WO2019082752A1 - Heat dissipating structure, and battery provided with the same - Google Patents

Heat dissipating structure, and battery provided with the same

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Publication number
WO2019082752A1
WO2019082752A1 PCT/JP2018/038597 JP2018038597W WO2019082752A1 WO 2019082752 A1 WO2019082752 A1 WO 2019082752A1 JP 2018038597 W JP2018038597 W JP 2018038597W WO 2019082752 A1 WO2019082752 A1 WO 2019082752A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
heat
heat conductive
battery
conductive sheet
battery cells
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/JP2018/038597
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Hitoshi Ando
Noboru Nakafuji
Original Assignee
Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from NL2019888A external-priority patent/NL2019888B1/en
Application filed by Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd. filed Critical Shin-Etsu Polymer Co., Ltd.
Priority to DE212018000345.9U priority Critical patent/DE212018000345U1/en
Priority to CN201890001033.XU priority patent/CN212085181U/en
Publication of WO2019082752A1 publication Critical patent/WO2019082752A1/en

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Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a heat dissipating structure, and a battery provided with the same.
  • Control systems of vehicles, aircraft, vessels, or household or industrial electronic appliances are becoming more and more accurate and complex, resulting in increased integration density of small electronic components on a circuit board. It is therefore desired to develop solutions to faults and reduced life of electronic components caused by heat generated around the circuit board.
  • a heat dissipating fin is a simple member whose heat dissipation property can be increased by increasing a surface area by forming a large number of columnar or flat plate-shaped protruding portions made of a highly heat conductive metal (such as aluminum), and the heat dissipating fin is universally used as a heat dissipating component (see Patent Literature 1).
  • FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional battery.
  • a battery 200 in Fig. 12 includes a large number of battery cells 201 on an inner bottom surface 203 of a housing 202 made of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy.
  • a water-cooled pipe 205 where cooling water flows through is provided in a bottom portion 204 of the housing 202.
  • the battery cells 201 are fixed inside the housing 202 with a rubber sheet (such as a room temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber sheet) 206 between the battery cells 201 and the bottom portion 204.
  • a rubber sheet such as a room temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber sheet
  • a heat dissipation structure of the conventional battery 200 as shown in Fig. 12 includes following problems.
  • the heat conductivity of the rubber sheet 206 is low compared to that of aluminum or graphite, and it is difficult to efficiently transfer heat from the battery cells 201 to the housing 202.
  • a method of interposing a spacer of graphite or the like instead of the rubber sheet 206 is conceivable.
  • lower surfaces of a plurality of the battery cells 201 are not flat but stepped, a gap is formed between the battery cells 201 and the spacer, and the heat-transfer efficiency is reduced.
  • the lower surfaces of the battery cells may take various forms, and realization of high heat-transfer efficiency not dependent on the shape of the battery cells is desired.
  • a case of the battery cell is desired to be made of a lighter material, and thus, a heat dissipating structure compatible with a lighter battery cell is desired.
  • the same thing can be said not only for the battery, but also for other heat sources such as a circuit board and an electronic appliance main body.
  • the present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and has its object to provide a heat dissipating structure having a high heat dissipation efficiency regardless of the shape or material of a heat source, and a battery provided with the same.
  • a heat dissipating structure is a heat dissipating structure provided between a heat source and a cooling medium for transferring heat from the heat source to the cooling medium, including a heat conductive sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and capable of being disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium, and a rubbery elastic body capable of being disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet, where the heat conductive sheet includes a protruding sheet portion capable of being disposed extending in a gap between a plurality of the heat sources.
  • the heat conductive sheet has, at a part disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium, a first folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section or a first bag shape annular in cross section, and the rubbery elastic body is disposed in an inner portion of the first folded shape or the first bag shape.
  • the protruding sheet portion has a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section or a second bag shape annular in cross section, and the rubbery elastic body is partially disposed in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
  • the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further includes a rubber sheet for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet to at least one of the heat source and a surrounding of the cooling medium.
  • the rubber sheet is a silicone rubber sheet.
  • the heat conductive sheet is a sheet containing carbon filler and resin.
  • the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further includes current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheet or the rubbery elastic body.
  • a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention is a battery including a plurality of battery cells as heat sources inside a housing in contact with a cooling medium, and including a heat dissipating structure for transferring heat from the battery cells to the cooling medium, the heat dissipating structure being provided between end portions of the battery cells near the cooling medium and a part of the housing near the cooling medium, where the heat dissipating structure includes a heat conductive sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and capable of being disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium, and a rubbery elastic body capable of being disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet, and the heat conductive sheet includes a protruding sheet portion capable of being disposed extending in a gap between a plurality of the battery cells.
  • the heat conductive sheet has, at a part disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium, a first folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section or a first bag shape annular in cross section, and the rubbery elastic body is disposed in an inner portion of the first folded shape or the first bag shape.
  • the protruding sheet portion has a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section or a second bag shape annular in cross section, and the rubbery elastic body is partially disposed in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
  • the battery according to another embodiment preferably further includes a rubber sheet for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet to at least the battery cells or a surrounding of the cooling medium.
  • the battery according to another embodiment preferably further includes current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheet or the rubbery elastic body.
  • a heat dissipating structure is a heat dissipating structure provided between a heat source and a cooling medium for transferring heat from the heat source to the cooling medium, including a heat conductive sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and capable of being disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium, and a rubbery elastic body capable of being disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet, where the heat conductive sheet includes a contact part wrapped around half or more of a circumference of the heat source.
  • the heat conductive sheet covers a plurality of the heat sources in an S shape or in continuous S shapes in cross section.
  • the heat conductive sheet covers one heat source and then covers another heat source different from the one heat source by being folded back by reversal of a covering direction.
  • the rubbery elastic body is provided on a part of the heat conductive sheet at a position closer to the cooling medium than a part of the heat conductive sheet covering the heat source.
  • a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention is a battery including a plurality of battery cells as heat sources inside a housing in contact with a cooling medium, and including a heat dissipating structure for transferring heat from the battery cells to the cooling medium, the heat dissipating structure being provided between end portions of the battery cells near the cooling medium and a part of the housing near the cooling medium, where the heat dissipating structure includes a heat conductive sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and capable of being disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium, and a rubbery elastic body capable of being disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet, and the heat conductive sheet includes a contact part wrapped around half or more of circumferences of the battery
  • the heat conductive sheet covers a plurality of the battery cells in an S shape or in continuous S shapes in cross section.
  • the heat conductive sheet covers one battery cell and then covers another battery cell different from the one battery cell by being folded back by reversal of a covering direction.
  • the battery according to another embodiment preferably further includes a rubber sheet for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet to at least the heat conductive sheet, the battery cells, or a surrounding of the cooling medium, where the rubber sheet is interposed between one part of the heat conductive sheet and another part of the heat conductive sheet formed by covering one battery cell by the heat conductive sheet and then folding back the heat conductive sheet by reversal of a covering direction.
  • a heat dissipating structure is capable of being provided in a battery comprising a plurality of battery cells therein.
  • the heat dissipating structure comprises a base portion capable of being provided between the battery cells and a wall where a cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of a housing of the battery; and one or more protruding sheet portions capable of being provided extending in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells from the base portion.
  • the base portion is a laminated body of a rubbery elastic body and one or more heat conductive sheets including at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic. A part of the heat conductive sheets of the base portion is positioned so that a part of them is capable of contacting to the battery cells.
  • the protruding sheet portions comprise the heat conductive sheets of the base portion.
  • the rubbery elastic body of the base portion is provided in an inner portion of the first folded shape or the first bag shape.
  • the protruding sheet portions have a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing of the battery to the bottom portion of the housing, or a second bag shape annular in the cross section.
  • a part of the rubbery elastic body of the base portion is provided in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
  • the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further comprises one or more rubber sheets for closely fixing the heat conductive sheets to at least one of the battery cells and the wall.
  • the rubber sheets are silicone rubber sheets.
  • the heat conductive sheets are ones containing carbon filler and resin.
  • the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further comprises current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheets or the rubbery elastic body.
  • a heat dissipating structure is capable of being provided in a battery comprising a plurality of battery cells therein.
  • the heat dissipating structure comprises a base portion capable of being provided between the battery cells and a wall where a cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of a housing of the battery; and one or more heat conductive sheets capable of being provided in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells.
  • the base portion comprises a rubbery elastic body
  • the heat conductive sheets include at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic and comprise one or more contact parts wrapped around half or more of circumferences of the battery cells.
  • the heat conductive sheets cover a plurality of the battery cells in an S shape or in continuous S shapes in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing of the battery to the bottom portion of the housing.
  • the heat conductive sheets cover one of the battery cells heat and then cover another battery cell different from the one of the battery cells by being folded back by reversal of a covering direction.
  • the rubbery elastic body is at least partially surrounded by the heat conductive sheets at a part provided between the battery cells and the wall.
  • the heat conductive sheets are ones containing carbon filler and resin.
  • the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further comprises one or more rubber sheets for closely fixing the heat conductive sheets to at least one of the battery cells and the wall.
  • the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further comprises current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheets or the rubbery elastic body.
  • a battery according to an embodiment comprises a plurality of battery cells in a housing contacting a cooling medium. Any one of the heat dissipating structures mentioned above is provided between the battery cells and a wall where the cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of the housing and provided in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells.
  • a heat dissipating structure having a high heat dissipation efficiency regardless of the shape or material of a heat source, and a battery provided with the same can be provided.
  • Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a first embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view (2A) and an enlarged view (2B), respectively, of a region A1 and a region B1 in Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 3 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a second embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view (4A) and an enlarged view (4B), respectively, of a region A2 and a region B2 in Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a first embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view (2A) and an enlarged view (2B), respectively, of a region A1
  • FIG. 5 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a third embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view (6A) and an enlarged view (6B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 5.
  • Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where battery cells, which are an example of a heat source, are covered by a heat dissipating structure according to a fourth embodiment.
  • Fig. 8 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of the heat dissipating structure in Fig. 7, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view (6A) and an enlarged view (6B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 5.
  • Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where battery cells, which are an example of a heat source, are covered by a
  • FIG. 9 shows each of a vertical cross-sectional view (9A) of a heat dissipating structure according to a fifth embodiment and a battery including the heat dissipating structure, and a view (9B) schematically showing a cross-sectional shape of a heat conductive sheet in (9A).
  • Fig. 10 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a sixth embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 11 shows an enlarged view (11A) and an enlarged view (11B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 10.
  • Fig. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional battery.
  • Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a first embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view (2A) and an enlarged view (2B), respectively, of a region A1 and a region B1 in Fig. 1.
  • a heat dissipating structure 25 is a heat dissipating structure which is provided between battery cells 20, which are an example of a heat source in a battery 1, and a cooling medium 15, and which transfers heat from the battery cells 20 to the cooling medium 15.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 includes a heat conductive sheet 30 which is a sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and which can be disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15, and a rubbery elastic body 31 which can be disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15 while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 includes a protruding sheet portion 35 which can be disposed extending in gaps between the battery cells 20. More specifically, as shown in Fig.
  • the battery 1 is a battery including a plurality of battery cells 20, as heat sources, in a housing 11 in contact with the cooling medium 15.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 for transferring heat from the battery cells 20 to the cooling medium 15 is provided between end portions of the battery cells 20 near the cooling medium 15 and a part (bottom portion 12) of the housing 11 near the cooling medium 15.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 provided between a plurality of the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12, and the rubbery elastic body 31 constitute a base portion.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 includes the heat conductive sheet 30 which contains at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and which can be disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15, and the rubbery elastic body 31 which can be disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15 while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 includes the protruding sheet portion 35 which can be disposed extending in gaps between the battery cells 20.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 is provided in a battery 1 comprising a plurality of the battery cells 20 therein.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 comprises the base portion capable of being provided between the battery cells 20 and a wall like the bottom portion 12 where the cooling medium 15 flows and constitutes a part of the housing 11 of the battery 1; and one or more protruding sheet portions 35 capable of being provided extending in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells 20 from the base portion.
  • the base portion is a laminated body of a rubbery elastic body 31 and the heat conductive sheet 30. A part of the heat conductive sheet 30 of the base portion is positioned so that a part of the heat conductive sheet 30 is capable of contacting to the battery cells 20.
  • the phrase, “a part of the heat conductive sheet 30 is capable of contacting to the battery cells 20” is interpreted as including both that there is no layer between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the battery cell 20 and that a rubber sheet may be between them 30,20. This also applies to below embodiments.
  • the protruding sheet portions 35 comprise the heat conductive sheet 30 of the base portion.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 includes at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 has a first folded shape which is folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section at a part disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is preferably disposed in an inner portion 32 of the first folded shape.
  • the first folded shape may be a first bag shape which is annular in cross section.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is preferably disposed in an inner portion of the first bag shape.
  • a "cross section” or a “vertical cross section” refers to a cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of an inner portion 14 of the housing 11 of the battery 1 to the bottom portion 12.
  • the battery 1 is a battery of an electric vehicle, for example, and includes a large number of battery cells 20.
  • the battery 1 includes the bottomed housing 11 which is open on one side.
  • the housing 11 is preferably made of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy.
  • the battery cells 20 are disposed in the inner portion 14 of the housing 11.
  • An electrode is provided protruding from the top of the battery cell 20.
  • a plurality of the battery cells 20 are preferably in close contact with each other by compression force from both sides applied by screws or the like in the housing 11 (not shown).
  • One or a plurality of water-cooled pipes 13 where cooling water, which is an example of the cooling medium 15, is to flow are provided in the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11.
  • the battery cells 20 are disposed inside the housing 11 in a manner sandwiching the heat dissipating structure 25 with the bottom portion 12. With the battery 1 having such a structure, heat of the battery cells 20 is transferred to the housing 11 through the heat dissipating structure 25, and is effectively removed by water cooling.
  • the cooling medium 15 is not limited to cooling water, and is interpreted to include liquid nitrogen, and organic solvents such as ethanol. To be used for cooling, the cooling medium 15 does not have to be liquid, but may be gas or solid.
  • the battery 1 comprises a plurality of battery cells 20 in the housing 11 contacting the cooling medium 15.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 is provided in one or more gaps between the battery cells 20 and provided between the battery cells 20 and the wall (e.g. the bottom portion 12) where the cooling medium 15 flows therein and constitutes a part of the housing 11.
