DEVICE FOR RECEIVING BATTERY MODULES INTENDED TO POWER AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for receiving battery modules intended to power an electrical component, said device comprising a metallic tray (2) provided with a plurality of compartments (3) each intended to receive a portion of said modules, said device further comprising metallic crossbars (4) for separating said compartments, said compartments extending substantially along the entire transverse extent of said tray, so as to be separated from each other exclusively by transverse crossbars (4), said transverse crossbars being welded at their ends (5) to lateral walls (6) of said tray. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: DEVICE FOR RECEIVING BATTERY MODULES INTENDED TO POWER AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT.

[0001] The invention relates to a device for receiving a plurality of battery modules intended to power an electrical component.

[0002] It is known, for example from document EP3560007-B1, to produce a device for receiving a plurality of battery modules intended to power an electric vehicle motor, said device comprising a metal tray, said tray extending along longitudinal, transverse and vertical axes, said tray having a substantially rectangular shape along said vertical axis, said tray being provided with a plurality of compartments of substantially similar geometry intended to receive each a part of said modules, said compartments having a general rectangular shape whose length extends along said transverse axis and whose width extends along said longitudinal axis, said device further comprising metal crossbars for separating said compartments and for stiffening said tray.

[0003] In particular, in known embodiments, a plurality of transverse cross members and at least one longitudinal cross member are implemented to improve the bending resistance of the device along the longitudinal direction.

[0004] The implementation of such an arrangement makes it possible to compartmentalize the container not only transversely but also longitudinally.

[0005] However, it turns out that, in some cases, the available transverse space is relatively restricted, and the presence of at least one longitudinal cross member further reduces, due to its thickness, the said space for receiving the battery trays.

[0006] Moreover, the fixing of the battery modules in the device often proves to be complex and may encroach significantly on the space whose size we seek to maximize.

[0007] The invention aims to provide an arrangement that overcomes these drawbacks.

[0008] To this end, the invention proposes a device for receiving a plurality of battery modules intended to power an electrical component, said device comprising a metal tray, said tray extending along longitudinal, transverse, and vertical axes, said tray having a substantially rectangular shape along said vertical axis, said tray being provided with a plurality of compartments of substantially similar geometry intended to receive each a portion of said modules, said compartments having a general rectangular shape whose length extends along said transverse axis and the width along said longitudinal axis, said device further comprising metal crossbeams for separating said compartments and for stiffening said container, said compartments extending substantially along the entire transverse extent of said container, so as to follow one another only along said longitudinal axis and to be separated from each other exclusively by transverse crossbeams, said transverse crossbeams being welded at their ends to lateral walls of said container.

[0009] Throughout this description, the terms of positioning in space (vertical, longitudinal, transverse, ...) are taken with reference to the device in place under conditions of use, for example in an electrically powered vehicle.

[0010] With the proposed arrangement, the presence of a longitudinal cross member is eliminated, which makes it possible to maximize the space available transversely to house battery modules.

[0011] In addition, welding the crossbeams onto the side walls of the tank makes it possible to give the device great rigidity and to do away with the longitudinal crossbeam.

[0012] According to one embodiment: - the device also includes a plurality of metal bases designed to receive the battery modules in place, - each cross member receives, by means of an interlocking along the vertical axis, a portion of said bases arranged in tiers according to the length of said cross member, each of said bases being provided with a notch for receiving the interlocking cross member onto which it is fitted, so as to present two protruding parts along said vertical axis on either side of said cross member, - said bases are fixed onto said crossbeams, - said protruding parts are provided with threaded holes intended to receive screws for fixing the battery modules.

[0013] Such an arrangement allows for robust fixing of the battery modules, without excessively encroaching on the space allocated for receiving said modules.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the bases are fixed by welding onto the cross members.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the bases are of two types: - end bases, arranged at the ends of the cross members, said end bases being provided with a threaded hole in each protruding part, each threaded hole being intended to allow the partial attachment of a respective battery module, - intermediate bases, mounted between said end bases, said intermediate bases being provided with two threads per protruding part, each of said threads being intended to allow the partial attachment of a respective battery module.

