BRPI0609840B1 - ENERGY SUPPLY SYSTEM - Google Patents

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power supply system and more specifically to a power supply system which may be used, for example, in conjunction with electric vehicles. hybrids.

Background of the Invention Cylindrical battery cells, which are used in a number of applications, have standardized sizes, are relatively inexpensive and commonly available. All of these qualities make them good candidates for mass production of high voltage batteries. Their cylindrical shape, however, creates a number of challenges when combined in large quantities to create high voltage batteries. Individual battery cells, for example, need to be electrically connected to each other, which can create large amounts of electrical connections, adding cost and weight to the battery pack. In addition, individual battery cells are typically grouped together in various arrangements that are heavy and difficult to handle, and may require lifting aids to move them.

[003] One way to avoid using too many connecting bars between adjacent battery cells is to arrange the batteries in long rows in a configuration between the ends. A problem with this approach is that each individual battery cell has a length that is subject to manufacturing tolerance. The greater the number of cells arranged in a single row, the greater the variation in overall row length possible. This problem, caused by tolerance buildup, can lead to misalignment of the battery terminals at the ends of the rows.

In addition to variations in battery cell length, the problem of tolerance buildup can be exacerbated by differences in the sizes of any interconnect components. Thus, it may be difficult to connect two adjacent rows of batteries together if one row is significantly longer than the other. In addition, it is desirable to have uniform contact between the battery terminal and the connector to ensure the electrical connection with sufficiently low resistance. This uniform contact may be difficult or impossible to achieve with misaligned terminals.

Conventional battery cell arrangements also have other disadvantages. Service professionals may be exposed, for example, to high voltage when attempting to access one or more of the individual battery cells. This can be particularly problematic due to the large number of exposed battery connections required to electrically connect individual cells to each other. In addition, it is desirable to cool each of the battery cells to minimize the temperature difference between them. This is very difficult in conventional battery arrangements, where some of the cells typically receive more cooling than other cells, depending on their proximity to the cooling source. Some battery arrangements even require a secondary structure, such as a battery compartment wall, to form a large space portion or other duct used in the cooling process. This means that any change in the battery structure or moving the battery pack to another location necessarily alters the cooling mechanism. This lack of flexibility is undesirable in many applications and particularly in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) where design flexibility is important.

In addition to the configuration of the battery pack itself or its location, other factors may affect the uniform cooling of the battery cells. It may be desirable, for example, to have a series of different temperature sensors in different locations on a large array of battery cells. Even more desirable would be to have these temperature sensors directly in contact with one or more battery cells, so that cell temperatures could be directly measured.

[007] In conventional battery arrangements, temperature sensors are often arranged on a battery sheath such that the temperature of the battery cells is not directly measured. In contrast, the temperature of the battery shed is measured and some correction factor must be used to estimate the temperature close to the battery cells. If, however, a temperature sensor is placed in contact with the battery cell, or in close proximity to the battery cell, the sensor may interrupt airflow around the battery cells, causing uneven airflow. and undesirable differences in battery cell temperatures.

It would therefore be desirable to have a power supply system capable of overcoming the disadvantages of conventional power supply systems, such as those discussed above, in whole or in part.

Disclosure of the Invention An advantage of the present invention is that it allows the pre-assembly of cylindrical battery cells in relatively small rectangular packages, which are easily stacked and reciprocated to form a larger battery. [010] Another advantage of the present invention is that small cell packages can be developed with relatively low voltage, which increases safety. In addition, higher voltage devices may require insulation packaging, which is not required with the embodiments of the present invention.

[011] The present invention provides a power supply system in which individual battery cells can be connected in rows between ends to form a battery module. A series of these drum modules can be placed in a shelter to form a "brick", which is a basic building block that can be used to create a larger battery pack. In order to eliminate the problem of tolerance buildup with respect to adjacent battery modules, the brick may be formed to include a locating device for some or all battery cells in a battery module. The locating devices may be suitably spaced such that the variation in length of the battery module is minimized. This helps ensure that the terminals arranged at the ends of each battery module are positioned at an appropriate distance from the brick end so that it can be easily connected to adjacent modules in the same brick or adjacent brick.

[012] The present invention also provides a large number of modules electrical connection system to each other to provide high voltage performance where the service professional is exposed to only a small fraction of the total output voltage. The present invention utilizes terminal connectors, or interconnectors which, in addition to connecting adjacent cells or modules together, also cover the electrical connection of another set of cells or modules. Thus, the first pair of cells or modules must be disconnected from each other before access to the adjacent pair of cells or modules can be accessed. Thus, a large battery pack must be disconnected piece by piece so that the only terminals exposed are those that have very low voltage potential between them.

Although bricks according to the present invention may be formed into any convenient shape effective to create a desired power supply system, some bricks may have curved outer surfaces that generally coincide with the curved outer surface of the battery cells. individual. This helps to reduce material costs and the weight of bricks, which would otherwise be present if the outer surfaces were rectangular. In addition, void space beyond the curved outer surface facilitates air flow to and from the battery cells during cooling. This space usage also offers smaller package volume options. Owning a curved outer surface, however, presents challenges regarding connections to other bricks.

Some embodiments of the present invention may include small channels arranged on the curved surfaces of the outside of the bricks. The channels may protrude out of the brick surface or may be shaped as holes in the brick surface. These channels are configured to align with similar channels on other bricks when placed adjacent to each other. In this way, these small channels can form a larger channel configured to receive a fixing rod that can be used to hold adjacent bricks together. Specifically, the bricks may include one or more channels over the top as well as one or more channels over the bottom. Fixing rods are then placed in each of these channels and fixed to the back plates to form a group of bricks, which may include any convenient number of adjacent bricks.

