Power storage module including movable means for setting a plurality of power storage elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9786875-B2
Application number	US-201314397849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2013
Priority date	Apr 30, 2012
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a power storage module ( 10 ) capable of containing a plurality of power storage elements ( 14 ), the module including: a housing ( 16 ) including at least a plurality of side walls and two end walls ( 18 A; 18 B), the side walls consisting of one piece ( 20 ) having a closed outline and being sized so as to surround the power storage elements; a wall ( 22 ) for supporting the power storage elements, which is separate from the walls of the housing, and which extends essentially parallel to one of the side walls, referred to as a reference wall ( 20 A); a means ( 24 A- 24 B) for changing the position of the supporting wall ( 22 ) between at least an assembly position, in which the supporting wall is located at a first distance from the reference wall ( 20 A), and an operating position, in which the supporting wall is located at a second distance from the reference wall ( 20 A) that is greater than the first distance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An energy storage module suitable for containing a plurality of energy storage elements, the module comprising:
an envelope comprising at least a plurality of lateral walls and two end walls, the lateral walls being made in a single piece having a closed outline and sized to enclose the energy storage elements,
a supporting wall of energy storage elements separate from the walls of the envelope, and intended to extend essentially parallel to one of the lateral walls, called a reference wall,
wherein the module further comprises:

means suitable for modifying the position of the supporting wall between at least one assembly position, wherein the supporting wall is at a first distance from the reference wall and an operating position, wherein the supporting wall is at a second distance from the reference wall, greater than the first distance,
the means for modifying the position of the supporting wall comprising at least one shim intended to be inserted between the reference wall and the supporting wall, the shim especially having the form of a longitudinal member,
the reference wall comprising at least one guide rail capable of cooperating with the or at least one of the shims.

2. The module according claim 1 , wherein the piece comprising the lateral walls is open at its two ends, the module further comprising two end walls, each end wall being independent respectively of the piece and capable of closing the latter at an open end.

3. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the or at least one of the shims is configured to be able to deform elastically at least according to the direction normal to the reference wall to which the or at least one of the shims is connected.

4. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the means for modifying the position of the supporting wall can also comprise elastic means and means for holding the elastic means in a stressed position.

5. The module according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic means are in a single piece with the or at least one of the shims.

6. The module according to claim 1 , comprising at least one member made of compressible material intended to be placed between the supporting wall and the storage elements and/or between the storage elements and a lateral wall of the envelope opposite the reference wall.

7. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the or at least one of the shims, the elastic means and/or the supporting wall are made of thermally conductive material.

8. The module according to claim 1 , comprising a single reference wall formed by the lower wall or the upper wall of the envelope.

9. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the wall of the envelope opposite the reference wall is configured such that its distance relative to the reference wall varies locally, and comprises undulations.

10. The module according to claim 1 , comprising a shimming structure of storage elements, made of electrically insulating material and comprising a plurality of housings to receive the energy storage elements.

11. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the shimming structure comprises positioning means, especially attachment, relative to the supporting wall.

12. The module according to claim 10 , wherein the shimming structure comprises at least one of the following means:
guide means for cables, and/or
means for housing an electric connector capable of cooperating with complementary means connected to the elements, and/or
means for housing a connector to an electronic card, and/or
attachment means of the electronic card, and/or
attachment means of at least one sensor.

13. The module according to claim 1 , wherein the storage elements are arranged side by side such that each assembly has a first end stopping against the supporting wall and a second end stopping against the wall of the envelope opposite the reference wall.

14. An assembly method of an energy storage module intended to contain a plurality of energy storage elements in an envelope, comprising the following steps:
placement of a supporting wall in a piece having a closed outline and sized to receive the storage elements, the piece forming a portion of an envelope of the module and comprising at least the lateral walls of the envelope, such that the supporting wall is parallel and adjacent to one of the lateral walls, called a parallel reference wall, and the supporting wall is placed in an assembly position, at a first distance from the reference wall,
insertion by sliding the storage elements into the piece, such that once inserted the elements are in contact with the supporting wall,
modification of the position of the supporting wall such that the supporting wall moves from the assembly position to an operating position, wherein the supporting wall is at a second distance from the reference wall, greater than the first distance, the operating position being selected so as to press at least one member in association with the storage elements against a wall of the piece opposite the reference wall, the modification step of the position of the supporting wall comprising an insertion step of at least one shim, especially one or more longitudinal members, into the piece, between the reference wall and the supporting wall, insertion being carried out in cooperation with the at least one shim with at least one guide rail of the reference wall.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the modification step of the position of the supporting wall comprises a release step of pre-stressed elastic means.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the insertion step of the storage elements into the piece comprises an insertion step of the storage elements in a shimming structure comprising a plurality of housings capable respectively of receiving at least one storage element and a positioning step of the shimming structure containing the elements relative to the supporting wall.

17. The method according to claim 16 , comprising, prior to the positioning step of the structure on the supporting wall, especially insertion of the elements in the shimming structure, an assembly step of at least one electronic connector element, especially at least one cable, at least one electronic card, at least one connector, at least one sensor, on the shimming structure.

18. The module according to claim 4 , wherein the elastic means are in a single piece with the or at least one of the shims.

Assignees

• Blue Solutions

Inventors

• Juventin Anne-Claire
• Le Gall Laurent

Classifications

• H01M10/643 Primary

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• H01M10/65

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• H01M50/256

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