Driving battery for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle equipped with such a driving battery

Abstract

According to the invention, a traction battery for a motor vehicle has a traction battery housing with a cover wall and a bottom wall, in which a battery cell layer with a plurality of battery cells arranged vertically side by side and a support layer, which can also be called a gas release layer, a spacer layer or a deformation layer, are arranged. The battery cell layer is bonded over a particularly large area, i.e. over its entire surface, to the cover wall via an upper adhesive layer and to the support layer via a lower adhesive layer. The support layer is also bonded to the bottom wall via a further adhesive layer.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a traction battery for a motor vehicle having a traction battery housing and a method for manufacturing such a traction battery. [Background technology]

[0002] Motor vehicles with electric drives usually have a traction battery with a traction battery housing in which several battery modules with several battery cells, the electric and electronic equipment and the cooling system are integrated. The traction battery housing is also attached to the vehicle body under the floor assembly. Known traction battery housings are made, for example, of aluminum and comprise lateral members (supports), a lid and a bottom. The lateral members are formed, for example, as extrusions or cast parts. If necessary, further longitudinal and lateral members (cross members) are also provided in the battery housing in order to provide the traction battery with a certain rigidity and crashworthiness.

[0003] As shown in Patent Document 1, the known traction battery housing has a longitudinal member (longitudinal direction of the vehicle) and a number of lateral members (cross members) extending between the longitudinal members. The traction battery housing further has an upper wall and a lower wall, which are connected to at least an outer member structure, i.e., an outer longitudinal member and an outer lateral member, respectively. The longitudinal members are formed from extruded parts, and the lateral members are also formed from extruded parts. The traction battery housing is attached to the underside of the body floor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application No. 102017223407 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a drive battery or a vehicle equipped with such a drive battery that has a higher power density per assembly space and at the same time has better rigidity and strength. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] This problem is solved by a traction battery or a vehicle equipped with such a traction battery having the features of claim 1 or 12. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0007] According to the invention, a driving battery for a motor vehicle has a driving battery housing with a cover wall and a bottom wall. A battery cell layer with a plurality of battery cells arranged vertically side by side and a support layer, which can also be called a gas release layer, a spacer layer or a deformation layer, are arranged in the driving battery housing. The battery cell layer is bonded over a particularly large area, i.e. over its entire surface, to the cover wall via an upper adhesive layer and to the support layer via a lower adhesive layer. The support layer is also bonded to the bottom wall via a further adhesive layer.

[0008] This results in a traction battery that is very compact in height, i.e. in the Z-direction of the vehicle coordinate system, and that is space-saving to assemble. Compared to the overall height of the traction battery, the battery cells can be made relatively tall, which increases the storage capacity of the traction battery. By bonding the cover wall, the battery cell layer, the support layer and the bottom wall together in a sandwich-like manner, the traction battery has high overall torsional and bending stiffness, so that no further support structures are required inside the traction battery. All layers of the traction battery contribute to the stiffness and strength of the traction battery. For installation in a vehicle, the traction battery is formed with the cover wall on top and the bottom wall on the bottom. In the installed state, the bottom wall here preferably forms the underbody of the vehicle.

[0009] The support layer has the function of a spacer layer, so that there is a certain distance between the battery cell layer and the bottom wall, and when an object hits the battery from below, such as when driving over a car stop, a sufficient deformation space is provided. For this purpose, the support layer is provided so as to sufficiently dissipate the collision energy through deformation. By bonding the support layer, the support layer contributes to the rigidity and strength of the driving battery, despite its ease of deformation.

[0010] The upper adhesive layer and / or the lower adhesive layer and / or the further adhesive layer may be formed by a foamed material. Such foamed materials are also called foam injection moldings. The foamed material may be polyurethane. According to a further development, the battery cell layer is formed from a plurality of battery cells, each battery cell consisting of a battery cell case and a cell winding, the cell winding being accommodated in the battery cell case. The upper end faces of the battery cell cases are respectively bonded to the cover wall, and the lower end faces of the battery cell cases are respectively bonded to the support layer.

[0011] The multiple battery cell casings thus form a multi-chambered structure, similar to a honeycomb-like structure, which, when bonded to the other layers of the traction battery, provides significant bending and torsional stiffness.

