Batteries, battery components, and related methods and apparatus for mitigating a thermal runaway event of a battery
Batteries, battery components, and related methods and apparatus for mitigating a thermal runaway event of a battery are disclosed. Examples disclosed herein include a battery including an enclosure defining a cavity, the enclosure including a first end wall and a second end wall opposite the first end wall, a battery cell disposed in the cavity of the enclosure, a load spreader disposed in the cavity of the enclosure, the load spreader spaced from the first end wall, the battery cell disposed between the load spreader and the second end wall of the enclosure, the load spreader at least partially compressing the battery cell between the load spreader and the second end wall.
1 . A battery comprising:
an enclosure defining a cavity, the enclosure including a first end wall, a second end wall opposite the first end wall, a first sidewall between the first and second end walls, and a second sidewall between the first and second end walls opposite the first sidewall;
a battery cell in the cavity of the enclosure; and
a load spreader in the cavity of the enclosure, the load spreader spaced from the first end wall, the battery cell between the load spreader and the second end wall of the enclosure, the load spreader at least partially compressing the battery cell between the load spreader and the second end wall;
a first rib coupled to the first sidewall; and
a second rib coupled to the second sidewall opposite the first rib, the load spreader engaged with the first and second ribs, the first and second ribs to maintain the load spreader in a location to at least partially compress the battery cell, wherein the first rib is welded to the first sidewall and the second rib is welded to the second sidewall.
2 . The battery of claim 1 , further including a plurality of battery cells between the load spreader and the second end wall.
3 . The battery of claim 1 , further including battery management electronics disposed between the first end wall and the load spreader.
4 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein the load spreader is a rectangular plate.
5 . The battery of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the first rib is curved.
6 . The battery of claim 5 , wherein a second portion of the first rib is welded to the first sidewall, the first portion of the first rib protruding relative to the first sidewall into the cavity.
7 . The battery of claim 6 , wherein the second portion of the first rib is spaced apart from the first end wall of the enclosure.
8 . A battery comprising:
an enclosure defining a cavity, the enclosure including a first end wall, a second end wall opposite the first end wall, a first sidewall between the first and second end walls, and a second sidewall between the first and second end walls opposite the first sidewall;
a first rib coupled to the first sidewall, the first rib including a curved surface, wherein the first rib includes a first panel extending from a first side of the curved surface and a second panel extending from a second side of the curved surface opposite the first side, the first rib coupled to the first sidewall via the first panel and the second panel;
a second rib coupled to the second sidewall opposite the first rib;
a load spreader in the cavity of the enclosure, a first end of the load spreader engaged with a portion of the first rib and a second end of the load spreader engaged with a portion of the second rib; and
a battery cell between the load spreader and the second end wall of the enclosure.
9 . The battery of claim 8 , wherein the curved surface protrudes relative to the first sidewall into the cavity.
10 . The battery of claim 8 , wherein the load spreader engages with at least a portion of the second panel of the first rib.
11 . The battery of claim 8 , wherein the load spreader is spaced apart from the first end wall of the enclosure.
12 . The battery of claim 11 , further including:
a bus bar in the cavity; and
a bus bar connector coupled to the bus bar and to the first end wall of the enclosure.
13 . A battery comprising:
an enclosure having a first interior surface and a second interior surface opposite the first interior surface, the enclosure defining a cavity;
a first rib having a first rib portion and a second rib portion, the first rib portion coupled to the first interior surface, the second rib portion protruding relative to the first rib portion into the cavity;
a second rib coupled to the second interior surface;
a battery cell in the cavity; and
a load spreader engaged with the first rib portion of the first rib and engaged with the second rib, the first rib and the second rib to maintain the load spreader in a position to exert a compression force on the battery cell.
14 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the second rib portion has a curved shape.
15 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the first rib portion extends from a first side of the second rib portion, and wherein the first rib includes a third rib portion extending from a second side of the second rib portion opposite the first side, the second rib portion protruding relative to the third rib portion.
16 . The battery of claim 15 , wherein the first rib is coupled to the first interior surface via the first rib portion and the third rib portion.
17 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the enclosure has a first end wall and a second end wall, the first interior surface and the second interior surface extending between the first end wall and the second end wall, the first rib and the second rib proximate to the first end wall, the battery cell compressed between the load spreader and the second end wall.
18 . The battery of claim 17 , wherein a portion of the first interior surface extends between the first rib and the first end wall.
19 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the first rib includes nickel-chromium alloy or stainless steel.
20 . The battery of claim 13 , wherein the second rib includes a third rib portion and fourth rib portion, the third rib portion protruding relative to the fourth rib portion into the cavity.