JP2018206608A - Battery case and assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an assembly of a battery which aims to achieve downsizing of a battery case and a battery case receiver.SOLUTION: An assembly 1 includes: a battery case 10 having a first connector 11; and a battery case receiver 30 to which the battery case 10 is detachably attached and which has a second connector 31 electrically connected with the first connector 11 in a state where the battery case 10 is attached thereto. The battery case 10 includes: a first connector housing part 20A for housing the first connector 11; and a battery housing part 20B for housing a battery body 5 which is electrically connected with the first connector 11. A length of the first connector housing part 20A along a first direction d1 being an attachment/detachment direction of the battery case 10 to/from the battery case receiver 30 is shorter than a length of the battery housing part 20B along the first direction d1. The battery housing part 20B and the first connector housing part 20A are arranged in a second direction d2 which is not parallel to the first direction d1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a battery case and a combination including a battery case and a battery case receiver.

  For example, as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it is known that a plurality of batteries are connected to form an assembled battery in order to obtain a desired high voltage. For easy handling of the assembled battery and protection of the assembled battery, the assembled battery may be used while being accommodated in a battery case. The battery case is provided with a connector that is electrically connected to the electrode of the assembled battery.

  In many cases, the battery case that houses the assembled battery is used in combination with a battery case receiver having a shape corresponding to the shape of the battery case. The battery case receiver is provided with a connector that can be electrically connected to the connector of the battery case. Via this connector, charging and discharging of the assembled battery accommodated in the battery case can be performed.

JP-A-9-92237 JP 2003-303583 A

  By the way, it is strongly desired that such a battery case and battery case receiver combination be small. The present disclosure has been made in consideration of such points, and aims to reduce the size of the battery case and the battery case receiver.

The combination of the present disclosure is:
A battery case having a first connector;
A battery case receiver having a second connector electrically attached to the first connector in a state in which the battery case is detachably attached and the battery case is attached;
The battery case includes a first connector housing portion that houses a first connector, and a battery housing portion that houses a battery body electrically connected to the first connector,
The length of the first connector housing portion along the first direction which is the attaching / detaching direction of the battery case with respect to the battery case receiver is shorter than the length of the battery housing portion along the first direction,
The battery housing portion and the first connector housing portion are arranged in a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction.

In the combination of the present disclosure,
The battery case is attached to the battery case receiver by being inserted from one side of the first direction to the other side,
The first connector may be located on one side of the first direction from a portion of the battery case other than the first connector that protrudes most on the other side of the first direction.

In the combination of the present disclosure,
The battery case has a first guide portion extending in the first direction on at least one outer surface,
The battery case receiver may include a second guide portion having a shape corresponding to the first guide portion.

  In the combination of the present disclosure, the battery case receiver may have a hole that opens in the first direction.

  In the combination of the present disclosure, at least one of the battery case receiver and the battery case may include a lock unit for maintaining the state where the battery case is attached to the battery case receiver.

In the combination of the present disclosure,
The battery case is provided in a space surrounded by a pair of opposing main wall portions, a side wall portion provided between the pair of main wall portions, and the pair of main wall portions and the side wall portions. A support portion, and
The support part may support the battery body such that the battery body is separated from at least a part of the side wall part.

  In the combined body of the present disclosure, the battery case includes a pair of main wall portions disposed to face each other, a side wall portion provided between the pair of main wall portions, the battery body, the main wall portion, and the And a protective material disposed between at least one of the side wall portions.

  In the combination of the present disclosure, the protective material may be a gel or an elastic body.

In the combination of the present disclosure,
The battery case includes a battery case main body, a lid that can be attached to and detached from the battery case main body by sliding relative to the battery case main body, and a relative movement with respect to the battery case main body. A fastener, and
The fastener may be fixed to the first connector housing portion.

In the combination of the present disclosure,
The battery case includes a battery case main body, a lid that can be attached to and detached from the battery case main body by sliding relative to the battery case main body, and a relative movement with respect to the battery case main body. A fastener, and
The fastener may be covered with the battery case receiver in a state where the battery case is attached to the battery case receiver.

  In the combination of the present disclosure, the battery case may include a low friction material at a position between the battery body and the lid housed in the battery case body.

  In the combination of the present disclosure, the battery case may include a partition wall portion that partitions the battery housing portion and the first connector housing portion.

The battery case of the present disclosure is a battery case that houses a battery body,
The battery case includes a battery case main body, a lid that can be attached to and detached from the battery case main body by sliding relative to the battery case main body, and a relative movement of the lid with respect to the battery case main body. A fastener to regulate,
The space surrounded by the battery case body and the lid includes a battery housing that houses the battery body, and a first connector housing that houses a first connector that is electrically connected to the battery body. ,
The fastener is fixed to the first connector housing portion.

The battery case of the present disclosure is a battery case that houses a battery body,
A pair of main walls disposed opposite to each other;
A side wall provided between the pair of main walls,
The space surrounded by the pair of main wall portions and the side wall portions is divided into a battery housing portion that houses the battery body and a first connector housing portion that houses a first connector that is electrically connected to the battery body. And a partition wall portion for partitioning.