[0012] The battery cell case is thin-walled and formed from a metal such as aluminum or steel.

[0013] Adjacent battery cell cases may be bonded to each other at their outer circumferential surfaces.

[0014] In particular, adjacent battery cell cases may be bonded to one another on their periphery by a foamed material, which may be polyurethane foam.

[0015] The battery cells may be so-called circular cells, i.e. cylindrical, or may be so-called prismatic cells, i.e. substantially rectangular.

[0016] Instead of the embodiment with mutually separated battery cell cases, the battery cell layer may also consist of an integrally formed multi-chamber structure (running transversely, in particular vertically, to the plane of the cover or bottom wall) with a number of vertical chambers, in which a cell winding or a number of cell windings are accommodated in each case, with the upper end face of the multi-chamber structure being glued to the cover wall and the lower end face of the multi-chamber structure being glued to the support layer. The multi-chamber structure may be produced, for example, by extrusion molding. The individual chambers may have a square or other polygonal cross section, for example a honeycomb.

[0017] The integrally formed multi-chamber structure can provide greater stiffness to the traction battery while reducing its weight, which in turn allows more cell windings to be accommodated in the same area.

[0018] According to a further development, the driving battery has a battery cell contact system embedded in the upper adhesive layer and / or the lower adhesive layer.

[0019] Within the adhesive layer, the battery cell contact system is housed in a protected manner, for example protected from corrosion, so that the battery cell contact system can at the same time contribute to the stiffness and strength of the driving battery as described above.

[0020] The battery cell contact system is preferably embedded in the upper adhesive layer together with the contact electrodes of both poles, so that the battery cell contact system is housed in a particularly well-protected manner, in particular the system is now better protected in the event of a collision with the bottom wall.

[0021] Furthermore, each battery cell is advantageously formed with a vent hole on the side facing the support layer.

[0022] Therefore, the gas vent of the battery cell faces downward and not toward the cover wall, and therefore not toward the cabin when the traction battery is installed, where there is more space for the gas to escape and it can be better prevented from flowing toward the cabin.

[0023] If the venting openings of the battery cells are formed on the underside of the cells, i.e. facing the support layer, the support layer is preferably provided with cutouts at the locations of the venting openings, i.e. with venting or free spaces, adjacent cutouts may suitably communicate with each other via venting channels, so that gases escaping from the battery cells can be easily directed further downstream and sufficient space is available.

[0024] The support layer may be made from a foamed material, in particular from a foamed plastic, for example foamed polyurethane.

[0025] Although the foamed material is light, it can still contribute significantly to the stiffness and strength of the traction battery when fully bonded to adjacent layers, and it can also be very well utilized to dissipate impact energy by deformation.

[0026] According to a further development, the cover wall can also be configured as a heat exchanger for regulating the temperature of the battery cell layer.

[0027] Here, the cover wall can be used as a temperature regulating surface for the cabin when the drive battery is installed.

[0028] According to a preferred development, the carrier layer is configured as a heat exchanger for regulating the temperature of the battery cell layer.

[0029] Furthermore, a heat exchange device may be provided between the battery cells. The heat exchange device may be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the battery cell, that is, not on the end surface. This is also called inter-cell temperature regulation.

[0030] Temperature regulation via the outer peripheral surface provides better temperature regulation performance, allowing the drive battery to reach the desired target operating temperature more quickly and, further, in the event of increased power consumption, rapid cooling can be provided in response to the increased power consumption to prevent the target operating temperature from being exceeded.

[0031] The cover wall and the bottom wall are preferably connected to one another by a flange connection, whereby, for example, by appropriate sealing at the flange connection, a fluid-tight operating battery housing can be formed. For this purpose, the cover wall and / or the bottom wall can be formed in a basin shape or can be part of a basin.

[0032] A thermal protection layer, for example a mica plate, may be arranged on the inside of the bottom wall. The bottom wall may be glued to the thermal protection layer or may be otherwise integrated with the thermal protection layer. The thermal protection layer is preferably glued to the support layer in this case as well.

