JP2005285453A - Power unit and power module constituting power unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power unit or the like whose overall size can be made smaller and which facilitates adjustment of power output. <P>SOLUTION: The power unit comprises a plurality of power modules each having a plurality of approximately parallel cells each comprising one or more unit cells connected together in a straight line, the parallel cells being connected together in series or in parallel and enclosed in a cassette holder. The plurality of power modules are interconnected approximately parallel to one another to constitute a power module block. Using the power module block the power unit can supply the power needed to drive a motor-driven device. The power module block has a first surface and a second surface perpendicular to and smaller in area than the first surface. The electrode surface of each cell faces the first surface and the power modules can be connected to one another in parallel and in sequence in the direction perpendicular to the second surface. In this way an increase in volume due to the addition of the power modules is reduced and the power unit can be finely adjusted to match the space for installing it and the power output. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention mainly relates to a power supply device suitable for discharging a large current and a power supply module constituting the power supply device. In particular, the present invention supplies power to a motor driven by a large current, such as a hybrid car or an electric vehicle. The present invention relates to a power supply device that drives an electric device such as a vehicle.

  The power supply device can increase the output current by increasing the number of power supply modules in which batteries or unit cells are connected in series or in parallel, and can increase the output voltage by the number of series connected in series. In particular, in a power supply device used in applications requiring high output, for example, vehicles such as automobiles, bicycles, and tools, a structure in which a plurality of batteries are connected in series to increase output can be employed. For example, a high-current, high-output power supply device used for a power supply for driving a motor for driving a car further increases the output voltage by further connecting a power supply module in which a plurality of batteries are connected in series. . This is to increase the output of the drive motor. The power supply device used for this type of application adjusts the output by the number of power supply modules to be connected. A power supply device that requires high output is connected to a large number of power supply modules. Currently, a power supply device mounted on a hybrid car configures a power supply module by connecting six nickel-hydrogen batteries in series. This power supply module is built in the holder case, and the power supply modules are connected in series. A power supply device incorporating 24 power supply modules in a holder case has 144 nickel-hydrogen batteries connected in series, resulting in a rated output voltage of about 170V. Furthermore, a power supply device that requires high output increases the number of power supply modules connected in series to increase the output voltage. A power supply device mounted on a vehicle such as a hybrid car needs to be optimally designed for the output voltage depending on the size of the vehicle and the output of the motor. For this reason, the number of power supply modules incorporated in the power supply device varies depending on the application.

  The output of the power supply device depends on the number of batteries used. In the conventional power supply device, the holder case is designed exclusively according to the number of power supply modules to be stored. In this power supply device, all power supply modules are housed in a holder case, and the power supply modules are connected in series by a bus bar. With this structure, the number of power supply modules stored in the holder case cannot be changed. For this reason, it is necessary to manufacture a holder case designed exclusively for each use, and there is a drawback that the manufacturing cost of the power supply device that changes the output voltage is increased.

  Furthermore, a power supply device incorporating a large number of power supply modules also has a drawback that it takes time for maintenance. In a power supply device incorporating a large number of power supply modules, all power supply modules do not deteriorate in the same manner, and a specific power supply module deteriorates. In this state, it is necessary to search for a deteriorated power supply module and replace it. In a power supply device in which all power supply modules are stored in a single holder case, it is difficult to easily replace a deteriorated power supply module.

In contrast, the present applicant has developed a power supply module as shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 25 (Patent Document 1). As shown in the vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 26, this power supply module is connected by stacking a plurality of units up and down, thereby facilitating increase / decrease and replacement of the module. This makes it possible to adjust the power output and facilitate replacement. However, in this configuration, as shown in FIG. 27, it is necessary to provide an air duct for supplying cooling air for cooling the battery between the modules when the power supply modules are stacked. When such an air duct is provided for each power supply module, there is a problem that the power supply apparatus becomes larger in the vertical direction as the number of power supply modules increases, and the apparatus becomes larger. In particular, when a cylindrical battery is used as a power source, the space efficiency is worse than that of a square battery or the like, and therefore, the use of a large number of batteries requires further downsizing of the apparatus.
JP 2004-031248 A

  The present invention has been developed for the purpose of solving such problems, and the main object of the present invention is to provide a power supply device that can reduce the overall size and easily adjust the power supply output. An object of the present invention is to provide a power supply module constituting a power supply device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the power supply device of the present invention includes a plurality of battery cells in which one or more single cells are connected in a straight line, arranged in parallel, and these battery cells are connected in series or in parallel. A power supply device configured to connect a plurality of power supply modules built in a cassette holder to each other substantially in parallel to form a power supply module block, and to supply power for driving an electric device by the power supply module block. The first surface has a second surface that is orthogonal to the first surface and has a smaller area than the first surface, and the electrode surface of the battery cell faces the first surface. The power supply modules can be sequentially connected in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the second surface. With this configuration, the volume increment due to the addition of the power supply module is reduced, and the power supply device can be finely adjusted according to the arrangement space and the power supply output.

  In the other power supply device of the present invention, the first surface is the surface having the largest area among the surfaces constituting the power module block. With this configuration, the volume increment due to the addition of the power supply module is reduced, and the power supply device can be finely adjusted according to the arrangement space and the power supply output.

Furthermore, in another power supply device of the present invention, the first surface faces the air duct.
With this configuration, the space for the air duct can be reduced, which can contribute to the miniaturization of the power supply device. In particular, there is no need to provide a large number of air ducts in the direction in which the cooling air flows.

  Furthermore, another power supply device of the present invention connects the surface of the cassette holder of the power supply module to the side face that is parallel to the second face when the power supply module block is configured, and the opposite face of the adjacent power supply module. A module connecting member is provided. With this configuration, power supply modules can be connected by connecting power supply modules, and the power supply output and size required by the increase or decrease of the same type of power supply modules can be accommodated without designing a dedicated casing according to the power supply output. it can. In particular, the module connecting member can be suitably used by adopting a structure that can be connected without providing another member such as a screw or an adhesive.

