Battery module and container for battery module

• US 6,270,920 B1
• Filed: 03/19/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Naoya, Nishio, Koji, Satoh, Kouichi, Yonezu, Ikuo, Ohkita, Kazunari, Chikano, Yoshito
• Primary Examiner(s): Brouillette, Gabrielle
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alejandro, Raymond
• Application Number:
  US09/272,571
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 429/163, 429/164, 429/176, 429/96, 429/97, 429/98, 429/99, 429/100, 429/7, 429/149, 429/151
• US Class Current: 429/163
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/617 for achieving uniformity or desired distribution of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/643 Cylindrical cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6555 arranged between the cells
• 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 50/242 adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/293 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/42 Grouping of primary cells into batteries H01M6/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery module has a plurality of electrically connected unit cells fixed in a container. A buffer member is provided at the void between the inner wall of the container and the unit cell. By virtue of the buffer member in the battery module formed of a heat conductive elastic body, the requirement of vibration resistance can be met by the buffer member while the heat generated by the unit cell can be easily discharged via the buffer member. Thus, a battery module suppressed in degradation of the performance of the unit cell caused by heat can be provided.

Claims

1. A battery module with a plurality of unit cells electrically connected, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells,

a container for storing said unit cells, and

a buffer member formed of a heat conductive elastic body disposed between each said unit cell stored in said container and an inner wall of said container, with said buffer member contacting both the unit cell and the inner wall of said container,

wherein said buffer member is formed of rubber including metal particles.

2. A battery module with a plurality of unit cells electrically connected, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells,

a container for storing said unit cells, and

a buffer member formed of a heat conductive elastic body disposed between each said unit cell stored in said container and an inner wall of said container, with said buffer member contacting both the unit cell and the inner wall of said container,

wherein said buffer member is formed of rubber including 20-40% by weight of aluminum particles or copper particles.

3. A battery module with a plurality of unit cells electrically connected, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells,

a container for storing said unit cells, and

a buffer member formed of a heat conductive elastic body disposed between each said unit cell stored in said container and an inner wall of said container, with said buffer member contacting both the unit cell and the inner wall of said container,

wherein said buffer member includes one or more of the material selected from the group consisting of styrene rubber, butadiene rubber and urethane rubber.

4. A battery module with a plurality of unit cells electrically connected, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells,

a container for storing said unit cells, and

a buffer member formed of a heat conductive elastic body disposed between each said unit cell stored in said container and an inner wall of said container, with said buffer member contacting both the unit cell and the inner wall of said container,

wherein said buffer member has a thickness of 2 mm-15 mm.

5. A battery module used as a power supply with a plurality of unit cells electrically connected, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells,

a container storing said unit cells, and

a plurality of cell secure plates formed with voids in which said unit cells are inserted for fixedly holding said unit cells inserted in the voids within said container,

wherein said cell secure plates are formed of metal.

6. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein the distance of location between said plurality of cell secure plates is not more than ⅓

the length of the unit cell.

7. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein said cell secure plates and said unit cells are connected by a heat conductive resin.

8. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein said cell secure plates are formed of a punching metal having a porosity of 30-70%.

9. The battery module according to claim 5, wherein said unit cells each have a longitudinal axis and are placed in a horizontal direction substantially parallel with each other and said plurality of cell secure plates are provided inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of the unit cells.