JP2013168261A - Harness support structure of battery pack - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To simplify an attachment work of harnesses (31 and 32), and to prevent local abrasion of the harnesses.SOLUTION: A battery pack (1) for electric automobiles has a pair of stacks (20) fixed in a pack case (10). Each stack (20) includes a plurality of battery modules (21). Channel members (41) are respectively fixed to lateral faces of the pair of stacks (20). A harness guide passage (51) is configured between harness guide flanges (46) of the respective channel members (41). A plate member (42) is fixed onto the pair of channel members (41). The plate member (42) has a plurality of clips (43), and harnesses (31 and 32) are suspended from the plate member (42) by means of the clips (43). The movement of the harnesses (31 and 32) by vehicle travelling vibration is restricted by the harness guide flanges (46).

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery pack in which a large number of cells are accommodated in a pack case, and more particularly to an improvement in a structure for supporting a harness inside the battery pack.

  For example, in a relatively large battery pack that serves as a power source for an electric vehicle, in many cases, a controller for controlling charge / discharge of the battery, various sensors, and the like are accommodated in the battery pack together with a large number of cells. A harness for connecting these controllers and sensors is disposed in the battery pack.

  The harness is supported in the battery pack by an appropriate method so as not to move in the battery pack due to vehicle running vibration or the like.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a battery pack for a hybrid vehicle having a synthetic resin plate between a lower case and an upper case. For example, a harness serving as a voltage signal line is placed on the plate by a plurality of binding bands. It is fixed. The binding band is provided through a pair of holes provided in the plate along both sides of the harness, and fastens the harness on the surface of the plate.

JP 2002-157984 A

  In the harness support structure using the binding band as described above, when the harness tightened by the band is slightly vibrated by the vehicle running vibration, the contact portion between the harness and the binding band is rubbed and the surface of the harness is worn over time. , There is a drawback. Further, at the same time as assembling various parts in the battery pack, the harness is fixed to the synthetic resin plate with a binding band, and there is a problem that work efficiency is poor.

  On the other hand, when the harness is supported via a known clip attached to the mounting hole, the clip allows a certain amount of movement of the harness, so that wear over time unlike the case of a binding band hardly occurs. Further, since the clip can be attached to the harness in advance as a so-called subassembly, the assembly workability is also good. However, in the case of using this clip, as a result of the harness swinging due to vehicle running vibration or the like, a load may be repeatedly applied to the clip and the clip may be damaged.

  An object of the present invention is to support a harness through a clip, thereby preventing damage to the clip while preventing local wear on the surface of the harness as in the case of using a binding band. To provide a structure.

The harness support structure of the battery pack of the present invention is
A first battery group and a second battery group, which are respectively fixed in the pack case of the battery pack, and are spaced apart from each other so as to form a linear space through which the harness passes;
The base portion extends along the longitudinal direction of the space and is supported by each battery group, and bends in a substantially L shape toward the bottom surface of the pack case from the base portion projecting into the space and one side edge of the base portion. A pair of channel members each having a separate harness guide flange;
A plate member disposed on both base portions of the pair of channel members and fixed to each channel member so as to bridge between both base portions;
A plurality of clips attached to the plate member so as to suspend the harness between the pair of harness guide flanges;
Is provided.

  In such a configuration, since the clip can be attached to the harness in advance, the attaching operation of the harness into the pack case can be performed efficiently.

  Further, the clip absorbs the movement of the harness due to vehicle running vibration and the like, and therefore, local wear on the surface of the harness does not occur. Since the movement of the harness is limited by the pair of harness guide flanges, an excessive load does not act on the clip, and the clip is prevented from being damaged.

  Preferably, the channel member is made of a metal material so as to function as a shield against electromagnetic waves. Thereby, the tolerance with respect to the noise of a harness improves.

  According to this invention, the attachment work of the harness in the pack case can be simplified, and local wear on the harness surface can be prevented. Further, the breakage of the clip is suppressed.

