JP2013168320A - Battery case and battery module - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery case capable of stably connecting terminals of a plurality of batteries to each other, and to provide a battery module.SOLUTION: A battery case (10) for housing a plurality of batteries (51, 52, 53, 54) includes: a case body (11) which has an opening in its upper part and houses the batteries (51, 52, 53, 54); a lid (12) which is fixed to the case body (11) and closes the opening of the case body (11); lower biasing means (14) which is provided on the bottom surface of the case body (11) and biases the housed batteries (51, 52, 53, 54) upward; and upper biasing means (15, 19, 21) which is supported by a lower surface of the lid (12) and biases the batteries (51, 52, 53, 54) housed in the case body (11) downward.

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery case and a battery module that house a plurality of lithium secondary batteries.

An example of a battery case and a battery module is described in Patent Document 1.
The battery case and the battery module of Patent Document 1 include a bus bar including a plate-shaped main body and a contact portion that penetrates in the thickness direction in the surface of the main body and is provided corresponding to each terminal. .
In the battery case and the battery module of Patent Document 1, the in-plane shape of the contact portion of the bus bar is formed such that the peripheral edge portion thereof conforms to at least a part of the cross-sectional shape of each terminal.
When mounting the bus bar, the battery case is installed from above so that each terminal is located inside the contact portion, and the fastening bolt is screwed into the screw hole.
In addition, these battery cases and battery modules are deformed so that the slits of the bus bar are made smaller by screwing the tightening bolts, the contact surface is strongly pressed against the outer peripheral surface of each terminal, and the bus bar is pressed against each terminal. It adheres firmly to it.

JP 2009-277393 A

Generally, when applying lithium secondary batteries and fuel cells to various applications, it is necessary to ensure the reliability and safety of the batteries.
This is because, particularly depending on the application to a moving body and the purpose of movement, there may be a problem that the metal bus bar connecting the cells is loosened by vibration.
Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to prevent the bus bar from loosening with respect to the terminal due to vibration or the like.
However, since the battery case and the battery module of Patent Document 1 do not have means for suppressing loosening from the terminal of the bus bar, the bus bar is loosened with respect to the terminal, and electrical connection between the terminals of the plurality of batteries is performed. It can be unstable.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a battery case and a battery module that can stably connect terminals of a plurality of batteries.

  A battery case according to the present invention is a battery case for storing a plurality of batteries, and has an opening at an upper portion thereof, a case main body for storing the battery, fixed to the case main body, and an opening of the case main body. A lid that closes, a lower urging means that is provided on the bottom surface of the case body and urges the battery to be accommodated upward, and is supported by the lower surface of the lid and is housed in the case body. Upper urging means for urging the battery downward.

  According to such a configuration, the battery is urged upward by the lower urging means on the bottom surface of the case body, and is urged downward by the upper urging means on the lower surface of the lid. In addition, it can be stably supported in the case body.

  In the battery case according to the present invention, the lower urging means is provided corresponding to each of the batteries to be stored, and the upper urging means includes a leaf spring abutting against the upper surfaces of the plurality of batteries, A pressing member fixed to the lid and pressing the leaf spring against the corresponding battery.

  According to such a configuration, since the urging force by which the leaf spring urges the upper surface of the battery can be adjusted by the pressing member, a predetermined urging force with respect to the battery can be easily set.

  In the battery case according to the present invention, the pressing member is provided at an arrangement center of the corresponding plurality of the batteries.

  According to such a configuration, the plurality of batteries can be urged with a balanced pressing force without causing inclination.

  The battery case which concerns on this invention is provided in the lower surface of the said cover body, and is provided with the connection part which connects between the terminals which the said battery has.

  According to such a configuration, the terminal of the battery urged upward by the lower urging means can be reliably connected by the connecting portion on the lower surface of the lid.

  In the battery case according to the present invention, the leaf spring also serves as the connection portion.

