JP2000348688A - Storage battery - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To maintain stable productivity by preventing a group of electrodes from being damaged when the group of electrodes are inserted in a battery container, and to suppress occurrence such as internal short-circuiting of the group of electrodes caused by damages of the group of electrodes, lowering of a battery capacity and the like. SOLUTION: In a rib structure that plural ribs are provided upward and downward on a partition wall 2 of a battery container for a storage battery 1, the basic constitution is that at least one 5 of the plural ribs 5-6 is made longer than other ribs, a downward slant 5a turned toward a direction to bring it into contact with an electrode is provided at the upper end 5c of the rib, and the end points of all ribs 5-6 on the lower side of the slant are made to be in the vicinity of the upper end of the electrode. In addition, among the plural ribs, the ribs at both ends is made longer, or the ribs at its center part is made longer, and the protrusion height of the rib is not less than 5 mm.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention particularly relates to a battery case structure of a storage battery for an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a structure of a battery case generally used for a storage battery for an automobile, as shown in FIG.
Are partitioned by the partition wall 20 into a plurality of cell chambers 22. The partition wall 20 and the inner wall 21 of the battery case facing the partition wall 20
In order to support the electrode plate group, a plurality of ribs 19 of about 4 to 6 are provided in parallel in the vertical direction. This is because the standards for automotive storage batteries specify lead-acid batteries that have different battery characteristics even with the same battery case dimensions.The thickness of each electrode group is different. The ribs are absorbed by changing the protruding height, so that the electrode group is stably held in the cell chamber.

The shape of the rib 19 includes a constant height portion 19b having a constant rib protrusion height and an inclined portion 19a having a rib protrusion height increasing downward in the battery case. The electrode group can be easily inserted into the cell chamber by the portion 19a. Further, the length of the constant height portion 19b of the rib has a length corresponding to the upper end to the lower end of the electrode plate constituting the electrode plate group to be stored.

[0004]

In recent years, with the development of technology, the thickness of the electrode group has been reduced by reducing the thickness of the electrode plate, reducing the number of electrode plates constituting the electrode plate group, and reducing the thickness of the separator. Has become possible, and it is becoming possible to realize further weight reduction. On the other hand, since the dimensions of the storage battery are standardized as described above, a large difference occurs between the thickness of the electrode group and the inner dimensions of the cell chamber when a conventional battery case is used as it is. Will do.

In such a case, it has been known that since the electrode group cannot be stably held, the production and performance of the storage battery are adversely affected, and in order to solve these, the protrusion height of the rib is increased. The reduction in the thickness of the electrode plate group is compensated for. However, if the protruding height of the ribs is too high, the electrode group cannot be inserted smoothly into the battery case in the process of inserting the electrode group into the battery case, and particularly, the position of the electrode plate group at both ends of the battery case may not be increased. It has been found that the electrode plate or the separator to be caught on the rib and the process defect of turning up from the electrode plate group frequently occurs. In general, the electrode group is not tightly joined to the separator and the electrode plate, but is merely laminated, so the thickness of the electrode group before insertion into the cell chamber is larger than the thickness after insertion, It is difficult to avoid such a process defect as long as the electrode plates are inserted while being reduced in thickness by the ribs. In addition, such a process defect has a bad influence on the performance of the storage battery, such as a short-circuit between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate constituting the electrode plate group due to damage to the electrode plate group or a defective capacity. Was.

