Abstract:
An assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a top plate piece, a bottom plate piece and tubing sandwiched between the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to a battery assembly for an electrified vehicle. The battery assembly includes a cold plate assembly having takeout tubing that extends along a linear axis away from an edge of the cold plate assembly. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The need to reduce automotive fuel consumption and emissions is well known. Therefore, vehicles are being developed that reduce or completely eliminate reliance on internal combustion engines. Electrified vehicles are one type of vehicle being developed for this purpose. In general, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles because they are selectively driven by battery powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, rely exclusively on the internal combustion engine to propel the vehicle. 
         [0003]    High voltage battery assemblies are employed to power the electric machines of electrified vehicles. The battery assemblies include battery arrays constructed of a plurality of battery cells. An enclosure assembly houses the battery arrays. A cold plate may be placed in contact with the battery cells to thermally manage the heat generated by the battery cells. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    An assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a top plate piece, a bottom plate piece and tubing sandwiched between the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece. 
         [0005]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing assembly, portions of both the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece overlap the tubing. 
         [0006]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing assemblies, each of the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece include flared portions that overlap the tubing. 
         [0007]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the tubing extends along a linear axis away from an edge of the assembly. 
         [0008]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the linear axis extends between the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece. 
         [0009]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece cooperate to establish a body of a cold plate assembly. 
         [0010]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, an extension extends from the body, the tubing received by the extension. 
         [0011]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the extension includes a platform connected to the body by a bridge, the platform elevated relative to the body. 
         [0012]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the top plate piece includes a first flared portion and the bottom plate piece includes a second flared portion, the tubing received within an opening between the first flared portion and the second flared portion. 
         [0013]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, a passage is formed between the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece. 
         [0014]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the passage is a serpentine passage. 
         [0015]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, a portion of the tubing that is received between the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece extends along a linear axis that is parallel with at least a portion of the passage. 
         [0016]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the tubing includes an inlet tube and an outlet tube. 
         [0017]    A battery assembly according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a plurality of battery cells, an enclosure assembly that houses the plurality of battery cells and a cold plate assembly in contact with the plurality of battery cells. Tubing of the cold plate assembly protrudes through a wall of the enclosure, the tubing extending along a linear axis away from an edge of a body of the cold plate assembly. 
         [0018]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing assembly, the linear axis excludes any bends. 
         [0019]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing assemblies, the body includes an extension and the tubing extends from the extension. 
         [0020]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the body includes a flared portion and the tubing is received within an opening established by the flared portion. 
         [0021]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the body is established by a top plate piece and a bottom plate piece, the tubing sandwiched between the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece. 
         [0022]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the cold plate assembly is part of a thermal management system that includes a fluid source, an inlet and an outlet. 
         [0023]    In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing assemblies, the tubing includes an inlet tube connected to the inlet and an outlet tube connected to the outlet. 
         [0024]    The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs, the claims, or the following description and drawings, including any of their various aspects or respective individual features, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless such features are incompatible. 
         [0025]    The various features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a powertrain of an electrified vehicle. 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  illustrates a battery assembly of an electrified vehicle. 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cold plate assembly according to a first embodiment of this disclosure. 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the cold plate assembly of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  illustrates a passage for circulating fluid through a cold plate assembly. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cold plate assembly according to a second embodiment of this disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    This disclosure details an assembly for an electrified vehicle. The assembly may be a battery assembly that includes a cold plate assembly for thermally managing heat generated by battery cells of the battery assembly. The cold plate assembly may include a top plate piece, a bottom plate piece and tubing sandwiched between the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece such that portions of the top plate piece and the bottom plate piece overlap the tubing. In some embodiments, the tubing extends laterally from an edge of the cold plate assembly along a linear axis. The assemblies of this disclosure utilize “straight” takeout tubing configurations that provide a robust joint between the tubing and the plate during assembly, shipping and handling, and installation. Although described herein with respect to a battery cold plate assembly, this disclosure is not limited to such an embodiment and could extend to any assembly that requires a robust joint between tubing and another part. These and other features are discussed in greater detail in the following paragraphs of this detailed description. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a powertrain  10  for an electrified vehicle  12 . Although depicted as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), it should be understood that the concepts described herein are not limited to HEV&#39;s and could extend to other electrified vehicles, including, but not limited to, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV&#39;s) and battery electric vehicles (BEV&#39;s). 
