JP2015149147A - Battery pack and manufacturing method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery pack which shortens the manufacturing time and improves the sealability, and to provide a manufacturing method of the battery pack.SOLUTION: A battery pack 1 according to one embodiment includes: a cup shaped housing 21 storing a battery module 10; a seal member 24 provided on an end surface 21a at the opening side of the housing; and a lid 22 which closes an opening of the housing and is fixed to the housing by multiple fixing members. Multiple first insertion holes 21b, into which the multiple fixing members are inserted, and second insertion holes 21c, into which positioning members for positioning the lid relative to the housing are inserted, are formed on the end surface. The second insertion holes are formed at the outer side relative to the seal member in a width direction of the end surface. In the lid, first through holes 22a for inserting the corresponding fixing members are formed at portions which respectively face the multiple first insertion holes and second through holes 22b for inserting the positioning members are formed at portions facing the second insertion holes.

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery pack and a method for manufacturing the battery pack.

  Conventionally, as an example of the technology in this field, there is a power storage device (battery pack) described in Patent Document 1. The power storage device includes a plurality of battery modules housed in a battery case (housing), and a battery cover (lid) fixed from above the battery case with a plurality of screws. Thus, normally, in a battery pack, the battery module is housed in a bottomed cylindrical casing, and the lid that closes the opening of the casing is screwed to the casing with a plurality of screws.

JP 2012-33306 A

  In the battery pack, a ring-shaped sealing member may be disposed between the end face on the opening side of the housing and the lid, and the inside of the case may be sealed with the sealing member. When manufacturing such a battery pack, if the lid and the casing are aligned by screws and screw holes, it is difficult to align the positions of the plurality of screws with the corresponding screw holes at a time. Therefore, in the process of aligning the lid and the housing, the sealing member is damaged by the screw, and as a result, the sealing performance in the battery pack may be deteriorated. Moreover, the manufacturing time of a battery pack may become long from the difficulty of the alignment mentioned above.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack capable of reducing the manufacturing time and improving the sealing performance, and a method for manufacturing the battery pack.

  A battery pack according to one aspect of the present invention is a battery pack having a battery module, and includes a bottomed cylindrical housing that houses the battery module, and an end surface on the opening side of the housing in a circumferential direction of the housing. A ring-shaped seal member provided along the lid, and a lid that closes the opening of the housing and is fixed to the housing by a plurality of fixing members, and a plurality of fixing members inserted into the end surface. A first insertion hole is formed, and a second insertion hole into which an alignment member for positioning the housing and the lid is inserted is formed. The second insertion hole is formed on the end surface. In the width direction, it is formed outside the seal member, and the cover is formed with a first through hole for passing a corresponding fixing member in a portion facing each of the plurality of first insertion holes. And pass the alignment member through the portion facing the second insertion hole. The second through hole of the fit is formed.

  In the battery pack, since the second insertion hole is provided outside the seal member, the sealing performance can be ensured even if the second insertion hole and the second through hole are formed. Moreover, when aligning a lid | cover with a housing | casing, a lid | cover can be aligned with a housing | casing, for example by letting an alignment member pass through a 2nd through-hole and a 2nd insertion hole. After the alignment, the corresponding fixing member is inserted into the first through hole and the first insertion hole, and the lid and the housing are fixed, so that the sealing member is damaged by the plurality of fixing members. There is nothing. Therefore, the sealing performance can be improved. Moreover, since the alignment of the housing and the lid is easy by using the second through hole and the second insertion hole, the time required for manufacturing the battery pack can be shortened.

  In one embodiment, two or more second insertion holes may be formed in the housing.

  In this case, since the positioning of the lid and the housing can be performed more reliably, the sealing member is not easily damaged by the fixing member, and the alignment time can be further shortened.

