Electric or hybrid motor vehicle having a battery tray comprising a lower cover having a reservoir

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) having a battery tray (1) having a lower cover (5), characterized in that the lower cover (5) has a reservoir (7) configured to collect the cooling liquid (2) after it has passed through the body (3), the lower cover (5) having at least one collection point (8) configured to allow the passage of the cooling liquid (2) from the body (3) to the reservoir (7), the reservoir (7) having a duct (9) connected to the discharge channel (6) via a joining means (10), the duct (9) having an end, the end having a weight (11) so that the end is held at the bottom of the reservoir (7) in the third direction (Z), the battery tray (1) having at least one venting valve (12) positioned between the body (3) and the reservoir (7).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE OF THE INVENTION: ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A BATTERY TRAY INCLUDING A LOWER LID WITH A RESERVOIR

[0003] The present invention claims priority from French application No. 241254 filed on 08 / 11 / 2024, the content of which (text, drawings and claims) is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004]

[0001] The invention relates to means of cooling battery trays of electric or hybrid motor vehicles.

[0005]

[0002] Prior art patent application JP2021132008 describes a device for controlling the temperature of the battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle. It describes a battery tray comprising an array of cells, as well as spray nozzles that allow a coolant to be sprayed into the battery tray to cool the cells. The battery tray has a lower housing comprising a collection section and a storage section. The collection section has an inclined lower wall that allows the coolant to flow into the storage section. However, there are drawbacks. The coolant stored in the storage section adds weight to the battery tray. This therefore increases the overall weight of the vehicle.Furthermore, the battery tray lacks any means of retaining the coolant within the storage compartment. When the vehicle is at a steep incline, particularly when traveling uphill on a steep slope, the coolant can escape from the storage compartment, reducing cooling efficiency and potentially damaging the battery modules.

[0006]

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks and prevent the accumulation of coolant in the battery modules, even when the vehicle is inclined.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane defined by a first longitudinal direction corresponding to straight-line driving, a second transverse direction orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction, and a third vertical direction orthogonal to the first and second directions and oriented away from the ground, said vehicle comprising a battery tray including a cooling system configured to circulate coolant in said battery tray.said battery tray comprising a body including at least one battery module, the battery tray comprising a lower cover positioned under said body in the third direction, the battery tray comprising a coolant drain channel positioned under the lower cover in the third direction, notable in that the lower cover comprises a reservoir configured to collect the coolant after it has passed through said body, said lower cover comprising at least one collection point configured to allow the passage of coolant from the body to the reservoir, said reservoir comprising a deformable conduit, said conduit being connected to the drain channel by means of a joining means, said conduit having an end, said end comprising a weight such that said end is held at the bottom of the reservoir in the third direction,said battery tray comprising at least one vent valve positioned between said body and said reservoir.

[0007]

[0005] Thanks to the invention, it is not necessary for the coolant to accumulate around the battery modules in the body. This therefore reduces the weight of the battery tray, and consequently the overall weight of the vehicle. Furthermore, when the vehicle is positioned on an inclined surface, the coolant is still properly drained.

[0008]

[0006] Advantageously, the vent valve includes a non-return valve configured to prevent the passage of coolant from the reservoir to the body.

[0007] This prevents the return of uncooled coolant to the body, which would reduce the performance of the cooling circuit, and consequently of the battery modules.

[0009]

[0008] Advantageously, said battery tray has two venting flaps, one of the venting flaps being positioned towards the front of the vehicle in the first direction, the other venting flap being positioned towards the rear of the vehicle in the first direction.

[0010]

[0009] Thus, when the vehicle is in an inclined position and the coolant blocks one of the vent valves, air still enters through the other vent valve. This allows the cooling system pump to function properly.

[0011]

[0010] Preferably, said joining means consists of a rotary joint.

[0012]

[0011] The rotating seal ensures the circulation of the coolant from the reservoir to the drain channel in a sealed manner.

[0013]

[0012] Advantageously, said at least one collection point includes a check valve configured to prevent the passage of coolant from the reservoir to the body.

[0014]

[0013] This prevents uncooled coolant from entering the battery tray body and coming into contact with the battery modules, which could reduce the performance of the battery modules or even damage them.

[0015]

[0014] Advantageously, said reservoir has a parallelepiped shape.