[0016]

[0017]

[0018]

[0019]

[0020]

[0021]

[0022]

[0023]

[0024] According to one embodiment, the crossbeams are provided with additional notches for receiving the bases, said additional notches being dimensioned so that said bases are flush with the crossbeams, in order not to create any protrusion. According to a project: - the crossbeams are hollow and have a wall, - the device further includes a plurality of screws for fixing said bases to a bottom wall of the tank, - each of said screws passes through holes provided in said bottom wall, said cross wall and the corresponding base, the hole in said base being provided with a metal nut crimped into it, said nut being provided with anti-extraction collars, said nut being provided with a thread complementary to that of said screw. According to one embodiment, the device further includes a cooling plate for the tank extending between the bottom wall and the crossbeams, said plate having openings for the screws for fixing the bases so as to be fixed to said tank by said screws. According to one embodiment, the bottom wall is provided with at least one rib extending along the longitudinal direction so as to improve the device's resistance to bending along said direction. According to one embodiment, a longitudinally extending metal bar is welded onto each of the cross members, so as to improve the bending rigidity of said device in the longitudinal direction. The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a device according to the invention and a plurality of battery modules. The invention further relates to the use of a device according to the invention in a vehicle, an aircraft or a ship. The invention also relates to the use of a device according to the invention in an electrical network. The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig. 1] is a schematic representation, viewed along a vertical axis, of a device according to one embodiment, - [Fig.2] is a schematic perspective representation of a base of the device of [Fig. 1] according to one embodiment, - [Fig.3] is a schematic representation in partial perspective of the device of [Fig.1], - [Fig.4] is a schematic partial cross-sectional representation of the device the [Fig.1] according to one embodiment.

[0025] A device 1 for receiving a plurality of battery modules intended to power an electric vehicle motor is now described, with reference to the figures. This device comprises a metallic tray 2 – in particular made of aluminum – said tray extending along longitudinal axes X, transverse axes Y and vertical axes Z, said tray having a substantially rectangular shape along said vertical axis, said tray being provided with a plurality of compartments 3 of substantially similar geometry intended to receive each a portion of said modules – three according to the embodiment shown – said compartments having a general rectangular shape whose length extends along said transverse axis and whose width extends along said longitudinal axis, said device further comprising metallic cross members 4 – in particular made of aluminum – for separating said compartments and for stiffening said tray.said compartments extending substantially along the entire transverse extent of said container, so as to follow one another only in said longitudinal direction and to be separated from each other exclusively by transverse crossbeams 4, said transverse crossbeams being welded at their ends 5 to lateral walls 6 of said container.

[0026] According to the embodiment shown: - the device further includes a plurality of metallic bases 7a,7b - notably made of aluminium and notably machined - intended to receive the battery modules by fixing, - each cross member 4 receives, by means of a fitting along the vertical axis Z, a portion of said bases arranged in tiers according to the length of said cross member, each of said bases being provided with a notch 8 for receiving the cross member 4 into which it fits, so as to present two projecting portions 9 along said vertical axis on either side of said cross member, - said bases are fixed on said cross members, - said protruding parts are provided with threaded holes 10 intended to receive screws for fixing the battery modules.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the bases 7a,7b are fixed by welding onto the cross members 4.

[0028] According to the embodiment shown, the bases 7a, 7b are of two types: - end bases 7a, arranged at the ends 5 of the cross members 4, said end bases being provided with a thread 10 per projecting part 9, each thread 10 being intended to allow the partial fixing of a respective battery module, - intermediate bases 7b, mounted between said end bases, said intermediate bases being provided with two threads 10 per projecting part 9, each of said threads being intended to allow the partial fixing of a respective battery module.

[0029] With such an arrangement, an end base 7a - respectively an intermediate base 7b - is intended to partially fix two battery modules - respectively four battery modules - and each module is intended to be fixed by its four corners by four respective bases 7a,7b.

[0030] Not shown, the cross members 4 are provided with additional notches for receiving the bases 7a,7b, said additional notches being dimensioned so that said bases are flush with said cross members, in order not to create any protrusion.

[0031] According to the embodiment shown in [Fig.4]: - the crossbeams 4 are hollow and have a wall 11, - Device 1 further includes a plurality of screws 12 for fixing the bases 7a,7b to a bottom wall 13 of tank 2, - each of said screws passes through orifices 14 provided in said bottom wall, said cross wall and the corresponding base 7a,7b, the orifice 14 of said base being provided with a metal nut 16 crimped into it, said nut being provided with anti-extraction collars 17, said nut being provided with a thread complementary to that of said screw.