[015] In some embodiments, the bricks may be configured with one or more internal airflow channels, so that the airflow in the channel is not affected by the presence of adjacent bricks, or the presence of an external structure such as a battery compartment wall. At the same time, the brick may include an outer channel configured to cooperate with an outer channel over the adjacent brick to form an inner channel between two bricks. In this way, a large amount of bricks can be placed adjacent to each other, and most of the air flow is through internal channels that are not affected by external structures. Thus, when assembling different amounts of bricks, no new design is required to provide adequate air flow, which will generally be uniform regardless of the number of bricks used.

[016] Bricks can also be configured to receive temperature sensors at various locations along their length. These “sensor stations” can be configured to contact the battery cells that are placed inside the bricks. This configuration provides a number of advantages. First, with the sensing station extending inside the brick to touch the battery cell, the air flow through the brick and around the battery cell will be the same regardless of whether the temperature sensor is placed in the sensing station. , or if the sensing station is empty. This allows for a high degree of flexibility as temperature sensors can be placed on some or all sensor stations without affecting the air flow through the brick. In addition, this setting provides a more accurate temperature measurement as temperature sensors are effectively blocked from airflow and thus directly measure the temperature of the battery cells.

[017] The present invention also provides a power supply system that includes a series of power supply units. Each of the power supply units has a corresponding nominal voltage and a pair of terminals. The terminals of at least some of the power supply units are electrically connected to corresponding terminals of other power supply units. This forms a group of power supply units that have a nominal voltage greater than the nominal voltage of any of the power supply units in the group. The power supply system also includes a housing configured to receive the power supply units therein, such that at least some of the power supply unit terminals are accessible to form the electrical connections. The system also includes a series of terminal connectors, each of which is configured to make an electrical connection between two of the corresponding power supply unit terminals and at the same time inhibit access to two other power supply unit terminals. corresponding energy. Each of the terminal connectors is additionally configured to facilitate access to the other two terminals after removing the electrical connection between the two terminals. This facilitates selective access to the terminals of the power supply units in the group such that less than nominal voltage of the power supply unit group is observed along any of the exposed terminals.

[018] The present invention further provides a shelter configured to provide an air flow path around each of the shelter's power supply units. The shelter includes a series of sensor stations, each of which interrupts at least part of the airflow around the power supply units. Each of the sensor stations is configured to receive a corresponding sensor inside such that the corresponding sensor can contact one of the corresponding power supply units to determine a parameter associated with the corresponding power supply unit. Each of the sensor stations is further configured to interrupt air flow in substantially the same way, whether or not the sensor received at the sensor station.

[019] The present invention also provides a series of shelters, each of which has an inner side and an outer side. Each of the shelters includes a series of generally tubular compartments configured to receive the power supply units therein. Each compartment includes a circumferential discontinuity that forms an open channel along the length of the corresponding compartment to provide air flow path along the power supply unit in the corresponding compartment. Each of the shelters is configured such that at least one of the channels is oriented towards the interior of the corresponding shelter and at least one of the channels is oriented towards the interior of the corresponding shelter. Each of the shelters is additionally configured to cooperate with another shelter to form a common internal part between them. One of the outer-oriented channels of each of the co-operating shelters is oriented towards the common inner side.

[020] The present invention further provides a power supply system comprising a series of generally cylindrical power supply units, each of which has two ends disposed opposite each other. Each of the power supply units includes a terminal disposed at one end and another terminal disposed at the other end. The shelter includes a compartment having at least two partially open ends. The housing is configured to receive a predetermined amount of the power supply units in an end-to-end orientation such that one of the terminals on one of the power supply units is adjacent to one end of the housing, and one of the terminals on another of the power supply units is adjacent to the other end of the housing. The housing includes at least one positioning device configured to cooperate with at least one of the power supply units in the housing to position at least one power supply unit such that each of the terminals adjacent one end of the housing is provided. compartment is within a predetermined distance of its corresponding compartment end.

[021] The present invention also provides a series of shelters for receiving power supply units, wherein each power supply unit has a generally circular cross section. Each of the shelters has an inner side and an outer side and includes a generally tubular housing configured to receive a predetermined amount of power supply units therein. The outer side of each of the shelters includes a channel disposed at a predetermined distance from one end of the housing, such that corresponding channels over the shelters disposed at adjacent locations are generally aligned with each other. The system also includes a tie bar arranged in the channels and a pair of back plates configured to cooperate with the tie bar to secure the shelters therebetween to form a group of shelters.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a power supply system including a battery brick in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a series of battery bricks adjacent to each other;

Figure 3 shows a conductor used to distribute air through a series of battery bricks adjacent to each other;

[025] Figure 4 shows the inner surface of a battery brick, which includes a series of projections configured to increase cooling airflow turbulence;

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a power supply system including a battery brick according to the present invention;

[027] Figure 6 shows a side view of a battery brick and a method of mounting the brick to the board structure;

Figures 7A and 7B show a mounting configuration for a battery brick on a housing structure portion of a battery;

[029] Figure 8 shows a second alternative embodiment of a power supply system including a battery brick according to the present invention;

[030] Figure 9 shows a series of battery bricks shown in Figure 8 attached to each other using fixing rods and back plates;

[031] Figure 10 shows a part of a battery brick including a channel for receiving a fixing rod;

Figure 11 shows a view of all components of the battery brick shown in Figure 8;

[033] Figure 11A shows a portion of a battery cell including a negative battery terminal and an isolator configured for use over the negative terminal.

