JP2001256949A - Battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To enable easy connection between battery modules and to reduce cost and weight. The freedom of layout is increased, and the leakage of the electrolyte when the safety valve is activated is prevented. SOLUTION: A plurality of first batteries 10 having an electrode on a sealing plate 36 side provided with a safety valve 37 on a positive electrode 38A and an electrode on the other end side on a negative electrode 30B are vertically placed with the positive electrode 38A side facing upward. To form a first battery group 10M. On the other hand, the electrode on the side of the sealing plate 36 provided with the safety valve 37 is connected to the negative electrode 38.
B, a plurality of second electrodes in which the other electrode is set to the positive electrode 30A.
Are connected vertically with the negative electrode 38B side facing upward to form a second battery group 20M. These battery groups 1
0M and 20M are connected in parallel, and the negative electrode 30B of the lowermost first battery 10 and the positive electrode 30A of the second battery 20 are connected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery module mounted on an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle or the like as a drive power source.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a battery module of this type is constructed by connecting a plurality of cylindrical cells (alkaline batteries) in series via connecting parts to form a single column. . Such a battery module is used as a power source for generating high-voltage power by connecting a plurality of the battery modules in series. For example, JP-A-10-270006, JP-A-10-255745, and the like disclose a case in which a plurality of horizontally arranged battery modules are stacked in parallel in a plurality of rows and a plurality of stages in a case. A power supply in which modules are electrically connected in series is disclosed. In a normal battery module, in order to prevent erroneous assembly in which terminals of the same polarity are connected to each other, as in a normal battery, the positive terminal is formed in a protruding shape, the negative terminal is made flat, and the difference in polarity is reduced. It is clearly distinguishable.

[0003] Such terminal shapes are customary, and it is obvious for the user to determine the polarity. However, the shape of the battery has also changed in recent years. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-40115, the positive electrode and the negative electrode are configured with terminals having the same shape, and the difference in polarity is conventionally determined. Some are difficult to do. In the battery of this publication, it is said that a difference in polarity can be determined by providing a convex portion protruding to the outer peripheral side at the peripheral edge of one end, and providing a concave portion recessed to the internal peripheral side at the peripheral edge of the other end.

[0004]

By the way, batteries include:
As a means for avoiding explosion when the gas generated inside during charge / discharge becomes excessive, a safety valve for leaking gas is usually provided on the positive electrode side. As shown in each of the above publications, a plurality of battery modules are alternately arranged in parallel in opposite directions so that a positive terminal and a negative terminal are adjacent to each other so that a series connection path is shortened. In this case, there is a battery module in which the positive electrode, that is, the safety valve faces upward, while a battery module in which the safety valve faces downward exists. If the safety valve of the battery with the positive electrode facing down operates in such a state of arrangement, there arises a problem that the enclosed electrolyte easily oozes out due to natural fall and leaks. Therefore, in many cases, the battery module is placed horizontally so that the electrolyte does not easily leak, and the layout is limited. Also,
Since the connection between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the battery module is performed at both ends, the operation is complicated, and there are also problems such as an increase in cost and an increase in weight due to a large number of parts for connection.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery module satisfying the following matters. Connection between battery modules becomes easy. Cost reduction and weight reduction are achieved. Layout flexibility is increased. It is possible to prevent the electrolyte from leaking when the safety valve operates.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an opening of a cylindrical battery case is sealed by a sealing plate provided with a safety valve, and a positive electrode is provided at one end of the battery case and a positive electrode is provided at the other end thereof. A battery module in which a plurality of batteries each provided with a negative electrode are connected in series and combined, wherein a first electrode on a sealing plate side provided with a safety valve is a positive electrode, and a second electrode on the other side is a negative electrode. And a second battery in which the electrode on the sealing plate side provided with the safety valve is a negative electrode and the electrode on the other end is a positive electrode.

According to the present invention, a first battery and a second battery having the same shape are arranged in parallel with opposite polarities, and the electrodes at either end, that is, the positive electrode and the negative electrode are connected. A battery module can be configured. There is at least one first battery and at least one second battery, and a configuration in which a first battery group and a second battery group in which a plurality of batteries are respectively arranged in series are arranged in parallel is more practical. . With this configuration, the safety valves of all batteries are arranged at one end.
In order to connect the parallel batteries in series, the positive and negative electrodes of the other battery without the safety valve are connected.

