JP7675634B2 - Heat dissipation structure and battery equipped with same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heat dissipation structure and a battery equipped with the same.

The control systems of automobiles, aircraft, ships, and home and commercial electronic devices are becoming more precise and complex, and as a result, the integration density of small electronic components on circuit boards is steadily increasing. As a result, there is a strong demand for a solution to the problems of electronic component failure and shortened lifespan caused by heat generation around the circuit board.

Conventionally, rapid heat dissipation from a circuit board has been achieved by constructing the circuit board itself from a material with excellent heat dissipation properties, attaching a heat sink, or driving a cooling fan, either alone or in combination. Of these, the method of constructing the circuit board itself from a material with excellent heat dissipation properties, such as diamond, aluminum nitride (AlN), cubic boron nitride (cBN), etc., makes the circuit board extremely expensive. In addition, the placement of a cooling fan creates problems such as the need for maintenance to prevent breakdowns of the rotating equipment called a fan, and the difficulty of securing installation space. In contrast, heat dissipation fins are simple components that can increase the surface area and improve heat dissipation by forming many columnar or flat protruding parts made of a metal with high thermal conductivity (e.g., aluminum), and are therefore widely used as heat dissipation components (see Patent Document 1).

Nowadays, there is a growing movement around the world to gradually replace conventional gasoline or diesel vehicles with electric vehicles in order to reduce the burden on the global environment. In particular, electric vehicles are becoming more popular in European countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Germany, as well as China. The spread of electric vehicles requires the development of high-performance batteries and the installation of many charging stations. In particular, it is important to develop technology to improve the charging and discharging functions of lithium-based automobile batteries. It is well known that the above-mentioned automobile batteries cannot fully perform their charging and discharging functions at high temperatures of 60 degrees Celsius or higher. For this reason, as with the circuit boards described above, it is important to improve the heat dissipation properties of batteries as well.

To achieve rapid heat dissipation from a battery, it is necessary to form the heat transfer path with a highly thermally conductive material and to reduce the thermal resistance between the battery cell and the highly thermally conductive material. For example, a heat dissipation structure can be formed by laminating a rubber-like elastic body on a graphite sheet used as the heat transfer path and forming the sheet into a cylindrical shape. Since battery cells can take various forms (including uneven surfaces such as steps or non-smooth surfaces), if such a heat dissipation structure is placed between a battery cell and a cooling member, or between battery cells, the heat dissipation structure can easily adapt to various battery cell forms and also easily form a heat transfer path. In addition, when the battery cell is removed, the heat dissipation structure can easily return to a shape close to its original shape.

JP2008-243999

As the highly thermally conductive material, it is desired to use a thermally conductive material having high thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity in the heat dissipation structure. However, in such a case, there is a risk of electrical short circuit between the thermally conductive material and the peripheral components of the battery cell. In addition, a method of disposing a film-like insulating member between the heat dissipation structure and the battery cell is also considered, but since the insulating member is often a non-elastic member, it has poor deformation conformity to the thermally conductive material, and there is a risk that the heat transfer efficiency will decrease depending on the deformation of the thermally conductive material. This applies not only to battery cells, but also to other heat sources such as DC/DC converters, circuit boards, electronic components, or electronic device bodies. Meeting such demands will also contribute to the achievement of the applicant's sustainable development goal of "ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all."

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a heat dissipation structure that can adapt to various forms of heat sources, has excellent elastic deformation properties, has excellent heat dissipation efficiency, and can suppress electrical short circuits with surrounding components, and a battery equipped with the same.

(1) In one embodiment for achieving the above object, a heat dissipation structure includes a plurality of heat dissipation members that enhance heat dissipation from a heat source, a first insulating film that is arranged at least between the heat source and the heat dissipation members with the plurality of heat dissipation members arranged along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members, and a holding member that holds the plurality of heat dissipation members, wherein the heat dissipation members include a plurality of cushion members having a hollow or solid shape, and a thermally conductive sheet that is a sheet for transferring heat from the heat source and covers the outer surface of the cushion members.
(2) In a heat dissipation structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the first insulating film is in surface contact with the multiple heat dissipation members, with the multiple heat dissipation members arranged in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, and has an uneven shape that is bent to conform to the outer shape of the heat dissipation members, and the holding member is in surface contact with the multiple heat dissipation members on the side opposite the heat source and may be joined to at least a recess in the first insulating film.
(3) In another embodiment of the heat dissipation structure, the retaining member may be an adhesive tape having an adhesive layer on at least one surface, and the adhesive layer may be bonded to the plurality of heat dissipation members and the recesses of the first insulating film.
(4) In another embodiment of the heat dissipation structure, the holding member may preferably comprise an adhesive tape having the adhesive layer on both sides thereof, the double-sided adhesive tape being arranged at each end of the heat dissipation member in the longitudinal direction, and a single-sided adhesive tape having the adhesive layer on one side thereof, at least one of which is arranged in the center of the heat dissipation member in the longitudinal direction.
(5) In another embodiment of the heat dissipation structure, the retaining member is preferably a second insulating film that is in face-to-face contact with the side of the heat dissipation members opposite the heat source when the heat dissipation members are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members, and at least the recesses of the first insulating film and the second insulating film may be thermally welded together.
(6) In another embodiment of the heat dissipation structure, the retaining member is preferably a double-sided adhesive tape having an adhesive layer on both sides thereof, the adhesive layer on one side being bonded to the first insulating film and the adhesive layer on the other side being in surface contact with the heat dissipation member.
(7) In a heat dissipation structure according to another embodiment, the holding member may preferably be two or more sheets arranged with a gap therebetween along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation member.
(8) In another embodiment of the heat dissipation structure, the retaining member may be a thread that connects the multiple heat dissipation members in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and fixes the multiple heat dissipation members to the first insulating film.
(9) In a heat dissipation structure according to another embodiment, the holding member may be a bag that also serves as the first insulating film and that encases the plurality of heat dissipation members.
(10) In a heat dissipation structure according to another embodiment, the holding member may preferably include the bag and a thread that fixes the plurality of heat dissipation members inside the bag.
(11) In a heat dissipation structure according to another embodiment, the heat dissipation member may be a tubular member having a hollow portion along the longitudinal direction.
(12) A battery according to one embodiment is a battery having one or more battery cells as heat sources within a housing having a structure for passing a cooling member, and has any of the heat dissipation structures described above between the battery cells and the housing.

