Rotatable Battery Pack

• US 20100143771A1
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Paik, Meen-seon, JEONG, Ji-young, Park, Tae-sang, Song, Tae-won
• Application Number:
  US12/615,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20100143771A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/62
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/651 characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• 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 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A rotatable battery pack having a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate disposed in parallel to each other and allowing a plurality of battery cells to be disposed between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate; a casing enclosing the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate and having both ends opened so as to allow cooling air to flow in order to cool the plurality of battery cells; a first terminal protruding from a center of the first electrode plate to an outside of the casing; a second terminal protruding from a center of the second electrode plate to the outside of the casing in a direction opposite that of the first electrode; and a driving motor driving the first electrode plate to rotate the plurality of battery cells, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are formed on a rotation axis of the first electrode plate.

Claims

1. A rotatable battery pack comprising:

a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate disposed in parallel to each other and allowing a plurality of battery cells to be disposed between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate;

a casing enclosing the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate and having both ends opened so as to allow cooling air to flow in order to cool the plurality of battery cells;

a first terminal protruding from a center of the first electrode plate to an outside of the casing;

a second terminal protruding from a center of the second electrode plate to the outside of the casing in a direction opposite that of the first electrode; and

a driving motor driving the first electrode plate to rotate the plurality of battery cells,

wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are formed on a rotation axis of the first electrode plate.

2. The rotatable battery pack of claim 1, further comprising fixing members supporting the first terminal and the second terminal to be rotated.

3. The rotatable battery pack of claim 2, wherein the fixing members are bushings or bearings.

4. The rotatable battery pack of claim 2, further comprising a first electrode and a second electrode electrically connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, respectively, to supply electricity to a load.

5. The rotatable battery pack of claim 4, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are springs elastically biased to the first terminal and the second terminal, respectively.

6. The rotatable battery pack of claim 4, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are brushes elastically biased to the first terminal and the second terminal, respectively.

7. The rotatable battery pack of claim 1, further comprising a reducer gear connecting the driving motor and the first terminal.

8. The rotatable battery pack of claim 1, wherein an inlet of the casing, through which the cooling air is introduced, has a cross-sectional area that is greater than that of an outlet of the casing through which the cooling air is discharged.

9. The rotatable battery pack of claim 1, further comprising:

a lower plate installed under the first electrode plate and supporting the first electrode plate;

an upper plate installed over the second electrode plate and supporting the second electrode plate; and

a plurality of spacers disposed between the lower plate and the upper plate and fixedly connecting the lower plate and the upper plate.

10. A method of rotating a battery pack surrounded by a casing having an inlet and an outlet, the method comprising:

inletting air into the casing through the inlet to cool the battery pack;

discharging air out of the casing through the outlet;

determining an outlet temperature of the outlet discharging the air; and

rotating the battery pack if determined that the outlet temperature is above a predetermined temperature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the rotating of the battery pack comprises rotating a driving motor rotating the battery pack.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising maintaining temperatures of a battery cells disposed in the battery pack so that the temperatures of the battery cells are maintained to be similar to each other.