The present invention suppresses damage to the electrode group during insertion of the electrode group into the cell chamber by increasing the height of the ribs provided on the inner wall and the partition wall of the battery case as described above. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to maintain stable productivity and suppress the occurrence of short-circuit between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate and the occurrence of a defect such as a defective capacity.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention achieves the above-mentioned object, and the invention of claim 1 provides a battery case divided into a plurality of cells by a partition wall, and a positive and negative cells housed in the battery case. It has an electrode plate group in which a negative electrode plate and a separator are stacked, and has a plurality of parallel ribs in the vertical direction on an inner wall and a partition wall facing the electrode plate surface, wherein the ribs face downward in the battery case. It is provided with an inclined portion having an increased rib height with a slope and a constant height portion having a constant rib height continuous with the inclined portion, and the sum of the lengths of these inclined portions and the constant height portion is defined as a rib length. This shows a storage battery in which at least one of the plurality of ribs has a longer length than the other ribs. With such a configuration, when inserting the electrode group into the cell chamber, since the ribs are sequentially inserted while being in contact with the electrode group, the electrode group is smoothly inserted into the cell chamber, and the electrode group is It is intended to suppress damage such as turning over of the separator, short-circuit and capacity reduction due to the damage.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the angle formed between the inclined portion of the rib and the inner wall or partition wall of the battery case is defined as a rib inclination angle, the inclination angle of the long rib is more acute than the inclination angles of the other ribs. It shows a certain storage battery, and since the inclination of the rib that first contacts when the electrode group is inserted into the cell chamber is steeper than the other ribs, it suppresses the damage of the electrode group by the rib and more smoothly The electrode group can be inserted.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the ribs at the left and right ends are longer than the ribs at the other ends. By acting as a guide rail when inserting a plate group,
It exerts the effect of suppressing the displacement during insertion.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the rib length of the center rib is longer than the rib lengths of the other ribs. In general, a storage battery for an automobile has a battery case and a lid covering an opening of the battery case fixed by heat welding. However, the partition wall may be deformed in the process of the heat welding. However, according to the present invention, by providing a long rib at the center of the partition wall which is most susceptible to deformation, the strength at this portion is increased, and the effect of suppressing deformation can be obtained.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the length of the constant height portion of the rib has at least a length corresponding to the upper end to the lower end of the electrode plate surface, and the electrode plate group can be held more stably. It becomes possible.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the upper end of the inclined portion of the long rib is 0 to 30 from the upper end of the inner wall of the battery case or the partition wall.
mm, so that the strength of the partition wall can be increased to suppress the deformation of the partition wall at the time of heat welding between the battery case and the lid.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the projection height of the constant height portion of the rib is 3 mm or more. With this configuration, the effect of the present invention can be more remarkably obtained.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a battery case of a lead storage battery for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The battery case 1 is partitioned into six cell chambers 3 by partition walls 2. The partition wall 2 and the inner wall 4 of the battery case facing the partition wall 2 are provided with four ribs 5, 6 in the vertical direction of the battery case. The ribs 5 and 6 have constant height portions 5b and 6b, respectively, having a constant protrusion height and are connected to the constant height portions 5b and 6b so that the protrusion height decreases toward the battery case upward (the protrusion direction increases toward the battery case downward direction). ) Includes inclined portions 5a and 6a having an inclination. Here the ribs 5 on the left and right sides
Is longer than the rib length (L6) at the center. That is, L5> L6. When the angles formed by the inclined portions 5a and 6a, the partition wall 2 and the inner wall of the battery case 4 are θ ₅ and θ ₆ respectively, θ ₅
<It is an θ _6.

According to such a configuration, when the electrode plate group 7 is inserted into the cell chamber 3 as shown in FIG. The displacement in the left-right direction can be suppressed, and all the ribs do not abut on the electrode group, so that the insertion resistance of the electrode group into the cell chamber can be minimized. In the process of inserting the electrode group into the cell chamber, the electrode group 7 is compressed from the initial thickness while the electrode group 7 is in contact with the inclined portion 5a of the rib 5, and finally the ribs 5 and 6 are fixed. The dimension X is between the high portions 5b and 6b. At this time, the inclination angle θ ₅ of the rib ₅ is smaller than the inclination angle θ ₆ of the rib 6 and is more acute, so that the inclined portion 5a when the electrode group is inserted and the bottom of the electrode group come into contact with each other. The stress applied to the group is reduced, the resistance during insertion is reduced, and the electrode group can be smoothly inserted into the cell chamber. As a result, it is possible to suppress a short circuit inside the electrode group and a decrease in the capacity of the storage battery due to such damage without damaging the electrode plate 8 and the separator 9 constituting the electrode group.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a state where the electrode group 7 is inserted into the battery case 1 shown in FIG. Constant height portions 5a of the ribs 5, 6;
6a needs to have a length which can be held from the upper end to the lower end of the electrode plate 8 constituting the electrode plate group 7. In addition, a plurality of electrode plates 8 are collectively welded to the electrode plate group, and a shelf 15 serving as a connection portion with an adjacent cell or a connection portion to an external terminal is present. It is needless to say that the position of the rib 5 is set so as not to interfere with the shelf 15. In particular, when the height h of the constant height portions 5a, 6a of the ribs 5, 6 is 3 mm or more, the effect of the present invention can be remarkably obtained. Upper end 5c of inclined portion 5a and inner wall 4 of battery case or partition wall 2
Is preferably set in the range of 0 to 30 mm in order to obtain the effect of the present invention more remarkably.

