FLAME-RESISTANT, COATED FABRIC INSULATOR
A flexible thermal insulator having a fabric layer, a flame resistant outer coating bonded to an outer side of the fabric layer, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer bonded to an inner side of the fabric layer.
1 . A flexible thermal insulator for an electric vehicle battery pack, comprising:
a fabric layer;
a flame resistant outer coating bonded to an outer side of the fabric layer; and
a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer bonded to an inner side of the fabric layer, wherein the fabric layer is sandwiched between the flame-resistant outer coating and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
2 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 1 , wherein the fabric layer includes woven mineral yarns.
3 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 2 , wherein the mineral yarns include at least one of silica multifilaments, fiberglass multifilaments, basalt multifilaments, and nomex multifilaments.
4 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 2 , wherein the fabric layer is woven having a fabric weight between about 30 oz/sq-yd to 40 oz/sq-yd.
5 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 1 , further including a release layer releasably bonded to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for removal to expose the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer for adhesion to a surface of the electric vehicle battery pack.
6 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 1 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is fire-resistant.
7 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 6 , wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive is an acrylic adhesive.
8 . The flexible thermal insulator of any one of claim 1 , wherein the flame resistant outer coating is a compound including liquid silicone rubber (LSR) infused with a fire-resistant material.
9 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 8 , wherein the compound includes between about 5 to 30% by mass of the fire-resistant material.
10 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 9 , wherein the fire-resistant material is powdered mica.
11 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 10 , wherein the compound includes about 15% by mass of the powdered mica.
12 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 1 , wherein the flame resistant outer coating is cured.
13 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 1 , wherein the flame resistant outer coating has a thickness between about 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.
14 . The flexible thermal insulator of claim 1 , wherein the flexible thermal insulator has a thickness between about 1.0 mm to 2.0 mm.
15 . An electric vehicle battery pack, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of cells bounded by said housing; and
a flexible thermal insulator fixed to at least one surface of the housing, the flexible thermal insulator having:
a fabric layer;
a flame resistant outer coating bonded to an outer side of the fabric layer; and
a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer bonded to an inner side of the fabric layer, wherein the fabric layer is sandwiched between the flame-resistant outer coating and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
16 . The electric vehicle battery pack of claim 15 , wherein the flame resistant outer coating is a compound including liquid silicone rubber (LSR) infused with a fire-resistant material.
17 . The electric vehicle battery pack of claim 16 , wherein the flame resistant outer coating is cured.
18 . The electric vehicle battery pack of claim 17 , wherein the fire-resistant material is powdered mica.
19 . The electric vehicle battery pack of claim 18 , wherein the compound includes between about 5 to 30% by mass of the powdered mica.
20 . The electric vehicle battery pack of claim 15 , wherein the fabric layer includes mineral yarns woven having a fabric weight between about 30 oz/sq-yd to 40 oz/sq-yd.