CN111954953A

CN111954953A - Assembled battery

Info

Publication number: CN111954953A
Application number: CN201980022959.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 黑川健也; 阿部达朗
Original assignee: Toshiba Corp; Toshiba Infrastructure Systems and Solutions Corp
Current assignee: Toshiba Corp; Toshiba Infrastructure Systems and Solutions Corp
Priority date: 2018-03-29
Filing date: 2019-03-27
Publication date: 2020-11-17
Also published as: WO2019189354A1; TW201943117A; SG11202009562XA; JP2019175716A; TWI710156B

Abstract

Provided is a battery pack which has excellent assemblability and can be cooled efficiently, and which is provided with: a plurality of first frames having main circuit terminals; a main circuit line connecting the main circuit terminals to each other; a plurality of plate members that face a predetermined surface of the first housing and are provided with cooling passages having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet; cooling pipes connecting the cooling passages to each other; and a second housing that accommodates the plurality of first housings in a depth direction perpendicular to a surface of the plate member, and that includes a main terminal, a cooling pipe inlet, and a cooling pipe outlet, wherein the main circuit terminal, the main circuit line, and the main terminal are provided at an upper portion in a height direction, and the cooling medium inlet, the cooling medium outlet, the cooling pipe inlet, and the cooling pipe outlet are provided at a lower portion in the height direction of the second housing.

Description

Assembled battery

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a battery pack.

Background

When a relatively large current is required, a battery pack in which a plurality of battery packs are combined may be used.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document 1: international publication No. 2017/158763

Disclosure of Invention

When a plurality of battery packs are combined, the ease of assembly of the battery packs becomes a problem, or a method of efficiently cooling the battery packs becomes a problem. The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack which can be assembled easily and cooled efficiently.

In order to solve the above problem, the assembled battery of the present embodiment includes: a plurality of first housings each formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and housing a battery cell, each of the first housings having a main circuit terminal for taking out a charge/discharge current of the battery cell; a main circuit line connecting the main circuit terminals to each other; a plurality of plate members provided with a cooling passage having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, the plate members facing a predetermined surface of the first housing; cooling pipes connecting the cooling passages to each other; and a second housing that accommodates the plurality of first housings in a depth direction perpendicular to a surface of the plate member, and that includes a main terminal for taking out a charge/discharge current of the battery cell to the outside, and a cooling pipe inlet and a cooling pipe outlet for taking out a cooling medium to the outside, wherein the main circuit terminal, the main circuit line, and the main terminal are provided at an upper portion in a height direction of the second housing, and the cooling medium inlet, the cooling medium outlet, the cooling pipe inlet, and the cooling pipe outlet are provided at a lower portion in the height direction of the second housing.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a frame of a battery pack of an embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of a battery pack of an embodiment.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack, the first fixing member, the second fixing member, and the plate member of the embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a battery unit of the embodiment.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the battery pack, the first fixing member, the second fixing member, and the plate member of the embodiment.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a plate member of the embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a plate member of the embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a cooling passage of the embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a groove of an embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the plate member and the cooling pipe according to the embodiment.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a main circuit line and a communication line of the embodiment.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a main circuit line and a communication line of a modification.

Detailed Description

The assembled battery of the embodiment is explained below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the directions are defined for convenience of explanation. The X direction is along the long side direction of the assembled battery 1, the Y direction is along the short side direction of the assembled battery 1, and the Z direction is along the height direction of the assembled battery 1. The X direction, the Y direction and the Z direction are orthogonal to each other.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a battery pack 1 of the embodiment. As shown in fig. 1, the battery pack 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape formed of a thin metal plate.

The battery pack 1 is surrounded by an upper surface 1a which is an upper surface in the Z-axis direction, a lower surface 1b facing the upper surface, side surfaces 1c and 1d facing each other in the Y-axis direction out of side surfaces sandwiched between the upper surface 1a and the lower surface 1b, and side surfaces 1e and 1f facing each other in the X-axis direction, and is formed into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The upper portion of the side surface 1e in the Z-axis direction (height direction) is provided with

total terminals

2a and 2b for taking out charge/discharge currents of a plurality of battery packs 10 described later. Further, a cooling pipe inlet 3a and a cooling pipe outlet 3b for taking out a cooling medium flowing through a cooling passage (not shown) formed in a plate member (not shown) described later to the outside of the assembled battery 1 are provided at a lower portion of the same side surface 1e in the Z-axis direction (height direction).