  According to such a structure, since a leaf | plate spring serves as a connection part, since it is not necessary to provide a connection part in a cover body, it can be made a simpler structure.

  The battery module according to the present invention includes a battery case.

  According to such a structure, a battery can be stably supported in a case main body by a battery case.

  According to the battery case and the battery module of the present invention, there is an effect that the terminals of a plurality of batteries can be stably connected.

It is a partially broken top view of the battery module to which the battery case of 1st Embodiment which concerns on this invention is applied. It is the sectional view on the AA line of the battery case shown in FIG. It is a bottom view of the lid applied to the battery module of a 1st embodiment concerning the present invention. It is a principal part longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cover body shown in FIG. It is an effect | action figure when a battery raise | generates a pitching vibration in the battery module of 1st Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is an effect | action figure when a battery moves below in the battery module of 1st Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is an effect | action figure when a battery moves to the horizontal direction in the battery module of 1st Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is an effect | action figure when a battery expand | swells in the battery module of 1st Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the modification of the battery case applied to the battery module of 1st Embodiment which concerns on this invention. It is a partially broken top view of the battery module to which the battery case of 2nd Embodiment which concerns on this invention is applied. It is BB sectional drawing of the battery case shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, battery cases and battery modules according to a plurality of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 1, a battery case 10 provided in the battery module 50 of the first embodiment according to the present invention is a case for storing four lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54 in a row. A main body 11 and a lid body 12 that closes an upper opening of the case main body 11 are provided.

The lithium secondary battery 51 includes a battery container 55 and includes a positive electrode terminal 56 and a negative electrode terminal 57. The lithium secondary battery 52 has a battery container 58 and has a positive electrode terminal 59 and a negative electrode terminal 60.
The lithium secondary battery 53 includes a battery container 61 and includes a positive electrode terminal 62 and a negative electrode terminal 63. The lithium secondary battery 54 includes a battery container 64 and includes a positive electrode terminal 65 and a negative electrode terminal 66.

Each battery container 55, 58, 61, 64 and the lid 12 are formed using, for example, a steel material such as stainless steel, an aluminum-based material, or the like.
The inner surfaces of the battery containers 55, 58, 61, and 64 may be in direct contact with the non-aqueous electrolyte, but those coated with an insulator such as a modified polyolefin can also be used.
Each battery container 55, 58, 61, 64 contains a non-aqueous electrolyte containing lithium ions, a positive electrode current collector, and a negative electrode current collector.

Each of the positive terminals 56, 59, 62, 65 is made of, for example, an aluminum material, and the outer end surfaces thereof may be subjected to, for example, nickel plating in order to reduce the contact resistance. .
Each negative electrode terminal 57, 60, 63, 66 is made of, for example, a copper material.

The battery module 50 connects the positive electrode terminal 56 of the lithium secondary battery 51 and the negative electrode terminal 60 of the lithium secondary battery 52 in series, and the positive electrode terminal 59 of the lithium secondary battery 52 and the negative electrode terminal 63 of the lithium secondary battery 53. Are connected in series.
The battery module 50 connects the positive electrode terminal 62 of the lithium secondary battery 53 and the negative electrode terminal 66 of the lithium secondary battery 54 in series.
Thereby, the battery module 50 uses the negative electrode terminal 57 of the lithium secondary battery 51 and the positive electrode terminal 65 of the lithium secondary battery 54 as external connection terminals, so that the four lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54 are connected. A series circuit is formed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the battery case 10 includes a lower urging unit for urging the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, and 54 accommodated on the bottom plate 13 of the case body 11 upward. The spring member 14 is provided.
The spring member 14 is a torsion coil spring that accumulates a predetermined elastic repulsive force, and is provided corresponding to each of the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54.
Since the spring member 14 is a torsion coil spring that is generally used, the spring member 14 is easy to obtain, and is advantageous in terms of cost compared to a case where it is separately manufactured.