  According to the present disclosure, the battery case and the battery case receiver can be reduced in size.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a combination including a battery case and a battery case receiver. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an exploded state of the battery case. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the battery case together with the battery body. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the battery case receiver. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which the battery case and the battery case receiver are combined.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings attached to the present specification, for the sake of illustration and ease of understanding, the scale, the vertical / horizontal dimension ratio, and the like are appropriately changed and exaggerated from those of the actual product.

  As used in this specification, shapes and geometric conditions and their degree are specified. For example, terms such as “parallel”, “orthogonal”, “identical”, length and angle values, etc. are strictly Without being bound by meaning, it should be interpreted including the extent to which similar functions can be expected.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a combination 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the combination 1 includes a battery case 10 and a battery case receiver 30. That is, the combination 1 is configured by a combination of the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30. The battery case 10 accommodates the battery body 5. The battery case receiver 30 is electrically connected to a charger or a device that operates by consuming electric power. The battery case 10 can be attached to and detached from the battery case receiver 30. By attaching the battery case 10 to the battery case receiver 30, the battery main body 5 in the battery case 10 can be electrically connected to a charger or a device connected to the battery case receiver 30. That is, the battery case receiver 30 functions as a cradle. By attaching the battery case 10 to the battery case receiver 30 connected to the charger, the battery body 5 in the battery case 10 can be charged, and by attaching the battery case 10 to the battery case receiver 30 connected to the device, The battery main body 5 in the battery case 10 can be discharged to operate the device.

  In the illustrated example, the combination 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole in a state where the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30. As shown in FIG. 1, the attachment / detachment direction of the battery case 10 with respect to the battery case receiver 30 is the first direction d1, and the battery case 10 is inserted from one side to the other side in the first direction d1. It is attached to the receiver 30 and removed from the battery case receiver 30 by being pulled out from the other side of the first direction d1 to the one side. That is, the first direction d1 coincides with the relative movement direction of the battery case 10 with respect to the battery case receiver 30 when the battery case 10 is attached to and detached from the battery case receiver 30. The one side in the first direction d1 is the rear side in the moving direction of the battery case 10 when the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30, and when the battery case 10 is removed from the battery case receiver 30. This is the front side in the moving direction of the battery case 10. The other side in the first direction d1 is the front side in the moving direction of the battery case 10 when the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30, and when removing the battery case 10 from the battery case receiver 30. This is the rear side in the moving direction of the battery case 10. Hereinafter, the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30 may be described using the terms “first direction d1”, “one side”, and “other side”. In these descriptions, the battery case 10 In addition, it is assumed that the battery case receiver 30 is in the posture at the time of attachment / detachment.

  The battery main body 5 may include a single battery, or may include an assembled battery in order to obtain a desired high voltage according to the application. The assembled battery is a battery in which a plurality of single cells are connected in series and packaged with a shrink sheet or the like. As the single battery, a rechargeable battery (secondary battery) is mainly used. As the rechargeable single battery, a lead storage battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, or the like can be used, but it is preferable to use a lithium ion battery having a high voltage in the single battery. By using a lithium ion battery as a single battery constituting the assembled battery, the number of single batteries for obtaining a desired voltage can be reduced, and thus the assembled battery can be reduced in weight and size.

  By the way, the temperature of the unit cell or the assembled battery is excessively increased due to excessive current or excessive charging, and the battery main body 5 including the unit cell or the assembled cell can abnormally generate heat. Excessive current may be caused by a short circuit caused by a shock or damage to a single cell or an assembled battery. In order to reduce such a risk, in many cases, a single battery or a battery pack, particularly a single battery or a battery pack using a lithium ion battery which is likely to cause such a malfunction, prevents excessive current and excessive charge. Safety circuit (protection circuit) for the purpose and shock absorbing material for absorbing the shock are provided.

  As an example, in the following description, it is assumed that the battery body 5 includes an assembled battery made of a lithium ion battery provided with a safety circuit. In the assembled battery, a single battery and a safety circuit are arranged so as to have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. For example, seven lithium ion batteries are connected in series. However, the battery body 5 is not limited to this example, and the battery body 5 may be formed in an arbitrary shape by connecting an arbitrary number of lithium ion batteries. Moreover, the battery main body 5 may include an assembled battery using another battery. Furthermore, the battery body 5 may include a single battery.

  The battery body 5 is provided with a cable 7 for connecting to a connector or the like. The cable 7 includes the same number of cables as connectors and the like connected to the battery body 5. As an example, it is assumed that the cable 7 in the following description includes three cables: a charging / discharging cable, a ground cable, and a temperature measurement cable.

  Next, the battery case 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery case 10 for each component. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the battery case 10 in a state in which the battery body 5 is accommodated.

