# US 2016/0355100 A1 · Vehicle power device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0355100 A1 - Document ID: US20160355100A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/140,479 - Filed: 2016-04-28 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-04 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Satoko ITO; Daijiro TAKIZAWA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160355100A1 ## CPC - B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion - B60L 50/64: Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles - B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries} - B60L 58/26: by cooling - H01M 10/613: Cooling or keeping cold - H01M 10/625: Vehicles - H01M 10/6556: Solid parts with flow channel passages or pipes for heat exchange (closed pipes H01M10/6552) - H01M 10/6568: characterised by flow circuits, e.g. loops, located externally to the cells or cell casings - H01M 50/204: Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells - H01M 50/24: adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion (thermal insulation H01M10/658) - 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) - B60K 2001/005: {the electric storage means} - B60K 2001/0438: {Arrangement under the floor} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. 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 - 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 - 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 A vehicle power device includes a front battery module, a rear battery module, a battery case, and a cooling circuit. The cooling circuit includes a cooling pump, a front battery module cooler, a rear battery module cooler, and cooling internal piping. The battery case houses the front and rear battery modules and the cooling internal piping. Coolant from the cooling pump flows to outside of the battery case via the cooling internal piping. The cooling internal piping includes a branched section and a flow path. The branched section is provided between the front battery module and the rear battery module to branch the flow of the coolant to the front battery module cooler and to the rear battery module cooler. The flow path has one end connected to the branched section and another end passing through to outside of the battery case. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle power device comprising: a front battery module including a plurality of batteries; a rear battery module including a plurality of batteries; a battery case housing the front battery module and the rear battery module; and a cooling circuit including a cooling pump, a front battery module cooler that cools the front battery module, and a rear battery module cooler that cools the rear battery module, the battery case being disposed below a floor panel, the cooling circuit including cooling internal piping that is provided inside the battery case, that receives coolant from the cooling pump, and that discharges coolant to outside of the battery case, and the cooling internal piping including, between the front battery module and the rear battery module, a branched section where the flow of coolant branches to the front battery module cooler and to the rear battery module cooler and including a flow path having one end connected to the branched section and another end passing through to outside the battery case through one side of the battery case in a vehicle width direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle power device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling internal piping includes first cooling internal piping configuring the flow path, and second cooling internal piping that discharges coolant, merged at a flow-merging section after passing through the front battery module cooler and the rear battery module cooler, through the one side of the battery case to outside the battery case and the second cooling internal piping is disposed so as to be adjacent to the first cooling internal piping. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle power device according to claim 2, wherein the battery case includes a bottom plate on which the batteries are mounted and a cover that covers the batteries from above, the bottom plate and the cover are sealed at a mating portion, and the first cooling internal piping and the second cooling internal piping pass through to outside the battery case via a seal member positioned below the mating portion and disposed at a side face of the bottom plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle power device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling circuit includes the cooling internal piping provided inside the battery case and cooling external piping provided outside the battery case and connected to the cooling pump, the battery case is disposed between a pair of first framework members extending along a vehicle front-rear direction, a pair of second framework members are provided in the vehicle width direction outside of the pair of first framework members and alongside the pair of first framework members, and part of the cooling external piping is disposed on the one side between the first framework member and the second framework member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The vehicle power device according to claim 2, further comprising a high voltage device provided between the front battery module and the rear battery module, wherein the cooling internal piping further includes third cooling internal piping that is disposed between the branched section and the flow-merging section at the downstream side of the flow-merging section and supplies coolant to the high voltage device and fourth cooling internal piping that discharges coolant that has cooled the high voltage device through the one side of the battery case to outside of the battery case and the third cooling internal piping and the fourth cooling internal piping are disposed so as to be adjacent to the first cooling internal piping. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle power device according to claim 5, wherein the battery case includes a bottom plate on which the batteries are mounted and a cover that covers the batteries from above, the bottom plate and the cover are sealed at a mating portion, and the first cooling internal piping, the second cooling internal piping, and the fourth cooling internal piping pass through to outside the battery case via a seal member positioned below the mating portion and disposed at a side face of the bottom plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The vehicle power device according to claim 4, wherein the cooling external piping is not provided at the other side of the battery case in the vehicle width direction between the first framework member and the second framework member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The vehicle power device according to claim 4, wherein the battery case includes a bottom plate on which the batteries are mounted and a cover that covers the batteries from above, the bottom plate includes a tray in a plate shape and a plurality of cross-direction reinforcement members provided on a lower face of the tray and extending in the vehicle width direction, the battery case is disposed below the floor panel by fastening portions of the cross-direction reinforcement members being fastened to the first framework members, and the flow path is positioned as being interposed in the front-rear direction between the fastening portions of the cross-direction reinforcement members and connected to the cooling external piping. ### Claim 9 A vehicle power device comprising: a front battery module including a plurality of first batteries; a rear battery module including a plurality of second batteries and arranged at rear of the front battery module in a front-rear direction of a vehicle; a battery case housing the front battery module and the rear battery module; and a cooling circuit comprising: a cooling pump; a front battery module cooler provided at the front battery module to cool the front battery module; a rear battery module cooler provided at the rear battery module to cool the rear battery module; cooling internal piping provided inside the battery case, coolant from the cooling pump being to flow to outside of the battery case via the cooling internal piping, the cooling internal piping comprising: a branched section provided between the front battery module and the rear battery module to branch the flow of the coolant to the front battery module cooler and to the rear battery module cooler; and a flow path having one end connected to the branched section and another end passing through to outside of the battery case through one side of the battery case in a vehicle width direction substantially orthogonal to the front-rear direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle power device according to claim 9, wherein the cooling internal piping includes first cooling internal piping configuring the flow path, and second cooling internal piping that discharges the coolant, merged at a flow-merging section after passing through the front battery module cooler and the rear battery module cooler, through the one side of the battery case to outside of the battery case and the second cooling internal piping is disposed so as to be adjacent to the first cooling internal piping. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle power device according to claim 10, wherein the battery case includes a bottom plate on which the first batteries and the second batteries are mounted and a cover that covers the first batteries and the second batteries from above, the bottom plate and the cover are sealed at a mating portion, and the first cooling internal piping and the second cooling internal piping pass through to outside of the battery case via a seal member positioned below the mating portion and disposed at a side face of the bottom plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vehicle power device according to claim 9, wherein the cooling circuit includes the cooling internal piping provided inside the battery case and cooling external piping provided outside of the battery case and connected to the cooling pump, the battery case is disposed between a pair of first framework members extending along the front-rear direction, a pair of second framework members are provided in the vehicle width direction outside of the pair of first framework members and alongside the pair of first framework members, and part of the cooling external piping is disposed on the one side between the first framework member and the second framework member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The vehicle power device according to claim 10, further comprising a high voltage device provided between the front battery module and the rear battery module, wherein the cooling internal piping further includes third cooling internal piping that is disposed between the branched section and the flow-merging section at a downstream side of the flow-merging section and supplies the coolant to the high voltage device and fourth cooling internal piping that discharges the coolant that has cooled the high voltage device through the one side of the battery case to outside of the battery case and the third cooling internal piping and the fourth cooling internal piping are disposed so as to be adjacent to the first cooling internal piping. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle power device according to claim 13, wherein the battery case includes a bottom plate on which the first batteries and the second batteries are mounted and a cover that covers the first batteries and the second batteries from above, the bottom plate and the cover are sealed at a mating portion, and the first cooling internal piping, the second cooling internal piping, and the fourth cooling internal piping pass through to outside of the battery case via a seal member positioned below the mating portion and disposed at a side face of the bottom plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The vehicle power device according to claim 12, wherein the cooling external piping is not provided at the other side of the battery case in the vehicle width direction between the first framework member and the second framework member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The vehicle power device according to claim 12, wherein the battery case includes a bottom plate on which the first batteries and the second batteries are mounted and a cover that covers the first batteries and the second batteries from above, the bottom plate includes a tray in a plate shape and a plurality of cross-direction reinforcement members provided on a lower face of the tray and extending in the vehicle width direction, the battery case is disposed below a floor panel by fastening portions of the cross-direction reinforcement members being fastened to the first framework members, and the flow path is positioned as being interposed in the front-rear direction between the fastening portions of the cross-direction reinforcement members and connected to the cooling external piping. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The vehicle power device according to claim 9, wherein the battery case is disposed below a floor panel.