When a plurality of the battery modules are connected in series and used, the ends provided with the safety valves are aligned and arranged in parallel, and the positive and negative electrodes of adjacent battery modules are connected. According to such a configuration, since the connection between the battery modules is completed at one end, the connection work becomes easy. In addition, since the number of connecting components (wirings, bus bars, etc.) is reduced and shortened, the cost and weight can be reduced, and a low electric resistance value can be obtained.

Further, the battery module of the present invention can be used in a horizontal state in which the axis of the battery is horizontal, but can also be used in a vertical state in which the axis of the battery extends in the vertical direction. In the case of a vertical installation, the electrode with the safety valve faces up. Thus, when the safety valve is operated, there is no possibility that the electrolytic solution naturally falls from the inside of the battery and leaks. As described above, in the present invention, a vertically arranged layout which has been conventionally avoided can also be adopted, so that the degree of freedom of the layout is increased.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an opening of a cylindrical battery case is sealed by a sealing plate provided with a safety valve, and a positive electrode is provided at one end of the battery case and a negative electrode is provided at the other end. A battery module in which a plurality of batteries are connected in series and combined, and a plurality of first batteries in which an electrode on a sealing plate side provided with a safety valve is a positive electrode and an electrode on the other end is a negative electrode, A plurality of second batteries in which the positive electrode side is vertically connected and the electrode on the sealing plate side provided with the safety valve is a negative electrode, and the other electrode on the other side is a positive electrode, and the negative electrode side is upward. The first battery group and the second battery group are arranged in parallel, and the negative electrode of the lowermost first battery is connected to the positive electrode of the lowermost second battery. It is characterized by:

According to the present invention, since the safety valves are arranged upward in all the batteries, there is no possibility that the electrolyte will naturally fall from inside the batteries and leak when the safety valves are operated. Further, since the basic configuration is the same as that of the first invention, effects such as simplification of connection work, reduction of cost, and reduction of weight are similarly exhibited.

In each of the batteries constituting the battery module of the present invention, a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate are sealed in a cylindrical battery case, and a positive electrode is provided at one end of the battery case and a negative electrode is provided at the other end. Is used. The positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate may have any configuration, for example, a winding type wound in a spiral shape with an insulating separator interposed therebetween, or a laminated type having a laminated structure. From the viewpoint of being able to do so, a wound type is preferably used.

[0013] The battery case may be a cylindrical type or a rectangular tube type. Further, the battery case may be a closed-end cylindrical shape having one end closed, or may have both ends open. In any case, the opening is sealed by a sealing plate. As a battery case,
From the viewpoint of obtaining a high output with a small size, a cylindrical type is preferably used. The battery case is preferably made of metal from the viewpoint of strength and cost, but may be made of a material such as resin as long as it is not dissolved in the enclosed electrolyte.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A shows a battery module 1 according to one embodiment, and FIG. 1B shows a state where the battery module 1 is disassembled. This battery module 1 can be said to be a U-turn type in which the flow of current reciprocates.

Reference numerals 10 and 20 in FIG. 1 denote cylindrical alkaline batteries of the same size and the same shape that constitute the battery module 1. In this case, the battery denoted by reference numeral 10 is a first battery, reference numeral 20.
Is referred to as a second battery. FIG. 2A shows the internal structure of the first battery 10, and FIG. 2B shows the internal structure of the second battery 20. The basic structure of the first battery 10 and the second battery 20 is the same, and a metal battery case 30 having a bottomed cylindrical shape and a bottom portion serving as an electrode, and a flexibility sealed in the battery case 30 are provided. A positive electrode plate 31 and a negative electrode plate 32, current collector plates 33 and 34 disposed at upper and lower ends in the battery case 30, and a sealing plate fitted to an upper edge of the battery case 30 via an insulating gasket 35. 36 and the sealing plate 36
And a cap 38 which covers the safety valve 37 and serves as an electrode.

The difference between the first battery 10 and the second battery 20 lies in the structure of the positive electrode plate 31 and the negative electrode plate 32. Positive electrode plate 3
1 and the negative electrode plate 32 are spirally wound with an insulating separator 39 interposed therebetween. In the first battery 10, the positive electrode plate 31 is placed on the insulating separator 39 and the negative electrode plate 3
2 are shifted downward from each other, and the positive electrode plate 31
Are in contact with the upper current collecting plate 33, and the negative electrode plate 32 is in contact with the lower current collecting plate. Therefore, in the first battery 10, the upper current collector 33 is a positive current collector 33A, and the lower current collector 34 is a negative current collector 34B. The battery case 3 is connected to the positive electrode 38A.
0 is set to the negative electrode 30B.

