Battery device for loading on moving body

• US 6,410,185 B1
• Filed: 02/10/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Hideya, Yamane, Ryoichi, Kanaishi, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Brouillette, Gabrielle
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ruthkosky, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/501,308
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 429/99.1, 429/163, 429/167, 429/177, 429/179
• US Class Current: 429/163
• 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 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• 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 10/652 characterised by gradients for achieving a desired temperature gradient H01M10/617
• 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 50/227 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A battery device housing a large number of secondary batteries, in which the batteries can be cooled efficiently as the effect of excessive vibrations or shock or changes in environmental conditions on the housed secondary batteries is suppressed and as sufficient air-tightness is maintained. The battery device includes a modular casing 13 having a battery housing section 45 in its inside and a large number of terminal openings 46, 47, an outer casing member 11 for housing the modular casing 13 in an accommodating space section 11a, and a large number of secondary batteries 12 housed in the battery housing section 45 so that terminal sections 12a, 12b are exposed to outside through terminal openings 46, 47. The secondary batteries 12 are connected in series with one another. The modular casing 13 is housed in the outer casing member 11 with a gap p between facing outer and inner peripheries with the interposition of mounting portions 54, 65. The modular casing 13 is provided with a suction unit 15 and an exhaust section 16 for supplying and exhausting cooling air to or from the battery housing section 45. The secondary batteries 12 are accommodated in the battery device so that both ends of the batteries are cemented with an adhesive 42 to the terminal openings 46, 47 and so that the outer peripheries of the batteries face the inner surface of the battery housing section 45 with a gap in-between.

Claims

1. A battery device for loading on a moving body comprising:

a modular casing having a battery housing section therein and at least two terminal openings;

an outer casing member for accommodating said modular casing in an inner housing spacing thereof; and

at least one secondary battery housed in said inner housing spacing so that terminal portions thereof are exposed to outside through said terminal openings;

said modular casing and/or said outer casing member being formed with a mounting portion for mounting the modular casing to said outer casing member so that a space portion is formed between an outer casing body and an inner modular casing body thereof facing each other, and

wherein said modular casing is combined from a first modular casing half and a second modular casing half each of which includes a battery housing half spatial section opened in one lateral side thereof and each having said terminal opening on the other lateral side thereof.

2. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 1 wherein

said outer casing member houses a first modular casing and a second modular casing, each modular casing being combined from said first modular casing half and said second modular casing half;

said first modular casing and the second modular casing are combined together with the facing lateral sides of said first modular casing halves as junction surfaces, and each of said terminal openings of said modular casing half face to the outside.

3. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 2 wherein

suction duct halves and exhaust duct halves cooperating to form a suction duct and an exhaust duct are formed in the first modular casing and said second modular casing in the combined state thereof;

wherein said suction duct halves and the exhaust duct halves are formed on the first modular casing half side of said modular casing;

said first modular casing halves being combined point-symmetrically to constitute the suction and exhaust ducts; and

wherein in the state said modular casing is housed in said outer casing member, said suction and exhaust ducts are protruded through duct openings provided in said outer casing member in the shielded state the outer periphery of said suction and exhaust ducts.

4. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 1 wherein

said modular casing is assembled to said outer casing member in the combined state an adhesive is charged in each of said mounting portions;

at least one selected from the group consisting of an urethane-based adhesive,

a silicon-based adhesive and a modified silicon based adhesive is used as said adhesive.

5. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 4 wherein

said outer casing member is constituted by combining at least two outer casing halves.

6. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 5 wherein

facing abutting sites of said outer casing halves are formed as crests and recesses mating each other;

and wherein

said crest is fitted in the mating recess in the combined state in which at least one adhesive selected from the group consisting of an urethane-based adhesive, a silicon-based adhesive and a modified silicon based adhesive has been charged into said mating recess.

7. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 5 wherein

facing abutting sites of said outer casing halves are formed as crests and recesses mating each other;

and wherein

there is formed a gap between the mating crest and recess for permitting an excess adhesive charged into the recess to overflow to an inner side.

8. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 7 wherein

a number of engagement guide recessed grooves are formed in the outer peripheral sides of said outer casing halves, said engagement guide recessed grooves and mating engagement projections are formed at the abutting sites, in the combined state said engagement guide recessed grooves and said engagement projections are formed continuously and wherein

in the combined state, a clamper formed of an elastic material clamps said engagement projections together.

9. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 8 wherein

said secondary batteries are lithium ion secondary batteries and wherein a pre-set number of serially connected lithium ion secondary batteries are grouped together as a set to form a battery module, there being a plurality of such battery modules.

10. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 9 further comprising:

a cell control unit including a circuit board, and a micro-processor, circuit elements or electronic components loaded on said circuit board, said cell control unit detecting or controlling the voltage of said secondary battery or said battery module or controlling the capacity of said secondary battery or said battery module.

11. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 10 wherein

said cell control unit is mounted in the modular casing opening formed in the circuit board by fitting a fitting weld portion provided on the mounting portion formed on the modular casing and by the thermally fusing said fitting weld portion;

said mounting opening being an elongated opening.

12. A battery device for loading on a moving body comprising:

a modular casing defining a battery housing section therein and including a predetermined number of terminal openings, an air suction unit for supplying cooling air to the inside of said battery housing section, and an exhaust unit for exhausting the cooling air from the inside of said battery housing section;

a large number of secondary batteries housed in said battery housing section so that terminal portions thereof are exposed through said terminal openings to outside;

each secondary battery having its both ends secured with an adhesive to said terminal openings;

each secondary battery being housed so that a gap is left between the outer periphery of the battery and the inner surface of the battery housing section; and

a cell control unit including a circuit board, and a micro-processor, circuit elements or electronic components loaded on a said circuit board, said cell control unit detecting or controlling the voltage of said secondary battery or said battery module or controlling the capacity of said secondary battery or said battery module and a cell control unit mounted to the modular casing.

13. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 12 wherein

said cell control unit is mounted in the fitting hole formed in the circuit board by fitting a fitting weld portion of the mounting portion formed on the modular casing and by thermally fusing said fitting weld portion;

said mounting opening being an elongated opening.

14. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 12 wherein

said modular casing combined together with;

at least 1 first modular casing and at least one second modular casing, each said modular casing are provided with a suction duct half and an exhaust duct half which, in the combined state, constitute a suction duct and an exhaust duct.

15. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 14 wherein

said first modular casing and said second modular casing are provided with duct spatial half sections communicating with said suction duct half and said exhaust duct half;

said duct spatial half sections in the combined state constitute a cooling air distributing spatial section for supplying the cooling air supplied from said suction duct to respective battery housing sections and cooling air exhaust spatial sections for exhausting the cooling air from the battery housing section to said exhaust duct.

16. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 14 wherein

said suction duct and the exhaust duct are protruded from duct holes formed in an outer casing member body said modular casing in a shielded state of a pouter periphery thereof.

17. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 12 wherein

an outer casing member for housing said modular casing in an inner housing space thereof, a space portion is formed between an outer casing in an inner modular casing thereof facing each other.

18. The battery device for loading on a moving body according to claim 17 wherein

a recess constituting a flow duct of the cooling air in the inside of the outer casing member is formed at four corners of the modular casing.