US20180105062A1 - Battery module compartment chamber and battery module mounting area of an energy storage system and method thereof - Google Patents
Battery module compartment chamber and battery module mounting area of an energy storage system and method thereof Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20180105062A1 US20180105062A1 US15/491,767 US201715491767A US2018105062A1 US 20180105062 A1 US20180105062 A1 US 20180105062A1 US 201715491767 A US201715491767 A US 201715491767A US 2018105062 A1 US2018105062 A1 US 2018105062A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- battery module
- battery
- module compartment
- compartment
- compartments
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000004146 energy storage Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 20
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 14
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 claims description 36
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims description 35
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims description 32
- 238000009826 distribution Methods 0.000 claims description 17
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 14
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 10
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 claims description 10
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000012945 sealing adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 3
- XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N aluminium Chemical compound [Al] XAGFODPZIPBFFR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 14
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 11
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 description 10
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 8
- 230000002787 reinforcement Effects 0.000 description 7
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 6
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 5
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 5
- 238000004026 adhesive bonding Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000002826 coolant Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000004513 sizing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000779 smoke Substances 0.000 description 3
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- -1 O-ring Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000002776 aggregation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000004220 aggregation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000004378 air conditioning Methods 0.000 description 2
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000003792 electrolyte Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000003292 glue Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000009423 ventilation Methods 0.000 description 2
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- NLXLAEXVIDQMFP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ammonium chloride Substances [NH4+].[Cl-] NLXLAEXVIDQMFP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 235000015842 Hesperis Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000012633 Iberis amara Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- HBBGRARXTFLTSG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Lithium ion Chemical compound [Li+] HBBGRARXTFLTSG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000013361 beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000110 cooling liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011156 evaluation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009472 formulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 231100001261 hazardous Toxicity 0.000 description 1
- 239000000383 hazardous chemical Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012212 insulator Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000010354 integration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910001416 lithium ion Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000037361 pathway Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002265 prevention Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001902 propagating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000565 sealant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000007480 spreading Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000003892 spreading Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000013022 venting Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B60L11/1877—
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
- B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60L50/00—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle
- B60L50/50—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
- B60L50/60—Electric propulsion with power supplied within the vehicle using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells using power supplied by batteries
- B60L50/66—Arrangements of batteries
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/05—Accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte
- H01M10/052—Li-accumulators
- H01M10/0525—Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
-
- H01M2/1077—
-
- H01M2/1083—
-
- H01M2/1094—
-
- 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
-
- 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
- H01M50/233—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by physical properties of casings or racks, e.g. dimensions
- H01M50/24—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by physical properties of casings or racks, e.g. dimensions adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion
-
- 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
- H01M50/244—Secondary casings; Racks; Suspension devices; Carrying devices; Holders characterised by their mounting method
-
- 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
-
- 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
- H01M50/298—Mountings; Secondary casings or frames; Racks, modules or packs; Suspension devices; Shock absorbers; Transport or carrying devices; Holders characterised by the wiring of battery packs
-
- 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
- H01M50/50—Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
- H01M50/502—Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing
- H01M50/505—Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing comprising a single busbar
-
- 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
- H01M50/50—Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
- H01M50/502—Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing
- H01M50/509—Interconnectors for connecting terminals of adjacent batteries; Interconnectors for connecting cells outside a battery casing characterised by the type of connection, e.g. mixed connections
- H01M50/51—Connection only in series
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
- B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60K2001/0405—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion characterised by their position
- B60K2001/0438—Arrangement under the floor
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
- B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60K2001/0455—Removal or replacement of the energy storages
- B60K2001/0461—Removal or replacement of the energy storages from the side
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
- B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60K2001/0455—Removal or replacement of the energy storages
- B60K2001/0466—Removal or replacement of the energy storages from above
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
- B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60K2001/0455—Removal or replacement of the energy storages
- B60K2001/0472—Removal or replacement of the energy storages from below
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
- B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60K2001/0455—Removal or replacement of the energy storages
- B60K2001/0488—Removal or replacement of the energy storages with arrangements for pivoting
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K1/00—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units
- B60K1/04—Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60K2001/0455—Removal or replacement of the energy storages
- B60K2001/0494—Removal or replacement of the energy storages with arrangements for sliding
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K6/00—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
- B60K6/20—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
- B60K6/22—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs
- B60K6/28—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Y—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- B60Y2200/00—Type of vehicle
- B60Y2200/90—Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
- B60Y2200/91—Electric vehicles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Y—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- B60Y2200/00—Type of vehicle
- B60Y2200/90—Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
- B60Y2200/92—Hybrid vehicles
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/60—Heating or cooling; Temperature control
- H01M10/61—Types of temperature control
- H01M10/613—Cooling or keeping cold
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/60—Heating or cooling; Temperature control
- H01M10/62—Heating or cooling; Temperature control specially adapted for specific applications
- H01M10/625—Vehicles
-
- 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
-
- 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
- H01M50/204—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
- H01M50/211—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape adapted for pouch 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
- H01M50/204—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
- H01M50/213—Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells characterised by their shape adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic
-
- 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
- H01M50/30—Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
- H01M50/383—Flame arresting or ignition-preventing means
-
- 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
- H01M50/30—Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
- H01M50/394—Gas-pervious parts or elements
-
- 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
-
- 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
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
- Y02T10/70—Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
-
- 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
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10S903/00—Hybrid electric vehicles, HEVS
- Y10S903/902—Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
- Y10S903/903—Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
- Y10S903/904—Component specially adapted for hev
- Y10S903/907—Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor
Definitions
- Energy storage systems may rely upon batteries for storage of electrical power.
- a battery housing mounted into an electric vehicle houses a plurality of battery cells (e.g., which may be individually mounted into the battery housing, or alternatively may be grouped within respective battery modules that each contain a set of battery cells, with the respective battery modules being mounted into the battery housing).
- battery cells e.g., which may be individually mounted into the battery housing, or alternatively may be grouped within respective battery modules that each contain a set of battery cells, with the respective battery modules being mounted into the battery housing).
- the battery modules in the battery housing are connected to a battery junction box (BJB) via busbars, which distribute electric power to an electric motor that drives the electric vehicle, as well as various other electrical components of the electric vehicle (e.g., a radio, a control console, a vehicle Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, internal lights, external lights such as head lights and brake lights, etc.).
- BJB battery junction box
- HVAC Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
- An embodiment is directed to a battery module compartment chamber configured for deployment with one or more other battery module compartment chambers within a battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, including a plurality of exterior walls that define an exterior frame of the battery module compartment chamber, at least one interior firewall that, in conjunction with the plurality of exterior walls, define a first interior space for a first battery module compartment configured to fit a first battery module and a second interior space for a second battery compartment configured to fit a second battery module, a first insertion-side through which the first battery module is configured to be inserted into the first interior space of the first battery module compartment and/or removed from the first interior space of the first battery module compartment, and a second insertion-side through which the second battery module is configured to be inserted into the second interior space of the second battery module compartment and/or removed from the second interior space of the second battery module compartment, wherein the first insertion-side is configured to be closed via a first insertion-side cover to seal the first battery module compartment at least from the second battery module compartment, and wherein the second insertion
- Another embodiment is directed to a battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, including a set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers, each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber including a lateral pair of battery module compartments that are each configured to fit a respective battery module therein, each battery module compartment of each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber including an insertion-side through which the respective battery module may be inserted and/or removed, and each battery module compartment of each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber configured to be sealed when a respective insertion-side is closed via a respective insertion-side cover, wherein a type of battery module compartment chamber in the set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers and/or a number of battery module compartment chambers in the set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers is selected to satisfy a size requirement for the battery module mounting area.
- Another embodiment is directed to a method of arranging a battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, including determining a size requirement for the battery module mounting area, obtaining physical dimensions for a battery module compartment chamber, the battery module compartment chamber including a lateral pair of battery module compartments that are each configured to fit a respective battery module therein, each battery module compartment including an insertion-side through which the respective battery module may be inserted and/or removed, and each battery module compartment configured to be sealed when a respective insertion-side is closed via a respective insertion-side cover, identifying a maximum number of battery module compartment chambers that can be longitudinally stacked together without exceeding the size requirement, and generating a design for the battery module mounting area that includes the maximum number of battery module compartment chambers.
- FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate different perspectives of one particular example of a battery housing for a conventional electric vehicle.
- FIG. 1C illustrates a portion of the battery housing of FIGS. 1A-1B , which shows bolts that are screwed into a top-cover between adjacent battery modules in order to secure the battery housing.
- FIG. 2A illustrates a top-perspective of a cross-section of an electric vehicle including a battery housing in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 2B illustrates a front-perspective of a battery housing arrangement of the electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 2C illustrates an impact distribution through the battery housing of the electric vehicle from a left side-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 2D illustrates an impact distribution through the battery housing of the electric vehicle from a top-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 2E illustrates an impact distribution through the battery housing of the electric vehicle from a top-perspective in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 3A illustrates a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 3B illustrates example construction of a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 3C illustrates an example of the battery module compartment chamber of FIG. 3B in more detail in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 3D illustrates a battery housing reinforcement configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 3E illustrates the battery housing reinforcement configuration of FIG. 3D installed in an electric vehicle from a bottom-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a front-perspective or rear-perspective of a hinged-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 5A illustrates a top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 5B illustrates the top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration of FIG. 5A from an alternative perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 5C illustrates the top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration of FIG. 5A from the alternative perspective as shown in FIG. 5B with each battery module compartment on the right-side of the battery module mounting area being sealed via top-covers in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 5D illustrates a side-view of a portion of an alternative top-inserted (or Z-axis vertically inserted) battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 5E illustrates a front-perspective or rear-perspective of a bottom-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 6 illustrates battery housing components and related components of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 7 illustrates a process of arranging (or designing) a battery module mounting area in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- Energy storage systems may rely upon batteries for storage of electrical power.
- a battery housing mounted into an electric vehicle houses a plurality of battery cells (e.g., which may be individually mounted into the battery housing, or alternatively may be grouped within respective battery modules that each contain a set of battery cells, with the respective battery modules being mounted into the battery housing).
- battery cells e.g., which may be individually mounted into the battery housing, or alternatively may be grouped within respective battery modules that each contain a set of battery cells, with the respective battery modules being mounted into the battery housing).
- the battery modules in the battery housing are connected to a battery junction box (BJB) via busbars, which distribute electric power to an electric motor that drives the electric vehicle, as well as various other electrical components of the electric vehicle (e.g., a radio, a control console, a vehicle Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, internal lights, external lights such as head lights and brake lights, etc.).
- BJB battery junction box
- HVAC Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
- FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate different perspectives of one particular example of a battery housing 100 for a conventional electric vehicle.
- the orientation of particular components illustrated in FIGS. 1A-1B are described with respect to X, Y and Z axes (or directions).
- the X axis (or direction) is longitudinal and runs lengthwise along the electric vehicle (e.g., from a front of the electric vehicle to a rear of the electric vehicle, or vice versa).
- the Y axis (or direction) is lateral and runs widthwise along the electric vehicle (e.g., from a right side of the electric vehicle to a left side of the electric vehicle, or vice versa).
- the Z axis (or direction) runs vertically along the electric vehicle (e.g., from a top of the electric vehicle to a bottom of the electric vehicle, or vice versa)
- the battery housing 100 includes a battery module mounting area 105 and a top-cover 110 .
- the battery module mounting area 105 may be physically located underneath a floor of the electric vehicle (e.g., attached with bolts, etc., to become a removably attached portion of a structural frame or chassis of the electric vehicle).
- the battery module mounting area 105 includes a number of slots into which battery modules may be inserted or installed vertically (i.e., along the Z axis/direction), with each installed battery module configured to connect to one or more busbars (not shown) through which power may be exchanged.
- the battery module mounting area 105 has a “bath tub” design in the sense that a single, wide top-opening is the only area through which battery modules can be inserted into a recessed area and/or removed from the recessed area.
- battery modules 115 are shown within the battery module mounting area 105 in an inserted or installed-state, while battery modules 120 are shown at various degrees of insertion.
- the sidewalls of the battery module mounting area 105 are fixed, and the depiction of the battery modules 120 shows that the battery modules 115 - 120 are inserted into the battery module mounting area 105 via a top-opening while the top-cover 110 is not secured.
- FIGS. 1A-1B While not shown explicitly in FIGS. 1A-1B , after all of the battery modules 115 - 120 are inserted into the battery module mounting area 105 , the top-cover 110 may be secured onto the battery module mounting area 105 (e.g., via bolts, etc.) to form the battery housing 100 (or trough).
- FIG. 1C illustrates a portion 100 C of the battery housing 100 , which shows bolts 105 C that are screwed into the top-cover 110 between adjacent battery modules 110 C in order to secure the battery housing 100 .
- high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) busbars that connect to the battery modules 115 - 120 may be distributed across the whole battery housing 100 , which consumes significant physical space, and it may be difficult to realize the required cross section to carry current without excess power loss.
- the battery module mounting area 105 may be made from extruded or die-cast aluminum, or sheet metal.
- the top-cover 110 e.g., which may be made out of plastic or thin sheet metal
- the top-cover 110 is intended to protect and seal the battery housing 100 from various external environmental factors such as liquids (e.g., if a passenger drops his/her beverage, the top-cover 110 will help to limit any leakage from seeping into the battery housing 100 ).
- top-cover 110 it may be difficult for a single battery housing-wide top-cover, such as top-cover 110 , to compensate for all the tolerances of production and also for deformations during vehicle operation. For example, there is no hard joint connection between the top-cover 110 (e.g., typically made from thin sheet metal or plastic) and the battery housing 100 over the whole contact zone, such that the top-cover 110 will generally buckle easily in response to a crash impact.
- top-cover 110 e.g., typically made from thin sheet metal or plastic
- the individual battery modules are not sealed off from each other within the battery housing 100 , such that a hazardous condition at one battery module (e.g., a cell rupture or leak, excessive heat or fire, etc.) may propagate to adjacent battery modules within the battery housing 100 .
- a hazardous condition at one battery module e.g., a cell rupture or leak, excessive heat or fire, etc.
- the lack of an effective seal between the individual battery modules within the battery housing 100 may be caused by various factors, including the battery housing-wide distribution of busbars and the use of a single top-cover 110 for the entire battery housing 100 as described above with respect to FIGS. 1A-1C .
- the outgoing gas and inner cell material may spread to other battery modules so as to contaminate other battery modules in the battery housing 100 .
- FIG. 2A illustrates a top-perspective of a cross-section of an electric vehicle 200 A including a battery housing 205 A in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 2A depicts various well-known components (e.g., wheels, axles, etc.) of the electric vehicle 200 A to provide general context, but these components are not described in detail below for the sake of brevity.
- battery “housing” and battery “module mounting area” is somewhat interchangeable.
- the battery module mounting area in FIG. 2A (and other FIGS described below) refers to an arrangement of battery module compartments configured to receive insertion of battery modules and to be sealed via insertion-side covers to form a battery housing.
- the battery module compartments may be sealed individually or in groups, such that at least some of the battery module compartments are sealed from other battery module compartments in the same battery housing, as will be described below in more detail.
- the battery module mounting area is part of a floor of the electric vehicle that acts as a structural component that is permanently (or irremovably) integrated into a chassis of the electric vehicle 200 A (e.g., via welding or gluing, in contrast to FIGS. 1A-1C where the battery module mounting area 105 is simply bolted onto the chassis). Integrating the battery module mounting area as a permanent or irremovable fixture of the chassis of the electric vehicle 200 A helps to structurally reinforce the electrical vehicle 200 A, as will be described in more detail below. However, while not described in detail below, it is also possible for the battery module mounting area to be attached to the chassis of the electric vehicle 200 A (e.g., via bolts, etc.) without being part of the chassis itself.
- the battery housing refers to a sealed combination of the battery module mounting area plus any associated covers, seals or interface components (e.g., cooling system interface plugs or connectors plus associated seals, electrical system interface components such as LV/HV connectors and associated seals, etc.).
- seals or interface components e.g., cooling system interface plugs or connectors plus associated seals, electrical system interface components such as LV/HV connectors and associated seals, etc.
- the battery housing 205 A includes ten battery module compartments denoted as A . . . J, and a middle bar 210 A that is positioned between battery module compartments A . . . E and battery module compartments F . . . J on different longitudinal sides of the electric vehicle 200 A.
- Each battery module compartment includes a frame (or plurality of walls) defining an interior space configured to fit a respective battery module, and an insertion-side which may be opened to facilitate insertion and/or removal of the respective battery module.
- the middle bar 210 A may be constructed from the dividers (or firewalls) that separate laterally adjacent (e.g., aligned laterally or width-wise along the Y axis) battery module compartments A . . . J (e.g., the firewall between battery module compartments A and F, the firewall between battery module compartments B and G, etc.).
- the middle bar 210 A may be one single longitudinal “bar” that extends across the entirety of the battery housing 205 A.
- the interior side-walls of each battery module compartment may be attached to the middle bar 210 A to form the battery module mounting area.
- each laterally adjacent battery module compartment pair may be pre-constructed as a battery module compartment chamber with its own chamber-specific firewall for separating its respective laterally adjacent battery module compartments.
- the battery module compartment chambers may be stacked longitudinally to form the battery module mounting area, as will be discussed below with respect to FIGS. 3B-3C .
- the middle bar 210 A is an aggregation of the individual firewalls contained in each respective battery module compartment chamber across the battery housing 205 A.
- middle bar 210 A is illustrated in FIG. 2A as being centered in the battery housing 205 A, the middle bar 210 A can be positioned in other locations (e.g., closer to one side or the other, so as to fit differently-sized battery modules on left and right sides of the battery module mounting area) in other embodiments. Further, multiple middle bars could be deployed in other implementations.
- a particularly wide vehicle may be equipped with a battery module mounting area that is wider than the lengths of two battery modules, such that a gap may be present between the two battery modules inserted into a laterally adjacent pair of battery module compartments.
- two separate firewalls may be used for each laterally adjacent battery module compartment so that respective battery modules can comfortably fit therein, with a gap in-between the two firewalls.
- the two firewalls may form part of two separate “middle” bars (even though each respective firewall may be offset from a center or middle of the battery housing 205 A), with the two separate middle bars either corresponding to two long “bars” extending across the battery housing 205 A or two aggregations of chamber-specific firewalls from longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers.
- the gap between the two separate middle bars may be used as a tunnel space (e.g., to facilitate optical communication, to run LV/HV busbars, etc.), although the embodiments describe below relate to an implementation where the tunnel space is defined above the battery module compartments (i.e., higher along the Z axis), and not in a gap between laterally adjacent battery module compartments.
- the battery housing 205 A including ten battery module compartments A . . . J is shown in FIG. 2A for example purposes only.
- an electric vehicle with a longer wheel base may be configured with a battery housing having more battery module compartments (e.g., 12, 14, etc.), while an electric vehicle with a shorter wheel base may be configured with a battery housing having fewer battery module compartments (e.g., 8, 6, etc.).
- a “battery module” is a package that contains a plurality of battery cells, such as lithium ion battery cells.
- Battery modules could be configured with a prismatic or pouch battery cell arrangement (sometimes referred to as a soft pack), while other battery modules are configured with a cylindrical battery cell arrangement.
- prismatic or pouch battery modules are more efficient in terms of battery cell stacking, while cylindrical cells in cylindrical battery modules do not stack as well (e.g., more empty space inside battery module) but have a higher energy density (and any empty space can be repurposed, for cooling and fire prevention because air is a good heat insulator).
- battery module compartments A . . . J form part of a battery module mounting area of the battery housing 205 A which is sealed in part by a plurality of covers installed on (or closed over) a respective insertion-side of each battery module compartment. More specifically, when the respective covers are installed, some or all of the battery module compartments A . . . J are each configured to be sealed from each other as well as with respect to an environment external to the battery housing 205 A. Further, the battery module compartments A . . . E are arranged longitudinally (i.e., along X direction or lengthwise with respect to electric vehicle) on a right-side of the electric vehicle 200 A, while battery module compartments F . . .
- the plurality of covers may each be configured with a sealing substance or compound (e.g., dispensed foam, rubber or a sealing adhesive such as glue or caulk).
- a right-side bumper 220 A and a left-side bumper 225 A may be attached to the battery housing 205 A on the right-side and left-side of the electric vehicle 200 A, respectively.
- a battery module compartment being “sealed” refers to a seal that is at least water-tight or liquid-tight, and optionally gas-tight (at least, with respect to certain gases such as smoke from fire, carbon, electrolyte particles, etc.).