Figure 12 shows a sectional view of a portion of the battery brick shown in Figure 8;

Figure 13 shows a cross section of a third alternative embodiment of the battery brick sheath in accordance with the present invention;

[036] Figure 14 shows a perspective view of the battery brick housing shown in Figure 13 after assembly of the housing;

[037] Figure 15 shows the battery brick arrangement shown in Figure 9, which contains terminal connectors that are attached to them;

Figures 16 and 17 illustrate the removal of the terminal connectors shown in Figure 15 to eliminate exposure of high voltage terminals;

Figure 18 shows the rear portion of the battery brick arrangement shown in Figure 15, with a single terminal connector being attached to the battery terminals on the rear of the brick;

[040] Figure 19 shows an alternative embodiment of the terminal connectors shown in Figure 15;

Figure 19A shows the battery cell terminal that can be used with the terminal connectors shown in Figure 19;

[042] Figure 20 shows a cross section of the battery brick shown in Figure 8, which includes positioning devices for positioning battery cells within the battery brick housing;

Figure 21 shows the detail of one of the positioning devices shown in Figure 20;

Figure 22 shows the detail of the sensor station formed on the battery brick shown in Figure 8;

Figure 23 shows an alternative embodiment of a portion of a battery brick shelter sensing station according to the present invention; and [046] Figure 24 shows the complete sensor station with temperature sensor installed for the sensor station shown in Figure 23.

Description of Embodiments of the Invention Figure 1 shows the power supply system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The power supply system includes a series of power supply units or battery cells 12 arranged in a housing 14 to form a brick 15. As shown in Figure 1, the battery cells 12 are generally cylindrical and have generally circular cross section. Shelter 14 includes four generally tubular compartments 16, 18, 20, 22 configured to receive battery cells 12.

[048] As shown in Figure 1, each of the compartments 16, 18, 20, 22 is arranged to receive four of the battery cells 12 configured in end-to-end configuration. For convenience, a group of battery cells 12 arranged in end-to-end configuration may conveniently be termed the module. Although the shelter 14 shown in Figure 1 is configured to receive four battery modules for a total of sixteen battery cells 12, it is understood that the present invention includes shelters capable of receiving a larger or smaller number of battery cells 12. with respect to cover 14 shown in Figure 1. In fact, battery modules may also contain more or less than four battery cells. If a battery module contains only a single battery cell, each battery cell is also a battery module. It should be clear from the discussion above that the terms "battery module" and "brick" are used for convenience and do not necessarily indicate a certain number of power supply units or battery cells.

[049] Shelter 14 can be observed in a cross section as pair of containers of "Figure 8" adjacent to each other. Unlike the true "Figure 8", however, the cross section of the shelter 14 includes curves that are not completely closed. Each of the compartments 16 to 22 includes, for example, a circumference discontinuity, or channel 24, 26, 28, 30, which is disposed along the length (L) of the shelter 14. Two of the channels 24, 28 are oriented in towards the inner side 32 of the shed 14, while the other two channels 26, 30 are oriented towards the outer side 34 of the shed 14.

[050] As shown in Figure 1, inner side 32 of shelter 14 defines an air flow path through which cooling air can enter, flow around battery cells 12 in compartments 16, 20, and then leaving the shelter 14 through the openings 36 formed in the wall 38 of the shelter 14. Although not visible in Figure 1, it is understood that each of the compartments 16 to 22 includes openings 36 to facilitate air flow. In addition, it is possible to move air into the compartments 16 through 22 through the openings 36 such that air exits from the shelter 14 through the inner side 32. The openings 36 may all be the same size or may be specifically sized, or “tuned” to provide more or less airflow resistance. In addition, openings, such as openings 36, need not be slots; in contrast, they may be of any shape effective to facilitate desired air flow, such as round or elliptical holes.

[051] Using the inner side 32 of housing 14 for cooling air flow helps to ensure that air flow is not affected regardless of brick installation location 15. Although channels 26, 30 are open to the external side 34 of the shelter 14 and therefore may be subjected to different air flows depending on the installation location of brick 15, it is contemplated that brick 15 will be used in conjunction with other bricks, so that most of the flow air through internal spaces.

Figure 2 provides a clear example of this, in which five of the bricks 15 are arranged adjacent to each other. Each of the bricks 15 includes its own inner part 32 and also includes a common inner part 40 which is formed by the outward facing channels (such as the channels 26, 30 shown in Figure 1) when the bricks 15 are arranged adjacent. each other. Two of the common internal spaces 40 shown in Figure 2 are shown with dashed lines indicating that they are not yet formed, but will be formed when the bricks 15 are arranged directly adjacent to each other. As explained more fully below, the present invention includes different brick arrangements, such as bricks 15, to form larger power supply systems, and particularly high voltage batteries, for use in various applications. With the brick arrangement 15 shown in Figure 2, only the outer most open channels 26, 30 are oriented to the outer side 34 of the brick shelters 14. Thus, most of the cooling air flow will be through the inner sides. 32, 40 of the bricks 15.

[053] In order to facilitate proper distribution of cooling air through the bricks 15, a conductor such as conductor 42 shown in Figure 3 may be used. In Figure 3, the brick assembly 15 is schematically illustrated, together with internal parts 32, 40 which form the air inlets for the brick 15. The conductor 42 is configured to receive air from an air flow source such as duct. 44. Duct 44 may be connected to a fan or other cooling system to provide air to the bricks 15 at any desired temperature. This setting is intended for “push” air flow. The present invention also contemplates the "drawn" air flow, wherein the fan is located below the brick assembly flow.

