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EP-4274976-B1 - BREATHABLE OVERPRESSURE ASSEMBLY

EP4274976B1EP 4274976 B1EP4274976 B1EP 4274976B1EP-4274976-B1

Inventors

  • JACKSON, ROBERT
  • FRANKS, Jonathan

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20220106

Claims (15)

  1. A breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10", 140, 150, 150', 150", 150‴) for being mounted over an opening in a sealed container, the breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10", 140, 150, 150', 150", 150‴) comprising: a rupture member (12, 142, 152, 172, 222, 272) including a central rupture portion (20, 142A, 222A, 252, 272A) and a peripheral flange (30, 141, 156, 176, 208, 208A, 258) extending about at least a portion of the central rupture portion (20, 142A, 222A, 252, 272A), the central rupture portion (20, 142A, 222A, 252, 272A) sized to cover the opening in the sealed container and configured to rupture at a predetermined pressure at an interior container side of the rupture member (12, 142, 152, 172, 222, 272); at least one vent opening (32, 112, 147, 148, 160, 180, 210, 260) extending through at least one of the central rupture portion (20, 142A, 222A, 252, 272A) and the peripheral flange (30, 141, 156, 176, 208, 208A, 258); and a breathable membrane (14, 130, 144, 149, 164, 184, 214, 264) covering the at least one vent opening (32, 112, 147, 148, 160, 180, 210, 260) for allowing the passage of gas through the at least one of the central rupture portion (20, 142A, 222A, 252, 272A) and the peripheral flange (30, 141, 156, 176, 208, 208A, 258) via the breathable membrane (14, 130, 144, 149, 164, 184, 214, 264), characterized in that the at least one vent opening (32, 112, 148, 160, 180, 210, 260) is in the peripheral flange (30, 141, 156, 176, 208, 208A, 258) and includes a plurality of vent openings, and the peripheral flange (30, 141, 156, 176, 208, 208A, 258) includes at least one fastener opening (34, 42, 44, 54, 104A, 134, 143, 162, 182, 212, 262) disposed between a pair of the vent openings (32, 112, 148, 160, 180, 210, 260) for receiving a fastener (36) therethrough.
  2. The breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10", 140, 150, 150', 150", 150"') of claim 1 wherein the at least one vent opening (32, 112, 148, 160, 180, 210, 260) and the central rupture portion (20) are spaced by a distance that is approximately equal to or less than a diameter of the vent opening (32, 112, 148, 160, 180, 210, 260).
  3. The breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10") of claim 1 further comprising a mounting ring (40) having a plurality of countersunk fastener openings configured for receiving heads of fasteners and a plurality of vent openings (32, 112) have configurations different than the fastener openings.
  4. The breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10", 140, 150, 150', 150", 150"') of claim 1 wherein the breathable membrane (14, 130, 144, 149, 164, 184, 214, 264) includes a plurality of breathable membranes that cover the plurality of vent openings (32, 112, 160, 180, 210, 260); or wherein the at least one vent opening (147, 148) includes a first vent opening (148) extending through the peripheral flange (141) and a second vent opening (147) extending through the central rupture portion (142A).
  5. The breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10") of claim 1 wherein the at least one fastener opening of the peripheral flange (30) includes a plurality of fastener openings (34, 44, 54) extending therethrough for receiving respective fasteners (36), and the at least one vent opening (32) is disposed between a pair of the fastener openings (34, 44, 54).
  6. The breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10", 10‴) of claim 1 wherein the breathable membrane (14) includes a membrane layer (60) and an adhesive layer (62), the adhesive layer (62) extending over a covered portion of the membrane layer (60) such that the membrane layer (60) includes an exposed membrane layer portion (60') free of the adhesive layer (62) thereon.
  7. The breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10") of claim 1 further comprising an outlet ring (40) sealed to an outer surface of the rupture member (12) facing away from the sealed container for mounting the rupture member (12) to the sealed container, the outlet ring (40) and the peripheral flange (30) including generally aligned fastener openings (44) for receiving fasteners therethrough to secure the outlet ring (40) of the rupture member (12) to the sealed container, and the outlet ring (40) including at least one outlet vent opening (42) generally aligned with the at least one vent opening (32) of the rupture member (12).