The battery case 10 is supported by the lower surface of the lid 12 and is one of upper urging means for urging the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54 accommodated in the case main body 11 downward. A pair of leaf spring members 15 constituting the portion is provided.
The leaf spring member 15 has a pair of notches 16 for inserting the terminals 56, 60, the terminals 57, 59, the terminals 62, 66, and the terminals 63, 65 into the terminals 56, 60, 57, 59, 62. , 66, 63, 65 are formed in a non-contact manner.
One leaf spring member 15 is in contact with the battery containers 55 and 58 of the two lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 closer to one side in the case body 11.
The other leaf spring member 15 is in contact with the battery containers 61 and 64 of the two lithium secondary batteries 53 and 54 on the other side in the case body 11.
Since the leaf spring member 15 is obtained by cutting a commonly used leaf spring into a square shape, the leaf spring member 15 is easy to obtain and is advantageous in terms of cost compared to a case where it is separately manufactured.

The battery case 10 is attached by being screwed into one screw hole 18 of the top plate 17 of the lid 12, and the one leaf spring member 15 is attached to the battery containers 55, 58 of the corresponding two lithium secondary batteries 51, 52. A pressing bolt 19 is provided as a pressing member that presses against the pressing member 19.
The battery case 10 is screwed and attached to the other screw hole 20 of the top plate 17 of the lid 12, and the other leaf spring member 15 is attached to the battery containers 61 and 64 of the corresponding two lithium secondary batteries 53 and 54. A pressing bolt 21 that is a pressing member that is pressed against the pressing member 21 is provided.
Since each of the pressing bolts 19 and 21 is a generally used bolt, it is easy to obtain and is advantageous in terms of cost compared to a case where it is separately manufactured.

Each pressing bolt 19, 21 is screwed into each screw hole 18, 20 of the top plate 17, thereby proceeding with respect to the leaf spring member 15, and a bolt abutting portion (see FIG. 1)) is pressed.
At this time, each pressing bolt 19, 21 presses the bolt contact portion 22 of the leaf spring member 15 at the center position of the pair of lithium secondary batteries 51, 52 and the pair of lithium secondary batteries 53, 54. Become.
Therefore, the pressing force of the pressing bolts 19 and 21 is equally applied to the pair of lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 and the pair of lithium secondary batteries 53 and 54.
Accordingly, the pair of lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 and the pair of lithium secondary batteries 53 and 54 can be energized with a balanced pressing force toward the bottom plate 13 without causing an inclination.

The lid 12 shown in FIG. 3 is attached to the upper opening of the case main body 11 and screwed.
The lid 12 is provided with three conductive patterns 23A to 23C as connection portions on the back surface thereof, and has a pair of external connection holes 24 penetrating the top plate 17 up and down.
The conduction pattern 23A is on the positive electrode terminal 56 of the lithium secondary battery 51 and the negative electrode terminal 60 of the lithium secondary battery 52, and the conduction pattern 23B is on the positive electrode terminal 59 of the lithium secondary battery 52 and the negative electrode terminal 63 of the lithium secondary battery 53. , Respectively.
The conduction pattern 23 </ b> C corresponds to the positive terminal 62 of the lithium secondary battery 53 and the negative terminal 66 of the lithium secondary battery 54.

The conductive patterns 23A to 23C integrally have a guide 25 formed so as to protrude in an annular shape outside the terminals 56 and 60, the terminals 59 and 63, and the terminals 62 and 66.
As shown in FIG. 4, in the conductive pattern 23 </ b> A (23 </ b> B, 23 </ b> C), the guide 25 covers the terminals 56, 60, 59, 63, 62, 66 of the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54. Protruding. A flat terminal contact surface 26 is provided inward of the guide 25.
Therefore, each of the terminals 56, 60, 59, 63, 62, 66 is displaced by the guide 25 of the conduction pattern 23A (23B, 23C) with respect to the lateral displacement of the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54. Can guide.

