Secondary battery module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9685682-B2
Application number	US-201114111074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2011
Priority date	Apr 12, 2011
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A secondary battery module 1 of the present invention stores cell blocks 40 in a module case 2 , and cools battery cells 101 in the cell blocks 40 by circulating coolant to the inside of the cell blocks by introduction of the coolant into the module case 2 . The secondary battery module has a structure of communicating coolant circulation ports 22 that open to a case wall section 21 of the module case 2 and coolant circulation ports 62 a that open to the cell blocks 40 with each other by a communication member 71 , and passing wiring through a space region 80 formed outside the communication member 71 and between the case wall section 21 and the cell blocks 40 . Thus, wiring can be executed without interfering flow of the coolant, and the total secondary battery module 1 can be miniaturized.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A secondary battery module, comprising:
a module case that stores cell blocks, wherein each of the cell blocks includes a plurality of battery cells;
cell wall coolant circulation ports that open to a case wall section of the module case;
cell block coolant circulation ports that open to the cell blocks;
a communication member enabling a gas tight seal communication between the cell wall coolant circulation ports and the cell block coolant circulation ports; and
a space region formed outside the communication member and between the case wall section and the cell blocks, wherein one or more cell block voltage detection substrates are exposed to the space region between an end of the case wall section and the cell blocks.

2. The secondary battery module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the module case comprises a case front wall section where suction ports open and a case back wall section where exhaust ports open,
wherein each of the cell blocks comprises a case front end surface section that opposes the case front wall section and to which a coolant introduction port opens and a case back end surface section that opposes the case back wall section and to which a coolant lead out port opens, and
wherein the communication member is interposed between the case front end surface section and the case front wall section, communicates the suction ports and the coolant introduction port with each other, and has a shape of forming the space region between the case front wall section and the case front end surface section and in the outside of the communication member.

3. The secondary battery module according to claim 2 , wherein
the communication member has a shape for positioning each cell block at a position where the case back end surface section of each cell block abuts the case back wall section and the coolant lead out port of the case back end surface section communicates with one of the exhaust ports of the case back wall section.

4. The secondary battery module according to claim 3 ,
wherein the module case is provided with a plurality of suction ports and exhaust ports so as to form pairs at a predetermined interval in a lateral direction in the case front wall section and the case back wall section,
wherein each of the cell blocks are disposed in parallel corresponding to the suction ports and the exhaust ports that form pairs, and
wherein the communication member forms the space region that continues in the lateral direction over the cell blocks between the case front wall section and the case front end surface section and at least either below or above the communication member.

5. The secondary battery module according to claim 4 , wherein
the communication member forms a lower space region and an upper space region that continue in the lateral direction over the cell blocks and the communication member.

6. The secondary battery module according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a holder that extends continuously in the lateral direction over the cell blocks in the upper space region and holds the communication member.

7. The secondary battery module according to claim 6 , wherein
the holder comprises a first wiring passage that extends along a longitudinal direction of the holder.

8. The secondary battery module according to claim 7 , wherein
the holder comprises a flange that projects along an upper surface of the cell blocks, extends along the longitudinal direction of the holder with a predetermined width and covers and hides the upper surface of a bus bar that electrically connects the cell blocks with each other.

9. The secondary battery module according to claim 8 , wherein
the holder comprises a second wiring passage that extends along the longitudinal direction of the holder in an upper part of the flange.

10. The secondary battery module according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a harness that connects the cell blocks and an external terminal to each other,
a voltage detection line that connects the voltage detection substrates and a control device to each other, and
a sensor line that connects temperature detecting sensors that detect temperature of the battery cells and the control device to each other.

11. The secondary battery module according to claim 1 , wherein the module case includes:
a lower cap section;
an upper cap section detachably attached on top of the lower cap section and openingly formed with an upper cap opening that communicates with the inside of the module case;
a shutter movably supported by the upper cap section and capable of being disposed selectively at an opened position for opening the upper cap opening and a closed position for closing the upper cap opening; and
a safety switch that electrically disconnects the battery cells by detaching a connector that is detachably attached at a position opposing an opening side in a moving direction of the closed position of the shutter.

12. The secondary battery module according to claim 11 , wherein
the module case comprises a safety bolt that fastens the lower cap section and the upper cap section together, and is covered and hidden at the closed position and is exposed at the opened position by the shutter.

13. The secondary battery module according to claim 12 , wherein
the shutter comprises a window hole that is disposed above the safety bolt and exposes the safety bolt at the closed position.

14. The secondary battery module according to claim 4 , wherein the module case includes:
a case bottom wall section that spreads in a flat plane shape between the case front wall section and the case back wall section;
middle wall ribs that are erected on the case bottom wall section, extend in a front/back direction in the module case, and form a plurality of cell block storage chambers in the module case; and
recess groove sections that are recessed in the case bottom wall section, extend in the lateral direction in the module case, and communicate the plurality of cell block storage chambers with each other.

15. The secondary battery module according to claim 14 , wherein the module case includes:
a case side wall section that is bent at an end on one side in the lateral direction of the case bottom wall section and extends upward;
a side wall rib that extends in the front/back direction along the case side wall section and forms a gas exhaust chamber with which ends of the recess groove sections communicate in a gap between the case side wall section; and
a gas exhaust pipe that is connected to a gas exhaust port that opens to the case side wall section, communicates with the gas exhaust chamber and discharges gas having flown in to the gas exhaust chamber to the outside of the module case.

16. A secondary battery module, the secondary module comprising:
a module case that stores cell blocks, wherein each of the cell blocks includes a plurality of battery cells;
a suction duct communication member inserted into suction ports that open to a case front wall section of the module case and communicate a suction duct that introduces a coolant and a coolant introduction port that opens to a case front end surface section of the cell blocks; and
an exhaust duct communication member inserted into an exhaust port that opens to a case back wall section of the module case and communicates a gas tight exhaust duct that leads out the coolant and coolant lead out ports that open to case back end surface section of the cell blocks,
wherein one or more cell block voltage detection substrates are exposed to a space region between an end of

Assignees

• Hoshi Hiroshi
• Aiba Tsunemi
• Kojima Naoki
• KIKKAWA Chikara
• Yoshida Toshiyuki
• Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd

Inventors

• Hoshi Hiroshi
• Aiba Tsunemi
• Kojima Naoki
• KIKKAWA Chikara
• Yoshida Toshiyuki

Classifications

• H01M10/6561

  Gases · CPC title

• B60L2240/545

  Temperature · CPC title

• H01M10/625

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H01M10/613

  Cooling or keeping cold · CPC title

• B60L50/51

  characterised by AC-motors · CPC title