[0033] The thermal protection layer serves as a thermal protection for the bottom wall, in particular when hot gases escape from the battery cell. This is particularly advantageous when the bottom wall is made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy or a fiber-reinforced plastic. Furthermore, this can be advantageous when the gas vent of the battery cell is arranged on the underside, for example on the lower end surface of the battery cell.

[0034] The top wall and / or the bottom wall may consist of aluminium or an aluminium alloy or steel, however, the top wall and / or the bottom wall may also consist of fibre-reinforced plastic, for example carbon fibre-reinforced plastic.

[0035] The cover wall and / or the bottom wall can each be provided with an electrically insulating layer on the inside, for example in the form of a coating, which is advantageous when electrical insulation of the cover wall and / or the bottom wall is required and the cover wall and / or the bottom wall are electrically conductive.

[0036] If improved heat exchange for heat transfer to and from the battery cells is required, further adhesive layers on the top and / or bottom may consist of a thermally conductive adhesive.

[0037] Preferably, the traction battery is configured to be mounted to a floor assembly of a body of a motor vehicle, the floor assembly including a left side member (left longitudinal support) and a right side member (right longitudinal support), the traction battery or the traction battery housing is mounted to the floor assembly from below, and the cover wall at least partially forms a floor of the floor assembly. The bottom wall preferably forms an underbody of the motor vehicle.

[0038] The driving battery of the present invention may be configured and connected to a floor assembly so as to increase the body rigidity for driving the vehicle by the driving battery, and to increase the vehicle body strength when the driving battery is subjected to a load (impact load) in a vehicle collision.

[0039] A further aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car or commercial vehicle, equipped with a traction battery as described above.

[0040] The vehicle has an electric drive. The body of the vehicle includes a floor assembly including a left side member and a right side member. Such body side members are also called side skirts or outer lower side members. The traction battery includes a traction battery housing, and the traction battery or the traction battery housing is attached to the floor assembly from below. The attached traction battery or the attached traction battery housing at least partially forms a floor of the floor assembly.

[0041] This allows the traction battery to take the place of the floor of the floor assembly. This makes the car, i.e. the body, especially the floor assembly, lighter and requires fewer parts. Furthermore, this allows the assembly space in the vehicle height direction (Z direction) to be reduced or allows for the incorporation of bulkier battery cells.

[0042] Advantageously, the traction battery extends over substantially the entire width of the floor assembly, i.e., over substantially the entire assembly space from the left side member to the right side member.

[0043] This allows enough battery cells to be housed within the traction battery to replace most of the floor of the floor assembly.

[0044] Furthermore, the traction battery housing may extend within the region from the front axle to the rear axle of the vehicle or over as large an area as possible. Advantageously, the traction energy housing extends from the front end panel (of the cabin) or from the underside of the front end panel to the front ends of the left wheel house cover and the right wheel house cover. Furthermore, the traction battery housing may extend to the underside of the second row of seats of the vehicle. In other words, the traction battery housing may be arranged to extend at least in the region from the front body pillar (A-pillar) to the rear body pillar (particularly the C-pillar).

[0045] According to a preferred development of the invention, the traction battery and the floor assembly together form a fluid-tight floor of the cabin of the motor vehicle. In particular, only the cooperation of the traction battery housing and the floor assembly ensures that the cabin is fluid-tight downwards. That is, without the traction battery housing, the floor assembly would not have a fluid-tight floor or the floor assembly alone would not be fluid-tight downwards.

[0046] The traction battery housing substitutes for the function of a consistent fluid-tight floor of the floor assembly. Note that the term "fluid-tight" in this context does not exclude the floor assembly or the traction battery housing from having closable openings for cable bushings, drains, etc., while cooperating with the floor assembly. "Fluid-tight" specifically means "liquid-tight."

[0047] A seal or hermetic adhesive can be suitably positioned between the traction battery housing and the floor assembly so that the attached traction battery housing completely seals the floor assembly from below.

[0048] The seal may be made of, for example, butyl. The seal may be a flat seal, a lip seal or a profile seal.

[0049] Advantageously, the traction battery housing has a circumferential sealing flange, which may also be a mounting flange, providing a full circumferential sealing surface that seals the traction battery housing against the floor assembly.

