JP7236149B2 - Battery pack cooling structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooling structure for a battery pack.

As a first background art, a cooling structure in a battery pack cooling device described in Patent Document 1 is exemplified. This cooling structure is provided in a space 122 covered with a case 120 and a cover 121 as shown in FIG. a guide member 140 arranged in the space so as to cover the arrangement area of the plurality of battery modules 123 from above and guiding the cooling air generated in the cooling air generating section; Alternatively, at least one of the adjacent battery modules 123 has a cooling air introduction portion 142 that introduces the cooling air W guided by the guide member 140 .

As a second background art, a vehicle battery cooling structure described in Patent Document 2 is exemplified. This cooling structure is arranged in a row between an inlet 201 and an outlet 203 as shown in FIG. 205 and a second group module 207 comprising at least one or more battery modules arranged relatively close to the outlet 203; A first duct 209 arranged to bypass the second group module 207 and be guided to the outlet 203, and air bypassing the first group module 205 from the inlet 201 side cools the second group module 207. and a second duct 211 arranged to pass therethrough.

JP 2018-107087 A JP 2013-6576 A

However, in the cooling structure according to the background art, it is necessary to provide separate members such as the guide member 140 for introducing the cooling air and the ducts 209 and 211 in the space covered by the case and the cover, etc., resulting in cost and assembly man-hours. There is a problem that the

In order to solve the above problems, the battery pack cooling structure of the present invention includes:
A cooling structure for a battery pack having a plurality of battery modules arranged in a row at intervals in a space covered by a case body formed by combining a plurality of case pieces,
At least one of the case pieces has a hollow ridge extending on the inner surface so as to abut on the surface of the battery module and position the battery module within the space, and blows at least together with the ridge. It is integrally formed with resin by molding,
The ridge is provided with a through hole that communicates the inside and the outside.

The ridges are not particularly limited, but do not need to be hollow over the entire length, and may be partially solid. The cross-sectional shape of the ridges is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a substantially rectangular cross-section, a substantially arcuate cross-section, a substantially polygonal cross-section, and an irregular cross-section. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion does not need to be constant in size and shape in the length direction, and may be changed as appropriate in the middle, so that wiring and piping can be installed in the recess formed thereby. can do. Furthermore, the path for arranging the ridges can be appropriately set to be linear, curved, bent, or a combination thereof. The through holes may be formed during the integral molding, or may be formed separately after the integral molding.

The manner in which the ridges position the battery module is not particularly limited, but the following manner is exemplified.
(1) A mode of positioning in the horizontal direction within the space. This defines the horizontal spacing between the plurality of battery modules, and defines the horizontal spacing between the inner surface of the case piece and the facing surface of the battery module.
(2) A mode of positioning in the vertical direction within the space. This defines the vertical spacing between the plurality of battery modules, and defines the vertical spacing between the inner surface of the case piece and the facing surface of the battery module.

According to this configuration, the cooling air is discharged or collected from the through holes provided in the ridges by pumping or sucking the cooling air into the interior (hollow portion) of the ridges. can be done. Therefore, the cooling air can be efficiently circulated around the battery modules positioned by the protrusions, and the battery modules can be efficiently cooled. Further, in the case piece, the ridges serving as a reinforcing structure and a cooling air flow path are integrally formed of resin by blow molding. can be expected. Furthermore, since there is no need to have a separate member as in the background art, cost reduction and assembly man-hour reduction can be expected.

A plurality of ridges are provided on the inner surface of any one of the case pieces, and the plurality of ridges are connected to each other so that the insides (hollow portions) of the plurality of ridges communicate with each other. Illustrate.

According to this configuration, the effects described above can be further improved.

The case body comprises an upper case as a first case piece and a lower case as a second case piece,
The upper case is provided with the ridge and is integrally formed with the ridge by blow molding,
The lower case is provided with the ridges, and is integrally formed with the ridges by blow molding.

According to this configuration, the cooling air can be circulated between the through hole provided in the protrusion on the upper case side and the through hole provided on the lower case side. can be obtained.

