C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni

A vehicle lighting unit comprises a support body (2) made of plastic material, and a transparent lens (3) made of plastic material, rigidly connected by welding to the support body (2). The support body (2) is configured to be connected by mechanical connection elements to a vehicle structure. In the support body (2) is integrated at least one piezoresistive sensing track (5), electrically conductive, which extends along at least a portion of an area (6) of contact of the support body (2) with the transparent lens (3). The piezoresistive sensing track (5) is obtained by laser irradiation of the support body (2) which is constituted, at least in a portion thereof, by a polymeric material, or by a polymeric material added with fillers and/or additives, capable of acquiring piezoresistive characteristics following the laser irradiation. In the assembling operation of the lighting unit (1), a variation in the electrical resistance of the piezoresistive sensing track (5) can be monitored in order to obtain information on the degree of deformation, and therefore the degree of stress, imparted to the support body (2) and consequently to the transparent lens (3). This avoids the generation of internal stresses in the transparent lens (3) which can cause, even after a period of time, cracks and fractures of the transparent lens (3).

An electric battery pack (1) is provided with an immersion-type temperature regulation system, which provides for the circulation of a temperature-regulating liquid, specifically a dielectric oil, through the battery pack. The system comprises a circuit (8) outside the battery pack (1) for the temperature-regulating liquid, which includes a pump (9) driven by an electric motor (M), a heater (10), a chiller (11) and a reservoir (13). The circuit (8) outside the battery pack (1) includes a plurality of electrically actuated control valves (VLV1, VLV2, VLV3, VLV4). An electronic controller (E) of the system activates different operating modes of the control valves (VLV1, VLV2, VLV3, VLV4) to modify the path followed by the temperature-regulating liquid in the circuit (8) as a function of the viscosity of the dielectric oil varying with temperature. In an example, the electronic controller (E) implements the different operating modes as a function of a signal (S) indicative of the electric current absorbed by the electric motor (M) driving the pump (9).

An electric battery pack (1) comprises a container (2) and a frame (3) inside the container (2), defining a plurality of compartments (4) that receive a plurality of stacks (50) of battery cells (5). Each compartment (4) is defined by two end walls (40, 40') and by two side walls (41). In each compartment (4) at least one of said end walls (40') of the compartment is supported by the inner frame (3) in such a way as to be movable in a direction orthogonal to said end wall (40'). An actuator device (9) is associated with the movable wall (40') of each compartment, configured to move the movable wall (40') from a retracted position, further away from the opposite end wall (40) of the same compartment (4), towards an advanced position, in which it applies a pressure on the cell stack (50) in the respective compartment (4).

A device for joining and welding tab terminals (3) of electric battery cells (1), comprises a single tool (6) configured to perform an operating stroke in a direction (Y) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (X) of the cells and parallel to the planes of the tab terminals (3), so as to progressively engage a pair of tab terminals (3) starting from a position on one side of the tab terminals (3). The tool (6) comprises a first tool section (7), which progressively engages the two tab terminals (3) from one side, forcing them to bend and join each other, a second tool section (8), which enables the engagement of a clamp element (10) over the joined portions (30) of the two tab terminals (3), and a third tool section (9), for the execution of a weld of the joined portions (30) of the two tab terminals (3) and of the clamp element (10) over the two tab terminals (3).

An electric battery unit (1) comprises a container (2) and a plurality of battery cells within the container (4) spaced apart from each other by one or more spacer frames (11) such as to define spaces (7) between the cells (2). The battery cells (2) come into direct contact with a flow of a temperature-regulating liquid that passes through the container (4) from an inlet collector chamber (5) below, or above, the battery cells (2), through the spaces (7) between the battery cells (2), up to an outlet collector chamber (6) above, or respectively below, the battery cells (2). The inlet collector chamber (5) communicates with the spaces (7) between the battery cells via a plurality of relatively restricted passages (9), configured to offer the flow of the temperature-regulating liquid a sufficient resistance to prevent the temperature-regulating liquid from tending to flow to a greater extent in the spaces that are closer to an inlet and/or an outlet for the temperature-regulating liquid. The spacer frames (11) define a plurality of parallel paths (13) in each of the spaces (7) between the cells (2) configured so as to further uniform the temperature of each cell along the vertical direction.

