Battery module

• US 9,786,879 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Energy (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takasaki, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ryan, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOMONE, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US14/424,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20150263320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,839 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take 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 50/249 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

Abstract

A battery module includes a plurality of battery blocks formed by arranging a plurality of unit cells in each block; and a hollow spacer placed between two adjacent battery blocks. The accommodation member and the spacer may be made of the same metal material. The spacer may be formed to include an insulation member for insulating two joined battery blocks from each other.

Claims

1. A battery module comprising:

a plurality of battery blocks formed by arranging a plurality of unit cells in each block; and

a hollow spacer placed between two adjacent battery blocks, including an insulation member sandwiched between an upper portion of the hollow spacer adjacent to a one of the plurality of battery blocks and a lower portion of the hollow spacer adjacent to another of the plurality of battery blocks, such that the upper and lower portions of the hollow spacer are insulated from each other.

2. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein

the battery block includes an accommodation member having a plurality of cylindrical parts that accommodate the plurality of unit cells respectively, and the accommodation member and the spacer are made of a metal material.

3. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein

the spacer is formed to include an insulation member for insulating two joined battery blocks from each other.

4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein

the battery block includes an accommodation member in which a plurality of cylindrical parts that respectively accommodate a plurality of columnar unit cells are arranged in a hexagonal lattice, a portion of the circumference of the cylindrical part on lateral surfaces of the accommodation member that should be joined to the spacer is opened, and the lateral surface of the spacer is wave-shaped so as to define a portion of the circumference of the accommodation member that is opened.