The side view of the electric vehicle provided with the battery pack. The bottom view of this electric vehicle. The perspective view of a battery pack. The top view which removed the upper case and showed the inside of a pack case. The perspective view of a battery module. The perspective view which shows the principal part of a harness support structure. Sectional drawing of the harness accommodating part between stacks. The perspective view which shows the state which attached the channel member to one stack. The perspective view of a channel member. Sectional drawing of a channel member.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the harness support structure of the present invention is applied to a battery pack for an electric vehicle will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 show an outline of an electric vehicle 2 in which a battery pack 1 having a harness support structure according to the present invention is used. The electric vehicle 2 has a configuration in which a drive motor unit 4 is mounted on a front portion of a vehicle body 3 and drives front wheels 5. The battery pack 1 serving as an energy source for the drive motor unit 4 has a substantially rectangular box shape as a whole, and is attached to the lower surface of the vehicle body floor 3a from the lower side at a position in front of the rear wheel 6. Therefore, the lower surface of the battery pack 1 is exposed on the lower surface side of the vehicle, and the battery pack 1 protrudes downward as compared with the surrounding vehicle body floor 3a.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the battery pack 1. The battery pack 1 is one in which a large number of cells are accommodated in a sealed pack case 10 composed of a lower case 11 constituting a lower portion and an upper case 12 constituting an upper portion as will be described later.

  The lower case 11 and the upper case 12 are both made of an aluminum alloy die-cast, and are connected to each other by a plurality of bolts at the peripheral edge. A liquid gasket is previously applied as a sealing material to the joint surfaces of the two at the time of joining, thereby forming a sealed space in the pack case 10. Therefore, inflow of moisture or the like from the outside is prevented, and corrosion of the connection portion of the battery module is suppressed.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an internal configuration of the battery pack 1 with the upper case 12 of the pack case 10 removed. In the present invention, the structure of the cell is not the main part of the invention and is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, for example, a flat lithium ion cell sealed with a laminate film is used. The battery module 21 is configured by stacking a plurality of cells in a flat rectangular box-shaped metal case. A plurality of (for example, 24) battery modules 21 are stacked. As shown in FIG. 8, the battery modules 21 are configured as a stack 20 fixed to each other by tightening them with tension rods 22 made of long bolts at four corners. The Finally, two stacks 20 (hereinafter, one is called the first stack 20A and the other is called the second stack 20B if necessary) are accommodated in the pack case 10. Accordingly, a total of several tens of battery modules 21 are accommodated in the pack case 10 and connected in series to obtain a voltage of several hundred volts necessary for driving the vehicle.

  4, the upper side of the figure corresponds to the front of the vehicle, and the lower side of the figure corresponds to the rear of the vehicle, and the pack case 10 has a dimension along the width direction of the vehicle that is larger than the dimension along the vehicle front-rear direction in plan view. Also has a long rectangle. Each of the battery modules 21 having a flat rectangular box shape is individually arranged along a plane along the vehicle front-rear direction, and is stacked in the vehicle width direction to form a stack 20. The first stack 20 </ b> A is disposed in a region near the vehicle front in the pack case 10, and the second stack 20 </ b> B is disposed in a region near the vehicle rear in the pack case 10. The first stack 20A and the second stack 20B are basically arranged symmetrically with a center line M extending in the longitudinal direction of the pack case 10 (that is, in the vehicle width direction). It is fixed to the lower case 11. As is clear from FIG. 4, most of the internal space of the rectangular pack case 10 is occupied by the battery module 21.

  FIG. 5 shows the battery module 21, and a plurality of terminals 23 are provided at one end (specifically, the end on the side of the center line M). In some battery modules 21 among the plurality of battery modules 21, a pair of stud bolts 33 extending in a direction parallel to the bottom surface of the pack case 10 are provided at positions above and below the terminals 23. It has been. These stud bolts 33 are attached to a battery module bracket 34 fixed to the metal case of the battery module 21 by welding or the like. The remaining battery module 21 does not include the stud bolt 33 or the battery module bracket 34 described above. In one embodiment, in each stack 20, the battery modules 21 having the stud bolts 33 and the battery modules 21 not having the stud bolts 33 are alternately arranged.

  Among the pair of stud bolts 33, the stud bolt 33 located on the lower side of the battery module 21 is used for fixing the stack 20 to the lower case 11. As shown in FIG. 8, a stack fixing bracket 61 having a substantially L-shaped channel shape is fixed to the lower side surface of the stack 20 by a plurality of stud bolts 33 and nuts 62. The stack fixing bracket 61 is fixed to the bottom wall of the lower case 11 by a plurality of bolts 63.