[0050] The orbiting sealing flange is preferably in one plane, i.e. in a plane parallel to the xy plane of the vehicle coordinate system, which helps to provide a tight seal.

[0051] According to a preferred development of the vehicle according to the invention, the floor assembly comprises a front cross member structure and a rear cross member structure, the traction battery is attached to the left and right side members and also to the front and rear cross member structures, in which the above-mentioned sealing flange rests on the corresponding flange sealing surfaces of the side members and the cross member structure.

[0052] Advantageously, the floor assembly has at least one further cross member between the front cross member structure and the rear cross member structure, which cross member is connected to the left side member and the right side member, respectively, or extends between the left side member and the right side member. This further cross member can be a seat cross member or a heel plate cross member. Advantageously, the floor assembly has a number of further cross members, between which respectively empty spaces are formed, whereby the floor assembly is released downwards. The seat cross member is advantageously arranged in the area behind the end panel up to the B-pillar, and is used to fix the front seat row, i.e. the front row seats, and to make the floor assembly crash-resistant in the lateral direction. The heel plate cross member is usually arranged in the area of ​​the front end of the second seat row, and is used to fix the second row seats, and also to make the floor assembly crash-resistant in the lateral direction.

[0053] The traction battery is preferably attached to the further cross member, in particular by a screw connection. Additionally or alternatively, the traction battery may be connected to the cross member by an adhesive connection, i.e. glued.

[0054] This allows the traction battery to be used to further increase the overall stiffness of the floor assembly, which also has a positive effect on the vibration characteristics of the vehicle while it is being driven. The traction battery thereby also supports the cross member or cross member structure against bending during a side impact.

[0055] According to yet another development, the floor assembly does not have a floor panel between the front cross member structure and the rear cross member structure or between the front cross member structure and a further cross member, in other words, the floor assembly is advantageously formed without a floor panel or floor panel-free, as a result of which a larger area of ​​the floor assembly is formed open.

[0056] The term "openly formed" means that the floor assembly is formed open downwardly by forming an open area that defines an opening therethrough.

[0057] Alternatively or additionally, the floor assembly may comprise at least one further longitudinal member between the left and right side members, which is connected to the front and / or rear cross member structure, which further longitudinal member may, for example, be centrally located and define a central tunnel therein.

[0058] Advantageously, the floor assembly does not have any floor panels.

[0059] A floor panel is usually a piece of material, particularly a flat piece, possibly a single-layer piece, which does not form a body support as it does not have or form any hollow features or the like.

[0060] Preferably, 40 to 85% of the area between the right side member and the left side member and between the front cross member structure and the rear cross member structure is open, that is, no floor panel and no cross member are used.

[0061] In the method of the invention for producing a traction battery for a motor vehicle, the cover wall, optionally the upper and / or lower battery cell contact system, the battery cell layer and optionally the support layer are arranged one on top of the other (arrangement step). Alternatively, the bottom wall, the support layer, optionally the upper and / or lower battery cell contact system and the battery cell layer are arranged one on top of the other (arrangement step). Then, in a further step (filling step), the intermediate spaces between the individual layers and the battery cells are filled with a liquid foam precursor, in particular a two-component or multi-component mixture. In a further step (foaming step), the two-component or multi-component mixture, i.e. the foam precursor, reacts after the filling process and forms a foamed substance, in particular a polyurethane foam, thereby bonding the bottom wall, optionally the upper and / or lower battery cell contact system, the battery cell layer and optionally the support layer to one another or the cover wall, the support layer and optionally the upper and / or lower battery cell contact system and the battery cell layer to one another.

[0062] This allows the bonding of the layers of the driving battery involved in the placement step to be carried out particularly easily and in one work step.

[0063] When filling with the liquid foam precursor, preferably the bottom wall or the cover wall is then underneath, and optionally the battery cell contact system, the battery cell layer and optionally the support layer are suitably laminated / positioned thereon.

[0064] This allows the liquid foam precursor to flow from top to bottom by gravity, thereby allowing it to be properly distributed.

