Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a chargeable battery module of an electric car, and more particularly to a chargeable battery module of an electric car, and the chargeable battery module has the advantages of an easy and convenient installation, a low cost, a long life, a good performance, as well as a high capability to maintain the battery life of the electric car. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In the mid to late 20 th  Century, people heavily relying on fossil fuels as an energy source encountered a serious oil crisis, and thus energy saving and environmental protection become the most popular issues of the world after our living environment has been damaged and polluted tremendously. 
     Statistical data prepared by the International Energy Agency show that the petroleum consumption on transportations in the years of 2001-2003 occupies approximately 57% of the world&#39;s consumption, and the consumption is expected to exceed 60% in 2010. 
     With the issues and trends of oil shortage and environmental pollution, people propose a technological revolution for the transportation means that require most energy consumption and start seeking new energy sources and systems that can be used extensively and conveniently in different transportation means at a low cost and causing less or no pollution to the environment. Almost every country recognizes that we have to change our way of using energy sources for transportations in the future. As we pay increasingly more attentions to the issues of energy saving and environmental protection, new transportation products such as electric cars are constantly introduced into the market, and battery has become a bottleneck of the development of the electric transportation products, and key factors affecting the maturity of the electric transportation products are the battery itself, the capacity, and the charge and discharge speeds of the battery. As to the battery capacity, combining several batteries into a battery module is an ideal solution for the time being. Although a combination of several batteries can increase the battery capacity, the present combination of batteries adopts the method of soldering nickel plates, thus it cannot replace some aged or damaged batteries easily, in order to reduce the cost of purchasing new batteries. In addition, the method of combining batteries into a module involves complicated structures and manufacturing processes, not only incurring a higher cost and a lower yield rate, but also creating a technical obstacle to the development of the startup electric vehicle industry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a chargeable battery module with flexible applications and a convenient installation, and capable of lowering the cost of the chargeable battery, extending the life of the chargeable battery, and providing the best performance of the chargeable battery to maintain an excellent battery life of an electric car. 
     The chargeable battery module of the present invention is installed in an electric car and provided for transmitting an electric power to a driving unit to rotate wheels and drive the electric car to move forward. The chargeable battery module comprises a compartment for installing and containing a plurality of chargeable batteries, and circuits required for connecting each chargeable battery in series or in parallel are installed between each chargeable battery and an upper casing or a lower casing of the compartment and each chargeable battery is combined when the battery module is used. The present invention provides an easy way of controlling the charging of the chargeable battery including a chargeable battery or a module of parallelly connected chargeable batteries. When use, the single chargeable batteries are connected in series or in parallel, such that a charging protection plate is no longer required, and all single batteries can be fully charged with a constant voltage, so as to provide the best cycle life of the chargeable battery and maintain a good battery life of the electric car. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a chargeable battery module in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a chargeable battery module in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a circuit of a chargeable battery module in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a chargeable battery module in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a chargeable battery module in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a structure of a chargeable battery module in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a chargeable battery module applied in an electric bicycle in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a chargeable battery module applied in an electric motorcycle in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view of a chargeable battery module applied in an electric car in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The technical characteristics, effects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent with the detailed description of preferred embodiment together with the illustration of related drawings as follows. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2  for an improved chargeable battery module of an electric car in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chargeable battery module  1  comprises a compartment  10 , upper and lower casings  20 ,  30  and a plurality of chargeable batteries  40 . 
     The compartment  10  includes a containing space  11 , and the containing space  11  includes upper and lower openings  12 ,  13 . 
     The upper casing  20  is installed at the upper opening  12  of the containing space  11 , and a plurality of connecting plates is installed between the upper casing  20  and the containing space  11 , wherein there are five connecting plates (including the first, second, third, fourth and fifth connecting plates  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ) as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and each connecting plate  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25  includes at least two contact points  210 ; 
     The lower casing  30  is installed at a position corresponding to the lower opening  13  of the containing space  11 , and a plurality of connecting plates is installed between the lower casing  30  and the containing space  11  in accordance with a preferred embodiment as shown in the figures, wherein four connecting plates (the first, second, third and fourth connecting plates  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34 ) are installed, and each connecting plate  31 ,  32 ,  33 ,  34  includes at least two contact points  310 , and each connecting plate of the upper and lower casings  20 ,  30  is a nickel plate or a spring, and each contact point  210 ,  310  is a connector, a metal clip, a spring pin or a spring plate. 
     The plurality of chargeable batteries  40  is installed in the containing space  11 , and anode and cathode  41 ,  42  of each chargeable battery  40  are coupled to the connecting plate, and the chargeable batteries  40  are connected in series or in parallel. 
     Sixteen chargeable batteries  40  are installed and contained in the containing space  11  of the compartment, and each chargeable battery  40  is a cylindrical battery and arranged in a 4×4 array, and each chargeable battery in adjacent first and second rows or adjacent third and fourth rows is arranged in the same direction along the horizontal direction and in opposite directions along the vertical direction, and each chargeable battery in adjacent second and third rows is arranged in opposite directions along the horizontal direction. In other words, anodes of the first chargeable batteries  411 ,  421  in the first and second rows are facing upward, and cathodes of the second chargeable batteries  412 ,  422  in the first and second rows are facing upward, and cathodes of the first chargeable batteries  431 ,  441  in the third and fourth rows are facing upward. 
