Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Jason Luke Sielaff

Daniel Miller

Jeremy Samborsky

Josef Dollison

Evan Mascianica

Asif Iqbal

George Albert Garfinkel

Francisco Fernandez-Galindo

James Lawrence Swoish

Scott M Rollins

Amar Marpu

Liam West

Jeffrey Matthew Haag

Lucas Amber

Eric Yoo

Dominic Mario Bertolini

John Hammack McCormick

David Doman

A structural assembly for a battery structure of a vehicle includes a lower wall and a pair of cross members. The lower wall is configured to support a cell stack. The pair of cross members are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each cross member provides lateral support for a respective side of the cell stack and is configured to extend substantially an entire width of a battery enclosure. Each cross member of the pair of cross members includes an outer wall, an inner wall spaced apart from the outer wall, and connecting members. The outer wall, the inner wall, and connecting members cooperate with each other to define an internal cavity. The inner walls of the pair of cross members are secured to the lower wall and slidable relative to the outer walls of the pair of cross members.

Structural assembly for battery structure of electric vehicle

A traction battery assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a thermal exchange plate having a plurality of coolant channels distributed within the thermal exchange plate according to a first pattern, and a thermal interface material disposed on a surface of the thermal exchange plate according to a second pattern. The first pattern mimics the second pattern.

Thermal interface material positioning within a traction battery pack

A traction battery for a vehicle includes a plurality of cells stacked in an array and having a dielectric material surrounding at least a portion of each of the cells. The cells are spaced apart to define a plurality of pockets interleaved with the cells. A manifold is connected to the array and is configured to circulate liquid coolant to each of the pockets such that the coolant directly contacts the dielectric material of each of the cells.

Traction battery assembly

An exemplary traction battery assembly includes, among other things, a first portion of an enclosure, a second portion of the enclosure, and a compression limiter. The first portion is overmolded to the compression limiter. An exemplary method includes, among other things, securing a first portion of an enclosure for a traction battery to a second portion, and limiting compression of the first portion during the securing using a compression limiter. The first portion is overmolded to the compression limiter.

Traction battery enclosure compression limiter

An exemplary battery assembly includes, among other things, a composite structure of an enclosure. The composite structure provides at least a portion of a coolant channel that carries a coolant. An exemplary battery cooling method includes, among other things, exchanging thermal energy between a coolant and a battery component as the coolant is communicated through a coolant channel. The coolant channel is at least partially established by a composite structure of an enclosure.

Battery enclosure having a composite structure with a coolant channel

A vehicle traction battery assembly may include a traction battery and a battery tray. The traction battery is for powering a portion of an electrified vehicle. The battery tray is for supporting the traction battery and defines a coolant channel for distributing coolant in a first direction and a second direction. Battery cells of the traction battery are arranged with the battery tray such that the first direction and the second direction are oriented perpendicular relative to a longitudinal face of one of the battery cells. A plate may be secured to the battery tray without mechanical fasteners to retain coolant within the coolant channel. The plate may be made of aluminum and the battery tray may be die cast aluminum. An inlet channel may extend from an inlet to the coolant channel and may be disposed between a pair of openings defined by the battery tray.

Traction battery integrated thermal plate and tray

A traction battery for a vehicle includes a tray having an outer surface defining an open channel configured to circulate liquid coolant. A plurality of cells are stacked in an array and each has a dielectric material surrounding at least a portion of the cell. The array is disposed on the outer surface and covers the channel such that a side of the array is in direct contact with the coolant during operation.

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Brighton, MI, United States of America

Jason Luke Sielaff