Electrically driven vehicles

• US 4,135,593 A
• Filed: 08/31/1976
• Issued: 01/23/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucas Industries Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Lucas Industries Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Fowkes, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Milton L.
• Application Number:
  US05/719,305
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65 R, 180/68.5, 180/60, 180/54 A, 105/51, 105/50, 105/49, 429/148, 429/71, 429/72, 429/99, 429/100, 429/96
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• 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: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An electrically driven vehicle has a battery pack containing batteries in a support structure, there being defined a compartment in which the battery tops are located and a further compartment in which are the battery lower casings, said structure having inlet and outlet openings for the respective compartments, for through flow of cooling air lengthwise of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An electrically driven vehicle including a support structure, a plurality of rechargeable batteries mounted in the support structure and each having a battery top and a lower casing, an electric motor unit carried on the vehicle, a driver control whereby the electric motor can be regulated, connection means between the batteries and the electric motor unit for transmitting power from the batteries to run the electric motor unit, two separate compartments defined in the support structure, the battery tops being disposed in one of the compartments and the lower casings of the batteries being disposed in the other of the compartments, ventilation openings provided in said structure for allowing cooling air to flow through both said compartments, and fan means to force air through said compartment in which the battery tops are disposed.

2. An electrically driven vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the compartments have respective inlet and outlet openings for flow of air through them.

3. An electrically driven vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the batteries are arranged in lines extending longitudinally of the vehicle, the lines being spaced apart to define ducts through which air can flow in said compartment in which the lower casings are disposed.

4. An electrically driven vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which there is sealing means between the battery support structure and part of the vehicle, to prevent escape of gas from the compartment in which the battery tops are disposed, at the sides of said compartment.

5. An electrically driven vehicle as claimed in claim 1 in which the batteries are supported in their support structure by releasable fastenings which pass through spaces between the batteries.