  • the batteries in embodiments described hereinafter also have similar structures.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 includes one curved portion which is U-shaped in a vertical cross section, between a plurality of the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 may include a V-shaped bent portion instead of the U-shaped curved portion.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably a sheet containing carbon, and is more preferably a sheet containing carbon filler and resin.
  • carbon is broadly interpreted to include any structure made of carbon (symbol: C), such as graphite, carbon black having lower crystallinity than graphite, expanded graphite, diamond, or diamond-like carbon.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 is a thin sheet obtained by curing a material which is resin in which graphite fibers or carbon particles are blended and dispersed. Expanded graphite filler may be used instead of graphite fibers or carbon particles.
  • Expanded graphite is graphite which is expanded in a stacking direction of layers due to the gap between layers of graphite being increased due to discharge of gas at the time of gasification of a substance between the layers caused by rapid heating of a graphite intercalation compound obtained by intercalating a substance in flake graphite using chemical reaction.
  • Graphite fibers, carbon particles, and expanded graphite filler are all included in the concept of carbon filler.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 may contain, instead of carbon or together with carbon, metal and/or ceramic.
  • the metal one having relatively high heat conductivity, such as aluminum, copper, or an alloy containing at least one of aluminum and copper, may be selected.
  • the ceramic one having relatively high heat conductivity, such AlN, cBN, or hBN, may be selected.
  • Resin may exceed 50 mass% of the total mass of the heat conductive sheet 30, or the carbon filler may exceed 50 mass% of the total mass. That is, the main material of the heat conductive sheet 30 may be resin or the carbon filler so long as heat transfer is not greatly interfered with.
  • a thermoplastic resin may be suitably used, for example.
  • a resin having a high melting point such that it does not melt at the time of transferring heat from the battery cells 20, as examples of a heat source, is desirable as the thermoplastic resin, and polyphenylenesulfide (PPS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), or polyamide-imide (PAI) may be suitably cited, for example.
  • the resin is dispersed as particles in a gap of the carbon filler, for example.
  • the carbon filler and the resin AlN or diamond may be dispersed as filler to further increase heat transfer.
  • elastomer softer than resin may be used instead of resin.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably superior in heat conductivity to the rubbery elastic body 31 described later, but does not have to be superior in electrical conductivity.
  • the heat conductivity of the heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably 10 W/mK or higher.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 preferably contains graphite and carbon having lower crystallinity than graphite, and a network is formed which allows current to easily flow through the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 does not have to be superior in electrical conductivity, and it is enough if it has heat conductivity.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 may be a sheet containing AlN, diamond, diamond-like carbon (having lower electrical conductivity than graphite), or the like.
  • the thickness of the heat conductive sheet 30 is not particularly limited as long as the sheet is capable of being curved (or of bending), but the thickness is preferably 0.3 mm to 5 mm, or more preferably, 0.3 mm to 1 mm. However, the heat conductivity of the heat conductive sheet 30 is reduced as the thickness is increased, and the thickness is preferably determined by comprehensively taking into account the strength, the flexibility, and the heat conductivity of the sheet.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 includes the rubbery elastic body 31 in an inner space formed by folding the heat conductive sheet 30 in a U shape or a V shape in a region between end portions of a plurality of the battery cells 20 near the cooling medium 15 (or the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11) (in the present embodiment, the end portions are bottom portions of the battery cells 20) and an inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 further includes one or two or more protruding sheet portions 35 extending in gaps between the battery cells 20.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 includes a terminal sheet portion 36 between an inner surface of a side wall of the housing 11 and a side surface of the battery cell 20. The terminal sheet portion 36 may be said to be one mode of the protruding sheet portion 35.
  • the protruding sheet portion 35 may be referred to as folds extending from a main body portion of the heat dissipating structure 25 (the base portion disposed in a space between the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12) into one or more gaps between the battery cells 20.
  • the terminal sheet portion 36 may be referred to as folds extending between the inner surface of the housing 11 and the side surface of the battery cells 20.
  • the protruding sheet portion 35 preferably has a second folded shape which is folded in a U shape (or a V shape) in cross section.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 extends from one end of the inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12 to the other end, is folded in a U shape, and makes one second folding by extending upward in a gap between the battery cells 20 and then folding and extending downward in the gap, and such second folding is repeated by the number of gaps, and the terminal sheet portion 36 is finally formed.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 is formed to include, at the main body portion mentioned above, the protruding sheet portion 35 having the second folded shape, and the terminal sheet portion 36.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably formed by bending one sheet.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 may alternatively be formed from a plurality of sheets.
  • the protruding sheet portion 35 may have a second bag shape which is annular in cross section instead of the "second folded shape". In this case in this embodiment, air is preferably contained inside the second bag shape.
  • the protruding sheet portion 35 may be extended in one direction like the terminal sheet portion 36, instead of having the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
  • the protruding sheet portions 35 have a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing 11 of the battery 1 to the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11, or a second bag shape annular in the cross section.
  • a part of the rubbery elastic body 31 of the base portion is provided in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
  • a gap M extending from the main body portion may be formed in the protruding sheet portion 35 by the second folding.
  • a rubber sheet 40 is interposed between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the battery cell 20. The rubber sheet 40 contributes to increase heat transfer between the battery cell 20 and the protruding sheet portion 35 (a part of the heat conductive sheet 30). Details of the rubber sheet 40 will be given later.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is an elastic body which is disposed in the inner portion 32 of the curved or bent heat conductive sheet 30, in the region between the end portions of a plurality of the battery cells 20 near the cooling medium 15 and the inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 has a cushioning function between the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12, and a function as a protective member which prevents the heat conductive sheet 30 from being damaged due to a load applied to the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is a member having lower heat conductivity than the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is preferably interposed between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the bottom portion 12.
  • the rubber sheet 40 has a function of allowing heat transferred from the battery cells 20 to the heat conductive sheet 30 to be easily transferred to the bottom portion 12. Heat generated by the battery cell 20 is transferred to the protruding sheet portion 35 through the rubber sheet 40 in contact with the protruding sheet portion 35, is transferred through the curved or bent heat conductive sheet 30, and is transferred to the bottom portion 12 and the cooling medium 15 through the rubber 40 disposed on the inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is preferably a thermosetting elastomer such as silicone rubber, urethane rubber, isoprene rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, natural rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, nitrile rubber (NBR), or styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), a urethane-based, ester-based, styrene-based, olefin-based, butadiene-based, or fluorine-based thermoplastic elastomer, or a composite thereof.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is preferably made of a material which is high heat resistant enough to maintain its shape without melting or decomposing due to heat transferred through the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is more preferably made of a urethane-based elastomer impregnated with silicone, or a silicone rubber.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 may include filler typified by AlN, cBN, hBN, or diamond particles dispersed in the rubber.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is preferably a sheet which is disposed between the battery cell 20 and the heat conductive sheet 30, and between the bottom portion 12 and the heat conductive sheet 30, but is not an essential structure of the battery 1 or the heat dissipating structure 25.
  • the rubber sheet 40 can be formed from various types of elastic bodies as in the case of the rubbery elastic body 31 described above, but the rubber sheet 40 is preferably a sheet containing silicone rubber superior in heat conductivity because heat from the battery cell 20 has to be rapidly transferred to the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is made mainly of silicone rubber, highly heat conductive filler of AlN, aluminum or the like is preferably dispersed in the silicone rubber.
  • the rubber sheet 40 of silicone rubber may be silicone rubber combining silicone resin with bifunctional silicone raw rubber, for example.
  • the silicone resin is suitably MQ resin, for example.
  • the MQ resin is a resin according to which only a Q unit of a four-branch structure having oxygen atoms bonded to four bonds of Si is linked, and an M unit of a one-branch structure having an oxygen atom bonded to one bond of Si is added to stop reactivity at the end.
  • the silicone resin one that bonds many hydroxyls is preferably used so that the tackiness of the silicone rubber may be increased.
  • the rubber sheet 40 has a function of increasing the adhesion between the battery cell 20 and the heat conductive sheet 30, or the adhesion between the surrounding of the cooling medium 15 (the bottom portion 12, side wall of the housing 11, etc.) and the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the hardness of the rubber sheet 40 is not particularly specified so long as the rubber sheet 40 is heat resistant and tacky, but in the case of a sheet made mainly of silicone rubber, the hardness according to Shore (Shore oo criteria) is 60 or less, or preferably, 40 or less, and more preferably, 10 or less. This is because the unevenness of a surface of the battery cell 20 can be more easily absorbed as the hardness of the rubber sheet 40 lowers.
  • the thickness of the rubber sheet 40 is preferably 0.3 mm to 5 mm, or more preferably, 0.7 mm to 3 mm, and even more preferably, 1 mm to 2.5 mm.
  • the thickness of the rubber sheet 40 is preferably determined according to the unevenness of the surface of the battery cell 20 or a condition such as the rubber hardness or the like.
  • Preferred Battery Assembly Method A resin material typified by PPS or the like, and graphite filler and/or carbon filler having lower crystallinity than graphite (preferably in the form of particles, fibers, etc.) are agitated in a liquid (such as water), and a felt-like sheet is fabricated in the manner of papermaking. (b) Subsequently, the felt-like sheet is bent to have the same or similar cross-sectional shape as the heat conductive sheet 30 in Fig. 1. (c) The rubbery elastic body 31 is fixed at a part of the heat conductive sheet 30, and the heat dissipating structure 25 is completed. (d) Lastly, the heat dissipating structure 25 is embedded in the battery 1.
  • FIG. 3 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a second embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view (4A) and an enlarged view (4B), respectively, of a region A2 and a region B2 in Fig. 3.
  • a heat dissipating structure 25a and a battery 1a according to the second embodiment are the same as the heat dissipating structure 25 and the battery 1 according to the first embodiment except that, with the heat dissipating structure 25a and the battery 1a, the rubbery elastic body 31 is present in an inner portion of the protruding sheet portion 35, and the rubber sheet 40 is not interposed between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is present in an inner portion of the protruding sheet portion 35, and the rubber sheet 40 is not interposed between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20.
  • the protruding sheet portion 35 of the heat dissipating structure 25a has the second folded shape which is folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section, or the second bag shape which is annular in cross section.
  • a part of the rubbery elastic body 31 is disposed in an inner portion 37 of the second folded shape or the second bag shape of the protruding sheet portion 35.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is not interposed between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20, the rubbery elastic body 31 is present in the inner portion 37 of the protruding sheet portion 35, and the adhesion between the battery cell 20 and the protruding sheet portion 35 can thereby be increased.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is provided between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20. Provision of the rubber sheet 40 between the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11 and the heat conductive sheet 30 is the same as in the first embodiment, and a description of the structure in Fig. 4 (4B) is omitted.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25a is manufactured by the same method as in the first embodiment, and is embedded in the battery 1a.
  • Fig. 5 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a third embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view (6A) and an enlarged view (6B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 5.
  • a heat dissipating structure 25b and a battery 1b according to the third embodiment are approximately the same as the heat dissipating structure 25 and the battery 1 according to the first embodiment except that, with the heat dissipating structure 25b and the battery 1b, the heat conductive sheet 30 does not have a folded structure between a plurality of the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12, the rubbery elastic body 31 is not surrounded by the heat conductive sheet 30, the heat conductive sheet 30 has two terminal sheet portions 36 in contact with inner side surfaces of the housing 11, and the heat conductive sheet 30 includes a current-carrying mechanism.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 includes a current-carrying mechanism.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25b includes the rubbery elastic body 31 in a region between the inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11 and the battery cells 20.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25b includes, on the battery cell 20 side than the rubbery elastic body 31, the heat conductive sheet 30 having two terminal sheet portions 36 in contact with the battery cells 20 and inner circumferential surfaces of side walls of the housing 11 and having the protruding sheet portion 35 inserted in the gaps between the battery cells 20.
  • Heat generated by the battery cell 20 is transferred to the heat conductive sheet 30 and the side wall of the housing 11, and is reduced by the cooling medium 15 in the bottom portion 12.
  • heat generated by the battery cell 20 is transferred through the heat conductive sheet 30 and the rubbery elastic body 31, and is reduced by the cooling medium 15 in the bottom portion 12.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is not interposed between the rubbery elastic body 31 and the bottom portion 12, because the rubbery elastic body 31 can be expected to easily adhere to the bottom portion 12. However, it is also possible to interpose the rubber sheet 40 between the rubbery elastic body 31 and the bottom portion 12.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 has electrical conductivity, and generates heat which is due to resistance during current conduction.
  • a positive lead wire 50 and a negative lead wire 51 are connected to parts, or in this example, the two terminal sheet portions 36, of the heat conductive sheet 30. When a voltage is applied between the lead wires 50, 51, current flows through the heat conductive sheet 30 and heat is generated.
  • the lead wire 50 is connected to a current-carrying electrode 60.
  • the current-carrying electrode 60 is fixed to one of the terminal sheet portions 36.
  • the lead wire 51 is connected to a current-carrying electrode 61 in the same manner.
  • the current-carrying electrode 61 is fixed to the other of the terminal sheet portions 36.
  • the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 are thin films that are formed by applying a paste containing metal filler on a surface of the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the paste containing metal filler is suitably a paste containing silver filler (i.e. silver paste), for example. In such a case, the thin film is a silver thin film.
  • the current-carrying electrode 60, 61 may alternatively be made by applying a paste containing a metal material, other than silver, having relatively high electrical conductivity.
  • the method for forming the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 are not particularly limited, and brushing or printing may be used, for example.
  • the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 are formed on a surface of the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be formed on a region recessed inward from the surface of the heat conductive sheet 30, or may be embedded inside the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the rubber sheet 40 may be interposed between the terminal sheet portion 36 and the side wall of the housing 11 or between a side surface of the battery cell 20 and the terminal sheet portion 36, and the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be formed on the surface or inside the rubber sheet 40. Moreover, the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be formed at near tops of two protruding sheet portions 35 which are separate from each other. The current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be connected to another resistor instead of being connected to the heat conductive sheet 30, and may heat the rubbery elastic body 31 which is in contact with such other resistor instead of heating the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • heat dissipating structure 25 With the heat dissipating structures 25, 25a, 25b (hereinafter referred to as “heat dissipating structure 25 or the like") according to each embodiment described above, heat from the battery cell 20 can be transferred to the bottom portion 12 of the batteries 1, 1a, 1b (hereinafter referred to as “battery 1 or the like") and the cooling medium 15 through the protruding sheet portion 35 and the heat conductive sheet 30, regardless of the shape of the end portion of the battery cell 20 near the cooling medium 15 and even if the battery cell 20 is light and cannot be expected to adhere to the heat dissipating structure by its own weight.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 surrounded by the heat conductive sheet 30 at a part between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15 is flexible, the adhesion between the bottom portions of the battery cells 20 and the heat conductive sheet 30 and the adhesion between the side surfaces of the battery cells 20 and the protruding sheet portion 35 can be increased even in a case where the positions of the bottom portions of a plurality of the battery cells 20 are not horizontal, and heat dissipation property can be expected to be further increased.