         [0034]    In one embodiment, the powertrain  10  is a power-split powertrain system that employs a first drive system and a second drive system. The first drive system includes a combination of an engine  14  and a generator  18  (i.e., a first electric machine). The second drive system includes at least a motor  22  (i.e., a second electric machine), the generator  18 , and a battery assembly  24 . In this example, the second drive system is considered an electric drive system of the powertrain  10 . The first and second drive systems generate torque to drive one or more sets of vehicle drive wheels  28  of the electrified vehicle  12 . Although a power-split configuration is shown, this disclosure extends to any hybrid or electric vehicle including full hybrids, parallel hybrids, series hybrids, mild hybrids or micro hybrids. 
         [0035]    The engine  14 , which in one embodiment is an internal combustion engine, and the generator  18  may be connected through a power transfer unit  30 , such as a planetary gear set. Of course, other types of power transfer units, including other gear sets and transmissions, may be used to connect the engine  14  to the generator  18 . In one non-limiting embodiment, the power transfer unit  30  is a planetary gear set that includes a ring gear  32 , a sun gear  34 , and a carrier assembly  36 . 
         [0036]    The generator  18  can be driven by the engine  14  through the power transfer unit  30  to convert kinetic energy to electrical energy. The generator  18  can alternatively function as a motor to convert electrical energy into kinetic energy, thereby outputting torque to a shaft  38  connected to the power transfer unit  30 . Because the generator  18  is operatively connected to the engine  14 , the speed of the engine  14  can be controlled by the generator  18 . 
         [0037]    The ring gear  32  of the power transfer unit  30  may be connected to a shaft  40 , which is connected to vehicle drive wheels  28  through a second power transfer unit  44 . The second power transfer unit  44  may include a gear set having a plurality of gears  46 . Other power transfer units may also be suitable. The gears  46  transfer torque from the engine  14  to a differential  48  to ultimately provide traction to the vehicle drive wheels  28 . The differential  48  may include a plurality of gears that enable the transfer of torque to the vehicle drive wheels  28 . In one embodiment, the second power transfer unit  44  is mechanically coupled to an axle  50  through the differential  48  to distribute torque to the vehicle drive wheels  28 . 
         [0038]    The motor  22  can also be employed to drive the vehicle drive wheels  28  by outputting torque to a shaft  52  that is also connected to the second power transfer unit  44 . In one embodiment, the motor  22  and the generator  18  cooperate as part of a regenerative braking system in which both the motor  22  and the generator  18  can be employed as motors to output torque. For example, the motor  22  and the generator  18  can each output electrical power to the battery assembly  24 . 
         [0039]    The battery assembly  24  is an example type of electrified vehicle battery. The battery assembly  24  may include a high voltage traction battery pack that includes a plurality of battery arrays, or groupings of battery cells, capable of outputting electrical power to operate the motor  22  and the generator  18 . Other types of energy storage devices and/or output devices can also be used to electrically power the electrified vehicle  12 . 
         [0040]    In one non-limiting embodiment, the electrified vehicle  12  has two basic operating modes. The electrified vehicle  12  may operate in an Electric Vehicle (EV) mode where the motor  22  is used (generally without assistance from the engine  14 ) for vehicle propulsion, thereby depleting the battery assembly  24  state of charge up to its maximum allowable discharging rate under certain driving patterns/cycles. The EV mode is an example of a charge depleting mode of operation for the electrified vehicle  12 . During EV mode, the state of charge of the battery assembly  24  may increase in some circumstances, for example due to a period of regenerative braking. The engine  14  is generally OFF under a default EV mode but could be operated as necessary based on a vehicle system state or as permitted by the operator. 
         [0041]    The electrified vehicle  12  may additionally operate in a Hybrid (HEV) mode in which the engine  14  and the motor  22  are both used for vehicle propulsion. The HEV mode is an example of a charge sustaining mode of operation for the electrified vehicle  12 . During the HEV mode, the electrified vehicle  12  may reduce the motor  22  propulsion usage in order to maintain the state of charge of the battery assembly  24  at a constant or approximately constant level by increasing the engine  14  propulsion usage. The electrified vehicle  12  may be operated in other operating modes in addition to the EV and HEV modes within the scope of this disclosure. 
