JP2001210294A - Packed batteries - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To minimize the outer shape of packed batteries in an extremely unique structure for storing a protecting element in a storage space. SOLUTION: The packed batteries are a plurality of cylindrical batteries 1 neighboring one another which are stored in a case 2 in at least three lines, first, second and third lines. The second-line cylindrical batteries 1 are arranged in a space between the third-line and first-line cylindrical batteries 1. The packed batteries contains a spacer 3 arranged in a third-line outermost space 5 between the third-line cylindrical batteries 1, whereby the second-line outermost battery 1A in the second line, arranged in the third-line outermost space 5, is separated from the third-line outermost space 5. An enlarged outermost space 6 is formed between the third-line and first-line outermost batteries by the second-line outermost battery 1A, where a protecting element 4 is arranged.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery pack containing a plurality of cylindrical batteries in a case, and more particularly to a battery pack having a battery protection element built in the case.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is important to make a battery pack as compact as possible. It is also important to protect the battery by housing a protection element for protecting the battery. In particular, the cost of a battery pack containing a large number of large-capacity batteries is high, so it is important to protect the battery with a protection element and charge and discharge it to prevent deterioration in battery performance and extend its life. . The performance of a battery is significantly reduced when used in a bad environment such as overcurrent, overcharge, overdischarge, or abnormal temperature rise. A battery pack with a built-in protection element detects the operating environment of the battery and controls the operating state of the battery in a bad environment to protect the battery.

[0003]

A battery pack in which the protection element protects the environment in which the battery is used requires a space for accommodating the protection element, and therefore has a large outer shape. In particular, battery packs with large-capacity protection elements need to provide a dedicated space to store the protection elements.
The outer shape becomes larger. Further, if the protection element is forcibly stored in a narrow space of a battery pack containing a large and heavy battery, the protection element may be pushed by the battery and cause a failure.
Failure of the protection element renders the battery unusable in a favorable environment and significantly shortens the life of the battery.

The present invention has been developed to solve these drawbacks, and an important object of the present invention is to provide an extremely sophisticated and unique structure that minimizes the size of the external form. Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack in which a storage space for a protection element is provided and a protection element can be stored therein.

[0005]

The battery pack of the present invention comprises:
The plurality of cylindrical batteries 1 are housed in the case 2 adjacent to each other in three or more rows including a third row, a second row, and a first row, and the cylindrical batteries 1 in the second row are placed in the third row. It is disposed between the valleys of the cylindrical battery 1 in the row and the first row. Further, in the battery pack, the spacers 3 are arranged in the outermost valleys 5 of the third row of the cylindrical batteries 1 arranged in the third row, and are arranged in the outermost valleys 3 of the third row with the spacers 3. The second row outermost batteries 1A arranged in the second row are separated from the third row outermost valleys 5,
An extended outermost space 6 is provided between the outermost batteries in the third row and the first row by the outermost row battery 1A, and the protection element 4 is disposed in the outermost expanded space 6.

In the battery pack of the present invention, the spacer 3
It can be plate-shaped or rod-shaped. The plate-shaped or rod-shaped spacer 3 has a simple structure and can reliably separate the second-row outermost battery 1A from the third-row outermost valley 5.

Further, in the battery pack of the present invention, preferably, the width of the protection element 4 is smaller than the interval between the outermost enlarged spaces 6. This battery pack can effectively prevent the protection element 4 from being strongly sandwiched between the cylindrical batteries 1 on both sides and failing.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments described below illustrate a battery pack for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention does not specify the battery pack as follows.

Further, in this specification, in order to make it easy to understand the claims, the numbers corresponding to the members shown in the embodiments will be referred to as "claims" and "claims". In the column of “means”.
However, the members described in the claims are not limited to the members of the embodiments.

In the battery pack having the external shape shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of cylindrical batteries 1 are arranged adjacent to each other in a first row and a second row, as shown in FIGS. The battery pack shown in the figure is stored in the case 2 in three or more rows including the third row and the fourth row. Further, in the battery pack shown in the figure, the cylindrical batteries 1 in the second row are arranged in the valleys of the cylindrical batteries 1 arranged in the first and third rows.

Further, in the battery pack shown in the figure, spacers 3 are arranged in the outermost valleys 5 of the third row of the cylindrical batteries 1 arranged in the third row. The spacer 3 separates the second row outermost valleys 1A arranged in the second row arranged in the third row outermost valley 5 from the third row outermost valley 5, and
A, an enlarged outermost space 6 is provided between the outermost batteries in the third row and the first row, and the protection element 4 is arranged in the enlarged outermost space 6.

The spacer 3 shown in the figure has a cylindrical shape, and has a prismatic protection element 7 connected to one end. The protection element 7 is connected to the spacer 3 so as to contact the surface of the cylindrical battery 1 in the third row and not to contact the cylindrical battery 1 in the second row. The columnar spacer 3 is a cylindrical battery 1 in the third row.
Is disposed in the outermost valley 5 of the third row, and the second row of outermost batteries 1A
Is moved away from the outermost valley 5 in the third row, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. As the outer shape of the spacer 3 increases, the outermost battery 1A in the second row can be farther from the outermost valley 5 in the third row. The outer shape of the spacer 3 is large enough to accommodate the protection element 4 in the enlarged outermost space 6.