  In FIG. 4, a first battery controller 25 having a flat rectangular box shape is accommodated in an end portion on the left side of the vehicle in the pack case 10 so as to be adjacent to one end portion of the first stack 20A. Yes. A service plug 28 for interrupting the high-power circuit is disposed on the wall surface at the left end of the vehicle. A junction box 27 is accommodated at the right end of the vehicle in the pack case 10. A main plug (not shown) for supplying power to the drive motor unit 4 on the vehicle side is disposed on the wall surface of the right end portion of the vehicle. Furthermore, a second battery controller 26 having a flat rectangular box shape is disposed on the upper surface of the second stack 20B, specifically, at a position near the junction box 27. The second battery controller 26 is fixed on a controller support bracket 30 extending along the upper surface of the second stack 20B. Therefore, the second battery controller 26 is disposed so as to locally protrude upward with respect to a plane along the upper edge of the many battery modules 21 of the second stack 20B. Corresponding to the arrangement of the second battery controller 26, a bulging portion 12a that is partially raised is provided on the upper surface of the upper case 12 of the pack case 10 as shown in FIG.

  The first battery controller 25 and the second battery controller 26 basically have the same configuration, and constitute a redundant control system.

  In order to connect the first and second controllers 25 and 26 provided in the pack case 10 and the thermistors (not shown) provided in the battery modules 21 as described above, In particular, two harnesses 31 and 32 serving as signal lines are arranged from one end of the pack case 10 to the other end along the center line M. In the present invention, the “harness” means an assembly in which a plurality of electric wires are collected and covered with a flexible protective tube. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. In some cases, the harness may be branched into a harness, and conversely, a plurality of harnesses may be combined as one or several harnesses. For example, in FIG. 6, the connector 65 extending from one end of the harnesses 31 and 32 is connected to the first battery controller 25, and the connector 66 extending from the other end of the harnesses 31 and 32 is connected to the second battery controller 26. The

  The support structure for the harnesses 31 and 32, which is a main part of the present invention, will be described below.

  As described above, the two stacks 20, that is, the first stack 20A and the second stack 20B are disposed substantially symmetrically with the center line M of the pack case 10 in between. Both stacks 20A and 20B are spaced apart from each other so that a space 35 (for example, an interval of about several centimeters) is generated. Since each of the stacks 20A and 20B is obtained by linearly stacking a large number of battery modules 21, the space 35 has a substantially constant width (if the irregularities on the end face of the battery module 21 are ignored). It extends linearly along the center line M, has a lower end reaching the bottom surface of the lower case 11 and has a concave groove shape with the upper end open. The harnesses 31 and 32 extend from one end of the pack case 10 to the other end through the space 35.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the harness support structure of the present invention has a pair of channel members 41 (hereinafter referred to as necessary) fixed to the side surfaces (surfaces facing the space 35) of the first and second stacks 20A and 20B. Accordingly, a member on the first stack 20A side is referred to as a first channel member 41A and a member on the second stack 20B side is referred to as a second channel member 41B), and the pair of channel members 41 are bridged. A flat strip-shaped plate member 42 fixed on the two channel members 41 and a plurality of locations (for example, four locations) of the plate member 42 so that the harnesses 31 and 32 are suspended between the two channel members 41. And a clip 43 attached to each.

  The channel member 41 is formed by press-molding a steel plate and extends linearly along the longitudinal direction of the space 35 (that is, along the center line M) as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. A flat belt-like base portion 45, a harness guide flange 46 bent 90 degrees in a substantially L shape from one side edge of the base portion 45, and the same as the harness guide flange 46 from the other side edge of the base portion 45 And a mounting flange 47 bent 90 degrees in the direction. A plurality of stud bolts 48 for fixing the plate member 42 are fixed to the base portion 45.

  The mounting flange 47 may be continuous over the entire length of the channel member 41. In the present embodiment, the mounting flange 47 is partially formed as a plurality of (for example, six) tabs, and each tab has a mounting hole. 47a is provided. Similarly, the harness guide flange 46 may be continuous over the entire length of the channel member 41. In this embodiment, the harness guide flange 46 is mounted at the position of the mounting hole 47a as well as the stud bolt 33 (particularly a pair of upper and lower parts). In order to avoid interference with the upper stud bolt 33) of the stud bolt 33, several points of the harness guide flange 46 are partially cut away as shown in FIG. 9. In other words, the channel member 41 has a basic shape in which a steel plate is bent into a substantially U shape, but both the harness guide flange 46 and the mounting flange 47 are partially cut out. Of course, in the present invention, the channel member 41 may be configured to have a complete substantially U-shaped cross section and extend in the longitudinal direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the mounting flange 47 uses the stud bolt 33 (the upper stud bolt 33 in the pair of upper and lower stud bolts 33) at the end of the battery module 21 as described above. Fixed to the side. That is, the stud bolt 33 is inserted into the mounting hole 47a, and the nut 49 is tightened. Note that, for example, a total of twelve stud bolts 33 are present in one stack 20, but one channel member 41 is supported by six stud bolts 33 therein.

