Patent US5585204A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5585204A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Temperature control structure for batteries and battery box for housing such batteries
Assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
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Filing: 1994-12-27
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Granted: 1996-12-17
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Expires: 2014-12-27
Abstract
Abstract To minimize temperature differences between batteries and also between battery cells for effectively cooling the batteries uniformly, a fan structure is disposed on one side of a box assembly of a battery box and four of six surfaces of each of the batteries which are box-shaped are covered with thermally insulating members. When a motor of the fan structure is energized, the fan structure introduces cooling air forcibly into the box assembly to cool the two exposed surfaces of each of the batteries. The battery box with the fan structure is relatively simple in structure, lightweight, economical, and can easily be inspected and serviced for maintenance.
Inventors
- 👤 Kei Oshida
- 👤 Syuichiro Iwatsuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:54
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01M; H01M10/00; H01M10/42; H01M10/44; H01M10/443; H01M10/60; H01M10/61; H01M10/613; H01M10/63; H01M10/633; H01M10/64; H01M10/647; H01M10/65; H01M10/651; H01M10/652; H01M10/655; H01M10/6556; H01M10/6557; H01M10/656; H01M10/6561; H01M10/6563; H01M10/6566; H01M10/658; H01M50/00; H01M50/20; H01M50/204; H01M50/207; H01M50/209; H01M50/289; B; B60; B60K; B60K1/00; B60K2001/003; B60K2001/005; H01M10/62; H01M10/625; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A temperature control structure for controlling the temperatures of batteries, comprising: a casing; a plurality of batteries housed in said casing, each of said batteries being of a box shape having six surfaces; thermally insulating members covering four of said six surfaces of each of said batteries and leaving two uninsulated surfaces; air passages defined in said casings, the two uninsulated surfaces of each of said batteries being exposed to said air passages; and means for forcibly applying cooling air through said air passages to the two uninsulated surfaces of each of said batteries.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A temperature control structure for controlling the temperatures of batteries, comprising: a casing; a plurality of batteries housed in said casing, each of said batteries being of a box shape having six surfaces; thermally insulating members covering four of said six surfaces of each of said batteries and leaving two uninsulated surfaces; air passages defined in said casings, the two uninsulated surfaces of each of said batteries being exposed to said air passages; and means for forcibly applying cooling air through said air passages to the two uninsulated surfaces of each of said batteries.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 1, wherein each of said batteries is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, said two uninsulated surfaces comprising wider side surfaces of each of said batteries.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
A battery box comprising: a casing; at least one box-shaped battery housed in said casing; air passages defined in said casing along side surfaces of said battery; and thermally insulating members disposed in said casing out of said air passages in covering relation to surfaces of said battery other than said side surfaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A battery box comprising: a casing; at least one box-shaped battery housed in said casing; air passages defined in said casing along side surfaces of said battery; and thermally insulating members disposed in said casing out of said air passages in covering relation to surfaces of said battery other than said side surfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
A battery box according to claim 3, wherein said box-shaped battery is elongate and two of said surfaces extend perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of said battery, and wherein one of the thermally insulating members disposed in covering relation to said two of the surfaces is spaced from a side wall of said casing, thereby defining an air discharge passage between said side wall of the casing and said one of the thermally insulating members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A battery box according to claim 3, wherein said casing includes a bottom plate having a plurality of slits defined therein for applying cooling air introduced therethrough to said side surfaces of said box-shaped batteries.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A battery box according to claim 5, wherein each of said batteries is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, said slits being open toward wider side surfaces of the batteries.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A battery box according to claim 5, further comprising: an array of runners disposed on one side of said casing; coupling means for coaxially coupling said runners with each other; and a single rotary actuator coupled to one of said runners for rotating said runners in unison with each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A battery box according to claim 7, wherein said single rotary actuator is coupled to said one of the runners at one end of said array.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A battery box according to claim 7, wherein said array of runners comprises three runners coaxially coupled to each other by said coupling means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A battery box according to claim 8, wherein said array of runners comprises three runners coaxially coupled to each other by said coupling means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
A battery box according to claim 7, wherein said coupling means comprises a plurality of bushings mounted on said runners, a plurality of joints fitted respectively in said bushings, and a plurality of drive shafts each fitted in the joints in the bushings which are mounted on adjacent two of said runners.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
A battery box according to claim 8, wherein said coupling means comprises a plurality of bushings mounted on said runners, a plurality of joints fitted respectively in said bushings, and a plurality of drive shafts each fitted in the joints in the bushings which are mounted on adjacent two of said runners.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
A battery box according to claim 9, wherein said coupling means comprises a plurality of bushings mounted on said runners, a plurality of joints fitted respectively in said bushings, and a plurality of drive shafts each fitted in the joints in the bushings which are mounted on adjacent two of said runners.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
114 words
