IP Library Granted Patent US 12,633,594
Granted Patent B2
US 12,633,594 · App. 18/190,541 · Granted May 19, 2026

Vehicle and battery pack

Inventors: Katsuji Taniguchi (Kanagawa, JP); Yuki Makita (Kanagawa, JP); Yoshitoshi Noda (Kanagawa, JP); Atsushi Sueyoshi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
H01M10/6568B60K1/04B60K11/02H01M10/617H01M10/625H01M10/6554H01M50/20H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,633,594
App. No.
18/190,541
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A battery pack includes a battery module group including a plurality of battery modules, a coolant layer configured to allow a coolant to circulate, and a refrigerant layer configured to allow a refrigerant to circulate. The coolant layer includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The refrigerant layer includes a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface. The first surface of the coolant layer is closer to the battery module group than the second surface of the coolant layer. The third surface of the refrigerant layer is closer to the battery module group than the fourth surface of the refrigerant layer. The battery module group is arranged along the first surface of the coolant layer. At least part of the coolant layer is arranged between the refrigerant layer and the battery module group in a plan view.

Claims (75)

1 . A vehicle comprising:

a battery module group including at least a first battery module, a second battery module, and a third battery module;

a coolant layer configured to allow a coolant to circulate;

a refrigerant layer configured to allow a refrigerant to circulate;

a first wheel and a second wheel that are coupled to a vehicle body;

an electric motor configured to drive at least the first wheel using power supplied from the battery module group,

wherein the coolant layer has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface,

wherein the refrigerant layer has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface,

wherein the first surface of the coolant layer is closer to the battery module group than the second surface of the coolant layer,

wherein the third surface of the refrigerant layer is closer to the battery module group than the fourth surface of the refrigerant layer,

wherein the battery module group is arranged along the first surface of the coolant layer,

wherein the coolant layer includes a first coolant passage arranged to extend from one end side to another end side of the vehicle along the travel direction, a second coolant passage arranged to extend from the other end side to the one end side along the travel direction, and a third coolant passage connecting the first coolant passage and the second coolant passage at the other end side, and

the coolant is configured to circulate through the first coolant passage, the third coolant passage, and the second coolant passage,

wherein the refrigerant layer includes a first refrigerant passage arranged to extend from the one end side to the other end side of the vehicle along the travel direction, a second refrigerant passage arranged to extend from the other end side to the one end side along the travel direction, a third refrigerant passage extending along a width direction perpendicular to the travel direction and connecting the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and a fourth refrigerant passage extending along the width direction and connecting the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, the fourth refrigerant passage being located closer to the one end side than the third refrigerant passage, and

the refrigerant is configured to circulate through the first refrigerant passage, the third refrigerant passage, the fourth refrigerant passage, and the second refrigerant passage,

wherein a first part of the fourth refrigerant passage overlaps the first coolant passage, and

a second part of the fourth refrigerant passage overlaps the second coolant passage, the second part of the fourth refrigerant passage being different from the first part of the fourth refrigerant passage,

wherein at least a part of the first battery module corresponds to the first part of the fourth refrigerant passage and overlaps the first coolant passage,

at least a part of the second battery module corresponds to the second part of the fourth refrigerant passage and overlaps the second coolant passage, and

at least a part of the third battery module corresponds to the third refrigerant passage and overlaps the third coolant passage, and

wherein at least part of the coolant layer is arranged between the refrigerant layer and the battery module group in a plan view.

2 . The vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein a flow path cross-sectional area of the coolant layer is larger than a flow path cross-sectional area of the refrigerant layer.

3 . The vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein a distance between the first surface and the second surface of the coolant layer is larger than a distance between the third surface and the fourth surface of the refrigerant layer.

4 . The vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein the refrigerant layer includes an inlet through which the refrigerant enters the refrigerant layer and an outlet through which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer, and

wherein a first distance between the third surface and the fourth surface at the inlet is smaller than a second distance between the third surface and the fourth surface at the outlet.

5 . The vehicle according to claim 1 ,

wherein at least part of the third surface of the refrigerant layer is arranged between the first surface of the coolant layer and the second surface of the coolant layer.

6 . The vehicle according to claim 5 ,

wherein the fourth surface corresponding to the at least part of the third surface of the refrigerant layer is along the second surface of the coolant layer.

7 . The vehicle according to claim 6 , comprising:

a battery pack housing configured to store at least the battery module group, the coolant layer, and the refrigerant layer,

wherein at least part of an inner surface of the battery pack housing is arranged along the second surface of the coolant layer.

8 . The vehicle according to claim 5 ,

wherein a first distance of a first flow path through which the coolant flows between the at least part of the third surface of the refrigerant layer and the first surface of the coolant layer is smaller than a second distance of a second flow path through which the coolant flows between the first surface and the second surface of the coolant layer.