  The mounting flange 47 fixed to the side surface of the stack 20 as described above has a posture orthogonal to the bottom surface of the lower case 11, and thus the base portion 45 has a posture substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the lower case 11. . In other words, the base portion 45 projects from the stacks 20A and 20B into the space 35 in a shelf shape. And the harness guide flange 46 provided in the front-end edge of the base part 45 becomes a attitude | position orthogonal to the bottom face of the lower case 11, extending in parallel with the attachment flange 47, as shown in FIG.

  The first channel member 41A attached to the first stack 20A on the left side of FIG. 7 and the second channel member 41B attached to the second stack 20B on the right side are equal in height position of both the stacks 20A and 20B. The harness guide flanges 46 are located at the same height and face each other. More specifically, the pair of harness guide flanges 46 are arranged in parallel with each other at a slightly larger distance than the diameter of the harnesses 31 and 32, so that the harness guide passages are interposed between the pair of harness guide flanges 46. 51 is configured. As described above, since the harness guide flange 46 has a notch part, when viewed in one section, the harness guide flange 46 of the first channel member 41A and the harness guide flange 46 of the second channel member 41B. Is not necessarily opposite to the arrangement.

  Here, in the illustrated example, in order to substantially reduce the number of parts, the first channel member 41A and the second channel member 41B are exactly the same parts, and are attached in postures opposite to each other. . In the present invention, the first channel member 41A and the second channel member 41B may be configured symmetrically with each other, or may be separate parts having different shapes.

  The plate member 42 is supported on the two base portions 45 projecting in a shelf shape as described above, and is fixed to a plurality of stud bolts 48 in each base portion 45 via nuts 50. The stud bolt 48 protrudes upward from the base portion 45, so that the nut 50 is tightened from the upper surface side of the plate member 42. As shown in FIG. 7, the aforementioned controller support bracket 30 is fastened together by a part of stud bolts 48 and nuts 50.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the plate member 42 has a plurality of bolt through holes 52 through which the stud bolts 48 penetrate on both sides, as shown in FIG. 6, and a plurality along the center corresponding to the harness guide passage 51. A circular mounting hole 53 for the clip 43 is provided at a location (for example, 4 locations). Clips 43 are respectively attached to the mounting holes 53 from the lower side (that is, the harness guide passage 51 side).

  The clip 43 is a known resin clip used to fix a harness or tubes, and as shown in FIG. 7, a clip-shaped clip base 43a and a clip head inserted into the mounting hole 53 43b, a strap portion 43c wound around the harness 31, and a stopper portion 43d for holding the tip of the strap portion 43c are integrally formed. The clip 43 can be attached to the harness 31 by winding the strap portion 43c around the harness 31 and pulling it through the stopper portion 43d. If the clip head 43b is inserted into the attachment hole 53, the clip head 43b expands in the radial direction when passing through the attachment hole 53, so that a plate member is formed between the clip head 43b and the clip base 43a. 42 is clamped. In this attached state, the clip 43 can rotate around a circular attachment hole 53.

  In this way, the harness 31 is suspended from the plate member 42 via the plurality of clips 43. The harness 32 disposed adjacent to the lower side of the harness 31 is combined with the harness 31 integrally with a tape 55 (see FIG. 6) such as a synthetic resin at a plurality of appropriate locations in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the harness 32 is suspended from the plate member 42 by the clip 43 together with the harness 31.

  As shown in FIG. 7, in a state where the harnesses 31 and 32 are supported by the clip 43, at least the upper harness 31 has a harness guide in which three sides are surrounded by a pair of harness guide flanges 46 and an upper plate member 42. It is located in the passage 51. The harness guide flange 46 is close to the outer peripheral surface of the harness 31, although a slight gap remains between the outer peripheral surface of the harness 31 and the strap portion 43 c and the harness guide flange 46.

  Therefore, in the harness support structure described above, when the harnesses 31 and 32 are about to move due to traveling vibration of the vehicle or the like, the rotational movement of each clip 43 around the attachment hole 53 is allowed. There is no concern that the fixing point (for example, the contact portion with the clip 43) is locally worn. Since the movement of the harness 31 is limited by the harness guide flanges 46 adjacent to both sides, an excessive load is not applied to the clip 43, and breakage of the clip 43 is avoided.

