Duct for high voltage battery air cooling exhaust and recirculation

• US 9,302,573 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Janarthanam, Suriyaprakash Ayyangar, Fabricatore, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Follman, Brodie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cassidy, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/015,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20150060168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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 11/06 with air cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/61 Arrangements of controllers for electric machines, e.g. inverters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A vehicle is provided including a battery pack with an exhaust port, an air extractor spaced away from the exhaust port, and other vehicle components. A cargo tub and one or more trim panels are arranged to define a duct spanning from the exhaust port, across the vehicle and to an air extractor spaced away from the exhaust port. Air flows along the duct en route to outside the vehicle via the air extractor. The vehicle may also include a cabin and an inlet to the cabin spaced away from the exhaust port. The cargo tub and one or more trim panels may also be arranged to define a recirculation path from the duct to the inlet such that a portion of the air exiting the exhaust port flows along the recirculation path to the cabin via the inlet.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a battery pack having an exhaust port;

a cabin having an inlet;

an air extractor spaced from the port;

a trim panel adjacent the air extractor; and

a recess defined by a vehicle trunk cargo tub and a bumper beam arranged to define a duct spanning from the port to the extractor, wherein the tub and trim panel are arranged to define a recirculation path from the duct to the inlet.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the trim panel is a rear quarter trim panel including an inner face exposed to the recirculation path and an outer face exposed to outside the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the trim panel is a rear floor support trim panel including an inner face exposed to the recirculation path and an outer face exposed to outside the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a cabin trim panel including an inner face exposed to the cabin and an outer face, wherein the trim panel is a rear quarter trim panel having an inner face and an outer face exposed to outside the vehicle, and wherein the outer face of the cabin trim panel and the inner face of the rear quarter trim panel are arranged to define the recirculation path from the duct to the inlet such that a portion of the air exiting the exhaust port flows along the recirculation path en route to the cabin via the inlet.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the bumper beam includes an inner face arranged to further define the duct and an outer face exposed to outside the vehicle.

6. A vehicle comprising:

a battery pack including an exhaust port;

a cargo tub located in a vehicle trunk having a recessed portion extending along a rear side of the cargo tub;

an air extractor located at a side rear portion of the vehicle and adjacent to one end of the recessed portion;

a cabin and an inlet to the cabin spaced away from the exhaust port; and

a rear bumper fascia arranged adjacent to the cargo tub such that the recessed portion and fascia define a duct spanning from the exhaust port, across the vehicle and to the air extractor such that air exiting the exhaust port flows along the duct en route to outside the vehicle via the air extractor, wherein the cargo tub and rear bumper fascia are further arranged to define a recirculation path from the duct to the inlet such that a portion of the air exiting the exhaust port flows along the recirculation path en route to the cabin via the inlet.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the rear bumper fascia has a face exposed to outside the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the fascia includes a recessed portion to further define the duct.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a battery pack including an exhaust port;

an air extractor spaced away from the exhaust port;

a cabin including an inlet spaced away from the exhaust port;

a cargo tub and at least one rear quarter trim panel configured to receive the air extractor and including an outer face exposed to outside the vehicle, wherein the cargo tub and rear quarter trim panel are arranged to define an exhaust flow path spanning from the exhaust port to the air extractor such that air exiting the exhaust port flows along the exhaust flow path en route to outside the vehicle via the air extractor; and

a cabin trim panel arranged with the at least one rear quarter trim panel to define a recirculation flow path spanning from the exhaust port to the inlet such that a portion of the air exiting the exhaust port flows along the recirculation path en route to the cabin via the inlet.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a rear floor support trim panel including a recessed portion exposed to the recirculation path.

11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the cargo tub includes a recessed portion to further define the exhaust flow path.

12. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a fascia for a bumper beam including an inner face arranged to further define the exhaust flow path, and an outer face exposed to outside the vehicle.