On the other hand, in the second battery 20, the positive electrode plate 31 and the negative electrode plate 32 are shifted from the insulating separator 39 downward, and the positive electrode plate 31 is shifted downward from the current collector plate 34. , And the negative electrode plate 32 is in contact with the upper current collecting plate 33. Therefore, in the second battery 20, the upper current collecting plate 33 is a negative current collecting plate 33B, and the lower current collecting plate 34 is a positive current collecting plate 34A. The negative electrode 38B and the bottom of the battery case 30 are set to the positive electrode 30A.

As described above, although the first battery 10 and the second battery 20 have exactly the same appearance, the first battery 10 and the second battery 20 have the same configuration.
In the battery 10, the safety valve 37 is provided on the positive electrode 38A side, and conversely, in the second battery 20, the safety valve 37 is provided on the negative electrode 30B side. That is, the safety valve 37
In any of the batteries 10 and 20, they are arranged on the upper side.

The positive electrode plate 31 is formed by sintering nickel powder on a punching metal made of a nickel-plated thin steel plate, or by applying a slurry of nickel hydroxide powder to a foamed nickel plate. A dried and compressed paste type is used. The negative electrode plate 32 is formed by applying a slurry of a hydrogen storage alloy powder to a foamed nickel plate, drying and compressing the paste type, or coating the punching metal with a slurry of the hydrogen storage alloy powder and a binder. A coating type or the like that has been dried in the above is used. For the insulating gasket 35, a flexible resin such as polyamide or polysulfone is preferably used.

The safety valve 37 is opened by the internal pressure when the gas generated inside the battery during charging / discharging becomes excessive, leaks the gas to the outside, and prevents the battery from bursting. The safety valve 37 is of a rubber type in this case, but may be of a spring type. As the insulating separator 39, a polyolefin-based nonwoven fabric such as polypropylene is preferably used because of its excellent oxidation resistance and self-discharge property.

The battery module 1 shown in FIG. 1A is composed mainly of the first battery 10 and the second battery 20. The battery module 1 includes a first battery group 10M in which a plurality of first batteries 10 are vertically connected in series with the positive electrode 38A facing upward, and a plurality of second batteries 20.
A second type in which the negative electrode 38B is connected in series vertically with the negative electrode 38B side facing upward.
And the battery group 20M are arranged in parallel, and the first battery 10
And the positive electrode of the lowermost second battery 20 is connected by a connecting member 40. Then, the positive electrode terminal 10A is fixed to the uppermost first battery 10 of the first battery group 10M, and the uppermost second battery 20 of the second battery group 20M.
The negative electrode terminal 20B is fixed to. In this case, the first battery group 10M and the second battery group 20M
It is composed of two batteries 10 (20).

The positive terminal 10A and the negative terminal 20B are
Both ends of the rectangular parallelepiped are formed in a track shape having an arc shape, and bolt holes 41 used for bolting a bus bar 70 described later are formed in the center. The positive terminal 10A and the negative terminal 20B are arranged so that their longitudinal directions are orthogonal to each other, and the width of the negative terminal 20B is smaller than the width of the positive terminal 10A. With such a configuration, the difference between the positive electrode and the negative electrode can be determined. In addition, if a method such as a + (plus) mark is applied to the upper surface of the positive electrode terminal 10A and a − (minus) mark is applied to the upper surface of the negative electrode terminal 20B is used, the polarity of the terminal can be determined more clearly. It is preferable because it can be used.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the connecting member 40
Is a substantially cocoon-shaped tray having two ring portions 40a into which the battery case 30 fits. The first batteries 10 and the second batteries 20 are connected to each other through a cylindrical connection ring 42 welded to the sealing plate 36 connected to the current collector 33 and the bottom of the battery case 30. You. The connection ring 42 and the battery 10 (2
0), an insulating ring 43 for preventing a short circuit between the battery cases 30 having polarity is sandwiched. The insulating ring 43 has a size and a shape that unites the two battery connection portions adjacent to each other at a time. Also, the top battery 1
The terminals 0A, 20 and the terminals 10A, 20B are connected by a connection ring 42 to be welded with an individual insulating ring 44 interposed therebetween. In addition, the welding mentioned here is spot welding.

