FR3047453A1 - REFRIGERATED STORAGE DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DASHBOARD. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a refrigerated dashboard storage device (1) for a motor vehicle comprising a body (11) delimiting a first resealable compartment (20) and comprising at least a first refrigerated air intake (24), characterized in that it comprises at least a second resealable compartment (30) adjoining said first compartment (20) and comprising at least a second refrigerated air inlet (34) independent of the first. The invention also relates to a power supply module for a motor vehicle comprising a battery (40) and such a refrigerated storage device of which one (30) of said compartments (20, 30) houses said battery. The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle comprising a dashboard (1) in which is implanted such a power supply module.

Description

REFRIGERATED STORAGE DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE DASHBOARD.

Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to the problem of installing a battery in a motor vehicle.

Background of the invention

Motor vehicles with an internal combustion engine traditionally include a 12V lead-acid battery for starting the engine and also providing power to the electrical equipment of the on-board system.

This type of battery is currently subject to a specific exemption from the legislation in force in the European Union, which prohibits the use of certain toxic and environmentally hazardous elements, including lead in electrical and electronic equipment and components. .

The maintenance of this exemption will be discussed shortly and it may not be renewed by 2020-2025, thus prohibiting the production and sale of these batteries beyond this period.

This perspective thus requires car manufacturers to anticipate technically and economically viable alternatives. One of the possible solutions consists in using Lithium batteries which make it possible to obtain a voltage level close to that of the current batteries by associating several cells in series, each consisting of two electrodes isolated by a separator and an electrolyte solvent.

However, unlike lead-acid batteries, Lithium batteries present a risk of ignition in the event of overcharging, high shock or high heat (ambient temperature greater than or equal to 60 ° C).

Such an event can indeed cause a short circuit between the two electrodes by lithium dendritic growth, the latter causing a thermal runaway of the cell leading to its burst and the leak of particularly flammable electrolyte solvent.

For obvious safety reasons, these Lithium batteries can not be housed in the engine compartment of the vehicle as is the case for current lead batteries.

It is thus known, particularly on hybrid type vehicles, to have such a battery in the passenger compartment, usually under one of the seats.

To avoid any risk of runaway in case of overload, it remains essential to provide a cooling system to evacuate the heat emitted by the cells.

The patent application EP 1 786 058 discloses a cooling device for such a battery comprising a fan ensuring a forced cooling air flow on the battery.

However, these means of ventilation have the disadvantage of generating an almost permanent noise nuisance in the passenger compartment and particularly unpleasant for the occupants of the vehicle.

In order to overcome this inconvenience, the patent application FR 2 964 798 proposes to dispose the lithium battery and the ventilation means in the trunk of the vehicle, but such a solution does not sufficiently protect the cells of the battery in case of shock. violent from behind.

Object and summary of the invention

The present invention therefore aims to propose an alternative solution for the implantation of a battery in a motor vehicle.

It proposes for this purpose, a refrigerated dashboard storage device for a motor vehicle comprising a body defining a first resealable compartment and comprising at least a first refrigerated air inlet, characterized in that it comprises at least a second compartment resealable adjacent to said first compartment and comprising at least a second refrigerated air inlet independent of the first. The particular arrangement of the refrigerated storage device according to the invention thus makes it possible to devote one of its two refrigerated reclosable compartments to the housing of a battery of the vehicle (especially that of starting), so as to avoid the phenomenon of overheating of this battery while significantly reducing noise in the cabin and protecting it from shocks in case of accident.

In addition, the implementation of such a storage device does not involve significant additional cost in comparison with a conventional refrigerated storage device. The invention also aims, in a second aspect, a power supply module for a motor vehicle comprising a battery, characterized in that it further comprises such a refrigerated storage device which one of said compartments houses said battery

According to preferred features of this power supply module, taken alone or in combination: said battery is a starter battery of a motor vehicle; said battery is a brake energy recovery battery of a hybrid or electric motor vehicle; said battery is of the lithium type; - The set temperature of the compartment housing said battery is automatically controlled according to the internal temperature of said battery; the internal faces of the walls delimiting the compartment housing said battery are covered with a thermal and / or phonic insulator; and / or the compartment housing said battery comprises a slide-mounted plate on which said battery rests. The invention also aims, in a third aspect, a motor vehicle having a dashboard in which is implanted such a power supply module.

According to a preferred feature, this vehicle comprises an air conditioning system and said compartment housing said battery is refrigerated via a specific distribution line directly connected to the output of said air conditioning system and opening to the air inlet of this compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The description of the invention will now be continued by the detailed description of an exemplary embodiment, given below by way of illustration but without limitation, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. a schematic perspective view of a dashboard of a motor vehicle incorporating a refrigerated storage device according to the invention housing a battery and connected to an air conditioning system located in the engine compartment of the vehicle; and FIG. 2 represents an enlargement of the detail II of FIG. 1 corresponding to the refrigerated storage device implantation zone according to the invention.

Detailed description of an embodiment

FIG. 1 shows a dashboard 1 of an internal combustion automobile vehicle equipped with an air conditioning system 2 housed in the engine compartment of this vehicle and visible through this dashboard.

Such an air conditioning system 2 conventionally comprises a heat exchanger unit comprising a refrigerant circuit equipped with a compressor, a first condenser-type heat exchanger, an expander and a second evaporator-type heat exchanger.

The outgoing refrigerated air flow is pulsed through distribution means to a main distribution pipe 3 separating into a plurality of flexible sub-pipes 4, 5, 6 opening on the ventilation nozzles provided in the dashboard. 1 to distribute this fresh air in the cabin.

The dashboard 1 comprises a refrigerated storage device 10 according to the invention and located on the passenger side.