After the electrode group 7 is housed in the battery case 1, connection between the cells is made through holes 10 provided in the partition wall 2.
Thereafter, the lid is heat-welded to the opening of the battery case 1 to form a terminal portion, and then the electrolyte is injected. Then, the formation battery is formed by the energization to form the storage battery of the present invention.

(Second Embodiment) A second embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a battery case of a lead storage battery for a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The fact that the battery case 11 is divided into six cell chambers 13 by the partition wall 12 is no different from the first embodiment.
The difference from the first embodiment lies in the arrangement of a plurality of parallel ribs in the vertical direction provided on the partition wall 12 and the inner wall 14 of the battery case opposed thereto. In the second embodiment, five ribs are formed on each wall surface. The rib 16 located at the center is formed longer than the other ribs 17. Both the ribs 16 and 17 are provided with constant height portions 16b and 17b in which the rib protrusion height is constant, and sloped portions 16a and 17a in which the rib protrusion height decreases continuously upward from the battery case 11.

The angle formed by the inclined portion 16a and the inner wall 14 or the partition wall 12 is θ16, and the angle formed by the inclined portion 17a and the inner wall 14 or the partition wall 12 is θ17.
In this case, the angle θ16 corresponding to the longer rib 16 is smaller than the angle θ17 corresponding to the shorter rib 17, and is made to be more acute. The inclined portion 16 of the long rib 16
The dimension X between the upper end 16c of the line a and the upper ends of the battery case inner wall 14 and the partition wall 12 is 0 to 30 mm. With such a configuration, the strength of the central portion of the partition wall 12 increases, and deformation of the partition wall 12 in the Z direction that occurs when the battery case 11 and the lid are thermally welded can be suppressed. As in the first embodiment, when the protrusion height of the ribs 16 and 17 exceeds 3 mm, the effect of the present invention can be more remarkably obtained. The steps after the thermal welding of the battery case 11 and the lid are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0022]

EXAMPLE Using a battery case of a storage battery according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention and a conventional battery case, an electrode plate group was inserted into the battery case, and the occurrence of process defects was investigated. As the battery case of the storage battery according to the first embodiment, the battery case 1 shown in FIG.
The battery case 11 shown in FIG. 3 was used as the battery case according to the second embodiment. Also, the upper ends 5c, 16c of the long ribs 5, 16 and the inner walls 2, 12 and the partition walls 4,
The distance from the upper end of 14 (X dimension) was 10 mm. In addition, the angles θ5 and θ16 of the upper ends of the inclined portions 5a and 16a of the long ribs 5 and 16 are each set to 5 °, and the angle of the inclined portions 6a and 17a of the short ribs 6 and 17 with respect to the partition walls 2 and 12 is set. θ6 and θ17 were both set to 30 °. The length of the long ribs 5 and 16 was 163 mm, and the length of the short ribs 6 and 17 was 120 mm. As the conventional battery case, the battery case 18 shown in FIG. 4 was used.