- the sealing of the battery module compartments is a result of its interior walls being welded or glued together (where possible), and any connection interfaces (e.g., insertion-side cover, coolant interface plugs, electrical interface connectors, etc.) being sealed with a suitable type of sealant (e.g., O-ring, rubber gasket, sealing compound, etc.).
- the sealing of the battery module compartments could potentially be hermetic (e.g., gas-tight with respect to all gases), hermetic sealing is not necessary (e.g., due to high cost). Accordingly, the sealing of the battery module compartments may be configured to block propagation of likely contaminants (e.g., liquids such as water, flames and/or smoke from fires, carbon, electrolyte particles, etc.) between battery module compartments.
- likely contaminants e.g., liquids such as water, flames and/or smoke from fires, carbon, electrolyte particles, etc.
- each respective cover may be implemented as an endplate that is physically integrated with a corresponding battery module.
- the cover (or endplate) when the cover (or endplate) is secured into a battery module compartment, the position and orientation of the battery module inside of the battery module compartment can be controlled (or fixed) based on the battery module being sandwiched between the cover (or endplate) on one side of the battery module compartment and at least one interior wall (or firewall) (e.g., multiple firewalls may be used to help to define a tunnel space between battery module compartments A . . . E and batter module compartments F . . .
- the endplate and battery module compartment may be closed and sealed to form a closed compartment profile that functions as a stiff structural element that helps to stiffen (or structurally reinforce) the electric vehicle 200 A.
- the firewalls between laterally adjacent batter module compartments form a strong middle bar 210 A as noted above, while laterally aligned interior walls of the battery module compartments form a series of structural support bars arranged perpendicularly to the middle bar 210 A along the Y axis.
- the middle bar 210 A and laterally aligned interior bars may function together to increase the stiffness of the battery housing 205 A as well as to increase resistance to deformation in the shape of the battery housing 205 A (e.g., increased resistance to a torsion-effect that changes a parallelogram shape of the battery housing 205 A).
- the insertion-side for the battery module compartments A . . . J may vary between different battery module mounting area configurations.
- the plurality of covers that cover the insertion sides of battery module compartments A . . . J may comprise top-covers for a top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration, or side-covers for a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration or a hinged-inserted battery module mounting area configuration.
- a 1:1 ratio between the plurality of covers and the battery module compartments A . . . J is maintained, such that each cover is configured to individually cover (and seal) a single battery module compartment (e.g., N covers for N battery module compartments).
- one or more covers may be configured to cover (and seal) a group of battery module compartments, although unlike the top-cover 110 depicted in FIGS. 1A-1C , the group of battery module compartments will include less than all of the battery module compartments.
- the battery module compartments that are part of the group are sealed from any adjacent battery module compartment outside of the group.
- each of the plurality of covers may be configured to seal two battery module compartments (e.g., N/2 covers for N battery module compartments).
- a “subset” of battery module compartments refers to either an individual battery module compartment that is individually sealed by a single corresponding cover or a group of two or more (and less than all) battery module compartments that are collectively sealed by a single corresponding cover.
- the middle bar 210 A is configured to increase the overall stiffness of the battery housing 205 A (and thereby, the electric vehicle 200 A).
- the middle bar 210 A may be positioned underneath a tunnel space 215 A that, similar to the middle bar 210 A, may be centered between battery module compartments A . . . E and battery module compartments F . . . J.
- the battery module compartment firewalls that comprise the middle bar 210 A limit propagation of hazards (e.g., excessive heat or fire, fluid leaks, etc.) between battery module compartments A . . . E and battery module compartments F . . . J.
- the tunnel space 215 A optionally permits wireless communication (e.g., optical communication) between the battery modules inserted into the battery compartments A . . . J and a wireless communications interface (not shown) that may be deployed at some point along the tunnel space 215 A.
- the tunnel space 215 A may be outside of the battery module compartments A . . . J and effectively on ‘top’ of the battery housing 205 A in the middle (or Y-axis center) of the electric vehicle 200 A (e.g., along the top of middle bar 210 A).
- the tunnel space 215 A may instead of being defined over, or on ‘top’, of the battery housing 205 A, the tunnel space 215 A may instead be vertically aligned (or level) with the battery modules A . .
- FIG. 2A depicts ten battery module compartments denoted as A . . . J as noted above, other embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to battery housings with any number of battery module compartments (e.g., to accommodate vehicles with shorter or longer wheel bases, as noted above and described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 6-7 ).
- one or more busbars may be deployed along the tunnel space 215 A to provide an electrical connection between battery modules inserted into any of the battery module compartments A . . . J and a battery junction box (BJB).
- each battery module compartment may include HV connectors for connecting battery modules in adjacent battery module compartments in series.
- the BJB may connect to an HV input connector on battery module compartment J, which is plugged into a battery module and connects to an HV output connector on battery module compartment J.
- the HV output connector connects to an HV busbar which is connected to an HV input connector on battery module compartment I, and so on.
- the battery module in battery module compartment J may be daisy-chained in series to the battery module in battery module compartment I, which is in turn daisy-chained (in order) to battery modules in battery module compartments H, G, F, A, B, C, D and E, with the HV output connector in battery module compartment E being connected back to the BJB to complete the HV power connection between the BJB and the respective battery modules of the battery housing 205 A.
- HV connectors may be paired together as a paired HV connector component, with an HV input connector and an HV output connector arranged on different sides of the paired HV connector component (e.g., such that the respective HV connectors are configure do connect to battery modules on different sides of the battery housing 205 A).
- a battery module in battery module compartment J may connect to an HV input connector portion of the paired HV connector component, with a battery module in battery module compartment E connecting to an HV output connector portion of the paired HV connector component.
- each battery module compartment may also include an LV connector which facilitates a connection between the battery module and the BJB without daisy-chaining to the other battery module compartments as noted above for the HV power connection.
- the LV connector may function as a data port or data interface between various LV components inside the battery module, such as sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, smoke sensors, etc.), and the BJB.
- the LV connector may be coupled to an optical communications interface (e.g., an IR interface) arranged inside the tunnel space 215 A that has a line-of-sight (LOS) to a corresponding optical communications interface coupled to the BJB to facilitate a data connection between the battery module and the BJB.
- the LV connector may simply be wired to the BJB via one or more wires that are run along the tunnel space 215 A.
- using the optical communications interface for supporting the module-to-BJB data connection may simplify battery module installation in the sense that no control wiring is necessary to connect an installed battery module to the BJB (i.e., a technician can simply insert the battery module into a corresponding battery module compartment, which couples the battery module to the LV connector, which is coupled to LV bus bars that bridge a connection to the BJB via the optical communications interface).
- the HV connectors and LV connectors in the battery module compartment and integrated into the battery modules may include plug-type and socket-type connectors.
- centering the busbars along the tunnel space 215 A in the middle of the electric vehicle 200 A helps to isolate the busbars from crash impact zones (e.g., the left and right sides of the electric vehicle 200 A), which in turn protects the busbars from crash impact-related damage.
- defining the tunnel space 215 A on top of the middle bar 210 A which may be configured as a strong metal ‘spine’ of the battery housing 205 A, may likewise help to protect the busbars with the tunnel space 215 A functioning as a relatively protected area (e.g., from crash impact-related damage, etc.).
- the tunnel space 215 A may also function as an electromagnetic shield that protects the busbars from external electromagnetic interference.
- the busbars may be attached to a top-portion of the battery module compartments (e.g., see hole configurations in FIGS. 3B-3C where LV/HV connectors may be inserted) in proximity to the firewall(s), so that the tunnel space 215 remains substantially empty, which may facilitate unobstructed (line-of-sight of point-to-point) communication for optical communications.
- the central busbars may include LV busbars and HV busbars, as noted above.
- each pair of laterally adjacent battery module compartments may include a set of holes located proximately to the tunnel space 215 A and aligned perpendicular to a direction in which the battery module is inserted or removed (e.g., for lateral or side-insertion, the holes may be on an upper wall or top wall of the battery module compartment).
- LV and HV connectors are mounted into the set of holes for connecting battery modules to LV and HV busbars in the tunnel space 215 A.
- HV connectors and an LV connector may be inserted into the set of holes, and then secured and sealed.
- the HV and LV connectors may interface with battery modules on both sides of the battery module mounting.
- the HV connectors may each be configured within a paired HV connector component, whereby each paired HV connector component includes a first HV connector configured for coupling to a battery module in a first battery module compartment on one lateral side (e.g., left side or right side) of the battery module mounting area, and also a second HV configured for coupling to a second battery module on the other lateral side (e.g., left side or right side) of the battery module mounting area.
- first HV connector configured for coupling to a battery module in a first battery module compartment on one lateral side (e.g., left side or right side) of the battery module mounting area
- second HV configured for coupling to a second battery module on the other lateral side (e.g., left side or right side) of the battery module mounting area.
- battery modules in battery module compartments that are adjacent to each other longitudinally may be electrically coupled to each other via the HV busbars in series, as noted above.
- This electric coupling can be chained from battery module compartment to battery module compartment with HV being available at the BJB once a last battery module is inserted (e.g., each of battery module compartments A . . . J).
- the LV and HV connectors may be sealed (e.g., via a plastic cover, a rubber gasket, a sealing adhesive, a sealing ring such as an O-Ring in an axial or a radial direction, etc.) so that each battery module compartment is sealed (e.g., either individually or in context with a battery module compartment group if a group-cover is used as noted above).
- the LV and HV busbars may be secured to the respective LV and HV connectors via screwing.
- positioning the busbars in the tunnel space 215 A may permit workers (e.g., assembly workers at a vehicle assembly plant during assembly of the electric vehicle 200 A, maintenance workers, etc.) access to a particular subset of battery module compartments (e.g., an individual battery module compartment with a dedicated cover or a group of battery module compartments that share a single cover) without being exposed to voltage from battery modules outside of the particular subset of battery module compartments.
- the HV connectors of the respective battery module compartments may be positioned in an interior or centered portion of the electric vehicle 200 A, while the workers may be located outside the electric vehicle 200 A for a lateral module insertion scenario, thereby shielded from the central HV busbars.
- the worker may insert the battery module into a battery module compartment and couple the battery module to at least one corresponding busbar (e.g., via connectors to LV and HV busbars, such as plugs, where the battery module coupling may occur by virtue of the worker pushing or sliding an electrical interface of the battery module into the corresponding connector), and then secure (e.g., by tightening bolts, etc.) the cover (or endplate) to the battery module compartment so that the battery module compartment is sealed.
- the worker may free or unlock the cover attachment mechanism (e.g., by removing bolts, etc.), and may then slide the battery module out of the battery module compartment.
- the worker during either insertion or removal, the worker only accesses the battery module(s) inside one particular subset of battery module compartments and its associated busbar(s) at a time without exposing the workers to the HV busbars.
- FIGS. 1A-1C removal of the top-cover 110 exposes workers to each installed battery module as well as all the associated busbars, including HV busbars.
- granting the workers access to the battery modules of the battery housing 205 A on a subset-specific basis e.g., while sealing off any high-voltage (HV) wiring as discussed below with respect to pipe 355 A of FIG. 3A ) functions to reduce a level of voltage that the workers may be exposed to in association with battery module insertion/removal during assembly and/or maintenance of the electric vehicle 200 A.
- HV high-voltage
- the BJB may also be positioned in a middle or center (longitudinally) of the electric vehicle 200 A on top of the battery housing 205 A.
- the BJB may be positioned at one end of the battery housing 105 above the battery module compartments E and J, or alternatively at the other end of the battery housing 105 above the battery module compartments A and F).
- positioning the BJB in the middle of the electric vehicle 200 A above the tunnel space 215 A may reduce an electrical connection length between the BJB and electrical connections to the battery modules due to the busbars being run along the tunnel space 215 A.
- the BJB can be placed anywhere in the electric vehicle 205 and is not required to be installed proximately to the battery housing 205 A. While not shown expressly in FIG. 2A , an underride guard may be attached to an underride of the battery housing 205 A to protect the battery from bollards or parts from below.
- FIG. 2B illustrates a front-perspective of a battery housing arrangement 200 B of the electric vehicle 200 A in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- a BJB 205 B is shown as mounted onto the battery housing 205 A in a longitudinally centered-position above the middle bar 210 A, with right-side bumper 220 A and left-side bumper 225 A being attached to the battery housing 205 A.
- the tunnel space 215 A is also depicted above the battery housing 205 A.
- each battery module compartment cover (or subset of battery module compartments sharing a single cover), and sealed electrical interface (and possibly other sealed interfaces such as sealed input/output cooling tube connectors to a cooling system as discussed below in more detail) function together to seal an individual battery module compartment (or subset of battery module compartments sharing a single cover) with respect to hazards such as excessive heat or fire, liquid and/or gases, as well as environmental hazards (e.g., liquids seeping into the battery housing 205 A from a vehicle interior, etc.), so that a hazard (or contaminant) in one particular battery module compartment (or subset of battery module compartments sharing a single cover) is contained and does not propagate to adjacent battery module compartments.
- hazards such as excessive heat or fire, liquid and/or gases, as well as environmental hazards (e.g., liquids seeping into the battery housing 205 A from a vehicle interior, etc.)
- FIG. 2C illustrates an impact distribution 200 C through the battery housing 205 A of the electric vehicle 200 A from a left side-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- crash forces 205 C cause impact to a front of the electric vehicle 200 A.
- the crash forces 205 C are distributed substantially along an upper layer 210 C (e.g., including a top-side of the respective battery module compartments plus one or more reinforcement bars) and a lower layer 215 C (e.g., including a bottom-side of the respective battery module compartments plus one or more reinforcement bars and/or an underride guard) of the battery housing 205 A, as depicted in FIG. 2C with arrows.
- the battery housing 205 A in part due to the arrangement of the middle bar 210 A (not shown explicitly in FIG. 2C ) and lateral interior bars 220 C (e.g., formed from side-walls of the battery module compartments which run perpendicular to the middle bar 210 A), forms a closed compartment profile (e.g., formed by the stacked and individually sealed subsets of battery module compartments), which provides higher stiffness (or resistance to impact forces) in longitudinal, transverse and torsion directions relative to the battery housing configuration depicted in FIGS. 1A-1C .
- the lower layer 215 may include a bottom-wall of the individual battery module compartments and/or A . . . J and/or an underride guard that is affixed to the entire underride of the battery housing 205 A.
- the battery housing 205 A forms a “sandwich” structure that is comprised of an underride guard, the closed compartment profile (e.g., formed by the stacked and individually sealed subsets of battery module compartments) which provides the middle bar 210 A (e.g., formed from the respective firewalls between laterally adjacent battery module compartments) as well as the lateral interior bars 220 C, and longitudinal top/bottom beams (e.g., described below in more detail below as top/bottom bars with respect to FIGS. 3C-3E ).
- the closed compartment profile e.g., formed by the stacked and individually sealed subsets of battery module compartments
- the middle bar 210 A e.g., formed from the respective firewalls between laterally adjacent battery module compartments
- the lateral interior bars 220 C e.g., formed from the respective firewalls between laterally adjacent battery module compartments
- longitudinal top/bottom beams e.g., described below in more detail below as top/bottom bars with respect to FIGS. 3C-3E
- the sandwich structure created by the above-noted components permits the battery housing 205 A to act as a permanent or irremovable structural element of a chassis (e.g., based on welding and/or gluing of the respective components to the chassis) of the electric vehicle 200 A.
- a removable rocker panel (which is not directly a part of the battery housing 205 A or associated sandwich structure) may be attached after the insertion (and sealing) of the battery modules to help guide crash forces to the sandwich structure of the battery housing 205 A.
- FIG. 2D illustrates an impact distribution 200 D through the battery housing 205 A of the electric vehicle 200 A from a top-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the top-perspective depicted in FIG. 2D is similar to FIG. 2A , except that the force distribution from the crash forces 205 C is depicted in FIG. 2D with arrows.
- the battery housing 205 A in part due to the arrangement of the middle bar 210 A and the outer side-walls (e.g., for lateral insertion, this would include the insertion-side covers of battery module compartments A . . . J) function to distribute the crash forces 205 C substantially along the middle bar 210 A and the outer walls of the battery housing 205 A. Accordingly, considering FIGS.
- the crash forces 205 C are distributed substantially along the upper layer 210 C and the lower layer 215 C while at the same time being distributed substantially along the middle bar 210 A and the outer walls of the battery housing 205 A, which collectively functions to reduce stress upon the battery module compartments A . . . J and associated busbars relative to the battery housing configuration depicted in FIGS. 1A-1C .
- FIG. 2E illustrates an impact distribution 200 E through the battery housing 205 A of the electric vehicle 200 A from a top-perspective in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure.
- crash forces 205 E cause impact to a left-side of the electric vehicle 200 A.
- the top-perspective depicted in FIG. 2E is similar to FIG. 2A , except that the force distribution from the crash forces 205 E is depicted in FIG. 2E with arrows.
- the battery housing 205 A functions to distribute the crash forces 205 E substantially along the lateral interior bars 220 C which are formed from side-walls of the battery module compartments A . . . J.
- the crash forces 205 E will first contact the removable rocker panel. By the deformation of the rocker panel, the crash forces 205 E will be distributed to the designed force paths, which will ensure that the crash forces 205 E are transferred substantially ‘around’ the battery modules (i.e., through the lateral interior bars 220 C) of the battery module compartments. This will help to ensure that the battery cells inside the respective battery modules of the battery module compartments will undergo little to no deformation in response to the crash forces 205 E. While not shown explicitly in the top-perspective of FIG. 2E , the crash forces 205 E may also be distributed along the upper layer 210 C and the lower layer 215 C as well.
- each of battery module compartments A . . . J includes its own dedicated cover
- each battery module compartment side-wall which forms part of a lateral interior bar 220 C
- the respective battery module compartment side-walls (each of which form part of a lateral interior bar 220 C) would still be stiffer and hence facilitate more force distribution relative to the inter-module dividers used in FIGS. 1A-1C which are all covered by the single top-cover 110 .
- a cooling plate can be integrated into each battery module.
- the cooling plate may be positioned directly on the bottom of battery modules (e.g., for cylindrical cells) or in some other position (e.g., for prismatic or pouch cells).
- the cooling plate may be positioned on the left and right sides of the battery module.
- the cooling plate may be mounted directly on the bottom of battery modules, similar to cylindrical cells.
- the cooling plate may attach to a cooling interface (e.g., cooling tubes that connect to coolant tube plug connections through which coolant fluid is pumped to carry heat away from the battery module).
- the input/output cooling tube plug connections may be integrated into an insertion-side cover of each battery module compartment. So, the input/output cooling tube plug connections may be integrated into the insertion-side cover, which in turn may be integrated with the battery module.
- the cooling tubes may connect to a cooling system located outside of the battery housing 205 A (e.g., via a cooling manifold).
- all plug connections from the cooling system may be located on an exterior-facing side of the battery housing 205 A (e.g., via integration into an exterior-facing battery module compartment cover).
- the input/output cooling tube plug connectors for the cooling system may be built into a cover for a battery module compartment.
- each battery module compartment may function as a heat sink that siphons heat from its battery module towards its cooling plate (e.g., which may be located at the bottom of the battery module), which then routes the heat the away from the respective battery module compartment via the cooling tube.
- the battery housing 205 A described above with respect to FIGS. 2A-2E may be based on various battery module mounting area configurations, as will be described below with respect to FIGS. 3A-5D .
- FIGS. 3A-3E describe a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration
- FIG. 4 describe a hinged-inserted battery module mounting area configuration
- FIGS. 5A-5E describe vertically-inserted battery module mounting area configurations.
- FIG. 3A illustrates a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle 300 A in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the electric vehicle 300 A includes a battery module mounting area 305 A that includes, on a left side of the electric vehicle 300 A, battery module compartments configured to receive battery modules 310 A- 335 A via left-side lateral insertion.
- battery modules 310 A- 325 A are shown at different degrees of lateral insertion, while battery modules 330 A- 335 A are shown in a fully-inserted state.
- the battery module mounting area 305 A may further include, on a right side of the electric vehicle 300 A, battery module compartments configured to receive other battery modules 310 A- 335 A via right-side lateral (or side) insertion.
- the insertion-sides of the battery modules 310 A- 335 A correspond to the left exterior-facing lateral side of each respective battery module compartment on the left side (longitudinally) of the electric vehicle 300 A
- the insertion-sides of the battery modules of each respective battery module compartment on the right side correspond to the right exterior-facing lateral side of the electric vehicle 300 A.
