Battery cooling apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440509-B2
Application number	US-201314045897-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2013
Priority date	Oct 4, 2013
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle includes a climate control system configured to regulate temperature within a cabin. The vehicle also includes a battery compartment disposed within the trunk, and a soft trim component that at least partially defines space within the trunk of the vehicle. The vehicle is further provided with a rigid insulative material formed upon and supporting a section of the soft trim such that the insulative material and section define a duct fluidly connecting the cabin and battery compartment in order to cool the battery compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a climate control system configured to regulate temperature within a cabin;
a flexible trim layer at least partially defining a trunk in the vehicle separate from the cabin;
a battery compartment disposed in the trunk; and
a rigid insulative material formed upon and supporting a section of the trim layer such that the insulative material and section define an elongated U-shaped duct fluidly connecting the cabin and battery compartment.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the flexible trim layer comprises a woven fabric.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the flexible trim layer is a carpet.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein a portion of the duct is formed by an integral wall of the flexible trim layer.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the duct includes airflow inlet and outlet ports and wherein the insulative material has a thermal insulation value such that an increase in air temperature between the inlet and outlet ports is no more than 5 degrees C. when an inlet air temperature is 25 degrees C.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the insulative material has an R-value of at least 4 K·m 2 /W.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the insulative material is expanded polypropylene (EPP) having a thickness of at least 6 mm.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a tray climatically separating the cabin from the trunk, and defining an air ventilation port connecting the cabin and duct.

9. A high-voltage traction battery cooling apparatus comprising:
a flexible trim layer at least partially covering a battery assembly; and
insulative material formed upon the trim layer, wherein each of the insulative material and the trim layer define a portion of a U-shaped cross-section of an elongated duct fluidly connecting a vehicle cabin and the battery assembly and configured to direct air to the battery assembly.

10. The cooling apparatus of claim 9 wherein the insulative material has an R-value of at least 4 K·m 2 /W.

11. The cooling apparatus of claim 9 wherein the trim layer comprises a woven fabric.

12. The cooling apparatus of claim 9 wherein a portion of the duct is formed by an integral wall of the trim layer.

13. The cooling apparatus of claim 9 wherein the duct includes airflow inlet and outlet ports and wherein the insulative material has a thermal insulation value such that an increase in air temperature between the inlet and outlet ports is no more than 5 degrees C. when an inlet air temperature is 25 degrees C.

14. The cooling apparatus of claim 9 wherein the insulative material is expanded polypropylene (EPP) having a thickness of at least 6 mm.

15. A vehicle comprising:
a passenger cabin;
a panel climatically separating the passenger cabin from a trunk and defining a first air ventilation port;
a trim component at least partially defining a battery compartment within the trunk, the battery compartment defining a second air ventilation port; and
insulative material integrally formed upon the trim component, wherein each of the insulative material and the trim component define a portion of a U-shaped cross-section of an elongated duct to direct air from the passenger cabin to the battery compartment.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the insulative material has an R-value of at least 4 K·m 2 /W.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the insulative material is over-molded upon the trim component.

18. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the trim component comprises a woven fabric carpet and the insulative material is arranged to support the carpet.

19. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the insulative material is expanded polypropylene (EPP) having a thickness of at least 6 mm.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Pham Thanh D
• Cardoso Jesus
• Dalrymple Beth Ann
• Lopez Luis

Classifications

• B60L2210/10

  DC to DC converters · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B60L2240/545

  Temperature · CPC title

• B60L1/003

  to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title