  A method for manufacturing a battery pack according to another aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a battery pack having a battery module, in which a ring-shaped sealing member is disposed on an end surface on the opening side of a bottomed cylindrical casing. A sealing member disposing step to be installed; an accommodating step of accommodating the battery module in the housing; and a lid with a plurality of fixing members on the opening side end surface of the housing in which the battery module is accommodated and the sealing member is disposed. An attaching process. The end face is formed with a plurality of first insertion holes into which a plurality of fixing members are inserted, and a second insertion hole into which a positioning member for the lid with respect to the housing is inserted, The second insertion hole is formed outside the seal member at the end face. The lid is formed with a first through hole for passing the corresponding fixing member in a portion facing each of the plurality of first insertion holes, and is aligned with the portion facing the second insertion hole. A second through hole is formed for allowing the member to pass therethrough. The attaching step includes an alignment step of aligning the lid and the housing by passing the alignment member through the second through hole of the lid and inserting the alignment member into the corresponding second insertion hole, and a plurality of alignment steps. The fixing member is passed through the first through hole of the corresponding lid, and is inserted into the corresponding first insertion hole and fixed to fix the lid to the housing, and after the alignment step And a removing step of removing the alignment member.

  In the method of manufacturing the battery pack, the casing and the lid are aligned by passing the alignment member through the second through hole and the second insertion hole. Thereafter, a corresponding fixing member is inserted into the first through hole and the first insertion hole, and the lid and the housing are fixed. Therefore, the sealing member is hardly damaged by the plurality of fixing members, and as a result, a battery pack with improved sealing performance can be manufactured. Since the casing and the lid are aligned not by the plurality of fixing members but by the alignment member, the alignment is easy. Therefore, the time required for manufacturing the battery pack can be shortened.

  In one embodiment, in the alignment step, the lid is a mounting jig to which the positioning member is attached and the lid is detachable, with the positioning member inserted into the second through hole. , And the alignment member protruding from the lid fixed to the mounting jig is inserted into the first insertion hole of the housing to align the lid and the housing. The alignment member may be removed by removing the jig.

  By fixing the lid to the attachment jig to which the alignment member is attached, the alignment member can be protruded from the lid through the second through hole of the lid. As described above, the lid and the casing can be aligned by the positioning member while the lid is guided to the casing by the mounting jig to which the lid is fixed, and thus the positioning is easy.

  In one embodiment, the lid is made of metal, and the mounting jig may have an electromagnet.

  In this case, the attachment jig and the lid can be attached and detached by turning on / off the electromagnet included in the attachment jig.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, manufacturing time can be shortened and the battery pack which can aim at the improvement of sealing performance, and its manufacturing method can be provided.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a battery module included in the battery pack shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the case shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method of manufacturing the battery pack shown in FIG. FIG. 5A is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a mounting jig used in the mounting process. FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the mounting jig shown in FIG. 5A as viewed from the side where the lid is disposed. 6 (A) and 6 (B) are drawings showing a lid attaching process.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. The dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily match those described.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment. The battery pack 1 includes a plurality of battery modules 10 and a case 20 that houses the plurality of battery modules 10. In FIG. 1, the battery module 10 is schematically illustrated. Each battery module 10 is electrically connected to each other, and is fixed to the case 20 by a fixing member.

  The case 20 has a bottomed cylindrical casing 21 and a lid 22, and the lid 22 is screwed to the casing 21 with a plurality of screws (fixing members) 23. A ring-shaped seal member 24 is interposed between the casing 21 and the lid 22 to seal the inside of the case 20. An example of the screw 23 is a bolt.

  The configuration of the battery module 10 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the battery module 10 included in the battery pack 1 of FIG. 1. The battery module 10 is one in which a plurality of battery cells 11 are electrically connected. The configuration of the plurality of battery cells 11 is the same.

  The battery cell 11 is a storage battery such as a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery. However, the battery cell 11 is not limited to a secondary battery, and may be, for example, an electric double layer capacitor. The battery cell 11 is configured, for example, by housing an electrode assembly 13 in which a negative electrode, a separator, and a positive electrode are stacked in a case 12 filled with an electrolytic solution. The negative electrode and the positive electrode of the electrode assembly 13 are electrically connected to a pair of electrode terminals 14 </ b> A and 14 </ b> B fixed in an insulated state to the case 12. Therefore, one of the pair of electrode terminals 14A and 14B functions as a negative electrode terminal, and the other functions as a positive electrode terminal. One end of each of the pair of electrode terminals 14 </ b> A and 14 </ b> B protrudes outside the case 12.