- the insertion-side being exterior-facing, workers may access the individual battery module compartments for insertion and/or removal of battery modules without having to maneuver themselves inside of the electric vehicle 300 A.
- each battery module 310 A- 335 A include two cooling tube plug connectors configured to be threaded through corresponding holes in the set of covers 340 A for connecting to an external cooling manifold.
- the ratio between battery module compartments and covers may vary by implementation.
- the set of covers 340 A includes a single (or dedicated) cover for each of the battery module compartments that receive the battery modules 310 A- 335 A.
- some or all of the set of covers may be configured to cover multiple battery compartments (e.g., one cover may be configured to cover the battery module compartments for battery modules 310 A- 320 A while another may be configured to cover the battery module compartments for battery modules 325 - 335 A for a 3:1 ratio of battery module compartments to covers, etc.).
- one single cover may be configured to cover the battery module compartments for battery modules 310 A- 335 A on the left-side of the electric vehicle 300 A, while another single cover may be configured to cover the battery module compartments for battery modules on the right-side of the electric vehicle 300 A.
- the ratio of battery module compartments to covers need not be the same on both exterior-facing lateral sides of the electric vehicle 300 A.
- differently-sized covers can be used on either exterior-facing lateral side of the electric vehicle (e.g., the battery module compartments for battery modules 310 A- 325 A may each have their own dedicated covers while the battery module compartments for battery modules 330 A- 335 A are allocated a combined cover).
- Rocker panel 345 A may be attached to the electric vehicle 300 A after the set of covers 340 A is attached to the battery module mounting area 305 A to form the battery housing.
- a BJB 350 A is mounted on top of the battery module mounting area 305 A, and is electrically connected to the battery modules 310 A- 335 A (and also the right-side battery modules, which are not shown explicitly in FIG. 3A ) via a pipe or conduit 355 A that contains high-voltage (HV) busbars which are coupled to the respective battery modules (e.g., via electrical interfaces or connectors that are sealed via an O-ring so that each battery module compartment remains sealed)
- HV high-voltage
- FIG. 3B illustrates example construction of a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the battery module mounting area 305 A is shown as being constructed from a series of battery module compartment chambers 300 B.
- Each battery module compartment chamber 300 B is configured with a battery module compartment on each side as a paired battery module compartment arrangement, with each battery module compartment configured to receive a respective battery module.
- the battery module compartment chamber 300 B includes a plurality of exterior walls that define an exterior frame of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B, and at least one interior wall (not shown in FIG. 3B ) that acts as a firewall between the respective battery module compartments of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B and separates (and forms a seal with respect to) the respective battery module compartments.
- the at least one interior wall may help to fix the respective battery modules into a desired position upon insertion, to protect each respective battery module compartments from hazards in the other battery module compartment, guide crash forces, support connectors for LV and/or HV wiring and/or reduce a risk that the battery housing itself will collapse.
- the battery module compartment chamber 300 B may include two interior walls in order to define a middle area (or tunnel space) that is sealed off from the respective battery module compartments.
- the battery module compartment chamber 300 B may include a single interior wall to seal the respective battery module compartments from each other without defining the tunnel space (e.g., such as in the scenario where the tunnel space is located above the battery housing).
- each interior wall of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B may be comprised of a single sheet of sheet metal or a sandwich of sheet metal.
- an insertion-side (or opening) 303 B is shown on one particular exterior-facing side of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B. While not shown explicitly in FIG. 3B , an identical insertion-side is arranged on the opposing exterior-facing side of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B.
- the respective insertion-sides are each configured to permit respective battery modules to be inserted into the respective interior spaces of the respective battery module compartments which are part of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B.
- each respective insertion-side of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B is configured to be closed via respective lateral insertion-side covers so that each battery module compartment in the battery module compartment chamber 300 B is sealed from the other battery module compartment.
- each battery module compartment chamber 300 B may be stacked longitudinally with respect to the electric vehicle as shown at 320 B, the two battery module compartments in each particular battery module compartment chamber 300 B are considered to be laterally paired (e.g., left-side and right-side paired battery module compartments at the same longitudinal location along the battery module mounting area).
- holes 305 B, 310 B and 315 B are configured over the tunnel space.
- the holes 305 B and 315 B may be configured to electrically couple HV busbars to the respective battery module compartments via HV connectors mounted into the respective holes
- the hole 310 B may be configured to electrically couple to an LV busbar to the respective battery module compartments via an LV connector mounted into the hole 310 B.
- the LV busbar may be wired directly to the BJB, or alternatively may be wired to a wireless communications interface (e.g., an optical communications interface, such as an IR interface) configured to connect to a corresponding wireless communications interface coupled to the BJB.
- a wireless communications interface e.g., an optical communications interface, such as an IR interface
- the respective battery module compartment chambers 300 B may be connected (or stacked) side-by-side longitudinally in series (e.g., via welding, gluing, etc.) as shown at 320 B to construct the battery module mounting area 305 A.
- each battery module compartment chamber 300 B may be independently constructed separate from the actual assembly of the battery module mounting area, and then attached together during the assembly to quickly assemble the battery module mounting area. As discussed below in more detail with respect to FIG.
- the precise configuration of the battery module compartment chambers 300 B is scalable (e.g., by varying a number of battery module compartment chambers 300 B which are longitudinally stacked together based on a size requirement of the battery module mounting area, etc.) and may vary by implementation to accommodate different battery module mounting area sizing requirements.
- the LV and HV connectors mounted into the top-holes 305 B, 310 B and 315 B of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B may be equipped with electrical coupling interfaces (e.g., LV/HV plugs or sockets) to the respective battery modules (as well as the LV/HV busbars) that are configured to be sealed with an 0 -ring (e.g., so that the respective battery module compartments are sealed while also protecting the tunnel space against hazards in the respective battery module compartments).
- the pipe 355 A in FIG. 3A may carry the HV wiring that connects to the HV connectors to permit battery modules, upon insertion into a respective battery module compartment, to be coupled to the respective HV busbars.
- the pipe 355 A may itself be sealed so that any HV wiring or busbars contained therein is not exposed.
- the battery module compartments are sealed off from each other (e.g., via walls, covers, and O-rings), while still being connected to both the LV and HV busbars.
- the sealing of the battery module compartments helps to protect against hazards (e.g., water, excessive heat or fire, gas, etc.) in one battery module compartment from spreading or propagating through the battery housing.
- FIG. 3C illustrates an example of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B of FIG. 3B in more detail in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the lateral opening at each battery module compartment of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B may be sealed via a cover 300 C.
- a cover configured to seal multiple battery module compartments across different adjacent battery module compartment chambers 300 B may be used, as discussed above. While the cover 300 C in FIG. 3C is shown as an independent component, the cover 300 C may alternatively be integrated with a respective battery module prior to installation into a battery module compartment of the battery module compartment chamber 300 B.
- a flange 310 C and a set of integrated fixation points 315 C for securing the cover 300 C to the battery module compartment chamber 300 B, and sealing the respective battery module compartment, are also shown in FIG. 3C .
- the cambers of battery module compartment chamber 300 B are divided by the interior walls 305 C.
- FIG. 3D illustrates a battery housing reinforcement configuration 300 D in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the battery module mounting area 305 A may be reinforced with a bottom-mounted bar 305 D (e.g., underneath the flange), a front-mounted bar 310 D, a back-mounted bar 315 D, side-mounted bars 320 D- 325 D and a set of center-mounted bars 330 D.
- the set of center-mounted bars 315 may be used to define a gap that is used as the tunnel space above the battery housing.
- FIG. 3E illustrates the battery housing reinforcement configuration 300 D of FIG. 3D installed in an electric vehicle from a bottom-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. While only one bottom-mounted bar 305 D is shown in FIG. 3D , it will be appreciated that the bottom-mounted bar 305 D may be attached to each side of the battery module mounting area 305 A as depicted in FIG. 3E .
- the battery housing depicted in FIGS. 3A-3E may correspond to an example implementation of the battery housing 205 A described above with respect to FIGS. 2A-2E , except that the battery housing depicted in FIGS. 3A-3E includes twelve battery module compartments (six on left side and six on right side) while the battery housing 205 A in FIGS. 2A-2E includes ten battery module compartments (five on left side and five on right side). As described below in more detail, the sizes and number of battery module compartments can scale as needed for particular deployments (e.g., based on vehicle size, available battery module sizes, etc.).
- FIG. 4 illustrates a front-perspective or rear-perspective of a hinged-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 400 A for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- battery module compartments 405 A and 410 A on each side of the electric vehicle are attached to respective hinges 415 A that are attached to vehicle structure 420 A.
- the hinged-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 400 A is depicted in an “open” state, whereby the battery module compartments 405 A and 410 A rotate freely via the respective hinges 415 A.
- the battery module compartments 405 A and 410 A may be rotated downwards relative to the electric vehicle to a desired angle (e.g., while the electric vehicle is on a rack or lift where an underside of the electric vehicle may be accessed), at which point respective covers of the battery module compartments 405 A and 410 A can be removed to permit insertion and/or removal of respective battery modules 425 A and 430 A via the angled (or rotated) insertion-side of the respective battery module compartments 405 A and 410 A.
- gaps (or cavities) 435 A and 440 A are formed inside the battery module compartments 405 A and 410 A.
- FIG. 4 depict hinges 415 A being centrally positioned so as to facilitate the battery module compartments 405 A- 410 A rotate ‘inwards’ as shown in FIG. 4
- alternative embodiments may be directed to hinges positioned at left and right exterior positions of the vehicle structure 420 A to facilitate the battery module compartments 405 A- 410 A to rotate ‘outwards’.
- the insertion-side corresponds to the interior-facing lateral side of the respective battery module compartment, instead of the exterior-facing lateral side as depicted in FIG. 4 .
- this alternative embodiment would be similar to FIG. 4 in a closed state, except for the location of the hinges.
- FIG. 5A illustrates a top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 500 A for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 5B illustrates the top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 500 A of FIG. 5A from an alternative perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 500 A includes a battery module mounting area 505 A with a plurality of battery module compartments that are each configured to receive, via top-insertion or vertical-insertion, a respective battery module.
- each battery module compartment may be sealed via a compartment-specific top-cover.
- battery modules 510 A are shown at various degrees of insertion.
- the battery modules 510 A are each configured to be sealed by one of the top-covers 515 A- 540 A.
- top-covers 515 A- 540 A may be physically integrated with corresponding battery modules prior to installation into the battery module mounting area 505 A.
- certain top-covers may be implemented as “group” top-covers that may be physically integrated with multiple battery modules.
- the covers and battery modules could also be installed as separate components in other embodiments.
- battery modules and associated top-covers may similarly be inserted into battery module compartments on the left-side of the battery module mounting area 505 A in FIG. 5A .
- FIG. 5C illustrates the top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 500 A of FIG. 5A from the alternative perspective as shown in FIG. 5B with each battery module compartment on the right-side of the battery module mounting area 505 A being sealed via top-covers 535 A- 550 A in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the top-covers 515 A- 540 A may be secured to their respective battery modules in at least one embodiment (e.g., via welding, gluing, etc.).
- the battery modules and their respective top covers may be separate components (e.g., the battery module is inserted first, followed by its top-cover).
- rocker panels 545 A and 550 A which cover permanently sealed (or non-removable) side-walls of each respective battery module compartment.
- the side-covers depicted in FIGS. 3A-4B are removable while a top-section of each battery module compartment is permanent or fixed (e.g., via welding, etc.), while in FIGS. 5A-5C the side-section of each battery module compartment is fixed while the top-section (or top-cover) is removable.
- FIG. 5D illustrates a side-view of a portion of an alternative top-inserted (or Z-axis vertically inserted) battery module mounting area configuration 500 D for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- each battery module compartment is individually sealed with its own compartment-specific top-cover, such that there is a 1:1 ratio between battery module compartments and top-covers.
- battery modules 505 D- 515 D are inserted in battery module compartments 520 D- 530 D, respectively.
- the battery module compartments 520 D- 530 D are sealed as a group via a single top-cover 535 D, which may be physically integrated with the battery modules 505 D- 515 D (e.g., multiple battery modules affixed to the same group top-cover) prior to installation into the battery housing. While not shown, the top-cover 535 D may extend even further into the top-inserted battery module mounting area so as to seal one or more additional battery module compartments. Except for the ratio between battery module compartments and top-covers, the alternative top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 500 D of FIG. 5D is similar to the top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 500 A described above with respect to FIGS. 5A-5C . While FIG.
- top-cover 535 D seals three (or more) battery module compartments
- other embodiments may be directed to a top-cover configured to seal two battery module compartments, four battery module compartments, and so on.
- at least two top-covers will be deployed to seal the battery module compartments of a particular battery module mounting area.
- FIG. 5E illustrates a front-perspective or rear-perspective of a bottom-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 500 E for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- FIG. 5E is similar to FIG. 5D in some respects, in that the battery module mounting area configurations are each Z-axis vertically inserted that include a group cover.
- the battery module mounting area configuration 500 D relates to a top-inserted battery module configuration
- the battery module mounting area configuration 500 E relates to a bottom-inserted battery module configuration
- battery modules 505 E and 510 E are shown as being inserted into a laterally adjacent pair of battery module compartments that are separated by an interior wall (or firewall) 515 E.
- the respective battery module compartments containing the battery modules 505 E and 510 E are sealed as a group via a single bottom-cover 520 E, which may be physically integrated with the battery modules 505 E and 510 E prior to installation into the battery housing. So, in one example, the battery modules 505 E- 510 E and bottom-cover 520 E may be pushed upwards (e.g., vertically along Z-axis) into the respective battery module compartments (and then secured/sealed).
- the bottom-cover 520 E may extend further longitudinally into the bottom-inserted battery module mounting area so as to seal one or more additional battery module compartments.
- the bottom-cover 520 E may extend further longitudinally into the bottom-inserted battery module mounting area so as to seal one or more additional battery module compartments.
- at least two bottom-covers will be deployed to seal the battery module compartments of a particular battery module mounting area in accordance with the bottom-inserted battery module mounting area configuration 500 E.
- the battery module mounting area (or housing) configurations depicted in FIGS. 5A-5C may correspond to an example implementation of the battery module mounting area in battery housing 205 A described above with respect to FIGS. 2A-2E , except that the battery module mounting area 500 A depicted in FIGS. 5A-5C includes twelve battery module compartments (six on left side and six on right side) while the battery housing 205 A in FIGS. 2A-2E includes ten battery module compartments (five on left side and five on right side). As described below in more detail, the sizes and number of battery module compartments can scale as needed for particular deployments (e.g., based on vehicle size, available battery module sizes, etc.).
- FIG. 6 illustrates battery housing components and related components of an electric vehicle 600 in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the battery housing depicted in FIG. 6 uses a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration as described above with respect to FIGS. 3A-3E .
- a battery module mounting area 605 is depicted which includes a plurality of battery module compartments formed from battery module compartment chambers such as battery module compartment chamber 608 is depicted (e.g., similar to the battery module compartment chamber 300 B described above with respect to FIG. 3B ).
- An underride guard 635 may be attached to an underside of the battery module mounting area 605 to form part of a “sandwich” structure that secures the battery housing (once sealed). The underride guard 635 also functions to guide crash forces through the sandwich structure.
- a cooling manifold 640 may be coupled to sealed (e.g., via O-ring) cooling tube plug connectors formed on the set of side covers 625 to cool the battery modules.
- a removable rocker panel 645 is shown.
- the cooling manifold 640 may be located outside the respective battery module compartments so that no fittings or any other cooling tube connection is needed inside the respective battery module compartments (e.g., to reduce the risk of leakage because so that there need only be one metal tube inside each battery module compartment for cooling via a cooling plug connector attached via the respective side-cover).
- FIG. 7 illustrates a process of arranging (or designing) a battery module mounting area in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
- the process of FIG. 7 may be executed to configure the battery module mounting area 605 depicted in FIG. 6 .
- the process of FIG. 7 may be performed by a computing device (e.g., a laptop or desktop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone or user equipment (UE), etc.).
- a computing device e.g., a laptop or desktop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone or user equipment (UE), etc.
- the computing device determines a size requirement for the battery module mounting area (e.g., for an electric vehicle implementation, the size requirement may be based in part upon an available amount of space beneath the floor of the electric vehicle).
- the size requirement may include size targets and/or thresholds (e.g., minimum and/or maximum thresholds) in multiple dimensions (e.g., height, length, width, etc.).
- the size requirement may be based on the physical configuration of a target electric vehicle (e.g., the wheel base of the electric vehicle, height of the electric vehicle underside where the battery module mounting area is deployed, a width of the electric vehicle, and so on).
- the computing device obtains physical dimensions (e.g., height, length and width) for a battery module compartment chamber, the battery module compartment chamber including a lateral pair of battery module compartments that are each configured to fit a respective battery module therein, each battery module compartment including an insertion-side through which the respective battery module may be inserted and/or removed, and each battery module compartment configured to be sealed when a respective insertion-side is closed via a respective insertion-side cover.
- the battery module compartment chamber for which physical dimensions are obtained at 705 may correspond to any of the battery module compartment chambers described above.
- the computing device may optionally obtain physical dimensions for two or more different types of battery module compartment chambers.
- the two or more different types of battery module compartment chambers may be constructed with different physical dimensions to accommodate different size requirements for different electric vehicles.
- only a single stock (or default) battery module compartment chamber may be considered during the process of FIG. 7 (e.g., only one battery module compartment type available on market, a particular electric vehicle may be associated with a specific supplier of battery module compartment chamber so that only one option is available to use for that electric vehicle, etc.).
- the computing device identifies a maximum number of battery module compartment chambers that can longitudinally stacked together under the floor of the electric vehicle without exceeding the size requirement. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A-3E , six battery module compartments can fit into the available space under the floor of the electric vehicle 300 A, so the maximum number for electric vehicle 300 A with respect to the battery module compartment chambers 300 B is six.
- the computing device then generates, based on the identifying of 710 , a design for the battery module mounting area that includes the maximum number of battery module compartment chambers.
- the computing device may identify the maximum number of battery compartment chambers that can be longitudinally stacked together under the floor of the electric vehicle without exceeding the size requirement of the battery module mounting area for each particular battery module compartment chamber type at 710 . Then, the computing device may determine, for each type of battery module compartment chamber, a spatial and/or energy efficiency metric that is based on that type's maximum number. In an example, the spatial efficiency metric may be based on a degree to which the maximum number of battery module compartment chambers satisfies the size requirement (e.g., 80% filled, 99% filled, etc.).
- less than all of the battery module compartments of a particular battery housing configuration may actually include battery modules.
- a particular electric vehicle may be advertised for sale with a low-range option, an intermediate-range option and a high-range option.
- the battery housing configuration for all options is configured with twelve available battery module compartments.
- the low-range option may be equipped with six battery modules inserted among the twelve available battery module compartments
- the intermediate-range option may be equipped with nine battery modules inserted among the twelve available battery module compartments
- the high-range option may be equipped with twelve battery modules inserted among the twelve available battery module compartments. Accordingly, the number of battery modules installed in a particular battery housing is scalable and need not be equivalent to the number of available battery module compartments.
- the battery module compartments containing battery modules may be clustered together. For example, consider the arrangement of battery module compartments A . . . J in FIG. 2A . Assume that the BJB is positioned above battery module compartments E and J, and that only 8 battery modules are required for installation into the electric vehicle 200 A. In this case, battery module compartments A and F (i.e., the battery module compartments furthest away from the BJB) may be left empty (although these battery module compartments may still be covered), with battery modules installed into battery module compartments B . . . E and G . . . J only.
- the HV wiring may be daisy-chained (in order) from the BJB to battery modules in battery module compartments J, I, H, G, B, C, D and E, with battery module compartments A and F being bypassed by virtue of the HV output connector in battery module compartment G being coupled to the HV input connector in battery module compartment B (e.g., using a special paired HV connector component that connects laterally adjacent battery module compartments instead of longitudinally adjacent battery module compartments).
- the embodiments described above relate primarily to battery module compartments and associated battery modules and insertion-side covers for deployment as part of an energy storage system for an electric vehicle, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can deploy the various battery-related embodiments with respect to any type of energy storage system.
- the above-noted embodiments can be applied to energy storage systems such as home energy storage systems (e.g., providing power storage for a home power system), industrial or commercial energy storage systems (e.g., providing power storage for a commercial or industrial power system), a grid energy storage system (e.g., providing power storage for a public power system, or power grid) and so on.