  • the adhesion between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20 can be increased regardless of the unevenness of the side surface of the battery cell 20, and heat dissipation property can be expected to be further increased.
  • the rubber sheet 40 contributes to increase heat dissipation from the battery cell 20 to the heat conductive sheet 30, or from the heat conductive sheet 30 to the bottom portion 12. Particularly, if the rubber sheet 40 is a sheet of silicone rubber, heat deterioration can be suppressed, and long-lasting adhesion can be realized. Moreover, using the rubber sheet 40 which is a highly heat conductive silicone rubber sheet facilitates transfer of heat between sides sandwiching the rubber sheet 40.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably a sheet containing carbon filler and resin.
  • a sheet which is superior in heat conductivity, and which is flexible and which can be easily bent or curved can thus be realized. Accordingly, shaping according to the shape of a space having a complex shape, such as the inside of the battery 1 or the like, is enabled. Moreover, an electrical conduction property can be obtained by the presence of the carbon filler.
  • the battery cells 20 can be heated even in cold climates, and charging/discharging of the battery 1 or the like can be easily performed.
  • heat from the battery cell 20 can be transferred to the bottom portion 12 of the battery 1 or the like and the cooling medium 15 through the protruding sheet portion 35 and the heat conductive sheet 30, regardless of the shape of the end portion of the battery cell 20 near the cooling medium 15 and even if the battery cell 20 is light and cannot be expected to adhere to the heat dissipating structure by its own weight.
  • the battery 1 or the like further includes the rubber sheet 40 for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet 30 to at least the battery cells 20 or the surrounding of the cooling medium 15 (such as the bottom portion 12, the side wall of the housing 11, or the like).
  • the rubber sheet 40 contributes to increase heat dissipation from the battery cell 20 to the heat conductive sheet 30, or from the heat conductive sheet 30 to the bottom portion 12 or the like.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is a sheet of silicone rubber, heat deterioration can be suppressed, and long-lasting adhesion can be realized.
  • using the rubber sheet 40 which is a highly heat conductive silicone rubber sheet facilitates transfer of heat between sides sandwiching the rubber sheet 40.
  • the rubber sheet 40 may be fixed to any side of the housing 11 or the heat dissipating structure 25 or the like before the heat dissipating structure 25 or the like is disposed in the battery 1 or the like.
  • FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where the battery cells, which are an example of a heat source, are covered by a heat dissipating structure according to a fourth embodiment.
  • Fig. 8 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of the heat dissipating structure in Fig. 7, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • a heat dissipating structure 125 is a heat dissipating structure which is provided between battery cells 120, which are an example of a heat source, and a cooling medium 115, and which transfers heat from the battery cells 120 to the cooling medium 115.
  • the heat dissipating structure 125 includes a heat conductive sheet 130 which is a sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and which can be disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115, and a rubbery elastic body 140 which can be disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115 while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 includes contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 which are wound around half or more of the circumferences of the battery cells 120.
  • a battery 1p is a battery including a plurality of battery cells 120, as heat sources, in a housing 111 in contact with the cooling medium 115.
  • the heat dissipating structure 125 for transferring heat from the battery cells 120 to the cooling medium 115 is provided between end portions of the battery cells 120 near the cooling medium 115 and a part (bottom portion 112) of the housing 111 near the cooling medium 115.
  • the heat dissipating structure 125 includes the heat conductive sheet 130 which contains at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and which can be disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115, and the rubbery elastic body 140 which can be disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115 while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 includes the contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 which are wound around half or more of the circumferences of the battery cells 120.
  • the contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 of the heat conductive sheet 130 are parts that continuously cover a plurality of battery cells 120 in an S shape in cross section.
  • the battery 1p includes eight battery cells 120.
  • the eight battery cells 120 are alternately disposed in inner parts A of the heat conductive sheet 130 and inner parts B of the heat conductive sheet 130, the inner parts A having an inverse U shape which is open downward in Fig. 7 and the inner parts B having a U shape which is open upward in Fig. 7.
  • the rubbery elastic body 140 is preferably at least partially surrounded by the heat conductive sheet 130 at a part of the heat conductive sheet 130 disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115.
  • a "cross section” or a “vertical cross section” refers to a cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of an inner portion 114 of the housing 111 of the battery 1p to the bottom portion 112.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 cover a plurality of the battery cells 120 in an S shape or in continuous S shapes in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing 111 of the battery 1p to the bottom portion 112 of the housing 111.
  • the battery 1p is a battery of an electric vehicle, for example, and includes a large number of battery cells 120.
  • the battery 1p includes the bottomed housing 111 which is open on one side.
  • the housing 111 is preferably made of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy.
  • the battery cells 120 are disposed adjacent to one another in the inner portion 114 of the housing 111. Electrodes 121, 122 are provided protruding from the top of each battery cell 120.
  • One or a plurality of water-cooled pipes 113 where cooling water, which is an example of the cooling medium 115, is to flow are provided in the bottom portion 112 of the housing 111.
  • the battery cells 120 are disposed inside the housing 111 in a manner sandwiching the heat dissipating structure 125 with the bottom portion 112. With the battery 1p having such a structure, heat of the battery cells 120 is transferred to the housing 111 through the heat dissipating structure 125, and is effectively removed by water cooling.
  • the cooling medium 115 is not limited to cooling water, and is interpreted to include liquid nitrogen, and organic solvents such as ethanol. Under the conditions to be used for cooling, the cooling medium 115 does not have to be liquid, but may be gas or solid.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 includes, between a plurality of the battery cells 120 and the bottom portion 112, a part (including a corner portion of an extending portion 131 and the contact part 132) which is bent in a mirror-reversed L shape in a vertical cross section to rise along an inner side surface of the housing 111 from the extending portion 131 in contact with the bottom portion 112.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 is disposed with the bent part positioned at a bottom right corner of the inner portion 114 of the housing 111 in Fig. 8.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 extends upward from the bent part along a right-side surface 120c of the rightmost battery cell 120 in Fig. 8.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the eight battery cells 120, which are arranged in a left-right direction in Fig. 8, while bending in a substantially S shape to continuously contact the gaps of the battery cells 120 from the right side to the left side in Fig. 8.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 is provided in the battery 1p while covering each battery cell 120 by extending along one side surface of the battery cell 120 to one of top and bottom surfaces and then to the other side surface in the manner of an S shape or a snake shape. Details of a contact state between the heat conductive sheet 130 and each battery cell 120 are as below.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the rightmost battery cell 120 in Fig. 8 by the contact part 132 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 133 in contact with an upper surface 120a, the contact part 134 in contact with a left-side surface 120d. Furthermore, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 second from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact part 134 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 135 in contact with a lower surface 120b, and the contact part 136 in contact with a left-side surface 120d. Furthermore, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 third from the right in Fig.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 fourth from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact part 134 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 135 in contact with a lower surface 120b, and the contact part 136 in contact with a left-side surface 120d. Furthermore, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 fifth from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact parts 136, 133, 134 in the same manner as for the battery cell 120 third from the right.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 sixth from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact parts 134, 135, 136 in the same manner as for the battery cell 120 fourth from the right. Moreover, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 seventh from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact parts 136, 133, 134 in the same manner as for the battery cell 120 fifth from the right.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 eighth from the right (i.e. leftmost) in Fig. 8 by the contact part 134 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 135 in contact with a lower surface 120b, the contact part 136 in contact with a left-side surface 120d, and the contact part 137 in contact with an upper surface 120a.
  • the contact parts 133, 137 of the heat conductive sheet 130 include slits 138, 139 allowing insertion of the electrodes 121, 122 of the battery cell 120. Accordingly, the contact parts 133, 137 are able to adhere to or to be in nearly close contact with the upper surface 120a even though the electrodes 121, 122 are provided on the upper surface 120a of the battery cell 120. Furthermore, as will be described later, the heat conductive sheet 130 is thin and easily bendable.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 can change its shape according to the shape of the outer circumferential surfaces 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d of the battery cell 120 to come into contact with the outer circumferential surfaces 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 is like the heat conductive sheet 30.
  • the heat dissipating structure 125 includes the rubbery elastic body 140 in an inner space formed by folding the heat conductive sheet 130 in a region between end portions of a plurality of the battery cells 120 near the cooling medium 115 (or the bottom portion 112 of the housing 111) (in the present embodiment, the end portions are the lower surfaces 120b of the battery cells 120) and an inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 112.
  • the rubbery elastic body 140 is at least partially surrounded by the heat conductive sheet 130 at the part, of the heat conductive sheet 130, disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115. More specifically, the rubbery elastic body 140 is provided in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130 in such a way as to fill the space between the extending portion 131 and the lower surfaces 120b of the battery cells 120 and the contact parts 135.
  • the rubbery elastic body 140 has a cushioning function between the battery cells 120 and the bottom portion 112, and a function as a protective member which prevents the heat conductive sheet 130 from being damaged due to a load applied to the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the rubbery elastic body 140 is a member having lower heat conductivity than the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the material of the rubbery elastic body 140 is the same as that of the rubbery elastic body 31.
  • the rubber sheet 40 (see Figs. 2, 4) is preferably a sheet which is disposed between the battery cell 120 and the heat conductive sheet 130, and between the bottom portion 112 and the heat conductive sheet 130, but is not an essential structure of the battery 1p or the heat dissipating structure 125.
  • the rubber sheet 40 can be formed from various types of elastic bodies as in the case of the rubbery elastic body 140 described above, but the rubber sheet 40 is preferably a sheet containing silicone rubber superior in heat conductivity because heat from the battery cell 120 has to be rapidly transferred to the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the rubber sheet 40 has a function of increasing the adhesion between the battery cell 120 and the heat conductive sheet 130, or the adhesion between the surrounding of the cooling medium 115 (the bottom portion 112, side wall of the housing 111, etc.) and the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is a sheet member having tackiness or bonding ability to members sandwiching the rubber sheet 40.
  • the rubber sheet 40 may be disposed between the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the rubber sheet 40 may be disposed between an extending portion 151 and a contact part 152.
  • a battery 1q further includes a rubber sheet 40 for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet 130 to at least the heat conductive sheet 130, the battery cells 120, or the surrounding of the cooling medium 115, and the rubber sheet 40 may be interposed between one part of the heat conductive sheet 130 and another part of the heat conductive sheet 130 formed by covering one battery cell 120 by the heat conductive sheet 130 and then reversing the covering direction. Accordingly, even if there is a folded part when wrapping the heat conductive sheet 130 around the battery cell 120, the heat conductive sheet 130 may be wrapped while being fixed by the rubber sheet.
  • the heat dissipating structure 125 preferably further comprises one or more rubber sheets 40 for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet 130 to at least one of the battery cells 120 and a wall like the bottom portion 112.
  • Preferred Battery Assembly Method A resin material typified by PPS or the like, and graphite filler and/or carbon filler having lower crystallinity than graphite (preferably in the form of particles, fibers, etc.) are agitated in a liquid (such as water), and a felt-like sheet is fabricated in the manner of papermaking. (b) Subsequently, the felt-like sheet is bent to have the same or similar cross-sectional shape as the heat conductive sheet 130 in Fig. 8. (c) The rubbery elastic body 140 is fixed at a part of the heat conductive sheet 130, and the heat dissipating structure 125 is completed. (d) Lastly, the heat dissipating structure 125 is embedded in the battery 1p.
  • FIG. 9 shows each of a vertical cross-sectional view (9A) of a heat dissipating structure according to a fifth embodiment and a battery including the heat dissipating structure, and a view (9B) schematically showing a cross-sectional shape of a heat conductive sheet in (9A).
  • a heat dissipating structure 125a and a battery 1q according to the fifth embodiment are the same as the heat dissipating structure 125 and the battery 1p according to the fourth embodiment except that, with the heat dissipating structure 125a and the battery 1q, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers each battery cell 120.
  • the manner of the heat conductive sheet 130 covering each battery cell 120 will be mainly described.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 constituting the heat dissipating structure 125a covers each battery cell 120 around the entire or almost entire outer circumference of the battery cell 120. Specifically, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers a lower surface 120b of the rightmost battery cell 120 in Fig. 9 (9A) by an extending portion 151 and a contact part 152 folded back from the extending portion 151, covers a right side surface 120c of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 153, covers an upper surface 120a of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 154, and covers a left side surface 120d of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 155.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 then continuously covers a lower surface 120b of the battery cell 120 second from the right in Fig. 9 (9A) by the extending portion 151 and the contact part 152 folded back from the extending portion 151, covers a right side surface 120c of the battery cell 120 by the contact part 153, covers an upper surface 120a of the battery cell 120 by the contact part 154, and covers a left side surface 120d of the battery cell 120 by the contact part 155.
  • Other battery cells 120 of the battery 1q which are arranged from the right to the left in Fig. 9, are covered in the same manner.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 covers a lower surface 120b of the leftmost battery cell 120 in Fig.
  • the extending portion 151 (which may alternatively be referred to as "contact part 151"), covers a left side surface 120d of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 156, and covers an upper surface 120a of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 157.
  • a plurality of the battery cells 120 may be continuously covered by one heat conductive sheet 130.
  • Each of the contact parts 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 is a part that covers one battery cell 120 and then covers another battery cell 120 different from the one battery cell 120 by being folded back by reversal of the covering direction.
  • Such other battery cell 120 is desirably arranged adjacent to the one battery cell 120, but may be arranged at another position.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 does not include the extending portion 131 provided in the fourth embodiment.
  • the rubbery elastic body 140 is provided at a part of the heat conductive sheet 130, at a position closer to the cooling medium 115 than the parts of the heat conductive sheet 130 covering the battery cells 120. Specifically, the rubbery elastic body 140 is disposed in a space between the heat conductive sheet 130 (mainly the contact part 151) in contact with the lower surface 120b of each battery cell 120 and the bottom portion 112 where the cooling medium 115 flows. The rubbery elastic body 140 is in contact with the bottom portion 112 without the heat conductive sheet 130 interposed therebetween. Additionally, the rubber sheet 40 may be interposed between the rubbery elastic body 140 and the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • heat transferred from the battery cells 120 to the heat conductive sheet 130 is transferred to the cooling medium 115 flowing through inside of the bottom portion 112, through the housing 111 in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130 or through the rubbery elastic body 140 in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the heat dissipating structure 125a is manufactured by the same method as in the fourth embodiment, and is embedded in the battery 1q.