     The contact points  210  of the first connecting plate  21  of the upper casing are contacted with the first chargeable batteries  411 ,  421  in the first and second rows, and the contact points  210  of the second connecting plate  22  are contacted with the first chargeable batteries  431 ,  441  in the third and fourth rows, and the contact points  210  of the third connecting plate  23  are contacted with the second and third chargeable batteries  412 ,  422 ,  413 ,  423  in the first and second rows, and the contact points  210  of the fourth connecting plate  24  are contacted with the second and third chargeable batteries  432 ,  442 ,  433 ,  443  in the third and fourth rows, and the contact points  210  of the fifth connecting plate  25  are contacted with the fourth chargeable batteries  414 ,  424 ,  434 ,  444   t  in the first, second, third and fourth rows; and the contact points  310  of the first connecting plate  31  of the lower casing are contacted with the first and second chargeable batteries  411 ,  421 ,  412 ,  422  in the first and second rows, and the contact points  310  of the second connecting plate  32  are contacted with the first and second chargeable batteries  431 ,  441 ,  432 ,  442  in the third and fourth rows, and the contact points  310  of the third connecting plate  33  are contacted with the third and fourth chargeable batteries  413 ,  423 ,  414 ,  424  in the first and second rows, and the contact points  310  of the fourth connecting plate  34  are contacted with the third and fourth chargeable batteries  433 ,  443 ,  434 ,  444  in the third and fourth rows, and the connecting plates of the first preferred embodiment are installed in a way of arranging each chargeable battery  40  in the compartment  10  into a circuit with eight serial connections and two parallel connections as shown in  FIG. 3 . Of course, the invention can further comprise first and second external contact points  51 ,  52  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and the first and second external contact points  51 ,  52  are formed on the upper casing  20  and coupled to the first and second connecting plates  21 ,  22  respectively. 
     In a second preferred embodiment as shown in  FIG. 4 , each chargeable battery  40  is a square battery, and arranged in a 2×8 array, and each chargeable battery in adjacent first and second rows are grouped two by two and arranged in a same direction along the vertical direction, and adjacent groups are arranged in opposite directions. In other words, anodes of the first and second chargeable batteries  411 ,  412  in the first row are facing upward, and cathodes of the first and second chargeable batteries  421 ,  422  in the second row are facing upward, and cathodes of the third and fourth chargeable batteries  413 ,  414  in the first row are facing upward. 
     The contact points  210  of the first connecting plate  21  of the upper casing are contacted with the first and second chargeable batteries  411 ,  412  in the first row, and the contact points  210  of the second connecting plate  22  are contacted with the first and second chargeable batteries  421 ,  422  in the second row, and the contact points  210  of the third connecting plate  23  are contacted with the third to sixth chargeable batteries  413 ,  414 ,  415 ,  416  in the first row, and the contact points  210  of the fourth connecting plate  24  are contacted with the third to sixth chargeable batteries  423 ,  424 ,  425 ,  426  in the second row, and the contact points  210  of the fifth connecting plate  25  are contacted with the seventh and eighth chargeable batteries  417 ,  427 ,  418 ,  428  in the first and second rows; and the contact points  310  of the first connecting plate  31  of the lower casing are contacted with the first to fourth chargeable batteries  411 ,  412 ,  413 ,  414  in the first row, and the contact points  310  of the second connecting plate  32  are contacted with the first to fourth chargeable batteries  421 ,  422 ,  423 ,  424  in the second row, and the contact points  310  of the third connecting plate  33  are contacted with the fifth to eighth chargeable batteries  415 ,  416 ,  417 ,  418  in the first row, and the contact points  310  of the fourth connecting plate  34  are contacted with the fifth to eighth chargeable batteries  425 ,  426 ,  427 ,  428  in the second row, and the connecting plates of the second preferred embodiment are installed in the compartment  10  in a way of forming each chargeable battery  40  in a circuit with eight serial connections and two parallel connection as shown in  FIG. 4 . Of course, the invention can further comprise first and second external contact points  51 ,  52  as shown in  FIG. 5 , and the first and second external contact points  51 ,  52  are formed on the upper casing  20  and coupled to the first and second connecting plates  21 ,  22  respectively. 
     In a third preferred embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the chargeable battery module comprises a compartment  10 , an upper casing  20  and a plurality of chargeable batteries  40 , wherein the compartment  10  also includes a containing space  11 , and the containing space includes an upper opening  12  and a bottom surface  14 , and each chargeable battery  40  is installed and contained in the containing space  11 , and the upper casing  20  is installed at a position corresponding to the upper opening  12  of the containing space, and a plurality of connecting plates is installed between the upper casing  20  and the containing space. In a preferred embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , nine connecting plates (the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth connecting plates  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  29 ) are installed, and each connecting plate  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  29  includes at least two contact points  210 . 
