US-12621971-B2 - Structural composites with electromagnetic compatibility for battery enclosures

US12621971B2US 12621971 B2US12621971 B2US 12621971B2US-12621971-B2

Abstract

A molded composite battery enclosure containing top and bottom composite covers attached together. The joined top and bottom composite cover structures form an enclose or open area for housing a battery system of battery cells and cooling devices. The composite battery enclosures are lightweight and made of materials that can function to absorb energy and insulate the battery housing area. The composite structures contain a core material adhered and sandwiched between skin fiber layers and an electromagnetic shielding material or resin incorporated into one of the composite structures.

Inventors

Mark W. Brandley
Yousof Azizi
Denis Schmitz
Markus Freiberger
Adam J. Halsband

Assignees

BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS, INC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20221109

Claims (14)

1 . A composite battery enclosure with electromagnetic shielding properties comprising: a. a molded top composite cover comprising i. a first core sandwiched between a first top composite cover skin and a second top composite cover skin; b. a molded bottom composite cover comprising i. a second core sandwiched between a first bottom composite cover skin and a second bottom composite cover skin, wherein at least one of the first top composite cover skin, the second top composite cover skin, the first bottom composite cover skin and the second bottom composite cover skin comprises a electromagnetic shielding resin matrix.
2 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix further comprises fibers, wherein the fibers are inert and not electrically conducting.
3 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the conductive filler comprises metal particles.
4 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the conductive filler comprises carbon black, graphite, graphene, or mixtures thereof.
5 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first top composite cover skin, the second top composite cover skin, the first bottom composite cover skin and the second bottom composite cover skin comprising the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix further comprises fibers, wherein the fibers are inert and not electrically conducting.
6 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 5 , wherein the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix comprises a blend of conductive fillers, the blend of conductive fillers comprising carbon black, carbon fibers, graphite, graphene, or a combination thereof.
7 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first core or the second core comprises the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix.
8 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first core or the second core is a honeycomb core material.
9 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix comprising 0.5 to 5 weight percent of the conductive filler based on the total weight of the first top composite cover skin, the second top composite cover skin, the first bottom composite cover skin, or the second bottom composite cover skin that comprises the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix.
10 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first core or the second core comprises the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix, the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix comprising 0.5 to 10 weight percent of the conductive filler based on the total weight of the first core or the second core that comprises the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix.
11 . A composite battery enclosure with electromagnetic shielding properties comprising: a. a molded top composite cover comprising i. a first core sandwiched between a first top composite cover skin and a second top composite cover skin; b. a molded bottom composite cover comprising i. a second core sandwiched between a first bottom composite cover skin and a second bottom composite cover skin wherein at least one of the first top composite cover skin, the second top composite cover skin, the first bottom composite cover skin and the second bottom composite cover skin comprises a layer of electromagnetic shielding material.
12 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 11 , wherein the conductive filler comprises at least one of metal particles, the metal particles being selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, copper, zinc, nickel, lead, silver, gold and mixtures thereof, carbon black, graphite, graphene and conductive carbon fibers.
13 . The composite battery enclosure of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first core or the second core comprises the layer of electromagnetic shielding material.
14 . A composite battery enclosure with electromagnetic shielding properties comprising: a. a molded top composite cover comprising i. a first core sandwiched between a first top composite cover skin and a second top composite cover skin; b. a molded bottom composite cover comprising i. a second core sandwiched between a first bottom composite cover skin and a second bottom composite cover skin, wherein the first core and the second core comprises a low density, crushable core that deforms upon impact, the first core and the second core comprising a honeycomb core; wherein at least the first core or the second core comprises an electromagnetic shielding resin matrix, the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix comprising a conductive filler, the conductive filler comprises at least one of metal particles, the metal particles being selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, copper, zinc, nickel, lead, silver, gold and mixtures thereof, carbon black, graphite, and graphene.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to structural composites for use as battery enclosures and, in particular, to structural composites having electromagnetic compatibility features for use as a battery enclosure for electric vehicles or equipment. BACKGROUND Vehicles powered by electric batteries have grown in popularity with users. These vehicles allow a user the ability to charge the batteries at their place of residence or at a charging station and avoid the cost of purchasing gasoline. To supply the power needed to reach long distances, these vehicles need large capacity batteries. However, these large capacity batteries pose an increased risk to occupants and emergency responders if the batteries are damaged during a collision. The batteries need to be protected from the force generated during the collision or alternatively, any force transmitted to the batteries must be low enough so as not to cause significant damage to the batteries. The present disclosure provides battery enclosures that are strong and light weight, as compared to battery enclosures known previously. The enclosures utilize composite materials, optionally with structural electromagnetic compatibility features, to protect the batteries and operating systems in the enclosure from electromagnetic signals and harmful interference. The electromagnetic compatibility features of the battery enclosures protect any internal housed equipment from adverse influence or potential damage by electromagnetic radiation and intrusion from outside electromagnetic sources or closely positioned equipment, even over a range of possible frequencies. SUMMARY In a first aspect, disclosed is a composite battery enclosure with electromagnetic shielding properties that includes a molded top composite cover having a first core sandwiched between a first top composite cover skin and a second top composite cover skin; and a molded bottom composite cover having a second core sandwiched between a first bottom composite cover skin and a second bottom composite cover skin. The molded top composite cover, the molded bottom composite cover, or both, include an electromagnetic shielding resin matrix, the electromagnetic shielding resin matrix including a dispersed conductive filler. In a second aspect, there is a composite battery enclosure with electromagnetic shielding properties that includes a molded top composite cover having a first core sandwiched between a first top composite cover skin and a second top composite cover skin; and a molded bottom composite cover having a second core sandwiched between a first bottom composite cover skin and a second bottom composite cover skin. The molded top composite cover, the molded bottom composite cover, or both, include a layer of electromagnetic shielding material, the electromagnetic shielding material including a dispersed conductive filler. Any one of the above aspects (or examples of those aspects) may be provided alone or in combination with any one or more of the examples of that aspect discussed above; e.g., the first aspect may be provided alone or in combination with any one or more of the examples of the first aspect discussed above; and the second aspect may be provided alone or in combination with any one or more of the examples of the second aspect discussed above; and so-forth. Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary, and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understanding the nature and character of the claims. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiments, and together with the description serve to explain principles and operation of the various embodiments. Directional terms as used herein—for example, up, down, right, left, front, back, top, bottom—are made only with reference to the figures as drawn and are not intended to imply absolute orientation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other features, examples and advantages of aspects or examples of the present disclosure are better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a cross-section view of a two-piece battery enclosure including a molded upper composite cover and a molded bottom composite cover with a battery retaining area. FIG. 2 shows a cross-section view of an example of the molded upper composite cover of the battery enclosure of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows a c