  • Fig. 10 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a sixth embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
  • Fig. 11 shows an enlarged view (11A) and an enlarged view (11B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 10.
  • a heat dissipating structure 125b and a battery 1r according to the sixth embodiment are approximately the same as the heat dissipating structure 125a and the battery 1q according to the fifth embodiment except that, with the heat dissipating structure 125b and the battery 1r, a current-carrying mechanism is provided at both ends of the heat conductive sheet 130 which are protruded upward from inner side surfaces of the housing 111. Differences from the fifth embodiment will be mainly described below.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 has electrical conductivity, and generates heat which is due to resistance during current conduction.
  • a positive lead wire 160 and a negative lead wire 161 are connected to parts, or in this example, a terminal sheet portion 150 and a contact part 156, of the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the terminal sheet portion 150 is connected to the extending portion 151.
  • the contact part 156 is a part which is extended upward from the contact part 156 in the second embodiment without forming the contact part 157.
  • the lead wire 160 is connected to a current-carrying electrode 170.
  • the current-carrying electrode 170 is fixed to the terminal sheet portion 150.
  • the lead wire 161 is connected to a current-carrying electrode 171 in the same manner.
  • the current-carrying electrode 171 is fixed to the contact part 156.
  • the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 are thin films that are formed by applying a paste containing metal filler on a surface of the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the paste containing metal filler is suitably a paste containing silver filler (i.e. silver paste), for example.
  • the thin film is a silver thin film.
  • the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 may alternatively be made by applying a paste containing a metal material, other than silver, having relatively high electrical conductivity.
  • the method for forming the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 are not particularly limited, and brushing or printing may be used, for example.
  • the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 are formed on a surface of the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 may be formed on a region recessed inward from the surface of the heat conductive sheet 130, or may be embedded inside the heat conductive sheet 130.
  • a rubber sheet may be interposed between the terminal sheet portion 150 (or the contact part 156) and a side wall of the housing 111 or between a side surface of the battery cell 120 and the terminal sheet portion 150 (or the contact part 156), and the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 may be formed on the surface or inside the rubber sheet. Moreover, the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 may be formed, respectively, to other two contact parts which are separate from each other.
  • the heat dissipating structures 125, 125a, 125b are respectively capable of being provided in the batteries 1p, 1q, 1r comprising a plurality of battery cells 120 therein.
  • the heat dissipating structures 125, 125a, 125b respectively comprise the base portions capable of being provided between the battery cells 120 and the wall like the bottom portions 120 where the cooling medium 115 flows and constitutes a part of the housing 111 of the batteries 1p, 1q, 1r; and one or more heat conductive sheets 130 capable of being provided in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells 120.
  • the base portion comprises the rubbery elastic body 140.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 includes at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic, and comprises one or more contact parts wrapped around half or more of circumferences of the battery cells 120.
  • the batteries 1, 1a, 1b, 1p, 1q, 1r comprise a plurality of battery cells 20, 120 in the housings 11, 111 contacting the cooling mediums 15, 115, respectively.
  • the heat dissipating structures 25, 25a, 25b, 125, 125a, 125b are respectively capable of being provided between the battery cells 20, 120 and the walls like the bottom portions 12, 112 where the cooling mediums 15, 115 flow and constitute a part of the housings 11, 111, and provided in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells 20, 120.
  • heat dissipating structure 125 With the heat dissipating structures 125, 125a, 125b (hereinafter referred to as “heat dissipating structure 125 or the like") according to each embodiment described above, heat from the battery cell 120 can be transferred to the bottom portion 112 of the batteries 1p, 1q, 1r (hereinafter referred to as “battery 1p or the like") and the cooling medium 115 through the contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 (or 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157) of the heat conductive sheet 130, regardless of the shape of the end portion of the battery cell 120 near the cooling medium 115 and even if the battery cell 120 is light and cannot be expected to adhere to the heat dissipating structure by its own weight.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 may be covered by one heat conductive sheet 130 which is made as short as possible. Accordingly, the adhesion between the battery cells 120 and the heat conductive sheet 130 may be increased at as little resources as possible and with facility, and high heat dissipation property can thereby be expected. Furthermore, the battery cells 120 may be covered at more than half the outer circumferences to be entirely or approximately entirely covered. This allows heat from the battery cells 120 to be easily transferred to the heat conductive sheet 130, and the heat dissipation property can be further increased. Moreover, when the heat conductive sheet 130 having electrical conductivity is used, the electromagnetic shielding effect mentioned above can be further increased.
  • the heat conductive sheet 130 includes the rubbery elastic body 140, adhesion between the battery cells 120 and the heat dissipating structure 125 or the like can be increased even if the end portions of the battery cells 120 are not horizontal, that is, even if steps are formed by the end portions. This contributes to increase the heat dissipation property. Furthermore, in addition to the issues regarding the steps mentioned above, the heat conductive sheet 130 may be effectively used as a heat transfer medium. This means that, as in the fourth embodiment, when the heat conductive sheet 130 has a mirror-reversed L shape and the rubbery elastic body 140 is disposed on the inside, heat from the battery cells 120 is easily transferred through the heat conductive sheet 130 to the bottom portion 112 and the cooling medium 115.
  • heat from the battery cell 120 can be transferred to the bottom portion 112 of the battery 1p or the like and the cooling medium 115 through the contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 (or 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157) of the heat conductive sheet 130, regardless of the shape of the end portion of the battery cell 120 near the cooling medium 115 and even if the battery cell 120 is light and cannot be expected to adhere to the heat dissipating structure by its own weight.
  • using the heat conductive sheet 130 having electrical conductivity allows the electromagnetic shielding effect to be increased.
  • a heat source may be any object that generates heat, such as a circuit board or an electronic appliance main body, without being limited to the battery cells 20, 120.
  • a heat source may be an electronic component such as a capacitor or an IC chip.
  • the cooling mediums 15, 115 may be an organic solvent, liquid nitrogen, or a cooling gas without being limited to cooling water.
  • the heat dissipating structure 25 or the like or the heat dissipating structure 125 or the like may be disposed in a structure other than the battery 1 or the like or the battery 1p or the like, such as an electronic appliance, a household appliance, a power generator or the like.
  • the rubbery elastic body 31 is disposed in an inner space formed by bending or curving the heat conductive sheet 30, or in a space between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the bottom portion 12, but the rubbery elastic body 31 may extend in a space other than the spaces mentioned above.
  • the rubber sheet 40 is provided between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the heat source, or between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the bottom portion 12, but this is not restrictive.
  • the rubber sheet 40 may be provided between the terminal sheet portion 36 and the inner surface of the side wall of the housing 11.
  • the rubber sheet 40 may be in contact or in close contact with the heat source and the bottom portion 12 instead of being bonded thereto, and may be easily detachable from the heat source and the bottom portion 12.
  • the heat conductive sheet 30 is in contact with the inner surface of the side wall of the housing 11 at above (on the battery cell 20 side of) the rubbery elastic body 31, but the heat conductive sheet 30 may alternatively be in contact with the inner surface of the side wall on the rubbery elastic body 31 side (i.e. on the bottom side).
  • the contact parts, of the heat conductive sheet 130, in contact with the battery cells 120 may be parts covering two battery cells 120 by one S shape in cross section.
  • the extending portion 151 on the right, the contact part 152 on the right, or the contact part 157 on the left is not necessarily required.
  • the number of heat conductive sheets 130 is not limited to one, and two or more heat conductive sheets 130 may be used to cover the battery cells 120 separately or in a unit of two or more.
  • the protruding sheet portion 35 having the rubbery elastic body 31 inside may be provided, as in the second embodiment.
  • the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be provided in the first or second embodiment.
  • the current-carrying mechanisms in the sixth embodiment may be provided in the fourth embodiment.
  • the heat dissipating structure according to the present invention may be used in various electronic appliances other than vehicle batteries, such as vehicles, industrial robots, power generators, PCs, and home electronic products.
  • vehicle batteries such as vehicles, industrial robots, power generators, PCs, and home electronic products.
  • the battery according to the present invention may be used as other than vehicle batteries, such as rechargeable home batteries, and batteries of electronic appliances such as PCs.

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Abstract

The present inventions relate to a heat dissipating structure 25 capable of being provided in a battery 1 comprising a plurality of battery cells 20 therein, and the battery 1 comprising the heat dissipating structure 25. The heat dissipating structure 25 comprises a base portion capable of being provided between the battery cells 20 and a wall 12 where a cooling medium 15 flows and constitutes a part of a housing 11 of the battery 1; and one or more protruding sheet portions 35 capable of being provided extending in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells 20 from the base portion. The base portion is a laminated body of a rubbery elastic body 31 and one or more heat conductive sheets 30 including at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic. A part of the heat conductive sheets 30 of the base portion is positioned so that a part of them is capable of contacting to the battery cells 20. The protruding sheet portions 35 comprise the heat conductive sheets 30 of the base portion.

Description

HEAT DISSIPATING STRUCTURE, AND BATTERY PROVIDED WITH THE SAME CROSS REFERENCE
The present application claims the benefit of priorities of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-207386, filed on October 26, 2017 in Japan and Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-208836, filed on October 30, 2017 in Japan, and Netherlands Patent Application No. 2019888, filed on 10 November 2017 in the Netherlands, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The entire contents of patents, patent applications, and literatures cited in the present application are also incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a heat dissipating structure, and a battery provided with the same.
Control systems of vehicles, aircraft, vessels, or household or industrial electronic appliances are becoming more and more accurate and complex, resulting in increased integration density of small electronic components on a circuit board. It is therefore desired to develop solutions to faults and reduced life of electronic components caused by heat generated around the circuit board.
Conventionally, to realize rapid heat dissipation from a circuit board, one or a combination of a plurality of the following solutions are adopted: fabrication of the circuit board with a material having a superior heat dissipation property, attachment of a heat sink, and driving of a heat-dissipating rotating appliance. Among the solutions, the method of manufacturing the circuit board with a material having a superior heat dissipation property, such as diamond, aluminum nitride (AlN), or cBN, increases the cost of the circuit board. Furthermore, disposing a heat-dissipating rotating appliance involves problems such as occurrence of faults, a necessity of maintenance for fault prevention, and a difficulty in securing an installation space. On the other hand, a heat dissipating fin is a simple member whose heat dissipation property can be increased by increasing a surface area by forming a large number of columnar or flat plate-shaped protruding portions made of a highly heat conductive metal (such as aluminum), and the heat dissipating fin is universally used as a heat dissipating component (see Patent Literature 1).
Currently, there is an active global movement to gradually switch from conventional gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles to reduce the burden on the environment. Particularly, European countries including France, the Kingdom of Netherlands, and Germany, and the People's Republic of China announced that they would completely switch from gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles by 2040. To enable widespread adoption of electric vehicles, tasks such as development of a high-performance battery, installation of a large number of plug-in stations, and the like have to be accomplished. Particularly, a technological development to improve the charge-discharge function of a lithium-based vehicle battery poses a great challenge. This vehicle battery is known not to be able to sufficiently exercise the charge-discharge function in a high temperature of 60 degrees Celsius or higher. Accordingly, as in the case of the circuit board described, importance is placed on increasing the heat dissipation property of the battery. To realize rapid heat dissipation from a battery, a structure is adopted where a water-cooled pipe is disposed in a housing made of a highly heat conductive metal such as aluminum, a large number of battery cells are disposed in the housing, and an adhesive rubber sheet is interposed between the battery cells and a bottom surface of the housing. A description will be given below with reference to the drawing.
Fig. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional battery. A battery 200 in Fig. 12 includes a large number of battery cells 201 on an inner bottom surface 203 of a housing 202 made of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy. A water-cooled pipe 205 where cooling water flows through is provided in a bottom portion 204 of the housing 202. The battery cells 201 are fixed inside the housing 202 with a rubber sheet (such as a room temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber sheet) 206 between the battery cells 201 and the bottom portion 204. With the battery 200 having such a structure, heat of the battery cells 201 is transferred to the housing 202 through the rubber sheet 206, and is effectively removed by water cooling.
JP2008-243999
However, a heat dissipation structure of the conventional battery 200 as shown in Fig. 12 includes following problems. The heat conductivity of the rubber sheet 206 is low compared to that of aluminum or graphite, and it is difficult to efficiently transfer heat from the battery cells 201 to the housing 202. A method of interposing a spacer of graphite or the like instead of the rubber sheet 206 is conceivable. However, because lower surfaces of a plurality of the battery cells 201 are not flat but stepped, a gap is formed between the battery cells 201 and the spacer, and the heat-transfer efficiency is reduced. The lower surfaces of the battery cells may take various forms, and realization of high heat-transfer efficiency not dependent on the shape of the battery cells is desired. Furthermore, a case of the battery cell is desired to be made of a lighter material, and thus, a heat dissipating structure compatible with a lighter battery cell is desired. The same thing can be said not only for the battery, but also for other heat sources such as a circuit board and an electronic appliance main body.
The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and has its object to provide a heat dissipating structure having a high heat dissipation efficiency regardless of the shape or material of a heat source, and a battery provided with the same.
(1) To achieve the object described above, a heat dissipating structure according to an embodiment is a heat dissipating structure provided between a heat source and a cooling medium for transferring heat from the heat source to the cooling medium, including a heat conductive sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and capable of being disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium, and a rubbery elastic body capable of being disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet, where the heat conductive sheet includes a protruding sheet portion capable of being disposed extending in a gap between a plurality of the heat sources.
(2) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheet has, at a part disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium, a first folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section or a first bag shape annular in cross section, and the rubbery elastic body is disposed in an inner portion of the first folded shape or the first bag shape.
(3) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the protruding sheet portion has a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section or a second bag shape annular in cross section, and the rubbery elastic body is partially disposed in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
(4) The heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further includes a rubber sheet for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet to at least one of the heat source and a surrounding of the cooling medium.
(5) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the rubber sheet is a silicone rubber sheet.
(6) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheet is a sheet containing carbon filler and resin.