[0016]

[0015] Preferably, said tank has a predetermined length along the first direction, a predetermined width along the second direction and a predetermined height along the third direction, the predetermined length being between 4 and 10 times the predetermined width, the predetermined length being at least 20 times greater than the predetermined height.

[0017]

[0016] Alternatively, said reservoir has a substantially cylindrical shape.

[0018]

[0017] Such configurations allow for easy placement of the tank in the lower cover of a standard prior art battery tray. Therefore, it is not necessary to modify the vehicle's configuration to incorporate such a battery tray into a pre-existing vehicle.

[0019]

[0018] The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which:

[0020] - [Fig.1] schematically illustrates a battery tray of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle when the vehicle is positioned on a horizontal surface according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0021] - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the battery tray of the electric or hybrid motor vehicle shown in figure 1 when the vehicle is positioned on an inclined surface;

[0022] - [Fig.3] schematically illustrates a top view of the battery tray shown in figure 1.

[0023]

[0019] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a battery tray 1 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 comprises a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane XY defined by a first longitudinal direction X corresponding to straight-line travel, a second transverse direction Y orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction X, and a third vertical direction Z orthogonal to the first direction X and the second direction Y and oriented away from the ground. In Figure 1, the vehicle 100 is shown on a horizontal surface, whether stationary or in motion. The battery tray 1 comprises a body 3, a lower cover 5 positioned under the body 3 along the third direction Z, and a drainage channel 6 positioned under the lower cover 5 along the third direction Z.The body 3 includes at least one battery module 4. Generally, a battery module comprises a plurality of electrochemical cells that store electrical energy in chemical form before its distribution to the vehicle's electric motor 100. In Figure 1, only one battery module 4 is shown. The lower cover 5 includes a reservoir 7. In addition, the lower cover 5 includes at least one collection point 8 positioned between the body 3 and the reservoir 7. The reservoir 7 includes a conduit 9. The conduit 9 is flexible so that it is able to deform. The conduit 9 has a weighted end to ballast said end so that it remains positioned at the bottom of the reservoir 7 in the third direction Z. Thus, the coolant is drained even when it is present in small quantities in the reservoir 7.Depending on the vehicle's inclination 100, the conduit 9 positions itself on the same side where the coolant accumulates, allowing its suction towards the drain channel 6. The reservoir 7 includes a connecting means 10. The conduit 9 is connected to the drain channel 6 via the connecting means 10. Preferably, the connecting means 10 consists of a rotary joint. The rotary joint is a rotating connecting device that allows the coolant 2 to be transferred between a fixed part and a rotating part. In this case, the fixed part is the drain channel 6, while the rotating part is the conduit 9. The rotary joint ensures the coolant circulates in a sealed manner, thus reducing the risk of coolant leakage. In addition, the battery tray 1 includes a cooling system configured to circulate coolant 2 within the battery tray 1.Coolant 2 is a heat transfer fluid used to cool the battery module(s) 4. The cooling system includes a means for cooling the coolant before it is returned to the battery tray 1. In Figure 1, the cooling system has a nozzle 13 positioned at the top of the body 3 of the battery tray 1 along the third direction Z. Coolant 2 is sprayed through the nozzle 13 to reach the battery module 4. The coolant 2 then flows along the battery module 4 until it reaches the collection point 8. Upon passing through the collection point 8, the coolant enters the reservoir 7. The coolant 2 then collects in the reservoir 7 and subsequently flows through the conduit 9 to the drain channel 6.The path of the coolant 2 is represented by a series of dashed arrows in Figure 1. The cooling system includes a pump (not shown in Figure 1) positioned at the outlet of the drain channel 6 to draw the coolant 2 that has passed through the battery tray 1, cool it, and then reinject it into the battery tray 1 via the nozzle 13. For this drawing to be possible, the battery tray 1 has at least one vent valve 12. The vent valve 12 is positioned between the body 3 and the reservoir 7. The vent valve 12 allows air to enter the reservoir. The pump can then draw the coolant 2.In Figure 1, the battery tray 1 has two venting flaps 12, one of the venting flaps 12 is positioned towards the front of the vehicle 100, while the other venting flap 12 is positioned towards the rear of the vehicle along the first direction X.

