Divided dual inlet housing for an air-based hybrid battery thermal conditioning system

• US 8,978,803 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Foos, Michael S., Swartz, Ronald A., Pollack, Brooksie J., Walczyk, Teresa A
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US13/493,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20130327581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.5, 165/41, 165/42, 454/103, 454/104, 454/141, 454/142, 285/131.1, 285/133.6, 285/125.1, 285/424
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00278 for the battery arrangement of batteries B60R16/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/003 Component temperature regulation using an air flow
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/61 Types of temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/625 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6563 with forced flow, e.g. by blowers
• 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 10/663 the system being an air-conditioner or an engine
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A divided dual inlet housing for an air-based hybrid battery thermal conditioning system which is configured such that HVAC air entering at the HVAC air inlet is prevented from partly backflowing out the cabin air inlet via a dividing wall disposed therein so that all the HVAC air exits the divided dual inlet housing at the air outlet.

Claims

1. A housing for a thermal conditioning system of a motor vehicle, said housing comprising:

a housing body comprising a cabin air inlet, a heating cooling and ventilation air inlet, and an air outlet having an outlet area, said housing body further comprising a lower housing body wall; and

a dividing wall disposed between said cabin air inlet and said heating cooling and ventilation air inlet in dividing relation to said air outlet, said dividing wall comprising;

a first vane facing toward said heating cooling and ventilation air inlet;

a second vane facing toward said cabin air inlet; and

an apex conjoining said first and second vanes;

wherein said dividing wall is integrally formed of said lower housing body wall as a single piece;

wherein said apex is spaced from said air outlet; and

wherein the space between said apex and said air outlet is free of said dividing wall.

2. The housing of claim 1, wherein said first vane is angled acutely with respect to a predetermined portion of said lower housing body wall;

and wherein said second vane is angled obtusely with respect to the predetermined portion of said lower housing body wall.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein said dividing wall is linearly configured across said housing body.

4. The housing of claim 3, wherein said dividing wall divides said outlet area in a ratio of substantially 80 percent to 20 percent, wherein the 80 percent is disposed proximate said heating cooling and ventilation air inlet.

5. The housing of claim 3, wherein said dividing wall divides said outlet area in a ratio of substantially 50 to 50.

6. The housing of claim 1, wherein said dividing wall is arcuately configured across said housing body, wherein said first vane is concavely shaped, and wherein said second vane is convexly shaped.

7. The housing of claim 6, wherein said dividing wall divides said outlet area in a ratio of substantially 80 percent to 20 percent, wherein the 80 percent is disposed proximate said heating cooling and ventilation air inlet.

8. The housing of claim 6, wherein said dividing wall divides said outlet area in a ratio of substantially 50 to 50.

9. In a thermal conditioning system of a motor vehicle comprising an energy storage system, a passenger cabin, a heating, cooling and air conditioning module, an electronic control system and a blower electrically connected with said electronic control system, an improvement thereto comprising a housing connecting cabin air of said passenger cabin with said blower, and connecting heating, cooling and ventilation air from said heating, cooling and ventilation module with said blower, said housing comprising:

a housing body comprising a cabin air inlet, a heating cooling and ventilation air inlet, and an air outlet to said blower, said air outlet having an outlet area, said housing body further comprising a lower housing body wall; and

a dividing wall disposed between said cabin air inlet and said heating cooling and ventilation air inlet in dividing relation to said air outlet, said dividing wall comprising;

a first vane facing toward said heating cooling and ventilation air inlet;

a second vane facing toward said cabin air inlet; and

an apex conjoining said first and second vanes;

wherein said dividing wall is integrally formed of said lower housing body wall as a single piece;

wherein said apex is spaced from said air outlet; and

wherein the space between said apex and said air outlet is free of said dividing wall;

wherein when said blower is actuated the heating, cooling and ventilation air encounters said dividing wall and is thereupon directed to said blower such that the heating, cooling and ventilation air does not backflow to said cabin air inlet.

10. The housing of claim 9, wherein said first vane is angled acutely with respect to a predetermined portion of said lower housing body wall;

and wherein said second vane is angled obtusely with respect to the predetermined portion of said lower housing body wall.

11. The housing of claim 9, wherein said dividing wall is linearly configured across said housing body.

12. The housing of claim 11, wherein said dividing wall divides said outlet area in a ratio of substantially 80 percent to 20 percent, wherein the 80 percent is disposed proximate said heating cooling and ventilation air inlet.

13. The housing of claim 11, wherein said dividing wall divides said outlet area in a ratio of substantially 50 to 50.

14. The housing of claim 9, wherein said dividing wall is arcuately configured across said housing body, wherein said first vane is concavely shaped, and wherein said second vane is convexly shaped.

15. The housing of claim 14, wherein said dividing wall divides said outlet area in a ratio of substantially 80 percent to 20 percent, wherein the 80 percent is disposed proximate said heating cooling and ventilation air inlet.

16. The housing of claim 14, wherein said dividing wall divides said outlet area in a ratio of substantially 50 to 50.