IP Library Granted Patent US 8,685,556
Granted Patent B2
US 8,685,556 · App. 13/399,525 · Granted Apr 1, 2014

Electricity storage module

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,685,556
App. No.
13/399,525
Granted
Apr 1, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electricity storage module according to the present invention includes: a battery case that includes a cooling medium intake port, a cooling medium outlet port, and a cooling flow passage through which a plurality of battery cells housed therein in a parallel array pattern are cooled; and a duct detachably mounted at the cooling medium intake port of the battery case.

Claims (16)

1. An electricity storage module, comprising:

a battery case in which a plurality of battery cells are housed, and which forms a cooling flow passage through which a cooling medium that cools the plurality of battery cells flows, the battery case including:

a case body in which the plurality of battery cells are housed such that axes of the plurality of battery cells are arranged in a parallel array pattern, and a cooling medium intake port through which the cooling medium is introduced into the cooling flow passage is formed on one side as viewed in an array direction of the plurality of battery cells, while a cooling medium outlet port through which the cooling medium is delivered from the cooling flow passage is formed on another side as viewed in the array direction of the plurality of battery cells, the case body being open at sides thereof facing positive terminals and negative terminals of the plurality of battery cells; and

a pair of side plates that block off openings of the case body, and hold the plurality of battery cells while sandwiching the battery cells from a positive-terminal side and a negative-terminal side thereof; and

a duct that is fitted in the cooling medium intake port, and controls flow of the cooling medium that flows into the cooling flow passage through the cooling medium intake port, wherein:

an engagement contact portion that engages with the duct is formed inside the cooling medium intake port of the case body;

the duct is provided as a separate component from the case body, and is located outside the coolant medium intake port of the case body, the duct being detachably mounted from an outside of the cooling medium intake port;

the duct includes:

an opening corresponding to the coolant medium intake port;

a plurality of blades formed to be inclined by a predetermined inclination angle, and provided in the opening for guiding flow of the cooling medium; and

an engaging portion that protrudes from an upper edge portion of the opening toward the cooling medium intake port, and engages with the engagement contact portion; and

the duct is arranged to pivot about the upper edge portion of the opening when a lower portion of the opening is pulled in a direction away from the coolant medium intake port, so that the engaging portion is allowed to be disengaged from the engagement contact portion.

2. An electricity storage module according to claim 1 , wherein

the case body is formed of a metal material, and the side plates and the duct are formed of a resin material.

3. An electricity storage module according to claim 1 , wherein

the duct includes a seal that provides close contact between a circumferential edge of the opening and the case body.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2014
From: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.
To: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 033582/0955 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 6, 2012
From: MINOKAWA, NOBUO
To: HITACHI VEHICLE ENERGY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 028006/0333 →