The conductor 42 includes a series of channels 46, each of which is associated with one or more of the bricks 15. The channels 46 may be configured to all have the same width, or may be specifically configured to have widths. different to accommodate different airflow levels. Other structures may be used to supply air to a brick assembly (such as a channelless conductor, void or duct).

In addition to conductor 42, power supply system 10 can also increase cooling efficiency by creating turbulence in the airflow around battery cells 12. Figure 4 shows a portion of the inner surface 47 From wall 38 shown in Figure 1. Facing battery cells 12 is a series of bulges or turbulence makers 48 which are configured to disrupt air flow and cause turbulence therein. This increases the convection cooling of the battery cells 12. This wall configuration may be formed, for example, during the molding process in which the housing 14 is injection molded. Turbulence breeders having other shapes, such as spirals, may also be used to increase turbulence in the air flow.

As indicated above, the shelter design 14 shown in Figure 1 is only one of the shelters contemplated by the present invention. Figure 5 shows a brick 50 having an enclosed shelter 52. Like shelter 14, shown in Figure 1, shelter 52 includes four compartments 54, 56, 58, 60 for receiving battery cells 12. Each of the compartments 54 to 60 includes a corresponding channel 62, 64, 66, 68. Unlike channels 24 to 30, shown in Figure 1, however, each of channels 62 to 68 opens to the inner side 70 of shelter 52. similar to housing 14, housing 52 includes openings 72 to facilitate air flow movement through battery cells 12. Although only four of openings 72 are visible in Figure 5, it is understood that each of compartments 54 to 60 includes its own openings 72. The shelter 52 also includes a number of other cavities 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86 configured to reduce the amount of material used in the manufacture and to avoid thick plastic sections prone to sinking and gaps.

Shelter 52 also includes a number of features configured to allow shelter 52 to cooperate with similarly configured shelters as bricks 50 are formed together. A projection 88 and a recess 90, for example, are configured to cooperate with complementary features on the stacked brick shelter 50. Similarly, each side of the brick 50 includes a projection 92 and a recess 94 configured to cooperate with each other. bricks that are placed next to the brick 50.

Returning briefly to Figure 2, it is shown that shelters 14 include similar characteristics. Each of the shelters 14 shown in Figure 2 has, for example, a series of projections 96 and a series of recesses 98 on top of the outer side 34. Similarly, the sides of each of the shelters 14 include projections 100 and recesses 102 configured to match complementary features over adjacent brick shelters 14. As discussed in more detail below, these closing characteristics may be useful in arranging a series of individual bricks to form the assembly.

Depending on the application, it may be desirable to mount individual bricks or a set of floor or wall bricks of the structure, such as battery compartment. Figure 6 shows one such arrangement for battery brick 104. Battery brick 104 includes mounting means 106, 108, 110 and 112 that can be molded directly into a housing 114. As shown in Figure 6, housing floor 116 The battery pack is configured with rear finger clamp 118 which can, for example, be welded directly to the floor 116. Mounting means 106 is easily slid into the rear finger clamp 118 to position the battery brick 104 at its desired location. A front finger clip 120, which is removable from floor 116, is then used to secure the front mounting means 112 with a securing arrangement 122.

Figures 7A and 7B illustrate another way in which the battery brick 124 may be mounted to the frame, such as a battery compartment 125. The battery compartment 125 includes a wall 126 and a floor 128. The battery brick 124 is somewhat different from the battery brick 104 shown in Figure 6. Battery brick 124 includes, for example, a flange 130 having a pair of mounting holes 132, 134 disposed therethrough. In the embodiment shown in Figures 7A and 7B, the floor 128 of the battery compartment 125 is made of a metal foil and is configured to hold a welded nut 136 (see Figure 7B). Battery compartment wall 126 includes a V-notch 138 configured to coincide with a corresponding V-notch 140 formed at a rear of the battery brick 124.

[061] As shown in Figures 7A and 7B, a single fastener 142 can be used to securely mount battery brick 124 to battery compartment 125. As fastener 124 is threaded to welded nut 136, it moves the battery brick 124 backward such that the V-notch 138 in the wall 126 engages with the V-notch 140 in the battery brick 124 so as to properly position the battery brick 124. As discussed in more detail Below, proper placement of battery bricks may be important, particularly when it is desired to electrically connect a series of battery bricks to form a high voltage assembly.

Figure 8 shows a battery brick 144 that can form at least part of a power supply system according to the present invention. Battery brick 144 includes a housing 146 having outer side 148. As shown in Figure 8, a portion of outer side 148 is curved, generally coincident with the cylindrical shape of the battery cells 150 disposed therein. Compared to the shelter which is generally rectangular on the outside, the shelter configuration 148 can help to reduce the amount of material required to produce it. The curved outer side 148, however, makes it difficult to stack a series of battery bricks 144 over one another to form a set. To overcome this issue, the outer side 148 of the shelter 146 includes a series of small channels 152, 154, 156, 158. Channels 152, 158 are located on top of the shelter 148 and channels 154 and 156 are located on top of bottom of the shed 148. Each of channels 152 to 158 is configured to receive a clamping rod that can be used to help join a series of adjacent bricks 144 together. In addition, in some embodiments, the fixing rods may be shared between two rows of bricks, depending on the depth of the channels 152 to 158.