9 . A battery pack configured to be mounted on a vehicle, comprising:

a battery module group including at least a first battery module, a second battery module, and a third battery module;

a coolant layer configured to allow a coolant to circulate; and

a refrigerant layer configured to allow a refrigerant to circulate,

wherein the coolant layer has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface,

wherein the refrigerant layer has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface,

wherein the first surface of the coolant layer is closer to the battery module group than the second surface of the coolant layer,

wherein the third surface of the refrigerant layer is closer to the battery module group than the fourth surface of the refrigerant layer,

wherein the battery module group is arranged along the first surface of the coolant layer,

wherein the coolant layer includes a first coolant passage arranged to extend from one end side to another end side of the battery pack along a first direction, a second coolant passage arranged to extend from the other end side to the one end side along the first direction, and a third coolant passage connecting the first coolant passage and the second coolant passage at the other end side, and

the coolant is configured to circulate through the first coolant passage, the third coolant passage, and the second coolant passage,

wherein the refrigerant layer includes a first refrigerant passage arranged to extend from the one end side to the other end side of the battery pack along the first direction, a second refrigerant passage arranged to extend from the other end side to the one end side along the first direction, a third refrigerant passage extending along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and connecting the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, and a fourth refrigerant passage extending along the second direction and connecting the first refrigerant passage and the second refrigerant passage, the fourth refrigerant passage being located closer to the one end side than the third refrigerant passage, and

the refrigerant is configured to circulate through the first refrigerant passage, the third refrigerant passage, the fourth refrigerant passage, and the second refrigerant passage,

wherein a first part of the fourth refrigerant passage overlaps the first coolant passage, and

a second part of the fourth refrigerant passage overlaps the second coolant passage, the second part of the fourth refrigerant passage being different from the first part of the fourth refrigerant passage,

wherein at least a part of the first battery module corresponds to the first part of the fourth refrigerant passage and overlaps the first coolant passage,

at least a part of the second battery module corresponds to the second part of the fourth refrigerant passage and overlaps the second coolant passage, and

at least a part of the third battery module corresponds to the third refrigerant passage and overlaps the third coolant passage, and

wherein at least part of the coolant layer is arranged between the refrigerant layer and the battery module group in a plan view.

10 . The battery pack according to claim 9 ,

wherein a flow path cross-sectional area of the coolant layer is larger than a flow path cross-sectional area of the refrigerant layer.

11 . The battery pack according to claim 9 ,

wherein a distance between the first surface and the second surface of the coolant layer is larger than a distance between the third surface and the fourth surface of the refrigerant layer.

12 . The battery pack according to claim 9 ,

wherein the refrigerant layer includes an inlet through which the refrigerant enters the refrigerant layer and an outlet through which the refrigerant exits from the refrigerant layer, and

wherein a first distance between the third surface and the fourth surface at the inlet is smaller than a second distance between the third surface and the fourth surface at the outlet.

13 . The battery pack according to claim 9 ,

wherein at least part of the third surface of the refrigerant layer is arranged between the first surface of the coolant layer and the second surface of the coolant layer.

14 . The battery pack according to claim 13 ,

wherein the fourth surface corresponding to the at least part of the third surface of the refrigerant layer is along the second surface of the coolant layer.

15 . The battery pack according to claim 14 comprising:

a battery pack housing configured to store at least the battery module group, the coolant layer, and the refrigerant layer, wherein at least part of an inner surface of the battery pack housing is arranged along the second surface of the coolant layer.

16 . The battery pack according to claim 13 ,

wherein a first distance of a first flow path through which the coolant flows between the at least part of the third surface of the refrigerant layer and the first surface of the coolant layer is smaller than a second distance of a second flow path through which the coolant flows between the first surface and the second surface of the coolant layer.

17 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the third refrigerant passage connects an end of the first refrigerant passage at the other end side and an end of the second refrigerant passage at the other end side.

18 . The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the third refrigerant passage connects an end of the first refrigerant passage at the other end side and an end of the second refrigerant passage at the other end side.

19 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first battery module is adjacent to the second battery module in the width direction, and is adjacent to the third battery module in the travel direction.

20 . The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the first battery module is adjacent to the second battery module in the first direction, and is adjacent to the third battery module in the second direction.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066709/0752 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2023
From: TANIGUCHI, KATSUJI; MAKITA, YUKI; NODA, YOSHITOSHI; SUEYOSHI, ATSUSHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064490/0050 →
Priority Claims (4)
JP 2020-162731 · Sep 28, 2020 · national
JP 2020-162732 · Sep 28, 2020 · national
JP 2020-162733 · Sep 28, 2020 · national
JP 2020-169909 · Oct 7, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2021028520 · Jul 30, 2021
Related Publication 20230231228A1 · Jul 20, 2023
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