  The battery case 10 accommodates the battery body 5 and can facilitate the handling of the battery body 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the battery case 10 includes a housing 20 and elements provided in the housing 20. In the illustrated example, the elements include the first connector 11, the support portion 12, the protective material 14, the low friction material 16, and the fastener receiver 17. For convenience of illustration, some of the elements of the battery case 10 are omitted in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the illustrated example, the outer shape of the housing 20 of the battery case 10 is a shape in which two different cuboid shapes are arranged and connected along a certain surface. In other words, the battery case 10 has an L-shape when viewed from the front.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 20 includes a first connector housing portion 20 </ b> A that houses the first connector 11, and a battery housing portion 20 </ b> B that houses the battery body 5. In the illustrated example, each of the first connector housing portion 20A and the battery housing portion 20B is a rectangular parallelepiped space. The first connector housing portion 20A is smaller than the battery housing portion 20B. In particular, the length of the first connector housing portion 20A along the first direction d1 is shorter than the length of the battery housing portion 20B along the first direction d1. Further, the first connector housing portion 20A and the battery housing portion 20B are arranged in a second direction d2, which is a direction non-parallel to the first direction d1. In the illustrated example, the first direction d1 and the second direction d2 are orthogonal to each other.

  The housing 20 is preferably formed of a flexible and insulating material such as silicon resin. The housing 20 is preferably large enough to be handled by hand.

  In the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the housing 20 includes a pair of main wall portions 21, a side wall portion 22 provided between the pair of main wall portions 21, and the main wall portion 21 or the side wall portion 22. And a partition wall portion 23 extending from a part thereof. In the illustrated example, each of the pair of main wall portions 21 is a plate-shaped portion, and includes surfaces parallel to the first direction d1 and the second direction d2. The pair of main wall portions 21 and side wall portions 22 at least partially surrounds the space. This space is a space inside the housing 20. Therefore, the space surrounded by the pair of main wall portion 21 and side wall portion 22 includes the first connector housing portion 20A and the battery housing portion 20B.

  The partition wall part 23 partitions the space surrounded by the pair of main wall parts 21 and the side wall part 22 into the first connector housing part 20A and the battery housing part 20B. The partition wall portion 23 is formed with a notch portion 23a. The first connector housing portion 20A and the battery housing portion 20B are connected by the notch portion 23a. As shown in FIG. 3, the cable 7 connects the first connector 11 housed in the first connector housing portion 20A and the battery body 5 housed in the battery housing portion 20B by passing through the notch 23a. can do.

  The casing 20 having a pair of main wall portions 21 and side wall portions 22 is formed by a battery case main body portion 25, a lid portion 26, and a fastener 27 in the illustrated example. In other words, the case 20 includes the battery case main body portion 25, the lid portion 26, and the fasteners 27 in terms of constituent members. A space is enclosed by the battery case body 25 and the lid 26. This space is the same as the space surrounded by the main wall portion 21 and the side wall portion 22, and includes the first connector housing portion 20A and the battery housing portion 20B. That is, the battery case main body portion 25 and the lid portion 26 are constituted by a pair of main wall portions 21 and side wall portions 22.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the battery case main body 25 includes a part of a pair of main wall portions 21 constituting the housing 20 and the side wall portions 22. More specifically, the battery case main body 25 includes one main wall portion 21a and six side wall portions 22a to 22f erected on the periphery of the main wall portion 21a. In the illustrated example, the main wall portion 21a has a shape in which two rectangular plate portions having different sizes are arranged and connected along one straight line. In other words, the main wall portion 21a has an L-shape when viewed from the front. The side wall portions 22a to 22f are rectangular plate-like portions each having a length corresponding to the side of the main wall portion 21a standing upright. The side wall portions 22a, 22c, and 22e extend on a surface parallel to the first direction d1, and the side wall portions 22b, 22d, and 22f extend on a surface that is not parallel to the first direction d1. The side wall portion 22c is the longest in the direction parallel to the first direction d1. The side wall portion 22c defines the battery housing portion 20B and extends longer in the first direction d1 than the side wall portion 22e that defines the first connector housing portion 20A. The side wall portion 22d is longest in a direction non-parallel to the first direction d1. Further, the first connector 11 is provided on the side wall portion 22f.

  In the example shown in FIG. 2, the lid part 26 includes a part of the pair of main wall parts 21 and a part of the side wall part 22 constituting the housing 20. More specifically, the lid portion 26 includes the other main wall portion 21b and one side wall portion 22g erected from the main wall portion 21b. The other main wall portion 21 b that forms part of the lid portion 26 has the same shape as the one main wall portion 21 a that forms part of the battery case main body portion 25. The side wall portion 22g is a rectangular plate-like portion having a length corresponding to the side of the main wall portion 21b that stands upright.

  The lid part 26 is detachably attached to the battery case body part 25. In particular, the lid portion 26 is preferably attached by sliding on the battery case main body portion 25. Moreover, it is preferable that the sliding direction of the cover part 26 is a direction non-parallel to the 1st direction d1. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the sliding direction of the lid portion 26 is parallel to the second direction d2. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the sliding direction of the lid part 26 with respect to the battery case main body part 25 coincides with the arrangement direction of the first connector housing part 20A and the battery housing part 20B. The lid portion 26 is attached to the battery case main body portion 25 by sliding from the first connector housing portion 20A side to the battery housing portion 20B side.

