surface of the heat conducting portion 4 arranged on the upper surface 31 of the heat diffusion portion 3.

The heat conducting portion 4 is arranged between the lower surface 53 of each battery 5 and the upper surface 31 of the heat diffusion portion 3. The heat conduction part 4 is in close contact with the upper surface 31 of the heat diffusion part 3 and the lower surface 53 of each battery 5. Further, the heat conducting portion 4 is in thermal contact with the heat diffusion portion 3 and the plurality of batteries 5. Substantially the entire lower surface of the heat conducting portion 4 is in surface contact with approximately the entire upper surface 31 of the heat diffusion portion 3. Further, the lower surface of the heat conducting portion 4 is in direct contact with the upper surface 31 of the heat diffusing portion 3. The heat conducting portion 4 has heat conductivity. The heat conducting portion 4 is preferably elastically deformable. Further, the heat conducting portion 4 preferably has electrical insulation. The heat conducting portion 4 can be made of, for example, silicone. When viewed in the vertical direction Z, the plurality of batteries 5 are arranged inside the outer peripheral contour of the heat conducting portion 4.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the heat diffusion portion 3 is arranged on the lower surface of the heat conduction portion 4. The heat diffusion portion 3 is made of aluminum, for example. The material is not limited to this, and the heat diffusion portion 3 may be made of another material as long as it has a higher thermal conductivity than the heat conduction portion 4. The heat diffusion portion 3 is formed in a plate shape having a thickness in the vertical direction Z. When viewed in the up-down direction Z, the plurality of batteries 5 are arranged inside the outer peripheral contour of the heat diffusion portion 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat diffusion portion 3 has a plurality of holes 32 at positions overlapping the heat conduction portion 4 in the vertical direction Z. As shown in FIG. 4, the hole 32 has a circular shape when viewed in the vertical direction Z. As shown in FIG. 1, the hole portion 32 is open toward both the upper side and the lower side in the heat diffusion portion 3. In the present embodiment, the hole 32 is formed so as to penetrate the heat diffusion portion 3 in the vertical direction Z. Note that the hole 32 is not limited to this, and may be formed so as to penetrate the heat diffusion portion 3 in a direction inclined in the vertical direction Z.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, at least one hole 32 is formed at a position overlapping the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 in the vertical direction Z. That is, the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 is arranged above the at least one hole 32 in the heat diffusion portion 3. Hereinafter, the region of the thermal diffusion unit 3 that overlaps the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 in the vertical direction Z may be referred to as the overlapping region 33. In FIG. 4, the outline of the overlapping area 33 is indicated by a broken line. In the heat diffusion portion 3, the portion overlapping the battery 5 in the vertical direction Z has a total area of the hole portions 32 when viewed in the vertical direction Z, and the area of the portion other than the hole portion 32 when viewed in the vertical direction Z. Smaller than. When viewed in the up-down direction Z, the hole 32 is placed inside the contour of the lower surface 53 of the battery 5.

As shown in FIG. 5, the center position of the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 is defined as the central position xc in the lateral direction of the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 (that is, the arrangement direction X). Positions of both ends of the batteries 5 in the arrangement direction X are defined as a first end position x1 and a second end position x2, respectively. Further, in the alignment direction X, a central position between the central position xc and the first end position x1 is defined as a first intermediate position x1c, and a central position between the central position xc and the second end position x2 is defined as a second position. It is defined as the intermediate position x2c. At this time, at least a part of the hole 32 is present at least between the first intermediate position x1c and the first end position x1 and between the second intermediate position x2c and the second end position x2. .. In addition, for example, when the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 has a circular shape, the lateral direction of the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 means at least one of the directions orthogonal to the vertical direction Z. The two holes 32 may be present between the first intermediate position x1c and the first end position x1, and between the second intermediate position x2c and the second end position x2. There may be a hole 32 in a region (for example, between the central position xc and the first intermediate position x1c, between the intermediate position xc and the second intermediate position x2c, etc.).