     The containing space  11  of the compartment contains sixteen chargeable batteries  40 , and each chargeable battery  40  is a lithium-ion polymer battery, and an anode and a cathode  41 ,  42  of each secondary battery  40  are installed at both ends on the same side respectively, and each chargeable battery is arranged in a 2×8 array, wherein the chargeable batteries are grouped two by two and arranged in the same direction along the vertical direction, and adjacent groups are arranged in opposite directions. In other words, the cathodes  42  of the first and second chargeable batteries  411 ,  412  in the first row are situated on the left side and the anodes  41  are situated on the right side, and the cathodes  42  of the first and second chargeable batteries  421 ,  422  in the second row are facing upward, and the cathodes  42  of the third and fourth chargeable batteries  413 ,  414  in the first row are facing upward. 
     The contact points  210  of the first connecting plate  21  of the upper casing are contacted with the cathodes  42  of the first and second chargeable batteries  411 ,  412  and the anodes  41  of the third and fourth chargeable batteries  413 ,  414  in the first row, and the contact points  210  of the second connecting plate  22  are contacted with the anodes  41  of the first and second chargeable batteries  421 ,  422  in the first row, and the contact points  210  of the third connecting plate  23  are contacted with the cathodes  42  of the first and second chargeable batteries  421 ,  422  in the second row, and the contact points  210  of the fourth connecting plate  24  are contacted with the anodes  41  of the first and second chargeable batteries  421 ,  422  and the cathodes  42  of the third and fourth chargeable batteries  423 ,  424  in the second row, and the contact points  210  of the fifth connecting plate  25  are contacted with the cathodes  42  of the third and fourth chargeable batteries  413 ,  414  and the anodes  41  of the fifth and sixth chargeable batteries  415 ,  416  in the first row, and the contact points  210  of the sixth connecting plate  26  are contacted with the anodes  41  of the third and fourth chargeable batteries  423 ,  424  and the cathodes  42  of the fifth and sixth chargeable batteries  425 ,  426  in the second row, and the contact points  210  of the seventh connecting plate  27  are contacted with the cathodes  42  of the fifth and sixth chargeable batteries  415 ,  416  and the anodes  41  of the seventh and eighth chargeable batteries  417 ,  417  in the first row, and the contact points  210  of the eighth connecting plate  28  are contacted with the cathodes  42  of the seventh and eighth chargeable batteries  417 ,  418  in the first row and the anodes  41  of the seventh and eighth chargeable batteries  427 ,  428  in the second row, and the contact points  210  of the ninth connecting plate  29  are contacted with the anodes  41  of the fifth and sixth chargeable batteries  425 ,  426  and the cathodes  42  of the seventh and eighth chargeable batteries  427 ,  428  in the second row. The connecting plates of the third preferred embodiment are installed in a way of forming each chargeable battery in the compartment into a circuit with eight serial connections and two parallel connections. Of course, the invention can further comprise first and second external contact points  51 ,  52  as shown in  FIG. 5 , and the first and second external contact points  51 ,  52  are formed on the upper casing  20  and coupled to the first and second connecting plates  21 ,  22  respectively. 
     The chargeable battery modules in accordance with the foregoing preferred embodiments can be applied to an electric vehicle, such as an electric bicycle (as shown in  FIG. 7 ), an electric motorcycle (as shown in  FIG. 8 ) or an electric car (as shown in  FIG. 9 ), wherein the electric car  6  comprises the chargeable battery module  1  of the present invention, a driving unit  61  and at least two wheels  62 , and the first and second external contact points of the chargeable battery module  1  are coupled to a driving unit (not show in the figure), and the chargeable battery module  1  transmits an electric power to the driving unit  61  (which is a motor) to rotate wheels  62  to drive the electric car to move forward. Of course, a plurality of chargeable battery modules of the present invention can be connected in series or in parallel to increase the output of the electric power. 
     In the foregoing preferred embodiments, each connecting plate can be integrally and respectively formed at the upper and lower casings or separately at the upper and lower casings. 
     Compared with the conventional chargeable battery module, the present invention has the following advantages: 
     1. The circuit for connecting each chargeable battery of the present invention is manufactured on the upper casing or the lower casing of the compartment separately without requiring a soldering process to simplify the manufacturing process and lower the manufacturing cost. 
     2. When the chargeable battery module is charged, a charging device can be used for charging the chargeable batteries one by one, or the chargeable batteries connected in parallel are changed, such that after each chargeable battery is charged, the chargeable batteries have the same voltage and electric capacity, and the chargeable battery can provide a better performance and have a longer using life. Since the charging circuit board can be installed in the charging device, therefore the chargeable battery module does not require an additional charging circuit board. 
     3. Since the circuits and the chargeable batteries of the present invention are detachable and not soldered, therefore if any one of the chargeable batteries is damaged, the damaged chargeable battery can be replaced convenient, without the need of replacing the whole battery module 
     In summation of the above description, the present invention herein enhances the performance than the conventional structure and further complies with the patent application requirements and is duly filed for patent application. While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.

Technology Category: h