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Electrochemistry (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Sustainable Development (AREA)
- Sustainable Energy (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Battery Mounting, Suspending (AREA)
- Arrangement Or Mounting Of Propulsion Units For Vehicles (AREA)
- Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present Application for Patent claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/408,445 with attorney docket no. INEV-000CP1, entitled “CAR FLOOR SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED BATTERY MODULES”, filed Oct. 14, 2016, and also to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/414,208 with attorney docket no. INEV-000CP2, entitled “CAR FLOOR SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED BATTERY MODULES”, filed Oct. 28, 2016, and also to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/422,090 with attorney docket no. INEV-000CP3, entitled “CAR FLOOR SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED BATTERY MODULES”, filed Nov. 15, 2016, each of which is by the same inventors as the subject application, assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
- Embodiments relate to a battery module compartment chamber and battery module mounting area of an energy storage system and method thereof
- Energy storage systems may rely upon batteries for storage of electrical power. For example, in certain conventional electric vehicle (EV) designs (e.g., fully electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, etc.), a battery housing mounted into an electric vehicle houses a plurality of battery cells (e.g., which may be individually mounted into the battery housing, or alternatively may be grouped within respective battery modules that each contain a set of battery cells, with the respective battery modules being mounted into the battery housing). The battery modules in the battery housing are connected to a battery junction box (BJB) via busbars, which distribute electric power to an electric motor that drives the electric vehicle, as well as various other electrical components of the electric vehicle (e.g., a radio, a control console, a vehicle Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, internal lights, external lights such as head lights and brake lights, etc.).
- An embodiment is directed to a battery module compartment chamber configured for deployment with one or more other battery module compartment chambers within a battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, including a plurality of exterior walls that define an exterior frame of the battery module compartment chamber, at least one interior firewall that, in conjunction with the plurality of exterior walls, define a first interior space for a first battery module compartment configured to fit a first battery module and a second interior space for a second battery compartment configured to fit a second battery module, a first insertion-side through which the first battery module is configured to be inserted into the first interior space of the first battery module compartment and/or removed from the first interior space of the first battery module compartment, and a second insertion-side through which the second battery module is configured to be inserted into the second interior space of the second battery module compartment and/or removed from the second interior space of the second battery module compartment, wherein the first insertion-side is configured to be closed via a first insertion-side cover to seal the first battery module compartment at least from the second battery module compartment, and wherein the second insertion-side is configured to be closed via a second insertion-side cover to seal the second battery module compartment at least from the first battery module compartment.
- Another embodiment is directed to a battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, including a set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers, each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber including a lateral pair of battery module compartments that are each configured to fit a respective battery module therein, each battery module compartment of each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber including an insertion-side through which the respective battery module may be inserted and/or removed, and each battery module compartment of each longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chamber configured to be sealed when a respective insertion-side is closed via a respective insertion-side cover, wherein a type of battery module compartment chamber in the set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers and/or a number of battery module compartment chambers in the set of longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers is selected to satisfy a size requirement for the battery module mounting area.
- Another embodiment is directed to a method of arranging a battery module mounting area of an energy storage system, including determining a size requirement for the battery module mounting area, obtaining physical dimensions for a battery module compartment chamber, the battery module compartment chamber including a lateral pair of battery module compartments that are each configured to fit a respective battery module therein, each battery module compartment including an insertion-side through which the respective battery module may be inserted and/or removed, and each battery module compartment configured to be sealed when a respective insertion-side is closed via a respective insertion-side cover, identifying a maximum number of battery module compartment chambers that can be longitudinally stacked together without exceeding the size requirement, and generating a design for the battery module mounting area that includes the maximum number of battery module compartment chambers.
- A more complete appreciation of embodiments of the disclosure will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are presented solely for illustration and not limitation of the disclosure, and in which:
-
FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate different perspectives of one particular example of a battery housing for a conventional electric vehicle. -
FIG. 1C illustrates a portion of the battery housing ofFIGS. 1A-1B , which shows bolts that are screwed into a top-cover between adjacent battery modules in order to secure the battery housing. -
FIG. 2A illustrates a top-perspective of a cross-section of an electric vehicle including a battery housing in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 2B illustrates a front-perspective of a battery housing arrangement of the electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 2C illustrates an impact distribution through the battery housing of the electric vehicle from a left side-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 2D illustrates an impact distribution through the battery housing of the electric vehicle from a top-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 2E illustrates an impact distribution through the battery housing of the electric vehicle from a top-perspective in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 3A illustrates a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 3B illustrates example construction of a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 3C illustrates an example of the battery module compartment chamber ofFIG. 3B in more detail in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 3D illustrates a battery housing reinforcement configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 3E illustrates the battery housing reinforcement configuration ofFIG. 3D installed in an electric vehicle from a bottom-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a front-perspective or rear-perspective of a hinged-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 5A illustrates a top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 5B illustrates the top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration ofFIG. 5A from an alternative perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 5C illustrates the top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration ofFIG. 5A from the alternative perspective as shown inFIG. 5B with each battery module compartment on the right-side of the battery module mounting area being sealed via top-covers in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 5D illustrates a side-view of a portion of an alternative top-inserted (or Z-axis vertically inserted) battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 5E illustrates a front-perspective or rear-perspective of a bottom-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 6 illustrates battery housing components and related components of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. -
FIG. 7 illustrates a process of arranging (or designing) a battery module mounting area in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. - Embodiments of the disclosure are provided in the following description and related drawings. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, well-known elements of the disclosure will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the disclosure.
- Energy storage systems may rely upon batteries for storage of electrical power. For example, in certain conventional electric vehicle (EV) designs (e.g., fully electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, etc.), a battery housing mounted into an electric vehicle houses a plurality of battery cells (e.g., which may be individually mounted into the battery housing, or alternatively may be grouped within respective battery modules that each contain a set of battery cells, with the respective battery modules being mounted into the battery housing). The battery modules in the battery housing are connected to a battery junction box (BJB) via busbars, which distribute electric power to an electric motor that drives the electric vehicle, as well as various other electrical components of the electric vehicle (e.g., a radio, a control console, a vehicle Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, internal lights, external lights such as head lights and brake lights, etc.).
-
FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate different perspectives of one particular example of abattery housing 100 for a conventional electric vehicle. As used herein, the orientation of particular components illustrated inFIGS. 1A-1B (as well as other FIGS) are described with respect to X, Y and Z axes (or directions). The X axis (or direction) is longitudinal and runs lengthwise along the electric vehicle (e.g., from a front of the electric vehicle to a rear of the electric vehicle, or vice versa). The Y axis (or direction) is lateral and runs widthwise along the electric vehicle (e.g., from a right side of the electric vehicle to a left side of the electric vehicle, or vice versa). The Z axis (or direction) runs vertically along the electric vehicle (e.g., from a top of the electric vehicle to a bottom of the electric vehicle, or vice versa) - Referring to
FIGS. 1A-1B , thebattery housing 100 includes a batterymodule mounting area 105 and a top-cover 110. The batterymodule mounting area 105 may be physically located underneath a floor of the electric vehicle (e.g., attached with bolts, etc., to become a removably attached portion of a structural frame or chassis of the electric vehicle). The batterymodule mounting area 105 includes a number of slots into which battery modules may be inserted or installed vertically (i.e., along the Z axis/direction), with each installed battery module configured to connect to one or more busbars (not shown) through which power may be exchanged. As will be appreciated, the batterymodule mounting area 105 has a “bath tub” design in the sense that a single, wide top-opening is the only area through which battery modules can be inserted into a recessed area and/or removed from the recessed area. InFIGS. 1A-1B ,battery modules 115 are shown within the batterymodule mounting area 105 in an inserted or installed-state, whilebattery modules 120 are shown at various degrees of insertion. In particular, the sidewalls of the batterymodule mounting area 105 are fixed, and the depiction of thebattery modules 120 shows that the battery modules 115-120 are inserted into the batterymodule mounting area 105 via a top-opening while the top-cover 110 is not secured. - While not shown explicitly in
FIGS. 1A-1B , after all of the battery modules 115-120 are inserted into the batterymodule mounting area 105, the top-cover 110 may be secured onto the battery module mounting area 105 (e.g., via bolts, etc.) to form the battery housing 100 (or trough).FIG. 1C illustrates aportion 100C of thebattery housing 100, which showsbolts 105C that are screwed into the top-cover 110 between adjacent battery modules 110C in order to secure thebattery housing 100. - Referring to
FIGS. 1A-1C , while not shown explicitly, high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) busbars that connect to the battery modules 115-120 may be distributed across thewhole battery housing 100, which consumes significant physical space, and it may be difficult to realize the required cross section to carry current without excess power loss. Further, the batterymodule mounting area 105 may be made from extruded or die-cast aluminum, or sheet metal. The top-cover 110 (e.g., which may be made out of plastic or thin sheet metal) is intended to protect and seal thebattery housing 100 from various external environmental factors such as liquids (e.g., if a passenger drops his/her beverage, the top-cover 110 will help to limit any leakage from seeping into the battery housing 100). However, it may be difficult for a single battery housing-wide top-cover, such as top-cover 110, to compensate for all the tolerances of production and also for deformations during vehicle operation. For example, there is no hard joint connection between the top-cover 110 (e.g., typically made from thin sheet metal or plastic) and thebattery housing 100 over the whole contact zone, such that the top-cover 110 will generally buckle easily in response to a crash impact. - Further, referring to
FIGS. 1A-1C , while thebattery housing 100 is sealed from the external environment when the top-cover 110 is secured, the individual battery modules are not sealed off from each other within thebattery housing 100, such that a hazardous condition at one battery module (e.g., a cell rupture or leak, excessive heat or fire, etc.) may propagate to adjacent battery modules within thebattery housing 100. The lack of an effective seal between the individual battery modules within thebattery housing 100 may be caused by various factors, including the battery housing-wide distribution of busbars and the use of a single top-cover 110 for theentire battery housing 100 as described above with respect toFIGS. 1A-1C . Also, in the case of cell venting, the outgoing gas and inner cell material may spread to other battery modules so as to contaminate other battery modules in thebattery housing 100. -
FIG. 2A illustrates a top-perspective of a cross-section of anelectric vehicle 200A including abattery housing 205A in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 2A depicts various well-known components (e.g., wheels, axles, etc.) of theelectric vehicle 200A to provide general context, but these components are not described in detail below for the sake of brevity. With respect toFIG. 2A and other FIGS described below, reference to battery “housing” and battery “module mounting area” is somewhat interchangeable. The battery module mounting area inFIG. 2A (and other FIGS described below) refers to an arrangement of battery module compartments configured to receive insertion of battery modules and to be sealed via insertion-side covers to form a battery housing. Unlike the trough or bathtub-style batterymodule mounting area 105 described above with respect toFIGS. 1A-1C , the battery module compartments may be sealed individually or in groups, such that at least some of the battery module compartments are sealed from other battery module compartments in the same battery housing, as will be described below in more detail. - Further, in at least one embodiment, the battery module mounting area is part of a floor of the electric vehicle that acts as a structural component that is permanently (or irremovably) integrated into a chassis of the
electric vehicle 200A (e.g., via welding or gluing, in contrast toFIGS. 1A-1C where the batterymodule mounting area 105 is simply bolted onto the chassis). Integrating the battery module mounting area as a permanent or irremovable fixture of the chassis of theelectric vehicle 200A helps to structurally reinforce theelectrical vehicle 200A, as will be described in more detail below. However, while not described in detail below, it is also possible for the battery module mounting area to be attached to the chassis of theelectric vehicle 200A (e.g., via bolts, etc.) without being part of the chassis itself. Accordingly, embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to a permanent or irremovable implementation of the battery module mounting area. Also, as noted above, the battery housing refers to a sealed combination of the battery module mounting area plus any associated covers, seals or interface components (e.g., cooling system interface plugs or connectors plus associated seals, electrical system interface components such as LV/HV connectors and associated seals, etc.). - Referring to
FIG. 2A , thebattery housing 205A includes ten battery module compartments denoted as A . . . J, and amiddle bar 210A that is positioned between battery module compartments A . . . E and battery module compartments F . . . J on different longitudinal sides of theelectric vehicle 200A. Each battery module compartment includes a frame (or plurality of walls) defining an interior space configured to fit a respective battery module, and an insertion-side which may be opened to facilitate insertion and/or removal of the respective battery module. Themiddle bar 210A may be constructed from the dividers (or firewalls) that separate laterally adjacent (e.g., aligned laterally or width-wise along the Y axis) battery module compartments A . . . J (e.g., the firewall between battery module compartments A and F, the firewall between battery module compartments B and G, etc.). - In an example, the
middle bar 210A may be one single longitudinal “bar” that extends across the entirety of thebattery housing 205A. In this case, the interior side-walls of each battery module compartment may be attached to themiddle bar 210A to form the battery module mounting area. In an alternative example, each laterally adjacent battery module compartment pair may be pre-constructed as a battery module compartment chamber with its own chamber-specific firewall for separating its respective laterally adjacent battery module compartments. The battery module compartment chambers may be stacked longitudinally to form the battery module mounting area, as will be discussed below with respect toFIGS. 3B-3C . In this case, themiddle bar 210A is an aggregation of the individual firewalls contained in each respective battery module compartment chamber across thebattery housing 205A. - While the
middle bar 210A is illustrated inFIG. 2A as being centered in thebattery housing 205A, themiddle bar 210A can be positioned in other locations (e.g., closer to one side or the other, so as to fit differently-sized battery modules on left and right sides of the battery module mounting area) in other embodiments. Further, multiple middle bars could be deployed in other implementations. For example, a particularly wide vehicle may be equipped with a battery module mounting area that is wider than the lengths of two battery modules, such that a gap may be present between the two battery modules inserted into a laterally adjacent pair of battery module compartments. In this case, two separate firewalls may be used for each laterally adjacent battery module compartment so that respective battery modules can comfortably fit therein, with a gap in-between the two firewalls. The two firewalls may form part of two separate “middle” bars (even though each respective firewall may be offset from a center or middle of thebattery housing 205A), with the two separate middle bars either corresponding to two long “bars” extending across thebattery housing 205A or two aggregations of chamber-specific firewalls from longitudinally stacked battery module compartment chambers. In at least one embodiment, the gap between the two separate middle bars may be used as a tunnel space (e.g., to facilitate optical communication, to run LV/HV busbars, etc.), although the embodiments describe below relate to an implementation where the tunnel space is defined above the battery module compartments (i.e., higher along the Z axis), and not in a gap between laterally adjacent battery module compartments. - It will be appreciated that the
battery housing 205A including ten battery module compartments A . . . J is shown inFIG. 2A for example purposes only. For example, as described below with respect toFIGS. 6-7 , an electric vehicle with a longer wheel base may be configured with a battery housing having more battery module compartments (e.g., 12, 14, etc.), while an electric vehicle with a shorter wheel base may be configured with a battery housing having fewer battery module compartments (e.g., 8, 6, etc.). - As used herein, a “battery module” is a package that contains a plurality of battery cells, such as lithium ion battery cells. Battery modules could be configured with a prismatic or pouch battery cell arrangement (sometimes referred to as a soft pack), while other battery modules are configured with a cylindrical battery cell arrangement. Generally, prismatic or pouch battery modules are more efficient in terms of battery cell stacking, while cylindrical cells in cylindrical battery modules do not stack as well (e.g., more empty space inside battery module) but have a higher energy density (and any empty space can be repurposed, for cooling and fire prevention because air is a good heat insulator).
- Referring to
FIG. 2A , battery module compartments A . . . J form part of a battery module mounting area of thebattery housing 205A which is sealed in part by a plurality of covers installed on (or closed over) a respective insertion-side of each battery module compartment. More specifically, when the respective covers are installed, some or all of the battery module compartments A . . . J are each configured to be sealed from each other as well as with respect to an environment external to thebattery housing 205A. Further, the battery module compartments A . . . E are arranged longitudinally (i.e., along X direction or lengthwise with respect to electric vehicle) on a right-side of theelectric vehicle 200A, while battery module compartments F . . . J are arranged longitudinally on a left-side of theelectric vehicle 200A. In an example, to form a seal, the plurality of covers may each be configured with a sealing substance or compound (e.g., dispensed foam, rubber or a sealing adhesive such as glue or caulk). In at least one embodiment, a right-side bumper 220A and a left-side bumper 225A may be attached to thebattery housing 205A on the right-side and left-side of theelectric vehicle 200A, respectively. - As used herein, a battery module compartment being “sealed” refers to a seal that is at least water-tight or liquid-tight, and optionally gas-tight (at least, with respect to certain gases such as smoke from fire, carbon, electrolyte particles, etc.). Generally, the sealing of the battery module compartments is a result of its interior walls being welded or glued together (where possible), and any connection interfaces (e.g., insertion-side cover, coolant interface plugs, electrical interface connectors, etc.) being sealed with a suitable type of sealant (e.g., O-ring, rubber gasket, sealing compound, etc.). While the sealing of the battery module compartments could potentially be hermetic (e.g., gas-tight with respect to all gases), hermetic sealing is not necessary (e.g., due to high cost). Accordingly, the sealing of the battery module compartments may be configured to block propagation of likely contaminants (e.g., liquids such as water, flames and/or smoke from fires, carbon, electrolyte particles, etc.) between battery module compartments.