  Furthermore, in another power supply device of the present invention, the module connecting member is provided on the surface of the cassette holder by integral molding. With this configuration, the module connecting member can be provided on the surface of the cassette holder at a low cost.

  Furthermore, another power supply apparatus of the present invention includes a base frame for fixing the power supply module, and a fixture for fixing the power supply module to the base frame is provided in the cassette holder of the power supply module. With this configuration, the power supply modules can be easily fixed on the base frame, and the power supply module blocks are stably connected on the base frame by fixing the individual power supply modules.

  Furthermore, in another power supply device of the present invention, a fixing strip having a protruding section that protrudes from the bottom surface of the base frame is provided on the base frame, and the power supply module is placed on the top surface of the fixing strip. An air duct is formed between the bottom surface of the power supply module and the power supply module. With this configuration, the cross section of the base frame can be bent to increase the strength, and an air duct for cooling the power supply module can be formed at the bent portion at the same time.

  Furthermore, another power supply device of the present invention includes a fastening band for fastening the power supply module block. With this configuration, the connected state of the power supply module block is reliably maintained.

  Furthermore, in another power supply device of the present invention, a guide for guiding the fastening band is provided on the surface of the cassette holder. With this configuration, the fastening band can be prevented from being displaced or detached, and the power supply module block can be reliably connected by the action of the fastening band.

  The power supply module of the present invention is a power supply module that constitutes a power supply device capable of supplying electric power for driving an electric device, and connects at least one unit cell in series along the longitudinal direction of the unit cell. A battery cell that is electrically connected between the end faces of the unit cells where electrodes of different polarities are exposed, and an even number of battery cells that are held in a state of being arranged substantially parallel to the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the unit cell In the cassette holder and the cassette holder, electrodes of different polarities are exposed on the end faces of adjacent battery cells arranged in parallel so that an even number of battery cells are connected in series, and the electrode surfaces are substantially parallel. And a conductive bus bar for fixing the surfaces to be electrically connected. The cassette holder is a direction perpendicular to the second surface of the power supply module block configured by connecting the power supply modules perpendicular to the first surface facing the electrode surface of the battery cell and having a smaller area than the first surface. In addition, a module connecting member for sequentially connecting the power supply modules in parallel is provided. With this configuration, the volume increment due to the addition of the power supply module is reduced, and the power supply device can be finely adjusted according to the arrangement space and the power supply output.

  As described above, according to the power supply device of the present invention and the power supply module constituting the power supply device, it is possible to easily cope with increase / decrease in the number of batteries used and power supply output by blocking the cassette holder and connecting the holders. For this reason, it is possible to flexibly cope with different power output at low cost by using the same type of cassette holder. Also, wiring and the like can be performed only on one side by positioning both the positive and negative electrodes of the electrode terminals on one end surface of the cassette holder. Further, if the cassette holder is hinged, these connections and battery cells can be easily held, which leads to a reduction in the number of assembly steps and can contribute to cost reduction. Furthermore, the bus bar attachment process can be simplified by insert-molding the bus bar for connecting the batteries to the cassette holder in advance. In this way, the work of assembling the power supply module can be simplified and the work load can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below exemplifies a power supply device and a power supply module constituting the power supply device for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention constitutes the power supply device and the power supply device. The power supply module is not specified as follows. Further, in this specification, for easy understanding of the scope of claims, the numbers corresponding to the members shown in the embodiments are referred to as “claims column” and “means for solving the problems”. It is added to the members shown in the column. However, the members shown in the claims are not limited to the members in the embodiments. Note that the size, positional relationship, and the like of the members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for clarity of explanation. Furthermore, in the following description, the same name and symbol indicate the same or the same members, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, each element constituting the present invention may be configured such that a plurality of elements are constituted by the same member and the plurality of elements are shared by one member, and conversely, the function of one member is constituted by a plurality of members. It can also be realized by sharing.

An example of the power supply module which comprises the power supply device which concerns on one embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGS. 1 is a perspective view of the power supply module 100, FIG. 2 is a plan view, FIG. 3 is a side view, and FIG. 4 is a front view. The power supply module 100 shown in these drawings holds a total of eight unit cells 1 in a cassette holder 10. One or more unit cells 1 are arranged in a straight line in the longitudinal direction to constitute a battery cell 2. These unit cells 1 can be connected in series by fixing the positive electrode and the negative electrode in an electrically connected state at the end faces of the unit cells 1. Further, an O-ring 3 (described later) is provided to protect the connecting portion between the single cells 1. A plurality of battery cells 2 configured in this manner are arranged in parallel and electrically connected to each other to constitute the power supply module 100. In the example of FIG. 1, four battery cells 2 including two single cells are arranged side by side. However, the number of single cells 1 or battery cells 2 depends on the output, size, etc. required for one power supply module 100. It is set accordingly. For example, it is possible to use a single battery or battery cell. Although all the cells are connected in series in this embodiment, it goes without saying that a parallel connection or a combination of a series connection and a parallel connection is also possible.
(Single cell 1)

The unit cell 1 uses a rechargeable secondary battery or a supercapacitor having a large capacitance. As such a secondary battery, a nickel-hydrogen battery, a lithium ion battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or the like can be used. Since the lithium ion battery has a large charge capacity, a sufficient use time can be ensured without causing a shortage of capacity even in applications requiring a large current. In these figures, the unit cell 1 is a cylindrical battery. However, a square battery or a thin battery can be used as the unit cell.
(Cassette holder 10)

