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EP-4208911-B1 - COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A BATTERY MODULE ASSEMBLY

EP4208911B1EP 4208911 B1EP4208911 B1EP 4208911B1EP-4208911-B1

Inventors

  • DONOVAN, Sean, Richard

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20210824

Claims (12)

  1. A cooling assembly for use in a battery module assembly, the assembly comprising: a battery module (104) having first (108) and second (112) opposite, opposing sides and configured to house at least a portion of a battery unit (116A-N), wherein the battery unit (116A-N) comprises: a first row of battery cells comprising a plurality of first battery cells (120A-N); a second row of battery cells comprising a plurality of second battery cells (124A-N); a cooling plate (136) having opposite, opposing sides and disposed between the first and second rows of battery cells such that at least a portion of each of the plurality of first battery cells (120A-N) are in contact with a first side of the cooling plate (136) and at least a portion of each of the second battery cells (124A-N) are in contact with a second opposite and opposing side of the cooling plate (136), wherein the cooling plate (136) further comprises: a first end comprising a cooling pipe (140) comprising an opening staring at a first end of the cooling pipe (140) and terminating at a second opposite, opposing end of the cooling pipe (140); a mounting channel (148) disposed on the first side of the cooling plate (136) and between at least a portion of a first battery cell of the plurality of first battery cells (120A-N) and at least a portion of a second battery of the plurality of first battery cells (120A-N); and wherein the cooling pipe (140) is configured to include a cooling fin (240) disposed on an interior surface of the opening starting at the first end of the cooling pipe (140) and terminating at the second opposite, opposing end of the cooling pipe (140).
  2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cooling plate (136) further comprises: a second end comprising a second cooling pipe (144) comprising an opening starting at a first end of the second cooling pipe (144) and terminating at a second, opposing end of the second cooling pipe (144).
  3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the length of the mounting channel (148) is configured to be equal to the first battery cell of the plurality of first battery cells (120A-N).
  4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cooling plate (136) is coupled to the battery unit.
  5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting channel (148) further comprises an opening starting at a first end of the mounting channel (148) and terminating at a second opposite, opposing end of the mounting channel (148), wherein the mounting channel (148) comprises at least one of: a slit included in the opening of the mounting channel (148) opposite the connection of the mounting channel (148) to the at least a cooling plate (136), the slit configured to extend along the length of the opening; and a cooling fin (240) on the interior surface of the opening starting at the first side of the mounting channel (148) and terminating at the second opposite, opposing end of the mounting channel (148).
  6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises: a sense board (404) coupled to the first side (108) of the battery module (104), wherein the sense board (404) further comprises: a cell vent, the cell vent configured to include an opening in the sense board (404) corresponding to a respective battery cell of the plurality of battery cells; and an adapter hole, the adapter hole is configured to include an opening in the sense board (404) corresponding to each hollow opening of the at least a cooling pipe (140).
  7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the sense board (404) is a printed circuit board.
  8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises at least a cell retainer (500), wherein the at least a cell retainer (500) is configured to align the plurality of battery cells in a fixed position.
  9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises at least a protective wrapping (132), wherein the at least a protective wrapping (132) is configured to surround the plurality of battery cells coupled to the first surface of the at least a cooling plate (136).
  10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cooling pipe (140) is further configured to transmit a gas from the first side of the battery module to the second opposite and opposing side of the battery module, wherein the gas travels through the opening of the cooling pipe (140).
  11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises a propulsor (604, 608), wherein the battery module is configured to provide power to the propulsor (604, 608).
  12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the battery module is affixed to an electric aircraft.

Description

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/948,141, filed on September 4, 2020 "COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A BATTERY MODULE ASSEMBLY". FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to the field of electric aircraft and electric aircraft battery assemblies. In particular, the present invention is directed to a cooling assembly for use in a battery module assembly. BACKGROUND In electric multi-propulsion systems of aircrafts (e.g. electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts), energy-dense battery packs are utilized in powering these aircrafts. Fast charging of these energy-dense battery packs can generate a significant amount of heat which can have critical failure effects on the battery pack and surrounding aircraft components. Existing systems and methods for mitigating the excess heat require liquid cooling and/or complex ground equipment, such as cold plates, misting equipment, or large forced air equipment. Complex ground equipment is not easily transported onto or off of an elevated landing pad and requires the set-up and removal of the equipment for each takeoff and landing of an aircraft on the landing pad. US20090148754 A1 discloses a device for housing electrochemical cells. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus and method as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the description which follows. These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific non-limiting embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1A-B are perspective drawings illustrating a battery module assembly comprising a cooling assembly, according to embodiments;FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a battery unit, according to embodiments;FIG. 3A-B are perspective drawings illustrating a cooling plate, according to embodiments;FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly including an adapter pin and a sense board, according to embodiments;FIG. 5 is a prospective view illustrating a cell retainer, according to embodiments;FIG. 6 is an isometric view illustrating an example embodiment of an eVTOL aircraft;FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a computing system that can be used to implement any one or more of the methodologies disclosed herein and any one or more portions thereof. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the embodiments or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. As used herein, the word "exemplary" or "illustrative" means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any implementation described herein as "exemplary" or "illustrative" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "rear", "right", "front", "vertical", "horizontal", and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 1. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. At a high level, aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a cooling assembly for use in a battery module assembly. In an embodiment, the integrated battery cooling assembly