When assembling the battery case 10, the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54 are placed on the spring member 14 attached to a predetermined position of the bottom plate 13 of the case body 11.
Next, the leaf spring member 15 is placed on each battery container 55, 58, 61, 64 of each lithium secondary battery 51, 52, 53, 54, and the lid 12 is attached to the upper opening of the case body 11. And screw it in.

Then, the pressing bolts 19 and 21 screwed into the screw holes 18 and 19 of the lid body 12 are screwed in.
By screwing the pressing bolts 19 and 21, the pressing bolts 19 and 21 press the bolt contact portions 22 of the plate spring members 15.
As a result, the screw bolts 19 and 21 are screwed to face the bottom plate 13 with respect to the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53 and 54 urged toward the lid body 12 by the spring members 14. A biasing force is given.
That is, the urging force by which each leaf spring member 15 urges each battery container 55, 58, 61, 64 of each lithium secondary battery 51, 52, 53, 54 can be adjusted by the pressing bolts 19, 21.
Therefore, a predetermined urging force for each lithium secondary battery 51, 52, 53, 54 can be easily set.

Here, the elastic repulsive force accumulated in the spring member 14 is set to be larger than the elastic repulsive force accumulated in the leaf spring member 15.
Therefore, in each lithium secondary battery 51, 52, 53, 54, each terminal 56, 60, 59, 63, 62, 66 contacts each conduction pattern 23A-23C against the biasing force of each spring member 14. To conduct.
Accordingly, each of the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54 can stably conduct the terminals 56, 60, 59, 63, 62, 66 to the conduction patterns 23A to 23C.

Next, the operation of the battery case 10 will be described.
In addition, the following description is performed only about the positive electrode terminal 56 and the negative electrode terminal 60 in the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 in the case main body 11, and it abbreviate | omits about the other lithium secondary batteries 53 and 54.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the battery module 50 to which the battery case 10 is applied is applied to a moving body, the lithium secondary battery 51 causes pitching vibration that rotates about the left and right as the mobile body vibrates. In this case, the lithium secondary battery 53 rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG.
However, the lithium secondary battery 51 is not fixed to the case body 11, and is biased upward by the spring member 14, and is attached downward by the pressing bolt 19 via the leaf spring member 15. It is supported and floated.
Thereby, the positive electrode terminal 56 of the lithium secondary battery 51 is held in the guide 25 of the conductive pattern 23A, and the positive electrode terminal 56 is not detached from the conductive pattern 23A.
Therefore, even if the lithium secondary battery 51 causes pitching vibration, there is no problem in the conduction between the positive electrode terminal 56 and the conduction pattern 23A.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, when the lithium secondary battery 51 moves toward the bottom plate 13 along with the vibration of the moving body, the spring member 14 of the bottom plate 13 is elastically deformed and accumulates an elastic repulsive force.
However, since the leaf spring member 15 is elastically restored by the elastic repulsive force accumulated in itself, the positive electrode terminal 56 is not detached from the conductive pattern 23A while holding the lithium secondary battery 51.
Therefore, even if the lithium secondary battery 51 moves toward the bottom plate 13, there is no problem in conduction between the positive terminal 56 and the conduction pattern 23 </ b> A.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, when the lithium secondary battery 51 moves laterally along the bottom plate 13 along with the vibration of the moving body, the spring member 14 of the bottom plate 13 is twisted while accumulating elastic repulsion. It is.
At the same time, the leaf spring member 15 slides on the battery containers 55 and 58 of the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 while accumulating elastic repulsion.
However, since the lithium secondary battery 51 is urged upward by the spring member 14 and urged downward by the pressing bolt 19 via the leaf spring member 15, it continues to be held. Thus, the positive terminal 56 is not detached from the conductive pattern 23A.
Therefore, even if the lithium secondary battery 51 moves in the lateral direction, there is no problem in the conduction between the positive electrode terminal 56 and the conduction pattern 23A.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, by continuously charging and discharging, the battery containers 55 and 58 of the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 and the terminals 56 and 60 increase the outer diameter. When expanded in this manner, the biasing of the spring member 14 and the biasing of the leaf spring member 15 are maintained.
Therefore, the expanded terminals 56 and 60 are held in the guide 25 of the conductive pattern 23A, and the terminals 56 and 60 are not detached from the conductive pattern 23A.
Therefore, even if the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 are expanded, there is no problem in conduction between the terminals 56 and 60 and the conduction pattern 23A.