The cassette holder 10 has sufficient strength so that the battery cell 2 held inside can be protected from vibration and external force. For example, a plastic made of a molding material such as plastic, ceramic, or metal and having an insulating property can be suitably used. In the case of using plastic, a type that increases the strength by mixing glass fibers such as glass fibers is preferable. On the other hand, when a metal cassette holder is used, an insulating structure for preventing a short circuit of the battery cell 2 is provided. Metal cassette holders have excellent thermal conductivity and can improve heat dissipation characteristics.
(Cassette holder fitting structure)

  The cassette holder 10 is divided into a pair of cover pieces 12, and holds the battery cell 2 from both sides by connecting the upper and lower cover pieces 12A, 12B. Such a fitting structure of the cassette holder 10 is shown in FIGS. 5 is a perspective view of the battery cell 2 set with the upper cover piece 12A opened, and FIG. 6 is a front view thereof. The upper cover piece 12A and the lower cover piece 12B are formed in the same shape so as to accommodate the battery cells 2 in which the unit cells 1 are connected in a straight line. Specifically, the cassette holder 10 has a position fitting portion 14 that holds the battery cell 2 in a positioned state on the inner surface. The position fitting part 14 clamps and holds the side surface of the battery cell 2. The position fitting portion 14 is designed to have a size and shape that can reliably hold the cell 1 depending on the shape of the cell 1 to be held. In the example shown in the figure, an arcuate fitting groove having substantially the same size as this is provided so as to hold the periphery of the cylindrical battery. The fitting groove is semicircular so as to hold the battery cell 2 from above and below by the upper cover piece 12A and the lower cover piece 12B.

  Further, a fitting protrusion 16 is projected between adjacent cylindrical battery cells 2. Adjacent battery cells 2 are partitioned by the fitting protrusions 16 to insulate and securely hold the battery cells 2 from external impacts.

  Note that the position-fitting portion 14 does not necessarily need to be completely coincident with the side surface of the battery cell 2, and it is preferable to provide a cooling path for cooling the battery cell 2 by providing a slight gap. In the present embodiment, a part of the positioning fitting portion 14 is protruded to be a support convex portion 18, and the support convex portion 18 is held so as to be partially pressed against the side surface of the battery cell 2, so that it is non-contact The battery cell 2 in the cassette holder 10 can be effectively cooled by using the portion as a cooling path. The support protrusions 18 preferably hold the battery cell 2 on the circumference of the battery cell 2 substantially uniformly at four locations.

  Further, the cassette holder 10 divided into the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B is provided with a bent connecting portion 20 and a connecting hook 22 for easily opening and closing the cover piece 12. The bent connecting portion 20 connects the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B formed in substantially the same shape at one end side and opens and closes in a pivot shape. The bent connecting portion 20 is configured such that the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B are fixed in advance by a movable piece such as a hinge, or the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B are integrally molded to be thick at the bent portion. It is possible to use a configuration that can be bent with a thin configuration. In particular, the structure in which the cassette holder 10 is integrally molded with plastic is preferable because the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B and the bent connecting portion 20 can be molded with a single mold.

  On the other hand, the connecting hook 22 is provided at the end opposite to the bent connecting portion 20 and fixes the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B in a closed state. The connection hook 22 preferably has a fitting structure capable of connecting the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B without using another member such as a screw. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a hook piece is provided at the tip of one cover piece 12 in a key shape, and the other cover piece 12 is locked at a position corresponding to the hook piece. Steps are provided. Such a fitting structure such as a hook piece and a stepped portion is preferably formed by integral molding with the cover piece 12.

As described above, the cassette holder 10 having a structure in which the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B are connected in advance in a single-opening manner and can be easily fixed by the connecting hook 22 has an advantage that assembly work can be easily performed. In particular, in the case of a fitting structure with claws, a fixing member such as a screw or a screwing operation, compared to a structure in which a cassette holder as a separate member separated into an upper case and a lower case is fixed by screwing as in the prior art, A special tool or the like is not required, and the battery cell can be incorporated and fixed in the cassette holder very easily, which is preferable in terms of cost and workability. However, the fixing of the cassette holder is not limited to the fitting structure, and a fixing method by heat welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesive, screw screwing, or the like can also be adopted. Even in the method using screws, since one side of the upper and lower cover pieces 12A and 12B is already fixed, there is an advantage that the screwing work can be halved.
(O-ring 3)

  A plurality of O-rings 3 are mounted on the surface of the battery cell 2 at a predetermined interval. The O-ring 3 is preferably provided in a plurality of portions in the middle portion of the battery cell 2. The O-ring 3 is a rubber-like elastic body that can be elastically deformed, and has a circular sectional shape, or an elliptical shape or a polygonal sectional shape although not shown. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the O-ring 3 is sandwiched between the battery cell 2 and the position fitting part 14 of the cassette holder 10, and the battery cell 2 is attached to the position fitting part 14. To do. The O-ring 3 has an inner diameter slightly smaller than or equal to the outer diameter of the battery cell 2 and is in close contact with the surface of the battery cell 2 without a gap. The O-ring 3 has a buffering action. For this reason, the O-ring 3 sandwiched between the battery cell 2 and the cassette holder 10 can absorb the vibration of the cassette holder 10 fixed to a vehicle such as an automobile and reduce the vibration of the battery cell 2. Further, the battery cell 2 is firmly fixed to the cassette holder 10 without a gap.