Control software storable and executable by an electronic processing unit (20) of an electric vehicle (10), said electric vehicle (10) including a battery pack (8) and an electric propulsion system (2) comprising a converter (4), an electric motor (3) coupled to the converter (4) and a propulsion control unit (15) configured to control the converter (4) and the electric motor (3) through a FOC control technique as a function of torque values and of motor revolution numbers. When the software is executed, the electronic processing unit (20) becomes configured to: drive (50) the propulsion control unit (15) on the basis of a first torque (τ1) and of a real motor revolution number (VREAL), in such a way that the electric motor (3) provides a torque equal to the first torque (τ1) and turns at a revolution number equal to said real motor revolution number (VREAL), in such a way that the electric propulsion system (2) has a first efficiency (η1) which corresponds to a first power loss of the electric propulsion system (2); acquire thermal status signals (TH) indicative of an initial temperature (Ti) of the battery pack (8) and of a set temperature (TSET) to be reached by the battery pack (8), the set temperature (TSET) being greater than the initial temperature (Ti); determine (30), on the basis of the thermal status signals (TH), an additional power loss of the electric propulsion system (2) which brings the temperature of the battery pack (8) from the initial temperature (Ti) to the set temperature (TSET); store (35) at least one power loss map indicative of the power losses of the electric motor (3) and of the converter (4) as a function of the torque values and of the motor revolution numbers; determine (24) a virtual motor revolution number (VVRT) such that the power loss indicated by the power loss map for the first torque (τ1) and for said virtual motor revolution number (VVRT) is equal to the sum of said first power loss and said additional power loss; and drive (50) the propulsion control unit (15) on the basis of the first torque (τ1) and of the virtual motor revolution number (VVRT), in such a way that the electric motor (3) provides a second torque (τ2), substantially equal to the first torque (τ1), and turns at a revolution number still equal, substantially, to the real motor revolution number (VREAL), in such a way that the electric propulsion system (2) has a second efficiency (η2), which is less than the first efficiency (η1) and corresponds to the sum of the first power loss and of the additional power loss, thereby causing an increment of power losses of the electric propulsion system (2) and the consequent heating of the battery pack (8). Figure 6

Control software storable and executable by an electronic processing unit (20) of an electric vehicle (10), said electric vehicle (10) including a battery pack (8) and an electric propulsion system (2) comprising a converter (4), an electric motor (3) coupled to the converter (4) and a propulsion control unit (15) configured to control the converter (4) and the electric motor (3) through a FOC, "Field-Oriented Control", control technique as a function of torque values and of motor revolution numbers. The control software is configured in such a way that, when the software is executed by the electronic processing unit (20), the electronic processing unit (20) becomes configured to: drive (50) the propulsion control unit (15) on the basis of a first torque (τ1) and of a real motor revolution number (VREAL), in such a way that the electric motor (3) provides a torque equal to the first torque (τ1) and turns at a revolution number equal to said real motor revolution number (VREAL), in such a way that the electric propulsion system (2) has a first efficiency (η1); acquire (21, 22) an initial temperature (Ti) of the battery pack (8) and a set temperature (TSET) to be reached by the battery pack (8), the set temperature (TSET) being greater than the initial temperature (Ti); determine (25) a motor revolution number correction (Δv) as a function of the difference between the set temperature (TSET) and the initial temperature (Ti); determine (24) a virtual motor revolution number (VVRT) which is a function of the sum of the real motor revolution number (VREAL) and the motor revolution number correction (Δv); and drive (50) the propulsion control unit (15) on the basis of the first torque (τ1) and of the virtual motor revolution number (VVRT), in such a way that the electric motor (3) provides a second torque (τ2), substantially equal to the first torque (τ1), and turns at a revolution number still equal, substantially, to the real motor revolution number (VREAL), in such a way that the electric propulsion system (2) has a second efficiency (η2), which is less than the first efficiency (η1), thereby causing an increment of power losses of the electric propulsion system (2) and the consequent heating of the battery pack (8).