The length of the rib 19 of the conventional battery case 18 is 12
The angle θ19 between the inclined portion 19a and the inner wall 21 or the partition wall 20 was 30 °. In addition, the constant height portions 5b, 6b, 16 of the ribs of all the containers 1, 11, 18
The lengths of b, 17b, and 19b are the same, and are dimensions that cover at least the upper and lower ends of the electrode plate. Regarding the storage battery cases 1 and 11 according to the present invention and the storage battery case 18 according to the conventional example, the constant height portions 5b, 6b, 16b, 1
The electrode plate group insertion failure rate was measured by changing the protrusion height of 7b and 19b from 1 mm to 8 mm every 1 mm. As an evaluation method, an insertion test was performed in the process with the number of electrode plates for a total of 60 cells for a total of 10 electrodes, and the defective insertion ratio of the electrode plates was confirmed. These results are shown in FIG. Note that the thickness of the electrode group was changed in accordance with the change in the protruding height of the rib, and care was taken so that the relationship between the rib dimension corresponding to the thickness of the electrode group and the thickness of the electrode group was constant.

As can be seen from the results shown in FIG. 5, the electrode plate insertion defect rate is 0 by the structure of the present invention, and it has been found that stable productivity can be ensured. As is apparent from this result, the effect is extremely high even if only one long rib is provided at the center. The effect of the present invention is particularly effective when the protrusion height of the rib is 3 mm or more.

The upper end of the long rib provided in another experiment is 30 mm from the welded portion (upper end of the partition wall) between the battery case and the lid.
It was found that an effect of suppressing the deformation of the partition wall at the time of heat welding can be obtained if it is within the range described above.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, an example of a lead storage battery for an automobile has been described, but the present invention is not particularly limited to a lead storage battery.

[0027]

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention,
It is possible to suppress the occurrence of electrode group insertion failure in the step of inserting the electrode group into the storage battery case, and to prevent a short-circuit inside the electrode group caused by the failure or a decrease in the storage battery capacity due to damage to the electrode plate. , To enhance the productivity and performance of the storage battery.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a battery case of a storage battery according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section of a main part of the storage battery according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a battery case of a storage battery according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a battery case of a conventional storage battery.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a defect rate when an electrode group is inserted when a battery case of a storage battery according to the present embodiment and a conventional example is used.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 battery case 2 partition wall 3 cell room 4 battery case inner wall 5 rib 5a inclined portion 5b constant height portion 5c upper end 6 rib 6a inclined portion 6b constant height portion 7 electrode plate group 8 electrode plate 9 separator 10 hole 11 battery container 12 partition wall Reference Signs List 13 cell room 14 inner wall of battery case 15 shelf 16 rib 16a inclined portion 16b constant height portion 17 rib 17a inclined portion 17b constant height portion 18 battery case 19 rib 19a inclined portion 19b constant height portion 20 partition wall 21 battery container inner wall

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A battery case, comprising: a battery case divided into a plurality of cells by partition walls; and a plate group in which positive / negative plates and separators housed in the battery case are laminated, and the battery case faces the plate surface. The inner wall and the partition wall have a plurality of parallel ribs in a vertical direction, the ribs are inclined downward in the battery case, and the rib height is increased, and the rib height is continuous with the inclined portion. When the sum of the lengths of the inclined portion and the constant height portion is defined as the rib length, at least one of the plurality of ribs has a length greater than that of the other ribs. A storage battery characterized by being elongated. 2. A rib inclination angle, which is an angle formed between the inclined portion of the rib and the inner wall or partition wall of the battery case, is such that the inclination angle of a long rib is more acute than the inclination angle of other ribs. Item 7. The storage battery according to Item 1. 3. The ribs located at the left and right ends are longer than the ribs of the other ribs.
Alternatively, the storage battery according to 2. 4. The rib of the central portion has a rib length longer than that of the other ribs.
A storage battery according to claim 1. 5. The fixed height portion has a length at least from the upper end to the lower end of the electrode plate surface.
The storage battery according to any one of 2, 3, and 4. 6. The storage battery according to claim 1, wherein an upper end of the long rib is in a range of 0 to 30 mm from an upper end of the inner wall of the battery case or the partition wall. 7. The storage battery according to claim 1, wherein the constant height portion of the rib has a projection height of 3 mm or more.