Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
  • H01M50/10—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings
  • H01M50/102—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings characterised by their shape or physical structure
  • H01M50/103—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings characterised by their shape or physical structure prismatic or rectangular
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
  • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
  • H01M50/204—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
  • H01M50/207—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape
  • H01M50/209—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
  • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
  • H01M50/218—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by the material
  • H01M50/22—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by the material of the casings or racks
  • H01M50/222—Inorganic material
  • H01M50/224—Metals
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
  • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
  • H01M50/258—Modular batteries; Casings provided with means for assembling
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
  • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
  • H01M50/262—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders with fastening means, e.g. locks
  • H01M50/264—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders with fastening means, e.g. locks for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
  • H01M50/20—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders
  • H01M50/271—Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M2200/00—Safety devices for primary or secondary batteries
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M2220/00—Batteries for particular applications
  • H01M2220/20—Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
  • Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a battery box and a modular battery system comprising at least two battery boxes connected to each other.
• a first solution implemented in the automotive industry consists in forming an electrically insulating plastic battery box, so as to best withstand the weather and to guarantee very good electrical insulation with respect to users.
• Another solution is the use of an electrically conductive metal battery box, which is itself set to the electrical potential of the chassis of the vehicle.
• a An insulation detector is present in the vehicle and makes it possible to detect any fault in the electrical insulation between the power path and the chassis of the vehicle (therefore the battery trunk). As in impedant neutral (IT), a single fault is not dangerous, only a double fault can become dangerous. It is therefore necessary to warn the user so that as soon as the first fault appears, a repair operation is planned.
• the lower part of the boot is generally made of thick cast aluminum to ensure mechanical strength and limit the weight, while the upper part is made of stamped or folded / welded sheet metal.
• the main difficulty linked to this type of implementation is to ensure continuity of mass between the different battery boxes. Indeed, to make large batteries with this technology, it is necessary to divide the battery into smaller sub-assemblies compatible with the maximum dimensions authorized by this extrusion process. All metal battery boxes must then be electrically connected to each other so as to ensure ground continuity. This creates complications in the manufacturing process since aluminum naturally covers itself with an electrically insulating layer of alumina in contact with air. This layer must be removed to ensure good electrical contact before assembly. In addition, aluminum is often subjected to a surface treatment (for example anodization) to ensure its resistance to corrosion. The safest solution is therefore to add a grounding connector for each battery box, which makes assembly more complex and costly.
• the realization of the box by foundry or aluminum injection instead of extrusion can facilitate the realization of the sealing but also of the grounding since the point of attachment of the battery box to the chassis of the vehicle can also serve as Grounding.
• An object of the invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the aforementioned solutions and in particular to design a battery box making it possible both to ensure great modularity, to resist corrosion, to ensure good continuity of mass with the other battery boxes, and present costs as low as aluminum extrusion technology.
• the invention provides a battery box comprising:
• a housing formed of a profile having two pairs of opposite faces and two open ends, configured to be assembled to a housing of another trunk along one of said faces, called the support face,
• said case being characterized in that it comprises at least one electrically conductive portion in relief with respect to each bearing face of the housing, so as to ensure electrical contact with the other case by pressing said electrically conductive portion against a electrically conductive portion of the other trunk.
• profile is meant that the housing is made by extrusion, in particular aluminum.
• longitudinal direction of the housing means the direction of extrusion.
• the housing is an aluminum profile.
• each cover has an edge in relief relative to each face of the housing, and one of the two covers is electrically conductive, said electrically conductive cover being in electrical contact with the housing, the edge of said cover constituting the electrically portion trunk operator.
• the electrically conductive portion is a longitudinal strip forming the top of a rib formed on each bearing face of the housing during the extrusion of the profile.
• said rib has a constant thickness in the longitudinal direction of the housing.
• the rib comprises a portion having a maximum thickness in a central region of the housing, and two lateral portions having a decreasing thickness in the direction of each end of the housing.
• the electrically conductive portion comprises a plate of an electrically conductive material welded or brazed on each bearing face of the housing.
• the electrically conductive portion comprises a spring leaf screwed onto each bearing face of the housing, said spring leaf being in contact with the bearing face of the housing by an electrically conductive region of said bearing face.
• Another object of the invention relates to a modular battery system comprising at least two battery boxes as described above.
• the boxes are stacked along the bearing faces of the boxes, and pressed against each other by a compression device, the electrically conductive portion of a first box being held in elastic support against the electrically conductive portion of a second box so as to ensure electrical contact between the first box and the second box.
• the compression device comprises a plurality of tie rods extending through the covers of each chest.
• the system further comprises two electrically conductive brackets arranged on either side of the stack of safes, each bracket being held in abutment against the electrically conductive portion of an adjacent trunk by a compression device and configured to be electrically connected to the chassis of a vehicle.
• Another object of the invention relates to a vehicle equipped with a modular battery system as described above, comprising an electrical connection between the chassis of said vehicle and the electrically conductive portion of all of the boxes forming said battery.