  As a specific configuration, a groove portion 15 to be described later is provided in the battery case main body portion 25, and an edge portion of the main wall portion 21 b forming a part of the lid portion 26 is inserted into the groove portion 15, thereby The relative movement with respect to the battery case body 25 is restricted only in the sliding direction, which is the direction in which the groove 15 extends. When the lid part 26 is attached to the battery case main body part 25, the side wall part 22 g forming a part of the lid part 26 overlaps with one side wall part 22 e of the battery case main body part 25. Instead of the side wall portion 22e, an opening that is blocked by the side wall portion 22g may be provided at the position of the battery case main body portion 25 where the side wall portion 22g forming a part of the lid portion 26 overlaps.

  The fastener 27 restricts relative movement of the lid portion 26 with respect to the battery case main body portion 25 when the lid portion 26 is attached to the battery case main body portion 25. That is, the fastener 27 fixes the lid portion 26 in a state where it is attached to the battery case main body portion 25. The fastener 27 passes through the side wall portion 22 g forming a part of the lid portion 26 and is fixed to the battery case main body portion 25. Accordingly, the lid portion 26 is fixed to the battery case main body portion 25 via the fastener 27. Further, the fastener 27 does not form a protruding portion on the outer surface of the battery case 10 in a state where the lid portion 26 is attached to the battery case main body portion 25 due to a recess or the like provided in the battery case 10. In the illustrated example, the fastener 27 is embedded in a first guide portion 13 (described later) provided on the outer surface of the housing 20 in a state where the lid portion 26 is attached to the battery case main body portion 25. For example, a screw is used as the fastener 27. Then, the enlarged head portion of the fastener 27 made of a screw or the like is accommodated in a recess or the like provided in the battery case 10 and does not protrude from the outer contour of the battery case 10.

  The outer surface of the battery case 10 refers to the surface of the battery case 10 that is exposed to the outside in a state where all the elements of the battery case 10 are provided in the housing 20.

  The battery case body 25 is provided with a groove 15 so as to guide the sliding direction of the lid 26 when the lid 26 is attached to the battery case body 25. The groove 15 extends in a direction that is not parallel to the first direction d1, which is the sliding direction of the lid 26. In the illustrated example, the groove 15 extends in the second direction d2. By inserting the edge portion of the main wall portion 21b forming a part of the lid portion 26 into the groove portion 15, the relative movement of the lid portion 26 with respect to the battery case main body portion 25 is the direction in which the groove portion 15 extends, and the first direction d1. Is restricted only in the second direction d2, which is a non-parallel direction. Since the lid part 26 is slid from the first connector housing part 20A side in the second direction d2 to the battery housing part 20B side, in the example shown in FIG. 2, the second direction d2 of the battery case main body part 25 is provided. A groove portion 15 is also provided at the end of the battery housing portion 20B.

  Next, each element provided in the housing | casing 20 in this Embodiment is demonstrated.

  The first connector 11 is electrically connected to the battery body 5 via the cable 7. The first connector 11 can be connected to another connector that communicates with a charger, an external device, etc., for example, a second connector 31 of a battery case receiver 30 described later. The battery main body 5 accommodated in the battery case 10 can be charged or discharged by connecting the first connector 11 to another connector. The first connector 11 is preferably provided on the outer surface of the battery case 10 so as not to form a protrusion. The first connector 11 includes, for example, three connectors: a charging / discharging connector, a ground connector, and a temperature measurement connector.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first connector 11 has a first direction d <b> 1 from a portion of the battery case 10 other than the first connector 11 that protrudes most to the other side of the first direction d <b> 1. Located on one side. That is, the battery case 10 includes a portion that is closer to the battery case receiver 30 than the first connector 11 when attached to the battery case receiver 30. In the illustrated example, one side wall portion 22 b that forms a part of the battery case main body portion 25 protrudes from the first connector 11 to the other side in the first direction d 1, and is attached to the battery case receiver 30. The part 22 b comes closer to the battery case receiver 30 than the first connector 11.

  Next, the support part 12 is demonstrated. The support part 12 supports the battery body 5 such that the battery body 5 is separated from at least a part of the side wall part 22. The support portion 12 is provided in the battery housing portion 20 </ b> B in the space surrounded by the battery case main body portion 25 and the lid portion 26. In the illustrated example, four support portions 12 are provided. The support portion 12 has a shape that matches the shape of the battery body 5 so that the battery body 5 can be appropriately supported. In the illustrated example, since the battery body 5 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, the support portion 12 has a shape in which two flat plate portions are connected at a right angle. In other words, the support part 12 has an L-shape when viewed from the front as shown in FIG. Since the support portion 12 is L-shaped, one support portion 12 supports one surface of the substantially rectangular parallelepiped battery main body 5 and another surface orthogonal to the one surface. Can do. In the illustrated example, the support portion 12 is provided in contact with the side wall portion 22, but may be provided apart from the side wall portion 22.

