Thermal management of a battery assembly using a configurable thermal interface

Inventors: Zhenwen Hu (Shanghai, CN); Jian Yao (Shanghai, CN); Chengwu Duan (Shanghai, CN); Yusheng Zou (Northville, MI)

Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

B60L58/24 B60K1/04 B60L50/66 H01M10/625 H01M10/6566 H01M10/658 B60K2001/005 H01M2220/20

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12697901
App. No.: 18/300,842
Granted: Aug 4, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A system for thermal management of a battery assembly includes a protective cover in thermal communication with the battery assembly and disposed at a location that is proximate to an external surface of the battery assembly, the protective cover including at least one moveable component. The system also includes an actuator device configured to move the at least one moveable component of the protective cover to establish an insulating air gap between a portion of the protective cover and the battery system, the insulating air gap causing an increase in a thermal resistance of the protective cover.

Claims (31)

1 . A system for thermal management of a battery assembly, the system comprising:

a thermal interface system in thermal communication with the battery assembly and disposed at a location that is proximate to an external surface of the battery assembly, the thermal interface system including at least one moveable component, wherein the at least one moveable component is moveable between a first position and a second position, the first position causing the thermal interface system to establish an insulating air gap between a portion of the thermal interface system and the battery assembly, and the second position causing the thermal interface system to open and permit air to flow through the thermal interface system;

wherein the thermal interface system includes a cavity defined by opposing surfaces, the at least one moveable component includes a first component configured to isolate the cavity and establish the insulating air gap when in the first position, and the first component is configured to expose the cavity to permit air flow through the cavity when the first component is in the second position; and

an actuator device configured to move the at least one moveable component between the first position and the second position, the insulating air gap causing an increase in a thermal resistance of the thermal interface system and insulating the battery assembly.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery assembly includes a vehicle battery pack having a plurality of battery cells, and the thermal interface system is configured to thermally insulate at least one of the vehicle battery pack and one or more of the plurality of battery cells.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one moveable component includes an outer cover configured to be moved between the first position and the second position relative to a bottom cover pf the battery assembly.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one moveable component includes a side cover configured to be moved between the first position and the second position relative to an insulating body.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one moveable component includes a second component that defines one of the opposing surfaces, and the actuator device configured to move the second component to adjust a thickness of the insulating air gap.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a processing device configured to control the actuator device based on at least one of a request received from a vehicle user, a request received from a vehicle system, and an external temperature condition.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery assembly is disposed in a vehicle, and the thermal interface system is disposed in thermal communication with a housing of the battery assembly.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the thermal interface system is disposed below the housing and is exposed to an external air flow around the vehicle.

9 . A method of thermal management of a battery assembly, the method comprising:

providing a thermal interface system in thermal communication with the battery assembly and disposed at a location that is proximate to an external surface of the battery assembly, the thermal interface system including at least one moveable component, wherein the at least one moveable component is moveable between a first position and a second position, the first position causing the thermal interface system to establish an insulating air gap between a portion of the thermal interface system and the battery assembly, and the second position causing the thermal interface system to open and permit air to flow through the thermal interface system;

controlling, by a processing device, an actuator device to move the at least one moveable component between the first position and the second position, the insulating air gap causing an increase in a thermal resistance of the thermal insulating system and insulating the battery assembly.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one moveable component includes an outer cover configured to be moved between the first position and the second position relative to a bottom cover pf the battery assembly.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one moveable component includes a side cover configured to be moved between the first position and the second position relative to an insulating body.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the thermal interface system includes a second component that defines one of the opposing surfaces, and the controlling includes moving the second component to adjust a thickness of the air gap.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the controlling is based on at least one of a request received from a vehicle user, and a request received from a vehicle system.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising monitoring a temperature including at least one of an external temperature and a battery assembly temperature, wherein the controlling the at least one moveable component to establish the insulating air gap is based on the temperature being below a threshold temperature.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the battery assembly is disposed in a battery housing in a vehicle, the thermal interface system is disposed in thermal communication with a lower surface of the housing, and the thermal interface system is disposed between the housing and is exposed to an external air flow around the vehicle.

16 . A vehicle system comprising:

a memory having computer readable instructions; and

a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the processing device to perform a method including:

receiving at least one of a request and an indication of a temperature condition, the processing device in communication with an actuator device connected to a thermal interface system, wherein the thermal interface system is in thermal communication with a battery assembly in a vehicle and the thermal interface system is disposed at a location that is proximate to an external surface of the battery assembly, the thermal interface system including at least one moveable component, wherein the at least one moveable component is moveable between a first position and a second position, the first position causing the thermal interface system to establish an insulating air gap between a portion of the thermal interface system and the battery assembly, and the second position causing the thermal interface system to open and permit air to flow through the thermal interface system;

controlling, based on the at least one of the request and the temperature condition, the actuator device to move the at least one moveable component between the first position and the second position, the insulating air gap causing an increase in a thermal resistance of the thermal insulating system and insulating the battery assembly.

17 . The vehicle system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one moveable component includes an outer cover configured to be moved between the first position and the second position relative to a bottom cover pf the battery assembly.

18 . The vehicle system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one moveable component includes a side cover configured to be moved between the first position and the second position relative to an insulating body.

19 . The vehicle system of claim 16 , wherein the thermal interface system includes a second component that defines one of the opposing surfaces, and the controlling includes moving the second component to adjust a thickness of the insulating air gap.

20 . The vehicle system of claim 17 , wherein the battery assembly is disposed in a battery housing in the vehicle, the thermal interface system is disposed in thermal communication with a lower surface of the housing, and the thermal interface system is disposed between the housing and is exposed to an external air flow around the vehicle.