Battery pack of electric vehicle, electric vehicle chassis and method for replacing battery modules

• US 9,601,733 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2016
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Thunder Power Hong Kong Limited (Thunder Power Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sham, Wellen
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US15/006,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20160276638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0472 from below
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/2036 the subunits being side panels, sills or pillars B62D21/157 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/244 Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
• 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: H01M 50/264 for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

Provided are systems and methods for configuring battery packs in electric vehicles. A battery pack may include a plurality of battery modules, a support part, and at least one opening provided on the support part. The support part may be provided with a bottom for supporting the plurality of battery modules, sides, a top, and an accommodation space formed by the bottom, the sides, and the top for accommodating the plurality of battery modules. The opening provided on the bottom of the support part may enable the plurality of battery modules to be passed through the at least one opening and be detachably mounted to the bottom of the support part so as to be supported by the bottom.

Claims

1. A battery pack for an electric vehicle, the battery pack comprising:

a plurality of battery modules;

a support part provided with a bottom for supporting the plurality of battery modules, sides, a top, and an accommodation space formed by the bottom, the sides, and the top for accommodating the plurality of battery modules;

at least one opening provided on either the bottom or sides of the support part to enable the plurality of battery modules to be passed through the at least one opening and be detachably mounted to either the bottom or sides of the support part so as to be supported by either the bottom or sides;

a layer mounted above the top of the support part to cover the plurality of battery modules accommodated in the support part; and

a protector sheet mounted below the bottom of the support part to cover the plurality of battery modules accommodated in the support part; and

, wherein

the at least one opening is provided on the bottom of the support part.

2. The battery pack of claim 1, further comprising:

first and second mounting flanges provided on each of the plurality of battery modules, wherein the first and second mounting flanges are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of a bottom of each of the plurality of battery modules so that the plurality of battery modules can be mounted to the bottom of the support part using the first and second mounting flanges, and wherein the first and second mounting flanges are mounted below the bottom of the support part.

3. The battery pack of claim 2, wherein the plurality of battery modules are mounted to the bottom of the support part through fasteners.

4. The battery pack of claim 1, wherein the layer mounted above the top of the support part is a carbon fiber composite layer.

5. An electric vehicle chassis comprising:

an underbody panel located below a cabin of an electric vehicle;

two side sills extending along the longitudinal direction of the underbody panel, wherein each of the two side sills comprises an upper part and a lower part and is connected to one of the two opposite sides of the underbody panel through the upper part thereof;

a battery pack located below the underbody panel and between the two side sills, wherein the battery pack comprises;

a plurality of battery modules;

a support part provided with a bottom for supporting the plurality of battery modules, sides, a top, and an accommodation space formed by the bottom, the sides, and the top for accommodating the plurality of battery modules; and

at least one opening provided on either the bottom or sides of the support part to enable the plurality of battery modules to be passed through the at least one opening and be detachably mounted to either the bottom or sides of the support part so as to be supported by either the bottom or sides; and

wherein the battery pack is configured to be mounted to the lower parts of the two side sills through the bottom of the support part.

6. The electric vehicle chassis of claim 5, further comprising:

a layer mounted above the top of the support part to cover the plurality of battery modules accommodated in the support part.

7. The electric vehicle chassis of claim 5, wherein the at least one opening provided on the support part is provided on the bottom of the support part.

8. The electric vehicle chassis of claim 7, wherein the bottom of the support part is provided with mounting flanges extending along the longitudinal direction of the underbody panel, wherein the battery pack is mounted to the lower parts of the two side sills using the mounting flanges.

9. The electric vehicle chassis of claim 8, wherein the mounting flanges of the support part are mounted to the lower parts of the two side sills through fasteners.

10. The electric vehicle chassis of claim 7, further comprising:

first and second mounting flanges provided on each of the plurality of battery modules, wherein the first and second mounting flanges are respectively arranged on two opposite sides of a bottom of each of the plurality of battery modules so that the plurality of battery modules can be mounted to the bottom of the support part using the first and second mounting flanges, and wherein the first and second mounting flanges are mounted below the bottom of the support part.

11. The electric vehicle chassis of claim 10, wherein the plurality of battery modules are mounted to the bottom of the support part through fasteners.

12. The electric vehicle chassis of claim 7, further comprising:

a protector sheet mounted below the bottom of the support part to cover the plurality of battery modules accommodated in the support part.

13. The electric vehicle chassis of claim 7, wherein the layer mounted above the top of the support part is a carbon fiber composite layer.

14. A method for replacing a battery module in an electric vehicle, the method comprising:

identifying a first battery module from among a plurality of battery modules in a battery pack, wherein the battery pack is located within the electric vehicle and comprises;

the plurality of battery modules;

a support part provided with a bottom for supporting the plurality of battery modules, sides, a top, and an accommodation space formed by the bottom, the sides, and the top for accommodating the plurality of battery modules;

at least one opening provided on the bottom of the support part to enable the plurality of battery modules to be passed through the at least one opening and be detachably mounted to the bottom of the support part so as to be supported by the bottom;

a layer mounted above the top of the support part to cover the plurality of battery modules accommodated in the support part; and

a protector sheet mounted below the bottom of the support part to cover the plurality of battery modules accommodated in the support part; and

, wherein

the at least one opening is provided on the bottom of the support part;

detaching the first battery module from the bottom of the support part;

removing the first battery module from the support part by passing the first battery module through the at least one opening;

inserting a second battery module into the support part by passing the second battery module through the at least one opening; and

mounting the second battery module to the bottom of the support part.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second battery module has a higher electrical potential energy than the first battery module.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

removing a protector sheet from below the bottom of the support part.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

removing fasteners that are configured to mount the first battery module to the bottom of the support part.