  The protective material 14 absorbs an impact from the outside of the battery case 10 and protects the battery body 5. Moreover, you may have a function which absorbs the heat | fever of the battery main body 5. FIG. The protective material 14 is a battery housing portion 20 </ b> B and is disposed between the battery body 5 housed in the battery case 10 and at least one of the main wall portion 21 and the side wall portion 22. The protective material 14 is made of a material including an insulator so as not to cause a short circuit when the battery body 5 is damaged due to an external impact or the like, and has an insulating property. Since the protective material 14 is excellent in shock absorption, it is preferably a gel or an elastic body. Here, the gel-like material means a solid material that has a certain degree of elasticity and does not have fluidity. As the gel-like material made of a material containing an insulator, for example, a silicon resin or a urethane resin can be used. As the elastic body made of a material containing an insulator, for example, rubber can be used.

  The low friction material 16 is provided at a position facing the lid portion 26 of the battery case main body portion 25. More specifically, the low friction material 16 is provided at a position between the battery main body 5 accommodated in the battery case main body portion 25 and the lid portion 26. The low friction material 16 facilitates the sliding of the lid portion 26 with respect to the battery body 5 when the lid portion 26 is inserted and slid into the groove portion 15 in order to attach the lid portion 26 to the battery case body portion 25. Therefore, the low friction material 16 is made of a material having a smaller coefficient of friction than the surface of the battery body 5. As the low friction material 16, for example, a sheet-like polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon sheet) can be used. Further, the low friction material 16 may be formed integrally with an impact absorbing material that protects the battery body 5 from an external impact. For example, the low friction material 16 may be integrally formed with the protective material 14 provided at a position facing the lid portion 26 of the battery case main body portion 25.

  The fastener receiver 17 is a part for fixing the fastener 27. The fastener receiver 17 is provided in the first connector housing portion 20A. Therefore, the fastener 27 is fixed to the first connector housing portion 20 </ b> A by the fastener receiver 17. The fastener receiver 17 has a shape corresponding to the fastener 27. For example, when the fastener 27 is a screw, the fastener receiver 17 is provided with a screw hole having a shape corresponding to the screw.

  Next, the battery case receiver 30 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the battery case receiver 30.

  The battery case receiver 30 can removably hold the battery case 10 inserted from one side of the first direction d1. Therefore, the battery case receiver 30 is open to one side in the first direction d1. Therefore, the battery case receiver 30 is preferably provided so that the other side of the first direction d1 is positioned on the lower side in the vertical direction. The battery case receiver 30 includes a second housing 40 and elements provided in the second housing 40. The elements are the second connector 31, the external connector 36, and the second cable 37 in the illustrated example.

  The second housing 40 has a bottom portion 45 and side portions 46 erected on the periphery of the bottom portion 45. In the illustrated example, the bottom 45 is not parallel to the first direction d1, and the side 46 is parallel to the first direction d1. The battery case 10 is accommodated in a space surrounded by the bottom 45 and the side 46. As shown in FIG. 5, in a state where the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30, the bottom 45 faces the battery case 10 from the other side in the first direction and the battery case 10 from the other side in the first direction. Support. The side part 46 contacts the battery case 10 at the time of attachment / detachment, and regulates relative movement of the battery case 10 with respect to the battery case receiver 30 in the first direction.

  A hole 35 is formed in the bottom portion 45. The hole 35 penetrates the bottom 45 in the first direction d1. The hole 35 is provided to release the air pushed out by the battery case 10 to the outside when the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30. The hole 35 can have an arbitrary shape such as a round shape or a rectangular shape.

  The second connector 31 is electrically connected to the first connector 11 with the battery case 10 attached to the battery case receiver 30. Since the first connector 11 is located on one side of the first direction d1 from the portion of the battery case 10 other than the first connector 11 that protrudes most on the other side of the first direction d1, the second connector 31 45 is provided on one side of the first direction d1. In other words, as shown in FIG. 5, an installation space for the second connector 31 can be secured on one side of the first direction d1 from the bottom 45. When the second connector 31 is connected to the first connector 11, the battery case 10 is fixed to the battery case receiver 30. In the illustrated example, the second connector 31 is formed as a pin-shaped male connector extending in the first direction d1. On the other hand, the first connector 11 is formed as a socket-shaped female connector that receives a male connector. Similar to the first connector 11, the second connector 31 includes, for example, three connectors: a charging / discharging connector, a ground connector, and a temperature measuring connector.

  The external connector 36 is electrically connected to the second connector 31 via the second cable 37. In the present embodiment, the external connector 36 includes, for example, three connectors: a charging / discharging connector, a ground connector, and a temperature measurement connector, like the first connector 11 and the second connector, and the second cable 37. Like the cable 7, the cable includes three cables: a charging / discharging cable, a grounding cable, and a temperature measuring cable. The external connector 36 is provided on any outer surface of the battery case receiver 30 and is connected to an external charger or a device that operates by consuming electric power. Examples of the external device to which the external connector 36 is connected include a charger for charging the battery body 5, a driving device for a walking assist device, and a driving device for a moving body such as an electric bicycle.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the external connector 36 is positioned on the other side of the first connector 11 in the first direction d <b> 1 in the state where the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30 in the same manner as the second connector 31. Is arranged. As described above, since the first connector 11 is located on one side of the first direction d1 from the portion of the battery case 10 other than the first connector 11 that protrudes most on the other side of the first direction d1, the external connector 36 can be disposed on one side of the first direction d1 from the bottom 45. That is, an installation space for the external connector 36 can be secured on one side of the first direction d1 from the bottom 45.