According to the battery pack cooling structure of the present invention, it is possible to realize a cooling air duct structure, a battery module fixing structure, and a case reinforcing structure by resin blow molding.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing a usage state of a battery pack cooling structure according to an embodiment embodying the present invention; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a lower case piece in the cooling structure of the same battery pack, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a cross-sectional view along the bb line of (a), and (c) is the cc line of (a). It is a sectional view. It is the elements on larger scale in FIG.2(c), (a) is a figure which shows the left end protrusion in the same figure, (b) is a figure which shows the central protrusion in the same figure. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line cc in FIG. 2(a), showing the usage state of the cooling structure for the same battery pack. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view at a position corresponding to line cc in FIG. 2(a), showing the cooling structure of the same battery pack in a mode in which two types of protrusions with different heights are provided; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view at a position corresponding to the cc line in FIG. be. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view at a position corresponding to line cc in FIG. 2(a), showing a battery pack cooling structure according to a modification of the invention; 1 is a side sectional view showing a battery pack cooling device according to a first background art; FIG. FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing a vehicle battery cooling structure according to a second background art;

1 to 6 show a cooling structure 2 for a battery pack 1 of one embodiment embodying the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cooling structure 2 of this example is spaced apart from each other in a space 5 covered by a case body 4 formed by combining upper case pieces 3A and lower case pieces 3B as a plurality of case pieces. The battery pack 1 has a plurality of battery modules 6 arranged side by side. In this example, the upper case piece 3A and the lower case piece 3B are formed substantially vertically symmetrically, so only the lower case piece 3B will be mainly described below. This case piece 3B has a plurality of ridges 7 provided on the inner surface and a duct 8 provided so as to communicate the inside and outside of the lower case piece 3B. It is integrally formed of resin.

The battery pack 1 of this example has eight battery modules 6 arranged in two rows and four columns at predetermined intervals. Each battery module 6 is an aggregate of a plurality of cells. A predetermined gap is also provided between the inner surface of the lower case piece 3B and the side surface of the battery module 6 facing it.

The main body of the lower case piece 3B is formed in a substantially box-like shape that is rectangular in plan view, and a flange portion 11 is formed on the outer periphery of the opening.

Four protrusions 7 are provided on the four sides of the inner bottom surface of the lower case piece 3B, and one horizontal and three vertical protrusions are provided between the battery modules 6 arranged in two rows and four columns. The side surface of the protrusion 7 abuts the side surface of the battery module 6 to position the battery module 6 in the space 5 in the horizontal direction. The ridge 7 has a substantially rectangular cross-section and is hollow, and has a through hole 7a on its top surface that communicates the inside and the outside. A plurality of (eight in this example) ridges 7 are connected to each other so that the insides (hollow portions) thereof communicate with each other. Mainly the side surfaces of the battery module 6 can be cooled by circulating the cooling air W in the space 5 through the through holes 7a.

As the protrusion 7, as illustrated in FIG. , and the battery module 6 may be raised from the inner bottom surface of the lower case piece 3B and supported (positioned in the vertical direction). Then, the low projection 7L is formed hollow, the interior (hollow portion) thereof is connected to the projection 7, and a through hole 7a communicating between the inside and the outside is provided in the side surface of the low projection 7L. By circulating the cooling air W through the opening, it is possible to cool mainly the bottom surface of the battery module 6 . Similarly, in the upper case piece 3A, mainly the upper surface of the battery module 6 can be cooled by circulating the cooling air W through the through holes 7a provided in the side surfaces of the low ridges 7L.

As for the cross-sectional shape of the projection 7, as shown in FIG. 6, by providing a portion 7b in which the height in the direction of the length thereof is low, wires and pipes can pass through the portion 7b. can be The portion 7b of the ridge 7 may be solid. Cooling air W can be circulated.

The duct 8 is provided so as to communicate the inside and the outside of the lower case piece 3B, and is provided so as to allow the cooling air W to flow between the inside and the outside of the lower case piece 3B. The inside (hollow portion) inside the lower case piece of the duct 8 is connected to the inside (hollow portion) of one of the four protrusions 7 arranged on the four sides of the inner bottom surface of the lower case piece 3B. ing. In this example, the duct 8 is integrally formed of resin on the lower case piece 3B by blow molding. can be

Although the method of blowing the cooling air W to the battery pack 1 of this example is not particularly limited, the following mode is exemplified.
(1) A pressure blower is connected to the duct 8 of the upper case piece 3A to pump the cooling air W therefrom, and a suction blower is connected to the duct 8 of the lower case piece 3B to suck the cooling air W therefrom. (See Figure 4). Alternatively, conversely, the suction blower is connected to the duct 8 of the upper case piece 3A, and the pressure blower is connected to the duct 8 of the lower case piece 3B.
(2) A pressure blower is connected to the duct 8 of the upper case piece 3A, the cooling air W is pumped from there, and the cooling air W is exhausted from the duct 8 of the lower case piece 3B (see FIG. 4). Alternatively, conversely, a pressure blower may be connected to the duct 8 of the lower case piece 3B to exhaust the cooling air W from the duct 8 of the upper case piece 3A.
(3) A suction blower is connected to the duct 8 of the upper case piece 3A, sucks the cooling air W therefrom, and enters the cooling air W from the duct 8 of the lower case piece 3B. Alternatively, conversely, a suction blower is connected to the duct 8 of the lower case piece 3B, and the cooling air W is introduced from the duct 8 of the upper case piece 3A (see FIG. 4).

