Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Masao Saito

Shinsuke Nakamura

Tsuyoshi Takahashi

Akinobu Wakabayashi

Kazunobu Yokotani

Tomokazu Takashina

A power supply device is provided that includes a battery module () and a cooling mechanism. The battery module is composed of a plurality of batteries () arranged side by side. The cooling mechanism cools the batteries (). A thermally-insulating member () is arranged on a part of a battery module surface, and thermally insulates heat generated from the batteries. This power supply device can reduce the temperature unevenness &#x394;T.

Battery temperature unevenness suppressing power supply

A power supply device includes rectangular battery cells, resin separators, end spacers, thick metal end plates, and coupling members. The separatoris inserted between the cellsto insulate adjacent cellsfrom each other, and in thermal contact with the cells. The end spacerscover end battery cellson the opposed end surfaces of a battery block composed of the cellsand the separatorsalternately arranged. The end platescover the surfaces of the end spacers. The coupling memberscouple the end platesto each other. The separatorsform gapsfor flowing air along the surfaces of the cellsin contact with the separators. The end spacershave hollow layerson their surfaces in contact with the cells, and define closed chambers.

Power supply device including a plurality of battery cells arranged side by side

A battery system including battery blocks () having a plurality of battery cells () stacked with cooling gaps () established between the battery cells to pass cooling gas; ventilating ducts (), which are supply ducts () and exhaust ducts (), disposed on both sides of the battery blocks to forcibly ventilate the cooling gaps; and ventilating apparatus () to force cooling gas to flow through the ventilating ducts. Cooling gas forcibly introduced by the ventilating apparatus flows from the supply ducts through the cooling gaps and into the exhaust ducts to cool the battery cells. In addition, the battery system has temperature equalizing walls () disposed in the supply ducts. The temperature equalizing walls are long and narrow with length in the direction of flow greater than the width, and each temperature equalizing wall gradually narrows towards the upstream end.

Growing community of inventors

Kasai, Japan

Masao Saito