  By the way, the combination 1 of the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30 has guide means for assisting relative movement when the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30 are attached and detached. The guide means may be, for example, an engaging portion that is provided in the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30 and extends in a first direction that is the attaching / detaching direction of the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30. As one specific example, the engaging portion is provided on one of the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30 and extends in the first direction d1, and is provided on the other of the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30. It can be a recess extending in one direction d1. In this example, the convex portion and the concave portion have a corresponding shape, that is, a complementary shape. More specifically, the convex portion can move in the first direction d1 in the concave portion, and on the other hand, the movement in the direction other than the direction d1 in the concave portion may be restricted.

  In the illustrated example, the first guide portion 13 is provided in the housing 20 of the battery case 10, and the second guide portion 33 is provided in the second housing 40 of the battery case receiver 30. The illustrated first guide portion 13 forms a convex portion having a constant cross section perpendicular to the first direction d1 along the first direction d1. The illustrated first guide part 13 is provided on a side wall part 22 c forming a part of the battery case body part 25 and a side wall part 22 g forming a part of the lid part 26. On the other hand, the second guide portion 33 is formed as a concave portion having a shape corresponding to or complementary to the convex portion formed by the first guide portion 13.

  However, the first guide portion 13 is not limited to the illustrated example, and the first guide portion 13 may be a convex portion whose cross section perpendicular to the first direction d1 becomes smaller from one side along the first direction d1 toward the other side. In this case, the second guide portion 33 may similarly be a concave portion whose cross section perpendicular to the first direction d1 decreases from one side along the first direction d1 toward the other side. Further, the first guide portion 13 may be provided on only one outer surface of the housing 20, or may be provided on three or more outer surfaces of the housing 20. In this case, the quantity of the second guide part 33 may be increased or decreased according to the quantity of the first guide part 13. Further, in the illustrated example, the first guide portion 13 is formed as a separate body from the housing 20, but may be formed integrally with the housing 20.

  The combination 1 of the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30 further includes a lock unit that maintains the state in which the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30. In the illustrated example, the locking means includes a lock fitting portion 18 provided in the battery case 10 and a lock portion 38 provided in the battery case receiver 30. In this example, the lock fitting portion 18 and the lock portion 38 are configured to be engageable. Specifically, the lock fitting portion 18 is formed with a first guide portion 33 as a recess. The recess is recessed in a direction orthogonal to the first direction d1. The lock portion 38 is formed as a claw-like member having a tip that can be buried in the recess that forms the lock fitting portion 18. When the front end of the lock fitting portion 18 is received by the lock fitting portion 18 from the second direction d2, the relative movement of the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30 in the first direction d1 is restricted. The lock portion 38 is elastically deformable and does not interfere with the battery case 10 being attached or detached by bending. In addition, when the lock portion 38 is bent, the tip of the lock portion 38 can come out of the lock fitting portion 18.

  In the illustrated example, the battery case 10 has one lock fitting portion 18, and the battery case receiver 30 has one lock portion 38. By the lock fitting portion 18 and the lock portion 38, the battery case receiver 30 has one lock fitting portion 18. One locking means is formed. However, the combination 1 of the battery case 10 and the battery case receiver 30 may have two or more locking means. Further, the locking means may be configured only by a member provided on either the battery case 10 or the battery case receiver 30, for example, a claw-like member having elasticity.

  Next, the function and effect of the combination 1 having the above-described configuration will be described.

  The battery housing portion 20B is required to be sufficiently large to house the battery body 5, but the first connector housing portion 20A only needs to be able to house the first connector 11, and can be made small. In particular, in the housing 20 of the present embodiment, the battery housing portion 20B and the first connector housing portion 20A are arranged in a second direction d2 that is non-parallel to the first direction d1, and are along the first direction d1. The length of the first connector housing portion 20A is shorter than the length of the battery housing portion 20B along the first direction d1. Therefore, the battery case 10 can be reduced in size by the length of the first connector housing portion 20A. As the battery case 10 is reduced in size, the battery case receiver 30 can also be reduced in size.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the battery is arranged such that the first direction d1 which is the attaching / detaching direction of the battery case 10 with respect to the battery case receiver 30 coincides with the vertical direction, and the other side of the first direction d1 is positioned vertically downward. A case receiver 30 is provided and the combination 1 can be used. Since the attachment / detachment direction of the battery case 10 matches the vertical direction, the battery case 10 is less likely to be unintentionally detached from the battery case receiver 30. Moreover, the battery case 10 can be easily inserted into the battery case receiver 30.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the battery body 5 can be an assembled battery using a lithium ion battery. Therefore, as described above, the battery body 5 can be reduced in weight and size. Since the battery main body 5 accommodated can be reduced in size, the battery accommodating portion 20B can be reduced, and the battery case 10 can be reduced in size.