[0065] The above method can be equally applied to the manufacture of all of the traction batteries described herein. In other words, the method can be applied to traction batteries with the battery cell contact system located on the top, the battery cell contact system located on the bottom, or the battery cell contact system located on both sides of the battery cells. The method can be similarly implemented for traction batteries with the various heat exchanger systems described herein on the perimeter and / or end surfaces of the battery cells.

[0066] In the method according to the invention, the layers involved may be pressed against each other during the foaming step, in particular by means of a suitable tool, so that the layers are not pulled away from each other by the foam under pressure, improving the adhesive effect.

[0067] Between the layers there may be spacers either formed integrally with each layer or formed separately from the layers.

[0068] This allows the set dimensions of the drive battery to be well maintained, so that the upper adhesive layer and possibly the lower adhesive layer and possibly further adhesive layers have defined dimensions in the height direction of the drive battery (z-direction in the vehicle coordinate system).

[0069] In yet another preferred process, after the foaming step, the bottom wall or alternatively the top wall can be attached (bottom wall or top wall attachment), for example by a further adhesive layer (which then preferably is not a foamed material). Similarly, the spacer layer (if it was not already placed in the placement step) can be attached by a bottom adhesive layer (which then preferably is not a foamed material).

[0070] Similarly, the bottom wall or alternatively the cover wall may be placed in advance in the placing step. In other words, all layers of the driving battery, including the bottom wall and the cover wall, are placed one on top of the other in the placing step. Then, the foaming step is carried out. In the foaming step, it is advantageous that all layers of the driving battery are clamped or pressed together so that the layers are not pulled apart from each other by pressure during foaming. Once all layers of the driving battery are thus bonded to each other through foaming, no subsequent steps are required to attach further layers.

[0071] The developments of the invention listed above can be freely combined with one another, wherever possible and meaningful.

[0072] Below is a brief explanation of the diagram: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0073] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a driving battery according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a schematic perspective view of an automobile equipped with a driving battery and a body before the driving battery according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to the body. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle with a traction battery and a body after installation according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic bottom perspective view of a vehicle with a body from which the drive battery has been removed; [Diagram 5] 1 is a schematic top perspective view of a vehicle with a traction battery and body after installation in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0074] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0075] FIG. 1 shows a very schematic cross-sectional view of a traction battery 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The traction battery 1 is designed to be mounted in the body of a passenger vehicle. The traction battery 1 is a so-called high-voltage accumulator for driving an electric traction motor of the passenger vehicle. The traction battery 1 is formed from a number of layers in a sandwich-like manner. From above, the traction battery 1 first has a cover wall 35 as part of the traction battery housing 3. The cover wall 35 is connected flat to the upper surface of the battery cell layer 5 via an upper adhesive layer 9. Furthermore, the lower surface of the battery cell layer 5 is connected flat to the support layer 7 via a lower adhesive layer 11. The support layer 7 is also connected at its lower surface to the bottom wall 33 of the traction battery housing 3 via yet another adhesive layer 13.

[0076] The battery cell layer 5 is made of a plurality of battery cells. Each battery cell 51 further comprises a battery cell case 53 made of aluminum or steel in which a cell winding 55 is housed. The battery cells 51 are so-called circular cells having a cylindrical shape. The battery cells 51 are arranged vertically, i.e., vertically, in the battery cell layer 5 so that the battery cells are adjacent to each other while being in contact with each other at their outer circumferential surfaces. The upper end surfaces of the battery cells 51 are respectively connected to the adhesive layer 9 and thereby connected to the cover wall 35. The lower end surfaces of the battery cells 51 are respectively connected to the adhesive layer 11 and thereby connected to the support layer 7.

[0077] Embedded in the upper adhesive layer 9 is a battery cell contact system, not shown in further detail, which appropriately connects the electrodes of the battery cells 51 to one another. The adhesive wraps around the conductor tracks of the battery cell contact system. The two poles of the battery cells 51 are located on the upper end faces of the battery cells 51.

[0078] A gas vent hole is formed on the lower end surface of the battery cell 51. A cutout portion or a gas vent space is formed in the support layer 7 in a manner complementary to the gas vent hole of the battery cell 51. The adhesive layer 11 also has a corresponding cutout portion. The cutout portions are appropriately connected to each other via a gas vent path, so that gas leaking from the battery cell 51 can be discharged via the gas vent path of the support layer 7.

