Battery cell system with interconnected frames

Abstract

A battery cell assembly includes a plurality of sub-assemblies. Each sub-assembly includes a heat sink and a first frame and a second frame disposed on opposite sides of the heat sink. The sub-assemblies are stacked to form a plurality of cell pockets that receive a battery cell. The battery cell assembly further includes a plurality of tie rods for fixing the plurality of sub-assemblies together. The first frame is formed with a plurality of through holes, and the second frame is formed with a plurality of protrusions with a hole extending therethrough. The frames are brought together such that each protrusion is at least partially received in a respective through hole. The interior surfaces of corresponding protrusions and through holes of the stack of frames form a passage for one of the tie rods to extend through.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery assembly comprising:
 a plurality of sub-assemblies, each of the sub-assemblies including a cell support, a first frame and a second frame,   the first frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of holes extending through the first frame from the upper side to the lower side,   the second frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of protrusions extending from the upper side thereof to an outer tip surface, a plurality of holes extending through the second frame from the lower side to a respective one of the outer tip surfaces,   the first and second frames being disposed on opposite sides of the cell support such that at least a portion of the heat sink is sandwiched between the lower side of the first frame and the upper side of the second frame and such that each of the protrusions is at least partially received in a respective one of the holes in the first frame, whereby the first and second frames are interlockingly engaged,   the plurality of sub-assemblies being stacked to form a plurality of cell pockets, each cell pocket being formed between two adjacent sub-assemblies, the holes in the second frame of each of the sub-assemblies being substantially aligned so as to collectively form a plurality of passages for receiving an elongated fastener therein to fix the plurality of sub-assemblies together.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  further including a plurality of battery cells, wherein each battery cell is received in a respective one of the plurality of cell pockets and wherein portions of each battery cell are sandwiched between adjacent sub-assemblies. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein the battery cells are lithium-ion battery cells. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly  claim 1  further including two end plates, the end plates being disposed on opposite ends of the plurality of sub-assemblies such that the plurality of sub-assemblies are sandwiched between the two end plates. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first and second frames have a substantially rectangular shape and an open middle portion. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5  wherein the frames have a plurality of corner regions, wherein each hole in the first frame is located in a corner region thereof, and wherein each protrusion of the second frame is located in a corner region thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 5  wherein each of the first frames includes a protrusion for being received into a hole in the second frame of an adjacent one of the plurality of sub-assemblies, wherein the protrusion extends from the upper side of each of the first frames to an outer tip surface, wherein a hole extends through the first frame from the lower side to the outer tip surface, wherein the protrusion is located in one of the corner regions of the first frame proximate to one of the holes. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cell support is a heat sink. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the protrusions has a substantially circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein each protrusion has an associated height, wherein the height of each protrusion is less than or equal to the depth of a corresponding through hole into which the protrusion is received. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein, in a first one of the sub-assemblies, the height of at least one of the protrusions of the second frame is greater than the depth of a corresponding through hole into which the protrusion is received such that the at least one of the protrusions extends beyond the upper side of the first frame and into a recess provided in the lower side of the second frame of an adjacent second one of the sub-assemblies. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 1  further including a plurality of elongated fasteners, each elongated fastener being received in a respective one of the passages, whereby the plurality of elongated fasteners fix the plurality of sub-assemblies together. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12  wherein the elongated fasteners are tie rods. 
     
     
         14 . A battery assembly comprising:
 a plurality of sub-assemblies, each of the sub-assemblies including a cell support, a first frame and a second frame,   the first frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of holes extending through the first frame from the upper side to the lower side,   the second frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of protrusions extending from the upper side thereof to an outer tip surface, a plurality of holes extending through the second frame from the lower side to a respective one of the outer tip surfaces,   the first and second frames being disposed on opposite sides of the cell support such that at least a portion of the cell support is sandwiched between the lower side of the first frame and the upper side of the second frame and such that each of the protrusions is at least partially received in a respective one of the holes in the first frame, whereby the first and second frames are interlockingly engaged,   the plurality of sub-assemblies being stacked to form a plurality of cell pockets, each cell pocket being formed between two adjacent sub-assemblies, the holes in the second frame of each of the sub-assemblies being substantially aligned so as to collectively form a plurality of passages,   a plurality of battery cells, wherein each battery cell is received in a respective one of the plurality of cell pockets and wherein portions of each battery cell are sandwiched between adjacent sub-assemblies; and   a plurality of elongated fasteners, each elongated fastener being received in a respective one of the passages, whereby the plurality of elongated fasteners fix the plurality of sub-assemblies together.   
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein the elongated fasteners are tie rods. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein the cell support is a heat sink. 
     
     
         17 . A battery assembly comprising:
 a plurality of sub-assemblies, each of the sub-assemblies including a first frame and a second frame,   the first frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of holes extending through the first frame from the upper side to the lower side,   the second frame including an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of protrusions extending from the upper side thereof to an outer tip surface, a plurality of holes extending through the second frame from the lower side to a respective one of the outer tip surfaces,   each of the protrusions being at least partially received in a respective one of the holes in the first frame,   a plurality of battery cells,   the plurality of sub-assemblies being alternatingly stacked with the plurality of battery cells such that portions of each battery cell are sandwiched between adjacent sub-assemblies, the holes in the second frame of each of the sub-assemblies being substantially aligned so as to collectively form a plurality of passages; and   a plurality of elongated fasteners, each elongated fastener being received in a respective one of the passages, whereby the plurality of elongated fasteners fix the plurality of sub-assemblies together.   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17  wherein the elongated fasteners are tie rods. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 17  wherein, in a first one of the sub-assemblies, the height of at least one of the protrusions of the second frame is greater than the depth of a corresponding through hole in the first frame into which the protrusion is received such that the at least one of the protrusions extends beyond the upper side of the first frame and into a recess provided in the lower side of the second frame of an adjacent second one of the sub-assemblies. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 17  wherein each protrusion has an associated height, wherein the height of each protrusion is less than or equal to the depth of a corresponding through hole into which the protrusion is received.