- Referring to
FIG. 2A , in at least one embodiment, each respective cover may be implemented as an endplate that is physically integrated with a corresponding battery module. In this case, when the cover (or endplate) is secured into a battery module compartment, the position and orientation of the battery module inside of the battery module compartment can be controlled (or fixed) based on the battery module being sandwiched between the cover (or endplate) on one side of the battery module compartment and at least one interior wall (or firewall) (e.g., multiple firewalls may be used to help to define a tunnel space between battery module compartments A . . . E and batter module compartments F . . . J as described below in more detail) on an opposing side of the battery module compartment (e.g., between battery module compartments A and F, B and G, C and H, D and I, or E and J). In this manner, the endplate and battery module compartment may be closed and sealed to form a closed compartment profile that functions as a stiff structural element that helps to stiffen (or structurally reinforce) theelectric vehicle 200A. In particular, the firewalls between laterally adjacent batter module compartments form a strongmiddle bar 210A as noted above, while laterally aligned interior walls of the battery module compartments form a series of structural support bars arranged perpendicularly to themiddle bar 210A along the Y axis. Themiddle bar 210A and laterally aligned interior bars may function together to increase the stiffness of thebattery housing 205A as well as to increase resistance to deformation in the shape of thebattery housing 205A (e.g., increased resistance to a torsion-effect that changes a parallelogram shape of thebattery housing 205A). - As will be described in more detail below, the insertion-side for the battery module compartments A . . . J may vary between different battery module mounting area configurations. For example, the plurality of covers that cover the insertion sides of battery module compartments A . . . J may comprise top-covers for a top-inserted battery module mounting area configuration, or side-covers for a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration or a hinged-inserted battery module mounting area configuration. Also, as will be described in more detail below, in certain embodiments, a 1:1 ratio between the plurality of covers and the battery module compartments A . . . J is maintained, such that each cover is configured to individually cover (and seal) a single battery module compartment (e.g., N covers for N battery module compartments). In an alternative embodiment, one or more covers may be configured to cover (and seal) a group of battery module compartments, although unlike the top-
cover 110 depicted inFIGS. 1A-1C , the group of battery module compartments will include less than all of the battery module compartments. In the case of a group-cover, the battery module compartments that are part of the group are sealed from any adjacent battery module compartment outside of the group. In one example, each of the plurality of covers may be configured to seal two battery module compartments (e.g., N/2 covers for N battery module compartments). As used herein, reference to a “subset” of battery module compartments refers to either an individual battery module compartment that is individually sealed by a single corresponding cover or a group of two or more (and less than all) battery module compartments that are collectively sealed by a single corresponding cover. - Referring to
FIG. 2A , themiddle bar 210A is configured to increase the overall stiffness of thebattery housing 205A (and thereby, theelectric vehicle 200A). In an example, themiddle bar 210A may be positioned underneath atunnel space 215A that, similar to themiddle bar 210A, may be centered between battery module compartments A . . . E and battery module compartments F . . . J. As noted above, the battery module compartment firewalls that comprise themiddle bar 210A limit propagation of hazards (e.g., excessive heat or fire, fluid leaks, etc.) between battery module compartments A . . . E and battery module compartments F . . . J. Thetunnel space 215A optionally permits wireless communication (e.g., optical communication) between the battery modules inserted into the battery compartments A . . . J and a wireless communications interface (not shown) that may be deployed at some point along thetunnel space 215A. In an example, thetunnel space 215A may be outside of the battery module compartments A . . . J and effectively on ‘top’ of thebattery housing 205A in the middle (or Y-axis center) of theelectric vehicle 200A (e.g., along the top ofmiddle bar 210A). Alternatively, as noted above, instead of being defined over, or on ‘top’, of thebattery housing 205A, thetunnel space 215A may instead be vertically aligned (or level) with the battery modules A . . . J in thebattery housing 205A in-between adjacent battery module compartments on different lateral sides of theelectric vehicle 200A (e.g., two interior walls or firewalls are used to seal each pair of laterally adjacent battery module compartments, with spaces in-between each pair of laterally adjacent battery module compartments defining the tunnel space 215). While the example embodiment ofFIG. 2A depicts ten battery module compartments denoted as A . . . J as noted above, other embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to battery housings with any number of battery module compartments (e.g., to accommodate vehicles with shorter or longer wheel bases, as noted above and described in more detail below with respect toFIGS. 6-7 ). - While not shown expressly in the top-perspective depicted in
FIG. 2A , one or more busbars (e.g., high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) busbars) may be deployed along thetunnel space 215A to provide an electrical connection between battery modules inserted into any of the battery module compartments A . . . J and a battery junction box (BJB). In an example, each battery module compartment may include HV connectors for connecting battery modules in adjacent battery module compartments in series. For example, the BJB may connect to an HV input connector on battery module compartment J, which is plugged into a battery module and connects to an HV output connector on battery module compartment J. The HV output connector connects to an HV busbar which is connected to an HV input connector on battery module compartment I, and so on. In this manner, the battery module in battery module compartment J may be daisy-chained in series to the battery module in battery module compartment I, which is in turn daisy-chained (in order) to battery modules in battery module compartments H, G, F, A, B, C, D and E, with the HV output connector in battery module compartment E being connected back to the BJB to complete the HV power connection between the BJB and the respective battery modules of thebattery housing 205A. In an example, HV connectors may be paired together as a paired HV connector component, with an HV input connector and an HV output connector arranged on different sides of the paired HV connector component (e.g., such that the respective HV connectors are configure do connect to battery modules on different sides of thebattery housing 205A). For example, a battery module in battery module compartment J may connect to an HV input connector portion of the paired HV connector component, with a battery module in battery module compartment E connecting to an HV output connector portion of the paired HV connector component. Also, each battery module compartment may also include an LV connector which facilitates a connection between the battery module and the BJB without daisy-chaining to the other battery module compartments as noted above for the HV power connection. The LV connector may function as a data port or data interface between various LV components inside the battery module, such as sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, smoke sensors, etc.), and the BJB. For example, the LV connector may be coupled to an optical communications interface (e.g., an IR interface) arranged inside thetunnel space 215A that has a line-of-sight (LOS) to a corresponding optical communications interface coupled to the BJB to facilitate a data connection between the battery module and the BJB. Alternatively, the LV connector may simply be wired to the BJB via one or more wires that are run along thetunnel space 215A. In an example, using the optical communications interface for supporting the module-to-BJB data connection may simplify battery module installation in the sense that no control wiring is necessary to connect an installed battery module to the BJB (i.e., a technician can simply insert the battery module into a corresponding battery module compartment, which couples the battery module to the LV connector, which is coupled to LV bus bars that bridge a connection to the BJB via the optical communications interface). In an example, the HV connectors and LV connectors in the battery module compartment and integrated into the battery modules may include plug-type and socket-type connectors. - In an example, centering the busbars along the
tunnel space 215A in the middle of theelectric vehicle 200A helps to isolate the busbars from crash impact zones (e.g., the left and right sides of theelectric vehicle 200A), which in turn protects the busbars from crash impact-related damage. Also, defining thetunnel space 215A on top of themiddle bar 210A, which may be configured as a strong metal ‘spine’ of thebattery housing 205A, may likewise help to protect the busbars with thetunnel space 215A functioning as a relatively protected area (e.g., from crash impact-related damage, etc.). Thetunnel space 215A may also function as an electromagnetic shield that protects the busbars from external electromagnetic interference. In an example, the busbars may be attached to a top-portion of the battery module compartments (e.g., see hole configurations inFIGS. 3B-3C where LV/HV connectors may be inserted) in proximity to the firewall(s), so that the tunnel space 215 remains substantially empty, which may facilitate unobstructed (line-of-sight of point-to-point) communication for optical communications. The central busbars may include LV busbars and HV busbars, as noted above. - With respect to the embodiment whereby the
tunnel space 215A is defined on ‘top’ of thebattery housing 205A, in an example, each pair of laterally adjacent battery module compartments may include a set of holes located proximately to thetunnel space 215A and aligned perpendicular to a direction in which the battery module is inserted or removed (e.g., for lateral or side-insertion, the holes may be on an upper wall or top wall of the battery module compartment). LV and HV connectors are mounted into the set of holes for connecting battery modules to LV and HV busbars in thetunnel space 215A. For example, HV connectors and an LV connector may be inserted into the set of holes, and then secured and sealed. Then, when a battery module is inserted into the battery module compartment, an electrical interface of the battery module is aligned with the HV and LV connectors such that the battery module is plugged into the HV and LV connectors upon full insertion into the battery module compartment, and the battery module is disconnected from the HV and LV connectors when removed from the battery module compartment. In an example, the HV and LV connectors may interface with battery modules on both sides of the battery module mounting. As noted above, the HV connectors may each be configured within a paired HV connector component, whereby each paired HV connector component includes a first HV connector configured for coupling to a battery module in a first battery module compartment on one lateral side (e.g., left side or right side) of the battery module mounting area, and also a second HV configured for coupling to a second battery module on the other lateral side (e.g., left side or right side) of the battery module mounting area. - Moreover, battery modules in battery module compartments that are adjacent to each other longitudinally (as opposed to laterally adjacent battery modules) may be electrically coupled to each other via the HV busbars in series, as noted above. In
FIG. 2A , this means that ‘neighbor’ battery modules in battery compartments A and B are electrically coupled, that ‘neighbor’ battery modules in battery compartments B and C are electrically coupled, and so on. This electric coupling can be chained from battery module compartment to battery module compartment with HV being available at the BJB once a last battery module is inserted (e.g., each of battery module compartments A . . . J). - The LV and HV connectors may be sealed (e.g., via a plastic cover, a rubber gasket, a sealing adhesive, a sealing ring such as an O-Ring in an axial or a radial direction, etc.) so that each battery module compartment is sealed (e.g., either individually or in context with a battery module compartment group if a group-cover is used as noted above). In an example, the LV and HV busbars may be secured to the respective LV and HV connectors via screwing.
- As will be described in more detail below, positioning the busbars in the
tunnel space 215A may permit workers (e.g., assembly workers at a vehicle assembly plant during assembly of theelectric vehicle 200A, maintenance workers, etc.) access to a particular subset of battery module compartments (e.g., an individual battery module compartment with a dedicated cover or a group of battery module compartments that share a single cover) without being exposed to voltage from battery modules outside of the particular subset of battery module compartments. For example, as noted above, the HV connectors of the respective battery module compartments may be positioned in an interior or centered portion of theelectric vehicle 200A, while the workers may be located outside theelectric vehicle 200A for a lateral module insertion scenario, thereby shielded from the central HV busbars. - In particular, during insertion of a battery module that includes an integrated cover (or endplate), the worker may insert the battery module into a battery module compartment and couple the battery module to at least one corresponding busbar (e.g., via connectors to LV and HV busbars, such as plugs, where the battery module coupling may occur by virtue of the worker pushing or sliding an electrical interface of the battery module into the corresponding connector), and then secure (e.g., by tightening bolts, etc.) the cover (or endplate) to the battery module compartment so that the battery module compartment is sealed. Likewise, during removal, the worker may free or unlock the cover attachment mechanism (e.g., by removing bolts, etc.), and may then slide the battery module out of the battery module compartment. Hence, in at least one embodiment, during either insertion or removal, the worker only accesses the battery module(s) inside one particular subset of battery module compartments and its associated busbar(s) at a time without exposing the workers to the HV busbars. By contrast, in
FIGS. 1A-1C , removal of the top-cover 110 exposes workers to each installed battery module as well as all the associated busbars, including HV busbars. Hence, granting the workers access to the battery modules of thebattery housing 205A on a subset-specific basis (e.g., while sealing off any high-voltage (HV) wiring as discussed below with respect topipe 355A ofFIG. 3A ) functions to reduce a level of voltage that the workers may be exposed to in association with battery module insertion/removal during assembly and/or maintenance of theelectric vehicle 200A. - In an embodiment, the BJB may also be positioned in a middle or center (longitudinally) of the
electric vehicle 200A on top of thebattery housing 205A. For example, to simplify and/or shorten HV routing and improve safety, the BJB may be positioned at one end of thebattery housing 105 above the battery module compartments E and J, or alternatively at the other end of thebattery housing 105 above the battery module compartments A and F). In an example, positioning the BJB in the middle of theelectric vehicle 200A above thetunnel space 215A may reduce an electrical connection length between the BJB and electrical connections to the battery modules due to the busbars being run along thetunnel space 215A. However, it will be appreciated that the BJB can be placed anywhere in the electric vehicle 205 and is not required to be installed proximately to thebattery housing 205A. While not shown expressly inFIG. 2A , an underride guard may be attached to an underride of thebattery housing 205A to protect the battery from bollards or parts from below. -
FIG. 2B illustrates a front-perspective of abattery housing arrangement 200B of theelectric vehicle 200A in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring toFIG. 2B , aBJB 205B is shown as mounted onto thebattery housing 205A in a longitudinally centered-position above themiddle bar 210A, with right-side bumper 220A and left-side bumper 225A being attached to thebattery housing 205A. Thetunnel space 215A is also depicted above thebattery housing 205A. - Referring to
FIGS. 2A-2B , in at least one embodiment, electrical interfaces (e.g., the LV and HV connectors installed in holes of a respective battery module compartment through which battery modules connect to the LV and HV busbars as noted above) between the battery modules in battery module compartments A . . . J and the busbars may be sealed (e.g., with an O-ring or rubber gasket, a sealing adhesive such as glue, etc.). The holes in each respective battery module compartment may be sealed either radially or axially. In an example, each battery module compartment cover (or subset of battery module compartments sharing a single cover), and sealed electrical interface (and possibly other sealed interfaces such as sealed input/output cooling tube connectors to a cooling system as discussed below in more detail) function together to seal an individual battery module compartment (or subset of battery module compartments sharing a single cover) with respect to hazards such as excessive heat or fire, liquid and/or gases, as well as environmental hazards (e.g., liquids seeping into thebattery housing 205A from a vehicle interior, etc.), so that a hazard (or contaminant) in one particular battery module compartment (or subset of battery module compartments sharing a single cover) is contained and does not propagate to adjacent battery module compartments. -
FIG. 2C illustrates an impact distribution 200C through thebattery housing 205A of theelectric vehicle 200A from a left side-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. InFIG. 2C ,crash forces 205C cause impact to a front of theelectric vehicle 200A. The crash forces 205C are distributed substantially along anupper layer 210C (e.g., including a top-side of the respective battery module compartments plus one or more reinforcement bars) and a lower layer 215C (e.g., including a bottom-side of the respective battery module compartments plus one or more reinforcement bars and/or an underride guard) of thebattery housing 205A, as depicted inFIG. 2C with arrows. Thebattery housing 205A, in part due to the arrangement of themiddle bar 210A (not shown explicitly inFIG. 2C ) and lateralinterior bars 220C (e.g., formed from side-walls of the battery module compartments which run perpendicular to themiddle bar 210A), forms a closed compartment profile (e.g., formed by the stacked and individually sealed subsets of battery module compartments), which provides higher stiffness (or resistance to impact forces) in longitudinal, transverse and torsion directions relative to the battery housing configuration depicted inFIGS. 1A-1C . In an example, the lower layer 215 may include a bottom-wall of the individual battery module compartments and/or A . . . J and/or an underride guard that is affixed to the entire underride of thebattery housing 205A. - In other words, in at least one embodiment, the
battery housing 205A forms a “sandwich” structure that is comprised of an underride guard, the closed compartment profile (e.g., formed by the stacked and individually sealed subsets of battery module compartments) which provides themiddle bar 210A (e.g., formed from the respective firewalls between laterally adjacent battery module compartments) as well as the lateralinterior bars 220C, and longitudinal top/bottom beams (e.g., described below in more detail below as top/bottom bars with respect toFIGS. 3C-3E ). In an example, the sandwich structure created by the above-noted components permits thebattery housing 205A to act as a permanent or irremovable structural element of a chassis (e.g., based on welding and/or gluing of the respective components to the chassis) of theelectric vehicle 200A. Moreover, a removable rocker panel (which is not directly a part of thebattery housing 205A or associated sandwich structure) may be attached after the insertion (and sealing) of the battery modules to help guide crash forces to the sandwich structure of thebattery housing 205A. -
FIG. 2D illustrates animpact distribution 200D through thebattery housing 205A of theelectric vehicle 200A from a top-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The top-perspective depicted inFIG. 2D is similar toFIG. 2A , except that the force distribution from thecrash forces 205C is depicted inFIG. 2D with arrows. Thebattery housing 205A, in part due to the arrangement of themiddle bar 210A and the outer side-walls (e.g., for lateral insertion, this would include the insertion-side covers of battery module compartments A . . . J) function to distribute thecrash forces 205C substantially along themiddle bar 210A and the outer walls of thebattery housing 205A. Accordingly, consideringFIGS. 2C-2D together, the crash forces 205C are distributed substantially along theupper layer 210C and the lower layer 215C while at the same time being distributed substantially along themiddle bar 210A and the outer walls of thebattery housing 205A, which collectively functions to reduce stress upon the battery module compartments A . . . J and associated busbars relative to the battery housing configuration depicted inFIGS. 1A-1C . -
FIG. 2E illustrates animpact distribution 200E through thebattery housing 205A of theelectric vehicle 200A from a top-perspective in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. InFIG. 2E ,crash forces 205E cause impact to a left-side of theelectric vehicle 200A. The top-perspective depicted inFIG. 2E is similar toFIG. 2A , except that the force distribution from thecrash forces 205E is depicted inFIG. 2E with arrows. As shown inFIG. 2E , thebattery housing 205A functions to distribute thecrash forces 205E substantially along the lateralinterior bars 220C which are formed from side-walls of the battery module compartments A . . . J. More specifically, in an example, thecrash forces 205E will first contact the removable rocker panel. By the deformation of the rocker panel, thecrash forces 205E will be distributed to the designed force paths, which will ensure that thecrash forces 205E are transferred substantially ‘around’ the battery modules (i.e., through the lateralinterior bars 220C) of the battery module compartments. This will help to ensure that the battery cells inside the respective battery modules of the battery module compartments will undergo little to no deformation in response to thecrash forces 205E. While not shown explicitly in the top-perspective ofFIG. 2E , thecrash forces 205E may also be distributed along theupper layer 210C and the lower layer 215C as well. - Even if the
battery housing 105 depicted inFIGS. 1A-1C includes some type of wall, divider or bridge between the slots containing the battery modules 115-120 for reinforcement, the deployment of the single top-cover 110 (e.g., typically made out of plastic or thin sheet metal) restricts the amount of force distribution along these walls, dividers, or bridges relative to the side-walls of the battery module compartments A . . . J. For example, in an implementation where each of battery module compartments A . . . J includes its own dedicated cover, each battery module compartment side-wall (which forms part of a lateralinterior bar 220C) would be stiffer and hence facilitate more force distribution relative to the inter-module dividers used inFIGS. 1A-1C which are all covered by the single top-cover 110. In another example, in an implementation where a subset of battery module compartments include a group-specific cover, the respective battery module compartment side-walls (each of which form part of a lateralinterior bar 220C) would still be stiffer and hence facilitate more force distribution relative to the inter-module dividers used inFIGS. 1A-1C which are all covered by the single top-cover 110. - Referring to
FIGS. 2A-2E , in an embodiment, a cooling plate can be integrated into each battery module. In an example, the cooling plate may be positioned directly on the bottom of battery modules (e.g., for cylindrical cells) or in some other position (e.g., for prismatic or pouch cells). In a pouch cell example, if the pouch cells are horizontally oriented, the cooling plate may be positioned on the left and right sides of the battery module. Alternatively, if the pouch cells are vertically oriented, the cooling plate may be mounted directly on the bottom of battery modules, similar to cylindrical cells. The cooling plate may attach to a cooling interface (e.g., cooling tubes that connect to coolant tube plug connections through which coolant fluid is pumped to carry heat away from the battery module). In one embodiment, the input/output cooling tube plug connections may be integrated into an insertion-side cover of each battery module compartment. So, the input/output cooling tube plug connections may be integrated into the insertion-side cover, which in turn may be integrated with the battery module. - In an example, the cooling tubes may connect to a cooling system located outside of the
battery housing 205A (e.g., via a cooling manifold). In a further example, all plug connections from the cooling system may be located on an exterior-facing side of thebattery housing 205A (e.g., via integration into an exterior-facing battery module compartment cover). Thus, in case of a crash where a manifold outside thebattery housing 205A is damaged, cooling liquid will leak out of theelectric vehicle 200A without reaching the battery modules in the sealed battery module compartments (e.g., a breaking point (or area) may be defined such that, in the event of deformation to the rocket panel caused by a crash impact, the cooling tubes are disconnected). In an example, as noted above, the input/output cooling tube plug connectors for the cooling system may be built into a cover for a battery module compartment. Via their metallic construction (e.g., sheet metal construction, extruded or die-cast aluminum construction, etc.), each battery module compartment may function as a heat sink that siphons heat from its battery module towards its cooling plate (e.g., which may be located at the bottom of the battery module), which then routes the heat the away from the respective battery module compartment via the cooling tube. - The
battery housing 205A described above with respect toFIGS. 2A-2E may be based on various battery module mounting area configurations, as will be described below with respect toFIGS. 3A-5D . In particular,FIGS. 3A-3E describe a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration,FIG. 4 describe a hinged-inserted battery module mounting area configuration andFIGS. 5A-5E describe vertically-inserted battery module mounting area configurations. -
FIG. 3A illustrates a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration for a battery housing of anelectric vehicle 300A in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. - Referring to
FIG. 3A , theelectric vehicle 300A includes a batterymodule mounting area 305A that includes, on a left side of theelectric vehicle 300A, battery module compartments configured to receivebattery modules 310A-335A via left-side lateral insertion. InFIG. 3A ,battery modules 310A-325A are shown at different degrees of lateral insertion, whilebattery modules 330A-335A are shown in a fully-inserted state. While not shown explicitly inFIG. 3A , the batterymodule mounting area 305A may further include, on a right side of theelectric vehicle 300A, battery module compartments configured to receiveother battery modules 310A-335A via right-side lateral (or side) insertion. More specifically, the insertion-sides of thebattery modules 310A-335A correspond to the left exterior-facing lateral side of each respective battery module compartment on the left side (longitudinally) of theelectric vehicle 300A, and the insertion-sides of the battery modules of each respective battery module compartment on the right side (longitudinally) correspond to the right exterior-facing lateral side of theelectric vehicle 300A. By virtue of the insertion-side being exterior-facing, workers may access the individual battery module compartments for insertion and/or removal of battery modules without having to maneuver themselves inside of theelectric vehicle 300A. - Also shown in