As shown in FIG. 4, in the overlapping region 33, the holes 32 are arranged at five positions in the vertical direction Y at equal intervals.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat exchanger 2 is arranged on the lower surface of the heat diffusion portion 3. The heat exchanger 2 is not particularly limited, and, for example, one having a refrigerant flow path inside can be adopted. Further, the heat exchanger 2 is not limited to the one arranged on the lower surface of the heat diffusion portion 3 as long as it is in thermal contact with the heat diffusion portion 3.

Next, an example of a method of assembling the plurality of batteries 5, the heat conducting section 4, and the heat diffusion section 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.
First, as shown in FIG. 6, the heat conducting portion 4 is applied to each of the lower surfaces 53 of the plurality of batteries 5. At this time, in the heat conducting portion 4, the central portion 41 of the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 in the lateral direction (that is, the arrangement direction X) swells downward. This is due to the surface tension of the heat conducting section 4.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the plurality of batteries 5 coated with the heat conducting portion 4 and the heat diffusing portion 3 are brought close to each other, and the lower end of the heat conducting portion 4 is brought into contact with the upper surface 31 of the heat diffusing portion 3. At this time, the central portion 41 of the heat conducting portion 4 in the alignment direction X swells to the lowest side, and the central portion 41 of the heat conducting portion 4 first contacts the central position xc of the heat diffusion portion 3.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of batteries 5 are further pushed into the heat diffusion portion 3 side. As the plurality of batteries 5 are pushed in, a portion of the surface of the heat conducting portion 4 which is distant from the central portion 41 sequentially contacts the heat diffusion portion 3. Along with this, the heat conducting unit 4 pushes the air between the heat conducting unit 4 and the heat diffusion unit 3 toward the side opposite to the central position xc in the alignment direction X. Then, the air pushed out is a hole formed between the first intermediate position x1c and the first end position x1 and between the second intermediate position x2c and the second end position x2 in the alignment direction X, respectively. The part 32 is pushed out. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the plurality of batteries 5 are pushed into the heat diffusion portion 3 side until the heat conducting portions 4 applied to the lower surfaces 53 of the adjacent batteries 5 are connected and integrated with each other. As a result, a state is obtained in which the upper surface of the integrated heat conducting portion 4 is in close contact with the lower surfaces 53 of the plurality of batteries 5 and the lower surface of the heat conducting portion 4 is in close contact with the upper surface 31 of the heat diffusion portion 3.

Next, the function and effect of this embodiment will be described.
In the present embodiment, the heat diffusion portion 3 has at least one hole 32 that is open at the upper side at a position overlapping the heat conduction portion 4 in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, when arranging the heat conducting portion 4 on the upper surface 31 of the heat diffusing portion 3, air, foreign matter, or the like between the heat diffusing portion 3 and the heat conducting portion 4 can be pushed out to the hole 32. Therefore, it is easy to prevent air, foreign matter, or the like from being caught between the heat diffusion portion 3 and the heat conduction portion 4. This makes it easy to improve the heat dissipation of the battery 5.

Further, at least one hole 32 is formed at a position overlapping the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air, foreign matter, or the like from being caught between the heat conducting portion 4 and the heat diffusing portion 3 just below the lower surface 53 of the battery 5. This makes it easy to reduce the thermal resistance in the heat transfer path from the battery 5 to the heat exchanger 2.

Further, in the heat diffusion portion 3, a portion overlapping the battery 5 in the vertical direction Z has a total area of the hole portions 32 when viewed in the vertical direction Z other than the hole portion 32 when viewed in the vertical direction Z. Smaller than the area. Therefore, it is easy to secure the volume of the overlapping region 33 of the heat diffusion portion 3. This makes it easy to reduce the thermal resistance in the heat transfer path from the battery 5 to the heat exchanger 2.

Further, at least a part of the hole 32 is present at least between the first intermediate position x1c and the first end position x1 and between the second intermediate position x2c and the second end position x2. Therefore, as described above, when the battery module 1 is assembled, the air, foreign matter, and the like extruded by the heat conducting portion 4 and the heat diffusing portion 3 are easily guided to the hole 32. This makes it easier to prevent air, foreign matter, or the like from being caught between the heat diffusion portion 3 and the heat conduction portion 4.

The hole 32 has a circular shape when viewed in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, it is easy to form the hole 32 in the heat diffusion portion 3. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the productivity of the battery module 1 from decreasing.