The battery cell 2 with the O-ring 3 is mounted in a state where it can be securely held in the cassette holder 10 with a simple structure. This is because, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cassette holder 10 can be firmly fixed by being inserted into the fitting groove provided as the position fitting portion 14. The conventional holder case has a complicated mounting structure for fixing the power supply module. In this mounting structure, a rib is provided on the inner surface of the holder case in a direction orthogonal to the power supply module. The rib is provided with an arch-shaped recess for fitting the power supply module. Further, a complicated fixing structure for fixing the elastic rubber is formed along the arch-shaped recess. On the other hand, the battery cell 2 with the O-ring 3 is formed so that the position fitting part 14 is formed into a groove having a simple structure, and the battery cell 2 is held firmly through the O-ring 3 so as not to vibrate. Can be fixed.
(Bus bar insert molding)

  The battery cells 2 built in the cassette holder need to be electrically connected to each other. Conventionally, after fixing the battery cells to the cassette holder, the bus bar is fixed by screwing or welding in order to connect the battery cells in series at the end face of the cassette holder. This method has a problem that the number of assembling steps is increased and time is required. Therefore, in the present embodiment, by arranging the bus bar in the cassette holder in advance, the trouble of fixing the bus bar in the subsequent process is saved. 7 to 9 show an example of a cassette holder 10B provided with a bus bar 24 in advance as another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cassette holder 10B in which the bus bar 24 is insert-molded, FIG. 8 is a front view of the cassette holder 10B, and FIG. Show. The cassette holder 10B shown in these drawings has a bus bar 24 inserted when it is molded from plastic. The bus bar 24 is a conductive plate that electrically connects the electrodes exposed on the end faces of the adjacent battery cells 2 at the shortest distance. Preferably, a metal plate having excellent battery conductivity is used. In a state where the battery cell 2 is set in the cassette holder 10B, the bus bar 24 is placed inside the end face of the cassette holder 10B so that the electrode of the battery cell 2 contacts the bus bar 24 and electrically connects the adjacent battery cells 2 to each other. Positioned and fixed in advance. A pressing plate 26 for protecting the bus bar 24 from the outside is integrally formed on the end surface of the cassette holder 10B. The holding plate 26 has a smaller area than the bus bar 24 so that the bus bar 24 is exposed from the cassette holder 10B and functions as an electrode of the power supply module. For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the end surface of the cassette holder 10B opens the end surface of each battery cell 2, that is, the portion facing the electrode portion. A presser plate 26 is formed by integral molding at a location where electrical connection is required, and protrudes from the opening surface. As shown in the enlarged view of the main part in FIG. 9, the pressing plate 26 straddles between the battery cells 2 and presses the bus bar 24 from the outside to the terminal side of the battery cell 2. In particular, the pressing plate 26 integrally formed with the plastic cassette holder 10B is elastically deformed and presses the bus bar 24 against the electrode, so that the electrical connection of this portion can be ensured and the contact resistance can be reduced. Furthermore, the electrode of the battery cell 2 and the bus bar 24 can be welded from this state. When the bus bar 24 is welded and electrically connected, the electric resistance is reduced, so that the bus bar 24 can be formed thin.

When all the battery cells 2 built in the cassette holder 10B are connected in series, the electrical connection connects the adjacent battery cells 2 in a zigzag shape that is folded back at the end face as shown in FIG. At this time, by setting the number of battery cells 2 to an even number, the positive electrode and the negative electrode are always positioned on one surface of the cassette holder 10B. In the example of FIG. 9, the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the power supply module 200 are positioned on the lower side as indicated by arrows. Thus, since both the positive and negative electrodes are located on one side, the work such as subsequent wiring can be performed at the same position and posture, and the work can be facilitated.
(Connection between power supply modules)

A plurality of power supply modules configured as described above are connected to form a power supply module block. 10 to 15 show a power supply module block 1000 including the power supply module 100. 10 is a perspective view showing the power supply module block 1000 mounted on the base frame 28, FIG. 11 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a state in which the power supply module block 1000 is fixed by a fastening band 44 (described later). 13 is a front view thereof, FIG. 14 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a portion for fixing the fastening band 44. The power supply module block 1000 shown in these drawings connects a plurality of cassette holders 10B in a cartridge manner, thereby constructing a power supply apparatus using the number of single cells 1 and battery cells 2 necessary for power output.
(Module connecting member 32)

The cassette holder is formed in the same structure, and includes a module connecting member 32 capable of connecting one surface and the other surface. As a result, the same type of cassette holder can be used to connect adjacent surfaces in the same posture to form a power supply device as shown in FIG. An example of the module connecting member 32 for connecting such cassette holders is shown in FIGS. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which the cassette holders 10C are connected to each other by the module connecting member 32, and FIG. 17 is a side view thereof. The cassette holder 10C shown in these drawings is provided with the module connecting member 32 on a surface having a large area, and the battery cells 2 of different power supply modules maintain a parallel state with each other even after the battery cells 2 are connected in an upright posture. Yes. That is, the power supply modules are connected in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the battery cells 2 are arranged in parallel in the power supply module.
(Fitting convex part 33, fitting concave part 34)

