# US 12,597,670 B2 · Automobile with battery pack installed over underbody frame

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- Number: US 12,597,670 B2
- Document ID: US12597670B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/441,738
- Filed: 2024-02-14
- Published: 2024-06-06
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2021-01-11
- Assignees: LG Energy Solution, Ltd.
- Applicants: LG Energy Solution, Ltd.
- Inventors: Jin-Oh Yang; Kwang-Keun Oh; In-Hyuk Jung; Hae-Won Choi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12597670B2

## CPC

- B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion
- 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)
- B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
- B60L 58/26: by cooling
- B62D 21/15: having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body (bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F)
- H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold
- H01M 10/625: Vehicles
- H01M 10/643: Cylindrical cells
- H01M 10/653: characterised by electrically insulating or thermally conductive materials
- H01M 10/6551: Surfaces specially adapted for heat dissipation or radiation, e.g. fins or coatings
- H01M 10/6556: Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552)
- H01M 10/6567: Liquids
- H01M 50/213: adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic (H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence)
- H01M 50/271: Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
- H01M 50/30: Arrangements for facilitating escape of gases
- H01M 50/3425: {in the form of rupturable membranes or weakened parts, e.g. pierced with the aid of a sharp member}
- H01M 50/358: External gas exhaust passages located on the battery cover or case
- H01M 50/414: Synthetic resins, e.g. thermoplastics or thermosetting resins
- H01M 50/503: characterised by the shape of the interconnectors
- B60K 2001/0438: {Arrangement under the floor}
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- 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
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes at least one battery cell including a vent portion to force gas out; and a pack case in which the at least one battery cell is accommodated such that the vent portion faces a lower side of the battery pack. The vent portion exposed from the battery pack.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An automobile comprising:
an underbody frame of the automobile; and
a battery apparatus comprising a plurality of battery cells and a case housing the plurality of battery cells;
wherein each of the plurality of battery cells comprises a vent portion configured to break and discharge gas when pressure inside the battery cell reaches a certain level,
wherein the case comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of bottom vent openings formed through the bottom wall,
wherein the plurality of battery cells are arranged inside the case such that the vent portion of each of the plurality of battery cells is placed at a bottom portion of the case,
such that each of the plurality of the battery cells corresponds to and is aligned with one of the plurality of bottom vent openings of the case,
such that each of the plurality of bottom vent openings of the case corresponds to and is aligned with the vent portion of the one of the plurality of battery cells, and
further such that, when viewed from under the battery apparatus, the plurality of bottom vent openings are exposed and the vent portions of the plurality of battery cells are also exposed through the plurality of bottom vent openings,
whereby, if gas is discharged from a first one of the plurality of battery cells through the vent portion thereof, at least part of the gas discharged through the vent portion of the first battery cell would be released to outside the case directly through a first one of the plurality of bottom vent openings corresponding to the vent portion of the first battery cell as the vent portion of the first battery cell is exposed through the first bottom vent opening corresponding to the first battery cell, and
wherein the battery apparatus is installed over the underbody frame such that the bottom wall of the case and the underbody frame directly face each other with a clearance having a height defined between the bottom wall of the case and the underbody frame and further such that at least part of the vent portions exposed to the underbody frame via the clearance having the height defined between the bottom wall of the case and the underbody frame, whereby, if gas is discharged from the first battery cell through the vent portion thereof, at least part of the discharged gas released through the first bottom vent opening would flow via the clearance having the height defined between the bottom wall of the case and the underbody frame.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The automobile of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of the case comprises a plurality of recesses, each of which is configured to receive a portion of one of the plurality of battery cells for arranging each of the plurality of battery cells inside the case.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The automobile of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of the case comprises a plurality of recesses, each of which is configured to receive a portion of one of the plurality of battery cells for arranging each of the plurality of battery cells inside the case such that the vent portion of each of the battery cells is aligned with one of the plurality of bottom vent openings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The automobile of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of the case comprises a plurality of recesses, wherein each of the plurality of bottom vent openings is formed in one of the plurality of recesses.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The automobile of claim 4, wherein a portion of each of the plurality of batteries is received in one of the plurality of recesses, by which the vent portion of each of the plurality of batteries is aligned with the bottom vent opening formed in the one of the plurality of recesses.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The automobile of claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery cells are housed in the case such that both positive and negative electrodes of each of the plurality of batteries face downward.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The automobile of claim 1, wherein the case further comprises a top cover placed over the plurality of battery cells housed in the case, wherein the top cover is located higher than the bottom wall in the apparatus.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The automobile of claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a cooling device configured to transfer heat from at least part of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the cooling device is located above at least part of the plurality of battery cells.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The automobile of claim 1, wherein the battery apparatus further comprises a plurality of ribs protruding from the bottom wall, wherein the plurality of ribs partially surrounds the first bottom vent opening when viewed from underneath the bottom wall.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The automobile of claim 1, wherein the battery apparatus is installed over the underbody frame with the clearance between the bottom wall of the case and the underbody frame such that an impact applied onto the underbody frame would not be directly transferred to the battery apparatus.