         [0042]      FIG. 2  illustrates a battery assembly  54  that can be incorporated into an electrified vehicle. For example, the battery assembly  54  could be employed within the electrified vehicle  12  of  FIG. 1 . The battery assembly  54  includes battery arrays  56 , which can be described as groupings of battery cells, for supplying electrical power to various vehicle components. Although two battery arrays  56  are illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the battery assembly  54  could include a single battery array or multiple battery arrays within the scope of this disclosure. In other words, this disclosure is not limited to the specific configuration shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0043]    Each battery array  56  includes a plurality of battery cells  58  that may be stacked side-by-side along a span length of each battery array  56 . Although not shown in the highly schematic depiction of  FIG. 2 , the battery cells  58  are electrically connected to one another using busbar assemblies. In one embodiment, the battery cells  58  are prismatic, lithium-ion cells. However, battery cells having other geometries (cylindrical, pouch, etc.) and/or other chemistries (nickel-metal hydride, lead-acid, etc.) could alternatively be utilized within the scope of this disclosure. 
         [0044]    An enclosure assembly  60  (shown in phantom in  FIG. 2 ) surrounds the battery arrays  56 . The enclosure assembly  60  defines an interior  66  for housing the battery arrays  56  and, potentially, any other components of the battery assembly  54 . In one non-limiting embodiment, the enclosure assembly  60  includes a tray  62  and a cover  64  which establish a plurality of walls  65  that surround the interior  66 . The enclosure assembly  60  may take any size, shape or configuration, and is not limited to the specific configuration of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0045]    During some conditions, heat may be generated by the battery cells  58  of the battery arrays  56  during charging and discharging operations. Heat may also be transferred into the battery cells  58  during vehicle key-off conditions as a result of relatively hot ambient conditions. During other conditions, such as relatively cold ambient conditions, the battery cells  58  may need heated. A thermal management system  75  may therefore be utilized to thermally condition (i.e., heat or cool) the battery cells  58 . 
         [0046]    The thermal management system  75 , for example, may include a fluid source  77 , an inlet  79 , an outlet  81  and a cold plate assembly  70 . In one embodiment, the inlet  79  and the outlet  81  connect between the fluid source  77  and the cold plate assembly  70  and may include tubes, hoses, pipes or the like. A fluid F, such as glycol or some other suitable fluid, is communicated from the fluid source  77  to the inlet  81 , through tubing  72  of the cold plate assembly  70 , and then through the cold plate assembly  70 . The fluid F is circulated through the cold plate assembly  70 , which is in contact with one or more surfaces of the battery cells  58 , to either add or remove heat to/from the battery assembly  54 . In other words, the fluid F may enhance the heat transfer effect achieved by the cold plate assembly  70 . The fluid F may then be discharged through the tubing  72  into the outlet  81  before returning to the fluid source  77 . Because the fluid F either picks up heat from the battery cells  58  or loses heat to the battery cells  58 , the fluid F exiting through the outlet  81  will likely have a different temperature than the fluid F entering through the inlet  79 . 
         [0047]    In one non-limiting embodiment, the battery arrays  56  of the battery assembly  54  are positioned atop the cold plate assembly  70  so that the cold plate assembly  70  is in contact with a bottom surface of each battery cell  58 . The tubing  72  of the cold plate assembly  70  protrudes through the enclosure assembly  60 . For example, the tubing  72  may protrude through one of the walls  65  of the enclosure assembly  60  for connection to the inlet  79  and outlet  81  of the thermal management system  75 . 
         [0048]      FIGS. 3 and 4  further illustrate the cold plate assembly  70 . In one embodiment, the cold plate assembly  70  includes a top plate piece  74 , a bottom plate piece  76  and the tubing  72 . In other embodiments, the cold plate assembly  70  may include but a single plate piece (see, for example,  FIG. 6 ). The top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76  together establish a body  85  of the cold plate assembly  70 . In one embodiment, the top plate piece  74  and bottom plate piece  76  are made of a thermally conductive material such as, for example, a metallic material. 