[0079] The support layer 7 is made of foamed polyurethane and is deformable. When the bottom of the driving battery 1 installed in an automobile is hit, the bottom wall 33 sometimes deforms together with the support layer 7, so that the collision energy can protect the battery cell layer 5 through the deformation.

[0080] The adhesive layers 9, 11, and 13 of the embodiment can be formed from polyurethane foam.

[0081] FIG. 2 shows the driving battery 1 before it is attached to the body 100. The body 100 is not shown in its entirety in FIG. 1, and only the floor assembly 105 of the body 100 is shown. The body 100 or the floor assembly 105 has a left side skirt 107 and a right side skirt 108 as side members. The driving battery 1 has the driving battery housing 3 as described above, which has approximately the same height over its entire length, except for the additional housing placed in the rear area of ​​the driving battery 1. The battery cell layer 5 is accommodated in the driving battery housing 3. The additional housing accommodates, for example, power electronics. The driving battery 1 is attached to the floor assembly 105 from below by screw connections 121, 123 and, if necessary, additionally by adhesive connections.

[0082] In Fig. 3, a very schematic cross-section of the body 100 along the y and z directions is shown. The cross-section extends through the cabin 109 of the motor vehicle. At the bottom left and bottom right of Fig. 2, the side skirts 107, 108 are shown, to which the traction battery housing 3 is attached from below by means of a screw connection 121. In particular, the traction battery housing 3 is attached to the floor assembly 105 at the flanges 34, 36 which run around it, with the seal member 19 interposed therebetween. Furthermore, the cross-members 115, 116, 117, 118 of the floor assembly 105 are shown in a schematic manner in the cross-section. The traction energy store housing 3 is connected to the cross-members 115, 116, 117, 118 by means of a screw connection 123 and is also glued.

[0083] The mounted drive energy store housing 3 at least partially forms the floor of the floor assembly 105 and extends across the entire width of the floor assembly 105 from the left side skirt 107 to the right side skirt 108. The cabin 109 is sealed from below by a seal member 19.

[0084] The sandwich-like structure of the driving battery 1 and the adhesion of the multiple layers to each other provide the driving battery 1 with high bending and torsional rigidity. As a result, the mounted driving battery 1 cooperates appropriately with the floor assembly 105 to provide the vehicle with higher bending and torsional rigidity as a whole. In other words, the driving battery 1 has a particularly excellent body structure function due to the above-mentioned structure.

[0085] FIG. 4 shows a view of only the floor assembly 105, without the driving battery 1, as viewed obliquely from below. As shown in FIG. 4, the floor assembly 105 has a front cross member structure 111, which is located behind the front wheel house cover or behind the front axle, and which divides the cabin toward the front end of the vehicle and has a so-called front end panel that connects the front ends of the side skirts 107, 108 to each other. Furthermore, the floor assembly 105 has a rear cross member structure 113, which is located in front of the rear wheel house cover or in front of the rear axle, and which connects the rear ends of the side skirts 107, 108 to each other and is disposed in the vicinity of a rear rear seat (not shown) that forms the second seat row of the automobile. The floor assembly 105 further has other cross members, such as seat cross members 115, 116, 117, between the front cross member structure 111 and the rear cross member structure 113 in the area of ​​the front seat row and the B-pillar of the body 100. In the area of ​​the rear row of seats, a heel plate cross member 118 is arranged, which also forms a further cross member. All cross members 115, 116, 117, 118 extend between the left side skirt 107 and the right side skirt 108 and are connected to these side skirts. The area between the side skirts 107 and 108 as well as the areas between the respective cross member structures 111, 113 or further cross members 115, 116, 117, 118 are open. The floor assembly 105 is formed between these members without the provision of a floor panel.

