BATTERY PACK FOR DRIVING ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20140246259A1
• Filed: 10/04/2012
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (Envision Group /TX/)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (Envision Group /TX/)
• Inventors: Aoyagi, Takeshi, Kataoka, Shuji, Yamamura, Yuichirou, Shimamoto, Keisuke, Ogata, Shinya
• Application Number:
  US14/349,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20140246259A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2306/01 Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/224 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery pack (1) for an electric vehicle is attached to the bottom surface of a vehicle floor from below so that the bottom part protrudes downward from the vehicle floor. A lower case (11) that constitutes part of a case (10) is die-cast from an aluminum alloy together with an upper case (12), and has a plurality of cooling fins (66) that extend in the vertical direction integrally formed in the front wall (51) and rear wall (52) thereof. These cooling fins (66) improve the heat-release characteristics and also serve as protectors for protecting the corners of the bottom part of the battery pack (1) in the event of an impact with a curb or the like. Cooling fins (66) are provided adjacent to both sides of a safety valve (16) so as to protect the safety valve (16) from impacts.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle driving battery pack mounted to an underside of a vehicle body floor, wherein multiple cells are accommodated in a easing, wherein the casing includes an upper case and a lower case, and wherein:

at least the lower case of the casing is made of metal by die casting;

at least one end wall of a front end wall and a rear end wall of the lower case facing in a vehicle travel direction is formed integrally with a plurality of cooling fins plate-shaped ribs;

each rib projects from the one end wall in the vehicle travel direction, and extends in a vertical direction, and includes an upper end connected integrally with a flange of a periphery of the lower case, and includes a lower end reaching a bottom wall of the lower case.

2. The electric vehicle driving battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lower end of the rib includes an edge ascending as followed away from the one end wall.

3. The electric vehicle driving battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the casing is hermetically sealed; and

a safety valve is disposed at the one end wall, and adjacent to the ribs, and is configured to open in response to a rise of an internal pressure of the casing.

4. The electric vehicle driving battery pack as claimed in claim 3, wherein the safety valve is disposed between adjacent two of the ribs.

5. The electric vehicle driving battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of the lower case projects downward below a ground clearance level of a vehicle body.

12. The electric vehicle driving battery pack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ribs are cooling fins.

6-11. -11. (canceled)