Further, the protection element 4 housed in the outermost enlarged space 6 expanded by the spacer 3 is slightly narrower than the width of the outermost enlarged space 6, and the cylindrical batteries 1 in the first and third rows are arranged. It is better not to touch both. The protection element 4 in the enlarged outermost space 6 is
If the cylindrical battery 1 is sandwiched in contact with both the first and third rows of the cylindrical batteries 1, the cylindrical battery 1 may cause a failure by sandwiching both sides of the protection element 4. In particular, when a battery pack containing a large and heavy cylindrical battery is sandwiched between the cylindrical batteries in the first and third rows due to vibration or the like, the battery is pressed with a considerably strong force to the protective battery. May have a negative effect. The width of the protection element 4 is made smaller than the enlarged outermost space 6 so that the protection element 4 contacts only one of the cylindrical batteries 1 in the first and third rows, and the protection element 4 is in the first and third rows. It can be prevented that the battery 1 is strongly pinched.

The protection element 4 having a width smaller than the width of the outermost enlarged space 6 is fixed to the cylindrical battery 1 in one or both of the first and third rows with an adhesive having a buffering action, for example. Fixed in position.

The battery pack according to the present invention is characterized in that the width of the enlarged outermost space 6 is widened by the spacers 3. The cylindrical battery 1 in the second row is divided into the third row and the first row. The battery pack arranged between the valleys of the cylindrical battery 1 has the outermost space between the first and third rows as shown by the dashed line in FIG. Can. However, the width of the outermost space formed in this state is specified by the outer shape of the cylindrical battery 1. The present invention is characterized in that the outermost space that can be originally formed is expanded to the position shown by the solid line by arranging the spacers 3 in the outermost valleys 5 of the third row, and storing the protection element 4 therein. I do.

In order to enlarge the originally existing outermost space with the spacers 3, the cylindrical batteries 1 in the second row are slightly separated from the outermost valleys 5 in the third row by the spacers 3.
The width of the outermost enlarged space 6 can be considerably increased. For example, the battery pack shown in FIG.
The diameter of the spacer 3 is about three times as large as that of the spacer 3.

Further, in the battery pack shown in FIG. 4, the plate-shaped spacers 3 are disposed so as to bridge the third row outermost valleys 5, and the enlarged outermost space 6 is widened widely. In this battery pack, the width of the outermost enlarged space 6 can be extremely wide, at least five times the thickness of the spacer 3.

The battery pack shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 further has a protection element 8 disposed outside the cylindrical battery 1 in the first row. The built-in protection element 8 protects the battery from overcurrent, overcharge, overdischarge, and abnormal temperature rise. The protection element that protects the battery from overcurrent is a fuse or a PTC. The protection element that protects against overcharge or overdischarge is an electronic circuit that detects the voltage of the battery and cuts off the current when the battery is fully charged or completely discharged. Furthermore, the protection element that protects the battery from temperature rise,
PTC and thermistor.

In the battery packs shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the cylindrical batteries 1 are connected in series by leads 9. Lead 9
The first, second, and third rows of cylindrical batteries 1 are connected in series, and are further connected in series. However, the battery pack of the present invention may be connected in parallel without connecting all the cylindrical batteries in series, or may be connected in series and in parallel. The cylindrical batteries 1 connected in series by the leads 9 are arranged so as not to be displaced in the valley in a state where they are connected to each other.

[0020]

The battery pack according to the present invention has a feature that the protection device can be stored in the storage space for the protection device by minimizing the increase in the outer shape and providing a storage space for the protection device. that is,
The battery pack of the present invention comprises a plurality of cylindrical batteries arranged in a third row or more adjacent to each other, and
The spacers are disposed between the valleys of the cylindrical batteries in the row and the first row, and the spacers are disposed between the outermost valleys in the third row of the cylindrical batteries arranged in the third row. By separating the second row outermost battery disposed in the outermost valley from the third row outermost valley, an enlarged outermost space is provided between the outermost batteries in the third row and the first row. This is because the protection element is provided in the outermost space of the expansion. The battery pack of the present invention
With this unique structure, which is extremely clever, it is possible to easily and easily realize a feature that the protection element can be stored in a space-saving manner while minimizing the size increase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the battery pack shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the battery pack shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the internal structure of a battery pack according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cylindrical battery 1A ... 2nd row outermost battery 2 ... Case 3 ... Spacer 4 ... Protective element 5 ... 3rd row outermost valley 6 ... Enlarged outermost space 7 ... Protective element 8 ... Protective element 9 ... Lead

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Masaya Nakano 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5H030 AA09 FF69

Claims (3)

[Claims] A plurality of cylindrical batteries (1) are housed in a case (2) arranged adjacent to each other in three or more rows including a third row, a second row, and a first row, and In the battery pack having the cylindrical batteries (1) arranged in the third row and the valley between the cylindrical batteries (1) in the first row, the third type of the cylindrical batteries (1) arranged in the third row Row outermost valley (5)
The outermost battery (1A) in the second row arranged in the second row arranged in the outermost valley (5) in the third row is arranged in the third row by the spacer (3). Separated from the outermost valley (5),
An outermost expanded space (6) is provided between the outermost batteries in the third and first rows by the outermost battery (1A) in the second row, and a protection element (4) is provided in the outermost expanded space (6). The battery pack is arranged. 2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the spacer (3) has a plate shape or a rod shape. 3. The width of the protection element (4) is increased by increasing the outermost space.
2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the interval is smaller than the interval of (6).