[0086] FIG. 5 shows a floor assembly 105 to which the driving battery 1 is attached, in a perspective view from diagonally above. The hatched surfaces between the front cross member structure 111 and the rear cross member structure 113 of the floor assembly 105 and between the side skirts 107 and 108 show the upper surfaces of the driving battery 1, particularly the upper surfaces of the driving battery housing 3 and the additional housing 37, in the open areas between the members of the floor assembly 105. The upper surfaces of the driving battery 1 form the floor of the cabin 109 in the hatched areas and replace the conventional floor panel. As can be further seen in FIG. 5, the driving battery 1 extends from the front cross member structure 111 with the end panels to the rear cross member structure 113 that connects the rear ends of the side skirts 107 and 108 to each other, that is, to the rear wheel house cover of the floor assembly 105 under the rear rear seats that form the second row of seats.

[0087] Generally, the mounting seal flange 36 of the traction battery housing 3 sealingly rests on a corresponding member of the floor assembly 105 all around, so that the traction battery housing 3 and the floor assembly 105 cooperate to form a fluid-tight floor of the vehicle cabin 109. The mounting seal flange 36 around the circumference, in this embodiment, is located at a sealing surface.

[0088] Compared to floor assemblies of conventional bodies, the floor assembly 105 does not have a floor panel, and as a result, there are multiple empty spaces between adjacent cross members / cross member structures. These empty spaces are closed by the traction battery housing 3 or the additional housing 37. In this embodiment, if there is no traction battery housing 3 between the side skirts 107, 108 and between the cross member structures 111, 113, 65% of the floor assembly 105 between the front cross member structure 111 and the heel plate member 118 is open downward.

[0089] In addition to the driving battery housing 3, the driving battery 1 includes an additional housing 37 that is placed on the driving battery housing 3 behind the driving battery housing 3, i.e., behind the heel plate cross member 118. The additional housing 37 houses electric and electronic components of the driving battery 1, such as power electronics. The additional housing 37 protrudes into the free space between the heel plate cross member 118 and the rear cross member structure 113. The upper surface of the driving battery housing 3 is approximately flat. As can be seen from FIG. 3, it is formed of a lower housing 33 and an upper housing 35, the lower housing 33 having a lower housing flange 34, the upper housing 35 having an upper housing flange 36, the lower housing 33 and the upper housing 35 being connected via the lower housing flange 34 and the upper housing flange 36, and the upper housing flange 36 is formed to attach the driving battery housing 33 to the floor assembly 105. A seal member 37 is arranged between the upper housing flange 36 and the lower housing flange 34. Additionally, a seal member 19 is disposed between the upper housing flange 36 and the floor assembly 105 .

[0090] The drive battery housing 3 is connected to the floor assembly 105 by a threaded connection 21 via mounting seal flanges 34, 36. The drive energy store housing 3 or the upper housing 35 is further connected to the cross members 115, 116, 117, 118 by a threaded connection 23.

Claims

1. A drive battery (1) for an automobile, comprising a drive battery housing (3), wherein the drive battery housing includes a lid wall (35) and a bottom wall (33), and a battery cell layer (5) and a support layer (7) are disposed within the drive battery housing (3). The battery cell layer (5) includes a plurality of battery cells (51) that are vertically and adjacently arranged. The battery cell layer (5) is particularly large in area and is adhered to the lid wall (35) via an upper adhesive layer (9) and to the support layer (7) via a lower adhesive layer (11). The support layer (7) is also adhered to the bottom wall (33) via yet another adhesive layer (13).

2. The drive battery according to Claim 1, wherein the battery cell layer (5) is formed of a plurality of battery cells (51). Each battery cell (51) includes a battery cell case (53) having a cell wound body (55) accommodated therein. The upper end surfaces (57) of the battery cell cases (53) are each adhered to the lid wall (35), and the lower end surfaces (58) of the battery cell cases (53) are each adhered to the support layer (7).

3. The drive battery according to Claim 1, wherein the battery cell layer has a multi-chamber structure including a plurality of vertical chambers each accommodating one or more cell wound bodies therein. The upper end surface of the multi-chamber structure is adhered to the lid wall, and the lower end surface of the multi-chamber structure is adhered to the support layer.

4. The drive battery according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, further comprising a battery cell contact system embedded in the upper adhesive layer (9) and / or the lower adhesive layer (11).

5. The drive battery according to Claim 4, wherein the battery cell contact system is embedded in the upper adhesive layer (9) together with the contact electrodes of both poles.