(7) The heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further includes current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheet or the rubbery elastic body.
(8) Moreover, a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention is a battery including a plurality of battery cells as heat sources inside a housing in contact with a cooling medium, and including a heat dissipating structure for transferring heat from the battery cells to the cooling medium, the heat dissipating structure being provided between end portions of the battery cells near the cooling medium and a part of the housing near the cooling medium, where the heat dissipating structure includes a heat conductive sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and capable of being disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium, and a rubbery elastic body capable of being disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet, and the heat conductive sheet includes a protruding sheet portion capable of being disposed extending in a gap between a plurality of the battery cells.
(9) With the battery according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheet has, at a part disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium, a first folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section or a first bag shape annular in cross section, and the rubbery elastic body is disposed in an inner portion of the first folded shape or the first bag shape.
(10) With the battery according to another embodiment, preferably, the protruding sheet portion has a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section or a second bag shape annular in cross section, and the rubbery elastic body is partially disposed in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
(11) The battery according to another embodiment preferably further includes a rubber sheet for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet to at least the battery cells or a surrounding of the cooling medium.
(12) The battery according to another embodiment preferably further includes current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheet or the rubbery elastic body.
(13) Moreover, to achieve the object described above, a heat dissipating structure according to an embodiment is a heat dissipating structure provided between a heat source and a cooling medium for transferring heat from the heat source to the cooling medium, including a heat conductive sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and capable of being disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium, and a rubbery elastic body capable of being disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet, where the heat conductive sheet includes a contact part wrapped around half or more of a circumference of the heat source.
(14) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheet covers a plurality of the heat sources in an S shape or in continuous S shapes in cross section.
(15) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheet covers one heat source and then covers another heat source different from the one heat source by being folded back by reversal of a covering direction.
(16) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the rubbery elastic body is provided on a part of the heat conductive sheet at a position closer to the cooling medium than a part of the heat conductive sheet covering the heat source.
(17) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the rubbery elastic body is at least partially surrounded by the heat conductive sheet at a part of the heat conductive sheet disposed between the heat source and the cooling medium.
(18) Moreover, a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention is a battery including a plurality of battery cells as heat sources inside a housing in contact with a cooling medium, and including a heat dissipating structure for transferring heat from the battery cells to the cooling medium, the heat dissipating structure being provided between end portions of the battery cells near the cooling medium and a part of the housing near the cooling medium, where the heat dissipating structure includes a heat conductive sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and capable of being disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium, and a rubbery elastic body capable of being disposed between the battery cells and the cooling medium while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet, and the heat conductive sheet includes a contact part wrapped around half or more of circumferences of the battery cells.
(19) With the battery according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheet covers a plurality of the battery cells in an S shape or in continuous S shapes in cross section.
(20) With the battery according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheet covers one battery cell and then covers another battery cell different from the one battery cell by being folded back by reversal of a covering direction.
(21) The battery according to another embodiment preferably further includes a rubber sheet for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet to at least the heat conductive sheet, the battery cells, or a surrounding of the cooling medium, where the rubber sheet is interposed between one part of the heat conductive sheet and another part of the heat conductive sheet formed by covering one battery cell by the heat conductive sheet and then folding back the heat conductive sheet by reversal of a covering direction.
(22) With the battery according to another embodiment, preferably, the rubbery elastic body is provided on the heat conductive sheet at a position closer to the cooling medium than a part of the heat conductive sheet covering the battery cells.
(23) To achieve the object described above, a heat dissipating structure according to an embodiment is capable of being provided in a battery comprising a plurality of battery cells therein. The heat dissipating structure comprises a base portion capable of being provided between the battery cells and a wall where a cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of a housing of the battery; and one or more protruding sheet portions capable of being provided extending in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells from the base portion. The base portion is a laminated body of a rubbery elastic body and one or more heat conductive sheets including at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic. A part of the heat conductive sheets of the base portion is positioned so that a part of them is capable of contacting to the battery cells. The protruding sheet portions comprise the heat conductive sheets of the base portion.
(24) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheets of the base portion have a first folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing of the battery to the bottom portion of the housing, or a first bag shape annular in the cross section. The rubbery elastic body of the base portion is provided in an inner portion of the first folded shape or the first bag shape.
(25) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the protruding sheet portions have a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing of the battery to the bottom portion of the housing, or a second bag shape annular in the cross section. A part of the rubbery elastic body of the base portion is provided in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
(26) The heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further comprises one or more rubber sheets for closely fixing the heat conductive sheets to at least one of the battery cells and the wall.
(27) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the rubber sheets are silicone rubber sheets.
(28) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheets are ones containing carbon filler and resin.
(29) The heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further comprises current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheets or the rubbery elastic body.
(30) To achieve the object described above, a battery according to an embodiment comprises a plurality of battery cells in a housing contacting a cooling medium. Any one of the heat dissipating structures mentioned above is provided between the battery cells and a wall where the cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of the housing and provided extending in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells.
(31) To achieve the object described above, a heat dissipating structure according to an embodiment is capable of being provided in a battery comprising a plurality of battery cells therein. The heat dissipating structure comprises a base portion capable of being provided between the battery cells and a wall where a cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of a housing of the battery; and one or more heat conductive sheets capable of being provided in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells. The base portion comprises a rubbery elastic body, and the heat conductive sheets include at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic and comprise one or more contact parts wrapped around half or more of circumferences of the battery cells.
(32) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheets cover a plurality of the battery cells in an S shape or in continuous S shapes in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing of the battery to the bottom portion of the housing.
(33) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheets cover one of the battery cells heat and then cover another battery cell different from the one of the battery cells by being folded back by reversal of a covering direction.
(34) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the rubbery elastic body is at least partially surrounded by the heat conductive sheets at a part provided between the battery cells and the wall.
(35) With the heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment, preferably, the heat conductive sheets are ones containing carbon filler and resin.
(36) The heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further comprises one or more rubber sheets for closely fixing the heat conductive sheets to at least one of the battery cells and the wall.
(37) The heat dissipating structure according to another embodiment preferably further comprises current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheets or the rubbery elastic body.
(38) To achieve the object described above, a battery according to an embodiment comprises a plurality of battery cells in a housing contacting a cooling medium. Any one of the heat dissipating structures mentioned above is provided between the battery cells and a wall where the cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of the housing and provided in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells.
 ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, a heat dissipating structure having a high heat dissipation efficiency regardless of the shape or material of a heat source, and a battery provided with the same can be provided.
Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a first embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view (2A) and an enlarged view (2B), respectively, of a region A1 and a region B1 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a second embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view (4A) and an enlarged view (4B), respectively, of a region A2 and a region B2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a third embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view (6A) and an enlarged view (6B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where battery cells, which are an example of a heat source, are covered by a heat dissipating structure according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 8 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of the heat dissipating structure in Fig. 7, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 9 shows each of a vertical cross-sectional view (9A) of a heat dissipating structure according to a fifth embodiment and a battery including the heat dissipating structure, and a view (9B) schematically showing a cross-sectional shape of a heat conductive sheet in (9A). Fig. 10 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a sixth embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 11 shows an enlarged view (11A) and an enlarged view (11B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional battery.
Next, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Additionally, each embodiment described below does not limit the invention defined by the claims, and also, not all the elements or combinations thereof described in each embodiment are essential to solutions of the present invention.
(First Embodiment)
Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a first embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 2 shows an enlarged view (2A) and an enlarged view (2B), respectively, of a region A1 and a region B1 in Fig. 1.
A heat dissipating structure 25 according to the first embodiment is a heat dissipating structure which is provided between battery cells 20, which are an example of a heat source in a battery 1, and a cooling medium 15, and which transfers heat from the battery cells 20 to the cooling medium 15. The heat dissipating structure 25 includes a heat conductive sheet 30 which is a sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and which can be disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15, and a rubbery elastic body 31 which can be disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15 while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet 30. The heat conductive sheet 30 includes a protruding sheet portion 35 which can be disposed extending in gaps between the battery cells 20. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the battery 1 is a battery including a plurality of battery cells 20, as heat sources, in a housing 11 in contact with the cooling medium 15. The heat dissipating structure 25 for transferring heat from the battery cells 20 to the cooling medium 15 is provided between end portions of the battery cells 20 near the cooling medium 15 and a part (bottom portion 12) of the housing 11 near the cooling medium 15. The heat conductive sheet 30 provided between a plurality of the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12, and the rubbery elastic body 31 constitute a base portion. The heat dissipating structure 25 includes the heat conductive sheet 30 which contains at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and which can be disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15, and the rubbery elastic body 31 which can be disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15 while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet 30. The heat conductive sheet 30 includes the protruding sheet portion 35 which can be disposed extending in gaps between the battery cells 20. In other words, the heat dissipating structure 25 is provided in a battery 1 comprising a plurality of the battery cells 20 therein. The heat dissipating structure 25 comprises the base portion capable of being provided between the battery cells 20 and a wall like the bottom portion 12 where the cooling medium 15 flows and constitutes a part of the housing 11 of the battery 1; and one or more protruding sheet portions 35 capable of being provided extending in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells 20 from the base portion. The base portion is a laminated body of a rubbery elastic body 31 and the heat conductive sheet 30. A part of the heat conductive sheet 30 of the base portion is positioned so that a part of the heat conductive sheet 30 is capable of contacting to the battery cells 20. The phrase, “a part of the heat conductive sheet 30 is capable of contacting to the battery cells 20” is interpreted as including both that there is no layer between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the battery cell 20 and that a rubber sheet may be between them 30,20. This also applies to below embodiments. The protruding sheet portions 35 comprise the heat conductive sheet 30 of the base portion. The heat conductive sheet 30 includes at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic.
Furthermore, the heat conductive sheet 30 has a first folded shape which is folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section at a part disposed between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15. The rubbery elastic body 31 is preferably disposed in an inner portion 32 of the first folded shape. Additionally, the first folded shape may be a first bag shape which is annular in cross section. In this case, the rubbery elastic body 31 is preferably disposed in an inner portion of the first bag shape. Moreover, in the present application, a "cross section" or a "vertical cross section" refers to a cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of an inner portion 14 of the housing 11 of the battery 1 to the bottom portion 12.
(1) Schematic Configuration of Battery
In the present embodiment, the battery 1 is a battery of an electric vehicle, for example, and includes a large number of battery cells 20. The battery 1 includes the bottomed housing 11 which is open on one side. The housing 11 is preferably made of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy. The battery cells 20 are disposed in the inner portion 14 of the housing 11. An electrode is provided protruding from the top of the battery cell 20. A plurality of the battery cells 20 are preferably in close contact with each other by compression force from both sides applied by screws or the like in the housing 11 (not shown). One or a plurality of water-cooled pipes 13 where cooling water, which is an example of the cooling medium 15, is to flow are provided in the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11. The battery cells 20 are disposed inside the housing 11 in a manner sandwiching the heat dissipating structure 25 with the bottom portion 12. With the battery 1 having such a structure, heat of the battery cells 20 is transferred to the housing 11 through the heat dissipating structure 25, and is effectively removed by water cooling. Additionally, the cooling medium 15 is not limited to cooling water, and is interpreted to include liquid nitrogen, and organic solvents such as ethanol. To be used for cooling, the cooling medium 15 does not have to be liquid, but may be gas or solid. The battery 1 comprises a plurality of battery cells 20 in the housing 11 contacting the cooling medium 15. The heat dissipating structure 25 is provided in one or more gaps between the battery cells 20 and provided between the battery cells 20 and the wall (e.g. the bottom portion 12) where the cooling medium 15 flows therein and constitutes a part of the housing 11. The batteries in embodiments described hereinafter also have similar structures.
(2) Heat Conductive Sheet
In the present embodiment, the heat conductive sheet 30 includes one curved portion which is U-shaped in a vertical cross section, between a plurality of the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12. The heat conductive sheet 30 may include a V-shaped bent portion instead of the U-shaped curved portion.
The heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably a sheet containing carbon, and is more preferably a sheet containing carbon filler and resin. In the present application, "carbon" is broadly interpreted to include any structure made of carbon (symbol: C), such as graphite, carbon black having lower crystallinity than graphite, expanded graphite, diamond, or diamond-like carbon. In the present embodiment, the heat conductive sheet 30 is a thin sheet obtained by curing a material which is resin in which graphite fibers or carbon particles are blended and dispersed. Expanded graphite filler may be used instead of graphite fibers or carbon particles. Expanded graphite is graphite which is expanded in a stacking direction of layers due to the gap between layers of graphite being increased due to discharge of gas at the time of gasification of a substance between the layers caused by rapid heating of a graphite intercalation compound obtained by intercalating a substance in flake graphite using chemical reaction. Graphite fibers, carbon particles, and expanded graphite filler are all included in the concept of carbon filler. The heat conductive sheet 30 may contain, instead of carbon or together with carbon, metal and/or ceramic. As the metal, one having relatively high heat conductivity, such as aluminum, copper, or an alloy containing at least one of aluminum and copper, may be selected. Moreover, as the ceramic, one having relatively high heat conductivity, such AlN, cBN, or hBN, may be selected.
Resin may exceed 50 mass% of the total mass of the heat conductive sheet 30, or the carbon filler may exceed 50 mass% of the total mass. That is, the main material of the heat conductive sheet 30 may be resin or the carbon filler so long as heat transfer is not greatly interfered with. As the resin, a thermoplastic resin may be suitably used, for example. A resin having a high melting point such that it does not melt at the time of transferring heat from the battery cells 20, as examples of a heat source, is desirable as the thermoplastic resin, and polyphenylenesulfide (PPS), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), or polyamide-imide (PAI) may be suitably cited, for example. Before molding of the heat conductive sheet 30, the resin is dispersed as particles in a gap of the carbon filler, for example. Other than the carbon filler and the resin, AlN or diamond may be dispersed as filler to further increase heat transfer. Furthermore, instead of resin, elastomer softer than resin may be used.
The heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably superior in heat conductivity to the rubbery elastic body 31 described later, but does not have to be superior in electrical conductivity. The heat conductivity of the heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably 10 W/mK or higher. In the present embodiment, the heat conductive sheet 30 preferably contains graphite and carbon having lower crystallinity than graphite, and a network is formed which allows current to easily flow through the heat conductive sheet 30. However, the heat conductive sheet 30 does not have to be superior in electrical conductivity, and it is enough if it has heat conductivity. In such a case, the heat conductive sheet 30 may be a sheet containing AlN, diamond, diamond-like carbon (having lower electrical conductivity than graphite), or the like. The thickness of the heat conductive sheet 30 is not particularly limited as long as the sheet is capable of being curved (or of bending), but the thickness is preferably 0.3 mm to 5 mm, or more preferably, 0.3 mm to 1 mm. However, the heat conductivity of the heat conductive sheet 30 is reduced as the thickness is increased, and the thickness is preferably determined by comprehensively taking into account the strength, the flexibility, and the heat conductivity of the sheet.
The heat dissipating structure 25 includes the rubbery elastic body 31 in an inner space formed by folding the heat conductive sheet 30 in a U shape or a V shape in a region between end portions of a plurality of the battery cells 20 near the cooling medium 15 (or the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11) (in the present embodiment, the end portions are bottom portions of the battery cells 20) and an inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12. The heat conductive sheet 30 further includes one or two or more protruding sheet portions 35 extending in gaps between the battery cells 20. Moreover, the heat conductive sheet 30 includes a terminal sheet portion 36 between an inner surface of a side wall of the housing 11 and a side surface of the battery cell 20. The terminal sheet portion 36 may be said to be one mode of the protruding sheet portion 35. The protruding sheet portion 35 may be referred to as folds extending from a main body portion of the heat dissipating structure 25 (the base portion disposed in a space between the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12) into one or more gaps between the battery cells 20. The terminal sheet portion 36 may be referred to as folds extending between the inner surface of the housing 11 and the side surface of the battery cells 20.
The protruding sheet portion 35 preferably has a second folded shape which is folded in a U shape (or a V shape) in cross section. The heat conductive sheet 30 extends from one end of the inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12 to the other end, is folded in a U shape, and makes one second folding by extending upward in a gap between the battery cells 20 and then folding and extending downward in the gap, and such second folding is repeated by the number of gaps, and the terminal sheet portion 36 is finally formed. As a result, the heat dissipating structure 25 is formed to include, at the main body portion mentioned above, the protruding sheet portion 35 having the second folded shape, and the terminal sheet portion 36. In this manner, the heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably formed by bending one sheet. However, the heat conductive sheet 30 may alternatively be formed from a plurality of sheets. Additionally, the protruding sheet portion 35 may have a second bag shape which is annular in cross section instead of the "second folded shape". In this case in this embodiment, air is preferably contained inside the second bag shape. Furthermore, the protruding sheet portion 35 may be extended in one direction like the terminal sheet portion 36, instead of having the second folded shape or the second bag shape. As described above, the protruding sheet portions 35 have a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing 11 of the battery 1 to the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11, or a second bag shape annular in the cross section. A part of the rubbery elastic body 31 of the base portion is provided in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
As shown in Fig. 2 (2A), a gap M extending from the main body portion may be formed in the protruding sheet portion 35 by the second folding. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a rubber sheet 40 is interposed between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the battery cell 20. The rubber sheet 40 contributes to increase heat transfer between the battery cell 20 and the protruding sheet portion 35 (a part of the heat conductive sheet 30). Details of the rubber sheet 40 will be given later.
(3) Rubbery Elastic Body
The rubbery elastic body 31 is an elastic body which is disposed in the inner portion 32 of the curved or bent heat conductive sheet 30, in the region between the end portions of a plurality of the battery cells 20 near the cooling medium 15 and the inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12. The rubbery elastic body 31 has a cushioning function between the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12, and a function as a protective member which prevents the heat conductive sheet 30 from being damaged due to a load applied to the heat conductive sheet 30. The rubbery elastic body 31 is a member having lower heat conductivity than the heat conductive sheet 30.
As shown in Fig. 2 (2B), the rubber sheet 40 is preferably interposed between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the bottom portion 12. The rubber sheet 40 has a function of allowing heat transferred from the battery cells 20 to the heat conductive sheet 30 to be easily transferred to the bottom portion 12. Heat generated by the battery cell 20 is transferred to the protruding sheet portion 35 through the rubber sheet 40 in contact with the protruding sheet portion 35, is transferred through the curved or bent heat conductive sheet 30, and is transferred to the bottom portion 12 and the cooling medium 15 through the rubber 40 disposed on the inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12.
The rubbery elastic body 31 is preferably a thermosetting elastomer such as silicone rubber, urethane rubber, isoprene rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, natural rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, nitrile rubber (NBR), or styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), a urethane-based, ester-based, styrene-based, olefin-based, butadiene-based, or fluorine-based thermoplastic elastomer, or a composite thereof. The rubbery elastic body 31 is preferably made of a material which is high heat resistant enough to maintain its shape without melting or decomposing due to heat transferred through the heat conductive sheet 30. In the present embodiment, the rubbery elastic body 31 is more preferably made of a urethane-based elastomer impregnated with silicone, or a silicone rubber. To even slightly increase the heat conductivity, the rubbery elastic body 31 may include filler typified by AlN, cBN, hBN, or diamond particles dispersed in the rubber.
(4) Rubber Sheet
In the present embodiment, the rubber sheet 40 is preferably a sheet which is disposed between the battery cell 20 and the heat conductive sheet 30, and between the bottom portion 12 and the heat conductive sheet 30, but is not an essential structure of the battery 1 or the heat dissipating structure 25. The rubber sheet 40 can be formed from various types of elastic bodies as in the case of the rubbery elastic body 31 described above, but the rubber sheet 40 is preferably a sheet containing silicone rubber superior in heat conductivity because heat from the battery cell 20 has to be rapidly transferred to the heat conductive sheet 30. In the case where the rubber sheet 40 is made mainly of silicone rubber, highly heat conductive filler of AlN, aluminum or the like is preferably dispersed in the silicone rubber. Furthermore, to increase tackiness, the rubber sheet 40 of silicone rubber may be silicone rubber combining silicone resin with bifunctional silicone raw rubber, for example. The silicone resin is suitably MQ resin, for example. The MQ resin is a resin according to which only a Q unit of a four-branch structure having oxygen atoms bonded to four bonds of Si is linked, and an M unit of a one-branch structure having an oxygen atom bonded to one bond of Si is added to stop reactivity at the end. Furthermore, as the silicone resin, one that bonds many hydroxyls is preferably used so that the tackiness of the silicone rubber may be increased.
The rubber sheet 40 has a function of increasing the adhesion between the battery cell 20 and the heat conductive sheet 30, or the adhesion between the surrounding of the cooling medium 15 (the bottom portion 12, side wall of the housing 11, etc.) and the heat conductive sheet 30. The hardness of the rubber sheet 40 is not particularly specified so long as the rubber sheet 40 is heat resistant and tacky, but in the case of a sheet made mainly of silicone rubber, the hardness according to Shore (Shore oo criteria) is 60 or less, or preferably, 40 or less, and more preferably, 10 or less. This is because the unevenness of a surface of the battery cell 20 can be more easily absorbed as the hardness of the rubber sheet 40 lowers. Furthermore, the thickness of the rubber sheet 40 is preferably 0.3 mm to 5 mm, or more preferably, 0.7 mm to 3 mm, and even more preferably, 1 mm to 2.5 mm. However, the thickness of the rubber sheet 40 is preferably determined according to the unevenness of the surface of the battery cell 20 or a condition such as the rubber hardness or the like.
(5) Preferred Battery Assembly Method
(a) A resin material typified by PPS or the like, and graphite filler and/or carbon filler having lower crystallinity than graphite (preferably in the form of particles, fibers, etc.) are agitated in a liquid (such as water), and a felt-like sheet is fabricated in the manner of papermaking.
(b) Subsequently, the felt-like sheet is bent to have the same or similar cross-sectional shape as the heat conductive sheet 30 in Fig. 1.
(c) The rubbery elastic body 31 is fixed at a part of the heat conductive sheet 30, and the heat dissipating structure 25 is completed.
(d) Lastly, the heat dissipating structure 25 is embedded in the battery 1.
(Second Embodiment)
Fig. 3 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a second embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view (4A) and an enlarged view (4B), respectively, of a region A2 and a region B2 in Fig. 3.
A heat dissipating structure 25a and a battery 1a according to the second embodiment are the same as the heat dissipating structure 25 and the battery 1 according to the first embodiment except that, with the heat dissipating structure 25a and the battery 1a, the rubbery elastic body 31 is present in an inner portion of the protruding sheet portion 35, and the rubber sheet 40 is not interposed between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20. In the following, aspects different from the first embodiment will be mainly described.
(1) Different Structure
As shown in Fig. 4 (4A), the protruding sheet portion 35 of the heat dissipating structure 25a has the second folded shape which is folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section, or the second bag shape which is annular in cross section. A part of the rubbery elastic body 31 is disposed in an inner portion 37 of the second folded shape or the second bag shape of the protruding sheet portion 35. Even if the side surface of the battery cell 20 is slightly uneven or stepped, the adhesion between the heat conductive sheet 30 forming the protruding sheet portion 35 and the battery cell 20 can be increased by the rubbery elastic body 31 present in the inner portion 37 of the protruding sheet portion 35, and heat dissipation from the battery cell 20 may thereby be increased.
Even if the rubber sheet 40 is not interposed between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20, the rubbery elastic body 31 is present in the inner portion 37 of the protruding sheet portion 35, and the adhesion between the battery cell 20 and the protruding sheet portion 35 can thereby be increased. However, preferably, the rubber sheet 40 is provided between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20. Provision of the rubber sheet 40 between the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11 and the heat conductive sheet 30 is the same as in the first embodiment, and a description of the structure in Fig. 4 (4B) is omitted.
(2) Preferred Battery Assembly Method
The heat dissipating structure 25a is manufactured by the same method as in the first embodiment, and is embedded in the battery 1a.
(Third Embodiment)
Fig. 5 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a third embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view (6A) and an enlarged view (6B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 5.
A heat dissipating structure 25b and a battery 1b according to the third embodiment are approximately the same as the heat dissipating structure 25 and the battery 1 according to the first embodiment except that, with the heat dissipating structure 25b and the battery 1b, the heat conductive sheet 30 does not have a folded structure between a plurality of the battery cells 20 and the bottom portion 12, the rubbery elastic body 31 is not surrounded by the heat conductive sheet 30, the heat conductive sheet 30 has two terminal sheet portions 36 in contact with inner side surfaces of the housing 11, and the heat conductive sheet 30 includes a current-carrying mechanism. In the following, aspects different from the first embodiment will be mainly described.
(1) Different Structure
The heat dissipating structure 25b includes the rubbery elastic body 31 in a region between the inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 12 of the housing 11 and the battery cells 20. The heat dissipating structure 25b includes, on the battery cell 20 side than the rubbery elastic body 31, the heat conductive sheet 30 having two terminal sheet portions 36 in contact with the battery cells 20 and inner circumferential surfaces of side walls of the housing 11 and having the protruding sheet portion 35 inserted in the gaps between the battery cells 20. Heat generated by the battery cell 20 is transferred to the heat conductive sheet 30 and the side wall of the housing 11, and is reduced by the cooling medium 15 in the bottom portion 12. Furthermore, heat generated by the battery cell 20 is transferred through the heat conductive sheet 30 and the rubbery elastic body 31, and is reduced by the cooling medium 15 in the bottom portion 12.
The rubber sheet 40 is not interposed between the rubbery elastic body 31 and the bottom portion 12, because the rubbery elastic body 31 can be expected to easily adhere to the bottom portion 12. However, it is also possible to interpose the rubber sheet 40 between the rubbery elastic body 31 and the bottom portion 12.
In the present embodiment, the heat conductive sheet 30 has electrical conductivity, and generates heat which is due to resistance during current conduction. A positive lead wire 50 and a negative lead wire 51 are connected to parts, or in this example, the two terminal sheet portions 36, of the heat conductive sheet 30. When a voltage is applied between the lead wires 50, 51, current flows through the heat conductive sheet 30 and heat is generated.
As shown in Fig. 6 (6A), the lead wire 50 is connected to a current-carrying electrode 60. The current-carrying electrode 60 is fixed to one of the terminal sheet portions 36. As shown in Fig. 6 (6B), the lead wire 51 is connected to a current-carrying electrode 61 in the same manner. The current-carrying electrode 61 is fixed to the other of the terminal sheet portions 36. In the present embodiment, the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 are thin films that are formed by applying a paste containing metal filler on a surface of the heat conductive sheet 30. The paste containing metal filler is suitably a paste containing silver filler (i.e. silver paste), for example. In such a case, the thin film is a silver thin film. However, the current-carrying electrode 60, 61 may alternatively be made by applying a paste containing a metal material, other than silver, having relatively high electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the method for forming the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 are not particularly limited, and brushing or printing may be used, for example. In the present embodiment, the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 are formed on a surface of the heat conductive sheet 30. Alternatively, the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be formed on a region recessed inward from the surface of the heat conductive sheet 30, or may be embedded inside the heat conductive sheet 30. Furthermore, the rubber sheet 40 may be interposed between the terminal sheet portion 36 and the side wall of the housing 11 or between a side surface of the battery cell 20 and the terminal sheet portion 36, and the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be formed on the surface or inside the rubber sheet 40. Moreover, the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be formed at near tops of two protruding sheet portions 35 which are separate from each other. The current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be connected to another resistor instead of being connected to the heat conductive sheet 30, and may heat the rubbery elastic body 31 which is in contact with such other resistor instead of heating the heat conductive sheet 30.
(2) Preferred Battery Assembly Method
Steps the same as the assembly steps (a) to (d) in the first embodiment are performed, and after the steps or after (a), the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 and the lead wires 50, 51 are fixed to the heat conductive sheet 30.
With the heat dissipating structures 25, 25a, 25b (hereinafter referred to as "heat dissipating structure 25 or the like") according to each embodiment described above, heat from the battery cell 20 can be transferred to the bottom portion 12 of the batteries 1, 1a, 1b (hereinafter referred to as "battery 1 or the like") and the cooling medium 15 through the protruding sheet portion 35 and the heat conductive sheet 30, regardless of the shape of the end portion of the battery cell 20 near the cooling medium 15 and even if the battery cell 20 is light and cannot be expected to adhere to the heat dissipating structure by its own weight.
Furthermore, because the rubbery elastic body 31 surrounded by the heat conductive sheet 30 at a part between the battery cells 20 and the cooling medium 15 is flexible, the adhesion between the bottom portions of the battery cells 20 and the heat conductive sheet 30 and the adhesion between the side surfaces of the battery cells 20 and the protruding sheet portion 35 can be increased even in a case where the positions of the bottom portions of a plurality of the battery cells 20 are not horizontal, and heat dissipation property can be expected to be further increased.