Next, a modification of the battery case 10 of the first embodiment will be described.
As shown in FIG. 9, in this modification, a convex terminal contact surface 27 is formed inside the guide 25 of the conductive pattern 23A.
Even if the lithium secondary battery 51 rotates due to pitching vibration or the like, the terminal contact surface 27 can continue to be conductively connected following the rotation of the positive terminal 56.

As described above, according to the battery case 10 of the first embodiment of the present invention, the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 are urged upward by the spring member 14 and the leaf spring member. It is urged downward by a pressing bolt 19 through 15 and is supported in a floating manner.
Therefore, according to the battery case 10, the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 can be stably supported in the case body 11 and can be reliably conducted.

Further, according to the battery case 10, the urging force by which the leaf spring member 15 urges the upper surface of each lithium secondary battery 51, 52 can be adjusted by the pressing bolt 19.
Therefore, according to the battery case 10, the predetermined urging | biasing force with respect to each lithium secondary battery 51 and 52 can be set easily.

According to the battery case 10, the pressing bolt 19 presses the bolt contact portion 22 of the leaf spring member 15 corresponding to the arrangement center of the corresponding lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52.
Therefore, according to the battery case 10, the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 can be biased with a balanced pressing force without causing an inclination.

  Further, according to the battery case 10, the terminals 56 and 60 of the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52 urged upward by the spring member 14 are surely secured by the conduction patterns 23 </ b> A to 23 </ b> C on the lower surface of the lid 12. Conductive connection can be made.

  In addition, according to the battery module 50, the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54 can be stably supported in the case body 11 by the battery case 10.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, the battery case and battery module of 2nd Embodiment which concern on this invention are demonstrated.
Note that, in the following second embodiment, components that are the same as those in the first embodiment described above or components that are functionally similar are denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals in the drawings, or the description is simplified. Omitted.

As shown in FIG. 10, the battery case 30 provided in the battery module 70 of the second embodiment according to the present invention includes three bus bars 31 corresponding to leaf spring members.
The bus bar 31 connects the positive electrode terminal 56 of the lithium secondary battery 51 and the negative electrode terminal 60 of the lithium secondary battery 52 in series, and the positive electrode terminal 59 of the lithium secondary battery 52 and the negative electrode terminal 63 of the lithium secondary battery 53. Are connected in series.
The bus bar 31 connects the positive electrode terminal 62 of the lithium secondary battery 53 and the negative electrode terminal 66 of the lithium secondary battery 54 in series.

The bus bar 31 is formed using a conductive material and has a length that is longer than the distance between the terminals 56 and 60, the terminals 59 and 63, and the terminals 62 and 66.
The bus bar 31 has a terminal holding portion 33 having a pair of terminal fixing holes 33 having inner diameters slightly larger than the outer diameters of the terminals 56, 60, 59, 63, 62, 66 at both ends of the plate-shaped main body 32. 34 is provided.
The terminal clamping portion 34 has a slit 35 connected to the outside of the terminal fixing hole 33, and a fixing bolt 36 is screwed to the outside of the terminal fixing hole 33.
The bus bar 31 forms a central contact portion 37 at the central portion of the main body 32.