FIG. 3A are a set ofcovers 340A which can be attached to the battery module compartments upon insertion of thebattery modules 310A-335A. in an example, the set ofcovers 340A may either be integrated with theirrespective battery modules 310A-335A prior to installation into the batterymodule mounting area 305A, or alternatively may be separate components from thebattery modules 310A-335A which are installed (e.g., via bolts, etc.) after insertion. As shown inFIG. 3A , eachbattery module 310A-335A include two cooling tube plug connectors configured to be threaded through corresponding holes in the set ofcovers 340A for connecting to an external cooling manifold. Also, as noted above, the ratio between battery module compartments and covers may vary by implementation. For a 1:1 ratio, the set ofcovers 340A includes a single (or dedicated) cover for each of the battery module compartments that receive thebattery modules 310A-335A. Alternatively, some or all of the set of covers may be configured to cover multiple battery compartments (e.g., one cover may be configured to cover the battery module compartments forbattery modules 310A-320A while another may be configured to cover the battery module compartments for battery modules 325-335A for a 3:1 ratio of battery module compartments to covers, etc.). In yet another alternative embodiment, one single cover may be configured to cover the battery module compartments forbattery modules 310A-335A on the left-side of theelectric vehicle 300A, while another single cover may be configured to cover the battery module compartments for battery modules on the right-side of theelectric vehicle 300A. In another example, the ratio of battery module compartments to covers need not be the same on both exterior-facing lateral sides of theelectric vehicle 300A. In yet another example, differently-sized covers can be used on either exterior-facing lateral side of the electric vehicle (e.g., the battery module compartments forbattery modules 310A-325A may each have their own dedicated covers while the battery module compartments forbattery modules 330A-335A are allocated a combined cover). Rocker panel 345A may be attached to theelectric vehicle 300A after the set ofcovers 340A is attached to the batterymodule mounting area 305A to form the battery housing. - Referring to
FIG. 3A , aBJB 350A is mounted on top of the batterymodule mounting area 305A, and is electrically connected to thebattery modules 310A-335A (and also the right-side battery modules, which are not shown explicitly inFIG. 3A ) via a pipe orconduit 355A that contains high-voltage (HV) busbars which are coupled to the respective battery modules (e.g., via electrical interfaces or connectors that are sealed via an O-ring so that each battery module compartment remains sealed) -
FIG. 3B illustrates example construction of a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. InFIG. 3B , the batterymodule mounting area 305A is shown as being constructed from a series of batterymodule compartment chambers 300B. Each batterymodule compartment chamber 300B is configured with a battery module compartment on each side as a paired battery module compartment arrangement, with each battery module compartment configured to receive a respective battery module. The batterymodule compartment chamber 300B includes a plurality of exterior walls that define an exterior frame of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B, and at least one interior wall (not shown inFIG. 3B ) that acts as a firewall between the respective battery module compartments of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B and separates (and forms a seal with respect to) the respective battery module compartments. In particular, the at least one interior wall (or firewall) may help to fix the respective battery modules into a desired position upon insertion, to protect each respective battery module compartments from hazards in the other battery module compartment, guide crash forces, support connectors for LV and/or HV wiring and/or reduce a risk that the battery housing itself will collapse. In an example, the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B may include two interior walls in order to define a middle area (or tunnel space) that is sealed off from the respective battery module compartments. In alternative embodiments, the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B may include a single interior wall to seal the respective battery module compartments from each other without defining the tunnel space (e.g., such as in the scenario where the tunnel space is located above the battery housing). Further, in an example, each interior wall of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B may be comprised of a single sheet of sheet metal or a sandwich of sheet metal. - Referring to
FIG. 3B , an insertion-side (or opening) 303B is shown on one particular exterior-facing side of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B. While not shown explicitly inFIG. 3B , an identical insertion-side is arranged on the opposing exterior-facing side of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B. The respective insertion-sides are each configured to permit respective battery modules to be inserted into the respective interior spaces of the respective battery module compartments which are part of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B. As will be described more with respect toFIG. 3B , each respective insertion-side of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B is configured to be closed via respective lateral insertion-side covers so that each battery module compartment in the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B is sealed from the other battery module compartment. Because each batterymodule compartment chamber 300B may be stacked longitudinally with respect to the electric vehicle as shown at 320B, the two battery module compartments in each particular batterymodule compartment chamber 300B are considered to be laterally paired (e.g., left-side and right-side paired battery module compartments at the same longitudinal location along the battery module mounting area). - In
FIG. 3B , holes 305B, 310B and 315B are configured over the tunnel space. In an example, theholes hole 310B may be configured to electrically couple to an LV busbar to the respective battery module compartments via an LV connector mounted into thehole 310B. As noted above, the LV busbar may be wired directly to the BJB, or alternatively may be wired to a wireless communications interface (e.g., an optical communications interface, such as an IR interface) configured to connect to a corresponding wireless communications interface coupled to the BJB. The respective batterymodule compartment chambers 300B may be connected (or stacked) side-by-side longitudinally in series (e.g., via welding, gluing, etc.) as shown at 320B to construct the batterymodule mounting area 305A. In an example, each batterymodule compartment chamber 300B may be independently constructed separate from the actual assembly of the battery module mounting area, and then attached together during the assembly to quickly assemble the battery module mounting area. As discussed below in more detail with respect toFIG. 6 , the precise configuration of the batterymodule compartment chambers 300B is scalable (e.g., by varying a number of batterymodule compartment chambers 300B which are longitudinally stacked together based on a size requirement of the battery module mounting area, etc.) and may vary by implementation to accommodate different battery module mounting area sizing requirements. - The LV and HV connectors mounted into the top-
holes module compartment chamber 300B may be equipped with electrical coupling interfaces (e.g., LV/HV plugs or sockets) to the respective battery modules (as well as the LV/HV busbars) that are configured to be sealed with an 0-ring (e.g., so that the respective battery module compartments are sealed while also protecting the tunnel space against hazards in the respective battery module compartments). Thepipe 355A inFIG. 3A may carry the HV wiring that connects to the HV connectors to permit battery modules, upon insertion into a respective battery module compartment, to be coupled to the respective HV busbars. Thepipe 355A may itself be sealed so that any HV wiring or busbars contained therein is not exposed. - Accordingly, when the battery modules are fully inserted into the respective battery module compartments of the battery
module compartment chamber 300B, the battery module compartments are sealed off from each other (e.g., via walls, covers, and O-rings), while still being connected to both the LV and HV busbars. The sealing of the battery module compartments helps to protect against hazards (e.g., water, excessive heat or fire, gas, etc.) in one battery module compartment from spreading or propagating through the battery housing. -
FIG. 3C illustrates an example of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B ofFIG. 3B in more detail in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. InFIG. 3C , the lateral opening at each battery module compartment of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B may be sealed via acover 300C. In alternative embodiments, a cover configured to seal multiple battery module compartments across different adjacent batterymodule compartment chambers 300B may be used, as discussed above. While thecover 300C inFIG. 3C is shown as an independent component, thecover 300C may alternatively be integrated with a respective battery module prior to installation into a battery module compartment of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B. - Referring to
FIG. 3C , aninterior firewall 305C that seals a respective battery module compartment of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B from the other battery module compartment and/or the tunnel space, and also forms part of themiddle bar 210A, is shown by omitting a portion of the top-side of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B from view. While not shown, in an example where the tunnel space is formed between the laterally adjacent battery module compartments (instead of being above the battery housing), another interior wall that seals the other battery module compartment from the tunnel space may also be part of the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B to define the gap for the tunnel space. A flange 310C and a set of integrated fixation points 315C for securing thecover 300C to the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B, and sealing the respective battery module compartment, are also shown inFIG. 3C . The cambers of batterymodule compartment chamber 300B are divided by theinterior walls 305C. -
FIG. 3D illustrates a batteryhousing reinforcement configuration 300D in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring toFIG. 3D , once the batterymodule mounting area 305A is constructed, the batterymodule mounting area 305A may be reinforced with a bottom-mountedbar 305D (e.g., underneath the flange), a front-mountedbar 310D, a back-mountedbar 315D, side-mountedbars 320D-325D and a set of center-mountedbars 330D. The set of center-mounted bars 315 may be used to define a gap that is used as the tunnel space above the battery housing.FIG. 3E illustrates the batteryhousing reinforcement configuration 300D ofFIG. 3D installed in an electric vehicle from a bottom-perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. While only one bottom-mountedbar 305D is shown inFIG. 3D , it will be appreciated that the bottom-mountedbar 305D may be attached to each side of the batterymodule mounting area 305A as depicted inFIG. 3E . - The battery housing depicted in
FIGS. 3A-3E may correspond to an example implementation of thebattery housing 205A described above with respect toFIGS. 2A-2E , except that the battery housing depicted inFIGS. 3A-3E includes twelve battery module compartments (six on left side and six on right side) while thebattery housing 205A inFIGS. 2A-2E includes ten battery module compartments (five on left side and five on right side). As described below in more detail, the sizes and number of battery module compartments can scale as needed for particular deployments (e.g., based on vehicle size, available battery module sizes, etc.). -
FIG. 4 illustrates a front-perspective or rear-perspective of a hinged-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 400A for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. InFIG. 4 ,battery module compartments respective hinges 415A that are attached tovehicle structure 420A. The hinged-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 400A is depicted in an “open” state, whereby thebattery module compartments battery module compartments battery module compartments respective battery modules battery module compartments battery modules FIG. 4 ), gaps (or cavities) 435A and 440A are formed inside thebattery module compartments - While
FIG. 4 depicthinges 415A being centrally positioned so as to facilitate the battery module compartments 405A-410A rotate ‘inwards’ as shown inFIG. 4 , alternative embodiments may be directed to hinges positioned at left and right exterior positions of thevehicle structure 420A to facilitate the battery module compartments 405A-410A to rotate ‘outwards’. In this alternative embodiment, the insertion-side corresponds to the interior-facing lateral side of the respective battery module compartment, instead of the exterior-facing lateral side as depicted inFIG. 4 . In a closed state, this alternative embodiment would be similar toFIG. 4 in a closed state, except for the location of the hinges. -
FIG. 5A illustrates a top-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 500A for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 5B illustrates the top-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 500A ofFIG. 5A from an alternative perspective in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. - Referring to
FIGS. 5A-5B , the top-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 500A includes a batterymodule mounting area 505A with a plurality of battery module compartments that are each configured to receive, via top-insertion or vertical-insertion, a respective battery module. Upon insertion of a battery module, each battery module compartment may be sealed via a compartment-specific top-cover. As shown with respect to the right-side of the batterymodule mounting area 505A inFIG. 5A ,battery modules 510A are shown at various degrees of insertion. Thebattery modules 510A are each configured to be sealed by one of the top-covers 515A-540A. Similar to the side-covers described above, in certain embodiments the top-covers 515A-540A may be physically integrated with corresponding battery modules prior to installation into the batterymodule mounting area 505A. Also, while illustrated as separate covers inFIG. 5A , certain top-covers may be implemented as “group” top-covers that may be physically integrated with multiple battery modules. Of course, the covers and battery modules could also be installed as separate components in other embodiments. While not shown expressly inFIG. 5A , battery modules and associated top-covers may similarly be inserted into battery module compartments on the left-side of the batterymodule mounting area 505A inFIG. 5A .FIG. 5C illustrates the top-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 500A ofFIG. 5A from the alternative perspective as shown inFIG. 5B with each battery module compartment on the right-side of the batterymodule mounting area 505A being sealed via top-covers 535A-550A in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. - Referring to
FIGS. 5A-5C , the top-covers 515A-540A may be secured to their respective battery modules in at least one embodiment (e.g., via welding, gluing, etc.). In an alternative embodiment, the battery modules and their respective top covers may be separate components (e.g., the battery module is inserted first, followed by its top-cover). - Also depicted in
FIGS. 5A-5C arerocker panels FIGS. 3A-4B are removable while a top-section of each battery module compartment is permanent or fixed (e.g., via welding, etc.), while inFIGS. 5A-5C the side-section of each battery module compartment is fixed while the top-section (or top-cover) is removable. -
FIG. 5D illustrates a side-view of a portion of an alternative top-inserted (or Z-axis vertically inserted) battery module mountingarea configuration 500D for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. InFIGS. 5A-5C , each battery module compartment is individually sealed with its own compartment-specific top-cover, such that there is a 1:1 ratio between battery module compartments and top-covers. InFIG. 5D ,battery modules 505D-515D are inserted in battery module compartments 520D-530D, respectively. The battery module compartments 520D-530D are sealed as a group via a single top-cover 535D, which may be physically integrated with thebattery modules 505D-515D (e.g., multiple battery modules affixed to the same group top-cover) prior to installation into the battery housing. While not shown, the top-cover 535D may extend even further into the top-inserted battery module mounting area so as to seal one or more additional battery module compartments. Except for the ratio between battery module compartments and top-covers, the alternative top-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 500D ofFIG. 5D is similar to the top-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 500A described above with respect toFIGS. 5A-5C . WhileFIG. 5D depicts an example where the top-cover 535D seals three (or more) battery module compartments, other embodiments may be directed to a top-cover configured to seal two battery module compartments, four battery module compartments, and so on. Generally, to improve structural strength and tolerances (e.g., resistance to torsion, to facilitate impact distribution that does not interfere with battery module operation, etc.), at least two top-covers will be deployed to seal the battery module compartments of a particular battery module mounting area. -
FIG. 5E illustrates a front-perspective or rear-perspective of a bottom-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 500E for a battery housing of an electric vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.FIG. 5E is similar toFIG. 5D in some respects, in that the battery module mounting area configurations are each Z-axis vertically inserted that include a group cover. However, the battery module mountingarea configuration 500D relates to a top-inserted battery module configuration whereas the battery module mountingarea configuration 500E relates to a bottom-inserted battery module configuration - Referring to
FIG. 5E ,battery modules battery modules cover 520E, which may be physically integrated with thebattery modules battery modules 505E-510E and bottom-cover 520E may be pushed upwards (e.g., vertically along Z-axis) into the respective battery module compartments (and then secured/sealed). While not shown, the bottom-cover 520E may extend further longitudinally into the bottom-inserted battery module mounting area so as to seal one or more additional battery module compartments. Generally, to improve structural strength and tolerances (e.g., resistance to torsion, to facilitate impact distribution that does not interfere with battery module operation, etc.), at least two bottom-covers will be deployed to seal the battery module compartments of a particular battery module mounting area in accordance with the bottom-inserted battery module mountingarea configuration 500E. - The battery module mounting area (or housing) configurations depicted in
FIGS. 5A-5C may correspond to an example implementation of the battery module mounting area inbattery housing 205A described above with respect toFIGS. 2A-2E , except that the batterymodule mounting area 500A depicted inFIGS. 5A-5C includes twelve battery module compartments (six on left side and six on right side) while thebattery housing 205A inFIGS. 2A-2E includes ten battery module compartments (five on left side and five on right side). As described below in more detail, the sizes and number of battery module compartments can scale as needed for particular deployments (e.g., based on vehicle size, available battery module sizes, etc.). -
FIG. 6 illustrates battery housing components and related components of anelectric vehicle 600 in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. The battery housing depicted inFIG. 6 uses a lateral-inserted battery module mounting area configuration as described above with respect toFIGS. 3A-3E . InFIG. 6 , a batterymodule mounting area 605 is depicted which includes a plurality of battery module compartments formed from battery module compartment chambers such as batterymodule compartment chamber 608 is depicted (e.g., similar to the batterymodule compartment chamber 300B described above with respect toFIG. 3B ). ABJB 615 is mounted onto the batterymodule mounting area 605 and coupled to battery modules sealed inside the battery module compartments via apipe 620 that includes an optional optical pathway for infrared (IR) or optical communication, LV wiring (or LV busbars), or a combination thereof A set of side covers 625 (e.g., one per battery module compartment, or one per group of battery module compartments) is depicted, which may be used to seal the battery module compartments into whichbattery modules 630 are shown in various stages of lateral insertion. As noted above, one or more of the side covers in the set of side covers 625 may optionally be physically integrated with corresponding battery module(s) prior to installation into respective battery module compartment(s). Anunderride guard 635 may be attached to an underside of the batterymodule mounting area 605 to form part of a “sandwich” structure that secures the battery housing (once sealed). Theunderride guard 635 also functions to guide crash forces through the sandwich structure. Acooling manifold 640 may be coupled to sealed (e.g., via O-ring) cooling tube plug connectors formed on the set of side covers 625 to cool the battery modules. Finally, aremovable rocker panel 645 is shown. In an example, thecooling manifold 640 may be located outside the respective battery module compartments so that no fittings or any other cooling tube connection is needed inside the respective battery module compartments (e.g., to reduce the risk of leakage because so that there need only be one metal tube inside each battery module compartment for cooling via a cooling plug connector attached via the respective side-cover). - Referring to
FIG. 6 , the size and configuration of the batterymodule mounting area 608 may be scaled up or down to accommodate wheel base dimensions of different vehicle types, as will be described in more detail below with respect toFIG. 7 . For example, additional batterymodule compartment chambers 608 may be added or remove to increase or decrease a length of the overall battery module mounting area 605 (e.g., so as to accommodate a size requirement for a particular target wheel base). The width of the batterymodule compartment chambers 608 may also be increased or decreased to a desired width in order to correspondingly scale the width of the overall batterymodule mounting area 605. As will be appreciated, different electric vehicle model types (e.g., trucks, SUVs, minivans, sedans, sports coupes, etc.) may have different size requirements for respective battery module mounting areas, and the basic battery module mounting area configurations described in various embodiments of the disclosure can be scaled as needed to accommodate such size requirements. As will be appreciated, any change to the sizing of a battery module compartment will impact the sizing of a corresponding battery module inserted therein. -
FIG. 7 illustrates a process of arranging (or designing) a battery module mounting area in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. In an example, the process ofFIG. 7 may be executed to configure the batterymodule mounting area 605 depicted inFIG. 6 . In an example, the process ofFIG. 7 may be performed by a computing device (e.g., a laptop or desktop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone or user equipment (UE), etc.). - Referring to
FIG. 7 , at 700, the computing device determines a size requirement for the battery module mounting area (e.g., for an electric vehicle implementation, the size requirement may be based in part upon an available amount of space beneath the floor of the electric vehicle). In an example, the size requirement may include size targets and/or thresholds (e.g., minimum and/or maximum thresholds) in multiple dimensions (e.g., height, length, width, etc.). The size requirement may be based on the physical configuration of a target electric vehicle (e.g., the wheel base of the electric vehicle, height of the electric vehicle underside where the battery module mounting area is deployed, a width of the electric vehicle, and so on). - Referring to
FIG. 7 , at 705, the computing device obtains physical dimensions (e.g., height, length and width) for a battery module compartment chamber, the battery module compartment chamber including a lateral pair of battery module compartments that are each configured to fit a respective battery module therein, each battery module compartment including an insertion-side through which the respective battery module may be inserted and/or removed, and each battery module compartment configured to be sealed when a respective insertion-side is closed via a respective insertion-side cover. The battery module compartment chamber for which physical dimensions are obtained at 705 may correspond to any of the battery module compartment chambers described above. In an example, at 705, the computing device may optionally obtain physical dimensions for two or more different types of battery module compartment chambers. For example, the two or more different types of battery module compartment chambers may be constructed with different physical dimensions to accommodate different size requirements for different electric vehicles. Alternatively, only a single stock (or default) battery module compartment chamber may be considered during the process ofFIG. 7 (e.g., only one battery module compartment type available on market, a particular electric vehicle may be associated with a specific supplier of battery module compartment chamber so that only one option is available to use for that electric vehicle, etc.). - Referring to
FIG. 7 , at 710, the computing device identifies a maximum number of battery module compartment chambers that can longitudinally stacked together under the floor of the electric vehicle without exceeding the size requirement. For example, as shown inFIGS. 3A-3E , six battery module compartments can fit into the available space under the floor of theelectric vehicle 300A, so the maximum number forelectric vehicle 300A with respect to the batterymodule compartment chambers 300B is six. At 715, the computing device then generates, based on the identifying of 710, a design for the battery module mounting area that includes the maximum number of battery module compartment chambers. - In an example, if different types of battery module compartment chambers are under evaluation during the process of
FIG. 7 , the computing device may identify the maximum number of battery compartment chambers that can be longitudinally stacked together under the floor of the electric vehicle without exceeding the size requirement of the battery module mounting area for each particular battery module compartment chamber type at 710. Then, the computing device may determine, for each type of battery module compartment chamber, a spatial and/or energy efficiency metric that is based on that type's maximum number. In an example, the spatial efficiency metric may be based on a degree to which the maximum number of battery module compartment chambers satisfies the size requirement (e.g., 80% filled, 99% filled, etc.). In another example, the energy efficiency metric may be based on a power capacity of the battery modules that can be inserted into the maximum number of battery module compartment chambers. At 715, the computing device can select the battery module compartment type that is associated with the highest spatial and/or energy efficiency metric to use for the design of the battery module mounting area. - In another embodiment of the disclosure, less than all of the battery module compartments of a particular battery housing configuration may actually include battery modules. For example, a particular electric vehicle may be advertised for sale with a low-range option, an intermediate-range option and a high-range option. Assume that the battery housing configuration for all options is configured with twelve available battery module compartments. In an example, the low-range option may be equipped with six battery modules inserted among the twelve available battery module compartments, the intermediate-range option may be equipped with nine battery modules inserted among the twelve available battery module compartments, and the high-range option may be equipped with twelve battery modules inserted among the twelve available battery module compartments. Accordingly, the number of battery modules installed in a particular battery housing is scalable and need not be equivalent to the number of available battery module compartments. Further, the number of equipped battery modules can be modified after deployment (e.g., if an end-user needs more range, additional battery modules can be purchased and installed). Further, one or more of the battery modules can be swapped out for newer, more efficient battery modules as battery module technology improves.
