CLOSING ENVELOPE FOR AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE MOTOR BATTERY CASING AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING SAID ENVELOPE.

Abstract

An enclosure (60) comprising an opening (70) capable of being in an open or closed configuration so as to be airtight, the enclosure (60) further comprising a suction inlet (80) connectable to a vacuum cleaner. The enclosure contains an electric vehicle drive battery (10). Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: CLOSING ENCLOSURE FOR A VEHICLE DRIVE BATTERY CASING ELECTRICAL AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING SAID ENVELOPE.

[0001] The invention relates to the closure of a motor battery casing of an electric vehicle and to a closing method. More particularly, the invention relates to an envelope used in a step of said method. Prior art

[0002] An electric vehicle drive battery comprises an outer casing which generally has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped and in which active components of said battery are placed. The casing comprises a lower box on which a cover is glued. During the manufacturing process of the battery said active components are arranged in the box, after which the cover is adjusted on the box along a joint plane on which glue is placed. The closing process is completed when the glue is polymerized. Throughout this polymerization step, the cover is pressed against the box.

[0003] Clamps may be used to press the lid against the box and hold it in place, but those skilled in the art know that such methods do not give good results because the glue joint is not pressed evenly all around the joint plane, causing the thickness and strength of the glue film to vary.

[0004] Application FR3105596A applies particularly to the closing of a thermal regulation device contained in a casing. The application discloses a method of drawing a vacuum from the inside of a casing, thus, suction, via a suction inlet provided in the casing, and the vacuum created forces the cover to be pressed against the box. It seems that this device has two drawbacks. Firstly, the device must have a means ensuring sealing, in particular at the suction inlet and throughout the life of the vehicle so that the cover and the box remain firmly in place relative to each other and, secondly, the cover and the housing must have complementary shapes, of the male-female type, preventing the cover from moving. Thus, the cover is inserted into the upper part of the box before drawing a vacuum from the inside of the casing.

[0005] The objective of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a method for closing a motor battery casing of an electric vehicle making it possible to improve the insulation, in particular thermal insulation, of the motor battery as well as the sealing of the casing with respect to the outside.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes comprising an opening capable of having a first configuration in which the opening is open and a second configuration in which the opening is closed so as to be airtight, the envelope further comprising a suction mouth connectable to a vacuum cleaner, the envelope comprising an electric vehicle drive battery.

[0007] When the opening has the closed configuration, the suction mouth allows the air inside the envelope to be sucked in and a vacuum to be created.

[0008] Preferably, the suction mouth is separate from the opening.

[0009] The depression deforms the casing which then takes on the shape of the drive battery.

[0010] Preferably, the opening and the suction mouth (80) are combined.

[0011] This envelope configuration allows the size of the envelope to be adjusted to that of the battery it contains.

[0012] Alternatively, the opening also serves as a suction inlet.

[0013] This alternative makes it possible to create a simple envelope, with only one opening.

[0014] The invention also relates to a method for closing a motor battery casing of an electric vehicle, the casing comprising a housing, in which components of the battery are placed, and a cover fitting onto the housing so as to close it. The cover is glued onto the housing along a joint plane, the method, carried out while the glue has not yet polymerized, comprising the following steps: an assembly step during which glue is placed on the joint plane, then the cover is adjusted on the housing; an installation step during which the casing is introduced into an envelope through the opening in the first configuration.

[0015] If the envelope has a suction mouth separate from the opening, the closing method further comprises the following steps: a closing step during which the opening changes from the first configuration to the second configuration; a step of connecting a vacuum cleaner to the suction mouth.

[0016] If the envelope does not have a suction mouth separate from the opening, the closing method further comprises the following step: a step of connecting a vacuum cleaner to the opening.

[0017] The closing method further comprising the following steps, regardless of the envelope alternative: a suction step so that the interior of the envelope is in depression, the envelope deforming and conforming to the battery casing, a glue polymerization step during which the depression in the envelope is maintained.

[0018] Thanks to the suction step, equal and opposing forces are applied to the housing and the cover ensuring the relative positioning of the housing and the cover as well as the homogeneous tightening of one on the other. Brief description of the figures

[0019] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments and, on the basis of the appended figures. - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates an electric vehicle drive battery. - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a device comprising the battery of the [Fig.l] placed in an envelope, the envelope being open. - [Fig.3] schematically illustrates the device of [Fig.2], the envelope being closed. - [Fig.4] schematically illustrates the device of [Fig.3], the envelope being drawn into a vacuum via a suction mouth. - [Fig.5] schematically illustrates an alternative to the device of the figures above previous. - [Fig.6] schematically illustrates the alternative device of [Fig.5] the envelope being pulled into a vacuum. - [Fig.7] represents the synopsis of a closing process. Detailed description

[0020] [Fig.l] schematically represents a motor battery 10 of an electric vehicle. This battery 10 generally has the shape of a relatively flat rectangular parallelepiped. The casing 20 comprises a lower housing 30 in which the active components (not shown) of the battery 10 are placed, the lower housing 30 being closed by a cover 40 adjusted and glued along a joint plane 50 of which only the trace outside the casing 20 can be seen in [Fig.l].

[0021] It is important that the housing 30 is perfectly closed by the cover 40 so that the casing 20 is watertight. To do this, during the manufacturing process of the battery 10, and more particularly during the closing of the casing 20, the cover 40 is strongly pressed against the housing 30 so that neither the cover 40 nor the housing 30 deforms and the glue placed on the joint plane 50 polymerizes and forms a film of constant thickness. The pressing, a critical phase of the process, must therefore be perfectly homogeneous.