Further, the hole 32 is open toward both the upper side and the lower side in the heat diffusion portion 3. Therefore, air, foreign matter, and the like extruded by the heat conducting unit 4 and the heat diffusing unit 3 can escape to the lower side of the heat conducting unit 4 through the holes 32. Therefore, it is easier to prevent air, foreign matter, or the like from being caught between the heat diffusion portion 3 and the heat conduction portion 4.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide the battery module that easily improves the heat dissipation of the battery.

(Embodiment 2)
As shown in FIG. 10, the present embodiment is an embodiment in which the shape of the hole 32 is modified from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, the hole 32 has an elliptical shape that is long in the vertical direction Y when viewed in the vertical direction Z. In the overlapping area 33, two holes 32 are arranged in the vertical direction Y. It is formed on both sides of the overlapping region 33.

Others are the same as in the first embodiment.
In addition, among the reference numerals used in the second and subsequent embodiments, the same reference numerals as those used in the already-described embodiments represent the same components and the like as those in the already-described embodiments, unless otherwise specified.

Also in the present embodiment, the same operational effect as that of the first embodiment is obtained.

(Embodiment 3)
As shown in FIG. 11, this embodiment is also an embodiment in which the shape of the hole 32 is modified from that of the first embodiment. Specifically, the holes 32 have a long slit shape in the arrangement direction X. The holes 32 are formed in the lengthwise direction X so as to be located below all the batteries 5. In the arrangement direction X, the holes 32 are continuously formed from near one end of the battery structure 10 in the arrangement direction X to near the other end thereof. In the overlapping region 33 on the lower side of the batteries 5 other than the batteries 5 at both ends of the plurality of batteries 5, holes 32 are formed over the entire alignment direction X. In addition, in the overlapping region 33 on the lower side of all the batteries 5, the holes 32 may be formed over the entire arrangement direction X. Five hole portions 32 are formed in the heat diffusion portion 3. The five holes 32 are formed at equal intervals in the vertical direction Y.
Others are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, at least a part of the hole portion 32 is located between the first intermediate position x1c and the first end position x1 and between the second intermediate position x2c and the second end position x2. Easy to make. That is, by forming the hole 32 into a slit shape elongated in the vertical direction Y, even if the positional relationship between the hole 32 and the battery 5 in the arrangement direction X is not precisely designed, the first intermediate position x1c and the first intermediate position x1c. At least a part of the hole 32 can be located between the one end position x1 and between the second intermediate position x2c and the second end position x2. The first intermediate position x1c, the first end position x1, the second intermediate position x2c, the second end position x2, etc. are the same as those shown in the first embodiment and FIG.
Other than that, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are obtained.

( Reference form )
This shape state is 12, as shown in FIG. 13, the exterior 50 of the battery 5 is in the form state that the laminate structure. As shown in FIG. 13, the outer casing 50 of the battery 5 is formed by laminating a heat fusion layer 501, a metal layer 502, and a protective layer 503 in this order from the inside to the outside of the casing 50. The heat-sealing layer 501 is a layer that is heat-sealed to the sealing resin filled inside the exterior 50 of the battery 5. The metal layer 502 is a layer made of aluminum. The protective layer 503 is a layer formed on the outer surface of the exterior 50 and protects the exterior 50.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat transfer plate 12 is interposed between the batteries 5 adjacent to each other in the arrangement direction X. The battery 5 is in thermal contact with the upper surface of the heat conducting portion 4 via the heat transfer plate 12. The heat transfer plate 12 has a shape obtained by bending an elongated plate into an L shape in the thickness direction. The heat transfer plate 12 has a first portion 121 having a thickness in the arrangement direction X and a second portion 122 having a thickness in the vertical direction Z. The first portion 121 of the heat transfer plate 12 is arranged between the batteries 5 adjacent to each other in the arrangement direction X. In the first portion 121 arranged between the batteries 5 adjacent to each other in the arrangement direction X, one main surface is in surface contact with the main surface of one battery 5 of the adjacent batteries 5, and the other main surface is the above-mentioned. It is in surface contact with the main surface of the other battery 5 of the adjacent batteries 5. The lower surface of the second portion 122 is in surface contact with the upper surface of the heat conducting section 4.