- Moreover, if less than all of the battery module compartments of a particular battery housing configuration may actually include battery module, in at least one embodiment, the battery module compartments containing battery modules may be clustered together. For example, consider the arrangement of battery module compartments A . . . J in
FIG. 2A . Assume that the BJB is positioned above battery module compartments E and J, and that only 8 battery modules are required for installation into theelectric vehicle 200A. In this case, battery module compartments A and F (i.e., the battery module compartments furthest away from the BJB) may be left empty (although these battery module compartments may still be covered), with battery modules installed into battery module compartments B . . . E and G . . . J only. The HV wiring may be daisy-chained (in order) from the BJB to battery modules in battery module compartments J, I, H, G, B, C, D and E, with battery module compartments A and F being bypassed by virtue of the HV output connector in battery module compartment G being coupled to the HV input connector in battery module compartment B (e.g., using a special paired HV connector component that connects laterally adjacent battery module compartments instead of longitudinally adjacent battery module compartments). - With respect to each of the embodiments described above with respect to
FIGS. 2A-7 , a battery module may be constructed with or without the respective insertion-side cover that is used seal the associated battery module compartment being integrated as a structural component of the battery module itself. In an example where a battery module is integrated with its respective insertion-side cover, the insertion-side cover doubles as a structural wall of the battery module. In an alternative example where a battery module is not integrated with its respective insertion-side cover, the insertion-side cover will be installed over a structural wall of the battery module when sealing the battery module into the battery module compartment. - While the embodiments described above relate primarily to land-based electric vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, etc.), it will be appreciated that other embodiments can deploy the various battery-related embodiments with respect to any type of electric vehicle (e.g., boats, submarines, airplanes, helicopters, drones, spaceships, space shuttles, rockets, etc.).
- While the embodiments described above relate primarily to battery module compartments and associated battery modules and insertion-side covers for deployment as part of an energy storage system for an electric vehicle, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can deploy the various battery-related embodiments with respect to any type of energy storage system. For example, besides electric vehicles, the above-noted embodiments can be applied to energy storage systems such as home energy storage systems (e.g., providing power storage for a home power system), industrial or commercial energy storage systems (e.g., providing power storage for a commercial or industrial power system), a grid energy storage system (e.g., providing power storage for a public power system, or power grid) and so on.
- As will be appreciated, the placement of the various battery module compartments in the above-noted embodiments is described as being integrated into a vehicle floor of an electric vehicle. However, it will be appreciated that the general closed compartment profile design may be extended to battery module mounting areas that can be installed in other locations within the electric vehicle (e.g., in a trunk of the electric vehicle, behind one or more car seats, under a front-hood of the electric vehicle, etc.).
- The forgoing description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to the particular formulations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein, as various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. That is, the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the embodiments of the invention.
Claims (34)
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US15/491,767 US20180105062A1 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-04-19 | Battery module compartment chamber and battery module mounting area of an energy storage system and method thereof |
EP17788083.8A EP3526831A1 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-10-13 | Battery module compartment chamber and battery module mounting area of an energy storage system and method thereof |
PCT/US2017/056504 WO2018071762A1 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-10-13 | Battery module compartment chamber and battery module mounting area of an energy storage system and method thereof |
CN201780063739.9A CN110114901A (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-10-13 | The battery module compartment of energy storage system and battery module installation region and its method |
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201662408445P | 2016-10-14 | 2016-10-14 | |
US201662414208P | 2016-10-28 | 2016-10-28 | |
US201662422115P | 2016-11-15 | 2016-11-15 | |
US201662422106P | 2016-11-15 | 2016-11-15 | |
US201662422090P | 2016-11-15 | 2016-11-15 | |
US15/491,767 US20180105062A1 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-04-19 | Battery module compartment chamber and battery module mounting area of an energy storage system and method thereof |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20180105062A1 true US20180105062A1 (en) | 2018-04-19 |
Family
ID=61902605
Family Applications (3)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US15/491,767 Abandoned US20180105062A1 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-04-19 | Battery module compartment chamber and battery module mounting area of an energy storage system and method thereof |
US15/491,749 Abandoned US20180108891A1 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-04-19 | Battery module compartment and battery module arrangement of an energy storage system |
US15/491,706 Active 2038-01-09 US10381618B2 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-04-19 | Battery module mounting area of an energy storage system |
Family Applications After (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US15/491,749 Abandoned US20180108891A1 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-04-19 | Battery module compartment and battery module arrangement of an energy storage system |
US15/491,706 Active 2038-01-09 US10381618B2 (en) | 2016-10-14 | 2017-04-19 | Battery module mounting area of an energy storage system |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (3) | US20180105062A1 (en) |
EP (4) | EP3526835B1 (en) |
CN (4) | CN110114901A (en) |
WO (3) | WO2018071762A1 (en) |
Cited By (21)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10207574B2 (en) * | 2017-01-20 | 2019-02-19 | Subaru Corporation | Motor vehicle |
US20200031214A1 (en) * | 2018-07-25 | 2020-01-30 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Vehicle battery-carrying floor structure |
CN111038591A (en) * | 2019-12-27 | 2020-04-21 | 长城汽车股份有限公司 | New energy automobile chassis collision structure |
DE102018218964A1 (en) | 2018-11-07 | 2020-05-07 | Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft | Vehicle battery, vehicle with such a vehicle battery and method for fluid-tight sealing of a battery housing of the vehicle battery |
GB2579243A (en) * | 2018-11-27 | 2020-06-17 | Hv Systems Ltd | Vehicle chassis |
FR3093238A1 (en) * | 2019-02-21 | 2020-08-28 | Psa Automobiles Sa | Battery module receptacle including removable auxiliary modules |
WO2020182508A1 (en) | 2019-03-12 | 2020-09-17 | Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft | System and method and device for controlling the temperature of an electrochemical store disposed in a vehicle |
WO2021071412A1 (en) * | 2019-10-08 | 2021-04-15 | Sten Corfitsen | Electric vehicle with modular battery system |
WO2021092695A1 (en) * | 2019-11-13 | 2021-05-20 | Giuseppe Ieradi | Electric vehicle battery system |
US11059519B2 (en) | 2019-01-23 | 2021-07-13 | Volvo Car Corporation | Reinforcement arrangement |
US11177526B2 (en) * | 2017-03-02 | 2021-11-16 | Kirchhoff Automotive Deutschland Gmbh | Battery housing and method for producing same |
WO2022049939A1 (en) * | 2020-09-04 | 2022-03-10 | ダイムラー・アクチェンゲゼルシャフト | Support device for vehicle battery pack |
US20220105815A1 (en) * | 2020-10-06 | 2022-04-07 | Volvo Truck Corporation | Wheelbase structure |
DE102020127589A1 (en) | 2020-10-20 | 2022-04-21 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Robust battery device and motor vehicle |
EP4084201A1 (en) * | 2021-04-27 | 2022-11-02 | SK On Co., Ltd. | Battery pack |
WO2022272138A1 (en) * | 2021-06-25 | 2022-12-29 | Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation | Convertible battery pack |
EP4031390A4 (en) * | 2019-09-20 | 2023-12-06 | Canoo Technologies Inc. | Electric vehicle battery enclosure |
WO2023234733A1 (en) * | 2022-06-03 | 2023-12-07 | 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션 | Battery pack |
FR3136711A1 (en) * | 2022-06-20 | 2023-12-22 | Engineering Conception Maintenance | Electric propulsion kit for thermal traction vehicle |
US11912151B2 (en) | 2020-07-31 | 2024-02-27 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Reconfigurable electric vehicle chassis |
US11919403B2 (en) | 2019-12-12 | 2024-03-05 | Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd. | Battery compartment and handle for use in transportation vehicle |
Families Citing this family (50)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP6771895B2 (en) * | 2015-02-02 | 2020-10-21 | シャープ株式会社 | Autonomous driving device |
JP7359527B2 (en) * | 2017-05-31 | 2023-10-11 | トヨタ自動車株式会社 | Battery mounting structure |
KR102674773B1 (en) * | 2017-07-13 | 2024-06-13 | 에티움, 엘엘씨 | Modular lithium-ion battery system for forklifts. |
JP7095307B2 (en) * | 2018-02-23 | 2022-07-05 | トヨタ自動車株式会社 | Vehicle undercarriage |
US10953926B2 (en) * | 2018-03-12 | 2021-03-23 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Protective cage assemblies for electrified vehicle battery packs |
DE102018205765A1 (en) * | 2018-04-17 | 2019-10-17 | Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft | Mounting arrangement of an electrically driven motor vehicle |
US10797279B2 (en) * | 2018-06-28 | 2020-10-06 | Caterpillar Inc. | Battery housing systems |
DE102018115919A1 (en) * | 2018-07-02 | 2020-01-02 | Audi Aktiengesellschaft | Traction battery of a motor vehicle |
WO2020051688A1 (en) * | 2018-09-11 | 2020-03-19 | Hanna Mark Holbrook | Pilotless transportation aerial-vehicle having distributed-batteries and powering method therefor |
JP6778725B2 (en) * | 2018-09-12 | 2020-11-04 | 本田技研工業株式会社 | vehicle |
US10680218B2 (en) * | 2018-10-12 | 2020-06-09 | Getac Technology Corporation | Battery fold structure of electronic device |
WO2020102117A1 (en) * | 2018-11-13 | 2020-05-22 | Wynn Nathaniel C | Battery module with close-pitch cylindrical cells and method of assembly |
US10886512B2 (en) | 2019-01-07 | 2021-01-05 | Canoo Inc. | Methods and systems for battery pack thermal management |
US11233278B2 (en) * | 2019-02-15 | 2022-01-25 | Green Machine Equipment, Inc. | Rechargeable battery power system having a battery with multiple uses |
CA3141572C (en) | 2019-05-20 | 2024-02-27 | Canoo Technologies Inc. | Electric vehicle platform |
DE102019115471B4 (en) * | 2019-06-07 | 2021-02-18 | Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft | Traction battery module and method of assembling the same |
US11318995B2 (en) | 2019-07-02 | 2022-05-03 | Canoo Technologies Inc. | Impact features |
CN110571373A (en) * | 2019-08-07 | 2019-12-13 | 孚能科技(赣州)股份有限公司 | Temperature sensing fire protection device, electric core module, battery system and vehicle |
DE102019123844A1 (en) * | 2019-09-05 | 2021-03-11 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Vehicle floor for an energy storage floor assembly of a motor vehicle |
KR102120933B1 (en) * | 2019-09-06 | 2020-06-09 | 주식회사 알멕 | battery module case for electric vehicle |
CA3153952A1 (en) | 2019-09-09 | 2021-03-18 | Canoo Technologies Inc. | Suspension system |
DE102019213674B3 (en) * | 2019-09-09 | 2020-12-31 | Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft | Traction battery and electrically powered motor vehicle |
CA3163499A1 (en) | 2019-09-20 | 2021-03-25 | Canoo Technologies Inc. | Vehicle seating systems |
EP3812245A1 (en) * | 2019-10-23 | 2021-04-28 | Volvo Car Corporation | A frame structure for an energy storage device including a deformation zone |
FR3103367B1 (en) * | 2019-11-26 | 2022-01-07 | Exotec Solutions | Enhanced Capacity Storage Rack |
US11260909B2 (en) * | 2020-06-03 | 2022-03-01 | Ree Automotive Ltd | Vehicle chassis platform |
DE102020205423A1 (en) * | 2020-04-29 | 2021-11-04 | Mahle International Gmbh | Electric battery |
JP2022002429A (en) * | 2020-06-19 | 2022-01-06 | マツダ株式会社 | Vehicular drive system |
DE102020208042A1 (en) * | 2020-06-29 | 2021-12-30 | Robert Bosch Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung | Battery module and battery |
KR20220003247A (en) * | 2020-07-01 | 2022-01-10 | 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션 | Battery pack and device including the same |
CN112038517A (en) * | 2020-07-07 | 2020-12-04 | 杭州捷能科技有限公司 | MTC power battery system |
CN113923963B (en) * | 2020-07-09 | 2023-03-24 | 比亚迪股份有限公司 | Vehicle-mounted power supply device and vehicle with same |
DE102020129564A1 (en) * | 2020-11-10 | 2022-05-12 | Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft | Motor vehicle with a traction battery module |
CN112490578B (en) * | 2020-11-11 | 2021-11-23 | 华南理工大学 | Power battery module |
CA3201775A1 (en) | 2020-11-30 | 2022-06-02 | Nikola Corporation | Electric vehicle battery frame assembly |
US11279243B1 (en) | 2020-11-30 | 2022-03-22 | Nikola Corporation | High voltage electrical system for battery electric vehicle |
US11820241B2 (en) * | 2020-11-30 | 2023-11-21 | Nikola Corporation | Battery pack assembly |
KR20220114353A (en) * | 2021-02-08 | 2022-08-17 | 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션 | Baettery module, battery pack and vehicle comprising the battery module |
US11794812B2 (en) * | 2021-03-08 | 2023-10-24 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Vehicle frame for electric vehicle |
CN117397114A (en) * | 2021-03-31 | 2024-01-12 | 艾诺维克斯公司 | Enhancement of electrical interconnection systems for electrochemical cells, and systems and methods thereof |
US11667206B2 (en) * | 2021-07-02 | 2023-06-06 | Universal Power & Pneumatics, Llc | Modular charging and power system |
US11485215B1 (en) | 2021-12-09 | 2022-11-01 | Workhorse Group Inc. | Land vehicles incorporating electric motors and methods therefor |
US11440456B1 (en) | 2021-12-09 | 2022-09-13 | Workhorse Group Inc. | Land vehicles adapted for use as electric delivery vehicles |
US11591032B1 (en) | 2021-12-09 | 2023-02-28 | Workhorse Group Inc. | Land vehicles incorporating brake systems and methods therefor |
US11440590B1 (en) | 2021-12-09 | 2022-09-13 | Workhorse Group Inc. | Land vehicles incorporating impact management systems |
CN114096105B (en) * | 2022-01-20 | 2022-04-15 | 国网山东省电力公司菏泽供电公司 | Modular structure of battery integrated controller |
DE102022102336A1 (en) | 2022-02-01 | 2023-08-03 | iinovis GmbH | Vehicle, in particular passenger or commercial vehicle |
DE102022112736A1 (en) | 2022-05-20 | 2023-11-23 | Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft | Traction battery |
FR3142440A1 (en) * | 2022-11-30 | 2024-05-31 | Psa Automobiles Sa | ELECTRIC VEHICLE WHICH INCLUDES A REMOVABLE TRACTION BATTERY ALLOWING SIMPLIFIED REMOVAL AND POSITIONING |
CN117219918B (en) * | 2023-11-09 | 2024-01-26 | 四川蜀旺新能源股份有限公司 | Power management protection system of photovoltaic power supply battery |
Citations (33)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3654586A (en) * | 1970-03-20 | 1972-04-04 | Anderson Power Products | Indexing means for electrical connectors |
US4592611A (en) * | 1984-09-27 | 1986-06-03 | Amp Incorporated | Electrical connector intended for use in confined areas |
DE4338624A1 (en) * | 1993-11-12 | 1995-05-18 | Grebner Friedrich Dipl Ing | Small electrically powered vehicle with 2.3 metre max. length |
US6003924A (en) * | 1996-11-08 | 1999-12-21 | Nicol; Robert E. | Modular drawer system |
US20030209375A1 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2003-11-13 | Zip Charge Corporation | Electrical vehicle energy supply system, electrical vehicle battery, electrical vehicle battery charging apparatus, battery supply apparatus, and electrical vehicle battery management system |
US20060182295A1 (en) * | 2005-02-11 | 2006-08-17 | Phonak Ag | Dynamic hearing assistance system and method therefore |
US20100025132A1 (en) * | 2008-06-27 | 2010-02-04 | Dale Hill | Vehicle battery systems and methods |
EP2266828A2 (en) * | 2009-06-16 | 2010-12-29 | Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH | Assembly for integrating electrical storage modules into the bodywork of a motor vehicle |
US7948207B2 (en) * | 2006-02-09 | 2011-05-24 | Karl Frederick Scheucher | Refuelable battery-powered electric vehicle |
US8237403B2 (en) * | 2007-04-02 | 2012-08-07 | Mitoshi Ishii | Storage battery, storage battery accommodation device, storage battery charging device, and usage amount payment settlement device for storage battery |
US20120237803A1 (en) * | 2009-04-22 | 2012-09-20 | Tesla Motors, Inc. | Battery Pack Directed Venting System |
US8372530B2 (en) * | 2007-11-21 | 2013-02-12 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | Vehicular power supply system |
DE102012009385A1 (en) * | 2012-05-11 | 2013-11-14 | Audi Ag | High volt battery for vehicle e.g. electric car, has cell housings enclosing inner space of battery cells in gastight manner, and battery housing enclosing battery cells in moisture-tight manner and filled with inert gas |
US8672354B2 (en) * | 2010-12-28 | 2014-03-18 | Posco | Underbody for electric vehicle |
CN103779514A (en) * | 2013-12-26 | 2014-05-07 | 国家电网公司 | Base plate type waterproof battery box |
US20140247540A1 (en) * | 2013-03-03 | 2014-09-04 | General Electric Company | Power distribution rack bus bar assembly and method of assembling the same |
US8852794B2 (en) * | 2012-01-18 | 2014-10-07 | Battchange, Llc | Electric vehicle battery case |
DE102013011741A1 (en) * | 2013-07-12 | 2015-01-15 | Daimler Ag | Energy storage device, method for manufacturing this energy storage device |
US8951065B2 (en) * | 2010-09-30 | 2015-02-10 | Yazaki Corporation | Connection structure of conductive paths |
US20150066985A1 (en) * | 2013-08-27 | 2015-03-05 | Antony Raja T | Retrieving information from social media sites based upon events in an enterprise |
DE102014000574A1 (en) * | 2014-01-18 | 2015-07-23 | Ferdinand Greschner | BATTERY STORAGE |
DE202015005208U1 (en) * | 2015-07-21 | 2015-08-19 | Peter Marchl | Underbody container for electric vehicles for modularly scalable replaceable battery packs |
US9209483B2 (en) * | 2009-05-20 | 2015-12-08 | Johnson Controls Advanced Power Solutions LLC | Lithium ion battery module |
US20160036102A1 (en) * | 2013-03-28 | 2016-02-04 | Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. | Battery Module |
US9350003B2 (en) * | 2011-11-07 | 2016-05-24 | Aleees Eco Ark Co. Ltd. | Battery module with fixing and burglarproof functions |
US20160197383A1 (en) * | 2015-01-05 | 2016-07-07 | Johnson Controls Technology Company | Circuitry harness and pass through for lead wires of a battery module |
US20160294026A1 (en) * | 2013-10-31 | 2016-10-06 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Battery cooling structure |
US9728823B2 (en) * | 2011-05-28 | 2017-08-08 | Audi Ag | Battery for a vehicle and method for producing a battery |
US20170267089A1 (en) * | 2016-03-17 | 2017-09-21 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | Battery unit and vehicle |
US9827840B2 (en) * | 2012-03-27 | 2017-11-28 | Aleees Eco Ark (Cayman) Co. Ltd. | Removable battery fixing assembly of electric vehicle and fixing method thereof |
US9905821B2 (en) * | 2010-11-15 | 2018-02-27 | Volkswagen Ag | Vehicle battery packaging |
US20180065573A1 (en) * | 2016-09-02 | 2018-03-08 | Johnson Controls Technology Company | Battery module connector barrel |