  The first connector 11 is located on one side of the first direction d1 from the portion of the battery case 10 other than the first connector 11 that protrudes most on the other side of the first direction d1. For this reason, the second connector 31 of the battery case receiver 30 connected to the first connector 11 is provided on one side of the first direction d1 from the bottom 45. In other words, in the battery case 10, the part that forms the battery housing part protrudes to the other side in the first direction d1 than the part that forms the connector housing part. A space for disposing the second connector 31 that is electrically connected to the first connector 11 can be secured in the region on the side. In addition, the external connector 36 and the second cable 37 can be provided in the space between the bottom 45 and the second connector 31. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the external connector 36 and the second cable 37 at a position shifted from the battery case 10 in the first direction d1 or the second direction d2, and the battery case receiver 30 can be reduced in size.

  Further, in the housing 20, the length of the first connector housing portion 20A along the first direction d1 is shorter than the length of the battery housing portion 20B along the first direction d1. For this reason, the battery case 10 has an asymmetric shape. Therefore, the insertion direction of the battery case 10 with respect to the battery case receiver 30 can be easily recognized visually, and the possibility of inserting the battery case 10 in an incorrect direction can be effectively reduced.

  Further, the first guide portion 13 is provided on the outer surface of the casing 20 of the battery case 10, and the second guide portion 33 is provided on the inner surface of the battery case receiver 30. The first guide part 13 and the second guide part 33 have corresponding shapes extending in the first direction d1. By being along the first guide portion 13 and the second guide portion 33, the battery case 10 can be easily attached to the battery case receiver 30 in the prescribed direction and orientation. Further, depending on the shape of the first guide portion 13, the possibility of inserting the battery case 10 in the wrong direction can be effectively reduced.

  Further, since the hole 35 is provided in the battery case receiver 30, the air pushed out by the battery case 10 can be released to the outside when the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30. Further, when the battery case 10 is removed, air can be introduced into the battery case receiver 30 as the battery case 10 moves. Therefore, the battery case 10 can be easily attached to and detached from the battery case receiver 30 without applying a force against the air pressure.

  Further, the lock portion 38 is fitted to the lock fitting portion 18 of the battery case 10 in a state where the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30, and restricts relative movement of the battery case 10 with respect to the battery case receiver 30. To do. Therefore, the possibility that the battery case 10 is unintentionally detached from the battery case receiver 30 can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the sliding direction of the lid part 26 with respect to the battery case main body part 25 is not parallel to the first direction d1. For this reason, when the battery case 10 is attached to or detached from the battery case receiver 30, separation between the battery case body 25 and the lid 26 can be avoided.

  Further, the fastener 27 is covered with the battery case receiver 30 and is not exposed to the outside in a state where the lid portion 26 is attached to the battery case main body portion 25. Therefore, the fastener 27 that fixes the lid portion 26 is not visually recognized from the outside, and the appearance of the combination 1 is not impaired. In addition, when the combination 1 is applied to a walking assist device or the like, it can be avoided that the fastener 27 causes a catch of clothes or the like.

  Further, the low friction material 16 is provided at a position facing the lid portion 26 of the battery case main body portion 25. Since the low friction material 16 has low friction, the lid portion 26 can be smoothly slid when the lid portion 26 is slid with respect to the battery case main body portion 25.

  By forming the housing 20 from a flexible material, the housing 20 can absorb the impact even when an impact is applied to the battery case 10.

  Further, the support portion 12 supports the battery body 5 such that the battery body 5 is separated from at least a part of the side wall portion 22. Therefore, the impact applied from the outside is not directly applied to the battery body 5. The support portion 12 has a shape that matches the shape of the battery body 5. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the risk that the battery main body 5 is detached from the support portion 12 due to an impact and collides with other elements inside the battery case 10 or jumps out of the battery case 10 and is damaged.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a protective material 14 is provided between the battery body 5 and the support portion 12. The protective material 14 absorbs an impact from the outside of the battery case 10 and protects the battery body 5. Therefore, the impact applied from the outside is hardly applied to the battery body 5. Even if the battery body 5 is damaged or the like, it is not short-circuited by the insulator contained in the protective material 14. Furthermore, when the protective material 14 has a function of absorbing the heat of the battery body 5, abnormal heat generation of the battery body 5 can be suppressed.

  In particular, when the protective material 14 is made of a gel-like material or an elastic body, the protective material 14 can further absorb external impacts and protect the battery body 5.

  In addition, in order to reduce the risk of the battery body 5 colliding with other elements inside the battery case 10 due to an impact and being damaged, it is preferable that the battery housing portion 20B is not provided with a protruding portion. For example, the fastener 27 is fixed to the first connector housing portion 20 </ b> A in the space surrounded by the battery case main body portion 25 and the lid portion 26. That is, it is not necessary to provide a fastener receiver for receiving the fastener 27 in the battery housing portion 20B. Therefore, the protrusion due to the fastener receiver is not provided in the battery housing portion 20B, and damage to the battery body 5 due to the protrusion can be effectively avoided.

  Furthermore, a partition wall portion 23 is provided in order to prevent the battery body 5 housed in the battery housing portion 20B from colliding with the first connector 11 housed in the first connector housing portion 20A.