The present invention provides a heat dissipation structure that can adapt to various forms of heat sources, has excellent elastic deformation properties, is highly efficient at dissipating heat, and can suppress electrical short circuits with surrounding components, and a battery equipped with the same.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a heat dissipation structure according to a first embodiment. 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1 and an enlarged view of a part C thereof. 3A and 3B are a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1 and an enlarged view of a portion D thereof. FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the heat dissipation structure according to the second embodiment. 5A and 5B are a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. 4 and an enlarged view of a portion F thereof. FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a heat dissipation structure according to the third embodiment. 7A and 7B are a cross-sectional view taken along line GG in FIG. 6 and an enlarged view of a portion H thereof, respectively. FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the heat dissipation structure according to the fourth embodiment. 9A and 9B are a cross-sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 8 and an enlarged view of a portion J thereof. FIG. 10 shows a plan view of the heat dissipation structure according to the fifth embodiment. 11 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line K--K in FIG. 10 and an enlarged view of a portion L thereof. FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a part of a method for manufacturing the heat dissipation structure of FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a part of a manufacturing method of the heat dissipation member of the heat dissipation structure of FIG. FIG. 14 shows a side view, a plan view, and an enlarged view of the plan view of a second modified example of the heat dissipation member that constitutes the heat dissipation structure of FIG. FIG. 15 shows a side view, a plan view, and an enlarged view of the plan view of a third modified example of the heat dissipation member that constitutes the heat dissipation structure of FIG. FIG. 16 shows a side view, a plan view, and an enlarged view of the plan view of a fourth modified example of the heat dissipation member that constitutes the heat dissipation structure of FIG. FIG. 17 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a battery according to one embodiment. FIG. 18 shows a cross-sectional view of a battery cell laid horizontally on a heat dissipation structure with the side surface of the battery cell in contact with the heat dissipation structure, a partially enlarged view of the cross-sectional view, and a partially enlarged view of the battery cell when the battery cell expands during charging and discharging.

Next, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each embodiment described below does not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all of the elements and combinations thereof described in each embodiment are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention.

1. Heat dissipation structure (first embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a heat dissipation structure according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1, and an enlarged view of a portion C thereof. FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 1, and an enlarged view of a portion D thereof. In this embodiment, the heat source is disposed above the paper surfaces of FIGS. 2 and 3. This also applies to the following embodiments. In FIG. 1, the heat dissipation structure 1 includes 14 heat dissipation members 20, but the number of heat dissipation members 20 is not particularly limited. This also applies to the following embodiments.

(1) Schematic Configuration The heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment is a member including a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 for enhancing heat dissipation from a heat source, a first insulating film 10 arranged at least between the heat source and the heat dissipation members 20 in a state in which the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 1 ), and a holding member 12 that is separate from the first insulating film 10 and holds the plurality of heat dissipation members 20. The heat dissipation member 20 includes a plurality of cushion members 22 having a hollow or solid shape, and a thermally conductive sheet 21 that is a sheet for transmitting heat from the heat source and covers the outer surface of the cushion member 22. The "first insulating film" and a "second insulating film" described later are preferably films having an electrical resistivity of 1.0×10 ⁷ Ω·m or more.

(2) Thermally Conductive Sheet The thermally conductive sheet 21 may be made of any material, but is preferably a sheet containing carbon, and more preferably a sheet composed of 90% by mass or more of carbon. For example, a graphite film formed by baking a resin may be used for the thermally conductive sheet 21. However, the thermally conductive sheet 21 may be a sheet containing carbon and resin. In that case, the resin may be a synthetic fiber, and in that case, aramid fiber may be preferably used as the resin. In this application, "carbon" is broadly interpreted to include any structure made of carbon (element symbol: C), such as graphite, carbon black having a lower crystallinity than graphite, diamond, and diamond-like carbon having a structure similar to diamond. In this embodiment, the thermally conductive sheet 21 may be a thin sheet made by hardening a material in which graphite fibers or carbon particles are blended and dispersed in a resin. The thermally conductive sheet 21 may be a carbon fiber woven into a mesh shape, or may be a mixed-spun or mixed-knitted material. In addition, various fillers such as graphite fibers, carbon particles, and carbon fibers are all included in the concept of carbon filler.

When the thermal conductive sheet 21 is a sheet containing carbon and resin, the resin may be more than 50% by mass or less than 50% by mass with respect to the total mass of the thermal conductive sheet 21. In other words, the thermal conductive sheet 21 may be made mainly of resin or not, as long as there is no significant hindrance to thermal conduction. For example, a thermoplastic resin can be preferably used as the resin. For the thermoplastic resin, a resin having a high melting point that does not melt when conducting heat from a heat source is preferable, and for example, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyamide imide (PAI), aromatic polyamide (aramid fiber), etc. can be preferably mentioned. The resin is dispersed in the gaps of the carbon filler in the state before the thermal conductive sheet 21 is molded, for example, in the form of particles or fibers. In addition to the carbon filler and resin, the thermal conductive sheet 21 may have Al ₂ O ₃ , AlN, or diamond dispersed therein as a filler for further increasing thermal conduction. In addition, an elastomer that is more flexible than the resin may be used instead of the resin. The thermally conductive sheet 21 may also be a sheet containing metal and/or ceramics instead of or together with carbon as described above. As the metal, a material having relatively high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, or an alloy containing at least one of _them may be selected. As the ceramic, a material having relatively high thermal conductivity such as _Al2O3 , AlN, cBN, or hBN may be selected.

The thermally conductive sheet 21 may or may not have excellent electrical conductivity. The thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive sheet 21 is preferably 10 W/mK or more. In this embodiment, the thermally conductive sheet 21 is preferably a graphite film, and is made of a material having excellent thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. The thermally conductive sheet 21 is preferably a sheet having excellent curvature (or bendability), and although there is no restriction on its thickness, 0.02 to 3 mm is preferable, and 0.03 to 0.5 mm is more preferable. However, the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive sheet 21 decreases in the thickness direction as its thickness increases, but the amount of heat transmitted increases with increasing thickness, so that it is preferable to determine the thickness by comprehensively considering the strength, flexibility, and thermal conductivity of the sheet. The thermally conductive sheet 21 is preferably a cylindrical body that covers the outer surface of the cushion member 22. However, the thermally conductive sheet 21 may be a thin strip that is spirally wound around the outer surface of the cushion member 22.

(3) Cushion member The important functions of the cushion member 22 are its deformability and recovery force. The recovery force is due to elastic deformation. Deformability is a necessary characteristic for following the shape of the heat source, and in particular in the case of battery cells that contain semi-solid or liquid-like contents such as lithium ion batteries in a package that is easily deformed, there are many cases where the design dimensions are indefinite or the dimensional accuracy cannot be achieved. For this reason, it is important for the cushion member 22 to maintain its deformability and recovery force to maintain its followability.

