JP2015005361A - Battery pack - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery pack which makes electric connection of battery cells less likely to be cut off even when an impact and vibrations are applied thereto.SOLUTION: A battery pack 10 includes multiple battery modules 20. A second battery module 20B is laminated on a first battery module 20A. The first battery module 20A holds a suppression member 40. A circuit board 50 is provided at the suppression member 40. Electronic components are mounted on the circuit board 50. A first bus bar 52, a second bus bar 53, and a third bus bar are provided on the circuit board 50. The first bus bar 52 and the second bus bar 53 are electrically connected by a fuse 66. A load of the second battery module 20B is applied to the fuse 66.

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery pack in which battery modules are stacked.

  The electric device is provided with a fuse for protecting the electronic component when a current exceeding the rating flows through the electronic component constituting the electric device. As a configuration for holding this fuse, for example, a fuse holder described in Patent Document 1 is known.

  In the fuse holder described in Patent Document 1, a part of the case of the electric device is used as a detachable cover, and a fuse holding portion is provided on the cover. A fuse terminal block to which a fuse terminal is attached is provided in the case. The fuse holding portion has two arms, and is provided at a position where the fuse is fitted to the fuse terminal when the fuse cover is attached to the case. Remove the cover from the case when replacing the fuse. Along with this, the fuse held in the fuse holding portion of the cover is removed from the fuse terminal, so that the electrical connection of the electronic component is interrupted.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-16639

  By the way, in the fuse holder of patent document 1, there exists a possibility that a cover may remove | deviate from a case at an unintended timing with an impact etc., and there exists a possibility that the electrical connection of an electronic component may be interrupted | blocked.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack in which the electrical connection of the battery cells is less likely to be interrupted even when an impact or vibration is applied. is there.

  A battery pack that solves the above-described problem is a battery pack that includes a first battery module and a second battery module including battery cells, and the second battery module is stacked on the first battery module. A connecting member provided between wires for supplying electric power to the battery cells of the first battery module, wherein the connecting member is provided so as to apply a load to the second battery module. Suppose that

  According to this, since the load of the second battery module is applied to the connection member, the connection member is difficult to move even if an impact or vibration is applied to the battery pack. For this reason, the electrical connection of the battery cell in a 1st battery module is hard to be interrupted | blocked.

In the battery pack, the connection member is preferably a fuse that cuts off the electrical connection of the battery cells of the first battery module when a current exceeding the rating flows.
According to this, when the electric current more than a rating flows, the electrical connection of the battery cell of a 1st battery module can be interrupted | blocked.

About the said battery pack, it is preferable that a said 1st battery module has a cover which covers the said connection member from upper direction, and the said cover has a fixing | fixed part which fixes the said connection member.
According to this, when the cover is removed, the electrical connection of the battery cells of the first battery module is interrupted. For this reason, the electrical connection of the battery cell of a 1st battery module can be interrupted | blocked easily at the time of the inspection of a battery cell.

  According to the present invention, even when an impact or vibration is applied, the electrical connection of the battery cell is not easily interrupted.

The perspective view which shows the battery pack of embodiment. The perspective view which shows the battery module of embodiment. The perspective view which shows the battery holder and battery cell of embodiment. The perspective view which shows the cover of embodiment. Sectional drawing which fractures | ruptures and shows a part of battery pack of embodiment.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the battery pack will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the battery pack 10 is accommodated in a case 11. The battery pack 10 has a plurality of battery modules 20. The battery modules 20 are stacked in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the battery module 20 is juxtaposed with battery cells 21 (for example, secondary batteries such as a lithium ion secondary battery and a nickel hydride storage battery) held by the battery holder 30. ing. End plates 22 are provided at both ends of the battery module 20 in the juxtaposition direction of the battery cells 21. A bracket 24 is fixed to the end plate 22, and each battery module 20 is fixed to the case 11 by the bracket 24.

