# US 10,308,490 B2 · Integrated battery unit with cooling and protection expedients for electric vehicles > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,490 B2 - Document ID: US10308490B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/441,354 - Filed: 2017-02-24 - Published: 2017-06-08 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-20 - Assignees: Webasto Charging Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Aerovironment, Inc. - Inventors: Blake E. Dickinson; Larry Hayashigawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308490B2 ## CPC - B60L 53/18: Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B60L 3/0069: {relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current} - B60L 53/11: {DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4} - B60L 58/26: by cooling - B66F 9/07595: {Cooling arrangements for device or operator} - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 10/6557: arranged between the cells - H01M 10/6563: with forced flow, e.g. by blowers - H01M 50/204: Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells - H01M 50/249: specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) - H01M 10/46: Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H01M 10/63: Control systems (charging or discharging in response to temperature H01M10/44 {, H01M10/443}; measurement of temperature H01M10/48 {, H01M10/486}) - H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B66F: HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD ({invalid lifting devices A61G7/10; } mounting artificial islands on piles or like supports E02B17/00; scaffolding combined with lifting devices E04G1/22; lifting devices for sliding forms E04G11/24; lifting of buildings E04G23/06; shores or struts E04G25/00; lifts or other hoisting devices on ladders E06C7/12; props for mining E21D15/00) - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Methods of and apparatus for removing heat generated by cells of a battery pack. The methods and apparatus may employ one or more fan modules disposed between or next to cells of the battery pack, or one or more fans directly mounted to the battery pack or battery pack case housing the cells. Further, a motor controller isolation system operates to electrically isolate the motor controller of the electric vehicle when the battery pack is being charged. The motor controller isolation system may be integrated with the integrated battery pack and thermal and ventilation system. The integrated system, or “integrated battery unit (IBU),” is preferably manufactured in a manner that requires no, modifications to the electric vehicle in which the IBU is installed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fan box interposed between a set of battery cells within a battery pack of an electric vehicle, the fan box comprising: at least two side panels that define an interior portion of the fan box and are disposed against the set of battery cells of the battery pack in contact therewith, wherein the fan box is confined within the battery pack without protruding from an opening aligned with a side of the electric vehicle; and one or more fans mounted in the fan box and configured to draw-in air from the opening into the interior portion of the fan box and towards at least one battery cell within each of the battery cells by way of the at least two side panels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fan box of claim 1, wherein the fans are operable to circulate air for cooling the battery cells during discharging of the battery cells. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The fan box of claim 1, wherein the fans are operable to circulate air for cooling the battery cells during charging of the battery cells. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The fan box of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is a conventional electric vehicle and the fan box is configured to be inserted into the battery pack without modification of the conventional electric vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fan box of claim 4, wherein the electric vehicle is a fork lift. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fan box of claim 1, wherein the fan box is part of an integrated battery unit (IBU) through which a battery charger is connectable to the battery cells for charging the battery cells, the IBU includes a motor controller isolation system operable to electrically isolate a motor controller of the electric vehicle from at least one electrical component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fan box of claim 6, wherein the at least one electrical component is the battery charger. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The fan box of claim 6, wherein the at least one electrical component is a battery pack comprising the battery cells. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The fan box of claim 6, wherein the isolation system is mechanical. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fan box of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is a fork lift having sides, wherein the battery compartment and the battery cells are positioned between the fork lift sides, and wherein the fan box is positioned between a fork lift side and the battery cells, so as not to protrude from the fork lift. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The fan box of claim 10, wherein the fan box is configured to be retrofitted into the fork lift without modification of the fork lift. ### Claim 12 A method for cooling battery cells housed in a battery compartment of an electric vehicle, the method comprising: mounting a fan box within the battery compartment without exceeding a battery compartment protection zone such that at least two side panels of the fan box are disposed against the battery cells of the battery compartment in contact therewith and define an interior portion of the fan box, wherein the fan box is confined within the battery compartment without protruding from an opening aligned with a side of the electric vehicle; and using one or more fans mounted in the fan box to draw-in air from the opening into the interior portion of the fan box and towards at least one battery cell within each of the battery cells by way of the at least two side panels. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the air is drawn-in during discharging of said battery cells. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the air is drawn-in during charging of said battery cells. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the fan box abuts a tray containing the battery cells. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the electric vehicle is a fork lift. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the fan box is part of an integrated battery unit (IBU), and the method further comprises using the IBU to: connecting a battery charger to the battery cells to charge the battery cells; and electrically isolating a motor controller of the electric vehicle from at least one electrical component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrical component is the battery charger. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one electrical component is a battery pack comprising the battery cells. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the electrical isolation is mechanical. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the electric vehicle is a fork lift having sides, wherein the battery compartment and the battery cells are positioned between the fork lift sides, and the fan box is mounted between one of the fork lift sides and the battery cells without protruding from the fork lift. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the fan box is configured to be retrofitted into the fork lift without modification of the fork lift.