The procedure for assembling the battery module 1 shown in FIG. 1A will be described with reference to FIG. The first battery 10 and the second battery 20 at the bottom are both fitted with the cap 38, that is, the safety valve 37 facing upward, and the bottom of the battery case 30 is fitted into each ring 40a of the connection member 40 and welded. Next, the connection rings 42 are welded to the respective sealing plates 36 of the first battery 10 and the second battery 20 with the insulating ring 43 interposed therebetween. Next, the second-stage first battery 1
0 on the lowermost first battery 10 and the battery case 3
0 is fitted into the connection ring 42 and welded. Further, the second battery 20 in the second stage is replaced with the second battery 20 in the lowermost stage.
And the bottom of the battery case 30 is fitted into the connection ring 42 and welded. Subsequently, the first battery 10 and the second battery 20 in the uppermost stage are connected to the first battery 10 and the second battery 20 in the second stage in the same manner. Next, the connection ring 42 is attached to each of the sealing plates 36 of the uppermost first battery 10 and second battery 20 with each insulating ring 44 interposed therebetween.
Are connected to each other to form a connection ring 42 on the first battery 10 side.
The positive electrode terminal 10A is connected to the connection ring 4 on the second battery 20 side.
2 and the negative electrode terminals 20B are welded respectively.

FIG. 3 shows a power supply device constituted by using a plurality of the battery modules 1 described above. This power supply device is mounted as a drive power supply for an electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, or the like. Reference numeral 50 in FIG. 3 denotes a rectangular parallelepiped case main body constituting the device case, and 51 denotes a lid that closes an upper opening of the case main body 50.

As shown in FIG. 4, a cooling air suction port 52 is formed at one end of the case body 50. The cooling air for sucking air in the apparatus case from the cooling air suction port 52 is formed in the case body 50. The fan 53 is fixed by bolts 54. On the opposite side of the cooling air suction port 52 in the case body 50, a cooling air introduction port 55 for introducing air into the apparatus case by the action of the cooling fan 53 is formed.
In the case main body 50, two rectifying plates 56 and 57 for rectifying the cooling air are arranged close to the cooling air suction port 52 and the cooling air introduction port 55, respectively. The plurality of battery modules 1 are arranged vertically between the rectifying plates 56 and 57 in the case body 50 with the terminals 10A and 20B facing upward. In this case, the battery modules 1 are arranged in two rows and ten columns. In each battery module 1, the connection member 40 is fitted into a holder 58 fixed to the bottom of the case body 50. Thereby, positioning of the battery module 1 and prevention of backlash are achieved.

The arrangement state of the battery module 1
One rectangular busbar plate 60 made of a resin fitted into the first and second housings 0A and 20B holds it neatly. The bus bar plate 60 is placed on a step 50a formed inside the case body 50 shown in FIG. The busbar plate 60 has a plurality of positive terminal fitting holes 60A fitted to the respective positive terminals 10A of the arranged battery modules 1 and a plurality of negative terminals fitted to the respective negative terminals 20B in the mounted state. A fitting hole 60B is formed. When the positive terminal fitting hole 60A is fitted to each positive terminal 10A of each battery module 1 and the negative terminal fitting hole 60B is fitted to each negative terminal 20B of each battery module 1, these terminals 10A,
20B projects upward from the bus bar plate 60. Then, each pair of the positive terminal 10A and the negative terminal 2 to be connected.
0B is connected by a bus bar 70. These busbars 70 have bolts 71 passed through the ends thereof connected to the terminals 1.
It is fixed to each terminal 10A, 20B by being connected to the bolt hole 41 of 0A, 20B.

Referring to FIG. 4, a procedure for assembling the power supply will be described. A plurality of battery modules 1 are placed in each holder 58
And arranged in two horizontal rows and ten vertical rows. Next, as the bus bar plate 60 is placed on the step 50a,
Each of the positive electrode terminal fitting holes 60A of the bus bar plate 60 is fitted to the positive terminal 10A of each battery module 1, and each of the negative terminal fitting holes 60B is fitted to the negative terminal 20B of each battery module 1. Then, connect the bus bar plate 60 with the bolt 6
1 is fixed to the step 50a. Next, the bus bar 70
Are connected to each pair of the positive terminal 10A and the negative terminal 20B.
And the bus bars 7 are connected to these terminals 10A and 20B.
0 is fixed by bolts 71. 3 is assembled as described above. Thereafter, the lid 51 is fixed to the case main body 50 with the bolts 59 to obtain a power supply device.