• the invention also relates to a method for ensuring the electrical safety of a modular battery system of a vehicle, comprising:
• FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a battery box according to an embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 2 illustrates a modular battery system comprising an assembly of nine boxes of the type illustrated in Figure 1;
• FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the system of Figure 2;
• - Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a housing according to one embodiment;
• FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a housing according to one embodiment
• FIG. 6 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 7 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the invention.
• the invention relates to a battery box which is formed from a housing having a substantially parallelepiped shape and from two covers hermetically closing the housing.
• the housing contains electrical accumulators connected to each other by electrical connection elements.
• the internal structure of the trunk is not the subject of the invention, it will not be described in detail in the present text.
• the housing is made by extruding a metal, especially aluminum, and cut to the desired length.
• the housing is therefore in the form of a profile of substantially rectangular section, open at its two ends.
• the housing includes two opposite main faces and two opposite secondary faces.
• the term “main faces” is understood to mean the faces with the largest surface, the secondary faces having a smaller surface.
• Aluminum oxidizes naturally in the open air, the outer surface of the profile is covered with a layer of alumina which is electrically insulating and protective against corrosion.
• covers are arranged at each end of the profile to seal the case hermetically and physically isolate the accumulators from the environment outside the battery.
• the covers are fitted outside the housing, so as to cover the ends of the profile and to compress a peripheral seal arranged between the edge of the cover and the profile.
• the covers are made of an electrically insulating material.
• one of the covers may be made of an electrically conductive material; in this case, the design of the safe is defined to avoid any electrical contact between said electrically conductive cover and the live elements arranged inside the safe.
• a modular battery is produced by stacking several boxes. In this stack, one face of a housing is in contact with one face of an adjacent housing. The faces which are thus brought into contact are called “bearing faces” in the rest of the text. This support is maintained over time by the compression of the stack of safes by a compression device.
• the housings are assembled to each other by means of their main faces.
• the boxes can be assembled to each other by means of their secondary faces.
• the choice of assembling the boxes along their main faces or along their secondary faces depends in particular on the constraints in terms of surface and volume available for the battery. For example, for a vehicle having little volume under the floor to install the battery, an assembly of the boxes along their secondary faces is preferred. On the other hand, for a machine which is not subject to space constraints, an assembly of the boxes along their main faces may be preferred.
• the boxes are electrically connected to each other at the level of electrically conductive zones which are kept in contact by the compression of the boxes, and electrically connected to the chassis of the vehicle.
• the electrical connection to the chassis of the vehicle can be carried out by any suitable means, for example an electrically conductive braid extending between one of the boxes and the chassis, or even by an element of the compression device fixed directly or indirectly to the chassis. .
• the compression device comprises tie rods which extend through the trunks along the stack.
• each housing and each cover comprises holes for passage of the tie rods.
• Two electrically conductive brackets are arranged at each end of the stack and electrically connected to the boxes.
• the brackets can be aluminum, steel or stainless steel.
• the brackets are advantageously adapted to fix the modular battery on the chassis of a vehicle or machine and thus directly ensure an electrical connection between the safes and the chassis of the vehicle.
• the brackets can be electrically connected to the chassis by means of a ground braid, one end of which is fixed to the bracket and the opposite end is fixed to the chassis.
• the compression device comprises one or more straps, or even flanges, it being understood that the person skilled in the art can choose any suitable compression device.
• Each bearing face of the housing comprises at least one electrically conductive portion in relief with respect to said face, so as to ensure electrical contact with the other safe by pressing said electrically conductive portion against an electrically conductive portion of the other chest.
• the electrically conductive element In the case where several elements are in relief relative to the bearing face, one of said elements being electrically conductors and another not being electrically conductive, the electrically conductive element must be at a greater distance from the bearing face than the non-electrically conductive element, in order to ensure that the electrically conductive elements are in good contact during compression of the boxes.
• the electrically conductive portion (s) are arranged identically on the two opposite support faces of the housing, so that the electrically conductive portion (s) of the support face d 'a housing are in contact with the portion (s) electrically conductive (s) of the bearing face of another housing to which it is assembled.
• the electrically conductive portion (s) on each bearing face is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the bearing face, so that the orientation of the housing is indifferent for bringing it into contact different chests.
• Said electrically conductive portion can be produced in different ways.
• the support face comprises at least one rib in relief relative to the surface of said support face.
• the top of said rib is in the form of an electrically conductive strip.
• the electrically conductive nature of the strip can be obtained by various techniques.
• a first technique consists in implementing a treatment of the surface of the entire surface of the profile which is both protective against corrosion and electrically conductive; for example, an Alodine / SurTec treatment or chemical nickel plating can be used.
• Another technique consists of masking the strips and applying an anti-corrosion treatment to the rest of the profile surface. For example, in addition to the aforementioned treatments, anodization can be implemented.
• the bands which have been masked they can be treated according to different methods.
• a first method consists in brushing or surfacing the strip to remove the alumina layer, whether or not accompanied by the application of a contact grease, just before assembling the boxes.