  The plurality of battery cells 11 are arranged side by side, and the electrode terminals 14A and 14B of the adjacent battery cells 11 are connected by a conductive plate-like connecting member 15 such as a bus bar. The plurality of battery cells 11 are integrated by a restraining tool 16. The restraining tool 16 includes, for example, a pair of metal plates 17 that sandwich the plurality of battery cells 11 from the juxtaposed direction, and a rod-shaped connecting member 18 that is disposed on the side of the battery cells 1111 and connects the pair of metal plates 17. And a bolt 19 for fixing the connecting member 18 to the metal plate 17 in a state where the plurality of battery cells 11 are sandwiched by the metal plate 17.

  Next, the case 20 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the case 20. In FIG. 3, a screw 23 for fixing the lid 22 to the housing 21 is also shown for explanation.

  The case 20 includes a metal casing 21 that houses the plurality of battery modules 10, and a metal lid 22 that closes the opening of the casing 21. The casing 21 is erected from a bottom plate 25 on a rectangular flat plate, a pair of side plates 26 a and 26 b erected from a pair of opposed edges of the bottom plate 25, and another pair of opposed rims of the bottom plate 25. This is a box composed of side plates 26c and 26d. An example of the material of the bottom plate 25 and the side plates 26a to 26d is iron (SS400). The end surface 21a on the opening side of the housing 21 is configured by connecting end surfaces on the opening side of the side plates 26a to 26d, and has a ring shape. A sealing member 24 for sealing the case 20 is provided on the end surface 21a. The seal member 24 extends along the circumferential direction of the housing 21 and is closed. That is, the seal member 24 has a ring shape. A part of the side plates 26a to 26d is a connector (not shown) for electrically connecting an electrical wiring electrically connected to the battery module 10 accommodated in the case 20 and a device outside the case 20. Are omitted).

  In the width direction of the end surface 21a (direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the end surface 21a), a screw hole (first insertion hole) that is screwed into the screw 23 to screw the lid 22 inside the seal member 24. A plurality of 21b are formed. The number and arrangement of the screw holes 21b as the coupling portions (or coupling holes) coupled to the screws 23 may be any number and arrangement that can seal the case 20 when the lid 22 is screwed.

  On the other hand, a pin insertion hole (second insertion hole) 21c is formed on the outer side of the seal member 24 in the width direction of the end surface 21a (the thickness direction of each of the side plates 26a to 26d). The pin insertion hole 21c is a hole into which an alignment pin (alignment member) 34 (see FIGS. 5A and 5B) used when the lid 22 is screwed to the housing 21 is inserted. In one embodiment shown in FIG. 3, pin insertion holes 21c are formed in the end surfaces of the opposing side plates 26a and 26b, respectively.

  The lid 22 is for closing the opening of the housing 21 and has the same planar view shape as the planar view shape of the housing 21. An example of the material of the lid 22 is iron (SS400). A through hole (first through hole) 22a through which the screw 23 is passed is formed in a portion of the lid 22 facing the screw hole 21b of the housing 21, and a portion facing the pin insertion hole 21c is formed in the portion facing the pin insertion hole 21c. A through hole (second through hole) 22b for passing the alignment pin 34 is formed.

  Next, an example of a method for manufacturing the battery pack shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing a battery pack.

  When manufacturing the battery pack 1, the bottomed cylindrical housing | casing 21 for accommodating the battery module 10 is prepared (casing preparation process S10). The casing 21 is a box composed of a bottom plate 25 and side plates 26a to 26d erected from the bottom plate 25, and a plurality of screw holes 21b and pin insertion holes 21c are formed at predetermined positions on the end surface 21a. Be prepared by. Then, the housing | casing 21 by which the sealing member 24 was arrange | positioned is obtained by arrange | positioning and joining the sealing member 24 on the end surface 21a (sealing member arrangement | positioning process S12).

  Subsequently, the plurality of battery modules 10 are arranged and fixed in the casing 21 in the casing 21, and the plurality of battery modules 10 are electrically connected (battery module accommodation step S14).