Now, the battery module 1 according to the present embodiment
According to this, the series connection between the battery modules 1 is completed only on the upper side, so that the connection operation is extremely easy. In addition, since the number of connection bus bars 70 is small and short, the cost and weight can be reduced, and a low electric resistance value can be obtained.
In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, the number of parts can be reduced because one insulating ring 43 is used to connect the first batteries 10 and the second batteries 20 together.

Also, since the safety valves 37 are arranged upward in all the batteries 10..., 20.
When the battery operates, there is no possibility that the electrolytic solution will naturally fall from the inside of the battery and leak. As a result, safety is greatly improved. In other words, by arranging the safety valve 37 on the upper side, there is no possibility of the electrolyte leaking even if the safety valve 37 is placed vertically, so that a vertically-laid layout can be adopted. The battery module 1 of the present invention can adopt a horizontal layout as in the related art, and therefore has a high degree of freedom in layout.

In the above embodiment, the first battery group 1
0M and the batteries 10, 2 in the second battery group 20M.
Although the number of stacked layers of 0 is three, the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, the battery 1
The number of layers 0, 20 can be arbitrarily set based on design requirements, such as 6, 5, 4, or the like.
Also, the number of parallel lines is not limited to two, and it is of course possible to form four or more even columns.

[0032]

As described above, according to the battery module of the present invention, the connection between the battery modules is facilitated, the cost and the weight are reduced, and the degree of freedom of the layout is increased. In addition, the vertical layout in which the safety valve is arranged upward can prevent the electrolyte from leaking when the safety valve operates.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a battery module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view thereof.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view showing the internal structure of the battery constituting the battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention,
(A) is a first battery, and (b) is a second battery.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a power supply device using the battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a power supply device using the battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C are perspective views each showing a modification of the battery module according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Battery module, 10 ... 1st battery, 10A ... Positive electrode terminal, 10M ... 1st battery group, 20 ... 2nd battery, 20
B: negative electrode terminal, 20M: second battery group, 30: battery case, 30A, 38A: positive electrode, 30B, 38B: negative electrode, 3
6 ... sealing plate, 37 ... safety valve.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Norihito Kurisu Toshiba Battery Co., Ltd. 3-4-10 Minamishinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Yoshinori Mita 1-4-1 Chuo, Wako-shi, Saitama Stock Company Inside of Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Makoto Anazawa 1-4-1, Chuo, Wako-shi, Saitama, Japan Stock Company Inside of Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (72) Hirofumi Ichioka 1-4-1, Chuo, Wako, Saitama, Co., Ltd. Inside the Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kenji Watanabe 1-4-1 Chuo, Wako-shi, Saitama F-term in the Honda R & D Co., Ltd. 3D035 AA01 5H022 AA19 CC02 CC09 CC12 KK08 5H040 AA01 AA34 AS07 AT01 A0105 AY05 AY10 DD03

Claims (2)

[Claims] An opening of a cylindrical battery case is sealed by a sealing plate provided with a safety valve, and a plurality of batteries each having a positive electrode at one end and a negative electrode at the other end are connected in series. A battery module which is connected and combined, wherein a first battery having an electrode on a sealing plate side provided with the safety valve as a positive electrode and an electrode on the other end side being a negative electrode, and a sealing plate side provided with the safety valve A battery module comprising: a second battery in which the first electrode is a negative electrode and the other electrode is a positive electrode. 2. A plurality of batteries each having an opening of a cylindrical battery case sealed with a sealing plate provided with a safety valve, a positive electrode provided at one end of the battery case, and a negative electrode provided at the other end. A battery module which is connected and combined, wherein a plurality of first batteries in which the electrode on the sealing plate side provided with the safety valve is a positive electrode and the electrode on the other end side is a negative electrode, with the positive electrode side facing upward. The plurality of second batteries, in which the electrode on the sealing plate side provided with the safety valve is a negative electrode and the electrode on the other end side is a positive electrode, are placed vertically with the negative electrode side facing upward. And connecting the first battery group and the second battery group in parallel, and connecting the negative electrode of the lowermost first battery and the positive electrode of the lowermost second battery. Battery module.