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the frame 20 constituting the assembled battery 1. In fig. 2, the metal sheets forming the upper surface 1a, the lower surface 1b, the side surfaces 1c, the side surfaces 1d, the side surfaces 1e, and the side surfaces 1f of the battery pack 1 shown in fig. 1, and the members housed inside the battery pack 1 are not shown.

As shown in fig. 2, a frame 20 is formed as a skeleton in the battery pack 1, and a metal thin plate forming an upper surface 1a, a lower surface 1b, a side surface 1c, a side surface 1d, a side surface 1e, and a side surface 1f is fixed to the frame 20. The sheet metal is fixed to the frame 20 by welding or, as shown in fig. 1, by rivets 4. Further, the boundary portion between the frame 20 and the metal thin plate is preferably sealed by a resin member without generating a gap. The assembled battery 1 includes a frame 20 and a second frame body including an upper surface 1a, a lower surface 1b, and side surfaces 1c, 1d, 1e, and 1f formed of a thin metal plate.

By fixing the metal thin plate to the frame 20 in this manner, the amount of moisture entering the inside of the assembled battery 1 from the outside can be minimized.

Next, the battery pack 10 housed inside the assembled battery 1 will be described with reference to fig. 3 and the like. Fig. 3 shows the frame 20 among the assembled batteries 1, the battery pack 10 housed in the assembled battery 1, the first fixing member 60, the second fixing member 61, the plate member 18, and the cooling passage 50. As shown in fig. 3, the plurality of battery packs 10 are housed in the assembled battery 1 together with the first fixing member 60, the second fixing member 61, and the plate member 18.

The battery pack 10 includes a first housing having: a rectangular bottom wall 12, an upper portion 13 facing the

bottom wall

12, and 4 side walls connecting the upper portion 13 and the bottom wall 12. Among these 4 side walls, the side wall perpendicular to the Z axis and formed on the upper side in the Z axis direction is referred to as a first side wall 31, and the side wall facing the first side wall 31 and formed on the lower side in the Z axis direction is referred to as a second side wall 32. The battery pack 10 is divided into a plurality of sections in the vertical direction on the upper portion 13 side and the bottom wall portion 12 side, for example, and a battery unit 5 described later is housed so that a surface thereof having the positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b is the upper portion 13 side of the battery pack 10 and a surface thereof facing the surface having the positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b is the bottom wall portion 12 side of the battery pack 10. In each section, a plurality of battery cells are housed in the width direction. For example, if there are 3 divisions in the vertical direction and 8 battery cells are stored in the width direction of each division, a total of 24 battery cells are stored so that the surfaces having the positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b are all oriented in the same direction. In other words, the surface facing the surface having the positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b is housed so as to face in one direction. This makes it possible to align the surfaces facing the surfaces having the positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b of the battery cells 5 toward the bottom wall 12, and to mount the plate member 18, which will be described later, facing the bottom wall 12, thereby cooling the battery cells 5 uniformly and efficiently.

For example, 4 connection portions 40 are formed in the first side wall 31, and the first fixing member 60 is connected to the first side wall 31 via the connection portions 40. Further, for example, 4 connecting portions 41 are formed in the second side wall 32, and the second fixing member 61 is connected to the second side wall 32 via the connecting portions 41.

The first side wall 31 is further provided with a main circuit terminal 14 for taking out a charge/discharge current of the battery cell 5. The main circuit terminals 14 are formed in 2 numbers, one of which is a positive electrode and the other of which is a negative electrode.

The first side wall 31 is provided with a communication terminal 15 for connecting a communication line 90, and the communication line 90 is used for communicating with another battery pack 10. In the present embodiment, 2 communication terminals 15 are provided since 2 communication lines 90 are connected thereto.

The battery pack 10, the first fixing member 60, the second fixing member 61, and the plate member 18 housed in the assembled battery 1 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 4. As shown in fig. 4, the battery pack 10 is attached such that the bottom wall portion 12 thereof faces the plate member 18, and the battery pack 10 and the plate member 18 are connected by the first fixing member 60 and the second fixing member 61.

The battery pack 10 houses the battery unit 5 shown in fig. 5. As shown in fig. 5, the battery unit 5 is formed in a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape that is thin in one direction. The battery unit 5 includes a frame 6, a positive electrode terminal 7a, and a negative electrode terminal 7 b. An electrode body and an electrolyte solution, not shown, are housed in the housing 6. The electrode body may be formed by winding a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet as a power generating element in a spiral shape with a separator interposed therebetween. The electrode body may be formed by stacking a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab with a separator interposed therebetween, for example. A positive electrode terminal 7a and a negative electrode terminal 7b are connected to the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab of the electrode body, respectively.

