Energy storage module including a plurality of energy storage assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10147920-B2
Application number	US-201415038023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2014
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to an energy storage module ( 10 ) comprising a plurality of energy storage assemblies ( 100 ) positioned side by side, and a rigid enclosure ( 12 ) intended for surrounding the storage assemblies, each assembly including at least one side wall closed at each end by an end surface, wherein the storage assemblies are electrically connected in pairs by conductive strips ( 110 ) extending over at least one end surface of each assembly, the strips being arranged such that one strip connects a first end surface of at least one predetermined assembly to an end surface of a first adjacent assembly and a second strip connects a second surface of the predetermined assembly to an end surface of a second adjacent assembly. The module also includes at least one electrically insulating member ( 120 ), made of an electrically insulating material and comprising a bottom ( 122 ) and a rim ( 124 ) extending essentially perpendicular to the bottom and surrounding same, each electrically insulating member ( 120 ) being associated with a strip ( 110 ) and fitted onto the end surfaces of two adjacent assemblies connected by the strip such that the bottom is parallel to the end surfaces and the rim runs alongside the side walls of the two assemblies while overlapping same over at least a portion of the height thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An energy storage module ( 10 ) comprising a plurality of energy storage assemblies ( 100 ) positioned side by side, and a rigid shell ( 12 ) designed to surround the storage assemblies, each assembly including at least one side wall closed at each end by an end face, wherein the storage assemblies are electrically connected two by two by conducting bars ( 110 ) extending over at least one end face of each assembly, the bars being arranged so that one bar connects a first end face of at least one predetermined assembly to an end face of a first adjoining assembly and that a second bar connects a second face of the predetermined assembly to an end face of a second adjoining assembly, wherein the module also includes at least one electrical insulation member ( 120 ), made of an electrically insulating material and including a bottom ( 122 ) and a rim ( 124 ) extending essentially perpendicularly to the bottom and surrounding it, each electrical insulation member ( 120 ) being associated with one bar ( 110 ) and fitted to the end faces of the two adjoining assemblies connected by the bar so that the bottom is parallel to the end faces and the rim runs along the side walls of the two assemblies while straddling them over at least a portion of their height, and wherein a plate ( 140 , 142 ) made of a thermally insulating material, is interposed between the bar ( 110 ) or the output connector ( 112 ) and the associated electrical insulation member ( 120 , 130 ).

2. The module according to claim 1 , including at least one assembly ( 100 A, 100 B) connected at one of its end faces to an output terminal ( 118 ) of the module by an output connector ( 112 ), the module further comprising at least one additional electrical insulation member ( 130 ) associated with the output connector ( 112 ), made of an electrically insulating material and including a bottom ( 132 ) and a rim ( 134 ) extending essentially perpendicularly to the bottom and surrounding it, the electrical insulation member being fitted on the end face of the assembly connected to the output terminal so that the bottom is parallel to said end face and that the rim runs along the side wall of the assembly while straddling it over at least a portion of its height.

3. The module according to claim 2 , wherein the output connector ( 112 ) is configured in the shape of an L, a first wall ( 114 ) of the connector running along the end face of the assembly and a second perpendicular wall ( 116 ) bearing the output terminal ( 118 ), the additional electrical insulation member ( 130 ) being configured to surround the assembly and the output connector so that its rim ( 134 ) runs along the side wall of the assembly and the second wall of the connector.

4. The module according to claim 3 , wherein the rim ( 134 ) of the additional electrical insulation member is configured so that it does not straddle the output terminal ( 118 ).

5. The module according to claim 1 , including a total number of electrical insulation members ( 120 , 130 ) greater than half the number of storage assemblies ( 100 ) of the module.

6. The module according claim 1 , wherein the or at least one of the electrical insulation members ( 120 , 130 ) is made of thermoplastic material.

7. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the plate ( 140 , 142 ) is made of EPDM.

8. The module according to claim 1 , wherein at least one assembly includes a tubular element ( 104 ) including the side wall(s) and open at at least one of its ends, and a cover ( 106 ) forming an end face of the assembly and closing the, or one end of the tubular element.

9. The module according to claim 8 , wherein the cover ( 106 ) includes a wall forming the end face and a skirt ( 108 ) surrounding said wall and surrounding the side wall(s) of the tubular element, the rim ( 124 , 134 ) of the electrical insulation member having a height greater than or equal to the height of the skirt of the cover of the assembly.

10. The module according to claim 1 , including a total number of electrical insulation members ( 120 , 130 ) equal to the number of assemblies of the module, plus 1.

11. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the or at least one of the electrical insulation members ( 10 , 130 ) is made of polypropylene.

12. A method for manufacturing an energy storage module ( 10 ) comprising a plurality of energy storage assemblies ( 100 ) positioned side by side, and a rigid shell ( 12 ) designed to surround the storage assemblies, each assembly including at least one side wall and closed at each end of the side wall by an end face, the method comprising the following steps:
the storage assemblies ( 100 ) are electrically connected two by two by conducting bars ( 110 ) extending respectively over at least one end face of each assembly, so that one bar connects a first end face of at least one predetermined assembly to a first adjoining assembly and a second bar connects a second face of the predetermined assembly to a second adjoining assembly,

at least one electrical insulating member ( 120 ), made of an electrically insulating material and including a bottom ( 122 ) and a rim ( 124 ) extending essentially perpendicularly to the bottom and surrounding it, is placed on the end faces of the two adjoining assemblies connected by the bar so that the bottom is parallel to the end faces and the rim runs along the side walls of the two assemblies while straddling them over at least a portion of their height, wherein an insulation plate ( 140 , 142 ) is interposed between at least one bar ( 110 ) or an output connector ( 112 ) and the associated electrical insulation member ( 120 , 130 ).

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein at least one assembly ( 100 A, 100 B) is connected at one of its end faces to an output terminal ( 118 ) of the module through an output connector ( 112 ) and an additional electrical insulation member ( 130 ), made of an electrically insulating material and including a bottom ( 132 ) and a rim ( 134 ) extending essentially perpendicularly to the bottom and surrounding it, is placed on the end face of the assembly connected to the output terminal so that the bottom is parallel to the end face and the rim runs along the side wall of the assembly while straddling it over at least a portion of its height.

Assignees

• Blue Solutions

Inventors

• Le Gall Laurent
• Juventin Anne-Claire

Classifications

• H01M10/653 Primary

  characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials · CPC title

• H01M50/507

  comprising an arrangement of two or more busbars within a container structure, e.g. busbar modules · CPC title

• H01M50/51

  Connection only in series · CPC title

• H01M50/224

  Metals · CPC title

• H01M50/271

  Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings · CPC title