The cushion member 22 is preferably a cylindrical member having a hollow portion 23 along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation member 20 (the depth direction of the paper surface in FIG. 2). The cushion member 22 improves the contact between the heat conductive sheet 21 and the heat source even when the heat source in contact with the heat conductive sheet 21 is not flat. Furthermore, the hollow portion 23 facilitates the deformation of the cushion member 22, contributes to the weight reduction of the heat dissipation structure 1, and has the function of enhancing the contact between the heat conductive sheet 21 and the heat source. The cushion member 22 also functions as a protective member that prevents the heat conductive sheet 21 from being damaged by a load applied to the heat conductive sheet 21. In this embodiment, the cushion member 22 is a member with lower thermal conductivity than the heat conductive sheet 21. In this embodiment, the hollow portion 23 is formed in a circular cross section, but the cross section of the hollow portion 23 is not limited to a circle, and may be, for example, a polygon, an ellipse, a semicircle, or a substantially polygonal shape with rounded apexes. The hollow portion 23 may be composed of multiple hollow portions, such as two semicircular hollow portions in which the circular cross section is divided into two parts vertically or horizontally. The cushion member 22 may be rolled into a U-shape so that the sheet is not completely closed, or the sheet may be rolled more than once. The cushion member 22 may be solid and not have a hollow portion 23.

The cushion member 22 is preferably configured to include a thermosetting elastomer such as silicone rubber, urethane rubber, isoprene rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, natural rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, nitrile rubber (NBR) or styrene butadiene rubber (SBR); a thermoplastic elastomer such as a urethane-based, ester-based, styrene-based, olefin-based, butadiene-based, or fluorine-based elastomer, or a composite thereof. The cushion member 22 is preferably configured to include a material having a high heat resistance to such an extent that it can maintain its shape without melting or decomposing due to the heat transmitted through the thermal conductive sheet 21. In this embodiment, the cushion member 22 is more preferably configured to include a urethane-based elastomer impregnated with silicone, or a silicone rubber. In order to increase its thermal conductivity as much as possible, the cushion member 22 may be configured by dispersing a filler represented by Al ₂ O ₃ , AlN, cBN, hBN, diamond particles, or the like in the rubber. The cushion member 22 may include bubbles in its interior, or may not include bubbles. In addition, the "cushion member" means a member that is highly flexible and can be elastically deformed so as to be in close contact with the surface of the heat source, and in this sense, it can be read as a "rubber-like elastic body". Furthermore, as a modified example of the cushion member 22, it can be constructed using a metal instead of the above-mentioned rubber-like elastic body. For example, the cushion member 22 can be constructed using spring steel. Furthermore, it is also possible to arrange a coil spring as the cushion member 22. Also, a metal wound in a spiral shape can be made into spring steel and arranged on the annular back surface of the heat conductive sheet 21 as the cushion member. Also, the cushion member 22 can be constructed using a sponge or solid (a structure that is not porous like a sponge) formed from resin, rubber, etc.

(4) First Insulating Film In this embodiment, the first insulating film 10 is a single sheet aligned along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members 20 (the vertical direction in FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the first insulating film 10 forms a concave-convex shape that is bent along the outer shape of the heat dissipation members 20 and is in surface contact with the heat dissipation members 20 in a state in which the heat dissipation members 20 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (the horizontal direction in FIGS. 2 and 3) (see the enlarged view of part C in FIG. 2 and the enlarged view of part D in FIG. 3). In addition, the first insulating film 10 is preferably disposed such that the concave-convex shape of the concave-convex shape is joined to the holding member 12 (see the enlarged view of part C in FIG. 2 and the enlarged view of part D in FIG. 3).

The first insulating film 10 is a sheet-like member having higher insulating properties than the holding member 12, and is preferably a sheet-like member having heat resistance. The first insulating film 10 may be made of any material, but is preferably made of, for example, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyimide, phenolic resin, glass fiber-impregnated epoxy resin, or acrylic insulating films, and more preferably made of plastic polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polyether ether ketone, polyimide, or the like, which have excellent dimensional stability, insulating properties, and heat resistance. The thickness of the first insulating film 10 is preferably 5 μm to 200 μm, and more preferably 5 μm to 150 μm. However, it is preferable to determine the thickness of the first insulating film 10 by comprehensively considering the strength, flexibility, insulating properties, etc. of the film.

(5) Holding Member In this embodiment, the holding member 12 is a member that is separate from the first insulating film 10, that is in surface contact with the side of the heat dissipation members 20 opposite to the heat source (the lower side in FIGS. 2 and 3), and that is joined to at least the recessed portion 11 of the first insulating film 10 (see the enlarged view of part C in FIG. 2 and the enlarged view of part D in FIG. 3). In this embodiment, the holding member 12 includes double-sided adhesive tapes 13, 13 that are adhesive tapes having adhesive layers 15 on both sides sandwiching a base material 17 and that are arranged at both ends of the heat dissipation member 20 in the longitudinal direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 1), and at least one single-sided adhesive tape 14 that is an adhesive tape having an adhesive layer 15 on one side thereof and that is arranged in the center of the heat dissipation member 20 in the longitudinal direction (see FIG. 1). The double-sided adhesive tape 13 and the single-sided adhesive tape 14 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "adhesive tapes 13, 14") preferably have an adhesive layer 15 that is in surface contact with the heat dissipation members 20 and the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10 to fix them (see the enlarged view of part C in FIG. 2 and the enlarged view of part D in FIG. 3). The double-sided adhesive tape 13 preferably has an adhesive layer 15 on one side that is in surface contact with the heat dissipation members 20 and the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10, and the adhesive layer 15 on the other side that is joined to a cooling portion that includes a cooling member. The adhesive tapes 13, 14 may be made of different materials or may have different shapes, as long as at least the adhesive layer 15 can be in surface contact with the heat dissipation members 20 and the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10 to fix them. The double-sided adhesive tapes 13, 13 may also be made of different materials or may have different shapes. The double-sided adhesive tapes 13, 13 may be single-sided adhesive tapes having an adhesive layer only on one side. In this case, the adhesive layer 15 of the adhesive tapes 13, 13 may be brought into surface contact with the heat dissipation member 20 and the recess 11 of the first insulating film 10, and the surface of the substrate 17 may be bonded to the cooling portion via an adhesive or the like, or may be bonded without an adhesive or the like. Two or more single-sided adhesive tapes 14 may be provided in a region of the heat dissipation member 20 in the longitudinal direction excluding both ends. The single-sided adhesive tape 14 may be a double-sided adhesive tape having an adhesive layer 15 on both sides.