[063] Figure 9 shows a battery brick assembly 144 adjacent to each other. Each of the bricks 144 includes a pair of channels 152, 158 having a corresponding fixing rod 162, 164 disposed therein. Attached to one of the retaining rods 162, 164 is a back plate 166 which cooperates with another back plate (not shown) to hold the battery bricks 144 therebetween. It is understood that there are two additional attachment rods disposed on the underside of the assembly 160 not visible in Figure 9.

As shown in Figure 9, channels 152, 158 are relatively shallow compared to clamping rods 162, 164. In this case, it may be possible to have a single clamping rod between the battery bricks that are stacked on top of each other. the others. Returning to Figure 8, for example, if a single anchor rod was used in channels 158 along the upper side of a series of bricks 144 and a single anchor rod was used in channels 154 of bricks 144, the rear plates, such as the backplate 166 shown in Figure 9, can effectively secure the bricks together. This would render channels 152 and 156 unused because they might match the fixing rods that were holding another set of battery bricks 144 together in a second set.

Alternatively, channels, such as channels 152 to 158, may be relatively high, such that each row of battery bricks uses fixing rods in each of their corresponding channels, and the channels keep the rows in layers. of offset battery bricks at a sufficient distance to ensure that the fixing rods do not interfere with each other. Figure 10 shows one such arrangement, wherein channel 168 is higher than the corresponding anchor rod 170, shown in Figure 10 in dashed lines. In addition to being taller than clamping rod 170, channel 168 also includes positioning means 172 adjacent to clamping rod 170. Positioning means 172 coincides with complementary positioning means on another channel when two battery bricks, or brick rows of batteries are stacked on top of each other. This helps make assembling large quantities of bricks a relatively quick and efficient process.

Returning briefly to Figure 8, battery brick 144 is shown including interlocking means 174 including a projection 176 and a recess 178. Projection 176 and recess 178 are configured to cooperate with complementary projections and recesses. arranged in adjacent battery bricks such that when forming an assembly such as the assembly 160 shown in Figure 9, the battery bricks 144 are properly aligned with one another. As discussed in conjunction with Figure 2, projections 100 and recesses 102 serve the similar function.

A difference between the interlocking means 176 and 178 displayed on the bricks 144 in Figure 9 and the interlocking means 100 and 102 of the bricks 15 shown in Figure 2 is that the interlocking features 100 and 102 allow some forward and backward movement of the bricks 15 after their adjacent installation. This can be useful to help correct any alignment deficiencies prior to locking the bricks 15 together, for example with fixing rods and back plates. Furthermore, the configuration of the interlocking means 100 and 102 also enables the removal of a single brick 15 from a brick assembly. If brick assembly 15 is held together with anchor rods and back plates (such as anchor rods 162, 164 and rear plates 166 shown in Figure 9), for example, a single brick 15 may be removed from the assembly by releasing it. of the brick fixing and sliding rods away from the assembly.

The battery brick shed, such as the shed 14 shown in Figure 1, or the shed 146 shown in Figure 8, may be formed by whatever effective method (s) for creating the desired structure. The shelter 14 shown in Figure 1 or its slight variations, for example, can be extruded into long sections and then cut to length. The openings, such as the openings 36, may be formed in a secondary operation. Alternatively, a shed, such as shed 14, may be injection molded to eliminate some or all of the secondary processes required after the extrusion process.

[069] Figure 11 shows a view of all components of the battery brick 144 and illustrates that the shelter 146 is made of two pieces 180 and 182 configured to fit together. Accurate examination of the two pieces 180 and 182 reveals that they are of the same component, oriented in reverse position from each other. First part 180, for example, includes male tabs 184, 186 configured to correspond with tab retainers 188, 190 over second part 182. At the bottom of second part 182, however, are the same male tabs 184, 186, configured to correspond to flap retainers 188, 190 on the bottom of first part 180. In this way, a single mold can be used to create the two-piece housing 146 for the battery brick 144. Of course, a two-piece housing, like shelter 46, it can also be made of two different pieces as formed into two different molds.

Figure 12 shows some details of the two pieces 180, 182 of housing 146. The ends 188, 190 of the two pieces 180, 182, for example, are formed with small V-shaped notches to coincide with complementary V-notches. over adjacent battery bricks. Use of these V-notches creates a high-resistance air flow path such that air blown towards brick face 144 enters interior 192 rather than flowing between adjacent bricks 144. This helps to keep the cooling air flow moving through the battery cells 150, rather than outside the shelter 146, where it is less effective. In addition, the coincident V-shaped notch 194 is also formed where the two pieces 180,182 meet. Again, this helps to force airflow through inner side 192 of shelter 146.

Although Figures 11 and 12 illustrate a convenient method of forming a shelter, such as shelter 146, the battery brick shelter can also be formed as a single piece that includes one or more living joints. Figure 13 shows one such arrangement for battery brick shelter 194. Shelter 194 includes first and second main parts 196, 198, which are held together by a living hinge 200. A locking arm 202 is secured to the second part. 198 through second living hinge 204. Figure 14 shows housing 194 attached together and further illustrates a series of locking arms 202 disposed along the length of housing 194.

Returning to Figure 11, it is shown that each of the battery cells 150 includes two terminals 206, 208 arranged at opposite ends of the corresponding battery cell 150. Terminals 206 are positive electrical terminals and terminals 208 are electrical terminals. negative. Each of the positive electrical terminals 206 is equipped with isolator 210 which, in the embodiment shown in Figure 11, is a two-piece structure including cap 212 and ring 214. Isolators 210 cover a portion of positive terminal 206 of a cell. 150 and a portion of the negative terminal 208 of the adjacent battery cell 150. In addition to providing electrical isolation, the insulators 210 also act as spacers to control air gaps and alignment of the 150 battery cells.