The frame 6 is made of a metal material (e.g., aluminum alloy, stainless steel, etc.) or a synthetic resin material. The frame 6 is formed by combining the housing 6a and the lid 6 b. The container 6a is formed in a box shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped with an open upper portion, and the electrode body and the electrolyte are contained in the container 6 a. The lid 6b closes the opened upper portion of the container 6 a. The frame 6 is also called a container.

The connection portions 40 and 41 have, for example, female screw portions (not shown) therein, and are formed to be connectable to bolts (not shown) having male screw portions. The connection portions 40 and 41 may be formed integrally with the battery pack 10 by insert molding or the like, for example.

The first fixing member 60 has a first battery pack connection hole 60a through which a bolt, for example, passes at a portion facing the connection portion 40 formed on the first side wall 31 of the battery pack 10. The first fixing member 60 can be fixed to the battery pack 10 by inserting a bolt into the first battery pack connection hole 60a and fastening it to the connection portion 40.

Similarly to the first fixing member 60, the second fixing member 61 also has a second battery pack attachment hole 61a through which a bolt, for example, passes at a portion facing the attachment portion 41 formed in the second side wall 32. The second fixing member 61 can be fixed to the battery pack 1 by inserting a bolt into the second battery pack connection hole 61a and fastening it to the connection portion 41.

The first fixing member 60 has an XZ plane and a YZ plane that are planes standing perpendicularly to a plane (XY plane) facing the battery pack 10, a plate member coupling hole 60b for coupling with a plate member 18, which will be described in detail later, is formed in the XZ plane, and a frame coupling hole 60c for coupling with the frame 20 of the battery pack 1 is formed in the YZ plane. In other words, the first fixing member 60 includes: a 1 st fixing piece erected along an XZ plane and formed with a plate member attachment hole 60b, and a 2 nd fixing piece erected along a YZ plane and formed with a plate member attachment hole 60 c.

The plate member 18 has a female screw portion 18c at a portion connected to the first fixing member 60, and is formed to be connectable to a bolt. Thus, the first fixing member can be fixed to the plate member 18 by inserting a bolt into the plate member connecting hole 60b formed in the first fixing member 60 and fastening the bolt to the female screw portion formed in the plate member 18. The female screw portion 18c may or may not penetrate. In addition, as will be described later, in the case where the battery pack 10 is fixed to both surfaces of the plate member 18, the female screw portions 18c preferably penetrate therethrough.

Similarly, the frame 20 has, for example, a female screw portion at a portion connected to the first fixing member 60, and is formed to be connectable to a bolt. Thus, the first fixing member 60 can be fixed to the frame 20 by inserting a bolt into the frame connection hole 60c formed in the first fixing member 60 and fastening the bolt to a female screw portion (not shown) formed in the frame 20.

As shown in fig. 6, the second fixing member 61 has an XZ plane and a YZ plane that are planes standing perpendicularly with respect to a plane (XY plane) facing the battery pack 10, in the XZ plane, a plate member connection hole 61b for connection with a plate member 18 described later in detail is formed, and in the YZ plane, a frame connection hole 61c for connection with the frame 20 of the battery pack 1 is formed. In other words, the second fixing member 61 includes: a 1 st fixing piece erected along an XZ plane and formed with a plate member attachment hole 60b, and a 2 nd fixing piece erected along a YZ plane and formed with a plate member attachment hole 60 c.

The plate member 18 has a female screw portion 18c at a portion connected to the second fixing member 61, and is formed to be connectable to a bolt. Thus, the second fixing member 61 can be fixed to the plate member 18 by inserting a bolt into the plate member connecting hole 60b formed in the second fixing member 61 and fastening the bolt to the female screw portion 18c formed in the plate member 18.

Similarly, the frame 20 has, for example, a female screw portion at a portion connected to the second fixing member 61, and is formed to be connectable to a bolt. Thus, the second fixing member 61 can be fixed to the frame 20 by inserting a bolt into the frame connection hole 60c formed in the second fixing member 61 and fastening the bolt to a female screw portion (not shown) formed in the frame 20.

In this way, the first fixing part 60 and the second fixing part 61 are fixed to the plate member 18 and the frame 20, respectively, via bolts or the like.

In addition, one battery pack 10 is shown to be fixed to one plate member 18 in fig. 4, but is not limited thereto, and two battery packs 10 may be fixed to one plate member 18 as shown in fig. 6.

