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Patent · US2015037649A1 · A1 · US

Remanufacturing methods for battery module

(11) Publication number
US2015037649A1
(21) Application number
13/954,932
(22) Filing date
2013-07-30
(30) Priority date
2013-07-30
(43) Publication date
2015-02-05
(52) CPC
  • H01M Processes or means, e.g. batteries, for the direct conversion of chemical energy into electrical energy: 10/54, 10/0413, 10/0525, 10/42, 10/5004, 10/5016, 10/5032, 10/5046, 10/613, 10/625, 10/647, 10/655, 10/6551, 10/6557, 2/1077, 2/206, 2220/20, 50/105, 50/211, 50/224, 50/249, 50/296, 50/507, 50/509, 50/517, 50/519
  • B60L Propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles; supplying electric power for auxiliary equipment of electrically-propelled vehicles; electrodynamic brake systems for vehicles in general; magnetic suspension or levitation for vehicles; monitoring operating variables of electrically-propelled vehicles; electric safety devices for electrically-propelled vehicles: 50/64
  • Y02E Reduction of greenhouse gas [ghg] emissions, related to energy generation, transmission or distribution: 60/10
  • Y02P Climate change mitigation technologies in the production or processing of goods: 70/50
  • Y02T Climate change mitigation technologies related to transportation: 10/70
  • Y02W Climate change mitigation technologies related to wastewater treatment or waste management: 30/84
  • Y10T Technical subjects covered by former us classification: 29/49108
(73) Assignee
JOHNSON CONTROLS TECH CO
(54) Title
Remanufacturing methods for battery module
(57) Abstract

A remanufactured battery module includes a power assembly having a stack of battery cell assemblies. Each battery cell assembly includes a plurality of layers including a battery cell and a frame supporting the battery cell within the power assembly. The plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly includes an internal heat fin having first and second side portions extending beyond respective side edges of the battery cell and the frame. The remanufactured battery module also includes a side assembly in physical contact with the first side portion of the internal heat fin to enable the side assembly to act as a heat sink with respect to the first side portion of the internal heat fin. A layer of the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly is new, and at least a portion of the side assembly is used.

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Claims (1)

  1. A method of remanufacturing a battery module, comprising: obtaining a used battery module, the used battery module comprising: a power assembly, the power assembly comprising a stack of battery cell assemblies, each battery cell assembly having a plurality of layers including a battery cell; an interconnect assembly physically coupled to a first end of the power assembly to at least partially structurally support the power assembly, wherein the interconnect assembly facilitates electrical coupling of at least two battery cells; a side assembly coupled to the power assembly and in contact with at least one battery cell assembly, wherein the side assembly is configured to act as a heat sink with respect to the at least one battery cell assembly; and a plurality of terminals electrically coupled to the power assembly, wherein the used battery module is configured to facilitate provision of electrical energy at two or more voltages via different combinations of the plurality of terminals; replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion; and retaining at least one other portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals as a used portion. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing at least one used battery cell with a new battery cell. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein replacing the at least one used battery cell comprises: disconnecting the side assembly from the power assembly; disconnecting the interconnect assembly from the at least one battery cell; and connecting the interconnect assembly to the new battery cell in place of the used battery cell. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein replacing the at least one used battery cell comprises connecting the side assembly to a resulting power assembly having the new battery cell. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing at least one phase change material layer, the at least one phase change material layer being one of the plurality of layers of each battery cell assembly. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein replacing the at least one phase change material layer comprises: disconnecting the side assembly from the power assembly; disconnecting the interconnect assembly from the power assembly; replacing the at least one phase change material layer with a new at least one phase change material layer; and connecting the interconnect assembly to a resulting power assembly having the new at least one phase change material layer. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein replacing the at least one phase change material layer with a new at least one phase change material layer comprises separating the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly from one another, removing a used phase change material layer, and positioning a new phase change material layer in place of the used phase change material layer. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein replacing the at least one phase change material layer with a new at least one phase change material layer comprises replacing the used power assembly with a new power assembly. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing a used thermal gap pad of the side assembly, the used thermal gap pad being positioned between and in direct contact with the power assembly and a heat sink side plate of the side assembly. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein replacing the used thermal gap pad comprises: disconnecting the side assembly from the power assembly; removing the used thermal gap pad; and positioning a new thermal gap pad in place of the used thermal gap pad. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of terminals. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing at least a portion of the interconnect assembly. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the interconnect assembly comprises a first ladder structure having a first series of rungs coupled to the battery cells of the battery cell assemblies so as to place the power assembly in a first electrical configuration, and wherein replacing the portion of the interconnect assembly comprises replacing the first ladder structure with a second ladder structure having a second series of rungs configured to couple to the battery cells so as to place the power assembly in a second electrical configuration, and the first and second electrical configurations are different. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein replacing the first ladder structure with the second ladder structure comprises: disconnecting the battery cells of the battery cell assemblies from the first series of rungs of the first ladder structure; connecting the battery cells of the battery cell assemblies, or new battery cells, to the second series of rungs of the second ladder structure; and securing the second ladder structure to a frame of the power assembly, or to a frame of a new power assembly, or to a frame of a remanufactured power assembly having both new and used portions. 15. A remanufactured battery module, comprising: a power assembly comprising a stack of battery cell assemblies, wherein each battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of layers including a battery cell and a frame supporting the battery cell within the power assembly, wherein the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly comprises an internal heat fin having first and second side portions extending beyond respective side edges of the battery cell and the frame; and a side assembly in physical contact with the first side portion of the internal heat fin to enable the side assembly to act as a heat sink with respect to the first side portion of the internal heat fin; and wherein a layer of the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly is new, and at least a portion of the side assembly is used. 16. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, wherein at least one battery cell is new. 17. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, wherein the entire power assembly is new. 18. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, wherein the side assembly comprises a heat sink side plate having external heat fins positioned on a first side of the side assembly opposite a second side of the side assembly that is in contact with the internal heat fin. 19. The remanufactured battery module of claim 18, wherein the side assembly comprises a thermal gap pad positioned between the heat sink side plate and the internal heat fin. 20. The remanufactured battery module of claim 19, wherein the thermal gap pad is new and the heat sink side plate is used. 21. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, comprising an interconnect assembly physically coupled to a first end of the power assembly to at least partially structurally support the power assembly, wherein the interconnect assembly comprises a ladder structure having a rung physically coupled to an electrical connector of each of at least two battery cells of the stack of battery cell assemblies such that the at least two battery cells are electrically connected, and wherein at least a portion of the interconnect assembly is used. 22. The remanufactured battery module of claim 21, comprising: a second interconnect assembly physically coupled to the power assembly; a negative terminal electrically connected to the first interconnect assembly; a first positive terminal electrically connected to the second interconnect assembly, the first positive terminal being configured to provide electrical energy at a first voltage when used in combination with the negative terminal; and a second positive terminal electrically connected to the second interconnect assembly, the second positive terminal being configured to provide electrical energy at a second voltage when used in combination with the negative terminal, wherein the first and second voltages are different. 23. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, comprising top and bottom compression plates positioned at respective top and bottom portions of the power assembly, and wherein the top compression plate, the bottom compression plate, or a combination thereof, is used. 24. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, wherein the plurality of layers of at least one of the battery cell assemblies comprises a phase change material layer configured to maintain a temperature of the respective battery cell assembly within a predetermined range of a phase change temperature of a phase change material within the phase change material layer, and wherein the phase change material layer is new. 25. A remanufactured battery module, comprising: a power assembly comprising a stack of battery cell assemblies, wherein each battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of layers including a battery cell and a frame supporting the battery cell within the power assembly; a negative terminal electrically connected to the battery cell; a first positive terminal electrically connected to the battery cell, the first positive terminal being configured to provide electrical energy at a first voltage when used in combination with the negative terminal; and a second positive terminal electrically connected to the battery cell, the second positive terminal being configured to provide electrical energy at a second voltage when used in combination with the negative terminal, wherein the first and second voltages are different; and wherein at least a portion of one or more of the negative terminal, the first positive terminal, the second positive terminal is used, and at least one layer of one of the battery cell assemblies is new. 26. The remanufactured battery module of claim 25, wherein the battery cell of at least one of the battery cell assemblies is new, or the entire power assembly is new. 27. The remanufactured battery module of claim 25, wherein the plurality of layers of at least one of the battery cell assemblies comprises a phase change material layer configured to maintain a temperature of the respective battery cell assembly within a predetermined range of a phase change temperature of a phase change material within the phase change material layer, and wherein the phase change material layer is new. 28. The remanufactured battery module of claim 25, wherein the first and second positive terminals are connected to the battery cell via an interconnect assembly, the interconnect assembly comprises a ladder structure having a first rung to which an electrical connector of the battery cell is coupled, and wherein at least a portion of the interconnect assembly is used. 29. The remanufactured battery module of claim 25, comprising a side assembly in physical contact with a first side portion of an internal heat fin, the internal heat fin being one of the plurality of layers of the cell assemblies, wherein the physical contact between the internal heat fin and the side assembly enables the side assembly to act as a heat sink with respect to the first side portion of the internal heat fin, and wherein at least a portion of the side assembly is used. 30. A remanufactured battery module, comprising: a power assembly comprising a stack of battery cell assemblies, wherein each battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of layers including a battery cell and a frame supporting the battery cell within the power assembly; an interconnect assembly physically coupled to a first end of the power assembly to at least partially structurally support the power assembly, wherein the interconnect assembly is physically coupled to an electrical connector of each of at least two battery cells of the stack of battery cell assemblies such that the at least two battery cells are electrically connected; and wherein a layer of the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly is new, and at least a portion of the first interconnect assembly is used.

Citations (8)

  • US1468341A
  • US2008088276A1
  • US2009092891A1
  • US2009239130A1
  • US2010136420A1
  • US2010299888A1
  • US2011239445A1
  • US2012013304A1
Record as JSON 
{
  "publication_number": "US2015037649A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Remanufacturing methods for battery module",
  "abstract": "A remanufactured battery module includes a power assembly having a stack of battery cell assemblies. Each battery cell assembly includes a plurality of layers including a battery cell and a frame supporting the battery cell within the power assembly. The plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly includes an internal heat fin having first and second side portions extending beyond respective side edges of the battery cell and the frame. The remanufactured battery module also includes a side assembly in physical contact with the first side portion of the internal heat fin to enable the side assembly to act as a heat sink with respect to the first side portion of the internal heat fin. A layer of the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly is new, and at least a portion of the side assembly is used.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of remanufacturing a battery module, comprising: obtaining a used battery module, the used battery module comprising: a power assembly, the power assembly comprising a stack of battery cell assemblies, each battery cell assembly having a plurality of layers including a battery cell; an interconnect assembly physically coupled to a first end of the power assembly to at least partially structurally support the power assembly, wherein the interconnect assembly facilitates electrical coupling of at least two battery cells; a side assembly coupled to the power assembly and in contact with at least one battery cell assembly, wherein the side assembly is configured to act as a heat sink with respect to the at least one battery cell assembly; and a plurality of terminals electrically coupled to the power assembly, wherein the used battery module is configured to facilitate provision of electrical energy at two or more voltages via different combinations of the plurality of terminals; replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion; and retaining at least one other portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals as a used portion. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing at least one used battery cell with a new battery cell. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein replacing the at least one used battery cell comprises: disconnecting the side assembly from the power assembly; disconnecting the interconnect assembly from the at least one battery cell; and connecting the interconnect assembly to the new battery cell in place of the used battery cell. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein replacing the at least one used battery cell comprises connecting the side assembly to a resulting power assembly having the new battery cell. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing at least one phase change material layer, the at least one phase change material layer being one of the plurality of layers of each battery cell assembly. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein replacing the at least one phase change material layer comprises: disconnecting the side assembly from the power assembly; disconnecting the interconnect assembly from the power assembly; replacing the at least one phase change material layer with a new at least one phase change material layer; and connecting the interconnect assembly to a resulting power assembly having the new at least one phase change material layer. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein replacing the at least one phase change material layer with a new at least one phase change material layer comprises separating the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly from one another, removing a used phase change material layer, and positioning a new phase change material layer in place of the used phase change material layer. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein replacing the at least one phase change material layer with a new at least one phase change material layer comprises replacing the used power assembly with a new power assembly. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing a used thermal gap pad of the side assembly, the used thermal gap pad being positioned between and in direct contact with the power assembly and a heat sink side plate of the side assembly. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein replacing the used thermal gap pad comprises: disconnecting the side assembly from the power assembly; removing the used thermal gap pad; and positioning a new thermal gap pad in place of the used thermal gap pad. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of terminals. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein replacing at least a portion of the power assembly, the interconnect assembly, the side assembly, or the plurality of terminals with a new respective portion comprises replacing at least a portion of the interconnect assembly. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the interconnect assembly comprises a first ladder structure having a first series of rungs coupled to the battery cells of the battery cell assemblies so as to place the power assembly in a first electrical configuration, and wherein replacing the portion of the interconnect assembly comprises replacing the first ladder structure with a second ladder structure having a second series of rungs configured to couple to the battery cells so as to place the power assembly in a second electrical configuration, and the first and second electrical configurations are different. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein replacing the first ladder structure with the second ladder structure comprises: disconnecting the battery cells of the battery cell assemblies from the first series of rungs of the first ladder structure; connecting the battery cells of the battery cell assemblies, or new battery cells, to the second series of rungs of the second ladder structure; and securing the second ladder structure to a frame of the power assembly, or to a frame of a new power assembly, or to a frame of a remanufactured power assembly having both new and used portions. 15. A remanufactured battery module, comprising: a power assembly comprising a stack of battery cell assemblies, wherein each battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of layers including a battery cell and a frame supporting the battery cell within the power assembly, wherein the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly comprises an internal heat fin having first and second side portions extending beyond respective side edges of the battery cell and the frame; and a side assembly in physical contact with the first side portion of the internal heat fin to enable the side assembly to act as a heat sink with respect to the first side portion of the internal heat fin; and wherein a layer of the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly is new, and at least a portion of the side assembly is used. 16. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, wherein at least one battery cell is new. 17. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, wherein the entire power assembly is new. 18. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, wherein the side assembly comprises a heat sink side plate having external heat fins positioned on a first side of the side assembly opposite a second side of the side assembly that is in contact with the internal heat fin. 19. The remanufactured battery module of claim 18, wherein the side assembly comprises a thermal gap pad positioned between the heat sink side plate and the internal heat fin. 20. The remanufactured battery module of claim 19, wherein the thermal gap pad is new and the heat sink side plate is used. 21. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, comprising an interconnect assembly physically coupled to a first end of the power assembly to at least partially structurally support the power assembly, wherein the interconnect assembly comprises a ladder structure having a rung physically coupled to an electrical connector of each of at least two battery cells of the stack of battery cell assemblies such that the at least two battery cells are electrically connected, and wherein at least a portion of the interconnect assembly is used. 22. The remanufactured battery module of claim 21, comprising: a second interconnect assembly physically coupled to the power assembly; a negative terminal electrically connected to the first interconnect assembly; a first positive terminal electrically connected to the second interconnect assembly, the first positive terminal being configured to provide electrical energy at a first voltage when used in combination with the negative terminal; and a second positive terminal electrically connected to the second interconnect assembly, the second positive terminal being configured to provide electrical energy at a second voltage when used in combination with the negative terminal, wherein the first and second voltages are different. 23. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, comprising top and bottom compression plates positioned at respective top and bottom portions of the power assembly, and wherein the top compression plate, the bottom compression plate, or a combination thereof, is used. 24. The remanufactured battery module of claim 15, wherein the plurality of layers of at least one of the battery cell assemblies comprises a phase change material layer configured to maintain a temperature of the respective battery cell assembly within a predetermined range of a phase change temperature of a phase change material within the phase change material layer, and wherein the phase change material layer is new. 25. A remanufactured battery module, comprising: a power assembly comprising a stack of battery cell assemblies, wherein each battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of layers including a battery cell and a frame supporting the battery cell within the power assembly; a negative terminal electrically connected to the battery cell; a first positive terminal electrically connected to the battery cell, the first positive terminal being configured to provide electrical energy at a first voltage when used in combination with the negative terminal; and a second positive terminal electrically connected to the battery cell, the second positive terminal being configured to provide electrical energy at a second voltage when used in combination with the negative terminal, wherein the first and second voltages are different; and wherein at least a portion of one or more of the negative terminal, the first positive terminal, the second positive terminal is used, and at least one layer of one of the battery cell assemblies is new. 26. The remanufactured battery module of claim 25, wherein the battery cell of at least one of the battery cell assemblies is new, or the entire power assembly is new. 27. The remanufactured battery module of claim 25, wherein the plurality of layers of at least one of the battery cell assemblies comprises a phase change material layer configured to maintain a temperature of the respective battery cell assembly within a predetermined range of a phase change temperature of a phase change material within the phase change material layer, and wherein the phase change material layer is new. 28. The remanufactured battery module of claim 25, wherein the first and second positive terminals are connected to the battery cell via an interconnect assembly, the interconnect assembly comprises a ladder structure having a first rung to which an electrical connector of the battery cell is coupled, and wherein at least a portion of the interconnect assembly is used. 29. The remanufactured battery module of claim 25, comprising a side assembly in physical contact with a first side portion of an internal heat fin, the internal heat fin being one of the plurality of layers of the cell assemblies, wherein the physical contact between the internal heat fin and the side assembly enables the side assembly to act as a heat sink with respect to the first side portion of the internal heat fin, and wherein at least a portion of the side assembly is used. 30. A remanufactured battery module, comprising: a power assembly comprising a stack of battery cell assemblies, wherein each battery cell assembly comprises a plurality of layers including a battery cell and a frame supporting the battery cell within the power assembly; an interconnect assembly physically coupled to a first end of the power assembly to at least partially structurally support the power assembly, wherein the interconnect assembly is physically coupled to an electrical connector of each of at least two battery cells of the stack of battery cell assemblies such that the at least two battery cells are electrically connected; and wherein a layer of the plurality of layers of at least one battery cell assembly is new, and at least a portion of the first interconnect assembly is used."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "H01M 10/54",
    "B60L 50/64",
    "H01M 10/0413",
    "H01M 10/0525",
    "H01M 10/42",
    "H01M 10/5004",
    "H01M 10/5016",
    "H01M 10/5032",
    "H01M 10/5046",
    "H01M 10/613",
    "H01M 10/625",
    "H01M 10/647",
    "H01M 10/655",
    "H01M 10/6551",
    "H01M 10/6557",
    "H01M 2/1077",
    "H01M 2/206",
    "H01M 2220/20",
    "H01M 50/105",
    "H01M 50/211",
    "H01M 50/224",
    "H01M 50/249",
    "H01M 50/296",
    "H01M 50/507",
    "H01M 50/509",
    "H01M 50/517",
    "H01M 50/519",
    "Y02E 60/10",
    "Y02P 70/50",
    "Y02T 10/70",
    "Y02W 30/84",
    "Y10T 29/49108"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "JOHNSON CONTROLS TECH CO"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-07-30",
  "publication_date": "2015-02-05",
  "priority_date": "2013-07-30",
  "application_number": "US-201313954932-A",
  "family_id": "50549438",
  "citations": [
    "US1468341A",
    "US2008088276A1",
    "US2009092891A1",
    "US2009239130A1",
    "US2010136420A1",
    "US2010299888A1",
    "US2011239445A1",
    "US2012013304A1"
  ]
}

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