US20180072184A1 (en) * | 2016-09-13 | 2018-03-15 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd | Vehicular charging part layout structure |
Family Cites Families (50)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5981101A (en) * | 1997-06-02 | 1999-11-09 | Gnb Technologies, Inc. | Modular cell tray assembly for sealed lead-acid cells |
AU1727600A (en) * | 1998-11-16 | 2000-06-05 | C & D Technologies, Inc. | Selectable capacity fixed footprint lead-acid battery racking system with horizontal plates |
US7520355B2 (en) * | 2000-07-06 | 2009-04-21 | Chaney George T | Hybrid electric vehicle chassis with removable battery module |
SE522380C2 (en) * | 2000-08-02 | 2004-02-03 | Volvo Lastvagnar Ab | Battery box for vehicles |
KR100570625B1 (en) * | 2004-07-28 | 2006-04-12 | 삼성에스디아이 주식회사 | Secondary battery |
US7710697B2 (en) * | 2004-10-22 | 2010-05-04 | Honeywell International Inc. | Hybrid system for electronically resetable circuit protection |
JP2006182295A (en) * | 2004-12-28 | 2006-07-13 | Honda Motor Co Ltd | Car body structure for electric automobile |
KR100880388B1 (en) * | 2005-04-20 | 2009-01-23 | 주식회사 엘지화학 | Housing Member For Battery Module |
JP4749774B2 (en) * | 2005-06-16 | 2011-08-17 | 本田技研工業株式会社 | Assembled battery |
US20070087266A1 (en) | 2005-10-18 | 2007-04-19 | Debbi Bourke | Modular battery system |
US7671565B2 (en) | 2006-02-13 | 2010-03-02 | Tesla Motors, Inc. | Battery pack and method for protecting batteries |
JP5254568B2 (en) * | 2007-05-16 | 2013-08-07 | 日立ビークルエナジー株式会社 | Cell controller, battery module and power supply system |
DE102008036595A1 (en) | 2008-08-06 | 2010-02-11 | Carbike Gmbh | Sustained traffic system is provided with batteries that are exchanged in short time in battery exchange stations, where electrical energy is fed back into power grid by direct current to alternating current converter |
JP2010092598A (en) * | 2008-10-03 | 2010-04-22 | Gs Yuasa Corporation | Battery pack |
KR100937897B1 (en) * | 2008-12-12 | 2010-01-21 | 주식회사 엘지화학 | Middle or large-sized battery pack of novel air cooling structure |
US8557415B2 (en) * | 2009-04-22 | 2013-10-15 | Tesla Motors, Inc. | Battery pack venting system |
CN201518328U (en) | 2009-10-20 | 2010-06-30 | 康迪投资集团有限公司 | Battery kit for rapidly replacing batteries |
JP5618356B2 (en) * | 2010-05-19 | 2014-11-05 | Necエナジーデバイス株式会社 | Battery unit and power supply |
US8895177B2 (en) | 2010-11-18 | 2014-11-25 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Modular battery pack systems for prismatic cells |
EP2463162B1 (en) | 2010-12-07 | 2016-03-30 | Carbike GmbH | System for supplying energy for electric vehicles |
EP2602859B1 (en) * | 2010-12-20 | 2019-03-13 | LG Chem, Ltd. | Method and system for cooling lithium secondary batteries |
US20120161472A1 (en) | 2010-12-22 | 2012-06-28 | Tesla Motors, Inc. | System for Absorbing and Distributing Side Impact Energy Utilizing an Integrated Battery Pack |
WO2012091459A2 (en) * | 2010-12-28 | 2012-07-05 | 주식회사 엘지화학 | Battery module storage device, battery module temperature adjustment device, and electric power storage system having same |
CA2870887A1 (en) * | 2011-06-03 | 2012-12-06 | Enerdel, Inc. | Energy storage system |
JP5484403B2 (en) * | 2011-06-08 | 2014-05-07 | 本田技研工業株式会社 | Battery module |
WO2013011749A1 (en) * | 2011-07-15 | 2013-01-24 | Necエナジーデバイス株式会社 | Battery module |
US20130115496A1 (en) * | 2011-11-07 | 2013-05-09 | Johnson Controls Technology Llc | One-piece housing with plugs for prismatic cell assembly |
JP5734453B2 (en) | 2011-11-14 | 2015-06-17 | 本田技研工業株式会社 | Battery built-in structure |
KR101488411B1 (en) | 2012-01-02 | 2015-02-03 | 주식회사 엘지화학 | Battery Pack Including Connecting member, Side Supporting Member and Bottom Supporting Member |
DE102012018344B3 (en) * | 2012-09-15 | 2013-09-26 | Audi Ag | Battery module and method for its manufacture |
DE102012219782A1 (en) | 2012-10-29 | 2014-04-30 | Lisa Dräxlmaier GmbH | Battery module for use in electric vehicle, has upper floor space and lower floor space of respective end wall whose distance is greater than height of end walls arranged in battery module housing |
JP5960289B2 (en) * | 2013-01-10 | 2016-08-02 | 日立オートモティブシステムズ株式会社 | Battery module |
CN203690444U (en) * | 2013-07-24 | 2014-07-02 | 国家电网公司 | Retired lithium battery box with energy storage function |
JP6317085B2 (en) * | 2013-09-26 | 2018-04-25 | 日本電産サンキョー株式会社 | Battery exchange robot, battery exchange system, and battery exchange robot control method |
CN203800657U (en) * | 2014-03-26 | 2014-08-27 | 李亚昭 | Mobile power supply with expansible cell grooves |
CN105015507A (en) | 2014-04-17 | 2015-11-04 | 浙江瓿达科技有限公司 | Battery positioning and replacing method for Kandi electric automobile |
JP6376378B2 (en) | 2014-06-20 | 2018-08-22 | 株式会社Ihi | Storage battery unit |
DE102014214320A1 (en) * | 2014-07-23 | 2016-01-28 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Battery module with fluid cooling |
US10497909B2 (en) * | 2014-09-05 | 2019-12-03 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Battery assembly with snap-in arrays |
US20160093843A1 (en) * | 2014-09-26 | 2016-03-31 | Powertree Services, Inc. | Systems and methods for a modular battery pack |
WO2016072594A1 (en) * | 2014-11-05 | 2016-05-12 | 주식회사 엘지화학 | Cartridge frame having double side wall structure, and battery module comprising same |
CN104319362B (en) * | 2014-11-19 | 2017-01-18 | 上海航天电源技术有限责任公司 | Vehicle lithium ion battery integration module and integration method thereof |
CN105722348B (en) * | 2014-12-02 | 2020-03-17 | 国基电子(上海)有限公司 | Electronic product and shell thereof |
US9868361B2 (en) * | 2014-12-11 | 2018-01-16 | Ford Global Technologies, Llc | Battery impact absorbing system |
CN204375869U (en) * | 2015-01-13 | 2015-06-03 | 南京特种汽车制配厂有限公司 | A kind of batteries of electric automobile bag with maintenance function |
JP6256397B2 (en) | 2015-03-23 | 2018-01-10 | トヨタ自動車株式会社 | Battery pack |
US9985265B2 (en) * | 2015-04-13 | 2018-05-29 | Johnson Controls Technology Company | Flexible ribs of a bus bar carrier |
CN205282596U (en) * | 2015-12-18 | 2016-06-01 | 浙江宝仕电源有限公司 | Lead -acid storage battery |
CN205692894U (en) * | 2016-05-13 | 2016-11-16 | 鲁静 | The battery module of power type and the battery intelligent management system of electric motor car |
CN105914320A (en) * | 2016-07-04 | 2016-08-31 | 河南森源重工有限公司 | Cylindrical battery module for electric automobile |
-
2017
- 2017-04-19 US US15/491,767 patent/US20180105062A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2017-04-19 US US15/491,749 patent/US20180108891A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2017-04-19 US US15/491,706 patent/US10381618B2/en active Active
- 2017-10-13 EP EP17791260.7A patent/EP3526835B1/en active Active
- 2017-10-13 WO PCT/US2017/056504 patent/WO2018071762A1/en unknown
- 2017-10-13 WO PCT/US2017/056482 patent/WO2018071751A1/en unknown
- 2017-10-13 CN CN201780063739.9A patent/CN110114901A/en active Pending
- 2017-10-13 WO PCT/US2017/056498 patent/WO2018071758A1/en unknown
- 2017-10-13 EP EP17788081.2A patent/EP3526830B1/en active Active
- 2017-10-13 CN CN201910350557.0A patent/CN110212126A/en active Pending
- 2017-10-13 EP EP19179646.5A patent/EP3565026A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2017-10-13 EP EP17788083.8A patent/EP3526831A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2017-10-13 CN CN201780063738.4A patent/CN110140230A/en active Pending
- 2017-10-13 CN CN201780063728.0A patent/CN110073513B/en active Active
Patent Citations (35)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3654586A (en) * | 1970-03-20 | 1972-04-04 | Anderson Power Products | Indexing means for electrical connectors |
US4592611A (en) * | 1984-09-27 | 1986-06-03 | Amp Incorporated | Electrical connector intended for use in confined areas |
DE4338624A1 (en) * | 1993-11-12 | 1995-05-18 | Grebner Friedrich Dipl Ing | Small electrically powered vehicle with 2.3 metre max. length |
US6003924A (en) * | 1996-11-08 | 1999-12-21 | Nicol; Robert E. | Modular drawer system |
US20030209375A1 (en) * | 1999-01-25 | 2003-11-13 | Zip Charge Corporation | Electrical vehicle energy supply system, electrical vehicle battery, electrical vehicle battery charging apparatus, battery supply apparatus, and electrical vehicle battery management system |
US20060182295A1 (en) * | 2005-02-11 | 2006-08-17 | Phonak Ag | Dynamic hearing assistance system and method therefore |
US7948207B2 (en) * | 2006-02-09 | 2011-05-24 | Karl Frederick Scheucher | Refuelable battery-powered electric vehicle |
US8237403B2 (en) * | 2007-04-02 | 2012-08-07 | Mitoshi Ishii | Storage battery, storage battery accommodation device, storage battery charging device, and usage amount payment settlement device for storage battery |
US8372530B2 (en) * | 2007-11-21 | 2013-02-12 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | Vehicular power supply system |
US20140242428A1 (en) * | 2008-06-27 | 2014-08-28 | Proterra Inc. | Electric vehicle battery assembly |
US20180006283A1 (en) * | 2008-06-27 | 2018-01-04 | Proterra Inc. | Low-floor electric vehicle |
US20100025132A1 (en) * | 2008-06-27 | 2010-02-04 | Dale Hill | Vehicle battery systems and methods |
US20120237803A1 (en) * | 2009-04-22 | 2012-09-20 | Tesla Motors, Inc. | Battery Pack Directed Venting System |
US9209483B2 (en) * | 2009-05-20 | 2015-12-08 | Johnson Controls Advanced Power Solutions LLC | Lithium ion battery module |
EP2266828A2 (en) * | 2009-06-16 | 2010-12-29 | Benteler Automobiltechnik GmbH | Assembly for integrating electrical storage modules into the bodywork of a motor vehicle |
US8951065B2 (en) * | 2010-09-30 | 2015-02-10 | Yazaki Corporation | Connection structure of conductive paths |
US9905821B2 (en) * | 2010-11-15 | 2018-02-27 | Volkswagen Ag | Vehicle battery packaging |
US8672354B2 (en) * | 2010-12-28 | 2014-03-18 | Posco | Underbody for electric vehicle |
US9728823B2 (en) * | 2011-05-28 | 2017-08-08 | Audi Ag | Battery for a vehicle and method for producing a battery |
US9350003B2 (en) * | 2011-11-07 | 2016-05-24 | Aleees Eco Ark Co. Ltd. | Battery module with fixing and burglarproof functions |
US8852794B2 (en) * | 2012-01-18 | 2014-10-07 | Battchange, Llc | Electric vehicle battery case |
US9827840B2 (en) * | 2012-03-27 | 2017-11-28 | Aleees Eco Ark (Cayman) Co. Ltd. | Removable battery fixing assembly of electric vehicle and fixing method thereof |
DE102012009385A1 (en) * | 2012-05-11 | 2013-11-14 | Audi Ag | High volt battery for vehicle e.g. electric car, has cell housings enclosing inner space of battery cells in gastight manner, and battery housing enclosing battery cells in moisture-tight manner and filled with inert gas |
US20140247540A1 (en) * | 2013-03-03 | 2014-09-04 | General Electric Company | Power distribution rack bus bar assembly and method of assembling the same |
US20160036102A1 (en) * | 2013-03-28 | 2016-02-04 | Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. | Battery Module |
DE102013011741A1 (en) * | 2013-07-12 | 2015-01-15 | Daimler Ag | Energy storage device, method for manufacturing this energy storage device |
US20150066985A1 (en) * | 2013-08-27 | 2015-03-05 | Antony Raja T | Retrieving information from social media sites based upon events in an enterprise |
US20160294026A1 (en) * | 2013-10-31 | 2016-10-06 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Battery cooling structure |
CN103779514A (en) * | 2013-12-26 | 2014-05-07 | 国家电网公司 | Base plate type waterproof battery box |
DE102014000574A1 (en) * | 2014-01-18 | 2015-07-23 | Ferdinand Greschner | BATTERY STORAGE |
US20160197383A1 (en) * | 2015-01-05 | 2016-07-07 | Johnson Controls Technology Company | Circuitry harness and pass through for lead wires of a battery module |
DE202015005208U1 (en) * | 2015-07-21 | 2015-08-19 | Peter Marchl | Underbody container for electric vehicles for modularly scalable replaceable battery packs |
US20170267089A1 (en) * | 2016-03-17 | 2017-09-21 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | Battery unit and vehicle |
US20180065573A1 (en) * | 2016-09-02 | 2018-03-08 | Johnson Controls Technology Company | Battery module connector barrel |
US20180072184A1 (en) * | 2016-09-13 | 2018-03-15 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd | Vehicular charging part layout structure |
Cited By (24)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10207574B2 (en) * | 2017-01-20 | 2019-02-19 | Subaru Corporation | Motor vehicle |
US11177526B2 (en) * | 2017-03-02 | 2021-11-16 | Kirchhoff Automotive Deutschland Gmbh | Battery housing and method for producing same |
US20200031214A1 (en) * | 2018-07-25 | 2020-01-30 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Vehicle battery-carrying floor structure |
US10894470B2 (en) * | 2018-07-25 | 2021-01-19 | Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha | Vehicle battery-carrying floor structure |
DE102018218964A1 (en) | 2018-11-07 | 2020-05-07 | Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft | Vehicle battery, vehicle with such a vehicle battery and method for fluid-tight sealing of a battery housing of the vehicle battery |
GB2579243A (en) * | 2018-11-27 | 2020-06-17 | Hv Systems Ltd | Vehicle chassis |
US11059519B2 (en) | 2019-01-23 | 2021-07-13 | Volvo Car Corporation | Reinforcement arrangement |
FR3093238A1 (en) * | 2019-02-21 | 2020-08-28 | Psa Automobiles Sa | Battery module receptacle including removable auxiliary modules |
WO2020182508A1 (en) | 2019-03-12 | 2020-09-17 | Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft | System and method and device for controlling the temperature of an electrochemical store disposed in a vehicle |
EP4031390A4 (en) * | 2019-09-20 | 2023-12-06 | Canoo Technologies Inc. | Electric vehicle battery enclosure |
WO2021071412A1 (en) * | 2019-10-08 | 2021-04-15 | Sten Corfitsen | Electric vehicle with modular battery system |
US11201374B2 (en) | 2019-11-13 | 2021-12-14 | Giuseppe IERADI | Electric vehicle battery system |
WO2021092695A1 (en) * | 2019-11-13 | 2021-05-20 | Giuseppe Ieradi | Electric vehicle battery system |
US11919403B2 (en) | 2019-12-12 | 2024-03-05 | Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd. | Battery compartment and handle for use in transportation vehicle |
CN111038591A (en) * | 2019-12-27 | 2020-04-21 | 长城汽车股份有限公司 | New energy automobile chassis collision structure |
US11912151B2 (en) | 2020-07-31 | 2024-02-27 | Robert Bosch Gmbh | Reconfigurable electric vehicle chassis |
WO2022049939A1 (en) * | 2020-09-04 | 2022-03-10 | ダイムラー・アクチェンゲゼルシャフト | Support device for vehicle battery pack |
US20220105815A1 (en) * | 2020-10-06 | 2022-04-07 | Volvo Truck Corporation | Wheelbase structure |
DE102020127589A1 (en) | 2020-10-20 | 2022-04-21 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Robust battery device and motor vehicle |
WO2022084000A1 (en) | 2020-10-20 | 2022-04-28 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Robust battery device and motor vehicle |
EP4084201A1 (en) * | 2021-04-27 | 2022-11-02 | SK On Co., Ltd. | Battery pack |
WO2022272138A1 (en) * | 2021-06-25 | 2022-12-29 | Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation | Convertible battery pack |
WO2023234733A1 (en) * | 2022-06-03 | 2023-12-07 | 주식회사 엘지에너지솔루션 | Battery pack |
FR3136711A1 (en) * | 2022-06-20 | 2023-12-22 | Engineering Conception Maintenance | Electric propulsion kit for thermal traction vehicle |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP3526830A1 (en) | 2019-08-21 |
EP3526835C0 (en) | 2023-11-15 |
CN110114901A (en) | 2019-08-09 |
EP3526835A1 (en) | 2019-08-21 |
US20180108890A1 (en) | 2018-04-19 |
WO2018071751A1 (en) | 2018-04-19 |
EP3526835B1 (en) | 2023-11-15 |
WO2018071758A1 (en) | 2018-04-19 |
WO2018071762A1 (en) | 2018-04-19 |
CN110140230A (en) | 2019-08-16 |
US20180108891A1 (en) | 2018-04-19 |
CN110073513A (en) | 2019-07-30 |
EP3526831A1 (en) | 2019-08-21 |
EP3526830B1 (en) | 2021-03-31 |
EP3565026A1 (en) | 2019-11-06 |
US10381618B2 (en) | 2019-08-13 |
CN110073513B (en) | 2022-04-29 |
CN110212126A (en) | 2019-09-06 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US10381618B2 (en) | Battery module mounting area of an energy storage system | |
US10160492B2 (en) | Battery junction box housing configured to direct crash forces in an electric vehicle | |
US10370035B2 (en) | Motor guidance component configured to direct movement of a dislodged electric motor of an electric vehicle in response to crash forces | |
US10389047B2 (en) | Module-to-module power connector between battery modules of an energy storage system and arrangement thereof | |
US10601088B2 (en) | Battery module endplate with sealed hole for cooling tube connection | |
US10991924B2 (en) | Pressure equalization between battery module compartments of an energy storage system and external environment | |
US10574365B2 (en) | Optical communications interface for battery modules of an energy storage system | |
US11901573B2 (en) | Non-welding joinder of exterior plates of a battery module | |
US20210028422A1 (en) | Apparatus for cooling vehicle battery and fabrication method thereof | |
EP4161796A1 (en) | System and method for management of heterogeneous battery modules |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: INEVIT, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:FEES, HEINER;TRACK, ANDREAS;EICHHORN, ALEXANDER;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:042147/0925 Effective date: 20170421 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: INEVIT, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MISKOVSKY, MICHAEL JOHN;REEL/FRAME:043668/0251 Effective date: 20170822 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: INEVIT, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:EBERHARD, MARTIN;REEL/FRAME:043853/0693 Effective date: 20171012 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: INEVIT, LLC, CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:INEVIT, INC.;REEL/FRAME:044469/0428 Effective date: 20171017 |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: FINAL REJECTION MAILED |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: RESPONSE AFTER FINAL ACTION FORWARDED TO EXAMINER |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: EX PARTE QUAYLE ACTION MAILED |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: RESPONSE TO EX PARTE QUAYLE ACTION ENTERED AND FORWARDED TO EXAMINER |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: TIVENI MERGEDCO, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:INEVIT LLC;REEL/FRAME:050083/0857 Effective date: 20190813 |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE MAILED -- APPLICATION RECEIVED IN OFFICE OF PUBLICATIONS |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: TIVENI MERGECO, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISSPELLED ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 050083 FRAME: 0857. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNOR:INEVIT, LLC;REEL/FRAME:050871/0839 Effective date: 20190813 |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: DOCKETED NEW CASE - READY FOR EXAMINATION |
|
STPP | Information on status: patent application and granting procedure in general |
Free format text: NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE MAILED -- APPLICATION RECEIVED IN OFFICE OF PUBLICATIONS |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO PAY ISSUE FEE |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: AMERICAN BATTERY SOLUTIONS, INC., DELAWARE Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:TIVENI MERGECO, INC.;REEL/FRAME:062066/0310 Effective date: 20221103 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: TIVENI MERGECO, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORPORATION STATE OF THE ASSIGNOR TO DELAWARE AND THE CORPORATION STATE OF THE ASSIGNEE TO DELAWARE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 050871 FRAME 0839. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNOR:INEVIT LLC;REEL/FRAME:065016/0125 Effective date: 20230919 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: INEVIT, LLC, CALIFORNIA Free format text: CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE AND ASSIGNOR STATE FROM CALIFORNIA TO DELAWARE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 44469 FRAME 428. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNOR:INEVIT, INC.;REEL/FRAME:066647/0603 Effective date: 20171017 |