In the example of FIG.16 and FIG.17, the fitting convex part 33 and the fitting recessed part 34 are provided as the module connection member 32 in one surface of the cassette holder 10C of the power supply module 300, and cassette holder 10C is connected by these fitting. In the example shown in the figure, an insertion recess 34 is provided on the one surface (front surface in FIG. 16, left surface in FIG. 17) of the cassette holder 10C on the upper side, and an insertion projection 33 is provided on the lower side. The right side in FIG. 17 is provided with a fitting convex part 33 at the upper part and a fitting concave part 34 at the lower part at positions corresponding to the fitting convex part 33 and the fitting concave part 34 on the front surface. The fitting convex portion 33 shown in the figure is a projection formed in a cylindrical shape, and the fitting concave portion 34 is formed in a circular hole corresponding to this, and has a size that allows the fitting convex portion 33 to be inserted and held. It is formed. The fitting convex portion 33 and the fitting concave portion 34 are preferably formed by integral molding with the cassette holder 10C. By configuring the cassette holder 10C with an elastic member such as plastic, the fitting convex portion 33 is inserted into the fitting concave portion 34 by being elastically deformed. In this example, the fitting concave portion 34 and the fitting convex portion 33 are arranged separately in the upper and lower directions, but can also be arranged separately in the left and right. Or you may form a fitting convex part in the front surface of a cassette holder, and a fitting recessed part in a back surface. Furthermore, the shape of the fitting convex portion 33 is not limited to a circle, but may be a polygonal shape such as a square, rectangle, or triangle, or a cross shape, and a tip, a hook, a hook, or the like is provided at the tip and inserted into the fitting concave portion. It is also possible to configure so that it does not come off in the state where it is applied. Further, in this example, the arrangement of the fitting convex portion 33 and the fitting concave portion 34 is set to a vertically symmetrical position so that the connection is possible even in a state where the front and rear are reversed. However, they can be configured such that they cannot be connected in the inverted state by being arranged asymmetrically in the vertical direction. For example, when the electrode terminals of the power supply module are located on either the top or bottom surface, if the connection is possible even when the cassette holder is reversed, the electrode terminal surfaces may not be aligned on one side after the power supply module is connected. . In such a case, it is possible to prevent such reverse connection by configuring the cassette holders so that they cannot be connected to each other when the front and rear are reversed.
(Guide rail structure)

Further, the module connecting member of the cassette holder is not limited to the above, and a guide rail structure, a hook locking structure, fixing with a screw or an adhesive, a method using a connecting member having a U-shaped cross section, or the like can be used as appropriate. An example in which a guide rail structure is employed for connecting cassette holders as a module connecting member 32B according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 18 is a perspective view showing a state in which cassette holders 10D each having a guide rail structure are connected to each other, and FIG. 19 is a plan view thereof. In the power supply module 400 shown in these drawings, guide rails 35 and guide grooves 36 through which the guide rails 35 are inserted are respectively formed on the surfaces connecting the other cassette holders 10 </ b> D on the front surface and the back surface. The guide rail 35 is formed in a dovetail shape in cross section, and the guide groove 36 is formed in a size that allows the guide rail 35 to be inserted. The module connecting member 32B is preferably formed by integral molding with the cassette holder 10D as described above, and is preferably formed of an elastic member such as plastic. The cassette holders 10D having the guide rail structure insert the guide rails 35 into the guide grooves 36 so that the surfaces provided with the guide rails 35 and the guide grooves 36 face each other and slide in the vertical direction. In this structure, there is an advantage that the connection can be further strengthened because the connection surface of the cassette holder 10D does not come off back and forth.
(Power supply module block 1000)

As described above, the power supply module block 1000 in which a plurality of power supply modules are connected is formed by connecting the cassette holders in a card ridge manner. In particular, the number of battery cells (number of single cells) included in the power module block 1000 can be easily changed by adjusting the number of connected power modules. The power supply module block 1000 is fixed on the base frame 28. The base frame 28 is a base on which the power supply module block 1000 is placed, and is made of metal or plastic having sufficient strength. The metal base frame 28 has excellent thermal conductivity and good heat dissipation. On the other hand, the plastic base frame 28 has high insulation and can prevent a short circuit of the battery.
(Base frame 28)

In addition to fixing the power supply module block 1000 in the base frame 28, a structure in which the power supply modules are connected to each other while fixing each power supply module on the base frame 28 can also be adopted. In the former case, the power supply module is not provided with a structure for fixing to the base frame, but a power supply module located at the end or a certain number of power supply modules is provided with a structure for fixing to a bale frame. Even if such a connection structure is omitted from other power supply modules, the power supply modules can be held by a bridge formed by a module connection member between the power supply modules. Therefore, the connection structure can be partially omitted to simplify the configuration. The power supply module can be connected to either the cassette holder connection structure or the base frame connection structure if sufficient connection strength is obtained according to the use conditions, etc. The connection structure can be simplified.
(Frame connecting member 38)

  An example of the connection structure between the base frame 28 and the cassette holder is shown in FIGS. 20 is a perspective view of the cassette holder 10E provided with the frame connecting member 38 as viewed from below, FIG. 22 is a three-view diagram including a plan view, a front view, and a side view of the cassette holder 10E, and FIG. Front views of 10E fixed to the base frame 28 are respectively shown. In the cassette holder 10E of the power supply module 500 shown in these drawings, a key-like protrusion protruding in a triangular shape as a frame connecting member 38 is protruded on the lower surface. The protrusions are preferably formed by integral molding with the cassette holder 10E. For example, the cassette holder with protrusions 10E is formed of elastically deformable plastic. The base frame 28 includes a holder connecting member 40 for connecting to the frame connecting member 38. The holder connecting member 40 is formed at the mounting position of the cassette holder 10E, whereby the power supply module 500 can be positioned and fixed on the base frame 28. In this example, the holder connecting member 40 is provided with a slit for inserting and locking the protrusion. The slit is designed to have a slightly smaller width than the key-shaped protrusion.

  In particular, in the example of FIG. 21, the end portion and the central portion of the base frame 28 are protruded from the protruding ridges 42 having a cross section, and the cassette holder 10 </ b> E is connected so as to straddle the protruding ridges 42. As a result, a space is formed between the bottom surface of the cassette holder 10E and the bottom surface of the base frame 28, and this space may be used as an air duct 50 for flowing cooling air for cooling the battery cells 2 in the power supply module 500. Yes (described later). In the front view of FIG. 21, the protrusion 42A at the center is a pedestal common to the left and right power supply modules 500 so that two rows of power supply modules 500 are arranged on the base frame 28, and is configured to be larger than the left and right protrusions 42B. doing. A slit for locking the protrusion is formed in the central protrusion 42A. As a result, in order to place the cassette holder 10E on the base frame 28 in an upright state, the protrusion on the lower surface is brought into contact with the slit of the base frame 28, and the key-shaped protrusion is elastically deformed and inserted into the slit. After that, it is locked so as not to come out of the slit by the detent action of the key-like projection.