The adhesive tapes 13 and 14 are tapes with a lower hardness than the first insulating film 10, and preferably have a higher thermal conductivity than the first insulating film 10. In addition, the adhesive tapes 13 and 14 are preferably tapes that can withstand a temperature rise caused by heat radiation from a heat source. More specifically, the adhesive tapes 13 and 14 are tapes that can withstand high temperatures of about 100°C, and are preferably made of thermally conductive adhesive tape made of silicone rubber and acrylic resin.

The adhesive tapes 13 and 14 may have carbon filler, Al ₂ O ₃ , AlN, or diamond dispersed therein as a filler for further enhancing thermal conductivity. The adhesive tapes 13 and 14 may also be tapes containing metal and/or ceramics instead of or together with the resin as described above. As the metal, a material having relatively high thermal conductivity such as aluminum, copper, or an alloy containing at least one of them may be selected. As the ceramic, a material having relatively high thermal conductivity such as Al ₂ O ₃ , AlN, cBN, hBN, etc. may be selected. In addition, the adhesive tapes 13 and 14 may or may not have excellent electrical conductivity. The thermal conductivity of the adhesive tapes 13 and 14 is preferably 1 W/mK or more. However, the adhesive tapes 13 and 14 may be tapes having the same thermal conductivity as the first insulating film 10 or a lower thermal conductivity than the first insulating film 10. The adhesive tapes 13 and 14 are preferably tapes with excellent curvature (or bending properties), and although there are no restrictions on their thickness, 1 μm to 20 μm is preferable, and 3 μm to 10 μm is more preferable. However, since the thermal conductivity of the adhesive tapes 13 and 14 decreases in the thickness direction as the thickness increases, but the amount of heat transmitted increases with thickness, it is preferable to determine the thickness by comprehensively considering the strength, flexibility, and thermal conductivity of the sheet.

The distance L1 between the heat dissipation members 20 narrows when the heat dissipation members 20 are crushed by pressure from the heat source. If the heat dissipation members 20 are hardly crushed, the adhesion between the thermally conductive sheet 21 and the heat source, etc. may be reduced. The thickness of the heat dissipation member 20 when compressed in the vertical direction, i.e., in the direction from the heat source to the cooling part equipped with the cooling member, that is appropriate for reducing such a risk is at least 80% of the tube diameter (=circular equivalent diameter: D) of the heat dissipation member 20. Here, the "circular equivalent diameter" means the diameter of a perfect circle having the same area as the area of the tube cross section when the heat dissipation member 20 is cut perpendicular to its longitudinal direction. If the heat dissipation member 20 is a cylinder with a circular cross section, its diameter is the same as the circular equivalent diameter. When the heat dissipation member 20 is compressed as described above, it can be considered that the surface in contact with the heat source and the surface in contact with the cooling part via the first insulating film 10 are flat, and the direction of the distance L1 between the heat dissipation members 20 is deformed to have a substantially arcuate cross section (see the enlarged view of part C in FIG. 2). If the distance L1 is sufficiently large, the heat dissipation member 20 does not contact the adjacent heat dissipation member 20. Conversely, if the gap L1 is too small, even if the heat dissipation member 20 is compressed in the vertical direction, it may come into contact with the adjacent heat dissipation member 20 and not be crushed any further. If the distance L1 is set to 11.4% or more of the circle equivalent diameter D of the heat dissipation member 20, it is possible to prevent the heat dissipation members 20 from contacting each other and hindering the deformation when the heat dissipation member 20 is compressed and deformed to a thickness of 80% of the circle equivalent diameter D. Therefore, it is preferable that the heat dissipation structure 1 has a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 arranged so that the distance L1 between the heat dissipation members 20 is 11.4% or more of the circle equivalent diameter D of the heat dissipation member 20.

In the heat dissipation structure 1, the heat dissipation members 20 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, and the adhesive layer 15 of the adhesive tapes 13 and 14 constituting the holding member 12 is in surface contact with the heat dissipation members 20 and the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10, respectively, to hold the heat dissipation members 20. This ensures good contact between the heat conductive sheet 21 and the lower ends of the heat sources, even if the lower ends of the heat sources are not flat. In addition, the first insulating film 10 has an uneven shape that is bent along the outer shape of the heat dissipation members 20 when the heat dissipation members 20 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, and the recesses 11 constituting the uneven shape are arranged to be joined to the holding member 12 (see the enlarged view of part C in FIG. 2 and the enlarged view of part D in FIG. 3). Therefore, the heat dissipation structure 1 can suppress the decrease in heat transfer efficiency according to the deformation of the heat dissipation members 20 and suppress electrical short circuits with peripheral components. In order to realize a high heat transfer efficiency, it is desirable to dissipate heat uniformly from each of the multiple heat sources so that the temperature of each of the multiple heat sources is uniform. To achieve this, it is preferable to arrange the multiple heat dissipation members 20 so that the number of heat dissipation members 20 in contact with each heat source is uniform. In the heat dissipation structure 1, the heat dissipation members 20 are arranged in the space between the convex portion forming the uneven shape of the first insulating film 10 and the holding member 12, and the concave portions 11, 11 on both sides of the convex portion are joined to the holding member 12. As a result, in the heat dissipation structure 1, the heat dissipation members 20 are positioned by the first insulating film 10 and the holding member 12, so that the variation in the distance L1 between the heat dissipation members 20 is small even when the heat dissipation structure 1 is crushed by pressure from the heat source. Therefore, the heat dissipation structure 1 can improve the uniformity of the heat dissipation properties of each of the multiple heat sources. Note that the multiple heat dissipation members 20 are not limited to being arranged so that the distance L1 between the heat dissipation members 20 is equal. The heat dissipation structure 1 is preferably arranged with the distance L1 changed so that the heat dissipation members 20 are concentrated at the position of the heat source with the highest temperature among the multiple heat sources. In other words, it is preferable that the heat dissipation structure 1 has a small distance L1 between the heat dissipation members 20 in contact with the heat source with the highest temperature so that the number of heat dissipation members 20 in contact with the heat source with the highest temperature is greater than the number of heat dissipation members 20 in contact with the other heat sources. In this way, the heat dissipation structure 1 can be easily and reliably positioned with respect to the heat sources so that the heat dissipation properties of each of the multiple heat sources are uniform depending on the form of the heat source, etc.

Second Embodiment
Next, a heat dissipation structure according to a second embodiment will be described. Parts common to the previous embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

Figure 4 shows a plan view of the heat dissipation structure according to the second embodiment. Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E in Figure 4 and an enlarged view of a portion F of the cross-sectional view.

The heat dissipation structure 1a according to the second embodiment has a similar structure to the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment, but differs from the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a holding member 12a instead of the holding member 12. Note that the heat dissipation structure 1a has the same configuration as the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment except for the holding member 12a, so a detailed description will be omitted.