  The battery holder 30 has a rectangular flat plate-shaped first covering portion 31. At both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first covering portion 31, a rectangular flat plate-like second covering portion 32 and a third covering portion 33 extending in the thickness direction of the first covering portion 31 are provided. A first longitudinal end 32 a of the second covering part 32 (an end opposite to the end provided with the first covering part 31) and a first longitudinal end 33 a of the third covering part 33. A rectangular flat plate-like fourth extending between the first end portions 32b and 33b in the short direction of the respective covering portions 32 and 33 is provided at (the end portion opposite to the end portion on which the first covering portion 31 is provided). The covering portion 34 is provided. The thickness direction of the fourth covering portion 34 coincides with the short direction of the covering portions 32 and 33, and the longitudinal direction thereof coincides with the opposing direction of the second covering portion 32 and the third covering portion 33. The direction perpendicular to the thickness direction and the longitudinal direction of the fourth covering portion 34 is the short direction of the fourth covering portion 34.

  Further, terminals that are U-shaped and open in the thickness direction of the fourth covering portion 34 are formed on one end surface in the short direction of the fourth covering portion 34 at both longitudinal ends of the fourth covering portion 34. Each accommodating portion 35 is provided, and each terminal accommodating portion 35 is connected to each of the covering portions 32 and 33. On one end face in the short direction of the fourth covering portion 34, a quadrangular columnar column member 36 is adjacent to each terminal accommodating portion 35, and the axis of the column member 36 extends in the short direction of the covering portions 32 and 33. It is provided as follows.

  A rectangular flat plate connected to each of the covering portions 32 and 33 at the first longitudinal ends 32 a and 33 a of the second covering portion 32 and the third covering portion 33 and extending in the longitudinal direction of each of the covering portions 32 and 33. A shaped support portion 37 is provided.

  At both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first covering portion 31, notched portions 38 are provided by notching the first covering portion 31 in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, the dimension of the longitudinal direction of the 1st coating | coated part 31 is shorter than the distance between the support parts 37, and when the battery module 20 is laminated | stacked, the 1st coating | coated part 31 will enter between the support parts 37. FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a restraining member 40 provided between the support portions 37 is provided above the battery cell 21 in the vertical direction so as to face the surface on which the connection terminal of the battery cell 21 is provided. ing. The restraining member 40 restrains foreign matter from adhering to the battery cell 21. The restraining member 40 includes a rectangular flat plate-like main body portion 41 and a rectangular flat plate-like projecting portion 42 that extends in the thickness direction of the main body portion 41 from both lateral ends of the main body portion 41. The main body 41 is provided with one through hole 45 and two screw holes 46 and 47 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the main body 41. The protruding portion 42 is provided over the entire longitudinal direction of the main body portion 41. The restraining member 40 is held by the battery holder 30 such that the protruding portion 42 follows the support portion 37 of the battery holder 30.

  A circuit board 50 and a battery ECU 43 are placed on the suppression member 40. The circuit board 50 and the battery ECU 43 are covered with a cover 60 and an ECU cover 44, respectively. The circuit board 50 has through holes 56, 57, and 58 that penetrate in the thickness direction of the circuit board 50 at three locations. The through holes 56, 57, and 58 are provided along the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 41. A plurality of electronic components 51 (for example, FET relays, resistors, capacitors, semiconductor elements, etc.) that contribute to charging / discharging of the battery cells 21 are mounted on the circuit board 50. In addition, a first bus bar 52, a second bus bar 53, and a third bus bar 54 are provided on the circuit board 50. The first bus bar 52 has a rectangular shape and has through holes 59 at both ends. At one end of the first bus bar 52, a conductive member 55 connected to the battery cell 21 disposed at one end of the battery module 20 is provided. The battery cell 21 of the battery module 20 and the first bus bar 52 are electrically connected by the conductive member 55. The second bus bar 53 has a rectangular shape, and has through holes 71 at both ends (only one through hole 71 is shown in the figure). One end of the second bus bar 53 is fixed to the circuit board 50 by a bolt B <b> 1 penetrating the through hole 71. The second bus bar 53 is connected to the electronic component 51 by a wiring material provided on the circuit board 50. Each electronic component 51 is electrically connected by a wiring material on the circuit board 50, and the electronic component 51 is connected to the third bus bar 54. That is, the second bus bar 53 and the third bus bar 54 are electrically connected by the electronic component 51. The third bus bar 54 has a rectangular shape, and one end is fixed to the circuit board 50 by a bolt B1.