Next, the plate member 18 will be described with reference to fig. 7 and 8. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the plate member 18, and fig. 8 is a perspective view of the plate member 18 as viewed from the back side of fig. 7.

The plate member 18 can fix the battery pack 10, and has a function of cooling the battery pack 10. The battery pack 10 is fixed such that the bottom wall portion 12 of the battery pack 10 faces the plate member 18. In the present embodiment, the bottom wall portion 12 is fixed to the plate member 18 due to the structures of the first fixing member 60 and the second fixing member 61. As a means for fixing the battery pack 10 to the plate member 18, the first fixing member 60 and the second fixing member 61 described above may be used, and the plate member 18 may have a plurality of female screw portions 18c for fixing the first fixing member 60 and the second fixing member 61.

A groove 50a is formed in a first surface 18a, which is a surface of the plate member 18 facing the battery pack 10, or a second surface 18b, which is a surface opposite to the first surface 18a, and a tubular cooling passage 50 is embedded in the groove 50 a. The groove 50a and the cooling passage 50 are formed by combining a straight line portion and a curved line portion so as to widely cover the plate member 18 from one end of the plate member 18, and are formed to return to one end of the plate member 18. That is, the groove 50a and the cooling medium inlet 50-1 as the starting end and the cooling medium outlet 50-2 as the terminating end of the cooling passage 50 are formed at 2 of one end of the plate member 18. In the present embodiment, the cooling medium inlet 50-1 and the cooling medium outlet 50-2 are provided at the lower portion in the height direction (Z-axis direction) of the plate member.

The cooling passage 50 is formed by press-fitting a hollow circular pipe 50b into the groove 50 a. The tube 50b is preferably made of metal, for example, copper. The plate member 18 can be cooled by flowing a cooling medium through the hollow circular tube 50 b.

Fig. 9 is a partial sectional view of the cooling passage 50 and the groove 50a according to the present embodiment. The cooling passage 50 is formed by pressing a hollow circular pipe 50b into the groove 50 a. The tube 50b is preferably made of metal, for example, copper. The pipe 50b of fig. 9 is shown in a state of being deformed by being pressed into the groove 50a, and the pipe 50b before being deformed has a circular cross section.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing only the groove 50a of the present embodiment. As shown in fig. 10, in the groove 50a of the present embodiment, assuming that the width of the opening of the groove 50a is a, a width B larger than a is formed from the opening of the groove 50a to the vicinity of the bottom of the groove 50 a. In other words, when the distance from the opening of the groove 50a to the bottom of the groove 50a is C, the width B larger than the width a is formed from the opening to 1/2C to C.

Further, the groove 50a has a bottom curve, and the bottom curve of the groove 50a has a radius of curvature larger than that of the outermost portion of the pipe 50b before the hollow circular pipe 50b constituting the cooling passage is pressed into the groove 50 a. Further, the bottom curve of the groove 50a has a curvature radius larger than half the width of the opening of the groove 50 a.

When the pipe 50b is pressed into the groove 50a, the circular pipe 50b comes into contact with the bottom of the groove 50a, and by further pressing, the portion of the pipe 50b in contact with the groove 50a deforms along the shape of the groove 50a, as shown in fig. 9.

In the plurality of plate members 18 provided in the assembled battery 1, the cooling passages 50 provided in the plate members 18 are connected to each other by cooling pipes 70 described later. Therefore, the cooling pipe connection portion 51 for connecting to the cooling pipe 70 is formed in the cooling medium inlet 50-1 and the cooling medium outlet 50-2 of the plate member 18. The cooling pipe connecting portion 51 is formed to extend in both directions along the X-axis direction from the plate member 18 as shown in fig. 4, or to extend in one direction along the X-axis direction as shown in the plate member 18 shown in fig. 7 and 8.

Next, the positional relationship between the plate member 18 and the cooling pipe 70 constituting the battery pack 1 will be described with reference to fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a state in which a plurality of plate members 18 and a plurality of cooling pipes 70 are connected.

In fig. 11, the plate member 18 located leftmost on the paper surface is defined as a first plate member 18-1, a second plate member 18-2, a third plate member 18-3, and a fourth plate member 18-4 in this order.

On both surfaces of the first plate member 18-1, 2 battery packs 10, not shown, are fixed. Further, 1 battery pack 10, not shown, is fixed to the left surface of the second plate member 18-2. The 2 battery packs 10, not shown, are fixed to both surfaces of the third plate member 18-3. On both surfaces of the fourth plate member 18-4, 2 battery packs 10, not shown, are fixed, and a total of 7 battery packs are fixed from the first plate member 18-1 to the fourth plate member 18-4.