The holding member 12a is preferably a second insulating film that is in surface contact with the heat source side (lower side in FIG. 5) of the heat dissipation members 20 when the heat dissipation members 20 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 5). The second insulating film 12a is preferably a single sheet that is aligned along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members 20 (up-down direction in FIG. 3). The heat dissipation structure 1a is formed by joining the recess 11 of the first insulating film 10 and the second insulating film 12a by thermal welding. The constituent materials of the second insulating film 12a are the same as those of the first insulating film 10, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The heat dissipation structure 1a configured in this manner also achieves the same effects as the first embodiment.

Third Embodiment
Next, a heat dissipation structure according to a third embodiment will be described. The same reference numerals will be used to designate parts common to the previous embodiment, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

Figure 6 shows a plan view of a heat dissipation structure according to the third embodiment. Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line G-G in Figure 6 and an enlarged view of a portion H of the cross-sectional view.

The heat dissipation structure 1b according to the third embodiment has a similar structure to the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment, but differs from the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a holding member 12b instead of the holding member 12. Note that the heat dissipation structure 1a has the same configuration as the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment except for the holding member 12b, so a detailed description will be omitted.

The holding member 12b is preferably a double-sided adhesive tape having adhesive layers 15, 15 on both sides of the substrate 17, which is separate from the first insulating film 10. The holding member 12b is preferably such that the adhesive layer 15 on one side is bonded to the first insulating film 10, and the adhesive layer 15 on the other side is in surface contact with the heat dissipation member 20 (see the enlarged view of part H in FIG. 7). The constituent materials of the holding member 12b are the same as those of the double-sided adhesive tape 13 in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description is omitted. The holding member 12b is preferably two or more sheets arranged with a gap between them along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation member 20 (the vertical direction in FIG. 6). In this embodiment, the holding member 12b is two sheets arranged at both ends of the heat dissipation member 20 in the longitudinal direction. The larger the size of each sheet of the holding member 12b, the more firmly it can be fixed by surface contact with the first insulating film 10 and the heat dissipation member 20. Furthermore, the smaller the gap between each sheet of the holding member 12b, the more it can suppress electrical short circuits with surrounding components. However, it is preferable that the size of the sheets constituting the holding member 12b and the gap between each sheet are appropriately determined according to the form of the heat source and the heat dissipation member 20. The heat dissipation structure 1b configured in this manner also achieves the same effect as the first embodiment. Note that there are no particular restrictions on the number of sheets constituting the holding member 12b as long as it is two or more. Furthermore, the multiple sheets may have different shapes and/or sizes. Furthermore, the holding member 12b is not limited to being arranged so that the gaps between each sheet are equal.

Fourth Embodiment
Next, a heat dissipation structure according to a fourth embodiment will be described. The same reference numerals will be used to designate parts common to the previous embodiment, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

Figure 8 shows a plan view of a heat dissipation structure according to the fourth embodiment. Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in Figure 8 and an enlarged view of part J of the cross-sectional view.

The heat dissipation structure 1c according to the fourth embodiment has a similar structure to the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment, but differs from the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment in that it has a holding member 12c instead of the holding member 12 and has two first insulating films 10. Note that the heat dissipation structure 1a has the same configuration as the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment except for the first insulating film 10 and the holding member 12c, so a detailed description will be omitted.

The heat dissipation structure 1c preferably includes two first insulating films 10, 10 arranged between the heat source and the heat dissipation member 20 and between the heat dissipation member 20 and the cooling part, with the heat dissipation members 20 arranged along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 9). That is, the two first insulating films 10, 10 are preferably arranged on both sides of the thickness direction (up-down direction in FIG. 9) of the heat dissipation member 20, with the heat dissipation members 20 arranged along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 9). In this embodiment, the first insulating films 10, 10 are preferably a single sheet along the longitudinal direction (up-down direction in FIG. 8) of the heat dissipation member 20. The holding member 12c is preferably a thread separate from the first insulating film 10, and more preferably a thread that can withstand the temperature rise caused by heat dissipation from the heat source. More specifically, the holding member 12c is preferably made of twisted yarn made of fibers such as natural fibers, synthetic fibers, carbon fibers, and metal fibers that can withstand high temperatures of about 120°C.

The holding member 12c is preferably a member that connects the multiple heat dissipation members 20 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof and fixes the multiple heat dissipation members 20 to the first insulating film 10. More specifically, the holding member 12c is a member that sews and fixes the multiple heat dissipation members 20 to the first insulating films 10, 10 arranged on both sides of the heat dissipation members 20 in the thickness direction using a sewing machine or the like. There are no particular restrictions on the sewing method of the holding member 12c, and any sewing method such as hand sewing, lock stitching, zigzag stitching, single chain stitching, double chain stitching, overlock stitching, flat stitching, safety stitching, and overlock stitching may be used. According to the indication symbols defined by JIS L 0120, examples of suitable stitching methods include stitching methods that configure various stitches such as "101", "209", "301", "304", "401", "406", "407", "410", "501", "502", "503", "504", "505", "509", "512", "514", "602" and "605". The heat dissipation structure 1c configured in this manner also achieves the same effects as the first embodiment. The first insulating film 10 may be composed of two or more sheets arranged with a gap between them along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation member 20 (the vertical direction in FIG. 8). In this case, it is preferable that the first insulating film 10 is composed of two or more sheets arranged at least at both ends of the heat dissipation member 20 in the longitudinal direction. The heat dissipation structure 1c may also include one first insulating film 10 arranged between the heat source and the heat dissipation member 20. That is, the heat dissipation structure 1c does not need to have the first insulating film 10 disposed between the heat dissipation member 20 and the cooling area. In this case, it is preferable that the holding member 12c is formed by sewing and fixing the multiple heat dissipation members 20 to the first insulating film 10 using a sewing machine or the like.

Fifth Embodiment
Next, a heat dissipation structure according to a fifth embodiment will be described. The same reference numerals will be used to designate parts common to the above-mentioned embodiments, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

Figure 10 shows a plan view of a heat dissipation structure according to the fifth embodiment. Figure 11 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line K-K in Figure 10 and an enlarged view of a portion L of the cross-sectional view.

The heat dissipation structure 1d according to the fifth embodiment has a similar structure to the heat dissipation structure 1c according to the fourth embodiment, but differs from the heat dissipation structure 1c according to the fourth embodiment in that it includes a holding member 12d instead of the first insulating film 10 and the holding member 12c. Note that the heat dissipation structure 1d has the same configuration as the heat dissipation structure 1c according to the fourth embodiment except for the holding member 12d, so a detailed description will be omitted.