Furthermore, the adhesion between the protruding sheet portion 35 and the side surface of the battery cell 20 can be increased regardless of the unevenness of the side surface of the battery cell 20, and heat dissipation property can be expected to be further increased.
Furthermore, the rubber sheet 40 contributes to increase heat dissipation from the battery cell 20 to the heat conductive sheet 30, or from the heat conductive sheet 30 to the bottom portion 12. Particularly, if the rubber sheet 40 is a sheet of silicone rubber, heat deterioration can be suppressed, and long-lasting adhesion can be realized. Moreover, using the rubber sheet 40 which is a highly heat conductive silicone rubber sheet facilitates transfer of heat between sides sandwiching the rubber sheet 40.
Moreover, the heat conductive sheet 30 is preferably a sheet containing carbon filler and resin. A sheet which is superior in heat conductivity, and which is flexible and which can be easily bent or curved can thus be realized. Accordingly, shaping according to the shape of a space having a complex shape, such as the inside of the battery 1 or the like, is enabled. Moreover, an electrical conduction property can be obtained by the presence of the carbon filler.
Furthermore, because the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 are provided, the battery cells 20 can be heated even in cold climates, and charging/discharging of the battery 1 or the like can be easily performed.
With the battery 1 or the like, heat from the battery cell 20 can be transferred to the bottom portion 12 of the battery 1 or the like and the cooling medium 15 through the protruding sheet portion 35 and the heat conductive sheet 30, regardless of the shape of the end portion of the battery cell 20 near the cooling medium 15 and even if the battery cell 20 is light and cannot be expected to adhere to the heat dissipating structure by its own weight.
Moreover, the battery 1 or the like further includes the rubber sheet 40 for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet 30 to at least the battery cells 20 or the surrounding of the cooling medium 15 (such as the bottom portion 12, the side wall of the housing 11, or the like). The rubber sheet 40 contributes to increase heat dissipation from the battery cell 20 to the heat conductive sheet 30, or from the heat conductive sheet 30 to the bottom portion 12 or the like. Particularly, if the rubber sheet 40 is a sheet of silicone rubber, heat deterioration can be suppressed, and long-lasting adhesion can be realized. Moreover, using the rubber sheet 40 which is a highly heat conductive silicone rubber sheet facilitates transfer of heat between sides sandwiching the rubber sheet 40. The rubber sheet 40 may be fixed to any side of the housing 11 or the heat dissipating structure 25 or the like before the heat dissipating structure 25 or the like is disposed in the battery 1 or the like.
(Fourth Embodiment)
Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where the battery cells, which are an example of a heat source, are covered by a heat dissipating structure according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 8 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of the heat dissipating structure in Fig. 7, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure.
A heat dissipating structure 125 according to the fourth embodiment is a heat dissipating structure which is provided between battery cells 120, which are an example of a heat source, and a cooling medium 115, and which transfers heat from the battery cells 120 to the cooling medium 115. The heat dissipating structure 125 includes a heat conductive sheet 130 which is a sheet containing at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and which can be disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115, and a rubbery elastic body 140 which can be disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115 while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130. The heat conductive sheet 130 includes contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 which are wound around half or more of the circumferences of the battery cells 120.
More specifically, as shown in Fig. 8, a battery 1p is a battery including a plurality of battery cells 120, as heat sources, in a housing 111 in contact with the cooling medium 115. The heat dissipating structure 125 for transferring heat from the battery cells 120 to the cooling medium 115 is provided between end portions of the battery cells 120 near the cooling medium 115 and a part (bottom portion 112) of the housing 111 near the cooling medium 115. The heat dissipating structure 125 includes the heat conductive sheet 130 which contains at least one of metal, carbon, and ceramic, and which can be disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115, and the rubbery elastic body 140 which can be disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115 while being in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130. The heat conductive sheet 130 includes the contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 which are wound around half or more of the circumferences of the battery cells 120.
Furthermore, the contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 of the heat conductive sheet 130 are parts that continuously cover a plurality of battery cells 120 in an S shape in cross section. As shown in Fig. 8, in the present embodiment, the battery 1p includes eight battery cells 120. The eight battery cells 120 are alternately disposed in inner parts A of the heat conductive sheet 130 and inner parts B of the heat conductive sheet 130, the inner parts A having an inverse U shape which is open downward in Fig. 7 and the inner parts B having a U shape which is open upward in Fig. 7. The rubbery elastic body 140 is preferably at least partially surrounded by the heat conductive sheet 130 at a part of the heat conductive sheet 130 disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115. Additionally, in the present application, a "cross section" or a "vertical cross section" refers to a cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of an inner portion 114 of the housing 111 of the battery 1p to the bottom portion 112. As described above, the heat conductive sheet 130 cover a plurality of the battery cells 120 in an S shape or in continuous S shapes in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing 111 of the battery 1p to the bottom portion 112 of the housing 111.
(1) Schematic Configuration of Battery
In the present embodiment, the battery 1p is a battery of an electric vehicle, for example, and includes a large number of battery cells 120. The battery 1p includes the bottomed housing 111 which is open on one side. The housing 111 is preferably made of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy. The battery cells 120 are disposed adjacent to one another in the inner portion 114 of the housing 111. Electrodes 121, 122 are provided protruding from the top of each battery cell 120. One or a plurality of water-cooled pipes 113 where cooling water, which is an example of the cooling medium 115, is to flow are provided in the bottom portion 112 of the housing 111. The battery cells 120 are disposed inside the housing 111 in a manner sandwiching the heat dissipating structure 125 with the bottom portion 112. With the battery 1p having such a structure, heat of the battery cells 120 is transferred to the housing 111 through the heat dissipating structure 125, and is effectively removed by water cooling. Additionally, the cooling medium 115 is not limited to cooling water, and is interpreted to include liquid nitrogen, and organic solvents such as ethanol. Under the conditions to be used for cooling, the cooling medium 115 does not have to be liquid, but may be gas or solid.
(2) Heat Conductive Sheet
In the present embodiment, the heat conductive sheet 130 includes, between a plurality of the battery cells 120 and the bottom portion 112, a part (including a corner portion of an extending portion 131 and the contact part 132) which is bent in a mirror-reversed L shape in a vertical cross section to rise along an inner side surface of the housing 111 from the extending portion 131 in contact with the bottom portion 112. The heat conductive sheet 130 is disposed with the bent part positioned at a bottom right corner of the inner portion 114 of the housing 111 in Fig. 8. The heat conductive sheet 130 extends upward from the bent part along a right-side surface 120c of the rightmost battery cell 120 in Fig. 8. The heat conductive sheet 130 covers the eight battery cells 120, which are arranged in a left-right direction in Fig. 8, while bending in a substantially S shape to continuously contact the gaps of the battery cells 120 from the right side to the left side in Fig. 8.
The heat conductive sheet 130 is provided in the battery 1p while covering each battery cell 120 by extending along one side surface of the battery cell 120 to one of top and bottom surfaces and then to the other side surface in the manner of an S shape or a snake shape. Details of a contact state between the heat conductive sheet 130 and each battery cell 120 are as below.
The heat conductive sheet 130 covers the rightmost battery cell 120 in Fig. 8 by the contact part 132 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 133 in contact with an upper surface 120a, the contact part 134 in contact with a left-side surface 120d. Furthermore, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 second from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact part 134 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 135 in contact with a lower surface 120b, and the contact part 136 in contact with a left-side surface 120d. Furthermore, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 third from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact part 136 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 133 in contact with an upper surface 120a, and the contact part 134 in contact with a left-side surface 120d. In the same manner, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 fourth from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact part 134 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 135 in contact with a lower surface 120b, and the contact part 136 in contact with a left-side surface 120d. Furthermore, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 fifth from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact parts 136, 133, 134 in the same manner as for the battery cell 120 third from the right. Moreover, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 sixth from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact parts 134, 135, 136 in the same manner as for the battery cell 120 fourth from the right. Moreover, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 seventh from the right in Fig. 8 by the contact parts 136, 133, 134 in the same manner as for the battery cell 120 fifth from the right. The heat conductive sheet 130 covers the battery cell 120 eighth from the right (i.e. leftmost) in Fig. 8 by the contact part 134 in contact with a right-side surface 120c, the contact part 135 in contact with a lower surface 120b, the contact part 136 in contact with a left-side surface 120d, and the contact part 137 in contact with an upper surface 120a.
The contact parts 133, 137 of the heat conductive sheet 130 include slits 138, 139 allowing insertion of the electrodes 121, 122 of the battery cell 120. Accordingly, the contact parts 133, 137 are able to adhere to or to be in nearly close contact with the upper surface 120a even though the electrodes 121, 122 are provided on the upper surface 120a of the battery cell 120. Furthermore, as will be described later, the heat conductive sheet 130 is thin and easily bendable. Accordingly, even if the upper surface 120a, the lower surface 120b, and the side surfaces 120c, 120d of the battery cell 120 are curved or uneven, the heat conductive sheet 130 can change its shape according to the shape of the outer circumferential surfaces 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d of the battery cell 120 to come into contact with the outer circumferential surfaces 120a, 120b, 120c, 120d.
The heat conductive sheet 130 is like the heat conductive sheet 30. The heat dissipating structure 125 includes the rubbery elastic body 140 in an inner space formed by folding the heat conductive sheet 130 in a region between end portions of a plurality of the battery cells 120 near the cooling medium 115 (or the bottom portion 112 of the housing 111) (in the present embodiment, the end portions are the lower surfaces 120b of the battery cells 120) and an inner bottom surface of the bottom portion 112.
(3) Rubbery Elastic Body
The rubbery elastic body 140 is at least partially surrounded by the heat conductive sheet 130 at the part, of the heat conductive sheet 130, disposed between the battery cells 120 and the cooling medium 115. More specifically, the rubbery elastic body 140 is provided in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130 in such a way as to fill the space between the extending portion 131 and the lower surfaces 120b of the battery cells 120 and the contact parts 135. The rubbery elastic body 140 has a cushioning function between the battery cells 120 and the bottom portion 112, and a function as a protective member which prevents the heat conductive sheet 130 from being damaged due to a load applied to the heat conductive sheet 130. The rubbery elastic body 140 is a member having lower heat conductivity than the heat conductive sheet 130. The material of the rubbery elastic body 140 is the same as that of the rubbery elastic body 31.
(4) Rubber Sheet
In the present embodiment, the rubber sheet 40 (see Figs. 2, 4) is preferably a sheet which is disposed between the battery cell 120 and the heat conductive sheet 130, and between the bottom portion 112 and the heat conductive sheet 130, but is not an essential structure of the battery 1p or the heat dissipating structure 125. The rubber sheet 40 can be formed from various types of elastic bodies as in the case of the rubbery elastic body 140 described above, but the rubber sheet 40 is preferably a sheet containing silicone rubber superior in heat conductivity because heat from the battery cell 120 has to be rapidly transferred to the heat conductive sheet 130. The rubber sheet 40 has a function of increasing the adhesion between the battery cell 120 and the heat conductive sheet 130, or the adhesion between the surrounding of the cooling medium 115 (the bottom portion 112, side wall of the housing 111, etc.) and the heat conductive sheet 130. The rubber sheet 40 is a sheet member having tackiness or bonding ability to members sandwiching the rubber sheet 40. The rubber sheet 40 may be disposed between the heat conductive sheet 130. For example, in a fifth embodiment described later, the rubber sheet 40 may be disposed between an extending portion 151 and a contact part 152. For example, a battery 1q further includes a rubber sheet 40 for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet 130 to at least the heat conductive sheet 130, the battery cells 120, or the surrounding of the cooling medium 115, and the rubber sheet 40 may be interposed between one part of the heat conductive sheet 130 and another part of the heat conductive sheet 130 formed by covering one battery cell 120 by the heat conductive sheet 130 and then reversing the covering direction. Accordingly, even if there is a folded part when wrapping the heat conductive sheet 130 around the battery cell 120, the heat conductive sheet 130 may be wrapped while being fixed by the rubber sheet. As described above, the heat dissipating structure 125 preferably further comprises one or more rubber sheets 40 for closely fixing the heat conductive sheet 130 to at least one of the battery cells 120 and a wall like the bottom portion 112.
(5) Preferred Battery Assembly Method
(a) A resin material typified by PPS or the like, and graphite filler and/or carbon filler having lower crystallinity than graphite (preferably in the form of particles, fibers, etc.) are agitated in a liquid (such as water), and a felt-like sheet is fabricated in the manner of papermaking.
(b) Subsequently, the felt-like sheet is bent to have the same or similar cross-sectional shape as the heat conductive sheet 130 in Fig. 8.
(c) The rubbery elastic body 140 is fixed at a part of the heat conductive sheet 130, and the heat dissipating structure 125 is completed.
(d) Lastly, the heat dissipating structure 125 is embedded in the battery 1p.
(Fifth Embodiment)
Fig. 9 shows each of a vertical cross-sectional view (9A) of a heat dissipating structure according to a fifth embodiment and a battery including the heat dissipating structure, and a view (9B) schematically showing a cross-sectional shape of a heat conductive sheet in (9A).
A heat dissipating structure 125a and a battery 1q according to the fifth embodiment are the same as the heat dissipating structure 125 and the battery 1p according to the fourth embodiment except that, with the heat dissipating structure 125a and the battery 1q, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers each battery cell 120. In the following, the manner of the heat conductive sheet 130 covering each battery cell 120 will be mainly described.
