Combined battery and battery holding frame

• US 20050130033A1
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwamura, Akira, Kimura, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,410,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/159
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• 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 50/258 Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/30 Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/503 characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/51 Connection only in series
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/517 by fixing means, e.g. screws, rivets or bolts
• 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 pack includes a plurality of batteries (2) and a plurality of holding frames (3) each of which is capable of accommodating and holding a corresponding one of the batteries (2) with spaces (10a, 10b) provided therein and which are opened on both side faces opposed to each other to form openings. When the holding frames (3) respectively accommodating and holding the batteries (2) are arranged with their openings aligned; end plates (4a, 4b) are arranged at both ends of the holding frames (3); and the end plates (4a, 4b) and the holding frames (3) are jointed as a unit so as to form an outer case (5) that forms a cooling space (6) surrounding each battery (2), a gas-discharge passage portion (18) is provided in each holding frame (3), which seals and covers a space surrounding a gas-discharge port (8) provided in the battery (2) and has connection ports (19a, 19b) opened on both side faces of the holding frame (3).

Claims

1. A battery pack, including:

a plurality of batteries; and

a plurality of holding frames capable of accommodating and holding the batteries, respectively, so as to provide spaces therebetween, both side faces of each of the holding frames, that are opposed to each other, being opened to form openings, wherein the holding frames that accommodate and hold the batteries, respectively, are arranged with their openings aligned, at both ends of the arranged holding frames, end plates being arranged that are jointed together with the holding frames as one unit, the holding frames and the end plates that are jointed forming an outer case for accommodating the plurality of batteries and for forming a cooling space to surround each battery.

3. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein

each of the holding frames is provided with a gas-discharge passage portion for sealing and covering a space surrounding a gas-discharge port provided in the battery and having connection ports opened at both side faces of that holding frame.

4. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein

connection terminals are provided in each battery, and a space for allowing the connection terminals to be arranged therein is formed in each holding frame.

2. A battery pack, including:

a plurality of batteries each having an oval or oblong cross-sectional shape; and

a plurality of holding frames each of which accommodates and holds each of the batteries therein with spaces provided outside both ends of the battery in the longitudinal direction and outside one side face of the battery, each of the holding frames being formed by a rectangular frame having opened side faces that face both side faces of the battery, wherein the holding frames that accommodate and hold the batteries, respectively, are arranged with the opened side faces thereof aligned, at both ends of the arranged holding frames, end plates being arranged that are jointed together with the holding plates as one unit, the holding frames and the end plates that are jointed forming an outer case for accommodating the plurality of batteries therein and for forming cooling spaces outside both ends of the respective batteries and between the side faces of the respective batteries.

5. A holding frame for a battery, formed by a rectangular frame that accommodates and holds a battery having an oval or oblong cross-sectional shape and has opened side faces that are opposed to both side faces of the battery, wherein spaces are provided outside both ends of the battery in the longitudinal direction of the battery and outside at least one side face of the battery, while the holding frame accommodates and holds the battery.

6. The holding frame for a battery according to claim 5, wherein

a gas-discharge passage portion, for sealing and covering a space surrounding a gas-discharge port provided in the battery and having connection ports opened at both side faces thereof, is further provided.