In the heat dissipation structure 1d, the holding member 12d preferably doubles as the first insulating film 10 and is a member including a bag 10a that encases the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 and a thread 18 that fixes the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 inside the bag 10a. The bag 10a is a bag that encases the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 in a state in which the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 are arranged along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (the left-right direction in Figs. 10 and 11). The material of the bag 10a is not important, but it is preferable that the bag 10a is one or more of the above-mentioned suitable options for the material constituting the first insulating film 10. In addition, the shape of the bag 10a is not particularly limited as long as it is a shape that can encase the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 in a state in which the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 are arranged along (the left-right direction in Figs. 10 and 11). The thread 18 is used to sew and connect the heat dissipation members 20 together using a sewing machine or the like while the heat dissipation members 20 are aligned in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction. There are no particular restrictions on the way the thread 18 is sewn, but it is preferable that the thread 18 be sewn in any of the above-mentioned preferred options for the sewing method of the holding member 12c of the fourth embodiment. The heat dissipation structure 1d configured in this manner also achieves the same effects as the first embodiment. The thread 18 may be twisted between the multiple heat dissipation members 20. By twisting the thread 18 between the multiple heat dissipation members 20, the heat dissipation structure 1d can improve its ability to follow and adhere to the surface of the heat source.

2. Manufacturing Method of Heat Dissipation Structure Next, an example of a suitable manufacturing method of the heat dissipation structure 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.

Figure 12 shows a diagram to explain part of the manufacturing method of the heat dissipation structure of Figure 1.

First, an example of a suitable manufacturing method of the heat dissipation member 20 constituting the heat dissipation structure 1 will be described. First, a cushion member 22 having a hollow portion 23 is molded. Next, a strip-shaped heat conductive sheet 21 is spirally wound around the outer surface of the cushion member 22. At this time, the heat conductive sheet 21 is wound around the outer surface of the cushion member 22 while the cushion member 22 is in an uncured state, and then the cushion member 22 is completely cured by heating. Then, if there is a part of the strip-shaped heat conductive sheet 21 that protrudes from both ends of the cushion member 22, it is cut off. By manufacturing the heat dissipation member 20 in this manner, the uncured cushion member 22 is cured in a state in which it has entered the microscopic gaps of the heat conductive sheet 21, so that the cushion member 22 and the heat conductive sheet 21 can be firmly fixed together without using an adhesive or the like. The heat dissipation member 20 thus completed has a shape that protrudes by the thickness of the heat conductive sheet 21 from the outer surface of the cushion member 22. However, the heat conductive sheet 21 and the cushion member 22 may be flush with each other. If the outer surface of the cushion member 22 is not adhesive, the thermally conductive sheet 21 may be fixed to the cushion member 22 using an adhesive or the like.

The heat dissipation structure 1 is manufactured as follows. First, on the holding member 12 in which the double-sided adhesive tape 13, the single-sided adhesive tape 14, and the double-sided adhesive tape 13 are arranged with gaps between them, a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 manufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturing method are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the adhesive tapes 13, 14 (the left-right direction in FIG. 1) and in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation member 20. At this time, it is preferable that the adhesive tapes 13, 14 are arranged with gaps between them along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation member 20 (the up-down direction in FIG. 1). It is also preferable that the adhesive tapes 13, 14 are arranged so that the adhesive layer 15 is in surface contact with the plurality of heat dissipation members 20. Then, with the multiple heat dissipation members 20 lined up in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, the first insulating film 10 is brought into surface contact with each of the multiple heat dissipation members 20 so as to form an uneven shape that is bent along the outer shape of the heat dissipation members 20, and the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10 are joined to the adhesive layers 15 of the adhesive tapes 13 and 14, thereby manufacturing the heat dissipation structure 1.

The heat dissipation structure 1a according to the second embodiment is manufactured by arranging a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 manufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturing method on a second insulating film 12a, which is a holding member, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members 20 (left and right direction in FIG. 4), bringing the first insulating film 10 into surface contact with each of the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 so as to form an uneven shape that is bent along the outer shape of the heat dissipation members 20, and thermally welding the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10 and the second insulating film 12a. The thermal welding method is not particularly limited as long as it is a method that can weld the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10 and the second insulating film 12a.

The heat dissipation structure 1b according to the third embodiment is manufactured by arranging a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 manufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturing method in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members 20 (left-right direction in FIG. 6), placing the holding member 12b on the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 so that the adhesive layer 15 on one side of the holding member 12b is in surface contact with the heat dissipation members 20, and bonding the first insulating film 10 to the adhesive layer 15 on the other side of the holding member 12b. In this case, it is preferable that the holding members 12b are arranged with gaps between them along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members 20 (up-down direction in FIG. 6), and more preferably, they are arranged at both longitudinal ends of the heat dissipation members 20 (see FIG. 6).

The heat dissipation structure 1c according to the fourth embodiment is manufactured as follows. First, a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 manufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturing method are arranged on one of the two first insulating films 10 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members 20 (left-right direction in FIG. 4), and the other first insulating film 10 is placed on the plurality of heat dissipation members 20. Then, using a sewing machine or the like, the plurality of heat dissipation members 20 are sewn and fixed to the two first insulating films 10, 10 arranged on both sides of the heat dissipation members 20 in the thickness direction (up-down direction in FIG. 9) with a holding member 12c, which is thread, to manufacture the heat dissipation structure 1c.

The heat dissipation structure 1d according to the fifth embodiment is manufactured by arranging a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 manufactured by the above-mentioned manufacturing method in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members 20 (the left-right direction in FIG. 10), sewing the members together with thread 18, and inserting the connected heat dissipation members 20 into the bag 10a.

3. Modified heat dissipation member

(Variation 1)
FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a part of a manufacturing method of the heat dissipation member of the heat dissipation structure of FIG.

In the heat dissipation member 20a of the first modified example, the cushion member 22 is not a cylindrical cushion member, but a belt-shaped cushion member provided on the back side of the thermally conductive sheet 21, and is a spiral-shaped cushion member that is spirally wound together with the thermally conductive sheet 21.

An example of a method for manufacturing a heat dissipation member 20a having the above-mentioned spiral cushion member (also called a "spiral cushion member") and a heat dissipation structure having a plurality of heat dissipation members 20a is as follows.