  Thereafter, the lid 22 closes the opening of the casing 21, and the lid 22 is attached to the casing 21 (attachment step S16). This attachment process S16 is demonstrated.

  FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an attachment jig 30 for attaching the lid 22 to the housing 21. FIG. 5B is a view of the mounting jig 30 of FIG. 5A as viewed from the side where the lid 22 is disposed. In FIG. 5B, the lid 22 is also illustrated for the purpose of explanation. The mounting jig 30 is constituted by guide plates 32 a to 32 d erected from each of four edge portions of a rectangular flat base plate 31. The lid 22 is disposed inside the frame body 32 composed of the four guide plates 32a to 32d.

  The base plate 31 includes an electromagnet 33, and the metal lid 22 can be attached to and detached from the base plate 31 by controlling ON / OFF of the magnetic force of the electromagnet 33. An alignment pin 34 is fixed to a portion of the base plate 31 facing the through hole 22b of the lid 22, and a through hole 31a through which the screw 23 is passed is formed in a portion corresponding to the through hole 22a. Has been. The size of the through hole 31a may be larger than the size that allows the entire screw 23 to pass through the through hole 31a.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 6 (A) and FIG. 6 (B), the alignment method with respect to the housing | casing 21 of the lid | cover 22 using the attachment jig 30 is demonstrated. 6 (A) and 6 (B) are drawings showing the alignment process of the lid 22. As shown in FIG. 6A, the lid 22 is coupled to the base plate 31 by turning on the electromagnet 33 of the base plate 31, that is, by generating the magnetic force of the electromagnet 33, and then the lid 22 is fixed. The attached mounting jig 30 is moved onto the housing 21. When the lid 22 is coupled to the base plate 31, the alignment pins 34 are passed through the corresponding through holes 22 b of the lid 22.

  Next, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, the alignment pin 34 protruding from the lid 22 is inserted into the casing 21 while the lid 22 is guided to the casing 21 by the frame body 32 including the guide plates 32 a to 32 d. The lid 22 and the casing 21 are aligned through the corresponding insertion hole 21c (alignment step S16a).

  Then, the screw | thread 23 is inserted into the screw hole 21b from the through-hole 31a of the base plate 31, and the through-hole 22a of the lid | cover 22, and the lid | cover 22 is fixed to the housing | casing 21 by fastening them (fixing process S16b). Thus, in the process of screwing the lid 22 to the housing 21, the seal member 24 is pressed by the lid 22 and the housing 21, whereby the space between the lid 22 and the housing 21 is sealed.

  After the lid 22 is screwed to the housing 21, the electromagnet 33 of the mounting jig 30 is turned off, that is, the magnetic force of the electromagnet 33 is not generated, so that the lid 22 is separated from the base plate 31, and the mounting jig 30 Is removed (jig removal step S16c). Since the alignment pin 34 is integrated with the base plate 31, the alignment pin 34 is also detached from the lid 22 and the housing 21 by removing the attachment jig 30 from the lid 22. In this way, the battery pack 1 shown in FIG. 1 is obtained.

  In the battery pack 1 and the manufacturing method thereof, the lid 22 is screwed to the housing 21 so that the seal member 24 is pressed and the case 20 is sealed with the seal member 24. Since the pin insertion hole 21 c is formed in the housing 21 and the through hole 22 b is formed in the lid 22, the lid 22 is not the combination of the plurality of screws 23 and the screw holes 21 b but the positioning pins 34. And the casing 21 can be aligned, so that the seal member 24 is not damaged by the screw 23 at the time of alignment. As a result, the sealing performance between the lid 22 and the housing 21 is also improved. Furthermore, since the alignment of the lid 22 and the housing 21 is performed using the alignment pins 34, the alignment is easy. As a result, the manufacturing time of the battery pack 1 can be shortened.

  Since the pin insertion hole 21 c is disposed outside the seal member 24, the case 20 can be sealed by the seal member 24 even if the pin insertion hole 21 c and the through hole 22 b are formed in the housing 21 and the lid 22. In addition, since the pin insertion hole 21c is formed outside the seal member 24, the pin insertion hole 21c is formed in a wider region on the end surface 21a, that is, a region where the distance from the seal member 24 to the outer side of the end surface 21a is longer. obtain. As a result, damage to the seal member 24 by the alignment pins 34 during alignment is reduced, so that sealing performance can be ensured more reliably.