The hole 32 of the heat conducting portion 4 is formed below the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 and below the lower surface of the second portion 122.
Others are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In this form state, even when the exterior 50 of the battery 5 to the laminate structure, the heat of the battery 5, and easily transferred to the heat exchanger 2 via the heat transfer plate 12.
Other than that, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are obtained.

(Embodiment 4 )
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, this embodiment is an embodiment in which the arrangement attitude of the battery 5 is changed from that of the first embodiment. Note that, also in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the direction in which the heat diffusion portions 3 and the heat conduction portions 4 are arranged is referred to as the vertical direction Z, and the heat conduction portion 4 side with respect to the heat diffusion portions 3 in the vertical direction Z is the upper side. , The other side is called the lower side.

In the present embodiment, the battery 5 has the terminal 52 protruding in one of the vertical direction Y orthogonal to the vertical direction Z and the arrangement direction X. All of the plurality of batteries 5 have terminals 52 protruding on the same side in the vertical direction Y. Then, in the present embodiment, the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 is a surface adjacent to the surface of the battery main body 51 from which the terminals 52 protrude. Also in this embodiment, the lower surface 53 of the battery 5 is in thermal contact with the upper surface of the heat conducting portion 4.

In the heat diffusion portion 3, the holes 32 are arranged at equal intervals at four positions in the vertical direction Y.
Others are the same as those in the first embodiment.

Also in the present embodiment, the same operational effect as that of the first embodiment is obtained.

(Embodiment 5 )
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 16, the lower side of the hole 32 in the heat diffusion portion 3 is closed. That is, the hole 32 of the present embodiment is a bottomed hole that is open on the upper side and closed on the lower side.
Others are the same as in the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, it is easy to secure the heat capacity of the heat diffusion portion 3.
Other than that, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are obtained.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be applied to various embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in each of the above embodiments, the battery 5 is a lithium ion secondary battery, but the battery is not limited to this, and various batteries can be adopted. For example, the battery may be a nickel hydrogen battery or the like. Further, the battery may be a battery pack in which a plurality of unit cells are housed in a pack case.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Battery module 2 Heat exchanger 3 Thermal diffusion part 31 Upper surface of thermal diffusion part 32 Hole part 4 Thermal conduction part 5 Battery Z Vertical direction

Claims (6)

A heat exchanger (2),
A heat spreader (3) in thermal contact with the heat exchanger;
A heat conducting portion (4) arranged on the upper surface (31) of the heat diffusion portion;
A battery (5) that is in thermal contact with the upper surface of the heat conducting portion,
The thermal diffusion portion has a higher thermal conductivity than the thermal conduction portion,
The heat diffusion portion includes at least a hole portion which opens towards the upper side (32), at positions overlapping in the vertical direction (Z) and the heat conducting portion, possess at least one,
At least one of the holes is formed at a position that vertically overlaps the lower surface (53) of the battery,
In the lateral direction of the lower surface of the battery, the central position of the lower surface of the battery is defined as the central position (xc), and the positions of both ends of the battery are the first end position (x1) and the second end, respectively. The central position between the central position and the first end position is defined as the first intermediate position (x1c), and the central position between the central position and the second end position is defined. When the position is defined as the second intermediate position (x2c), at least between the first intermediate position and the first end position, and between the second intermediate position and the second end position. A battery module (1) in which at least a part of the hole is present on both sides . In the heat diffusion portion, a portion overlapping with the battery in the vertical direction has a total area of the holes when viewed from the vertical direction smaller than an area of a portion other than the holes when viewed from the vertical direction. The battery module according to claim 1 . The hole when viewed from the vertical direction, and has a circular, battery module according to claim 1 or 2. The hole is in one direction orthogonal to the vertical direction and has a long slit-cell module according to claim 1 or 2. The said hole part is a battery module as described in any one of Claims 1-4 which is opening toward both the upper side and the lower side in the said thermal-diffusion part. The battery module according to claim 1 , wherein a lower side of the hole portion in the heat diffusion portion is closed.

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