  Moreover, although the harnesses 31 and 32 of the said Example collect | assemble several signal lines, in the said structure, the three members of these harnesses 31 and 32 (at least harness 31) are the channel member 41 and plate which consist of steel Since it is surrounded by the member 42, the harnesses 31 and 32 are electromagnetically shielded, and resistance to noise generated from the battery module 21 is increased. In order to further improve the noise resistance of the harness 32, the harness guide flange 46 may be further extended downward.

  In applications where the noise resistance of the harnesses 31 and 32 is not important, the channel member 41 and the plate member 42 can be formed of a material such as synthetic resin.

  The assembly procedure of the harness support structure is as follows. First, the channel member 41 is fixed to each stack 20. This operation can be performed before the stack 20 is fixed in the lower case 11. On the other hand, the clips 43 are previously attached to the harnesses 31 and 32 at predetermined positions. Before the plate member 42 is attached to the channel member 41, the clip 43 is inserted into the attachment hole 53 to integrate the harnesses 31, 32 and the plate member 42. Then, in a state where each stack 20 is fixed to the lower case 11, the plate member 42 integrated with the harnesses 31 and 32 is placed on the pair of channel members 41, and the nut 50 is fastened and fixed to the stud bolt 48. Thus, the assembly can be performed efficiently and easily. In particular, according to the present invention, since the channel member 41 and the plate member 42 are separate parts, the harnesses 31 and 32 can be reliably supported in the narrow space 35 between the pair of stacks 20.

  As mentioned above, although one Example of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said Example, A various change is possible as obvious to those skilled in the art.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the two stacks 20 are provided as a plurality of battery groups. However, the stack can be divided into a large number of groups, and the plurality of battery groups are arranged asymmetrically. It may be. Various modes are possible for the specific shape of the channel member 41 and the support to the stack 20. Further, the present invention can be similarly applied to battery packs for uses other than those for electric vehicles.

  The battery pack 1 of the above embodiment is basically used in a substantially horizontal posture with the lower case 11 on the lower side as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the plate member 42 is suspended substantially vertically. However, the battery pack 1 of the above embodiment has a posture other than the above basic posture, for example, a posture in which the plate member 42 is along the vertical direction (that is, a posture in which the battery pack 1 is erected), or the lower case 11 is on the upper side. It can be used even in such a posture (that is, the posture turned upside down), and the present invention includes such a mode.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Battery pack 10 ... Pack case 11 ... Lower case 20 ... Stack 21 ... Battery module 31, 32 ... Harness 35 ... Space 41 ... Channel member 42 ... Plate member 43 ... Clip 46 ... Harness guide flange 47 ... Mounting flange 51 ... Harness guide aisle

Claims (7)

A first battery group and a second battery group, which are respectively fixed in the pack case of the battery pack, and are spaced apart from each other so as to form a linear space through which the harness passes;
The base portion extends along the longitudinal direction of the space and is supported by each battery group, and bends in a substantially L shape toward the bottom surface of the pack case from the base portion projecting into the space and one side edge of the base portion. A pair of channel members each having a separate harness guide flange;
A plate member disposed on both base portions of the pair of channel members and fixed to each channel member so as to bridge between both base portions;
A plurality of clips attached to the plate member so as to suspend the harness between the pair of harness guide flanges;
A battery pack harness support structure comprising:   The harness support structure for a battery pack according to claim 1, wherein each of the channel members is formed of a metal material.   The battery according to claim 1, wherein the channel member has an attachment flange extending in parallel with the harness guide flange from the other side edge of the base portion, and is fixed to each battery group at the attachment flange. Pack harness support structure.   The harness support structure for a battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the harness guide flanges of each of the pair of channel members are arranged in parallel with each other at a distance slightly larger than the diameter of the harness. .   The clip is a resin clip including a clip head press-fitted into an attachment hole formed in the plate member, and a strap portion formed integrally with the clip head and wound around the harness. 5. The battery pack harness support structure according to claim 1, wherein the resin clip is rotatable about the mounting hole. 6.   The said harness is a harness for signal lines in a battery pack, The harness support structure of the battery pack in any one of Claims 1-5.   The battery group includes a stack in which a plurality of battery modules in which a plurality of cells are housed in a flat rectangular metal case are stacked and fixed to each other, and the channel member is attached to a battery module bracket provided on the battery module. The battery pack harness support structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the battery pack harness support structure is supported.

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