  Furthermore, since the two pin insertion holes 21c are formed in the end surface 21a, the alignment of the lid 22 and the housing 21 is easy and the alignment accuracy is improved.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

  The casing 21 is not limited to a box having a rectangular shape in plan view, and the polygonal shape in plan view may be another polygonal shape, for example, a pentagon. The number of pin insertion holes 21c is not limited to two, but may be one or more, or may be three or more. However, the number of pin insertion holes 21c is preferably smaller than the number of screw holes 21b. In the case of one pin insertion hole 21c, if the mounting jig 30 as shown in FIG. 5 is used, the rotation of the lid 22 is regulated by the guide plates 32a to 32d. Is easy.

  Moreover, the coupling | bonding form of the lid | cover 22 and the housing | casing 21 is not limited to screwing, The lid | cover 22 and the housing | casing 21 may be couple | bonded using press injection.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Battery pack, 10 ... Battery module, 11 ... Battery cell, 20 ... Case, 21 ... Housing, 21a ... End surface, 21b ... Screw hole (1st insertion hole), 21c ... Pin insertion hole (2nd insertion) Hole), 22 ... lid, 22a ... through hole (first through hole), 22b ... through hole (second through hole), 23 ... screw (fixing member), 24 ... seal member, 30 ... mounting jig, 33: Electromagnet, 34: Positioning pin (positioning member).

Claims (5)

A battery pack having a battery module,
A bottomed cylindrical housing that houses the battery module;
A seal member provided on an end surface of the housing on the opening side and extending along a circumferential direction of the housing;
A lid that closes the opening of the housing and is fixed to the housing by a plurality of fixing members;
With
A plurality of first insertion holes into which the plurality of fixing members are inserted are formed on the end surface, and a second alignment member for positioning the housing and the lid is inserted. Insertion hole is formed,
The second insertion hole is formed outside the seal member in the width direction of the end face,
The lid is formed with a first through hole for passing the corresponding fixing member in a portion facing each of the plurality of first insertion holes, and faces the second insertion hole. A second through hole for passing the alignment member through the portion is formed;
Battery pack.   The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein two or more of the second insertion holes are formed in the end face. A method of manufacturing a battery pack having a battery module,
A seal member disposing step of disposing a ring-shaped seal member on the opening side end surface of the bottomed cylindrical housing;
A housing step of housing the battery module in the housing;
An attaching step of attaching a lid by a plurality of fixing members to an end face on the opening side of the casing in which the battery module is accommodated and the seal member is disposed;
With
The end surface is formed with a plurality of first insertion holes into which the plurality of fixing members are inserted, and a second insertion hole into which the alignment member of the lid with respect to the housing is inserted. And
The second insertion hole is formed outside the seal member in the width direction of the end face,
The lid is formed with a first through hole for passing the corresponding fixing member in a portion facing each of the plurality of first insertion holes, and faces the second insertion hole. A second through hole for passing the alignment member through the portion is formed;
The attaching step includes
An alignment step of aligning the lid and the housing by inserting the alignment member into the corresponding second insertion hole via the second through hole;
A fixing step of fixing the lid to the housing by inserting and fixing each fixing member into the corresponding first insertion hole via the corresponding first through hole;
After the alignment step, a removal step of removing the alignment member from the second insertion hole;
Having
A battery pack manufacturing method. In the alignment step, in the state where the alignment member is inserted into the second through hole, the attachment jig to which the alignment member is attached and the lid is detachable. A lid is fixed, and the lid and the casing are aligned by inserting the alignment member protruding from the lid fixed to the mounting jig into the first insertion hole of the casing. ,
In the removal step, the alignment member is removed by removing the attachment jig from the lid.
The manufacturing method of the battery pack of Claim 3. The lid is made of metal;
The mounting jig has an electromagnet,
The manufacturing method of the battery pack of Claim 4.

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