BATTERY AND SADDLE-TYPE ELECTRIC VEHICLE EQUIPPED THEREWITH

• US 20150122563A1
• Filed: 11/05/2014
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: KONDO, Mitsuo, KOHDA, Hideo
• Granted Patent: US 9,660,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/16 on motorcycles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/28 hidden within the cycle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/02 Frames motorcycles or cycles with auxiliary engines characterised by position of engine B62M
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/90 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/655 Solid structures for heat exchange or heat conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• 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 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• 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: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery includes a controller configured or programmed to manage battery cells disposed inside a housing. The controller is arranged one of forward or rearward of the battery cells. The housing includes right and left housing half bodies which define right and left portions of the housing, respectively, and are assembled together in a lateral direction. The battery prevents an increase in the width of a saddle-type electric vehicle while securing a sufficient capacity of the housing.

Claims

1. A battery configured to supply electrical power to an electric motor of an electric vehicle, and to be attached to, and detached from, the vehicle, the battery comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of battery cells disposed inside the housing; and

a controller disposed inside the housing and configured or programmed to manage the plurality of battery cells;

wherein

the controller is arranged one of forward or rearward of the plurality of battery cells; and

the housing includes a right housing half body and a left housing half body which define right and left portions of the housing, respectively, and are assembled together in a lateral direction of the vehicle.

2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the battery is configured to be vertically attached to, and detached from, the vehicle.

3. The battery according to claim 1, wherein one housing half body of the right housing half body and the left housing half body has a lateral width greater than a lateral width of the other housing half body of the right housing half body and the left housing half body.

4. The battery according to claim 3, wherein the one housing half body includes at least one of:

a heat radiating member configured to discharge heat of the controller to the outside; and

a connector configured to be electrically connected to a connector provided on the vehicle.

5. The battery according to claim 4, wherein the connector includes a plurality of terminals, and the plurality of terminals are aligned in a front-rear direction of the vehicle.

6. The battery according to claim 3, wherein the heat radiating member is thermally exposed from a front surface or a rear surface of the battery.

7. The battery according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a lateral width less than a length in a front-rear direction and a height in a vertical direction of the housing.

8. An electric vehicle comprising:

the battery according to claim 1;

wherein

a plurality of the batteries are aligned in the lateral direction of the vehicle.

9. An electric vehicle comprising:

the battery according to claim 1; and

a vehicle body configured so that the battery is vertically attached to, and detached from, the vehicle body.