Battery structure for electric vehicle

• US 5,866,276 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Shimizu, Tatsuo, Kita, Yosuke, Ogami, Etsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): KALAFUT, STEPHEN J
• Application Number:
  US08/720,297
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 429/65, 429/120, 429/148, 429/151, 429/156, 429/159
• US Class Current: 429/120
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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 10/6562 with free flow by convection only
• 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 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• 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: H01M 50/296 characterised by terminals of battery packs terminals of batteries H01M50/543
• 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 structure for an electric vehicle includes a plurality of columnar component cells and a substantially square battery casing for accommodating the component cell. The battery casing includes a casing body consisting of an upper casing, a lower casing and an intermediate casing interposed between the upper casing and the lower casing, and a pair of side covers fitted to both ends of the casing body. In the battery casing, a plurality of rib walls are formed to support the component cells and to divide an interior of the battery casing into a plurality of compartments in the longitudinal direction of the battery casing. Further, the battery casing has air holes formed in top and bottom walls of the battery casing for circulating cooling air in the compartments vertically. In operation, since the cooling air flows vertically through the upper and lower air holes in the respective compartments defined by the rib walls, it is possible to extend the cooling air over the whole lengths of the component cells, so that the cooling for the component cells can be effected to enhance the cooling capability of the whole batteries.

Claims

1. A battery structure for an electric vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of columnar component cells; and

a substantially parallel piped battery casing for arranging said component cells therein horizontally, said battery casing having a plurality of rib walls formed therein to support said component cells and divide an interior of said battery casing into a plurality of compartments in the axial direction of said component cells;

wherein said battery casing is provided with air holes which are formed in top and bottom walls of said battery casing for circulating cooling air in said compartments vertically.

2. A battery structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said rib walls includes grooves confronting on said component cells and which are filled with sealant.

3. A battery structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said battery casing further includes reinforcement ribs projecting between adjacent ones of said component cells and connecting adjacent ones of said rib walls with each other.

4. A battery structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said reinforcement ribs projecting between four mutually adjacent ones of said component cells have a plus-shaped cross-section.

5. A battery structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein, a compartment on at least one side of said battery casing in which projecting terminals of said component cells are disposed is completely enclosed, and at least one outer terminal penetrates a wall defining said at least one compartment and projects outward from said at least one compartment.

6. A battery structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said wall of said compartment includes a protector formed integrally therewith and partially surrounding said at least one outer terminal.

7. A battery structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said battery casing comprises:

a casing body consisting of an upper casing, a lower casing and an intermediate casing interposed between said upper casing and said lower casing; and

a pair of side covers fitted to both ends of said casing body.

8. A battery structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein said upper casing includes a plurality of brackets on respective side edges thereof, said lower casing includes a plurality of seats for engaging said electric vehicle, said plurality of seats are on respective side edges of said lower casing.