The other end of the first bus bar 52 and the other end of the second bus bar 53 are provided so as to be adjacent to each other on the circuit board 50 with a predetermined interval.
As shown in FIG. 4, the cover 60 has a bottomed rectangular tube shape. The cover 60 includes a square plate-like bottom portion 61 and a square frame-like wall portion 62 extending from the periphery of the bottom portion 61. The cover 60 has two quadrangular columnar pillar portions 63 and 64 that protrude in the direction in which the wall portion 62 extends from the bottom portion 61. The pillar portions 63 and 64 are provided to face the other end of the first bus bar 52 and the other end of the second bus bar 53 when the circuit board 50 is covered with the cover 60. And the column part 64 are provided so as to be adjacent to each other with a predetermined interval. A square plate-like conductive member 65 is provided at the tip of each column 63, 64 (the end opposite to the bottom 61 in the axial direction of the columns 63, 64). A fuse 66 is provided between the column parts 63 and 64. In the present embodiment, the fuse 66 is fixed to the column portions 63 and 64 with an adhesive. The column portions 63 and 64 serve as fixing portions for fixing the fuse 66. The conductive member 65 of the column part 63 and the conductive member 65 of the column part 64 are electrically connected by a fuse 66.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the circuit board 50, the electronic component 51, the bus bars 52, 53, 54, the cover 60 and the fuse 66 provided on the restraining member 40 are stacked in the battery module 20 (hereinafter referred to as a stacking direction). Between the battery modules 20 adjacent to each other. In the following description, among the battery modules 20 adjacent in the stacking direction, the battery module 20 on the lower side in the stacking direction is described as the first battery module 20A, and the battery module 20 on the upper side in the stacking direction is described as the second battery module 20B. .

  In the cover 60, the conductive member 65 of the column part 63 and the other end of the first bus bar 52 are electrically connected, and the conductive member 65 of the column part 64 and the other end of the second bus bar 53 are electrically connected. It is provided to be connected. A through hole 67 is formed in the cover 60 so as to penetrate the column portions 63 and 64. Further, the conductive member 65 is formed with a through hole 68 that penetrates in the thickness direction of the conductive member 65. The conductive member 65 is provided so that the through holes 67 and the through holes 68 of the column portions 63 and 64 communicate with each other.

  The circuit board 50 is restrained so that the through hole 56 and the through hole 45 of the restraining member 40, the through hole 57 and the screwing hole 46 of the restraining member 40, and the through hole 58 and the screwing hole 47 of the restraining member 40 communicate with each other. It is provided on the member 40. The first bus bar 52 has a circuit board such that a through hole 59 provided at one end and the through hole 56 of the circuit board 50 communicate with each other, and a through hole 59 provided at the other end and the through hole 57 of the circuit board 50 communicate with each other. 50 is provided. The second bus bar 53 is provided on the circuit board 50 so that the through hole 71 provided at the other end communicates with the through hole 58 of the circuit board 50. In the cover 60, a through hole 67 provided in the column part 63, a through hole 68 provided in the conductive member 65, and a through hole 59 provided in the other end of the first bus bar 52 communicate with each other. The through hole 67 provided and the through hole 68 provided in the conductive member 65 and the through hole 71 provided at the other end of the second bus bar 53 are provided so as to communicate with each other. Thereby, the through hole 45 of the restraining member 40, the through hole 56 of the circuit board 50, and the through hole 59 at one end of the first bus bar 52 communicate with each other. Further, the screwing hole 46 of the restraining member 40, the through hole 57 of the circuit board 50, the through hole 59 of the other end of the first bus bar 52, the through hole 68 of the conductive member 65, and the through hole of the column part 63. 67 communicates. Furthermore, the screwing hole 47 of the restraining member 40, the through hole 58 of the circuit board 50, the through hole 71 of the second bus bar 53, the through hole 68 of the conductive member 65, and the through hole 67 of the column part 64 are formed. Communicate.

  A conductive member 55 is inserted into the through hole 59 at one end of the first bus bar 52. The conductive member 55 passes through the through hole 59, the through hole 56 and the through hole 45 and is fixed to the connection terminal of the battery cell 21.

