Battery pack apparatus

• US 6,819,085 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kimoto, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/806,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20040189260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 320/150
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• 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 10/651 characterised by parameters specified by a numeric value or mathematical formula, e.g. ratios, sizes or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6557 arranged between the cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6565 with recirculation or U-turn in the flow path, i.e. back and forth
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack apparatus including: a plurality of battery packs each having a plurality of rechargeable batteries arranged in parallel, with a cooling medium passage interposed therebetween; a plurality of cooling medium feeding devices provided, one for each of the battery packs for feeding a cooling medium through the cooling medium passage of the battery pack; a temperature detector for detecting temperature of the rechargeable batteries in the respective battery packs; and a controller for controlling the cooling medium feeding devices based on detected temperatures, wherein the controller controls the cooling medium feeding devices such that the maximum or minimum temperatures detected for the respective battery packs substantially match with each other, to thereby inhibit the temperature variation among the rechargeable batteries.

Claims

1. A battery pack apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of battery packs each having a plurality of rechargeable batteries arranged in parallel, with a cooling medium passage interposed therebetween;

a plurality of cooling medium feeding devices provided, one for each of the battery packs for feeding a cooling medium through the cooling medium passage in the battery pack;

a temperature detector for detecting temperatures of the rechargeable batteries in the respective battery packs; and

a controller for controlling the cooling medium feeding devices based on detected temperatures, wherein

the controller controls the cooling medium feeding devices such that one of maximum and minimum temperatures detected for the respective battery packs substantially match each other.

2. The battery pack apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

flow characteristics of the cooling medium in the cooling medium feeding devices for the respective battery packs are set such that a temperature distribution range of each battery pack is contained in a largest temperature distribution range of any of the battery packs.

3. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

flow resistances of passages for feeding and discharging the cooling medium in the cooling medium feeding devices are set such that flow rates of the cooling medium in each of the cooling medium passages in the respective battery packs substantially match each other.