The cooling pipe 70 is connected to the cooling pipe inlet 3a and the cooling pipe outlet 3b of the assembled battery 1, and is also connected to the cooling passages 50 of the plate members 18.

In the present embodiment, first, the cooling pipe inlet 3a provided in the frame 20 of the assembled battery 1 is connected to the cooling medium inlet 50-1 of the third plate member 18-3 via the cooling pipe 70. The cooling medium outlet 50-2 of the third plate member is connected to the cooling medium inlet 50-1 of the fourth plate member 18-4 via the cooling pipe 70. Subsequently, the cooling medium outlet 50-2 of the fourth plate member 18-4 is connected to the cooling medium inlet 50-1 of the first plate member 18-1 via the cooling pipe 70. Further, the cooling medium outlet 50-2 of the first plate member 18-1 is connected to the cooling medium inlet 50-1 of the second plate member 18-2 via the cooling pipe 70. The cooling medium outlet 50-2 of the second plate member 18-2 is connected to the cooling pipe outlet 3b provided in the frame 20 via the cooling pipe 70.

By performing the piping in this manner, the cooling medium can be flowed from the outside of the assembled battery 1 to the cooling pipe inlet 3a, and finally can be taken out to the outside of the assembled battery 1 from the cooling pipe outlet 3b via the cooling pipe 70 and the cooling passages 50 provided in the respective plate members 18. As a result, the plate members 18 are cooled by the cooling medium, the battery pack 10 fixed to the plate members 18 and the battery cells 5 housed therein can be cooled, and deterioration in performance of the battery due to heat generation can be suppressed.

In the present embodiment, the third plate member 18-3, which is the plate member closest to the center portion of the assembled battery 1 in the X-axis direction, is directly connected from the cooling pipe inlet 3 a. Thereby, the cooling medium having the lowest temperature flows into the cooling passage 50 of the third plate member 18-3. The third plate member 18-3 is the plate member closest to the center portion of the assembled battery 1 in the X-axis direction, and is therefore the position where heat is least likely to be dissipated. By flowing the cooling medium having the lowest temperature into the plate member, the battery pack 10 can be cooled efficiently.

Next, the positional relationship between the main circuit line 80 and the communication line 90 provided on the upper side of the assembled battery 1 in the Z-axis direction, and the like will be described with reference to fig. 12. Fig. 12 shows the wiring of the main circuit line 80 and the communication line 90 when 7 battery packs 10 are accommodated in the assembled battery 1.

As shown in fig. 12, in the assembled battery 1 according to the present embodiment, the main circuit line 80 is connected to the main circuit terminals 14 of the plurality of battery packs 10 housed inside the assembled battery 1, and the communication line 90 is connected to the communication terminal 15 of the battery pack 10. The main circuit line 80 has a main circuit connector 81 at an end thereof, and the main circuit connector 81 is connected to each main circuit terminal 14. The main circuit lines 80 are electrically connected to the battery packs 10, and ends of the electrically connected circuits are connected to the

main terminals

2a and 2 b. Since this connection method differs depending on whether the battery packs are connected in series or in parallel, the connection method shown in fig. 12 is merely an example.

As shown in the embodiment, in the assembled battery 1, a plurality of battery packs can be housed and efficiently cooled.

Further, the battery pack can be fixed to the plate member and the frame via the first fixing member and the second fixing member, so assemblability can be improved.

Further, since the cooling pipe through which the cooling medium flows, the cooling pipe inlet, the cooling pipe outlet, the cooling medium inlet, and the cooling medium outlet are provided at the lower portion in the height direction of the assembled battery, and the main circuit line through which the electric current flows, the main circuit terminal, and the main terminal are provided at the upper portion in the height direction of the assembled battery and are separately provided, it is possible to reduce the possibility that water, which is an example of the cooling medium, leaks to contact the main circuit line and the like, and further causes a short circuit or the like.

< modification example >

Next, a modification will be described with reference to fig. 13. This modification is basically the same as the embodiment, but has some differences. Here, the same description as in the embodiment is omitted as appropriate.

In the above embodiment, the assembled battery 1 having 7 battery packs 10 was described, but in the present modification, an assembled battery having 6 battery packs 10 was described.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a state in which a plurality of plate members 19 and a plurality of cooling pipes 100 constituting the battery pack of the present modification are connected.

