FR3087050A1 - Battery box - Google Patents

Abstract

Battery box A battery box (10), in particular for an at least partially electrically driven vehicle, comprises a closed box (12) in which is provided a housing space (16) in which an electric energy accumulator (18) is adapted to be inserted, and a retaining shell (14) of high rigidity which is separated from the box (12) and in which the box (12) is inserted. Figure for the abstract: Figure 1

Description

Description

Title of the invention: Battery box [0001] The invention relates to a battery box which has a housing space for an electric energy accumulator, in particular for use in a vehicle at least partially driven by electrically for the transport of passengers and / or loads, and to a vehicle having such a battery box.

The electric energy accumulator occupies in electrically driven vehicles relatively a lot of mounting space. Any optimization of the mounting space is thus advantageous.

However, it is also necessary at the same time to sufficiently protect the electric energy accumulator against damage, also in the case of high jolts. The battery case must therefore have a high resistance against a mechanical force effect.

The electric energy accumulator must also be protected against environmental influences. Advantageously, it must also be possible to connect the electrical energy accumulator to a cooling means.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved battery box which takes account of the criteria named above.

This object is achieved with a battery box, in particular for a vehicle at least partially driven electrically, comprising a closed box in which is made a housing space in which an electric energy accumulator is able to be inserted, and a high rigidity retaining shell which is separate from the box and into which the box is inserted. The battery box is in particular provided for an at least partially electrically driven vehicle and comprises a closed box in which a housing space is made in which an electric energy accumulator is able to be inserted, and a retaining shell with high rigidity which is separated from the box and in which the box is inserted. According to the invention, protection against corrosion and protection against a strong mechanical force effect are assumed by separate components. In this way, each of the components can be optimized for a specific function, which in addition to improved corrosion protection also leads to low weight and low mounting space.

The box provides protection against corrosion and isolates the energy accumulator preferably entirely from the environment. All components of the energy storage device that are sensitive to corrosion, including electronic components directly connected to the energy storage device, can be received in the box. The retaining shell offers main protection against impact and is optimized in terms of rigidity and stability to meet the necessary safety standards.

The box advantageously has an upper part and a lower part which are connected to each other in a sealed manner and which together contain the housing space. After inserting the electric energy accumulator, the upper part is placed on the lower part to close the box. Optionally, the upper part and the lower part can be glued or welded to each other to increase the sealing effect.

It is possible to arrange in the upper part a metal layer, for example an aluminum foil as protection against electromagnetic radiation and for the improvement of electromagnetic tolerance.

The lower part of the box is preferably inserted into the retaining shell. In this way, the box and the retaining shell are positioned relative to each other, and forces acting laterally are absorbed by the retaining shell and can be suppressed by it, whereby the box is protected against excessive mechanical forces.

It has been found that a sufficient protective effect is obtained when an upper edge of the retaining shell extends substantially in the direction of the height of the battery case which, in the assembled state, coincides with the vertical, up to an upper edge of the lower part. The lower part may have a height less than that of the upper part. The inserted electrical energy store can in particular project from the edge of the lower part in the height direction. Since it is not necessary to enclose the entire box by the retaining shell, it is possible to save material and reduce the weight.

The upper part and the lower part are preferably able to be connected to each other on a fixing structure, this fixing structure cooperating with a fixing element on the retaining shell by means of which the box is attached to the retaining shell. In addition or as an alternative, this fixing structure can be provided between the upper part and the lower part for optional bonding. The fixing structure can for example be made up of shaped projections on the upper part and on the lower part which are suitable for receiving a screw. The fixing element is, for example, a thread element produced in the retaining shell, for example a nut or a threaded sleeve which is inserted in the housing and in which the screw inserted in the fixing structure can to commit. A direct screwing of the box on the retaining shell is in this way possible. Several fixing structures and associated fixing elements are preferably arranged on the periphery of the battery case.

Advantageously, various materials are mainly used for the box and the retaining shell.

In a preferred embodiment, the box is at least for the most part made of an SMC (Sheet Mold Compound) material. Such a plastic material, optionally with incorporated fibers, has a sufficiently high structural stability to form the box for housing the energy accumulator, the material itself being resistant to corrosion and thus being able to protect the accumulator well. energy against environmental influences. It is also easily possible to form an SMC material in a desired shape. It is for example as easily possible to conform the fixing structure directly to the box.

