Containment apparatus for battery cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery unit comprising one or more pairs of oppositely disposed receptacles, each said pair of receptacles defining a respective chamber for accommodating one or more cylindrical battery cells, each cylindrical battery cell having a first end adjacent a first end wall of a first one of said receptacles and a second end adjacent a second end wall of a second one of the pair of said receptacles. The invention further relates to a battery module comprising one or more battery units and to a battery system comprising a plurality of battery modules.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A battery unit comprising one or more pairs of oppositely disposed receptacles, each said pair of receptacles defining a respective chamber for accommodating one or more cylindrical battery cells, each cylindrical battery cell having a first end adjacent a first end wall of a first one of said receptacles and a second end adjacent a second end wall of a second one of the pair of said receptacles,
 each cylindrical battery cell having positive and negative electrodes, with positive and negative bond wires being connected to said positive and negative electrodes at the first end of each battery cell and extending through apertures provided at said first end wall, said second end wall forming a thermal conduction path for dissipating heat.   
     
     
         2 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each said pair of receptacles defines a chamber for accommodating a plurality of cylindrical battery cells electrically connected together in parallel in a group. 
     
     
         3 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of pairs of receptacles is provided each defining a chamber for accommodating a plurality of cylindrical battery cells electrically connected together in parallel in a respective group and respective groups being connected together in series or in parallel, with wall members of the respective receptacles forming electrical insulation between the respective groups. 
     
     
         4 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each said chamber includes locating elements at at least one of said second walls to form an array of regularly spaced cylindrical battery cells. 
     
     
         5 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the locating elements have tapered wall elements forming introduction aids for inserting each of the cylindrical battery cells. 
     
     
         6 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the second end wall is formed of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than a material of the first end wall. 
     
     
         7 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of pairs of receptacles are provided and wherein common wall elements of the plurality of pairs of receptacles are arranged/formed between directly adjacent groups of cylindrical battery cells, wherein the common wall elements form electrical insulation between the respective groups. 
     
     
         8 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein means is provided in at least one of each pair of receptacles for positioning each cylindrical battery cell in the respective chamber in a predetermined orientation. 
     
     
         9 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said means are located at at least one of said first end wall and said second end wall. 
     
     
         10 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein an end of the first one of each pair of receptacles remote from the first wall is spaced in an axial direction of the cylindrical battery cells from an end of the second one of each pair of receptacles remote from the second wall. 
     
     
         11 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising thermally conductive and flame retardant feature elements, with the thermally conductive and flame retardant feature elements being disposed at at least one of the receptacles of each pair of receptacles. 
     
     
         12 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the thermally conductive and flame retardant feature elements are disposed at at least one of the receptacles of each pair of receptacles and form at least a part of said receptacle. 
     
     
         13 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the positive and negative bond wires are connected to an electric circuit board provided at an outer side of the first end wall of the pairs of receptacles. 
     
     
         14 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a cooling plate is arranged at the second end wall of the chamber and forms a part of the thermal conduction path for dissipating heat from the second ends of the cylindrical battery cells. 
     
     
         15 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein said cooling plate comprises one or more coolant passages that are configured to conduct a coolant therethrough, wherein each coolant passage is associated with one or more rows of the cylindrical battery cells. 
     
     
         16 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the cooling plate is configured to serve as a mechanical support for the remaining battery unit. 
     
     
         17 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the second end wall is either integrally formed with said second receptacle, is at least partly formed separately, or is formed by means of a thermally conducting wall bonded to the second receptacle. 
     
     
         18 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the second one of each pair of receptacles has a reduced height in comparison to the first one of the pair of receptacles and in a first limiting case comprises only the second end wall having apertures therein and in a second limiting case is re-placed by open ends of the first one of the receptacles. 
     
     
         19 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein positive and negative potentials are made available at an electric circuit board provided at an outer side of the first end wall of the pairs of receptacles. 
     
     
         20 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the positive and negative bond wires are connected to a battery management system. 
     
     
         21 . The battery unit in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the battery management system is integrated in a printed circuit board configured to transport and distribute current made available via the cylindrical battery cells and with the battery management system being configured to monitor a voltage, a current and a temperature of at least one of an individual battery cell, some of the battery cells arranged in one chamber and all of the battery cells arranged in one chamber.