Dual wall storage battery system having air passageways in the bottom of the battery

• US 5,681,668 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Globe-Union Inc.
• Inventors: Reed, Michael E., Smith, Debra L., Dougherty, Thomas J., Inkmann, Mark S., Reher, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mee, Brendan
• Application Number:
  US08/466,550
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 429/100, 429/97, 429/120, 429/163, 429/175, 429/176, 429/187, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 429/100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/262 with fastening means, e.g. locks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/291 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery shield for a storage battery includes first and second members which are dimensioned to fit around the battery, forming a shield structure, that is open at its top and encloses the battery on all four sides and on the bottom, forming a heat shield for protecting the battery from hot temperatures, the first and second members being hinged to a common base and are adapted to be pivoted about respective hinges outwardly away from another to an open position to facilitate installation of a battery in the shield and to then be moved upwardly and toward one another, in the manner of a "clamshell", to a closed position for enclosing the battery within the battery shield, the bottom of the storage battery having a plurality of transverse channels therein extending between opposing sides for permitting air flow around the bottom of the storage battery when the battery is enclosed within the battery shield.

Claims

1. The combination comprising:

a storage battery having first, second, third and fourth sides and a bottom having a bottom surface said battery further including at least first and second hold down shoulders on opposite sides thereof; and

a battery shield adapted for installation on said storage battery for thermally insulating said storage battery from heat,

said battery shield including a first section having at least a front panel, a first side panel and a second side panel, a lower portion of said front panel defining at least one compartment for receiving one of said first and second hold down shoulders when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery;

a second section having at least a rear panel, a third side panel and a fourth side panel, a lower portion of said rear panel defining at least one compartment for receiving one of said first and second hold down shoulders when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery;

and connecting means including hinge means connecting said first section to said second section, thereby permitting said first and second sections to be pivoted about said hinge means between an open position for said battery shield, which allows said storage battery to be placed into said battery shield, and a closed position for said battery shield in which said battery shield encloses said storage battery on all sides thereof and at said bottom;

and said bottom surface of said storage battery having at least one channel therein for permitting air flow around the bottom of said storage battery when said storage battery is enclosed within said battery shield.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein each of said panels includes an upper portion having an inner surface and a lower portion, said inner surfaces of said panel upper portions being spaced from upper portions of said sides of said storage battery over a substantial portion of the extent thereof when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery, defining a cavity between said upper portions of said sides of said storage battery and said upper inner surfaces of the storage battery shield, and said lower portions of said panels being tapered inwardly relative to said upper portions of said panels to engage lower portions of said sides of said storage battery when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said connecting means includes a base having first and second sides, a first hinge connecting said first side of said base to said first section, and a second hinge connecting said second side of said base to said second section.

4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said bottom of said storage battery has a plurality of channels therein.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said channels are rectangular in cross section.

6. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said channels extend between first and second opposing sides of said storage battery.

7. The combination comprising:

a storage battery having first and second opposing sides, third and fourth opposing sides, and a bottom having a bottom surface; and

a battery shield adapted for installation on said storage battery for thermally insulating said storage battery from heat,

said battery shield including a first section having a front panel, first and second side panels, and a first bottom surface panel;

a second section having a rear panel, third and fourth side panels, and a second bottom panel;

and connecting means including hinge means connecting said first bottom panel to said second bottom panel, thereby permitting said first and second sections to be pivoted about said hinge means between an open position for said battery shield, which allows said storage battery to be placed into said battery shield, and a closed position for said battery shield in which said battery shield encloses said storage battery on all sides thereof and at said bottom, each of said panels including an upper portion having an inner surface and a lower portion, said inner surfaces of said panel upper portions being spaced from upper portions of said sides of said storage battery over a substantial portion thereof when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery, defining a cavity between said upper portions of said sides of said storage battery and said upper inner surfaces of the battery shield that extends around the upper portion of said storage battery, and said lower portions of said panels being tapered inwardly relative to said upper portions of said panels to engage lower portions of said sides of said storage battery when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery;

and said bottom of said storage battery having a plurality of transverse channels therein extending from said first side to said second side for permitting air flow around the bottom of said storage battery.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said storage battery includes at least first and second hold down shoulders on opposite sides thereof, said lower portions of said front and rear panel each defining at least one compartment for receiving said first and second hold down shoulders, respectively, when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery.

9. The combination comprising:

a storage battery having first, second, third and fourth sides and a bottom having a bottom surface; and

a battery shield adapted for installation on said storage battery for thermally insulating said storage battery from heat,

said battery shield including a first section having at least a from panel, a first side panel and a second side panel;

a second section having at least a rear panel, a third side panel and a fourth side panel;

and connecting means, said connecting means including a base having first and second sides, a first hinge connecting said first side of said base to said first section, and a second hinge connecting said second side of said base to said second section, thereby permitting said first and second sections to be pivoted about said connecting means between an open position for said battery shield, which allows said storage battery to be placed into said battery shield, and a closed position for said battery shield in which said battery shield encloses said storage battery on all sides thereof and at said bottom;

and said bottom surface of said storage battery having at least one channel therein for permitting air flow around the bottom of said storage battery when said storage battery is enclosed within said battery shield.

10. The combination in accordance with claim 9 wherein said bottom of said storage battery has a plurality of channels therein.

11. The combination in accordance with claim 10 wherein said plurality of channels are rectangular in cross-section.

12. The combination in accordance with claim 10 wherein said channels extend between first and second opposing sides of said storage battery.

13. The combination in accordance with claim 9 wherein each of said panels includes an upper portion having an inner surface and a lower portion, said inner surfaces of said panel upper portions being spaced from upper portions of said sides of said storage battery over a substantial portion of the extent thereof when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery, defining a cavity between said upper portions of said sides of said storage battery and said upper inner surfaces of the storage battery shield, and said lower portions of said panels being tapered inwardly relative to said upper portions of said panels to engage lower portions of said sides of said storage battery when said battery shield is installed on said storage battery.