A temperature control structure for controlling the temperatures of batteries for propelling an electric vehicle, comprising: a casing having a bottom plate; a plurality of batteries housed in said casing, each of said batteries being of box shape having six surfaces; at least one air duct mounted on a lower surface of said bottom plate of the casing for applying cooling air to two parallel side surfaces of said six surfaces of each of said batteries and a support mounted on said casing and supporting at least the bottom plate of the casing, said support having a hollow structure serving as a duct for applying cooling air to the side surfaces of said batteries.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
114 words
A temperature control structure for controlling the temperatures of batteries for propelling an electric vehicle, comprising: a casing having a bottom plate; a plurality of batteries housed in said casing, each of said batteries being of box shape having six surfaces; at least one air duct mounted on a lower surface of said bottom plate of the casing for applying cooling air to two parallel side surfaces of said six surfaces of each of said batteries and a support mounted on said casing and supporting at least the bottom plate of the casing, said support having a hollow structure serving as a duct for applying cooling air to the side surfaces of said batteries.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 14, wherein said support has a lower surface which is lower than a lower surface of said air duct.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of parallel air ducts are mounted on the lower surface of said casing and mechanically coupled to each other.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 16, wherein each of said air ducts is integrally molded of synthetic resin.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 14, wherein each of said air ducts has at least one notch defined therein for allowing the air duct to be deformed when subjected to external forces.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
83 words
A temperature control structure for controlling the temperatures of a plurality of batteries in an electric vehicle, each of which batteries is box-shaped and has two parallel side surfaces perpendicular to the cells in the battery, comprising: a casing having a bottom plate for receiving the plurality of batteries; and at least one air duct mounted on a lower surface of said bottom plate of the casing for applying cooling air only to the two parallel side surfaces of each of said batteries.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
83 words
A temperature control structure for controlling the temperatures of a plurality of batteries in an electric vehicle, each of which batteries is box-shaped and has two parallel side surfaces perpendicular to the cells in the battery, comprising: a casing having a bottom plate for receiving the plurality of batteries; and at least one air duct mounted on a lower surface of said bottom plate of the casing for applying cooling air only to the two parallel side surfaces of each of said batteries.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 19, further comprising insulating members covering each battery on all surfaces except the two parallel side surfaces.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 19, wherein said bottom plate of the casing and each said air duct have mating elongated slots in registry with spaces along the two parallel side surfaces of each battery.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 21, wherein a plurality of said air ducts are mounted in parallel on the lower surface of said casing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 21, wherein each said air duct extends longitudinally and has at least two said elongated slots spaced longitudinally.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 23, wherein each of said air ducts includes means for causing substantially equal cooling air flow to each said elongated slot.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 21, wherein means are provided surrounding each said elongated slot for inhibiting air flow escaping from between said bottom plate and each said air duct.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
59 words
A temperature control device structure according to claim 22, wherein an array of runners are disposed along inlet ends of said plurality of air ducts for supplying cooling air to said air ducts, coupling means for coupling said runners to each other, and a single rotary actuator connected to at least one of said runners for rotating the runners.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 1, wherein said casing includes a bottom plate having a plurality of slits defined therein for applying cooling air introduced therethrough to side surfaces of said box-shaped batteries.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 27, wherein each of said batteries is in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, said slits being open toward wider side surfaces of the batteries.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
51 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 27, further comprising: an array of runners disposed on one side of said casing; coupling means for coaxially coupling said runners with each other; and a single rotary actuator coupled to one of said runners for rotating said runners in unison with each other.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 29 wherein said single rotary actuator is coupled to said one of the runners at one end of said array.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
25 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 29, wherein said array of runners comprises three runners coaxially coupled to each other by said coupling means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 30, wherein said array of runners comprises three runners coaxially coupled to each other by said coupling means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
53 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 29, wherein said coupling means comprises a plurality of bushings mounted on said runners, a plurality of joints fitted respectively in said bushings, and a plurality of drive shafts each fitted in the joints in the bushing which are mounted on adjacent two of said runners.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
53 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 30, wherein said coupling means comprises a plurality of bushings mounted on said runners, a plurality of joints fitted respectively in said bushings, and a plurality of drive shafts each fitted in the joints in the bushings which are mounted on adjacent two of said runners.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
53 words
A temperature control structure according to claim 31, wherein said coupling means comprises a plurality of bushings mounted on said runners, a plurality of joints fitted respectively in said bushings, and a plurality of drive shafts each fitted in the joints in the bushings which are mounted on adjacent two of said runners.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-12-17 | 2000-06-17 | 2000-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-12-17 | 2004-06-17 | 2004-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-12-17 | 2008-06-17 | 2008-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |