JP2014026888A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the workload when breaking the connection circuit of a battery and an electric apparatus.SOLUTION: The connector being attached to a connector attachment portion for connecting a battery and a relay block includes a lever for operating the connector between an allowable position for allowing electrical connection with an electric apparatus, and a non-allowable position for not allowing electrical connection, and capable of being removed from the connector at the non-allowable position, and an engaging portion which latches the connector to the non-allowable position by engaging with an engaged portion provided in the connector attachment portion at the non-allowable position.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector structure for connecting a battery and an electric device.

  An electric vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle includes a load (for example, a motor that drives the vehicle) and a battery that supplies electric power to the load. A connection circuit for turning on / off the flow of electric power is provided between the battery and the load. A service plug is known as a switching member for switching on / off of power by the connection circuit.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a battery assembly having a plurality of batteries, an electrical connection box for controlling on / off of the connection between the battery assembly and the electric motor, and a plurality of bus bars for connecting adjacent electrodes of the plurality of batteries. And a bus bar module having an insulating plate to which the bus bar is attached, and a service plug. The service plug has a conductive connection part that is detachably provided on each of the electrode of the electrical junction box and the battery electrode positioned at the end of the battery assembly, and a housing that accommodates the connection part. doing. The housing is connected to the plate using a hinge.

JP 2009-110855 A

  However, in the above-described configuration, there is a possibility that the connection path becomes complicated, that is, the bus bar shape becomes complicated and the number of bus bars increases, resulting in an increase in cost and an increase in the size of the battery pack. That is, since the circuit breaker component is installed in the circuit, a “handling circuit” for connecting the circuit breaker component is required in the circuit.

  Moreover, since the physique of a lever becomes large, when a service worker puts a lever in a pocket and performs work, the pocket swells and smooth work is hindered.

  Then, an object of this invention is to reduce the work burden at the time of interrupting | blocking the connection circuit of a battery and an electric equipment.

  In order to solve the above problems, a connector according to the present invention is a connector that is mounted on a connector mounting portion to connect a battery and an electrical device, and an allowable position that allows electrical connection with the electrical device. And a lever that is operated to operate the connector between a non-permitted position that does not allow electrical connection and is detachable from the connector in the non-permitted position, and provided in the connector mounting portion in the non-permitted position. And an engaging portion that locks the connector at the non-permitted position by engaging with the engaged portion.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the work burden at the time of interrupting | blocking the connection circuit of a battery and an electric equipment can be reduced.

It is a schematic plan view of a battery and a junction box. The operation method at the time of interrupting the connection circuit of a connector and a relay block is shown. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of a connector housing.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a battery and a junction box. The X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis are three axes that are orthogonal to each other. The battery 10 includes a plurality of single cells 11, a pair of end plates 12, and a restraining band 13. These unit cells 11 are arranged in one direction (Y-axis direction). In addition, the channel | path for making cooling air conduct | electrically_connect between the adjacent cell 11 may be provided. In this case, a spacer (not shown) is arranged between the adjacent unit cells 11.

  The unit cell 11 has a positive electrode terminal 11a and a negative electrode terminal 11b. Electric power can be taken out of the unit cell 11 through the positive electrode terminal 11a and the negative electrode terminal 11b. The positive electrode terminal 11 a is connected to the negative electrode terminal 11 b of the adjacent unit cell 11 via the bus bar 14, and the negative electrode terminal 11 b is connected to the positive electrode terminal 11 a of the adjacent unit cell 11 via the bus bar 14.

  A cable 15 is connected to one terminal of the unit cell 11 located at one end in the Y-axis direction, and a connector 51 is provided at the tip of the cable 15. A cable 16 is connected to the other terminal of the unit cell 11 located at the other end in the Y-axis direction, and a connector 52 is provided at the tip of the cable 16. That is, the cable 15 connects the total negative terminal of the battery 10 and the junction box 50. The cable 16 connects the total positive terminal of the battery 10 and the junction box 50.

  The connectors 51 and 52 are connected to a relay block (corresponding to an electric device) 54 via a bus bar 53. The relay block 54 has a relay for switching the connection state between the battery 10 and the load. When the relay is turned on, the battery 10 and the load are connected. When the relay is turned off, the connection between the battery 10 and the load is disconnected.

  The pair of end plates 12 are located at both ends in the arrangement direction of the unit cells 11. The restraint band 13 has bent portions at both ends, and these bent portions are fixed to the end plate 12. The fixing method may be fastening means. When the restraining band 13 is fixed to the pair of end plates 12, the pair of end plates 12 receives an external force in a direction approaching each other. Thereby, the plurality of single cells 11 are pressed by the pair of end plates 12. As a result, the positional deviation of the plurality of single cells 11 is suppressed.

  The operation explanatory diagram of FIG. 2 shows an operation method when the connection circuit of the connector 51 and the relay block 54 is cut off. 2A shows a state in which the battery 10 and the junction box 50 are conductive, FIG. 2B shows a state in which the interlock circuit is cut off, FIG. 2C shows a state in which the lever is removed, and FIG. 2D shows a lever. The state which gave the insertion / removal force with respect to the connector 51 from which was removed is shown. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the connector and the junction box. FIG. 3A corresponds to FIG. 2A, and FIG. 3B corresponds to FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 2A, the connector 51 includes a connector housing 511, holding protrusions (corresponding to engaging portions) 512 provided on both side surfaces of the connector housing 511, and both side surfaces of the connector housing 511. And a lever engaging protrusion 513 provided. The connector housing 511 contains a fuse (not shown). The configuration of the connector 52 may be any configuration and will not be described in detail.

  Referring to FIG. 3, the junction box 50 is formed with a connector mounting portion 50a to which a connector 51 is connected. The connector mounting portion 50a is formed in a concave shape, and an engagement groove portion (corresponding to an engaged portion) 501a is formed on the inner surface thereof.

  Referring again to FIG. 2, the lever 60 includes a lever main body 61 and a pair of flange portions 62. The lever body 61 is formed in a flat plate shape. The pair of flange portions 62 are formed on the side surface of the lever body 61 and project in the plate thickness direction of the lever body 61. In the pair of flange portions 62, a long hole portion 62a is formed. In the state shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A, that is, in the state where the connector 51 and the relay block 54 are conducted, the lever engaging projection 513 is positioned on one end side of the elongated hole 62a, and the lever body 61 is located along the side surface of the connector housing 511.

  Referring to FIG. 2B, when the lever 60 is tilted in the direction of the arrow, the lever engaging projection 513 moves from one end side to the other end side of the elongated hole portion 62a, and the connector housing 511 moves to the arrow direction. Move up in the direction. As the connector housing 511 moves up, the electrical connection between the connector 51 and the relay block 54 is cut off, and the circuit of the battery 10 is cut off.

  At this time, when the holding projection 512 comes into contact with the inner surface of the connector mounting portion 50a, the connector mounting portion 50a is expanded while being elastically deformed. When the lever 60 is further tilted, as shown in FIG. 3B, the holding projection 512 is engaged with the engagement groove 501a, and the elastically deformed connector mounting portion 50a returns to its original state. Referring to FIG. 2C, the lever 60 can be detached from the connector housing 511 by being elastically deformed so that the engagement of the lever engaging protrusion 513 and the elongated hole 62a is cut off.

  Here, as illustrated in FIG. 2D, when the connector housing 511 is pulled up and down, the operation of the connector housing 511 is hindered by the holding projection 512 coming into contact with the engagement groove 501 a. That is, even if an attempt is made to insert the connector housing 511 with the lever 60 removed, the connector 51 cannot be easily moved to a position where it is electrically connected to the relay block 54. Furthermore, the connector housing 51 cannot be easily removed from the connector mounting portion 50a.

  That is, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, it is possible to operate the connector 51 between a position where it is electrically connected to the relay block 54 and a position where it is not electrically connected to the relay block 54 only by operating the lever 60. By removing the lever 60 at a position where it does not conduct to the relay block 54, the connector 51 can be held at that position. Thereby, the labor at the time of interrupting | blocking the circuit of the battery 10 at the time of service etc. is reduced significantly.

10: Battery 11: Cell 12: End plate 13: Restraint band 50: Junction box 51: Connector 54: Relay block 511: Connector housing 512: Holding projection 513: Lever engagement projection 60: Lever 61: Lever body 62 : Flange part 62a: Long hole part 50a: Connector mounting part 501a: Engaging groove part

Claims (1)

A connector that is attached to a connector attachment portion to connect a battery and an electrical device,
A lever that is operated to operate the connector between a permissible position that allows electrical connection with the electrical device and a non-permitted position that does not permit electrical connection, and is detachable from the connector in the non-permitted position. When,
An engaging portion for locking the connector at the non-permissible position by engaging with an engaged portion provided at the connector mounting portion at the non-permissible position;
A connector comprising:

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