Since the box must meet only a few requirements as regards rigidity and stability, it is possible to choose the wall thickness of the box which is relatively small.

The retaining shell, for its part, must be produced at least for the most part from a metal, in particular aluminum, in order to be sufficiently resistant to shocks and to absorb the mechanical charges acting on the battery case, for example during an accident. Most of the rigidity and stability requirements of the battery case can be met by the retaining shell. Since the retaining shell does not come into direct contact with the energy storage device, the material of the retaining shell does not have to meet high requirements for corrosion resistance.

It is possible to assemble the retaining shell from several components, for example profiles of suitable shape which are combined with die-cast parts.

To further increase the stability of the retaining shell, the retaining shell may have a reinforcement in an RTM material (Resin Transfer Molding material). The RTM material is preferably reinforced with long fibers (for example by aramid, carbon or glass fibers) to obtain high mechanical strength and increased viscosity. Reinforcement is in particular provided at the bottom of the retaining shell.

As is conventionally known, it is possible to make a fixing in the box for the electric energy accumulator, for example a housing for screwing. Such a housing can easily be formed integrally in the SMC material of the box.

A cooling device comprising a metal plate and refrigerant lines is also preferably provided in the box for cooling the electric energy accumulator, the metal plate being arranged between the accumulator. electrical power and the coolant lines, and the coolant lines being tightly guided outwardly through a wall of the box. An aluminum plate is preferably used as a metal plate to obtain good heat conduction between the cooling system and the electrical energy store. The refrigerant is advantageously conducted only in the refrigerant lines, so that no direct contact occurs between the refrigerant and the metal plate or between the refrigerant and the electrical energy accumulator. Direct contact between the coolant lines and the electrical energy store can also be avoided. The refrigerant lines are adapted to be connected to an appropriate refrigerant circuit in the vehicle.

The invention further relates to a vehicle comprising a battery box mounted therein as described above, in particular including an electric energy accumulator inserted therein.

The invention is described in detail in the following with the help of an exemplary embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[Fig.l] Figure 1 shows a schematic partial sectional view of a battery box according to the invention with an electric energy accumulator inserted;

[Fig-2] Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective representation of a lower part of a box before insertion into a retaining shell of the battery case of Figure 1; and [Fig. 3] Figure 3 shows the box and the retaining shell of the battery case of Figure 1 before inserting the box into the retaining shell.

The figures show a battery box 10 which is in particular capable of being mounted in a vehicle which is at least partially driven electrically (not shown). In the embodiment shown here, the battery case 10 is made up of a box 12 and a retaining shell 14 in which the box 12 is inserted.

A housing space 16 in which an electric energy accumulator 18 can be inserted is made in the box 12. For fixing the electric energy accumulator 18 in the box 12, there is provided a fixing 20 which is not shown in detail here and which is produced in an interior wall of the housing space 16.

The box 12 has an upper part 22 and a lower part 24 which are capable of being placed one on the other along a junction line 25 so as to completely enclose the housing space 16.

Relative to a height direction H of the battery box 10, the lower part 24 here has a height less than that of the upper part 22.

Respective portions of a fixing structure 26 which are arranged in the region of the junction line 25 relative to the direction of the height H and which project laterally from the upper part 22 and the lower part 24 are provided both on the upper part 22 and on the lower part 24. Several fixing structures 26 of this type are preferably provided distributed over the periphery of the box 12. In the example shown here, the fixing structure 26 is composed of two superimposed flanges 28 in the upper part 22 and in the lower part 24 which each have a passage orifice 30. A separate screw 32 is adapted to be inserted in the passage orifices 30 aligned.

The box 12 is substantially made of a plastic material, here an SMC material which is in particular reinforced by fibers. Because of this choice of material, the box 12 is in itself substantially resistant to corrosion and offers very good protection for the energy accumulator 18 against environmental influences.

In this example, a metal layer, for example an aluminum foil is arranged in the upper part 22 as protection against electromagnetic radiation to ensure electromagnetic compatibility.