First, the laminate 30 is manufactured, which is made up of two layers, a thermally conductive sheet 21 and a cushion member 22, both of which have approximately the same width. Next, the laminate 30 is wound in a spiral shape (which may also be called a coil shape) in one direction. In this way, the heat dissipation member 20a, which has an elongated shape and is formed by winding the laminate 30 in a spiral shape, is completed. The laminate 30 is preferably formed by laminating the thermally conductive sheet 21 onto the cushion member 22 while the cushion member 22 is in an uncured state, that is, when the cushion member 22 is not completely cured, and then heating the cushion member 22 to completely cure it.

The heat dissipation structures 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d are manufactured in the same manner as the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, except that the heat dissipation member 20 is replaced with the heat dissipation member 20a.

(Variation 2)
FIG. 14 shows a side view, a plan view, and an enlarged view of the plan view of a second modified example of the heat dissipation member that constitutes the heat dissipation structure of FIG.

The heat dissipation member 20b of the second modification is such that the heat conductive sheet 21 is not wound in a spiral shape around the outer surface of the cushion member 22, but the outer surface of the cushion member 22 is covered with the heat conductive sheet 21. The heat conductive sheet 21 may be wound around the periphery of the end face of the cushion member 22. Also, the heat conductive sheet 21 may be made cylindrical and the cushion member 22 may be inserted into it.

The heat dissipation structures 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d are manufactured in the same manner as the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, except that the heat dissipation member 20 is replaced with the heat dissipation member 20b.

(Variation 3)
FIG. 15 shows a side view, a plan view, and an enlarged view of the plan view of a third modified example of the heat dissipation member that constitutes the heat dissipation structure of FIG.

The heat dissipation member 20c of the third modification is covered with a heat conductive sheet 21 so that a long slit 25 is formed on the outer surface of the cushion member 22 along the length of the cushion member 22.

The heat dissipation structures 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d are manufactured in the same manner as the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, except that the heat dissipation member 20 is replaced with the heat dissipation member 20c.

(Variation 4)
FIG. 16 shows a side view, a plan view, and an enlarged view of the plan view of a fourth modified example of the heat dissipation member that constitutes the heat dissipation structure of FIG.

The heat dissipation member 20d of the fourth modified example is a form in which the hollow portion 23 is eliminated from the cushion member 22 of the heat dissipation member 20b described above (see FIG. 14). The cushion member 22 does not need to have the hollow portion 23, as long as it is sufficiently flexible or lightweight.

The heat dissipation structures 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d are manufactured in the same manner as the above-mentioned manufacturing methods, except that the heat dissipation member 20 is replaced with the heat dissipation member 20d.

4. Battery Next, the battery according to this embodiment will be described.

Figure 17 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of a battery according to one embodiment. Here, "vertical cross-sectional view" refers to a view cutting vertically from the upper opening of the inside of the battery housing to the bottom.

In this embodiment, the battery 40 is, for example, a battery for an electric vehicle, and includes a number of battery cells 50. The battery 40 is preferably a lithium-ion battery. The battery 40 includes a bottomed housing 41 that opens on one side. The housing 41 is preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum-based alloy. The battery cells 50 are disposed inside the housing 41 at the inside 44. An electrode (not shown) is provided protruding from the upper part of the battery cell 50. The battery cells 50 are preferably pressed against each other in the housing 41 by applying a compressive force from both sides of the battery cells 50 using a screw or the like (not shown). The bottom 42 of the housing 41 is provided with one or more water-cooled pipes 43 for flowing cooling water, which is an example of a cooling member 45. The battery cells 50 are disposed in the housing 41 so as to sandwich the heat dissipation structure 1 between the battery cells 50 and the bottom 42.

The battery 40 includes one or more battery cells 50 as heat sources in a housing 41 having a structure for flowing a cooling member 45. The heat dissipation structure 1 is interposed between the battery cell 50 and the cooling member 45. The heat dissipation structure 1 has a first insulating film 10 in surface contact with the battery cell 50, and adhesive tapes 13, 14 in surface contact with the cooling portion including the cooling member 45. In particular, one adhesive layer 15, 15 of the double-sided adhesive tape 13, 13 is fixed in surface contact with the cooling portion. In the battery 40 having such a structure, the battery cell 50 transfers heat to the housing 41 through the heat dissipation structure 1, and the heat is effectively removed by water cooling. The cooling member 45 may be read as a "cooling medium" or a "coolant". The cooling member 45 is not limited to cooling water, but may also include organic solvents such as liquid nitrogen and ethanol. The cooling member 45 is not limited to being a liquid under the circumstances in which it is used for cooling, and may be a gas or a solid.

When the battery cell 50 is set in the housing 41 (see FIG. 17), the heat dissipation structure 1 is compressed in the thickness direction of the heat dissipation structure 1 between the battery cell 50 and the bottom 42 having the water-cooling pipe 43. As a result, heat from the battery cell 50 is easily transferred to the first insulating film 10, the heat conductive sheet 21, the bottom 42, the water-cooling pipe 43, and the cooling member 45. In addition, the heat dissipation structure 1 is arranged so that the first insulating film 10 forms an uneven shape that is bent along the outer shape of the heat dissipation member 20 and is in surface contact with the multiple heat dissipation members 20 and the heat source, and the adhesive layer 15 of the adhesive tapes 13 and 14 that constitute the holding member 12 is joined to the multiple heat dissipation members 20 and the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10, so that it is easy to follow the deformation of the heat dissipation member 20 and the decrease in heat transfer efficiency according to the deformation can be suppressed. In addition, since the heat dissipation structure 1 includes the first insulating film 10, even if the heat conductive sheet 21 has conductivity, it is possible to suppress an electrical short circuit with the surrounding components. The battery 40 may include the above-mentioned heat dissipation structures 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d instead of the heat dissipation structure 1. In this case, the heat dissipation structures 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d are arranged so that the first insulating films 10 and 10a are in surface contact with the multiple heat dissipation members 20 and the heat source while the multiple heat dissipation members 20 are held by the holding members 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d, and thus provide the same effect as the battery 40 including the above-mentioned heat dissipation structure 1.

5. Other Embodiments As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, but the present invention is not limited to these and can be practiced in various modifications.

Figure 18 shows a cross-sectional view of a battery cell placed horizontally on a heat dissipation structure with the side of the battery cell in contact with the heat dissipation structure, a partially enlarged view of the cross-sectional view, and a partially enlarged view of the battery cell when it expands during charging and discharging.

In the first embodiment described above, the battery cell 50 is vertically arranged and the heat dissipation structure 1 is in contact with its lower end, but the arrangement of the battery cell 50 is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 18, the battery cell 50 may be arranged so that the side of the battery cell 50 is in contact with each heat dissipation member 20 of the heat dissipation structure 1. The temperature of the battery cell 50 rises during charging and discharging. If the container of the battery cell 50 itself is made of a flexible material, the battery cell 50 may swell, especially the side. Even in such a case, as shown in FIG. 18, each heat dissipation member 20 constituting the heat dissipation structure 1 can be deformed to match the shape of the outer surface of the battery cell 50, so that high heat dissipation can be maintained even during charging and discharging. Similarly, in the heat dissipation structures 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d, the battery cell 50 may be arranged so that the side of the battery cell 50 is in contact with each heat dissipation member 20 of the heat dissipation structures 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d.