  In the cover 60, bolts B <b> 2 are inserted into the through holes 67 and 68 from the surface opposite to the surface where the wall portion 62 is provided in the bottom portion 61. The bolt B <b> 2 passes through the through holes 67 of the column parts 63 and 64, the through holes 68 of the conductive member 65, and the through holes 59 and 71 of the bus bars 52 and 53, and is screwed into the screw holes 46 and 47 of the suppression member 40. Has been. Accordingly, the circuit board 50, the first bus bar 52, the third bus bar 54, and the cover 60 are fixed to the first battery module 20A. Then, the first bus bar 52 and the second bus bar 53 are electrically connected to the conductive member 65, respectively, so that the first bus bar 52 and the second bus bar 53 are electrically connected by the conductive member 65 and the fuse 66. Connected. Thereby, the battery cell 21, the first bus bar 52, the fuse 66, the second bus bar 53, the electronic component 51, and the third bus bar 54 of the first battery module 20A are electrically connected. A cable for supplying power to the battery cells 21 of each battery module 20 is connected to the third bus bar 54. In the present embodiment, this cable and each bus bar 52, 53, 54 serve as a wiring for supplying power to the battery cell 21. A fuse 66 provided between the first bus bar 52 and the second bus bar 53 serves as a connecting member provided between the wirings.

  The cover 60 is pressed toward the first battery module 20A by the second battery module 20B. Specifically, the second battery module 20B on the upper side in the stacking direction presses the head of the bolt B2 protruding outside the cover 60 with the first covering portion 31 of the battery holder 30, and the head of the bolt B2 is pressed. Thus, the load of the second battery module 20B is applied to the cover 60. Since the fuse 66 is held by the cover 60, the fuse 66 electrically connected to the battery cell 21 of the first battery module 20 </ b> A by the conductive members 55 and 65 and the first bus bar 52 is also the second battery module. It is pressed toward the first battery module 20A on the lower side in the stacking direction by the load of 20B. That is, the fuse 66 is provided so that the load of the second battery module 20B is applied.

Next, the operation of the battery pack 10 of this embodiment will be described.
The battery pack 10 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle, for example. When the vehicle travels, vibration and impact are applied to the battery pack 10. A load is applied to the cover 60 from the second battery module 20B on the upper side in the stacking direction. For this reason, it is difficult for the cover 60 to come off from the first battery module 20A. For this reason, the fuse 66 integral with the cover 60 is also unlikely to be detached from the first battery module 20A, and the electrical connection of the battery cells 21 of the first battery module 20A (the first battery module 20A and the other battery modules 20 and Electrical connection and electrical connection with the load) are difficult to be interrupted.

  By the way, when the cover 60 is fixed to the battery module 20 with the bolt B2 as in the present embodiment, the cover 60 is restricted from being removed by the bolt B2, so the cover is covered by the load of the battery module 20 on the upper side in the stacking direction. It is also considered that there is no need to press 60. However, when the load of the battery module 20 on the upper side in the stacking direction is not applied, the bolt B2 may be loosened due to long-term use of the battery pack 10 or continuous vibration or impact. Then, when the bolt B2 is loosened, the cover 60 (the fuse 66) is removed, and the electrical connection of the first battery module 20A may be interrupted. When the cover 60 is fixed with the bolt B2 and the cover 60 is pressed with the battery module 20 on the upper side in the stacking direction as in this embodiment, the bolt B2 can be prevented from loosening, and the bolt B2 is loosened. Even so, it is possible to prevent the cover 60 from being removed due to the load of the battery module 20.

Therefore, according to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The fuse 66 provided between the wires (the first bus bar 52 and the second bus bar 53) for supplying power to the battery cell 21 of the first battery module 20A has a second battery on the upper side in the stacking direction. The load of the module 20B is applied. For this reason, even if vibration or impact is applied to the battery pack 10, the fuse 66 is not easily removed, and the connection state of the first battery module 20A is easily maintained.

(2) When a current exceeding the rating flows, the fuse 66 is melted and cuts off the electrical connection of the first battery module 20A. For this reason, the electronic component 51 is protected.
(3) Generally, the circuit board 50 is covered with a cover 60 for preventing foreign matter from adhering. By fixing the fuse 66 to the cover 60, the fuse 66 can be held using the cover 60.

  (4) When a current exceeding the rated value flows in the electronic component 51, the fuse 66 is blown to cut off the electrical connection. For this reason, when the fuse 66 is blown, it is necessary to replace the fuse 66. When the fuses 66 are provided on the circuit board 50, other electronic components 51 and the like may be provided densely on the circuit board 50, which makes it difficult to perform the work. By providing the fuse 66 on the cover 60, it is easier to replace the fuse 66 than when the fuse 66 is provided on the circuit board 50.

