Battery pack apparatus with heat supply and discharge

• US 7,230,404 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takaki, Kimoto, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US10/806,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20040232891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/112, 320/150
• US Class Current: 320/150
• 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 10/647 Prismatic or flat cells, e.g. pouch cells
• 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: 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 10/658 by thermal insulation or shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/273 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/276 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/282 having a layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery pack apparatus includes a battery pack having multiple rechargeable batteries arranged in parallel and heat medium passages formed therebetween. The battery pack apparatus also includes a heat insulation cover formed of a heat insulation material that covers a circumferential surface of the battery pack substantially entirely. A supply passage and a discharge passage are provided between the heat insulation cover and the battery pack. The supply passage supplies a heat medium to the heat medium passages while the discharge passage discharges the heat medium from the heat medium passages. The battery pack apparatus also includes a supply device that supplies the heat medium to the supply passage.

Claims

1. A battery pack apparatus, comprising:

a battery pack comprising a plurality of rechargeable batteries arranged in parallel and having heat medium passages formed therebetween;

a heat insulation cover comprising a heat insulation material that covers a circumferential surface of the battery pack substantially entirely, a supply passage and a discharge passage being provided between the heat insulation cover and the battery pack, the supply passage supplying a heat medium to the heat medium passages while the discharge passage discharges the heat medium from the heat medium passages;

a supply device that supplies the heat medium to the supply passage; and

a heating/cooling device coupled to the supply device, wherein the heating/cooling device includes a heating device that heats the heat medium, a heat exchanger that cools the heat medium, and a protection net that collects and discharges drops of dew generated in the heating/cooling device.

2. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a covering layer formed by metal foil is provided on an outer surface of the heat insulation cover.

3. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating device comprises anyone of a PTC heater and a Peltier device that heats the heat medium.

4. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 1

wherein a valve is provided at each of an entrance of the supply passage and an exit of the discharge passage, each valve being capable of opening toward a direction of the flow of the heat medium.

5. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a gas-escape passage is provided at an upper end of a space closed by the valve within the heat insulation cover.

6. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a control unit that controls charge and discharge of the rechargeable batteries is arranged next to the battery pack and is accommodated in the heat insulation cover.

7. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein an expanded space is formed in a region near and above the control unit in the space within the heat insulation cover to expand upward, and

wherein an opening from the upper end of the expanded space to the outside is provided.

8. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the supply device and the heating/cooling device are arranged next to the battery pack and accommodated in the heat insulation cover, and

wherein a discharge side of the supply device is connected to the supply passage via the heating/cooling device.

9. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the supply device and the heating/cooling device are arranged next to the battery pack and-is accommodated in the heat insulation cover, and

wherein an intake side of the supply device is connected to the discharge passage via the heating/cooling device.

10. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein a drain passage is provided for draining drops of dew formed in the cooling device to the outside of the heat insulation cover is provided.

11. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein a water absorbing sheet is attached to an outer surface of a duct for connecting the supply device and at least one of the supply passage and the discharge passage.

12. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein a duct for connecting the supply device and at least one of the supply passage and the discharge passage is formed from a heat insulation material.

13. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein a drain passage is provided for draining drops of dew formed in the cooling device to the outside of the heat insulation cover is provided.

14. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein a water absorbing sheet is attached to an outer surface of a duct for connecting the supply device and at least one of the supply passage and the discharge passage.

15. The battery pack apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein a duct for connecting the supply device and at least one of the supply passage and the discharge passage is formed from a heat insulation material.