This storage device 10, shown alone in FIG. 2, comprises a body 11 embedded in the dashboard 1 and delimited by two opposite lateral walls 12, 13, a bottom wall 14, an upper wall 15 and a bottom wall 16. .

This body 11 defines a substantially parallelepipedal internal volume divided into two adjacent compartments 20, 30 separated by a central partition 17 extending parallel to the two side walls 12, 13, and each accessible by a corresponding opening 21, 31 opening into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Each of the compartments 20, 30 is reclosable via a respective door 22, 32 able to close its opening 21, 31 and mounted to move relative to the body 11.

In this case, each door 22, 32 is articulated pivotally on the lower part of the body 11 about a horizontal axis and by means of hinge type hinge means not shown but well known per se.

Each of the two doors 22, 32 comprises in the central upper part a respective closing handle 23, 33, each of them being pivotally mounted between a released position and an engaged position in which it cooperates with a member (not shown) located on the framing the opening 21, 31 of the corresponding compartment 20, 30 to maintain the door 22, 32 in closed configuration.

Advantageously, each door 22, 32 also comprises a key cylinder implanted at the corresponding handle 23, 33 to lock it in closed configuration.

Each of the compartments 20, 30 also comprises an independent refrigerated air inlet 24, 34 formed in the bottom wall of the body 11 and connected to the air conditioning system 2 of the vehicle via a corresponding branch line 7, 8 stitched on the main distribution pipe 3 or on one of its flexible sub-pipes 4, 5, 6.

As can be clearly seen in FIG. 2, one of the two compartments 20, 30 of the storage device 10 houses a battery 40 based for example on Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFeP04 or LFP) technology and delivering a voltage of 12, 8 V.

The latter, which constitutes the starter battery of the vehicle, comprises a parallelepipedal housing 41 of plastic material open on top and housing a stack of four 3.2 V rectangular LFP cells mounted in series on a support rack.

The housing also houses an electronic control system commonly known by the acronym BMS for "Battery Management System" and intended to ensure load balancing of all cells to prevent undervoltage or overvoltages.

The battery 40 further comprises an upper cover panel 42 enclosing the housing 41 and on which are formed the two positive electrical terminals 44 and negative 45 for the connection of the ends of the two connection cables 46, 47 connected to the vehicle electrical network and a portion protrudes inside the compartment 30 after passing through the bottom 16 of the body 11 of the storage device 10.

It will be noted on this occasion that the dimensions of this compartment 30 (and in particular its height) are predetermined so as to facilitate the operations of connection or disconnection of the battery 40 by the user when changing the latter.

It is understood that this compartment 30 can be used to house Lithium batteries of another type (for example: Lithium Cobalt, Lithium Manganese, Lithium Polymer, Lithium Air, etc ...) or batteries from a technology different (for example super capacitors type). Similarly, the number of cells it comprises may vary so as to provide a voltage adapted to the demand of the vehicle electrical network (for example, 24, 36 or 48V).

The second compartment 20, empty, is intended in a conventional manner to serve as storage space for various objects such as the vehicle user manual, the registration card, a set of spare bulbs or even road maps.

According to alternative embodiments of the invention not shown, the refrigerated air supply of at least one of the compartments (and in particular that housing the battery 40) of the storage device 10 is provided via a specific distribution line directly connected to the output of said air conditioning system 2 (ie at the outlet of the evaporator of the exchanger unit) and opening to the corresponding air inlet of this compartment.

Such a configuration thus makes it possible to define a set temperature specific to this compartment and independent of that of the passenger compartment, for example by means of manual adjustment means (such as a wheel or a selector) arranged inside. or outside the compartment.

For the compartment 30 housing the battery 40, it is also possible that this setpoint temperature is controlled automatically according to the internal temperature of the battery transmitted by one or more sensors.

According to still other embodiments not shown: - the storage device according to the invention is located in the dashboard of a hybrid or electric vehicle and houses for example a battery energy recovery during deceleration; the two compartments are formed by two independent resealable boxes mounted inside a body such as 11; the compartment 30 comprises a slide-mounted receiving tray for the purpose of facilitating its removal or placement; and / or the internal faces of the walls of the compartment intended to receive the battery are covered with a thermal and / or phonic insulation.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown and encompasses any variant within the scope of the art.

Claims (10)

1. A refrigerated dashboard storage device (1) for a motor vehicle comprising a body (11) delimiting a first resealable compartment (20) and comprising at least a first refrigerated air intake (24), characterized in that it comprises at least a second resealable compartment (30) adjoining said first compartment (20) and comprising at least a second refrigerated air inlet (34) independent of the first. 2. Power supply module for a motor vehicle comprising a battery (40), characterized in that it further comprises a refrigerated storage device (10) according to claim 1 wherein one (30) of said compartments (20, 30) houses said battery (40). 3. power supply module according to claim 2, characterized in that said battery (40) is a starter battery of a motor vehicle. 4. Power supply module according to claim 2, characterized in that said battery (40) is a brake energy recovery battery of a hybrid or electric motor vehicle. 5. power supply module according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said battery (40) is of the lithium type. 6. Power supply module according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the set temperature of the compartment (30) housing said battery (40) is automatically controlled according to the internal temperature of said battery (40). 7. Power supply module according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the inner faces (13, 14, 15, 16, 17) of the walls defining the compartment (30) housing said battery (40) are covered with thermal and / or sound insulation. 8. power supply module according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the compartment (30) housing said battery (40) comprises a slide-mounted plate and on which said battery (40). 9. Motor vehicle comprising a dashboard (1) in which is implanted a power supply module according to one of claims 2 to 8. 10. Motor vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises an air conditioning system (2) and in that said compartment (30) housing said battery (40) is refrigerated via a distribution pipe specific directly connected to the output of said air conditioning system (2) and opening to the air inlet (24) of this compartment (30).