• a second technique consists in applying to the strip, after removing the mask, a treatment ensuring both good electrical conduction and protection against the formation of alumina and / or corrosion. Such a treatment must in particular guarantee good electronic conductivity and have the lowest possible hardness to ensure the most intimate contact possible between two strips applied against each other.
• said electrically conductive portion is in the form of a part made of an electrically conductive material distinct from the housing and fixed outside the corresponding bearing face, in contact with an electrically conductive area of said bearing face. Attaching the electrically conductive portion offers greater latitude as to the shape of said portion, independently of the extrusion of the profile.
• said part does not exhibit necessarily a strip shape, but may have a plate, disc, etc. shape
• said part can be shaped to deform elastically when the safes are brought into contact.
• the electrical contact is provided by one of the covers, which is then made of an electrically conductive material.
• the cover being fitted on the outside of the profile, it constitutes a protuberance with respect to each face of the housing, even if the bearing faces of the housing are flat.
• the compression of the trunk stack has the effect of bringing into intimate contact the electrically conductive portions in relief of two bearing faces facing each other, in order to ensure electrical contact between said areas.
• This compression implements an elastic deformation of the profile and / or of an electrically conductive part attached to the bearing face of the profile, providing a spring effect.
• the amplitude of the relief is chosen as a function of the elastic deformation capacity of the bearing face and / or of the added elastic part.
• a crushing of the order of 0.1 to 0.6 mm is sought after the compression of the boxes. In general, a distance of a few tenths of a millimeter between the surface of the bearing face and the electrically conductive portion is suitable.
• the total surface of the electrically conductive area (s) of each bearing face is chosen to have a contact resistance of the same order as that of the power connections.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery box according to an embodiment of the invention.
• the trunk 0 comprises a housing 1 in the form of a profile, and two covers 2, 3 arranged hermetically at each end of the housing.
• the covers are fitted on the outside of the profile; consequently, a respective edge 20, 30 of the covers 2, 3 covers part of the external surface of the profile and is therefore in relief with respect thereto.
• the box is intended to be assembled with another box via the main faces of the boxes, and kept in compression by a device comprising two brackets and tie rods, as will be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.
• Each cover comprises two through holes on each bearing face, intended for the passage of the compression compression rods.
• Each main face comprises two longitudinal ribs 4 which extend from one end to the other of the housing, on either side of a plane of symmetry comprising the longitudinal axis of the profile. Said ribs are formed during the extrusion of the profile and are therefore integral with the housing.
• each rib 4 has a flat top defining a longitudinal strip.
• Said longitudinal strip can be made electrically conductive by a surfacing aimed removing the alumina layer.
• this surfacing operation is advantageously carried out shortly before assembly of the boxes. It can also be accompanied by the application of an electrical contact grease which prevents alumina reformation and improves electrical conduction
• Figure 3 is an exploded view of a modular battery comprising nine boxes as illustrated in Figure 1.
• Figure 4 shows said modular battery in the assembled state.
• the stack of boxes is arranged between two electrically conductive brackets 7 which are each in electrical contact with the bearing face of the adjacent box.
• the tie rods 6 pass through the brackets and the stack of chests.
• Each bracket 7 comprises tabs 70 provided with holes for fixing the modular battery to the chassis of a vehicle by three bolts. The brackets 7 therefore make it possible to provide an electrical connection between the modular battery and the vehicle chassis.
• FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a profile at a rib according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.
• the ribs being formed during the extrusion of the profile, they have a constant thickness over the entire length of the housing.
• each rib can be rectified at its two ends in order to keep the thickness constant on a central portion 4a, but to reduce the thickness in the direction of the two ends on two lateral portions 4b.
• the electrical contact will be made essentially at the level of the central portions 4 of the ribs.
• the surface of the strip of the central portion 4a can be between 10% and 50% of the surface of the strip of the rib 4.
• the electrically conductive portion is not formed during the extrusion of the profile but is attached to the housing 1.
• Said electrically conductive portion is a plate 40, for example made of aluminum or brass, welded or brazed to the outside of the bearing face.
• the welding method used can be electric welding or brazing. In the latter case, tinning of the profile in the area to be brazed is carried out beforehand. Thus, the welded or brazed part is in electrical contact with said bearing face.
• the electrically conductive portion is a leaf spring 41 attached to the bearing face of the housing 1, for example by screwing.
• the profile is pierced with a hole for the passage of the screw 42 and an area of the outer surface around this hole is rectified to remove the layer alumina and make this area electrically conductive.
• the spring blade is screwed onto the bearing face, the blade is applied against said electrically conductive zone of the profile in order to ensure electrical contact.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Electrochemistry (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Connection Of Batteries Or Terminals (AREA)
• Battery Mounting, Suspending (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=65861457

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2018
  • 2018-11-26 FR FR1871816A patent/FR3089067B1/fr active Active
• 2019
  • 2019-11-26 WO PCT/FR2019/052806 patent/WO2020109714A1/fr unknown
  • 2019-11-26 EP EP19868179.3A patent/EP3888154A1/de active Pending

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