Shelter 146 includes first and second ends 216 and 218. As indicated above, a battery brick may contain any number of battery cells effective for the intended use. In the battery brick 144 shown in Figure 11, eight of the battery cells 150 are used in two adjacent rows, each row of four battery cells 150 forming a battery module. For each of the battery modules, the first and last battery cells 150 will have one of their terminals adjacent the corresponding end 216, 218 of housing 146. Terminal covers 219 and 221 are used to extend terminals 206, 208 of battery cells 150 outside shelter 146 so that adjacent bricks 144 can be electrically connected to each other.

Although the negative terminals 208 of the battery cells 150 that are adjacent to the ends 216, 218 of the shelter 146 do not have isolators 210 thereon, it may be convenient to provide a negative terminal isolator at the end of a module. This can help equalize airflow around battery cells, such as 150 battery cells. It can also help to distribute a force, such as the force applied externally to the battery brick, more regularly along the battery cells. batteries when a series of battery bricks are stacked on top of each other. Figure 11A, for example, shows one of the terminal covers 221 over a negative terminal 208 of battery cell 150. Negative terminal isolator 223 is configured to fit over terminal cover 221. As shown in Figure 11A, the insulator 223 has a thickness (t) that is generally the same thickness (t) as the terminal cover 221. This allows the insulator 223 to be placed over the terminal cover 221 without lengthening the module length.

[075] Although some of the battery cells may have very low nominal voltage (such as 1.2 volts), it is possible to have higher voltage battery cells. In addition, if the individual battery cell has relatively low voltage, wiring a large number of low voltage battery cells together can create a power supply system that has a high nominal voltage. In this case, it may be desirable to limit access to some of the battery cell terminals 150 such that, for example, the service professional is exposed to only a fraction of the nominal voltage of the power supply system.

[076] Figure 15 shows assembly 160 with battery bricks 144 in the process of electrical connection to each other. Shown in Figure 15 are a series of terminal connectors 220. Each of the terminal connectors 220 includes a first part 222 and a second part 224. The first part 222 includes a pickup bar (not visible in Figure 15) that enables the realization of of an electrical connection between two adjacent terminals, such as terminals 226 and 228. The second part 224 of each of the terminal connectors 220 effectively inhibits access to adjacent terminals, such that, for example, terminals 226 and 228 must be disconnected from each other before terminal connector 220 can be removed to allow access to adjacent terminals of terminals 226, 228. This is explained more fully below in conjunction with Figures 16 and 17.

[077] Figure 16 shows an assembly 230 consisting of a row of battery bricks 232. In the example shown in Figure 16, each of bricks 232 includes four modules 234 consisting of four battery cells each (not visible separately). ). In Figure 16, each of the battery cells is serially connected and each of the 234 battery modules is also serially connected to other 234 battery modules. Therefore, the nominal voltage of assembly 230 is much higher than the nominal voltage. of each individual battery cell.

[078] The battery cell terminals on the front 236 of the bricks 232 are electrically connected to each other with slip bars 238. Similarly, the battery terminals on the back 240 of the bricks 232 are electrically connected to each other with slip bars 242. With the electrical connections shown in Figure 16, the full rated voltage of set 230 will be observed through battery terminals 244 and 246. The terminal connectors 220 shown in Figure 15 may help limit the high voltage exposure of the battery pack. such as assembly 230. Terminal connectors 220, for example, may be connected to the front terminals of brick 232, such that terminal connectors 220 must be removed sequentially from the terminals on the leftmost brick ( as shown in Figure 16), marked as 232 '.

[079] As shown in Figure 15, terminal connectors 220 work with four adjacent battery terminals. As it is desirable to have the last terminal set 244, 246 accessible for making the electrical connection, the first terminal set 248 and 250 on the first brick 232 'has a separate electrical terminal connector. For the remainder of the front brick terminal blocks of the 232 bricks, the terminal connectors 220 may be used. Although the terminal connectors 220 are configured to work with four adjacent terminals, the terminal connectors according to the present invention may be made in different lengths to work with another number of adjacent battery terminals. Break lines may be formed, for example, in the second portions 224 of the terminal connectors 220 to facilitate easy sizing for specific applications.

[080] As shown in Figure 15, each of the terminal connectors 220 overlaps an adjacent terminal connector 220, such that the first of the terminal connectors 220 must be removed before access and removal of an adjacent terminal connector 220. In Figure 16, removing the first set of terminal connectors 220 from the first brick 232 'exposes only a fraction of the nominal voltage of full set 230. Removing the first set of terminal connectors 220, for example, exposes the terminal connections. shown by dashed line in Figure 16. If each of the battery cells used in the 230 assembly is connected in series, and each of these cells has a nominal voltage of about 1.2 volts, the maximum voltage along any of the exposed terminals. (indicated by dashed lines) is about 20 volts. This is much less than the total voltage of the assembly 230. The accessible voltage is further reduced as more terminal connectors 220 are removed from adjacent bricks 232. In Figure 17, for example, the exposed terminal connectors, again indicated by lines. they have only 10 volts through them, again a small fraction of the total nominal voltage of the assembly 230. This same voltage is observed along the exposed terminals as each successive terminal connector 220 is removed.