  The frame connecting member 38 and the holder connecting member 40 are not limited to this configuration, and other fitting structures such as uneven shapes and rails, screwing, adhesives, and the like can be appropriately employed. In this example, the frame connecting member 38 is provided only on one side surface of the cassette holder 10E. However, a plurality of frame connecting members 38 may be provided on both sides of the cassette holder or at an arbitrary position. The holder connecting members 40 are provided respectively. By fixing both sides of the cassette holder, a stronger connection can be maintained.

  The power supply module block 1000 in which the power supply modules are connected as described above can be fixed on the base frame 28. The power supply module block 1000 fixes an inter-module bus bar in order to electrically connect the power supply modules. The inter-module bus bar electrically connects adjacent power supply modules in a direction orthogonal to the bus bar 24 provided on the end face of the cassette holder. For fixing the bus bar between modules, methods such as electric welding and screw type can be adopted. In addition, the mechanical connection between the power supply modules is reinforced by fixing the inter-module bus bar. In this example, the power supply modules are connected in series. When connecting in series, the positive terminal of one power supply module and the negative terminal of another adjacent power supply module are connected by an inter-module bus bar. When the power supply module block 1000 is configured by arranging the small blocks 1000a connected to the power supply modules 100 in two rows as shown in FIG. 10, the adjacent power supply modules in the small blocks 1000a in each row are arranged as shown in FIG. The positive and negative terminals of the power supply module block 1000 can be taken out from the same side by connecting the small blocks 1000a so as to be zigzag with inter-module bus bars and folded back at one end edge. A structure that can take output from the same side improves workability such as wiring and maintenance.

In the example of FIG. 10, the power supply module block 1000 is configured by arranging a plurality of small blocks 1000 a in which a plurality of power supply modules 100 are connected. Here, as the power supply module block 1000 in which two small blocks 1000a connected to 16 power supply modules are arranged side by side, the battery cell is 4 × 16 × 2 = 128, the number of single cells is 256, and one per single cell. As a result of obtaining a voltage of .2V, the output of the power supply device is 307.2V. Of course, the number of rows of the small blocks 1000a, the number of power supply modules constituting the small blocks 1000a, and the like can be arbitrarily set as required. In the configuration of dividing into a plurality of small blocks, a contactor may be connected between each small block. By connecting the contactors in series between the small blocks, the contactor can be switched off at the time of maintenance of the power supply device and the output voltage can be set to 0 V, and the safety of work can be ensured. Alternatively, eight battery cells can be built in one power supply module and connected in a row to form a power supply module block. With such a configuration, the number of battery cells can be increased or decreased by connecting the power supply modules, and various power output and sizes can be accommodated by changing only the base frame 28 for fixing the power supply module block. For this reason, it is possible to realize an excellent power supply apparatus that can easily and inexpensively meet various specifications without individually designing a dedicated casing corresponding to the number of battery cells.
(Fastening band 44)

  Further, in order to further strengthen the connection between the power supply modules, the fastening band 44 is fastened to the power supply module block 1000 as shown in FIGS. 12 is a perspective view of the power supply module block 1000 fastened with the fastening band 44, FIG. 13 is a front view thereof, FIG. 14 is a side view thereof, and FIG. 15 is a band guide 46 for preventing the fastening band 44 from being displaced. The expanded sectional view which shows the provided part is shown, respectively. The fastening band 44 shown in these drawings is a metal or resin band, and a tube band can be preferably used. In addition, a metal band that can be adjusted with a screw can be used. In this example, the power supply module block 1000 is fastened with two fastening bands 44 spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. Of course, the position and number of the fastening bands 44 can be adjusted as appropriate, and can be 1 or 3 or more.

Further, a holding mechanism is provided for holding the power supply module block 1000 in a fixed position so that the power supply module block 1000 is not displaced or detached after the fastening band 44 is fastened. In this example, a band guide 46 for holding the fastening band 44 is provided in the cassette holder 10 of the power supply module as shown in FIG. The band guide 46 is a step formed in a portion where the fastening band 44 is positioned on the surface of the cassette holder 10, and is formed to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the width of the fastening band 44. The band guide 46 is formed when the cassette holder 10 is molded. Further, the edge of the opening may be chamfered or inclined so that the fastening band 44 can be easily inserted into the opening portion of the band guide 46. As described above, the power supply module block 1000 is reliably maintained in the connected state by the fastening band 44.
(Air duct 50)

  Further, the power supply device is provided with an air duct 50 through which cooling air passes in order to cool the battery cells 2 and the single cells 1 built in the power supply module block 1000 fixed on the base frame 28. The air duct 50 is provided in a portion having the largest area among the surfaces constituting the power supply module block 1000. In the present embodiment, the power supply modules are placed vertically so that the battery cells 2 stand upright, and the power supply modules are connected in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement of the battery cells 2 in the power supply modules, so that the battery cells 2 in the upright posture are They are arranged in the same plane. The electrode surface of the power supply module faces this plane, that is, the surface having the largest area among the surfaces constituting the power supply module block 1000. By arranging the air duct 50 on this surface and supplying cooling air along the surface to supply each power supply module from the electrode surface, the power supply module block 1000 with high space efficiency can be obtained.

  Conventionally, the power supply module is generally arranged such that the battery cell is held in the horizontal direction and the cooling air is allowed to flow so that the side surface of the battery cell faces the air duct. FIG. 27 shows an example of the vertical configuration of such a power supply module. In this figure, the battery cells 2 are connected in series in the direction of the paper, and the battery cells 2 are arranged in a horizontal direction to constitute a power supply module. And the side surface of the battery cell 2 comes to face the air duct 50 by providing the air duct 50 between the power supply module blocks 1000. When cooling air is allowed to flow through the air duct 50 in this state, the side surface of the battery cell 2 is mainly exposed to the cooling air and is cooled by the cooling air passing through the side surface of the battery cell 2.

