Battery housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11769927-B2
Application number	US-202117554661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2021
Priority date	Dec 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

The technology disclosed herein relates to a battery housing having a casing with a plurality of sidewalls defining an installation opening and a battery cavity configured to receive a battery. The plurality of sidewalls has a first sidewall having a tab receptacle. A cover extends across the installation opening, the cover has a first end, a second end, and an engagement tab towards the second end. The engagement tab is configured to removably extend through the tab receptacle from outside the casing towards the battery cavity. The engagement tab defines an engagement surface that is configured to frictionally engage the first sidewall in the battery cavity. An adjustable compression mechanism couples the first end of the cover to the casing and defines an axial distance between the casing and the cover. The adjustable compression mechanism is configured to adjustably compress the cover and the casing together across the axial distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery housing comprising:
a casing comprising a plurality of sidewalls defining an installation opening and a battery cavity configured to receive a battery, the plurality of sidewalls comprising a first sidewall having a tab receptacle extending therethrough;
a cover extending across the installation opening, the cover comprising a first end, a second end, and an engagement tab towards the second end, wherein the engagement tab is configured to removably extend through the tab receptacle from outside the casing towards the battery cavity, the engagement tab defining an engagement surface that is configured to frictionally engage the first sidewall in the battery cavity; and
an adjustable compression mechanism coupling the first end of the cover to the casing, wherein the adjustable compression mechanism defines an axial distance between the casing and the cover, and wherein the adjustable compression mechanism is configured to adjustably compress the cover and the casing together across the axial distance.

2. The battery housing of claim 1 , wherein the first end forms a top cover portion of the battery housing.

3. The battery housing of claim 2 , wherein the cover further forms a side cover portion extending from the top cover portion to the engagement tab.

4. The battery housing of claim 3 , wherein the side cover portion and the top cover portion form an angle of at least 45°.

5. The battery housing of claim 1 , wherein the cover is separable from the plurality of sidewalls.

6. The battery housing of claim 1 , the cover further comprising a battery compression surface between the first end and the second end, wherein the battery compression surface is configured to apply downward pressure to a battery disposed in the battery cavity.

7. The battery housing of claim 1 , the adjustable compression mechanism comprising a bolt having a first bolt end fixed to the casing and the first end of the cover is axially translatable along the bolt.

8. The battery housing of claim 7 , wherein the adjustable compression mechanism further comprises a knob coupled to a second bolt end of the bolt configured for manual rotation by a user.

9. The battery housing of claim 1 , wherein the cover defines a bolt receiving slot extending from a distal end of the first end of the cover towards the second end of the cover.

10. The battery housing of claim 1 , wherein the engagement tab has an extension portion defining a tab plane is between 0° and 90° to a sidewall plane defined by the first sidewall.

11. The battery housing of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a plurality of engagement tabs defining the engagement surface and the first sidewall defines a plurality of tab receptacles, wherein each engagement tab of the plurality of engagement tabs is removably disposed in a tab receptacle.

12. The battery housing of claim 1 , wherein the casing further comprises a wiring conduit extending outward from the battery cavity.

13. The battery housing of claim 12 , further comprising a first restraint flange extending inward from a sidewall, wherein the first restraint flange separates the battery cavity from the wiring conduit.

14. The battery housing of claim 1 , further comprising a restraint flange extending inward from a sidewall, wherein the restraint flange separates the battery cavity from the first sidewall.

15. The battery housing of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls comprises a battery platform, wherein the restraint flange extends upward from the battery platform and towards the first sidewall.

16. The battery housing of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls comprises a battery platform, wherein the battery platform defines an access opening to a bottom surface of a battery received by the battery platform.

17. A method of installing a battery in a battery housing comprising:
inserting a battery through an installation opening in a casing into a battery cavity;
inserting an engagement tab of a cover into a tab receptacle of the casing, wherein the engagement tab is defined towards a second end of the cover;
extending the cover over the battery and the installation opening;
coupling a first end of the cover to an adjustable compression mechanism fixed to the casing; and
tightening the adjustable compression mechanism to translate the first end of the cover axially towards the casing.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the adjustable compression mechanism comprises a bolt and coupling the first end of the cover to the adjustable compression mechanism comprises sliding the first end of the cover past the bolt to translate the bolt along a slot defined by the first end of the cover.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein tightening the adjustable compression mechanism results in the cover applying compression force to the battery.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein tightening the adjustable compression mechanism comprises rotating a manually rotatable knob.

Assignees

• Exmark Mfg Company Incorporated

Inventors

• Dragoo Derek L
• Fredenburg Michael Shane
• Sands Patrick D

Classifications

• H01M50/271 Primary

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

• H01M50/242

  adapted for protecting batteries against vibrations, collision impact or swelling · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• H01M50/264

  for cells or batteries, e.g. straps, tie rods or peripheral frames · CPC title

• H01M50/289

  characterised by spacing elements or positioning means within frames, racks or packs (spacing elements inside cells other than separators, membranes or diaphragms H01M50/471) · CPC title