Vehicle body member having charging and discharging function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12145656-B2
Application number	US-202017002264-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2020
Priority date	Dec 13, 2019
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle body member includes a first cell portion including a first negative pole portion and a first positive pole portion disposed to be in contact with a surface of the first negative pole portion, a second cell portion including a second negative pole portion and a second positive pole portion disposed to be in contact with a surface of the second negative pole portion, an insulating layer disposed between the first cell portion and the second cell portion, a series connector connecting the first negative pole portion of the first cell portion and the second positive pole portion of the second cell portion in series, a positive pole current collector connected to the first positive pole portion of the first cell portion, and a negative pole current collector connected to the second negative pole portion of the second cell portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle body member having a charging and discharging function, the vehicle body member comprising:
a first cell portion including a first negative pole portion made of carbon fiber and a first positive pole portion disposed to be in contact with a surface of the first negative pole portion, the first positive pole portion including a first cathode active material and a first solid electrolyte;
a second cell portion including a second negative pole portion made of carbon fiber and a second positive pole portion disposed to be in contact with a surface of the second negative pole portion, the second positive pole portion including a second cathode active material and a second solid electrolyte;
an insulating layer disposed between a surface of the first cell portion and a surface of the second cell portion and configured to insulate the first cell portion and the second cell portion;
a series connector connecting the first negative pole portion of the first cell portion and the second positive pole portion of the second cell portion in series;
a positive pole current collector connected to the first positive pole portion of the first cell portion; and
a negative pole current collector connected to the second negative pole portion of the second cell portion,
wherein the first negative pole portion of the first cell portion includes one or more coupling bolts,
wherein the first positive pole portion of the first cell portion, the second negative pole portion and the second positive pole portion of the second cell portion, the insulating layer, and the series connector have one or more through-holes, through which the coupling bolts extend, and
wherein coupling nuts are fastened to end portions of the coupling bolts fitted into the through-holes.

2. The vehicle body member according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first negative pole portion and the second negative pole portion comprises a stack of a plurality of reinforced fiber sheets having carbon fibers arranged in different directions.

3. The vehicle body member according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first positive pole portion comprises a first positive pole layer with the first cathode active material being distributed in the first positive pole layer, and first solid electrolyte layers disposed between the first negative pole portion and the first positive pole layer, one of the first solid electrolyte layers in contact with the first negative pole portion and another one of the first solid electrolyte layers in contact with the first positive pole layer,
wherein the second positive pole portion comprises a second positive pole layer with the second cathode active material being distributed in the second positive pole layer, and second solid electrolyte layers disposed between the second negative pole portion and the second positive pole layer, one of the second solid electrolyte layers in contact with the second negative pole portion and another one of the second solid electrolyte layers in contact with the second positive pole layer,
wherein the first positive pole layer and the second positive pole layer are insulated from each other by the insulating layer, and
wherein the second positive pole layer and the first negative pole portion are connected in series via the series connector.

4. The vehicle body member according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a first separator disposed between two of the first solid electrolyte layers; and
a second separator disposed between two of the second solid electrolyte layers.

5. The vehicle body member according to claim 1 ,
wherein the vehicle body member comprises a plurality of vehicle body members,
wherein the positive pole current collectors respectively connected to a corresponding one of first positive pole layers of the vehicle body members are connected in series with the negative pole current collectors respectively connected to a corresponding one of the second negative pole portions of an adjacent vehicle body member, such that the positive pole current collectors are connected to each other in series, and
wherein the positive pole current collector of a vehicle body member disposed on a first end of the vehicle body members connected in series, and the negative pole current collector of a vehicle body member disposed on a second end of the vehicle body members connected in series, are selectively connected to an alternator or an electromagnetic device of a vehicle via a switch.

6. The vehicle body member according to claim 5 , wherein the switch is configured to selectively connect to the alternator or the electromagnetic device to perform one of:
a charging operation performed via the vehicle body members while the positive pole current collectors and the negative pole current collectors are electrically connected to the alternator of the vehicle; and
a discharging operation performed to generate power via the vehicle body members connected to the electromagnetic device of the vehicle while the positive pole current collectors and the negative pole current collectors are electrically connected to the electromagnetic device of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle body member according to claim 5 , wherein at least one vehicle body member of the plurality of vehicle body members provides a roof panel of the vehicle, and other vehicle body members of the plurality of vehicle body members provide roof rails of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle body member according to claim 7 , wherein the vehicle body member providing the roof panel and the vehicle body members providing the roof rails are insulated by an insulating member.

9. The vehicle body member according to claim 1 , wherein the first cell portion, the second cell portion, the insulating layer, and the series connector are molded from a resin.

10. The vehicle body member according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first negative pole portion of the first cell portion includes one or more coupling bolts,
wherein the first positive pole portion of the first cell portion, the second negative pole portion and the second positive pole portion of the second cell portion, the insulating layer, and the series connector have one or more through-holes, through which the coupling bolts extend, and
wherein coupling nuts are fastened to end portions of the coupling bolts fitted into the through-holes.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body; and
a plurality of vehicle body members attached to the vehicle body, each of the vehicle body members comprising:
a first cell portion including a first negative pole portion made of carbon fiber and a first positive pole portion disposed to be in contact with a surface of the first negative pole portion, the first positive pole portion including a first cathode active material and a first solid electrolyte;
a second cell portion including a second negative pole portion made of carbon fiber and a second positive pole portion disposed to be in contact with a surface of the second negative pole portion, the second positive pole portion including a second cathode active material and a second solid electrolyte;
an insulating layer disposed between a surface of the first cell portion and a surface of the second cell portion and configured to insulate the first cell portion and the second cell portion;
a series connector connecting the first negative pole portion of the first cell portion and the second positive pole portion of the second cell portion in series;
a positive pole current collector connected to the first positive pole portion of the first cell portion; and
a negative pole current collector connected to the second negative pole portion of the second cell portion,

wherei

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Song Won Ki

Classifications

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M2300/0065

  Solid electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M50/51

  Connection only in series · CPC title

• H01M50/46

  Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes · 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