[081] After removing the last of the terminal connectors 220 from the terminals on the front side 236 of the bricks 232, each of the terminals on the rear side 240 of the bricks 232 can be made accessible simultaneously: without the connection on the front side of the bricks 232. 232 bricks, there is no voltage across the terminals on the rear side 240. Therefore, the terminal connectors 220 need not be used on the rear side 240 of the 232 bricks, which saves time during assembly and disassembly of assembly 230. Figure 18 shows the rear side 240 of bricks 232 in assembly 230. A single terminal connector 252 contains all bus bars 242 (see Figure 16) and snap covers 254 may be placed over terminal connector 252 after it has been screwed into place. 256. Although shown separately from terminal connector 252 in Figure 18, snap-on covers, such as covers 254, may be molded onto the connector. terminal 252, such as with a live joint.

As discussed above, the terminal connectors 220 used over the front 236 of the battery bricks 232 require adjacent pairs of terminals to be disconnected from each other, and from assembly 160, prior to the removal of the adjacent terminal connectors 220. In addition, a terminal connector used on the backside 240 of battery bricks 232, such as terminal connector 252 shown in Figure 18, may be configured such that it cannot be removed until the last of the terminal connectors. 220 is disconnected and removed from the front 236 of the battery bricks 232. Thus, even if all terminals on the back 240 of the battery bricks 232 have soldered terminal connectors, the service professional is not exposed to high voltage, as the front terminals must be disconnected before the rear terminals can be accessed.

As shown in Figure 18, the terminal connector 252 is fixed to battery terminals using threaded fasteners 256. Of course, other fastening mechanisms may be used to secure the terminal connector 252 to the battery terminal. On the backside 240 of assembly 230, for example, terminal connector (s) may be soldered or snap-fitted to the battery terminals to eliminate the need to separate the fasteners.

[084] Figure 19 shows another type of terminal connector, similar to the terminal connectors 220 shown in Figure 15. In assembly 160, illustrated in Figure 15, each of the battery terminals includes a female threaded portion configured to receive a fastener. Male threaded fasteners such as fasteners 256. Alternatively, the battery cells may contain, for example, a male threaded portion configured to receive a female threaded fastener such as a nut. Figure 19 shows a terminal connector 258 configured to accommodate battery cells containing male threaded terminals, such as male threaded terminal 259, shown in Figure 19A.

[085] Terminal connector 258, like the terminal connectors 220 shown in Figure 15, includes a first and a second part 260 and 262. The first part 260 is configured to retain the busbar 264 which enables the electrical connection between two adjacent battery cells. Schematically shown in Figure 19 are combinations of washer and nut 266, 268, which are held in place by nut retainers 270 and 272. Like terminal connectors 220, terminal connector 260 has a second portion 258 that inhibits access to the adjacent pair of battery terminals. The adjacent pair of terminals is covered until the nut / washers 266, 268 are removed and the entire terminal connector 258 is removed. Therefore, the two terminals are electrically disconnected before the two adjacent terminals under the second part 262 are exposed.

[086] Figure 19A shows a configuration for a male threaded terminal 259 that can be used with terminal connectors such as terminal connector 258. Male threaded terminal 259 includes a threaded post 273 configured to receive a nut and / or washer, such as any of the nut and washer combinations 266, 268 shown in Figure 19. The male threaded terminal 259 is raised above a four-pillar battery cell vent cover 275, which allows the vent cell to be vented. battery 279. Terminal 259 includes a base 281 having an opening 283 below the pillars 277. Base 281 is projection welded to the vent cap 275 at points 282, although other types of fasteners may be used.

Returning to Figure 19, a part of a voltage sensor 274 is illustrated. The voltage sensor 274 may be placed between the busbar and one between the nut / washers 266, 268. The voltage sensor 274 may be connected. in a small circuit adjacent to the battery cell, which can then send a signal to a system controller, such as a vehicle system controller (VSC) in a vehicle. Similar voltage sensors 274 may be connected to each of the terminal connectors 260, such that several signals are sent to VSC to indicate the voltage of the large battery pack battery modules. This information is useful in determining, for example, when battery maintenance is required.

[088] In order to facilitate a good connection between adjacent battery terminals, for example by using terminal connector, such as terminal connector 220 shown in Figure 15 or terminal connector 258 shown in Figure 19, battery terminals should be relatively aligned with each other. If terminal 226 shown in Figure 15, for example, extends outwardly from its corresponding brick 144, significantly further than terminal 228 extending outwardly of its corresponding brick 144, the attachment of terminal connector 220 may be secured. problematic. In particular, misalignment of terminals 226, 228 may lead to poor electrical connection. In order to address this problem, the present invention utilizes one or more positioning devices to position battery cells in a corresponding housing.

Returning to Figure 11, it is shown that brick 144 includes two rows of four battery cells 150 each. When battery cells 150 are manufactured, each has a nominal length subject to manufacturing tolerance. As a series of 150 battery cells are placed between the ends of each other, the total length of the resulting battery module has a variation that is the sum of the manufacturing tolerances of each of the 150 battery cells and the endpoint tolerances 219. , 221 and any interconnectors used to connect battery cells 150. This phenomenon, known as tolerance buildup, may result in an undesirable amount of variation in the location of battery terminals that are adjacent to ends 216, 218 of housing 146. A In order to reduce variation and location of battery terminals, housing 146 includes positioning devices 276 for positioning individual battery cells 150 in housing 146.