  As described above, the combination 1 according to the present embodiment includes the battery case 10 having the first connector 11, the battery case 10 being detachably attached, and the battery connector 10 being attached to the first connector. A battery case receiver 30 having a second connector 31 electrically connected to the first connector 11. The battery case 10 is electrically connected to the first connector housing portion 20 </ b> A for housing the first connector 11 and the first connector 11. The length of the first connector housing portion 20A along the first direction d1 that is the direction in which the battery case 10 is attached to and detached from the battery case receiver 30 is first. The battery housing portion 20B and the first connector housing portion 20A are shorter than the length of the battery housing portion 20B along the direction d1, and are arranged in a second direction d2 that is non-parallel to the first direction d1.According to such a combination 1, the battery case 10 can be reduced in size by the length of the first connector housing portion 20 </ b> A along the first direction d <b> 1. As the battery case 10 is reduced in size, the battery case receiver 30 can also be reduced in size.

  In particular, in the combination 1 of the present embodiment, the battery case 10 is attached to the battery case receiver 30 by being inserted from one side of the first direction d1 to the other side, and the first connector 11 is connected to the battery case 10. Among the parts other than the first connector 11, the part that protrudes most on the other side in the first direction d1 is located on one side of the first direction d1. According to such a combination 1, the second connector 31 of the battery case receiver 30 connected to the first connector 11 can be disposed on one side of the first direction d <b> 1 from the bottom 45. Therefore, the battery case receiver 30 can be reduced in size.

  Note that various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Combination 5 Battery main body 7 Cable 10 Battery case 11 1st connector 12 Support part 13 1st guide part 14 Protective material 15 Groove part 16 Low friction material 17 Fastener receptacle 18 Lock fitting part 20 Housing | casing 20A 1st connector accommodating part 20B Battery housing part 21 Main wall part 22 Side wall part 23 Partition wall part 23a Notch part 25 Battery case body part 26 Lid part 27 Fastener 30 Battery case receiver 31 Second connector 33 Second guide part 35 Hole 36 External connector 37 First 2 cable 38 lock part 40 2nd housing | casing 45 bottom part 46 side part

Claims (14)

A battery case having a first connector;
A battery case receiver having a second connector electrically attached to the first connector in a state in which the battery case is detachably attached and the battery case is attached;
The battery case includes a first connector housing portion that houses a first connector, and a battery housing portion that houses a battery body electrically connected to the first connector,
The length of the first connector housing portion along the first direction which is the attaching / detaching direction of the battery case with respect to the battery case receiver is shorter than the length of the battery housing portion along the first direction,
The battery housing portion and the first connector housing portion are arranged in a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction. The battery case is attached to the battery case receiver by being inserted from one side of the first direction to the other side,
2. The first connector according to claim 1, wherein the first connector is located on one side of the first direction from a portion of the battery case other than the first connector that protrudes most on the other side in the first direction. Combination body. The battery case has a first guide portion extending in the first direction on at least one outer surface,
The combination according to claim 1, wherein the battery case receiver includes a second guide portion having a shape corresponding to the first guide portion.   The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the battery case receiver has a hole that opens in the first direction.   The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one of the battery case receiver and the battery case has a lock unit for maintaining the state where the battery case is attached to the battery case receiver. body. The battery case is provided in a space surrounded by a pair of opposing main wall portions, a side wall portion provided between the pair of main wall portions, and the pair of main wall portions and the side wall portions. A support portion, and
The combination body according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support portion supports the battery body such that the battery body is separated from at least a part of the side wall portion.   The battery case includes a pair of opposing main wall portions, a side wall portion provided between the pair of main wall portions, and the battery body, at least one of the main wall portion and the side wall portion. The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a protective material disposed between the two.   The combination according to claim 7, wherein the protective material is a gel or an elastic body. The battery case includes a battery case main body, a lid that can be attached to and detached from the battery case main body by sliding relative to the battery case main body, and a relative movement of the lid with respect to the battery case main body. A fastener provided to regulate,
The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the fastener is fixed to the first connector housing portion. The battery case includes a battery case main body, a lid that can be attached to and detached from the battery case main body by sliding relative to the battery case main body, and a relative movement of the lid with respect to the battery case main body. A fastener provided to regulate,
The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the fastener is covered by the battery case receiver in a state where the battery case is attached to the battery case receiver.   The combination according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the battery case has a low-friction material at a position between the battery body and the lid housed in the battery case body.   The said battery case is a combination body as described in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 11 which has a partition wall part which partitions off the said battery accommodating part and a said 1st connector accommodating part. A battery case that houses the battery body,
The battery case includes a battery case main body, a lid that can be attached to and detached from the battery case main body by sliding relative to the battery case main body, and a relative movement of the lid with respect to the battery case main body. A fastener to regulate,
The space surrounded by the battery case body and the lid includes a battery housing that houses the battery body, and a first connector housing that houses a first connector that is electrically connected to the battery body. ,
The said fastener is a battery case fixed to the said 1st connector accommodating part. A battery case that houses the battery body,
A pair of main walls disposed opposite to each other;
A side wall provided between the pair of main walls,
The space surrounded by the pair of main wall portions and the side wall portions is divided into a battery housing portion that houses the battery body and a first connector housing portion that houses a first connector that is electrically connected to the battery body. A battery case having a partition wall portion for partitioning.

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