Electric vehicle

• US 7,654,352 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Isogai, Toshiaki, Takasaki, Seiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris; Lesley
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEYER, JACOB B
• Application Number:
  US12/328,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20090145676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.29, 180/68.5, 429/9, 429/18, 429/96, 429/129, 429/148
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• 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 2001/0472 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: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/103 prismatic or rectangular H01M50/109, H01M50/11 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/211 adapted for pouch cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/227 Organic material
• 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 50/278 Organic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A battery unit mounted in an electric vehicle is provided with a battery case and a plurality of battery modules. The battery case includes a tray member on the lower side and a cover member on the upper side. The tray member is fixed to side members by a beam member extending in a width direction of a vehicle body. Each battery module is composed of a plurality of cells. Among all the cells contained in the battery case, at least those cells on the outer peripheral side which are located near a flank of the vehicle body are located on the tray member so that a lamination direction of cell elements is coincident with the width direction of the vehicle body.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising a battery unit mounted in a vehicle body, comprising:

a pair of side members arranged spaced from each other in a width direction of the vehicle body,

wherein

the battery unit includes a battery case arranged between the side members and fixed to the vehicle body and a battery module composed of a plurality of battery cells contained in the battery case,

the battery case includes a tray member, which supports the battery cells thereon, and a cover member fixed to the tray member so as to be superposed thereon,

the tray member is fixed to the pair of side members by a beam member extending in the width direction of the vehicle body,

each of sidewalls of the tray member has resin portions made of resin,

the sidewalls are arranged along the side members,

each of the battery cells includes sheet-like cell elements including a positive electrode and a negative electrode laminated within a shell member,

at least those battery cells on an outer peripheral side which are located near a flank of the vehicle body, among all the battery cells contained in the battery case, are located on the tray member so that a lamination direction of the battery cell elements is coincident with the width direction of the vehicle body,

the resin portions of each sidewall of the tray member are arranged between each side member and side surface portions of battery cells located on the outer peripheral side,

an upper end of each sidewall is opposed to the side surface portion between upper and lower ends of each corresponding battery cell located on the outer peripheral side, and

the side surface portion of the battery cell on the outer peripheral side is pressed by the side wall in the lamination direction when the side member is deformed toward the battery cells.