         [0049]    The tubing  72 , which may include an inlet tube  72 A and an outlet tube  72 B, is sandwiched between the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76  such that the body  85  of the cold plate assembly  70  overlaps the tubing  72 . The inlet tube  72 A may connect to the inlet  79  of the thermal management system  75  and the outlet tube  72 B may connect to the outlet  81  (see  FIG. 2 ). In one embodiment, the tubing  72  extends laterally away from an edge  78  of the body  85  of the cold plate assembly  70 . 
         [0050]    Portions of each of the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76  may overlap the tubing  72 . For example, the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76  may overlap the tubing  72  by a distance X (see  FIG. 4 ). The distance X of the overlap is sufficient to provide a robust joint for securing the tubing  72  to the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76 . In one embodiment, the tubing  72  is brazed to the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76 . However, other attachment methodologies are also contemplated. 
         [0051]    In another embodiment, the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76  include flared portions  80  that jut outwardly from body portions  82 . The flared portions  80  may extend from the edge  78  of the body  85  into the body portions  82  of each of the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76 . The tubing  72  may be inserted into openings  84  that extend between the flared portions  80  of the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76 . 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the tubing  72  of the cold plate assembly  70  may extend along a linear axis A. The linear axis A extends laterally away from the edge  78  of the body  85  of the cold plate assembly  70  at a location between the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76 . In one embodiment, the linear axis A is completely linear (i.e., contains no bends) and is perpendicular to a plane P that extends through the edge  78 . The tubing  72  may include a flange  86  that controls the insertion distance of the tubing  72  into openings  84 . The insertion distance of the tubing  72  may also be partially controlled by inner walls  88  of the flared portions  80  of the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 5  illustrates additional features of the cold plate assembly  70 . For example, the cold plate assembly  70  may optionally include a passage  90 . The passage  90  establishes a conduit for circulating the fluid F through the cold plate assembly  70 . The passage  90  may be established by the top plate piece  74 , the bottom plate piece  76 , or both (see, for example,  FIG. 4 ). In one non-limiting embodiment, the passage  90  is a serpentine passage. The passage  90  receives the fluid F from the inlet tube  72 A and discharges the fluid F into the outlet tube  72 B. In another embodiment, a portion  89  of the tubing  72  that is received between the top plate piece  74  and the bottom plate piece  76  extends along a linear axis A that is parallel with at least a portion of the passage  90 . 
         [0054]    Although  FIGS. 3, 4 and 5  illustrate a cold plate assembly, this disclosure is not limited to such an embodiment. Indeed, it should be appreciated that any vehicle assembly that requires a robust joint between tubing and another part, such as a plate having a plenum and a cover, may benefit from the teachings of this disclosure. 
         [0055]      FIG. 6  illustrates another exemplary cold plate assembly  170 . In this disclosure, like reference numbers designate like elements where appropriate and reference numerals with the addition of  100  or multiples thereof designate modified elements that are understood to incorporate the same features and benefits of the corresponding original elements. 
         [0056]    In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the cold plate assembly  170  includes a body  185  and tubing  172  that may be received by a portion of the body  185  for attachment thereto. The body  185  may be constructed of one or more plate pieces. In one embodiment, an extension  192  extends from the body  185 . The tubing  172  may be received within flared portions  180  of the extension  192 . 
         [0057]    In one non-limiting embodiment, the extension  192  includes a platform  194  and a bridge  196  that connects between the body  185  and the platform  194 . The bridge  196  may be angled to elevate the platform  194  relative to the body  185 . The flared portions  180  may be formed on the platform  194  of the extension  192  such that the tubing extends along a linear axis A that is elevated above the body  185 . In another non-limiting embodiment, a cross-sectional path CP that extends through the body  185  and the extension  192  is Z-shaped. 
         [0058]    Although the different non-limiting embodiments are illustrated as having specific components or steps, the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from any of the non-limiting embodiments in combination with features or components from any of the other non-limiting embodiments. 
         [0059]    It should be understood that like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. It should be understood that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, other arrangements could also benefit from the teachings of this disclosure. 
         [0060]    The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense. A worker of ordinary skill in the art would understand that certain modifications could come within the scope of this disclosure. For these reasons, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.