Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus – product – and – Cell support for removable cell – For plural cells
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-13
2002-06-04
Maples, John S. (Department: 1745)
Chemistry: electrical current producing apparatus, product, and
Cell support for removable cell
For plural cells
C429S100000, C429S120000, C429S121000, C429S159000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06399238
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a stand alone battery module of juxtaposed electrochemical cells. A plurality of modules are in turn assembled together to form a battery pack. Although the cells may be of any type, lithium-ion cells are particularly suitable when the module is used in a battery pack for an electric vehicle.
2. Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,555 to Waters et al. discloses an electric vehicle battery pack wherein a plurality of batteries are set in a supporting tray, and are mechanically connected together by interlocking plugs. The interlocking plugs include passages for electric connection between the batteries by cables, as well as for cooling tubes, and for wiring systems for the pack's electronic controllers. However, the battery pack disclosed in Waters includes the disadvantages of having a large volume and complex mechanical, electrical, as well as thermal connections, between the batteries in the battery pack.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery module for retaining a plurality of electrochemical cells for convenient use as a battery. Another object is to provide a battery module having component parts which are easy to manufacture. A further object is to provide a battery module which is easy to assemble. A further object of the present invention is to provide a simply designed battery module which can accommodate different sized cells while eliminating rattle, maintaining a proper thermal operating temperature, and simple electrical connections. A further object is to provide a battery module having decreased volume and weight.
The stand alone battery module of the present invention includes a configuration which reduces the overall volume of the module as well as facilitates the connection of a plurality of modules to form a battery pack. Further, the configuration of the module reduces the overall weight of the module, thereby increasing the power to weight and energy to weight ratios of the module as well as that of any battery pack in which it is included. Moreover, the parts which make up the module are designed to facilitate their manufacture, as well as facilitate assembly of the module.
The stand alone battery module of the present invention includes: (a) a mechanical configuration; (b) a thermal management configuration; (c) an electrical connection configuration; and (d) an electronics configuration. Such a module is fully interchangeable in a battery pack assembly, mechanically, from the thermal management point of view, and electrically. With the same hardware, the module can accommodate different cell sizes and, therefore, can easily have different capacities because Saft cells are designed with the same diameter but different lengths for different capacities. The module structure is designed to accommodate the electronics monitoring, protection, and printed wiring assembly boards (PWAs), as well as to allow airflow through the module. A plurality of modules easily may be connected together to form a battery pack. The battery pack is especially useful as a power source for an electric vehicle.
a) Mechanical Configuration
In the battery module of the present invention, a cell assembly is formed of a plurality of cells which are held between a pair of cell holding boards which in turn are connected by tie rods, for example. The cells are aligned so that their longitudinal axes are parallel with one another, and are perpendicular to the holding boards. The cell assembly is contained within a shell. An end cap is then attached to each holding board with a space between the end cap and holding board. Within each end cap there are two ports. On one side of the module, the ports in one end cap are for air intake, whereas the ports in the opposite end cap are for exhaust. On the intake side, the space between the end cap and the holding board is an air manifold. Because the ports in the end caps are similar, either end cap may be the inlet or exhaust side of the module.
Each holding board includes a first side, a second side, and a thickness therebetween. On the first side are a plurality of cavities which extend into the holding board, but to an extent less than the thickness of the holding board, so as to form a cavity bottom. The peripheral shape of each cavity matches the peripheral shape of the cell to be held therein. Preferably the cells and cavities have a circular peripheral shape as such provides good reduction in volume of the module due to the ease in nesting of the cells with one another. A plurality of cavities are aligned along the length of the holding board to form a first line. A second line includes a plurality of cavities which are staggered with respect to the cavities of the first line. A third line includes a plurality of cavities which are staggered with respect to the cavities of the second line, but are aligned with respect to the cavities of the first line. The foregoing arrangement of circular cavities allows the cells to easily nest with one another thereby reducing the overall volume of the module. Because the second line is offset from both the first and third line, it forms in the module a protrusion on one side and a recess on the other side. The protrusion and recess assist in locking modules together to form a battery pack having an overall reduced volume, as well as increased stability. That is, when the protrusion on one module is aligned with the recess on an adjacent module, the modules nest together, and are stably held with respect to one another while producing an overall minimum volume for the battery pack.
Within the periphery of each cavity there is a first through hole which accommodates a terminal of the cell held by the cavity. Some of the cavities also include a second through hole which accommodates a fill tube of the cell. The second through hole is in the cavities which hold the negative end of the cell because that end of the cell includes the fill tube. The cavity bottom may include a recessed portion to accommodate a terminal plate of the cell. Each cavity also may include a plurality of wedges around the periphery thereof. Each wedge may be shaped as a triangular web extending between the side wall and the cavity bottom. The wedges assist in holding a cell within a cavity of the holding board. By applying pressure and/or heat at the right places during assembly of the cells between the cell holding boards, the wedges are formed so as to eliminate rattle of the cell within the cavity, and accommodate variations in cell height.
Each holding board also includes a plurality of holes through the thickness thereof, but which are not located within the periphery of any cavity. Some of the through holes accommodate airflow through the holding board. This type of through hole may be of various sizes depending on its location relative to the cavities on the holding board, and may be of a slot type configuration, for example. This type of through hole, in conjunction with the openings in the end caps, provides an easy to manufacture mechanism for controlling the module's thermal management. Of course any other suitable shape may be used for the airflow through holes. Other through holes accommodate tie rods, or other suitable means, which extend between the pair of holding boards to attach the holding boards together with the cells therebetween.
The second side of each holding board includes lugs for the attachment of an end cap. Because the lugs are formed as a part of the holding board, a reduced number of separate parts is necessary for assembly of the module, which is thereby facilitated. The lugs may have various configurations depending on how the end cap and the holding board are connected. In a first configuration, the lugs include threaded inserts therein which receive screws. The screws are inserted through an end cap, and into the threaded insert in the lug, to form the connection. In
Chagnon Guy
D'Ussel Louis
Jackson Edward J.
Laucournet Gaullume
Oweis Salah
Alcatel
Maples John S.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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