6. The drive battery according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each battery cell (51) has a gas vent formed on the side facing the support layer (7).

7. The drive battery according to Claim 6, wherein the support layer (7) is provided with cut-out portions at the positions of the gas vents of the battery cells (51), and particularly, the adjacent cut-out portions communicate with each other via a gas vent passage.

8. The drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support layer (7) is formed of a foamed material, in particular a foamed plastic, such as foamed polyurethane.

9. The drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid wall (35) is formed as a heat exchanger for temperature control of the battery cell layer (5).

10. The drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the support layer (7) is formed as a heat exchanger for temperature control of the battery cell layer (5).

11. The drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a heat exchange device is provided between the battery cells (51) or a heat exchange device is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the battery cells (51).

12. The drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lid wall (35) and the bottom wall (33) are connected to each other by a flange connection (34, 36), thereby forming a drive battery housing (3) that is particularly fluid-tight.

13. The drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bottom wall (33) is provided, particularly on the inside, with a thermal protection layer, in particular a mica plate.

14. The drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bottom wall (33) and / or the lid wall (35) are provided, particularly on the inside, with an electrical insulation layer.

15. The drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bottom wall (33) and / or the lid wall (35) are formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy or steel or fiber-reinforced plastic.

16. A drive battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the drive battery (1) is formed to be attached to a floor assembly (105) of a body of the motor vehicle, and the floor assembly (105) includes a left side member (107) and a right side member (108), and the drive battery (1) or the drive battery housing (3) is attached to the floor assembly (105) from below, and the lid wall (35) at least partially forms a floor of the floor assembly (105).

17. A motor vehicle comprising a body and the drive battery according to claim 1.

18. A motor vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the body includes a floor assembly (105) including a left side member (107) and a right side member (108), and the drive battery (1) is attached to the floor assembly (5) from below, and the attached drive battery (1) at least partially forms a floor of the floor assembly (105).

19. A motor vehicle according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the drive battery (1) and the floor assembly (105) cooperate to form a fluid-tight floor of a cabin (109) of the motor vehicle, and in particular, the fluid tightness of the cabin (109) is maintained only by the cooperation of the drive battery (1) and the floor assembly (105).

20. A motor vehicle according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the drive battery (1) is configured to enhance the body rigidity of the motor vehicle for the drive battery (1) to drive the motor vehicle and to enhance the body strength of the motor vehicle against impact loads, and is connected to the floor assembly (105).

21. A method for manufacturing a drive battery for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, a step of arranging the lid wall, optionally a battery cell contact system, and the battery cell layer on top of each other, a step of filling an intermediate space between each of the layers and the battery cells with a liquid foam precursor, in particular a two-component mixture or a multi-component mixture After the filling step, the foam precursor is reacted to cause foaming, thereby forming a foamed material that adheres the lid wall, optionally the battery cell contact system, and the battery cell layer to each other. A method comprising the steps of: **Claim 22** The method according to claim 21, wherein in the arranging step, a support layer is further arranged, or after the foaming step, the support layer is adhered to the battery cell layer. **Claim 23** The method according to claim 21 or 22, wherein in the arranging step, the bottom wall is further arranged, or after the foaming step, the bottom wall is adhered to the support layer. **Claim 24** A method for manufacturing a drive battery for a motor vehicle according to claim 1, the step of arranging the bottom wall, the support layer, the battery cell layer, and optionally the battery cell contact system, on top of each other, the step of filling the intermediate space between the individual layers and the battery cell with a liquid foam precursor, in particular a two-component or multi-component mixture, after the filling step, the foam precursor is reacted to cause foaming, thereby forming a foamed material that adheres the bottom wall, the support layer, optionally the battery cell contact system, and the battery cell layer to each other. A method comprising the steps of: **Claim 25** The method according to claim 24, wherein in the arranging step, a lid wall is further arranged, or after the foaming step, the bottom wall is adhered to the support layer. **Claim 26** The method according to any one of claims 21, 22, 24, 25, wherein during the foaming step, the layers involved are pressed or clamped against each other, in particular by means of a suitable tool.

Images