As shown in FIG. 11, when assembling the battery case 30, the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53, 54 are placed on the spring member 14 attached to a predetermined position of the bottom plate 13 of the case body 11. To do.
Next, the terminal fixing holes 33 of the bus bar 31 are externally inserted into the terminals 56 and 60 of the lithium secondary batteries 51 and 52, and a pair of fixing bolts 36 are screwed.
Further, the terminal fixing holes 33 of the bus bar 31 are externally inserted into the terminals 59 and 63 of the lithium secondary batteries 52 and 53, respectively, and a pair of fixing bolts 36 are screwed.
Then, the terminal fixing holes 33 of the bus bar 31 are externally inserted into the terminals 62 and 66 of the lithium secondary batteries 53 and 54, and a pair of fixing bolts 36 are screwed.

Next, the lid 12 is attached to the upper opening of the case body 11, and the pressing bolts 19 and 21 screwed into the screw holes 18 and 20 of the lid 12 are screwed in.
By screwing the pressing bolts 19 and 21, the pressing bolts 19 and 21 press the bus bars 31 through the insulating member 38.

At this time, each of the pressing bolts 19 and 21 applies a biasing force to the central contact portion 37 of the bus bar 31 via the insulating member 38.
As a result, the bus bars 31 are biased in the direction opposite to the loosening direction as the pressing bolts 19 and 21 are screwed, and the biasing force toward the bottom plate 13 is given to the lithium secondary batteries 51, 52, 53 and 64. It is done.
Here, since the bus bar 31 is pressed by the pressing bolts 19, 21, the natural frequency of the bus bar 31 and each secondary lithium battery is higher than that of the case where the bus bars 31 are not pressed by the pressing bolts 19, 21. Shifting to the frequency side reduces the vibration of each part and prevents the bus bar 31 from loosening.
Accordingly, each lithium secondary battery 51, 52, 53, 54 can stably connect each terminal 56, 60, each terminal 59, 63, and each terminal 62, 66 by the bus bar 31.

According to the battery case 30 of the second embodiment, the bus bar 31 that connects the terminals 56 and 60, the terminals 59 and 63, and the terminals 62 and 66 is pressed by the pressing bolts 19 and 21.
Therefore, according to the battery case 30, the terminals 56, 60, 59, 63, 62, 66 can be stably conducted by the bus bar 31 pressed by the pressing bolts 19, 21.

Further, according to the battery case 30, it is not necessary to provide a conductive pattern on the lid body 12.
Therefore, according to the battery case 30, it becomes a simple structure and can be advantageous in terms of cost.

  In addition, the battery case and battery module of this invention are not limited to each embodiment mentioned above, A suitable deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,30 Battery case 11 Case main body 12 Cover body 14 Spring member (lower urging means)
15 Leaf spring member (leaf spring) (upper biasing means)
19, 21 Pressing bolt (pressing member) (upper biasing means)
23A, 23B, 23C Conductive pattern (connection part)
31 Bus bar (connection part)
50, 70 Battery module 51, 52, 53, 54 Lithium secondary battery (battery)
56 Positive terminal (terminal)
57 Negative terminal (terminal)
59 Positive terminal (terminal)
60 Negative terminal (terminal)
62 Positive terminal (terminal)
63 Negative terminal (terminal)
65 Positive terminal (terminal)
66 Negative terminal (terminal)

Claims (6)

A battery case for storing a plurality of batteries,
A case main body having an opening at the top and storing the battery;
A lid fixed to the case body and closing the opening of the case body;
A lower biasing means provided on the bottom surface of the case body and biasing the stored battery upward;
A battery case, comprising: an upper urging means that is supported by a lower surface of the lid and urges the battery stored in the case main body downward. The lower biasing means is provided corresponding to each of the batteries to be stored,
The said upper biasing means is provided with the leaf | plate spring contact | abutted to the upper surface of the said some battery, and the pressing member fixed to the said cover body and pressing the said leaf | plate spring against the said battery corresponding to the said battery. Battery case.   The battery case according to claim 2, wherein the pressing member is provided at an arrangement center of the plurality of corresponding batteries.   The battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a connection portion that is provided on a lower surface of the lid and connects between terminals included in the battery.   The battery case according to claim 4, wherein the leaf spring also serves as the connection portion.   A battery module comprising the battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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