  On the other hand, in this Embodiment, as shown in FIG. 24, the battery cell 2 is set up vertically and the electrode side end surface of the battery cell 2 is configured to face the air duct 50. And when the cooling air which flowed in from the end surface of the battery cell 2 flows in the longitudinal direction of the battery cell 2, the side surface of the battery cell 2 is cooled. FIG.26 and FIG.24 has shown the structure which cools 20 unit cells, as an example. Comparing these configurations, in the configuration of FIG. 26, it is necessary to arrange the air ducts 50 between the power supply modules. In this example, a total of five air ducts 50 are required. In the configuration of FIG. 24 according to FIG. 24, it is only necessary to provide the air duct 50 on the upper surface and the lower surface of the power supply module block 1000, so that the space occupied by the air duct 50 can be greatly reduced. This leads to miniaturization of the power supply device itself. In particular, since a large current power supply device needs to be stacked with a large number of power supply modules, the configuration of FIG. 26 further increases the space of the air duct 50 and increases the size of the device. For example, in an in-vehicle power supply device, space saving is particularly important. Further, in the case of using a cylindrical battery instead of a prismatic battery excellent in volume efficiency, space saving becomes even more important. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in the vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 24, the battery is placed vertically, and the battery cell 2 is disposed so that the end face of the battery cell 2 faces the air duct 50. The air duct 50 can be omitted, which contributes to the miniaturization of the power supply device in this portion.

  Conventionally, power supply modules constituting a power supply module block are often configured in a plate shape with a large area. When a power supply module block is configured by stacking a plurality of such power supply modules, the number of stacks increases as the output power of the power supply increases, and the power supply tends to be thicker in the height direction. In general, when a power supply device or the like is arranged, it becomes difficult to secure an arrangement space as the thickness increases. Therefore, in this embodiment, the power supply modules are not stacked higher, but are adjusted in the width direction while maintaining the thickness, thereby making it easy to secure a space for arranging the power supply device.

  Furthermore, in the expansion method in which the surfaces having a large cross-sectional area are stacked, the volume increased per height increases. In other words, the number of battery cells included in one power supply module increases. Since the power output increases in proportion to the number of battery cells, the amount of voltage and current that increase in one power supply module also increases.

On the other hand, when the method of adding in the depth direction, which is a surface having a narrow cross-sectional area, is used, the volume of one power supply module to be added can be reduced. In other words, since the number of battery cells included in one power supply module is reduced, the amount of power per power supply module is reduced. This means that the increase in volume and the increase in output power due to the addition of one power supply module can be reduced. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, there is also an advantage that the power output can be adjusted more finely according to the required output.
(Assembly process)

The power supply device having the above structure is assembled in the following steps.
(1) Prepare the required number of battery cells 2 in advance. The battery cell 2 is configured in a straight line shape in which a predetermined number of single cells 1 are connected in series. In the example of FIG. 1, a cylindrical battery having two cylindrical batteries fixed in series is used. The battery cell 2 is set in a fitting groove which is a position fitting portion 14 of the lower cover piece 12B of the cassette holder 10. In the illustrated example, four battery cells 2 are set in the fitting grooves, and these battery cells 2 are partitioned and insulated by the fitting protrusions 16. As shown in FIG. 7, the bus bar 24 is insert-molded in the cassette holder 10B in advance, and the battery cell 2 is positioned so that the electrode on the end surface of the battery cell 2 comes into contact with the bus bar 24 with the battery cell 2 set in the fitting groove. The In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper cover piece 12 </ b> A is rotated by the bent connecting portion 20, and the upper cover piece 12 </ b> A and the lower cover piece 12 </ b> B are connected and closed by the connecting hook 22. In this state, the bus bar 24 is fixed to the electrode of the battery cell 2 by a method such as welding or screwing as necessary.
(2) After configuring the power supply module as described above, the power supply module block 1000 is configured by connecting a plurality of power supply modules. On the surface of the cassette holder 10 of each power supply module, a module connecting member 32 is formed as a connecting structure between the cassette holders 10, and the cassette holders 10 are sequentially connected by these. In the example shown in FIG. 16, the insertion convex portion 33 which is the module connecting member 32 is inserted into the insertion concave portion 34 to connect the cassette holder 10 </ b> C. In the example of FIG. 18, the guide rail 35 is inserted into the guide groove 36 as the module connecting member 32B and connected to the cassette holder 10D. In this way, a predetermined number of power supply modules are connected to form a power supply module block 1000 as shown in FIG.
(3) The power supply module block 1000 is fixed to the base frame 28. Each power supply module is constituted by a frame connecting member 38 provided on a bottom surface of each power supply module, that is, a joint surface with the base frame 28, and a holder connecting member 40 provided in a shape corresponding to a corresponding position on the base frame 28. The power supply module block 1000 is fixed to the base frame 28 to be further fixed.
(4) Further, the periphery of the power supply module block 1000 is fastened with the fastening band 44. As shown in FIG. 12, the fastening band 44 directly fastens the entire power supply module block 1000 by putting the surface of the cassette holder 10 of each power supply module together. At this time, as shown in FIG. 15, the band guide 46 is formed as a step for inserting the fastening band 44 at a predetermined position on the surface of the cassette holder 10, so that the fastening band 44 can be prevented from being displaced or dropped. The band guides 46 are preferably provided at a plurality of locations on the surface of the cassette holder 10, and are formed at two locations in the upper and lower directions in the example of FIG.