[0022] To do this, [Fig. 2] schematically represents the battery 10 placed in an envelope 60. The envelope 60, made of a flexible and waterproof material, for example a flexible plastic or rubber, comprises an opening 70 through which the battery 10 is inserted, and a suction mouth 80.

[0023] [Fig.3] is similar to [Fig.2] but, in this figure the opening 70 is closed so that the interior of the envelope 60 is no longer in communication with the exterior except through the suction mouth 80.

[0024] [Fig.4] is similar to [Fig.3] but this time the suction mouth 80 has been connected to a vacuum cleaner (not shown). The vacuum cleaner sucks in the air trapped in the casing 60 and creates a vacuum. The casing 60 deforms until it is pressed against the casing 20 of the battery 10 and applies a uniform force to all the external surfaces of the casing 20, in particular, as symbolized in [Fig.4] by the arrows F, opposing and equal forces on the cover 40 and the housing 30.

[0025] [Fig. 5] represents an alternative to the envelope shown in Figures 2, 3 or 4. The opening 70 of the casing 60 of [Fig.5] not only allows the battery 10 to be inserted inside the casing 60 but also serves as a suction mouth 80.

[0026] [Fig.6] is similar to [Fig.5], the vacuum cleaner being connected to the opening 70 of so that the depression in the casing presses the casing 60 against the casing 20 and the deformation of the casing 60 is sufficiently significant so that the opposite walls of the casing meet and close the opening 70.

[0027] In another alternative not shown, the envelope 60 may comprise rigid portions.

[0028] The homogeneous closing of the casing therefore follows a process 100 now detailed.

[0029] The closing method 100 comprises the following steps: - an assembly step 110 during which glue is placed on the joint plane 50, then the cover 40 is adjusted on the housing 30; - a positioning step 120 during which the closed casing 20, but the glue not yet polymerized, is inserted into the casing 70 through the opening 80.

[0030] If the envelope 60 comprises a suction mouth 80 independent of the opening 70 (figures 2, 3 and 4) then the method 100 comprises a step 130 of closing the opening 70, during which step the opening 70 is completely closed. Then, the method moves on to a connection step 140.

[0031] If the envelope 60 does not include a separate suction mouth 70 (Figures 5 and 6), then the method 100 proceeds directly from the positioning step 120 to the connection step 140.

[0032] Whatever the envelope 60 chosen, the closing method 100 continues with the following steps: - the connection step 140 during which the vacuum cleaner is connected to the suction mouth 80 (figures 2, 3, 4) or to the opening 70 (figures 5, 6); - a suction step 150 during which the air inside the envelope 60 is sucked in so that the interior of the envelope 60 is under depression, the envelope 60 conforming to the casing 20 and applying equal and opposing forces F to the housing 30 and the cover 40 so as to press the housing 30 and the cover 40 against each other in a homogeneous manner; - a polymerization step 160 of the glue during the entire duration of which the depression is maintained so that the glue film remains of constant thickness.

[0033] Thus the battery 10 is perfectly sealed, the cover 40 and the casing 30 having not undergone any deformation.

[0034] References used

[0035] 10 motor battery

[0036] 20 casing

[0037] 30 box

[0038] 40 cover

[0039] 50 joint plane

[0040] 60 envelope

[0041] 70 opening

[0042] 80 suction mouth

[0043] F arrows

[0044] 100 closing method

[0045] 110 assembly step

[0046] 120 implementation step

[0047] 130 closing step

[0048] 140 connection step

[0049] 150 suction step

[0050] 160 polymerization step

Claims

Claims

1. Enclosure (60) comprising an opening (70) capable of having a first configuration in which the opening (70) is open and a second configuration in which the opening (70) is closed so as to be airtight, the enclosure (60) further comprising a suction mouth (80) connectable to a vacuum cleaner, characterized in that the enclosure comprises a battery (10) for driving an electric vehicle.

2. Envelope (60) according to claim 1 characterized in that the suction mouth (80) is distinct from the opening (70).

3. Envelope (60) according to claim 1 characterized in that the opening (70) and the suction mouth (80) are merged.

4. Method for closing (100) a casing (20) of a motor battery (10) of an electric vehicle, the casing (20) comprising a housing (30), in which components of the battery are placed, and a cover (40) fitting onto the housing (30) so as to close it, the cover (40) being glued onto the housing (30) along a joint plane (50), the method (100), carried out while the glue is not yet polymerized, comprising the following steps: - an assembly step (110) during which glue is placed on the joint plane (50), then the cover (40) is fitted onto the housing (30). - a positioning step (120) during which the casing (20) is introduced into an envelope (60) produced according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the introduction being carried out through the opening (70) in the first configuration.

5. Closing method (100) according to claim 4 if the envelope (60) is made according to claim 2, the suction mouth (80) being distinct from the opening (70), the closing method (100) further comprising the following steps: - a closing step (130) during which the opening (70) passes from the first configuration to the second configuration; - a step of connecting (140) a vacuum cleaner to the suction mouth (80).

6. A closing method (100) according to claim 4 if the envelope (60) is made according to claim 3, the opening (70) also serving as a suction mouth, the closing method (100) comprising plus the following step: - a step of connecting (140) a vacuum cleaner to the opening (70).

7. Closing method (100) according to any one of claims 5 or 6 further comprising the following steps: - a suction step (150) so that the interior of the envelope (60) is in depression, the envelope (60) deforming and conforming to the casing (20) of the battery (10) and applying to the housing (30) and to the cover (40) equal and antagonistic forces (F) ensuring the relative positioning of the housing (30) and the cover (40); - a polymerization step (160) of the glue during which the depression in the envelope is maintained.

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