According to the cooling structure 2 of the battery pack 1 of this embodiment configured as described above, the upper case piece 3A and the lower case piece 3B abut on the surface of the battery module 6 to keep the battery module 6 in the space 5. It has a hollow ridge 7 extending on the inner surface for positioning, and is integrally formed with at least the ridge 7 from resin by blow molding. is provided. According to this configuration, the cooling air W is pumped into or sucked into the interior (hollow portion) of the ridge 7 through the duct 8, thereby allowing the cooling air W to flow through the through hole 7a provided in the ridge 7. It can be released or retrieved. Therefore, the cooling air W can be efficiently circulated around the battery modules 6 positioned by the protrusions 7, and the battery modules 6 can be efficiently cooled. In addition, the upper case piece 3A and the lower case piece 3B are integrally formed of resin by blow molding with the ridges 7 serving as a reinforcing structure and a flow path for the cooling air W. There is no need to provide it, and weight reduction can be expected. Furthermore, since there is no need to have a separate member as in the background art, cost reduction and assembly man-hour reduction can be expected.

In addition, a plurality of ridges 7 are provided on the inner surfaces of the upper case piece 3A and the lower case piece 3B, and the plurality of ridges 7 are connected to each other so that the insides (hollow portions) thereof communicate with each other. Therefore, it is possible to further improve the effects described above.

The case body 4 is composed of an upper case piece 3A as a first case piece and a lower case piece 3B as a second case piece. The lower case piece 3B is provided with the protrusion 7 and integrally formed with the protrusion 7 by blow molding. According to this configuration, the cooling air W can be vertically circulated between the through hole 7a provided in the protrusion 7 on the upper case piece 3A side and the through hole 7a provided on the lower case piece 3B side. and the effects described above can be obtained.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be embodied with appropriate modifications within the scope of the invention, for example, as described below.
(1) Instead of connecting all the insides (hollow portions) of the plurality of ridges 7 to each other, the plurality of ridges 7 are divided into a plurality of groups, and the insides (hollow portions) of the ridges 7 are divided into groups. are connected, and a dedicated duct 8 is provided for each group. With this configuration, by allocating each group of protrusions 7 to a plurality of portions to be cooled, each portion can be individually and optimally cooled.
(2) As exemplified in FIG. 7, a blower accommodating portion 12 capable of containing a blower is provided inside the case body 4 adjacent to the space 5, and a duct is provided to communicate the space 5 and the blower accommodating portion 12. 8 shall be provided.
(3) The case body is composed of an upper case piece and a lower case piece, and only one of the upper case piece and the lower case piece is provided with the projection 7 and the duct 8 of the present invention, and the other case piece is provided with the ridge 7 and the duct 8. Provide an opening for circulating cooling air inside and outside.
(4) Constructing the case body from three or more case pieces. Moreover, the ridge 7 and the duct 8 of the present invention are provided on at least one of the three or more case pieces.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 battery pack 2 cooling structure 3A upper case piece 3B lower case piece 4 case body 5 space 6 battery module 7 ridge 7a through hole 8 duct 11 flange portion 12 blower accommodating portion W cooling air

Claims (3)

A cooling structure for a battery pack having a plurality of battery modules arranged in a row at intervals in a space covered by a case body formed by combining a plurality of case pieces,
At least one of the case pieces has a hollow ridge extending on the inner surface so as to abut on the surface of the battery module and position the battery module within the space, and blows at least together with the ridge. It is integrally formed with resin by molding,
A cooling structure for a battery pack, wherein the ridges are provided with through-holes communicating between the inside and the outside. 2. The battery according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said ridges are provided on the inner surface of any one of said case pieces, and said plurality of said ridges are connected to each other so that the insides of said ridges communicate with each other. Pack cooling structure. The case body comprises an upper case as a first case piece and a lower case as a second case piece,
The upper case is provided with the ridge and is integrally formed with the ridge by blow molding,
3. The battery pack cooling structure according to claim 1, wherein the lower case includes the protrusion and is integrally formed together with the protrusion by blow molding.

Images