  8. The breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10", 140, 150, 150", 150‴) of claim 1 further comprising a gasket (50), wherein the gasket (50) is disposed between the rupture member (12) and the sealed container for sealing the rupture member (12) to the sealed container, the gasket (50) including at least one gasket vent opening (52) generally aligned with the at least one vent opening (32) of the rupture member (12); or wherein the gasket (50, 146, 158, 166) has a plurality of fastener openings (54) and a plurality of vent openings (52) extending therethrough, wherein the at least one fastener opening of the peripheral flange includes a plurality of fastener openings of the peripheral flange, wherein the plurality of fastener openings (54, 143, 162, 212, 262) of the gasket (50, 146, 158, 166) are generally aligned with the plurality of fastener openings (34, 42, 44) of the peripheral flange of the rupture member (12), and the plurality of vent openings (52) of the gasket (50) are generally aligned with the plurality of vent openings (32, 147, 148, 160, 180, 210, 260) of the peripheral flange of the rupture member (12) and the breathable membrane (14, 130, 144).
  9. The breathable overpressure assembly (10", 140) of claim 1 wherein the breathable membrane (130) is an annular breathable membrane that extends annularly about the central rupture portion (20) of the rupture member (12); or wherein the breathable membrane (144) is a disc-shaped membrane that extends across the central rupture portion (142A) and across the at least one vent opening (147).
  10. The breathable overpressure assembly (10, 140) of claim 1 wherein the central rupture portion (20) is a central domed portion having opposing concave and convex faces (22, 24); or wherein the central rupture portion (142A) includes a frangible portion (147") along which the central rupture portion ruptures, and the at least one vent opening (147) includes a first vent opening (144) and a second vent opening (147') with the frangible portion (147") extending therebetween.
  11. The breathable overpressure assembly (150", 150"') of claim 1 wherein the rupture member (222, 272) includes scores (206, 256) therethrough, and a sealing membrane (224, 274) at a container-facing side of the rupture member (222, 272) for sealing the opening of the sealed container against pressure loss through the score (206, 256), and a backing support member (226, 276) at a container-facing side of the sealing membrane (224, 274) for supporting the central rupture portion of the rupture member (222, 272) against vacuum forces from the interior of the sealed container.
  12. A sealed assembly comprising: a housing (102) having an interior and a housing opening through an outer wall of the housing (102); and a breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10", 140, 150, 150', 150", 150‴) secured to the housing (102) at the housing opening, the breathable overpressure assembly (10, 10', 10", 140, 150, 150', 150", 150"') being as defined in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein: the peripheral flange (30, 141, 156, 176, 208, 208A, 258) is fastened to the housing (102) adjacent the housing opening (108); the breathable membrane (14, 130, 144, 149, 164, 184, 214, 264) is adjacent to the housing opening (108) over another housing opening (108) adjacent thereto; and the breathable membrane (14, 130, 144, 149, 164, 184, 214, 264) is configured to regulate an internal pressure within the interior of the housing (102) relative to an external pressure outside of the housing (102) by allowing the passage of gas therethrough and keeping small particles outside of the housing (102) from passing through the breathable membrane (14, 130, 144, 149, 164, 184, 214, 264) and entering the housing interior.
  13. The sealed assembly of claim 12 wherein the housing opening (208) is a circular housing opening, and the other opening includes a plurality of other openings circumferentially spaced about the circular housing opening (208), the plurality of vent openings being generally aligned with the plurality of other openings.
  14. The sealed assembly of claim 12 further comprising a single hose having an end fitting being sized to fit over the vent opening (32, 112, 148, 160, 180, 210, 260) and the central rupture portion (20, 142A, 222A, 252, 272A) for directing gases from the interior of the housing (102) to an exterior of an enclosure in which the housing (102) is disposed.
  15. The sealed assembly of claim 12 wherein the housing (102) is a battery housing having cathodes, anodes, and electrolyte material in the housing interior.

