Electric motor vehicle and battery unit for electric motor vehicle

• US 5,477,936 A
• Filed: 01/12/1995
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ogawa, Masao, Sako, Hiroyuki, Takamatsu, Hidetoshi, Sugioka, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US08/371,891
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 429/62, 429/82, 429/120, 429/148, 180/220, 180/65.1, 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0007 Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• 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 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 : Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 : Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 : Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• 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 2202/00 : Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 : Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/12 : with the engine beside or within the driven wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 : Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 : Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6556 : Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange closed pipes H01M10/6552
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 : Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 : with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• 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 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• 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 50/528 : Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery for an electrically powered vehicle includes a vehicle body having a battery unit operatively connected to the vehicle body for supplying electricity to the electrically powered vehicle. The battery unit is of an elongated shape in outer configuration and is located under the vehicle body with the length direction extending along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. A battery unit for an electric motor vehicle includes a battery assembly including a plurality of elongated batteries extending in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and being disposed adjacent to one another with a small gap being provided therebetween. A battery box is provided for accommodating the battery assembly. The battery box includes a front portion, side portions and a rear portion. Ventilation holes are provided in the front portion of the battery box for introducing cool air at positions corresponding to the gap spaces between adjacent individual batteries. At least one exhaust hole is formed in at least one of the side portions and the rear portion of the battery box.

Claims

1. A battery unit for an electric motor vehicle comprising:

a battery housing;

a plurality of battery assemblies including a plurality of elongated batteries extending in the longitudinal direction of said motor vehicle and being disposed adjacent to one another with small gap spaces being provided therebetween;

a plurality of battery boxes removably received within said battery housing for accommodating said plurality of battery assemblies, each of said battery boxes including a front portion, side portions and a rear portion;

an introduction hole being provided in each of said battery boxes for introducing cool air into said battery boxes at positions corresponding to the small gap spaces provided between adjacent elongated batteries;

at least one exhaust hole being formed in at least one surface of each of said battery boxes; and

a center tube frame member extending longitudinally along a center of the vehicle and forming a passageway for cool air inside, said battery housing being located below said frame member and secured thereto and said battery boxes being located at a lower side of said center tube, and said center tube having an opening connected to each said exhaust hole of said battery boxes when said battery boxes are received within said battery housing.

2. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 1, and further including an air exhauster for forcibly exhausting air from said battery boxes.

3. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said battery unit is supported on said center tube frame member, and wherein said electric motor vehicle is a straddling type electric motor vehicle.

4. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said battery unit is mounted on a cowled frame of a straddling type electric motor vehicle.

5. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 1, and further including a cooling air duct, and a magnet operatively mounted on an inner wall of said cooling air duct for attracting particles passing therethrough.

6. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 1, and further including a cool air supply means for supplying the cool air to said battery boxes, said cool air supply means being connected to a side of a main frame of said electric motor vehicle.

7. A battery unit for an electric motor vehicle comprising:

a battery housing;

a plurality of battery assemblies including a plurality of elongated batteries extending in the longitudinal direction of said motor vehicle and being disposed adjacent to one another with small gap spaces being provided therebetween;

a plurality of battery boxes removably received within said battery housing for accommodating said plurality of battery assemblies, each of said battery boxes including a front portion, side portions and a rear portion;

at least one air introduction port being formed in at least one surface of each said battery box for introducing air into said battery box;

air exhaust holes being provided in each of said battery boxes for exhausting air at positions corresponding to the small gap spaces provided between adjacent individual batteries; and

a center tube frame member extending longitudinally along a center of the vehicle body and forming a passageway for cool air inside, said battery housing being located below said frame member and secured thereto and said battery boxes being located at a lower side of said center tube and said center tube having an opening connected to each said air introduction port of said battery boxes when said battery boxes are received within said battery housing.

8. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 7, and further including a cool air supply means for supplying the cool air to said battery box, said cool air supply means being connected to a side of a main frame of said electric motor vehicle.

9. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 7, and further including an air exhauster for forcibly exhausting air from said battery box.

10. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said battery unit is mounted on a cowled frame of a straddling type electric motor vehicle.

11. The battery unit for an electric motor vehicle according to claim 7, and further including a cooling air duct, and a magnet operatively mounted on an inner wall of said cooling air duct for attracting particles passing therethrough.