Temperature regulator of storage battery and vehicle including the same

• US 20040135550A1
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration Company (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kido, Osao, Nishihata, Hideo
• Granted Patent: US 7,061,208 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/615 Heating or keeping warm
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6566 Means within the gas flow to guide the flow around one or more cells, e.g. manifolds, baffles or other barriers H01M10/6565 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6572 Peltier elements or thermoelectric devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 : by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/663 : the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A temperature regulator efficiently regulates a temperature of a storage battery. The regulator includes a thermoelectric transducer having a first face and a second face. The first face is thermally coupled with one or plural storage batteries, and the second face is thermally coupled with a thermal action accelerating medium that accelerates thermal action on the second face. The first face and the second face do the two jobs contradictory to each other, i.e., heat dissipation and heat absorption, responsive to a polarity in exciting the battery. This structure allows the temperature regulator to cool down and warm up the storage battery.

Claims

1. A temperature regulator of a storage battery, said regulator comprising:

a thermoelectric transducer including a first face and a second face, both the faces doing two jobs contradictory to each other, i.e., heat dissipation and heat absorption, responsive to a polarity in exciting the storage battery; and

a thermal action accelerating medium,

wherein the first face is thermally coupled with the storage battery and the second face is thermally coupled with said medium.

2. The temperature regulator of claim 1, wherein said regulator is mounted in a vehicle.

3. The temperature regulator of claim 1 further comprising a housing for covering the storage battery.

4. The temperature regulator of claim 3, wherein said housing is made of heat insulating material.

5. The temperature regulator of claim 1, wherein the first face is directly brought into contact with the storage battery for making a thermal coupling.

6. The temperature regulator of claim 1, wherein the first face is thermally coupled with the storage battery via a heat conductive member disposed on a surface of the storage battery.

7. The temperature regulator of claim 1, wherein the first face is thermally coupled with the storage battery via fluid circulating on a surface of the storage battery.

8. The temperature regulator of claim 1, wherein said thermal action accelerating medium is fluid including one of brine and water.

9. The temperature regulator of claim 8 further comprising a temperature regulating section for regulating a temperature of the fluid.

10. The temperature regulator of claim 9 further comprising a pump for pumping the fluid forward, wherein the pump circulates the fluid between the temperature regulating section and the second face.

11. The temperature regulator of claim 10, wherein the pump is disposed at a thermally-coupled section on the second face, and a blade is disposed in a pump room where the second face is exposed.

12. The temperature regulator of claim 9, wherein the temperature regulating section does heat-exchange between the fluid and air.

13. The temperature regulator of claim 9, wherein the thermoelectric transducer and the temperature regulating section are integrated into a temperature regulating unit.

14. The temperature regulator of claim 13, wherein the temperature regulating unit is disposed in one of a cabin and a trunk of a vehicle.

15. The temperature regulator of claim 9, wherein the thermoelectric transducer and the temperature regulating section are included in different units respectively.

16. The temperature regulator of claim 15, wherein a unit including the thermoelectric transducer and another unit including the temperature regulating section are disposed in a cabin and a trunk of a vehicle respectively.

17. The temperature regulator of claim 15, wherein a unit including the thermoelectric transducer and another unit including the temperature regulating section are disposed together in one of a cabin and a trunk of a vehicle.

18. The temperature regulator of claim 1, wherein the storage battery is one of lead-acid battery, nickel cadmium battery, nickel zinc battery, nickel metal hydride battery, and lithium-ion battery.

19. The temperature regulator of claim 1 further comprising switch means for changing over an excitation polarity of the thermoelectric transducer.

20. A vehicle comprising:

a storage battery;

a motor to be driven by said storage battery; and

a temperature regulator as defined in claim 1.

21. The vehicle of claim 20 further comprising an engine to be used with said motor.

22. The vehicle of claim 20 further comprising an air conditioner employing a compressor to be driven by said motor.