[0032] According to an embodiment not shown, in the case of solid cross members 4, no nut 16 is used and threads are made directly in said cross members to receive the screws 12 for fixing the bases.

[0033] According to the embodiment shown, the device 1 further includes a cooling plate 18 of the tank 2 - including for example water circulation conduits, not shown - extending between the bottom wall 13 and the cross members 4, said plate having openings 14 for the passage of the screws 12 for fixing the bases 7a,7b so as to be fixed to said tank by said screws.

[0034] According to an unrepresented variant, the cooling plate 18 is formed by the bottom wall 13.

[0035] According to an embodiment not shown, the bottom wall 13 may be provided with at least one rib extending along the longitudinal direction X so as to improve the resistance of the device 1 to bending along said direction.

[0036] According to an embodiment not shown, at least one metal bar - in particular made of aluminium - extending longitudinally can be welded onto each of the cross members 4, so as to improve the bending rigidity of the device 1 along the longitudinal direction X.

[0037] The invention can be implemented in, in particular, the fields of rail transport river transport, air transport, maritime transport, construction equipment, mining equipment, or electrical grids. The battery modules arranged in the receiving device according to the invention can, for example, power an electric motor or exchange energy with an electrical grid. In addition, the battery modules can be connected to a converter such as an inverter or a charger.

Claims

1.

2.

3. Claims Device (1) for receiving a plurality of battery modules intended to power an electrical component, said device comprising a metal tray (2), said tray extending along longitudinal (X), transverse (Y) and vertical (Z) axes, said tray having a substantially rectangular shape along said vertical axis, said tray being provided with a plurality of compartments (3) of substantially similar geometry each intended to receive a portion of said modules, said compartments having a general rectangular shape whose length extends along said transverse axis and whose width along said longitudinal axis, said device further comprising metal crosspieces (4) for separating said compartments and for stiffening said tray, said device being characterized in that it comprises a plurality of metal bases (7a, 7b) intended to receive the battery modules in a fixed manner,said compartments extending substantially along the entire transverse extent of said container, so as to follow one another only along said longitudinal axis and to be separated from each other exclusively by transverse crosspieces (4), said transverse crosspieces being welded by their ends (5) to side walls (6) of said container, each crosspiece (4) receiving in nesting along the vertical axis (Z) a part of said bases arranged along the length of said crosspiece, each of said bases being provided with a notch (8) for receiving in nesting of the crosspiece (4) on which it fits, so as to have two projecting parts (9) along said vertical axis on either side of said crosspiece, said bases being fixed on said crosspieces, and said projecting parts being provided with threads (10) intended to receive screws for fixing the battery modules., Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the bases (7a, 7b) are fixed by welding to the crosspieces (4). Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the bases (7a, 7b) are of two types: - end bases (7a), arranged at the ends (5) of the crosspieces (4), said end bases being provided with a thread (10) per projecting part (9), each thread (10) being intended to allow the partial fixing of a respective battery module, - intermediate bases (7b), mounted between said end bases, said intermediate bases being provided with two threads (10) per projecting part (9), each of said threads being intended to allow the partial fixing of a respective battery module.

4. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the crosspieces (4) are provided with complementary notches for receiving the bases (7a, 7b), said complementary notches being sized so that said bases are flush with said crosspieces.

5. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: - the crosspieces (4) are hollow and have a wall (11), - it further comprises a plurality of screws (12) for fixing the bases (7a, 7b) to a bottom wall (13) of the tank (2), - each of said screws passes through orifices (14) provided in said bottom wall, said crosspiece wall and the corresponding base (7a, 7b), the orifice (14) of said base being provided with a metal nut (16) crimped therein, said nut being provided with anti-extraction collars (17), said nut being provided with a thread complementary to that of said screw.

6. Device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that it further comprises a cooling plate (18) for the tank (2) extending between the bottom wall (13) and the crosspieces (4), said plate having orifices (14) for the passage of the screws (12) for fixing the bases (7a, 7b) so as to be fixed to said tank by said screws.

7. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the bottom wall (13) is provided with at least one rib extending in the longitudinal direction (X) so as to improve the resistance of said device to bending in said direction.

8. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one metal bar extending longitudinally is welded to each of the crosspieces (4), so as to

9.

10.

11. improve the bending rigidity of said device in the longitudinal direction (X). Assembly comprising a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and a plurality of battery modules. Use of a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 in a vehicle, an aircraft or a ship. Use of a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 in an electrical network.

Images