As shown in Figure 20, positioning devices 276 include slots formed in housing 146 which are configured to engage insulators 210 by positioning battery cells 150. In order to more securely fit insulator 210 into slot 276, each one of the slots 276 may contain a series of teeth 278, as shown in Figure 21. As shown in detail in Figure 21, isolator ring 214 includes a series of smaller rings 280 that cooperate with teeth 278 by securely positioning the tooth cells. 150 batteries inside the shed 146. The use of positioning devices, such as the slots 276 in shed 146, helps to ensure that the battery terminals adjacent to the ends of the battery shed, such as shed 146, will be in a predetermined distance from the edge of the shelter. This helps to ensure proper alignment of the battery terminals as terminal connectors, such as connectors 220, are secured.

[091] As discussed above, the present invention provides a power supply system that includes a number of mechanisms for ensuring air flow around battery cells to facilitate cooling. Since airflow uniformity can be important for the cooling process and battery cell temperature measurement provides relevant information with reference to cooling efficiency, the present invention also provides a series of "sensor stations" in which sensors Temperature controls can be used without impairing the uniformity of the cooling air flow. Figure 8, for example, shows a series of sensor stations 282 disposed along the length of battery pack 144. Specifically, sensor stations 282 are disposed on the outer side 148 of housing 146.

[092] Each of the sensor stations 282 is configured to stop air flow around battery cells 150 in substantially the same way, with or without a temperature sensor positioned at the corresponding sensor station 282. Each of the sensor stations 282 includes a opening 284 which allows the temperature sensor to penetrate housing 146 and to be in contact with the surface of battery cell 150. Sensor stations 282 may be molded directly into housing 146, for example in an injection molding process.

[093] Figure 22 shows a detail of the shelter sensing station 146. Positioned on the inside 286 of the shelter 146, the sensing station 282 includes a seal 288 configured to contact the outer surface of the battery cell 150. Hence Thus, as air flows around the outside of battery cell 150, its flow path is interrupted by seal 288 corresponding to battery cell 150. Air flow moves around seal 288 and continues to interior 286 of shelter 146. As seal 288 contacts battery cell 150, airflow is interrupted, with no temperature sensor positioned at sensor station 282.

[094] This configuration allows for flexibility in positioning battery temperature sensors such as brick 144 because the cooling air flow is not affected by the amount of temperature sensors actually installed in the system. specific battery In addition, aperture 284 in each of the sensor stations 282 allows the temperature sensor to be placed on the inner side 286 of the shelter 146 and, in fact, allows the temperature sensor to contact the outer surface of the battery cell. 150. This enables accurate measurement of the battery cell temperature. This is unlike other battery temperature mechanisms which, for example, can measure the battery shelter temperature and then use some formulas to determine the battery cell temperature.

As discussed above, some of the shelters used in power supply systems according to the present invention may be manufactured in extrusion process. The use of high profile sensor stations, such as 282 sensor stations, is not the way through this process. Figure 23 shows an alternative to the high profile sensor stations 282 shown in Figure 8. Figure 23 shows a battery brick shelter portion 290 that includes a slot-shaped opening 292, similar to the openings 36 shown in Figure 1. As indicated above, openings such as this can be added in secondary operation after the shelter extrusion, such as shelter 290, or shelter 14 shown in Figure 1.

Returning to Figure 23, aperture 292 is configured with a first part 294 of the sensor station configured to receive a temperature sensor. As shown in Figure 24, the second sensor station part 296 fits into the first part 294 and is configured to hold the temperature sensor 298. Also shown in Figure 24 is the configuration of the second sensor station part 296, which allows 300 end of temperature sensor 298 contact surface 302 of battery cell 304. This provides a direct measurement of temperature of battery cell 304.

[097] Like temperature stations 282, shown in Figure 8, the second temperature station part 296 contacts surface 302 of battery 304 such that the air flowing around battery cell 304 is regardless of whether the 298 temperature sensor is installed. Again, this provides uniform air flow regardless of which temperature station has temperature sensors positioned on them. This also effectively isolates the temperature sensor 298 from the airflow to provide a more accurate measurement of the 304 battery cell temperature. It also provides an advantage over conventional temperature measurement methods for inferred temperature configurations. , or expose temperature sensor to the cooling air flow, which not only reduces the accuracy of the temperature measurement, but also reduces the uniformity of the cooling air flow.

Although the best embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for carrying out the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims

Claims (3)

1. POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM (10) in the form of a battery brick (15), comprising: a series of power supply units, each consisting of a battery cell (150); a shelter (14) configured to receive the power supply units within it, the shelter (14) being configured to provide an air flow path around each of the power supply units in the shelter (14), characterized in that the shelter (14) comprises a series of sensor stations (282, 296), each of which interrupts at least a portion of the air flow around the power supply units and is open at one outer end. of the shelter (14) to receive a corresponding temperature sensor (298) within it, each sensor station (282) is opened at an opposite end within the shelter (14), and is configured to allow a temperature sensor (298) Within the sensor station (282, 296) contact the power supply unit to determine the temperature of the respective power supply unit, and the opposite end of the sensor station (282, 296) in When a seal (288) is configured to contact a surface of the power supply unit, each sensor station (282, 296) is configured to interrupt air flow in substantially the same manner whether or not the temperature sensor is installed. at the sensor station (282, 296). POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the shelter (14) is configured to receive a predetermined amount of power supply units, and includes a sensor station (282). , 296) for each of the predetermined quantity of power supply units. Power supply system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each sensor station (296) is a separately formed part which is received within the opening (292) of the shelter (14). ).