  (5) By the way, if the fuse 66 is fixed on the circuit board 50 and the first bus bar 52 and the second bus bar 53 are electrically connected regardless of the attachment state of the cover 60, vibration or the like. There is little possibility that the fuse 66 will come off even if the is added. However, when an abnormality occurs in the battery module 20 or when inspection is performed, the work is performed with the cover 60 removed. At this time, in order to perform the work, it is necessary to cut off the electrical connection of the battery cell 21 of the first battery module 20A. When all the electronic components 51 are fixed on the circuit board 50, It takes time and effort to cut off the electrical connection of the battery cells 21 of the first battery module 20A. The battery of the first battery module 20A is provided by providing the fuse 66 in the cover 60 and disconnecting the electrical connection of the battery cells 21 of the first battery module 20A when the cover 60 is removed. The electrical connection of the cell 21 can be cut off, and the operation can be easily performed.

In addition, you may change embodiment as follows.
In the embodiment, the connection member (fuse 66) may be any member as long as it is a conductive member such as a bus bar, a resistor, or a capacitor.

  In the embodiment, the connection member (fuse 66) is provided on the bottom 61 of the cover 60, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the cover 60 is not provided, and the second battery module 20B on the upper side in the stacking direction is opposed to the other end of the first bus bar 52 and the other end of the second bus bar 53 (in this embodiment, the battery holder 30). The first covering portion 31) may be provided with a connecting member so that when the battery module 20 is stacked, the first bus bar 52 and the second bus bar 53 are electrically connected.

In the embodiment, the fixing portion may have another shape such as a holding member that holds and holds the fuse 66 (connection member).
In the embodiment, the connection member (fuse 66) is fixed to the column parts 63 and 64 with an adhesive, but is not limited thereto. The first bus bar 52 is fixed to a member (for example, the cover 60 or the battery module 20 on the upper side in the stacking direction) disposed above the other end of the second bus bar 53 and the other end of the second bus bar 53 (the upper battery module 20 in the stacking direction). It is only necessary that the other end of the bus bar 52 and the other end of the second bus bar 53 can be electrically connected.

  In the embodiment, the load of the second battery module 20B may be applied to any member as long as it is a connection member provided between the wires that supply power to the first battery module 20A. For example, the electronic component 51 may be configured not to easily come off by applying a load of the second battery module 20B to the electronic component 51 provided between the second bus bar 53 and the second bus bar 53.

  (Circle) in embodiment, the cover 60 does not need to be fixed with the volt | bolt B2. In this case, the cover 60 is fixed only by the load of the battery module 20 on the upper side in the stacking direction. In addition, it is preferable to provide separately the structure for the cover 60 not to shift | deviate to the direction orthogonal to the lamination direction.

  In the embodiment, a hole into which the head of the bolt B2 enters the bottom 61 of the cover 60 and the bolt B2 may be screwed together so that the head of the bolt B2 is accommodated in the hole. According to this, the entire bottom portion 61 of the cover 60 can be brought into contact with the battery module 20 on the upper side in the stacking direction while fixing the cover 60 with the bolt B2.

  In the embodiment, a buffer material or the like is interposed between the battery modules 20 adjacent in the stacking direction so that the load of the battery module 20 on the upper side in the stacking direction is applied to the cover 60 via the buffer material. Good.

In the embodiment, a member for pressing the cover 60 of the battery module 20 provided on the uppermost side in the stacking direction may be separately provided.
In embodiment, the battery module 20 does not have the battery holder 30, but may be comprised from the electronic component 51 and the battery cell 21 arranged in multiple numbers.

  A connecting member (fuse 66) may not be provided between the wires that supply power to the battery cells 21 of the second battery module 20B.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Battery pack, 20 ... Battery module, 20A ... 1st battery module, 20B ... 2nd battery module, 21 ... Battery cell, 51 ... Electronic component, 52 ... 1st bus bar, 53 ... 2nd bus bar, 60 ... Cover, 63, 64 ... Column, 66 ... Fuse.

Claims (3)

A battery pack having a first battery module and a second battery module each including a battery cell, the second battery module being stacked on the first battery module,
A connection member provided between wirings for supplying power to the battery cells of the first battery module;
The battery pack is characterized in that the connection member is provided so that a load is applied to the second battery module.   2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the connection member is a fuse that cuts off an electrical connection between the battery cells of the first battery module when a current exceeding a rating flows. 3. The first battery module has a cover that covers the connection member from above.
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the cover includes a fixing portion that fixes the connection member.