Assembled battery and vehicle

• US 7,997,367 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Restifo; Jeffrey J
• Application Number:
  US12/294,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20100163325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.5, 429/71, 429/120, 429/148
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0418 with bipolar electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0431 Cells with wound or folded electrodes H01M10/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0565 Polymeric materials, e.g. gel-type or solid-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0585 of accumulators having only flat construction elements, i.e. flat positive electrodes, flat negative electrodes and flat separators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0587 of accumulators having only wound construction elements, i.e. wound positive electrodes, wound negative electrodes and wound separators
• 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 10/6551 Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
• 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 10/6568 characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/13 Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/70 characterised by shape or form
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

In an assembled battery used as a power source of a vehicle, a negative electrode collector plate and a positive electrode collector plate are arranged at every two bipolar secondary batteries adjacent in a stacking direction among a plurality of bipolar electrodes. The negative electrode collector plate and the positive electrode collector plate also function as heat radiating members, as a cooling medium is caused to flow therein. It becomes unnecessary to connect a cooling tab to the positive electrode collector plate (or the negative electrode collector plate) to cool the assembled battery and, therefore, no portion protrudes from the positive electrode collector plate (or the negative electrode collector plate) of the assembled battery. Thus, the inside of assembled battery can be cooled while reducing the size of the assembled battery.

Claims

1. An assembled battery, comprising:

a plurality of secondary batteries stacked together, each including

a plurality of bipolar electrodes stacked in the same direction as the stacking direction of said plurality of secondary batteries, each having a positive electrode formed on a first main surface and a negative electrode formed on a second main surface, and

a plurality of electrolytes provided for every two adjacent ones of said plurality of bipolar electrodes, and arranged between said positive electrode of one of said two adjacent bipolar electrodes and said negative electrode of the other one of said two adjacent bipolar electrodes; and

a heat radiating member arranged to form a first cooling passage allowing flow of a cooling medium, between at least one pair of adjacent first and second secondary batteries, among said plurality of secondary batteries, and

another heat radiating member arranged to form a second cooling passage allowing flow of a cooling medium, between said second secondary battery and a third secondary battery positioned opposite to said first secondary battery with respect to said second secondary battery and adjacent to said second secondary battery among said plurality of secondary batteries;

wherein

said heat radiating member is arranged relative to a cooling apparatus supplying such that said cooling medium from said cooling apparatus flows through the first cooling passage in a first direction, and

said another heat radiating member is arranged relative to said cooling apparatus such that said cooling medium from said cooling apparatus flows through the second cooling passage in a second direction, opposite to said first direction.

2. The assembled battery according to claim 1, wherein

said heat radiating member and said another heat radiating member are electrically conductive;

and

said positive electrodes of said first and second secondary batteries, or said negative electrodes of said first and second secondary batteries are electrically connected by said heat radiating member, and

said positive electrodes of said second and third secondary batteries, or said negative electrodes of said second and third secondary batteries are electrically connected by said another heat radiating member.

3. The assembled battery according to claim 1, further comprising

a casing housing said plurality of secondary batteries, said heat radiating member and said another heat radiating member;

wherein

a plurality of heat radiating fins are provided on an outer wall of said casing.

4. The assembled battery according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of electrolytes are solid electrolyte or gelled electrolyte.

5. A vehicle, comprising:

a seat arranged in a vehicle interior; and

an assembled battery arranged below said seat, including

a plurality of secondary batteries stacked together, each of said plurality of secondary batteries having

a plurality of bipolar electrodes stacked in the same direction as the stacking direction of said plurality of secondary batteries, each having a positive electrode formed on a first main surface and a negative electrode formed on a second main surface, and

a plurality of electrolytes provided for every two adjacent ones of said plurality of bipolar electrodes, and arranged between said positive electrode of one of said two adjacent bipolar electrodes and said negative electrode of the other one of said two adjacent bipolar electrodes; and

said assembled battery further including

a heat radiating member arranged to form a first cooling passage allowing flow of a cooling medium, between at least one pair of adjacent first and second secondary batteries, among said plurality of secondary batteries, and

another heat radiating member arranged to form a second cooling passage allowing flow of a cooling medium, between said second secondary battery and a third secondary battery positioned opposite to said first secondary battery with respect to said second secondary battery and adjacent to said second secondary battery among said plurality of secondary batteries;

wherein

said heat radiating member is arranged relative to a cooling apparatus supplying said cooling medium such that said cooling medium from said cooling apparatus flows through the first cooling passage in a first direction, and

said another heat radiating member is arranged relative to said cooling apparatus such that said cooling medium from said cooling apparatus flows through the second cooling passage in a second direction, opposite to said first direction.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

said heat radiating member and said another heat radiating member are electrically conductive;

and

said positive electrodes of said first and second secondary batteries, or said negative electrodes of said first and second secondary batteries are electrically connected by said heat radiating member, and

said positive electrodes of said second and third secondary batteries, or said negative electrodes of said second and third secondary batteries are electrically connected by said heat radiating member.

7. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein

said assembled battery further includes

a casing housing said plurality of secondary batteries, said heat radiating member and said another heat radiating member;

and

a plurality of heat radiating fins are provided on an outer wall of said casing.

8. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of electrolytes are solid electrolyte or gelled electrolyte.