Battery module and container for battery module

• US 20010010878A1
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Published: 08/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Naoya, Nishio, Koji, Satoh, Kouichi, Yonezu, Ikuo, Ohkita, Kazunari, Chikano, Yoshito
• Granted Patent: US 6,645,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/242 adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module has a plurality of electrically connected unit cells fixed in a container. A buffer member is provided at the void between the inner wall of the container and the unit cell. By virtue of the buffer member in the battery module formed of a heat conductive elastic body, the requirement of vibration resistance can be met by the buffer member while the heat generated by the unit cell can be easily discharged via the buffer member. Thus, a battery module suppressed in degradation of the performance of the unit cell caused by heat can be provided.

Claims

1. A battery module with a plurality of unit cells electrically connected, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells,

a container for storing said unit cells, and

a buffer member formed of a heat conductive elastic body between said unit cell stored in said container and an inner wall of said container.

2. The battery module according to

claim 1

, wherein said buffer member is formed of rubber including metal particles.

3. The battery module according to

claim 1

, wherein said buffer member is formed of rubber including 20-40% by weight of aluminum particles or copper particles.

4. The battery module according to

claim 1

, wherein said buffer member includes one or more of the material selected from the group consisting of styrene rubber, butadiene rubber and urethane rubber.

5. The battery module according to

claim 1

, wherein said buffer member has a thickness of 2 mm-15 mm.

6. A battery module container storing a plurality of unit cells in an electrically connected state, comprising a buffer member between an inner wall of the container and said cell unit in a stored state, said buffer member being formed of a heat conductive member.

7. The battery module container according to

claim 6

, wherein said buffer member is formed of rubber including metal particles.

8. The battery module container according to

claim 6

, wherein said buffer member is formed of rubber including 20-40% by weight of aluminum particles or copper particles.

9. The battery module container according to

claim 6

, wherein said buffer member includes one or more of the material selected from the group consisting of styrene rubber, butadiene rubber and urethane rubber.

10. The battery module container according to

claim 6

, wherein said buffer member has a thickness of 2 mm-15 mm.

11. A battery module used as a power supply with a plurality of unit cells electrically connected, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells,

a container storing said unit cells, and

a plurality of cell secure plates formed with a void in which said unit cell is inserted for fixedly holding said unit cell inserted in the void within said container,

wherein said cell secure plate is formed of metal.

12. The battery module according to

claim 11

, wherein the distance of location between said plurality of cell secure plates is not more than ⅓

the length of the unit cell.

13. The battery module according to

claim 11

, wherein said cell secure plate and said unit cell are connected by a heat conductive resin.

14. The battery module according to

claim 11

, wherein said cell secure plate is formed of a punching metal having a porosity of 30-70%.

15. The battery module according to

claim 11

, wherein said unit cells are placed in a horizontal direction, and said plurality of cell secure plates are provided inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the unit cell.

16. A battery module container storing a plurality of unit cells in an electrically connected state, comprising a plurality of cell secure plates formed with a void in which said unit cell is to be inserted for fixedly holding said unit cells within said battery module container when said unit cells are inserted in the void,

wherein said cell secure plate is formed of metal.

17. The battery module container according to

claim 16

, wherein the distance of location of said plurality of cell secure plates is not more than ⅓

the length of the unit cell.

18. The battery module container according to

claim 16

, wherein said cell secure plate and said unit cell are connected by a heat conductive resin.

19. The battery module container according to

claim 16

, wherein said cell secure plate is formed of a punching metal having a porosity of 30-70%.

20. The battery module container according to

claim 16

, wherein said unit cells are arranged in a horizontal direction, and said plurality of cell secure plates are provided inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the unit cell.