Along the junction line 25, the upper part 22 and the lower part 22 can be permanently glued or welded to each other after the insertion of the electrical energy accumulator 18 in supplement or as an alternative to a seal arranged here, so that the lower part 24 is completely sealed with respect to the upper part 22.

Cooling (not shown here) for the electric energy accumulator 18 is also provided in the box 12. The latter has a metal plate, in particular an aluminum plate, as well as cooling pipes which are arranged so that the aluminum plate is between the electric energy accumulator 18 and the cooling pipes. The cooling pipes are guided out of the box 12 by suitable sealed passages in the wall of the box 12 and can be suitably connected to a cooling system in the vehicle.

The retaining shell 14 which is inserted in the box 12 is here substantially made of a metal, in particular aluminum. In this example, aluminum profiles are here combined with die-cast parts so that the retaining shell 14 has as high a stability as possible with a weight as low as possible.

A bottom 34 of the retaining shell is here again reinforced by a reinforcement 36 of an RTM material which is for example inserted in a suitable housing at the bottom 34 or glued to the bottom 34.

A housing 38 is produced in the retaining shell 14, which is adapted as regards its shape to an external contour of the lower part 24 of the box 12 so that the latter is able to be inserted with the greatest possible adjustment precision in the retaining shell 14.

In the direction of height H, an upper edge 40 of the retaining shell 14 which also defines an upper edge of the housing 38 ends approximately at an upper edge 42 of the lower part 24. This results that the fixing structure 26 of the box 12 is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the upper edge 40 of the retaining shell 14. A respective fixing element 46 is produced below the fixing structures 26 in the retaining shell 14 and cooperates with the respective fixing structure 26, so that the box 12 is capable of being integrally connected to the retaining shell 14 by means of the fixing structures 26.

In this example, the fastening element 46 is formed by a housing formed in the retaining shell 14 for a nut or a threaded socket or for a thread made directly in the material of the retaining shell 14 in which the screw 32 is able to engage.

For mounting, the electrical energy accumulator 18 is firstly inserted into the housing space 16 of the box 12 and is fixed in the housing space 16 by means of the fixing 20.

The upper part 22 is then placed on the lower part 24 of the box, the box 12 being fully sealed along the junction line.

The box 12 is inserted into the housing 38 of the retaining shell 14 and is integrally connected to the retaining shell 14 by means of the fixing structures 26 and the fixing elements 46.

The battery box 10 with the electric energy accumulator 18 inserted can then be installed at a suitable location in the vehicle, the cooling pipes being connected to a vehicle cooling system.

Claims (1)

Claims [Claim 1] Battery box (10), in particular for an at least partially electrically driven vehicle, comprising a closed box (12) in which a housing space (16) is provided in which an electric energy accumulator (18) is suitable for insertion, and a retaining shell (14) of high rigidity which is separated from the box (12) and into which the box (12) is inserted. [Claim 2] Battery box (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the box (12) has an upper part (22) and a lower part (24) which are tightly connected to each other and which contain together the accommodation space (16). [Claim 3] Battery box (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower part (24) of the box (12) is inserted in the retaining shell (14). [Claim 4] Battery box (10) according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that an upper edge (40) of the retaining shell (14) extends substantially in a height direction (H) of the box battery (10) to an edge (42) of the lower part (24). [Claim 5] Battery box (10) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the upper part (22) and the lower part (24) are capable of being connected to each other on a fixing structure and in that this fixing structure (26) cooperates with a fixing element (46) on the retaining shell (14) by means of which the box (12) is fixed on the retaining shell (14). [Claim 6] Battery box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box (12) is at least mainly made of an SMC material. [Claim 7] Battery box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining shell (14) is at least mainly made of a metal, in particular aluminum. [Claim 8] Battery box (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the retaining shell (14) has a reinforcement (36) made of an RTM material. [Claim 9] Battery box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a fixing (20) for the electric energy accumulator (18) is made in the box (12). [Claim 10] Battery box (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a cooling device is provided in the box (12), which comprises a metal plate and refrigerant lines, the metal plate being arranged between the electric energy accumulator (18) and the lines of coolant, and the coolant lines being sealingly guided outward through a wall of the box (12). [Claim 11] Vehicle comprising a battery box according to one of the preceding claims.