The first insulating film 10 is not limited in shape, and may have any shape that allows it to be placed between the heat source and the heat dissipation members 20 with at least a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 aligned in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, for example, a polygon, ellipse, circle, or approximately polygon with rounded apexes in a plan view.

The holding member in each of the above embodiments may or may not also serve as the first insulating film. In addition, there are no restrictions on the shape of the double-sided adhesive tape 13 and single-sided adhesive tape 14 constituting the holding member 12, and as long as the adhesive layer 15 can be fixed in surface contact with the heat dissipation members 20 and the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10 with at least a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 arranged in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, the shape may be, for example, polygonal, elliptical, circular, approximately polygonal with rounded apexes, etc., in a plan view.

The holding member 12a is not limited in shape, and may have any shape that can be thermally welded to the recesses 11 of the first insulating film 10 when at least a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, such as a polygon, ellipse, circle, or approximately polygon with rounded apexes when viewed in a plan view.

The holding member 12b is not limited in shape, and may have any shape that can be fixed by placing the adhesive layer 15 in surface contact with the heat source and the heat dissipation members 20, respectively, with at least a plurality of heat dissipation members 20 aligned in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, and may have, for example, a polygonal, elliptical, circular, or substantially polygonal shape with rounded apexes, etc., in a plan view.

The holding member 12d may not have the thread 18. In this case, the heat dissipation structure 1d is held in a state where the heat dissipation members 20 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation structure 1d and are wrapped in the bag 10a.

In addition, in the heat dissipation structure 1c, the two first insulating films 10, 10 may be bags 10a, similar to the heat dissipation structure 1d (see FIG. 11).

The heat dissipation member 20 may not have a hollow portion 23 formed in the cushion member 22. In that case, the heat dissipation member 20 has a configuration in which the cushion member 22 is filled in the hollow portion of the thermally conductive sheet 21. The hollow portion may not be formed in the cushion member 22 as long as it is formed by at least the wound structure of the thermally conductive sheet 21 out of the thermally conductive sheet 21 and the cushion member 22.

The heat source includes not only the battery cell 50 but also all objects that generate heat, such as a circuit board or an electronic device body. For example, the heat source may be an electronic component such as a DC/DC converter, a capacitor, or an IC chip. Similarly, the cooling medium 45 may be not only water for cooling, but also an organic solvent, liquid nitrogen, or a gas for cooling. The heat dissipation structures 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d may be disposed in structures other than the battery 40, such as electronic devices, home appliances, and power generation devices.

Furthermore, the multiple components of each of the above-described embodiments can be freely combined, except in cases where they cannot be combined with each other. For example, the heat dissipation structure 1a may be provided in the battery 40.

Reference Signs List 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d... heat dissipation structure, 10... first insulating film, 10a... bag, 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d... holding member, 13... double-sided adhesive tape, 14... single-sided adhesive tape, 15... adhesive layer, 18... thread, 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d... heat dissipation member, 21... thermally conductive sheet, 22... cushion member, 23... hollow portion, 40... battery, 41... housing, 45... cooling member, 50... battery cell (an example of a heat source).

Claims (11)

A plurality of heat dissipation members for enhancing heat dissipation from a heat source;
a first insulating film disposed at least between the heat source and the heat dissipation members in a state in which the plurality of heat dissipation members are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members;
A holding member for holding the plurality of heat dissipation members;
A heat dissipation structure comprising:
The heat dissipation member is
A plurality of cushion members having a hollow or solid shape;
a heat conductive sheet for transmitting heat from the heat source, the heat conductive sheet covering an outer surface of the cushion member;
Equipped with
the first insulating film is in surface contact with the heat dissipation members while being bent to conform to the outer shape of the heat dissipation members in a state in which the heat dissipation members are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members,
The heat dissipation structure , characterized in that the holding member is in surface contact with the plurality of heat dissipation members on the side opposite the heat source, and is joined to at least a recess of the first insulating film . The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1 , wherein the holding member is an adhesive tape having an adhesive layer on at least one surface thereof, the adhesive layer being bonded to the plurality of heat dissipation members and the recesses of the first insulating film. The holding member is
a double-sided adhesive tape having the adhesive layer on both sides thereof, the double-sided adhesive tape being disposed at both ends of the heat dissipation member in the longitudinal direction;
an adhesive tape having the adhesive layer on one side thereof, at least one single-sided adhesive tape being arranged in a central portion of the heat dissipation member in a longitudinal direction;
The heat dissipation structure according to claim 2 , further comprising: The heat dissipation structure described in claim 1, characterized in that the retaining member is a second insulating film that makes face contact with the side of the heat dissipation members opposite the heat source when the heat dissipation members are arranged in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, and at least the recesses of the first insulating film and the second insulating film are thermally welded together. A plurality of heat dissipation members for enhancing heat dissipation from a heat source;
a first insulating film disposed at least between the heat source and the heat dissipation members in a state in which the plurality of heat dissipation members are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation members;
A holding member for holding the plurality of heat dissipation members;
A heat dissipation structure comprising:
The heat dissipation member is
A plurality of cushion members having a hollow or solid shape;
a heat conductive sheet for transmitting heat from the heat source, the heat conductive sheet covering an outer surface of the cushion member;
Equipped with
The heat dissipation structure is characterized in that the retaining member is a double-sided adhesive tape having an adhesive layer on both sides thereof, the adhesive layer on one side being bonded to the first insulating film and the adhesive layer on the other side being in surface contact with the heat dissipation member. 6. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 5 , wherein the holding member is two or more sheets arranged with a gap therebetween along the longitudinal direction of the heat dissipation member. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding member is a thread that connects the multiple heat dissipation members in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal direction and fixes the multiple heat dissipation members to the first insulating film. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding member also serves as the first insulating film and is a bag that encases the multiple heat dissipation members. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 8 , wherein the holding member includes the bag and a thread that fixes the plurality of heat dissipation members inside the bag. The heat dissipation structure according to claim 1 , wherein the heat dissipation member is a tubular member having a hollow portion along the longitudinal direction. A battery having one or more battery cells as heat sources within a housing having a structure for flowing a cooling member, the battery comprising a heat dissipation structure described in any one of claims 1 to 10 between the battery cells and the housing.