  In this state, the power supply modules are electrically connected by the inter-module bus bar. Since each power supply module exposes the positive electrode and the negative electrode terminal on one surface, wiring can be performed from one surface and workability is improved. Here, the number of the battery cells 2 included in the power supply module is an even number, for example, four, so that the electrode terminal is exposed from the upper end face. Thus, the mechanical connection between the power supply modules is reinforced by fixing the inter-module bus bar by welding, screwing, or the like between the power supply modules having the electrode terminals exposed on the upper surface. Alternatively, the inter-module bus bar may be wired before the fastening band is fastened, for example, after the power supply module block is fixed on the base frame or before it is fixed to the base frame.

  The power supply device and the power supply module constituting the power supply device of the present invention can be suitably applied as a high-power, large-current power supply device such as a vehicle power supply device such as a hybrid car or an electric vehicle.

It is a perspective view which shows the power supply module which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the power supply module of FIG. It is a side view which shows the power supply module of FIG. It is a front view which shows the power supply module of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state which accommodates a battery cell in a cassette holder. It is a side view of the cassette holder of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the cassette holder which insert-molded the bus-bar. It is a front view of the cassette holder of FIG. It is sectional drawing and the principal part enlarged view in the IX-IX line of the cassette holder of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the power supply module block mounted on the base frame. It is a top view of the power supply module block of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state which fixed the power supply module block of FIG. 10 with the fastening band. It is a front view of the power supply module block of FIG. It is a side view of the power supply module block of FIG. It is an expanded sectional view which shows the part holding a fastening band on the surface of a cassette holder. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the connection state of cassette holders. It is a side view which shows the connection state of the cassette holder of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the other example of the connection state of cassette holders. It is a top view which shows the connection state of the cassette holder of FIG. It is the perspective view which looked at the cassette frame which provided the frame connection member from the downward direction. It is a front view which shows the state which fixed the cassette holder of FIG. 20 to the base frame. FIG. 21 is a trihedral view showing the cassette holder of FIG. 20. It is explanatory drawing which shows the electrical connection state of the power supply module block of FIG. FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view showing the arrangement relationship between battery cells and air ducts in the power supply module block of FIG. 10. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the power supply module which the applicant developed previously. FIG. 26 is a vertical sectional view showing a state in which a plurality of power supply modules of FIG. 25 are stacked. It is a vertical sectional view showing the vertically installed configuration of the power supply module.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100-500 ... Power supply module 1000 ... Power supply module block; 1000a ... Small block 1 ... Single cell 2 ... Battery cell 3 ... O-ring 10, 10B-10F ... Cassette holder; 10a ... Upper case; 10b ... Lower case 12 ... Cover piece 12A ... Upper cover piece; 12B ... Lower cover piece 14 ... Position fixing fitting part 16 ... Fitting projection 18 ... Supporting convex part 20 ... Bending connecting part 22 ... Connecting hook 24, 24B ... Bus bar 26 ... Holding plate 28 ... Base frames 32, 32B ... module connecting member 33 ... fitting projection 34 ... fitting recess 35 ... guide rail 36 ... guide groove 38 ... frame connecting member 40 ... holder connecting member 42, 42A-B ... projection 44 ... fastening band 46 ... Band guide 50 ... Air duct

Claims (10)

A plurality of battery cells in which one or more single cells are connected in a straight line are arranged approximately in parallel, and a plurality of power supply modules that are connected in series or in parallel and built in a cassette holder are connected to each other in a substantially parallel manner. A power supply module block, and a power supply device capable of supplying power for driving an electric device with the power supply module block,
The power supply module block has a first surface and a second surface that is orthogonal to the first surface and has a smaller area than the first surface;
The electrode surface of the battery cell faces the first surface,
The power supply apparatus, wherein the power supply modules can be sequentially connected in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the second surface. The power supply device according to claim 1,
The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first surface is a surface having the largest area among the surfaces constituting the power supply module block. The power supply device according to claim 1,
The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first surface faces an air duct. The power supply device according to claim 1,
A module connecting member is provided on the surface of the cassette holder of the power supply module, on a side surface that is parallel to the second surface when the power supply module block is configured, and for connecting these at the opposing surface of the adjacent power supply module. Power supply. The power supply device according to claim 1,
The power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the module connecting member is provided on the surface of the cassette holder by integral molding. The power supply device according to claim 1,
A base frame for fixing the power supply module;
The cassette holder of the power supply module is provided with a fixture for fixing to the base frame. The power supply device according to claim 1,
On the base frame, there is provided a fixed strip having a protruding section that protrudes from the bottom surface of the base frame, and by placing the power module on the top surface of the fixed strip, the base frame is placed between the bottom surface of the base frame and the power module. A power supply device comprising an air duct. The power supply device according to claim 1,
A power supply apparatus comprising a fastening band for fastening the power supply module block. The power supply device according to claim 1,
A power supply apparatus comprising a guide for guiding the fastening band on a surface of the cassette holder. A power supply module constituting a power supply device capable of supplying electric power for driving an electric device,
One or more unit cells, in order to connect in series along the longitudinal direction of the unit cell, battery cells that electrically connect the end surfaces of the unit cells where electrodes of different polarities are exposed, and
An even number of the battery cells, a plastic cassette holder that holds the battery cells in a state of being arranged substantially parallel to the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the unit cells,
In the cassette holder, electrodes of different polarities are exposed on the end faces of adjacent battery cells arranged in parallel so that an even number of battery cells are connected in series, and the electrode surfaces are substantially parallel surfaces. Conductive busbars that fix these in an electrical connection, and
The cassette holder includes
In the power supply module block configured by connecting the power supply modules, the power supply module is perpendicular to the second surface that is orthogonal to the first surface on which the electrode surfaces of the battery cells face and has a smaller area than the first surface. A power supply device comprising a module connecting member for sequentially connecting the two in parallel.

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