Vehicle Body Member Having Charging and Discharging Function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021184193-A1
Application number	US-202016998165-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 20, 2020
Priority date	Dec 13, 2019
Publication date	Jun 17, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle body member includes a first cell portion including a first negative pole portion and a first positive pole portion, with one or more first via holes penetrating the first negative pole portion and the first positive pole portion, a second cell portion including a second negative pole portion and a second positive pole portion, an insulating layer disposed between a surface of the first cell portion and a surface of the second cell portion, the insulating layer having one or more insulating via holes, a series connector connecting the first negative pole portion and the second positive pole portion in series via the first via holes and the insulating via holes, a positive pole current collector connected to the first positive pole portion, and a negative pole current collector connected to the second negative pole 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, with one or more first via holes penetrating the first negative pole portion and the first positive pole portion; 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 from each other, the insulating layer having one or more insulating via holes configured to communicate with the first via holes provided in the first 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 via the first via holes and the insulating via holes; 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.

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;
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; the first positive pole layer and the second positive pole layer are insulated from each other by the insulating layer; and 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 , wherein the series connector comprises:
a first series connector disposed to be in contact with the first negative pole portion and bent to extend into the first via holes; and a second series connector disposed to be sandwiched between the insulating layer and the second positive pole layer and bent to extend into the insulating via holes and the first via holes to be in contact with the first series connector.

5 . The vehicle body member according to claim 1 , wherein the second cell portion has one or more second via holes penetrating predetermined regions of the second negative pole portion and the second positive pole portion, the second via holes being provided in locations configured to communicate with locations in which the first via holes are provided.

6 . The vehicle body member according to claim 5 , wherein a reinforcing member is disposed in at least a portion of each of the first via holes, the insulating via holes, and the second via holes.

7 . The vehicle body member according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle body member comprises a plurality of vehicle body members, and wherein:
the positive pole current collectors of the vehicle body members are connected in parallel; the negative pole current collectors of the vehicle body members are connected in parallel; and the positive pole current collectors and the negative pole current collectors are selectively connected to an alternator or an electromagnetic device of a vehicle via a switch.

8 . The vehicle body member according to claim 7 , 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.

9 . The vehicle body member according to claim 7 , 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.

10 . The vehicle body member according to claim 9 , wherein the vehicle body member providing the roof panel and the vehicle body members providing the roof rails are insulated by an insulating member.

11 . The vehicle body member according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle body member comprises a plurality of vehicle body members, and 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 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.

12 . The vehicle body member according to claim 11 , 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.

13 . The vehicle body member according to claim 11 , 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 v

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

• H02J2105/33

  exchanging power with road vehicles · CPC title

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H01M50/253

  adapted for specific cells, e.g. electrochemical cells operating at high temperature · CPC title

• B62D29/043

  Superstructures (B62D25/161 takes precedence) · CPC title