In fig. 13, from the plate member 19 located leftmost on the paper surface, the first plate member 19-1, the second plate member 19-2, and the third plate member 19-3 are referred to.

On both surfaces of the first plate member 19-1, 2 battery packs 10, not shown, are fixed. Also, 2 battery packs 10, not shown, are fixed to both surfaces of the second plate member 19-2. Also, 2 battery packs 10, not shown, are fixed to both surfaces of the third plate member 19-3.

The cooling pipe 70 is connected to the cooling pipe inlet 3a and the cooling pipe outlet 3b of the assembled battery 1, and is also connected to the cooling passages 50 of the plate members 19.

In the present modification, first, the cooling pipe inlet 3a provided in the frame 20 of the assembled battery 1 is connected to the cooling medium inlet 50-1 of the second plate member 19-2 via the cooling pipe 70. The cooling medium outlet 50-2 of the second plate member is connected to the cooling medium inlet 50-1 of the first plate member 19-1 via the cooling pipe 70. Subsequently, the cooling medium outlet 50-2 of the first plate member 19-1 is connected to the cooling medium inlet 50-1 of the third plate member 19-3 via the cooling pipe 70. Further, the cooling medium outlet 50-2 of the third plate member 19-3 is connected to the cooling pipe outlet 3b provided in the frame 20 via the cooling pipe 70.

By performing the piping in this manner, the cooling medium flows from the outside of the assembled battery 1 to the cooling pipe inlet 3a, and the cooling medium can be taken out to the outside of the assembled battery 1 from the cooling pipe outlet 3b finally via the cooling pipe 70 and the cooling passages 50 provided in the respective plate members 19. As a result, each plate member 19 is cooled by the cooling medium, the battery pack 10 fixed to each plate member 19 and the battery cells 5 housed therein can be cooled, and deterioration in performance of the battery due to heat generation can be suppressed.

In the present modification, the second plate member 19-2, which is the plate member closest to the center portion of the assembled battery 1 in the X-axis direction, is directly connected to the cooling pipe inlet 3 a. Thereby, the cooling medium having the lowest temperature flows into the cooling passage 50 of the second plate member 19-2. The second plate member 19-2 is the plate member closest to the center portion of the assembled battery 1 in the X-axis direction, and therefore is the position where heat is most likely to be generated. By flowing the cooling medium having the lowest temperature into the plate member, the battery pack 10 can be cooled efficiently.

As shown in the embodiment and the modification, in the assembled battery 1, a plurality of battery packs can be housed and efficiently cooled.

Further, the battery pack can be fixed to the plate member and the frame via the first fixing member and the second fixing member, so the assemblability is improved.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These new embodiments can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Description of symbols:

1 group of batteries; 2a main terminal; 2b a main terminal; 3a cooling pipe inlet; 3b cooling the outlet of the pipe; 5 a battery cell; 6, a frame body; 7a positive terminal; 7b a negative terminal; 10 a battery pack; 18a plate member; 19 a plate member; 20 a frame; 40 a connecting part; 41 a connecting part; 50a cooling passage; 51 cooling the piping connection part; 60a first fixing member; 61a second fixing member; 70 cooling the piping; 80 main circuit lines; 81 main circuit connectors; a 90 communication line; 100 cool the piping.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising:

a plurality of first housings each formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and housing a battery cell, each of the first housings having a main circuit terminal for taking out a charge/discharge current of the battery cell;

a main circuit line connecting the main circuit terminals to each other;

a plurality of plate members provided with a cooling passage having a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, the plate members facing a predetermined surface of the first housing;

cooling pipes connecting the cooling passages to each other; and

a second frame body which accommodates the plurality of first frame bodies in a depth direction perpendicular to the surface of the plate member, and which includes a main terminal for taking out a charge/discharge current of the battery cell to the outside, and a cooling pipe inlet and a cooling pipe outlet for taking out a cooling medium to the outside,

the main circuit terminal, the main circuit line, and the main terminal are provided at an upper portion of the second housing in the height direction, and the cooling medium inlet, the cooling medium outlet, the cooling pipe inlet, and the cooling pipe outlet are provided at a lower portion of the second housing in the height direction.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1,

the plate member is opposed to a predetermined surface of the first housing, or opposed to the predetermined surface of the first housing and an opposed surface thereof.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1 or 2,

the cooling pipe inlet is directly connected to the cooling medium inlet of a plate member disposed near a center portion in the depth direction among the plurality of plate members.