Description

FIELD This disclosure relates generally to overpressure assemblies and, more particularly, to overpressure assemblies for sealed enclosures. BACKGROUND Many systems and vessels are sealed to prevent exposure of the contents stored therein, as well as to contain the discharge of chemical reactions that occur within the vessels. Example vessels include batteries such as lithium-ion batteries, which experience exothermic discharge reactions that produce heat within the sealed enclosures of the batteries. Systems and vessels that are sealed may be subjected to internal pressure fluctuations. For example, changes in internal or external temperatures, altitude, humidity, and atmospheric pressure can cause the internal pressure of a sealed enclosure to increase or decrease. Breathable vents may be integrated into the design of a sealed enclosure to regulate the difference in pressure inside the enclosure relative to its immediate environment, while inhibiting contaminants and moisture from entering the sealed enclosure. In some instances, the internal pressure of a sealed system or vessel may increase or decrease significantly, and sometimes in a very rapid manner such that the breathable vents are unable to equalize the pressure within the system. Thus, many sealed systems are provided with overpressure devices such as a rupture disc or explosion relief vent or panel. Example overpressure devices are described in US Patent 8,622,071, US Patent 8,733,383, US Patent 8,807,154, US Patent 9,677,391, and US Patent 10,228,069. Further, US patent application 2020/0365858 describes a safety valve that provides emergency degassing when mounted on electrochemical device housings, the safety valve including: a housing defining a cavity and having a top and a bottom portion, the surface of the bottom portion covering an opening in the electrochemical device casing, and at least one protective degassing element provided on the bottom portion and configured to provide a gas through-opening when an internal pressure and/or temperature in the electrochemical device casing exceeds a predetermined threshold; wherein the material thickness of the protective degassing element is smaller than that of the remaining bottom portion. Further described are kits including said safety valve and related electrochemical devices. A rupture disc, also known as a pressure safety disc, burst disc, bursting disc, or burst diaphragm, is a non-reclosing pressure relief device that protects a sealed vessel, equipment, or piping system from over-pressurization or potentially damaging vacuum conditions. A rupture disc is a flat or shaped (e.g., domed) sheet of material and is designed to rupture at a predetermined pressure. Rupture discs may be forward-acting (e.g., tension-loaded) or reverse-acting or reverse-buckling (e.g., compression-loaded). In forward-acting rupture discs, internal pressure loads are applied to the concave side of the rupture disc, thereby stretching the domed portion of the rupture disc until the tensile forces exceed the ultimate tensile stress of the material and the rupture disc bursts. Flat rupture discs may also be utilized as forward-acting rupture discs. In reverse-acting rupture disc, the internal pressure of the sealed enclosure pushes on the convex side of the rupture disc. When the pressure threshold is met, the dome of the rupture disc bursts. Explosion relief vents or panels function similarly to rupture discs, and are typically used in larger sealed enclosures such as cargo containers and energy storage systems. Like rupture discs, explosion relief panels may be forward-acting (e.g., tension-loaded) or reverse-acting or reverse-buckling (e.g., compression-loaded). Explosion relief panels are often designed to achieve industry standards, such as National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 68, NFPA 885, and the ATEX directives. In many sealed devices and systems, vents and rupture discs are externally-facing components that are exposed to ambient conditions. Many such devices and systems in which both vents and rupture discs are incorporated, such as batteries and similar devices and systems, include various internal components within a housing such as cathodes, anodes, electrolytes, separators, internal cells (e.g., cases or pouches), and associated wiring. Devices such as batteries often also include externally-facing components secured to the housing such as terminals (e.g., positive and negative terminals), dedicated vents or valves, and dedicated pressure relief devices. Due at least in part to these internal and externally-facing components, such devices and systems often have limited available packaging space or "footprint" for externally-facing components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a breathable overpressure assembly showing a concave surface of a central rupture portion of a domed rupture disc member and vent openings having breathable membranes of the breathable overp