A battery pack (1) comprises a plurality of battery cells (2) arranged within a container configured to define one or more passages for a forced flow of temperature-regulating air that maintains the battery cells (2) within a predetermined temperature range. The cells (2) of the battery pack (1) are divided into a plurality of separate blocks (5), each provided with a respective container (5A) isolated from the containers (5A) of the other blocks (5). In the container (5A) of each block (5) is arranged at least one group (3) of battery cells (2). Most, or all, of the temperature-regulating air flow is supplied cyclically only to one of the blocks (5) of battery cells, for a determined time, while the other blocks (5) of cells receive a relatively reduced or null flow of temperature-regulating air, such that, at the end of each cycle, all the blocks (5) of battery cells have received in turn, for a determined time interval, a major flow of temperature-regulating air. In this way it is possible to obtain a much higher heat exchange efficiency compared to the case where the flow rate of the temperature-regulating air were constantly distributed equally among the different blocks of cells. During a warm-up phase, after a cold activation of the battery pack (1), the air flow is supplied in turn only to the blocks (5) of a part of the battery pack (1), so as to make the heating of this part of the battery pack (1) faster. During a charging phase of the battery pack (1), the charging electric current can be supplied only to the block (5) of the battery pack (1) that in turn receives the major air flow, so as to make the cooling more effective where it is most necessary.

An electric battery pack (100) comprises a plurality of stacks (101) of battery cells arranged within a container (4). In each cell stack (101), a temperature-regulating liquid flows from an inlet collecting chamber (13A), which extends below the cell stacks, through the spaces between the cells (2) and up to an outlet collecting chamber (13B) that extends above the cells (2) of the stack (101). The battery pack (1) includes a distribution system (D) configured to enable a major flow of the temperature-regulating liquid, corresponding to most or all of the incoming flow into the battery pack, to be cyclically supplied only to one of the cell stacks (101), or only to a group of cell stacks (101), while the other cell stacks (101) receive a reduced or no flow of the temperature-regulating liquid, such that, at the end of each cycle, a plurality of cell stacks (101) have in turn received, for a determined time interval, most or all of the incoming flow of thermal management liquid into the battery pack (1).

An electric battery pack (1) comprises one or more groups of battery cells (2) arranged inside a container (4). The battery cells (2) are cylindrical cells (2) or pouch cells arranged horizontally and immersed in a flow of a temperature-regulating liquid that maintains them within a predetermined temperature range. The temperature-regulating liquid flows from an inlet collector chamber (5), situated below the battery cells (2), through spaces (7) defined between the cells (2), into an outlet collector chamber (6) arranged above the cells. The spaces between the cells communicate with the inlet collector chamber (5) via a plurality of restricted passages (9). The battery cells (2) each have their respective positive and negative poles (P, N) situated at a same end, or on opposite ends, of the cell, facing a respective vertical side wall (40) of the container (4). All the poles (P, N) of the cells that are facing a respective vertical side wall (40) of the container (4) of the battery pack (1) are contained in one or more lateral chambers (C). The temperature-regulating liquid can flow from the inlet collector chamber (5) to the outlet collector chamber (6) also passing through the lateral chambers (C), which are isolated from the spaces (7) between the cells (2) by means of a separation wall (D) including a sealing panel (10) of elastomeric material, for example of silicone material, mounted on the ends of the cells (2) bearing the poles (P, N). Associated with the sealing panel (10) and/or with a rigid support frame (11) of the sealing panel are one or more rigid tubular elements (12) for the communication of the inlet collector chamber (5) with each lateral chamber (C).