(1) Covering of Each Battery Cell by Heat Conductive Sheet
As shown in Fig. 9, the heat conductive sheet 130 constituting the heat dissipating structure 125a covers each battery cell 120 around the entire or almost entire outer circumference of the battery cell 120. Specifically, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers a lower surface 120b of the rightmost battery cell 120 in Fig. 9 (9A) by an extending portion 151 and a contact part 152 folded back from the extending portion 151, covers a right side surface 120c of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 153, covers an upper surface 120a of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 154, and covers a left side surface 120d of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 155. The heat conductive sheet 130 then continuously covers a lower surface 120b of the battery cell 120 second from the right in Fig. 9 (9A) by the extending portion 151 and the contact part 152 folded back from the extending portion 151, covers a right side surface 120c of the battery cell 120 by the contact part 153, covers an upper surface 120a of the battery cell 120 by the contact part 154, and covers a left side surface 120d of the battery cell 120 by the contact part 155. Other battery cells 120 of the battery 1q, which are arranged from the right to the left in Fig. 9, are covered in the same manner. Lastly, the heat conductive sheet 130 covers a lower surface 120b of the leftmost battery cell 120 in Fig. 9 by the extending portion 151 (which may alternatively be referred to as "contact part 151"), covers a left side surface 120d of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 156, and covers an upper surface 120a of the battery cell 120 by a contact part 157. By wrapping the heat conductive sheet 130 in this manner around the outer circumferences of the battery cells 120 in the directions indicated by arrows in Fig. 9 (9B), a plurality of the battery cells 120 may be continuously covered by one heat conductive sheet 130. Each of the contact parts 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 is a part that covers one battery cell 120 and then covers another battery cell 120 different from the one battery cell 120 by being folded back by reversal of the covering direction. Such other battery cell 120 is desirably arranged adjacent to the one battery cell 120, but may be arranged at another position. Additionally, in the present embodiment, the heat conductive sheet 130 does not include the extending portion 131 provided in the fourth embodiment.
(2) Rubbery Elastic Body
The rubbery elastic body 140 is provided at a part of the heat conductive sheet 130, at a position closer to the cooling medium 115 than the parts of the heat conductive sheet 130 covering the battery cells 120. Specifically, the rubbery elastic body 140 is disposed in a space between the heat conductive sheet 130 (mainly the contact part 151) in contact with the lower surface 120b of each battery cell 120 and the bottom portion 112 where the cooling medium 115 flows. The rubbery elastic body 140 is in contact with the bottom portion 112 without the heat conductive sheet 130 interposed therebetween. Additionally, the rubber sheet 40 may be interposed between the rubbery elastic body 140 and the heat conductive sheet 130. In the present embodiment, heat transferred from the battery cells 120 to the heat conductive sheet 130 is transferred to the cooling medium 115 flowing through inside of the bottom portion 112, through the housing 111 in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130 or through the rubbery elastic body 140 in contact with the heat conductive sheet 130.
(3) Preferred Battery Assembly Method
The heat dissipating structure 125a is manufactured by the same method as in the fourth embodiment, and is embedded in the battery 1q.
(Sixth Embodiment)
Fig. 10 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of each of a heat dissipating structure according to a sixth embodiment, and a battery including the heat dissipating structure. Fig. 11 shows an enlarged view (11A) and an enlarged view (11B), respectively, of a region C1 and a region D1 in Fig. 10.
A heat dissipating structure 125b and a battery 1r according to the sixth embodiment are approximately the same as the heat dissipating structure 125a and the battery 1q according to the fifth embodiment except that, with the heat dissipating structure 125b and the battery 1r, a current-carrying mechanism is provided at both ends of the heat conductive sheet 130 which are protruded upward from inner side surfaces of the housing 111. Differences from the fifth embodiment will be mainly described below.
(1) Current-Carrying Mechanism
In the present embodiment, the heat conductive sheet 130 has electrical conductivity, and generates heat which is due to resistance during current conduction. A positive lead wire 160 and a negative lead wire 161 are connected to parts, or in this example, a terminal sheet portion 150 and a contact part 156, of the heat conductive sheet 130. When a voltage is applied between the lead wires 160, 161, current flows through the heat conductive sheet 130 and heat is generated. The terminal sheet portion 150 is connected to the extending portion 151. The contact part 156 is a part which is extended upward from the contact part 156 in the second embodiment without forming the contact part 157.
As shown in Fig. 11 (11A), the lead wire 160 is connected to a current-carrying electrode 170. The current-carrying electrode 170 is fixed to the terminal sheet portion 150. As shown in Fig. 11 (11B), the lead wire 161 is connected to a current-carrying electrode 171 in the same manner. The current-carrying electrode 171 is fixed to the contact part 156. In the present embodiment, the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 are thin films that are formed by applying a paste containing metal filler on a surface of the heat conductive sheet 130. The paste containing metal filler is suitably a paste containing silver filler (i.e. silver paste), for example. In such a case, the thin film is a silver thin film. However, the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 may alternatively be made by applying a paste containing a metal material, other than silver, having relatively high electrical conductivity. Furthermore, the method for forming the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 are not particularly limited, and brushing or printing may be used, for example. In the present embodiment, the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 are formed on a surface of the heat conductive sheet 130. Alternatively, the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 may be formed on a region recessed inward from the surface of the heat conductive sheet 130, or may be embedded inside the heat conductive sheet 130. Furthermore, a rubber sheet may be interposed between the terminal sheet portion 150 (or the contact part 156) and a side wall of the housing 111 or between a side surface of the battery cell 120 and the terminal sheet portion 150 (or the contact part 156), and the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 may be formed on the surface or inside the rubber sheet. Moreover, the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 may be formed, respectively, to other two contact parts which are separate from each other.
(2) Preferred Battery Assembly Method
Steps the same as the assembly steps (a) to (d) in the fourth embodiment are performed, and after the steps or after (a), the current-carrying electrodes 170, 171 and the lead wires 160, 161 are fixed to the heat conductive sheet 130.
As described above, the heat dissipating structures 125, 125a, 125b are respectively capable of being provided in the batteries 1p, 1q, 1r comprising a plurality of battery cells 120 therein. The heat dissipating structures 125, 125a, 125b respectively comprise the base portions capable of being provided between the battery cells 120 and the wall like the bottom portions 120 where the cooling medium 115 flows and constitutes a part of the housing 111 of the batteries 1p, 1q, 1r; and one or more heat conductive sheets 130 capable of being provided in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells 120. The base portion comprises the rubbery elastic body 140. The heat conductive sheet 130 includes at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic, and comprises one or more contact parts wrapped around half or more of circumferences of the battery cells 120.
Also, as described above, the batteries 1, 1a, 1b, 1p, 1q, 1r comprise a plurality of battery cells 20, 120 in the housings 11, 111 contacting the cooling mediums 15, 115, respectively. The heat dissipating structures 25, 25a, 25b, 125, 125a, 125b are respectively capable of being provided between the battery cells 20, 120 and the walls like the bottom portions 12, 112 where the cooling mediums 15, 115 flow and constitute a part of the housings 11, 111, and provided in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells 20, 120.
(Operations/Effects of Each Embodiment)
With the heat dissipating structures 125, 125a, 125b (hereinafter referred to as "heat dissipating structure 125 or the like") according to each embodiment described above, heat from the battery cell 120 can be transferred to the bottom portion 112 of the batteries 1p, 1q, 1r (hereinafter referred to as "battery 1p or the like") and the cooling medium 115 through the contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 (or 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157) of the heat conductive sheet 130, regardless of the shape of the end portion of the battery cell 120 near the cooling medium 115 and even if the battery cell 120 is light and cannot be expected to adhere to the heat dissipating structure by its own weight. Moreover, by wrapping the heat conductive sheet 130 having electrical conductivity around half or more of the outer circumference of the battery cell 120, it is possible to effectively shield electromagnetic waves generated by the battery cell 120. Such an effect will be referred to as "electromagnetic shielding effect".
Furthermore, with the configuration of the heat conductive sheet 130 described above, half of more of the outer circumferential surfaces of a plurality of the battery cells 120 may be covered by one heat conductive sheet 130 which is made as short as possible. Accordingly, the adhesion between the battery cells 120 and the heat conductive sheet 130 may be increased at as little resources as possible and with facility, and high heat dissipation property can thereby be expected. Furthermore, the battery cells 120 may be covered at more than half the outer circumferences to be entirely or approximately entirely covered. This allows heat from the battery cells 120 to be easily transferred to the heat conductive sheet 130, and the heat dissipation property can be further increased. Moreover, when the heat conductive sheet 130 having electrical conductivity is used, the electromagnetic shielding effect mentioned above can be further increased.
Furthermore, because the heat conductive sheet 130 includes the rubbery elastic body 140, adhesion between the battery cells 120 and the heat dissipating structure 125 or the like can be increased even if the end portions of the battery cells 120 are not horizontal, that is, even if steps are formed by the end portions. This contributes to increase the heat dissipation property. Furthermore, in addition to the issues regarding the steps mentioned above, the heat conductive sheet 130 may be effectively used as a heat transfer medium. This means that, as in the fourth embodiment, when the heat conductive sheet 130 has a mirror-reversed L shape and the rubbery elastic body 140 is disposed on the inside, heat from the battery cells 120 is easily transferred through the heat conductive sheet 130 to the bottom portion 112 and the cooling medium 115.
With the battery 1p or the like, heat from the battery cell 120 can be transferred to the bottom portion 112 of the battery 1p or the like and the cooling medium 115 through the contact parts 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137 (or 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157) of the heat conductive sheet 130, regardless of the shape of the end portion of the battery cell 120 near the cooling medium 115 and even if the battery cell 120 is light and cannot be expected to adhere to the heat dissipating structure by its own weight. Moreover, using the heat conductive sheet 130 having electrical conductivity allows the electromagnetic shielding effect to be increased.
(Other Embodiments)
Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and various modifications are allowed.
For example, a heat source may be any object that generates heat, such as a circuit board or an electronic appliance main body, without being limited to the battery cells 20, 120. For example, a heat source may be an electronic component such as a capacitor or an IC chip. Moreover, the cooling mediums 15, 115 may be an organic solvent, liquid nitrogen, or a cooling gas without being limited to cooling water. Moreover, the heat dissipating structure 25 or the like or the heat dissipating structure 125 or the like may be disposed in a structure other than the battery 1 or the like or the battery 1p or the like, such as an electronic appliance, a household appliance, a power generator or the like.
In each of the embodiments described above, the rubbery elastic body 31 is disposed in an inner space formed by bending or curving the heat conductive sheet 30, or in a space between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the bottom portion 12, but the rubbery elastic body 31 may extend in a space other than the spaces mentioned above.
In each of the embodiments, the rubber sheet 40 is provided between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the heat source, or between the heat conductive sheet 30 and the bottom portion 12, but this is not restrictive. For example, the rubber sheet 40 may be provided between the terminal sheet portion 36 and the inner surface of the side wall of the housing 11. Moreover, the rubber sheet 40 may be in contact or in close contact with the heat source and the bottom portion 12 instead of being bonded thereto, and may be easily detachable from the heat source and the bottom portion 12. Moreover, in the third embodiment, the heat conductive sheet 30 is in contact with the inner surface of the side wall of the housing 11 at above (on the battery cell 20 side of) the rubbery elastic body 31, but the heat conductive sheet 30 may alternatively be in contact with the inner surface of the side wall on the rubbery elastic body 31 side (i.e. on the bottom side).
The contact parts, of the heat conductive sheet 130, in contact with the battery cells 120 may be parts covering two battery cells 120 by one S shape in cross section. In Fig. 9 (9B), the extending portion 151 on the right, the contact part 152 on the right, or the contact part 157 on the left is not necessarily required. Moreover, the number of heat conductive sheets 130 is not limited to one, and two or more heat conductive sheets 130 may be used to cover the battery cells 120 separately or in a unit of two or more.
Furthermore, a plurality of the structural elements in the embodiments described above may be freely combined except when combination of structural elements is not possible. For example, in the third embodiment, the protruding sheet portion 35 having the rubbery elastic body 31 inside may be provided, as in the second embodiment. Moreover, the current-carrying electrodes 60, 61 may be provided in the first or second embodiment. Moreover, the current-carrying mechanisms in the sixth embodiment may be provided in the fourth embodiment.
The heat dissipating structure according to the present invention may be used in various electronic appliances other than vehicle batteries, such as vehicles, industrial robots, power generators, PCs, and home electronic products. The battery according to the present invention may be used as other than vehicle batteries, such as rechargeable home batteries, and batteries of electronic appliances such as PCs.

Claims (8)

  1. A heat dissipating structure capable of being provided in a battery comprising a plurality of battery cells therein, the heat dissipating structure comprising:
    a base portion capable of being provided between the battery cells and a wall where a cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of a housing of the battery; and
    one or more protruding sheet portions capable of being provided extending in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells from the base portion, wherein the base portion is a laminated body of a rubbery elastic body and one or more heat conductive sheets including at least one of metal, carbon and ceramic,
    a part of the heat conductive sheets of the base portion is positioned so that a part of them is capable of contacting to the battery cells,
    the protruding sheet portions comprise the heat conductive sheets of the base portion.
  2. The heat dissipating structure of claim 1, wherein the heat conductive sheets of the base portion have a first folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing of the battery to the bottom portion of the housing, or a first bag shape annular in the cross section, and
    the rubbery elastic body of the base portion is provided in an inner portion of the first folded shape or the first bag shape.
  3. The heat dissipating structure of claim 1 or 2, wherein the protruding sheet portions have a second folded shape folded in a U shape or a V shape in cross section along a direction of vertically cutting from an upper opening surface of the housing of the battery to the bottom portion of the housing, or a second bag shape annular in the cross section, and a part of the rubbery elastic body of the base portion is provided in an inner portion of the second folded shape or the second bag shape.
  4. The heat dissipating structure of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising one or more rubber sheets for closely fixing the heat conductive sheets to at least one of the battery cells and the wall.
  5. The heat dissipating structure of claim 4, wherein the rubber sheets are silicone rubber sheets.
  6. The heat dissipating structure of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the heat conductive sheets are ones containing carbon filler and resin.
  7. The heat dissipating structure of any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising current-carrying electrodes capable of supplying power to heat the heat conductive sheets or the rubbery elastic body.
  8. A battery comprising a plurality of battery cells in a housing contacting a cooling medium and the heat dissipating structure of any one of claims 1 to 7 which is provided between the battery cells and a wall where the cooling medium flows and constitutes a part of the housing and provided extending in one or more gaps between a plurality of the battery cells.

PCT/JP2018/038597 2017-10-26 2018-10-17 Heat dissipating structure, and battery provided with the same WO2019082752A1 (en)

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CN201890001033.XU CN212085181U (en) 2017-10-26 2018-10-17 Heat radiation structure and storage battery having the same

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JP2017207386 2017-10-26
JP2017-207386 2017-10-26
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NL2019888A NL2019888B1 (en) 2017-11-10 2017-11-10 Heat dissipating structure, and battery provided with the same
NL2019888 2017-11-10

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DE212018000344U1 (en) 2020-05-29
DE212018000345U1 (en) 2020-05-29
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WO2019082751A1 (en) 2019-05-02
CN212162033U (en) 2020-12-15
CN212085181U (en) 2020-12-04

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