[0024]

[0020] Figure 2 shows the battery tray 1 when the vehicle 100 is positioned, whether stationary or moving, on a downward slope. The front of the vehicle 100 is therefore lower than the rear of the vehicle 100 along the third direction Z. The coolant 2 is then projected towards the front of the reservoir 7 along the first direction X. The vent valve 12 located at the front of the vehicle 100 is blocked by the coolant 2, which prevents air from entering. However, the vent valve 12 located towards the rear of the vehicle 100 along the first direction X is not in contact with the coolant 2, which allows air to enter, and therefore the coolant 2 to be drawn in by the cooling system pump.Preferably, the vent valve(s) 12 include a non-return valve configured to prevent the flow of coolant 2 from the reservoir 7 to the body 3, i.e., in the opposite direction, which would prevent its drainage and limit the cooling capacity of the battery module 4 by the cooling system. Similarly, the collection point 8 preferably includes a non-return valve to prevent the entry of coolant 2 from the reservoir 7 into said body 3.

[0025]

[0021] In Figure 3, the battery tray 1 is shown in a top view. The body 3 comprises four battery modules 4. The lower cover 5 has four collection points 8, distributed at each of the battery modules 4. The reservoir 7, shown in dashed lines, has a parallelepiped shape. In a preferred embodiment, said reservoir 7 has a predetermined length along the first direction X, a predetermined width along the second direction Y, and a predetermined height along the third direction Z. Preferably, the predetermined length is between 4 and 10 times the predetermined width, and the predetermined length is at least 20 times greater than the predetermined height.For example, the predetermined length is between 100 cm and 1500 cm, the predetermined width is between 15 cm and 25 cm along the second Y direction, and the height is less than 5 cm along the third Z direction. Even more preferably, the predetermined length is 120 cm, the predetermined width is 20 cm, and the height is 2 cm. Such dimensions allow for easy integration of the reservoir 7 into the lower cover 5 of a standard battery tray 1 as known in the prior art. In another embodiment, the reservoir 7 may have any other shape, such as, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape with a round or oval cross-section.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) comprising a front axle and a rear axle whose points of contact with the ground define a base plane (XY) defined by a first longitudinal direction (X) corresponding to straight-line driving, by a second transverse direction (Y) orthogonal to the first longitudinal direction (X) and a third vertical direction (Z) orthogonal to the first direction (X) and to the second direction (Y) and is oriented away from the ground, said vehicle (100) comprising a battery tray (1) comprising a cooling system configured to circulate a coolant (2) in said battery tray (1), said battery tray (1) comprising a body (3) comprising at least one battery module (4), the battery tray (1) comprising a lower cover (5) positioned under said body (4) along the third direction (Z),the battery tray (1) comprising a coolant discharge channel (6) positioned under the lower cover (5) in the third direction (Z), characterized in that the lower cover (5) comprises a reservoir (7) configured to collect the coolant (2) after its passage through said body (3), said lower cover (5) comprising at least one collection point (8) configured to allow the passage of the coolant (2) from the body (3) to the reservoir (7), said reservoir (7) comprising a deformable conduit (9), said conduit (9) being connected to the discharge channel (6) by means of a joining means (10), said conduit (9) having an end, said end comprising a weight (11) such that said end is held at the bottom of the reservoir (7) in the third direction (Z),said battery tray (1) comprising at least one venting valve (12) positioned between said body (3) and said reservoir (7).

2. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 characterized in that the venting valve (12) has a check valve configured to prevent the passage of coolant (2) from the reservoir (7) to the body (3).

3. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said battery tray (1) comprises two venting valves (12), one of the vent flaps (12) being positioned towards the front of the vehicle (100) along the first direction (X), the other vent flap (12) being positioned towards the rear of the vehicle (100) along the first direction (X).

4. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said joining means (10) consists of a rotary joint.

5. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that said at least one collection point (8) comprises a check valve configured to prevent the passage of coolant (2) from the reservoir (7) to the body (3).

6. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that said tank (7) has a parallelepiped shape.

7. Vehicle (100) according to claim 6 characterized in that said tank (7) has a predetermined length along the first direction (X), a predetermined width along the second direction (Y) and a predetermined height along the third direction (Z), the predetermined length being between 4 and 10 times the predetermined width, the predetermined length being at least 20 times greater than the predetermined height.

8. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that said tank (7) has a substantially cylindrical shape.

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