Battery cell can insert
A battery cell includes a cell can including a plurality of walls forming a cell stack receiving zone. Each of the plurality of walls includes an inner surface. A cell stack is arranged in the cell stack receiving zone. The cell stack has an outer surface that is spaced from the inner surface of at least one of the plurality of walls. A cell can insert is arranged between the outer surface of the cell stack and the inner surface of the at least one of the plurality of walls. The cell can insert provides structural support and a thermal flow path between the cell stack and the cell can.
1 . A battery cell defining a vertical direction and a horizontal direction orthogonal to the vertical direction, the battery cell comprising:
a cell can including a plurality of walls forming a cell stack receiving zone, the plurality of walls comprising an upper wall and a lower wall opposite each other in the vertical direction, each of the plurality of walls including an inner surface;
a cell stack arranged in the cell stack receiving zone, the cell stack having an upper outer surface that is spaced from the inner surface of the upper wall and a lower outer surface that is spaced from the inner surface of the lower wall;
an upper cell can insert arranged between the upper outer surface of the cell stack and the inner surface of the upper wall of the cell can; and
a lower cell can insert arranged between the lower outer surface of the cell stack and the inner surface of the lower wall of the cell can,
wherein the upper and lower cell can inserts provide structural support and thermal flow paths between the cell stack and the cell can,
wherein first and second battery terminals are disposed on the upper wall of the cell can,
wherein the cell stack includes electrode tabs extending from opposite sides thereof in the horizontal direction, and
wherein the upper and lower cell can inserts are separated from each other in the vertical direction.
2 . The battery cell according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lower cell can insert includes a contoured inner surface portion, and
wherein the lower outer surface includes a contoured outer surface section that mates with the contoured inner surface portion.
3 . The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein each of the upper and lower cell can inserts includes a generally rectangular cross-section.
4 . The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the upper outer surface and the lower outer surface, together with side outer surfaces, define a continuous outer surface of the cell stack.
5 . The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein each of the upper and lower cell can inserts is formed from one of a metallic material and a non-metallic material having a metallic coating.
6 . The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the cell can is formed from a first material and each of the upper and lower cell can inserts is formed from the first material.
7 . The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein each of the upper and lower cell can inserts includes a solid cross-section.
8 . The battery cell according to claim 1 ,
wherein the upper cell can insert includes a contoured inner surface portion, and
wherein the upper outer surface includes a contoured outer surface section that mates with the contoured inner surface portion.
9 . The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second battery terminals are spaced apart from each other along the horizontal direction.
10 . The battery cell according to claim 1 , wherein the lower cell can insert is in direct contact with the lower wall of the cell can and the lower outer surface of the cell stack, and the upper cell can insert is in direct contact the upper outer surface of the cell stack and a top plate assembly, the top plate assembly disposed between the upper wall of the cell can and the upper cell can insert.
11 . A vehicle comprising:
a body defining a passenger compartment;
a plurality of wheels operatively connected to the body;
an electric drive unit operatively connected to at least one of the plurality of wheels; and
a battery assembly operatively connected to the electric drive unit, the battery assembly including a plurality of battery cells, at least one of the plurality of battery cells defining a vertical direction and a horizontal direction orthogonal to the vertical direction and comprising:
a cell can including a plurality of walls forming a cell stack receiving zone, the plurality of walls comprising an upper wall and a lower wall opposite each other in the vertical direction, each of the plurality of walls including an inner surface;
a cell stack arranged in the cell stack receiving zone, the cell stack having an upper outer surface that is spaced from the inner surface of the upper wall and a lower outer surface that is spaced from the inner surface of the lower wall;
an upper cell can insert arranged between the upper outer surface of the cell stack and the inner surface of the upper wall of the cell can; and
a lower cell can insert arranged between the lower outer surface of the cell stack and the inner surface of the lower wall of the cell can,
wherein the upper and lower cell can inserts provide structural support and thermal flow paths between the cell stack and the cell can,
wherein first and second battery terminals are disposed on the upper wall of the cell can,
wherein the cell stack includes electrode tabs extending from opposite sides thereof in the horizontal direction, and
wherein the upper and lower cell can inserts are separated from each other in the vertical direction.
12 . The vehicle according to claim 11 ,
wherein the lower cell can insert includes a contoured inner surface portion, and
wherein the lower outer surface includes a contoured outer surface section that mates with the contoured inner surface portion.
13 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein each of the upper and lower cell can inserts includes a generally rectangular cross-section.
14 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the upper outer surface and the lower outer surface, together with side outer surfaces, define a continuous outer surface of the cell stack.
15 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein each of the upper and lower cell can inserts is formed from one of a metallic material and a non-metallic material having a metallic coating.
16 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the cell can is formed from a first material and each of the upper and lower cell can inserts is formed from the first material.
17 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein each of the upper and lower cell can inserts includes a solid cross-section.
18 . The vehicle according to claim 11 ,
wherein the upper cell can insert includes a contoured inner surface portion, and
wherein the upper outer surface includes a contoured outer surface section that mates with the contoured inner surface portion.
19 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second battery terminals are spaced apart from each other along the horizontal direction.
20 . The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the lower cell can insert is in direct contact with the lower wall of the cell can and the lower outer surface of the cell stack, and the upper cell can insert is in direct contact the upper outer surface of the cell stack and a top plate assembly, the top plate assembly disposed between the upper wall of the cell can and the upper cell can insert.