JP2018010753A - Conveyance apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a conveyance apparatus which can prevent a heat transfer plate from being damaged.SOLUTION: A conveyance apparatus 60 conveys, along a conveyance surface 52a, a battery unit 1 comprising: a battery cell 2; a cell holder 4 which holds the battery cell 2 and has an outer surface 43b; and a heat transfer plate 3 arranged on the outer surface 43b. The conveyance apparatus 60 comprises: a body part 61, for holding the battery unit 1, which has an inclined surface 66 inclined toward the conveyance surface 52a; and a drive part 63 which drives the body part 61 along a conveyance direction D1. The heat transfer plate 3 is spaced away from an upper end 43c as well as a lower end 43d. The body part 61 holds the battery unit 1 in a state where the lower end 43d is brought into contact with the conveyance surface 52a and the upper end 43c is brought into contact with the inclined surface 66.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport apparatus.

  Patent Document 1 describes a battery pack that includes a battery module having a plurality of battery cells and a housing that houses the battery module. In this battery pack, each battery cell has a case for accommodating an electrode assembly. Each battery cell is provided with a heat transfer plate (heat dissipation plate) that is thermally coupled to each of the case and the housing. The heat transfer plate functions as a heat radiating device for releasing heat generated in the electrode assembly to the housing.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-15173

  In the battery module described in Patent Document 1, it is important to accurately align the surfaces (heat transfer surfaces) in contact with the housing in each heat transfer plate in order to improve heat dissipation. According to the knowledge of the present inventors, when assembling a battery module with a plurality of battery cells, a reference surface for alignment is used, and the battery cells are arranged so that the heat transfer surface is pressed against the reference surface by its own weight. Then, the alignment accuracy between the heat transfer surfaces is improved. When the battery cell is transported to the position where the reference surface is provided, the battery cell may be slid with the heat transfer surface in contact with the transport surface. In this case, the heat transfer plate may be damaged and the heat dissipation of the battery cell may be reduced.

  The present invention provides a transport device capable of suppressing the heat transfer plate from being damaged.

  The conveyance apparatus which concerns on one form of this invention conveys a battery unit provided with a battery cell, a cell holder which has an outer surface while holding a battery cell, and a heat-transfer plate arrange | positioned on an outer surface along a conveyance surface. The apparatus has an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the conveyance surface, and includes a holding unit that holds the battery unit, and a drive unit that drives the holding unit along the conveyance direction. The holding unit holds the battery unit in a state in which one end is brought into contact with the carrying surface and the other end is brought into contact with the inclined surface.

  In this transport apparatus, the holding unit holds the battery unit in a state where one end of the outer surface of the cell holder in the transport direction is in contact with the transport surface and the other end is in contact with the inclined surface of the holding unit. Therefore, the outer surface of the cell holder is inclined with respect to the transport surface. Thereby, parts other than the end of the outer surface of a cell holder are spaced apart from a conveyance surface. Since the heat transfer plate is disposed on the outer surface away from one end and the other end of the outer surface of the cell holder, the battery unit is transported in a state where the heat transfer plate is separated from the transport surface. Thereby, it becomes possible to suppress damage to the heat transfer plate during conveyance.

  In the transport device according to one aspect of the present invention, the holding unit may further include a locking unit that locks the other end to the inclined surface. In this case, since the other end is locked to the inclined surface by the locking portion, the driving force of the driving portion can be transmitted to the battery unit via the holding portion. Thereby, a battery unit can be conveyed easily.

  The conveyance apparatus which concerns on one form of this invention may be further provided with the support part which is arrange | positioned facing a holding | maintenance part via a battery unit in a conveyance direction, and supports a battery unit. In this case, since the battery unit is supported by the support portion, the posture of the battery unit can be stabilized.

  In the conveyance apparatus which concerns on 1 aspect of this invention, the length of the inclination direction of an inclined surface may be shorter than the distance which a heat exchanger plate separates from the other end. In this case, the heat transfer plate does not come into contact with the inclined surface even when the other end is slid on the inclined surface by moving the holding unit toward or away from the battery unit along the conveyance direction. Therefore, it becomes possible to further suppress the heat transfer plate from being damaged.

  In the transport device according to one aspect of the present invention, the inclination angle of the outer surface with respect to the transport surface may be 30 degrees or more. In this case, portions other than one end of the outer surface of the cell holder are sufficiently separated from the transport surface by the holding unit. Therefore, it becomes possible to reliably suppress the heat transfer plate from being damaged.

  In the transport apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, the holding unit may hold the battery unit such that the center of gravity of the battery unit is located between one end and the other end in the transport direction. In this case, the battery unit is prevented from falling to the opposite side of the holding portion with one end as the rotation center.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a transport device that can suppress damage to the heat transfer plate.

It is the schematic of a battery pack provided with the battery unit conveyed by the conveying apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic cross section along the II-II line of FIG. It is a schematic cross section along the III-III line of FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view of the battery unit of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the manufacturing apparatus of a battery module. It is a figure for demonstrating the manufacturing apparatus of a battery module. It is a figure for demonstrating the manufacturing apparatus of a battery module.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same or equivalent elements, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

  Drawing 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery pack provided with a battery unit conveyed by a conveyance device concerning an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the battery pack 10 includes a housing 11, a connector 12, a junction box 13, a heat conducting member 14 (see FIG. 2 or 3), and a plurality of battery modules 20. ing. The battery pack 10 is a device used as a battery of a vehicle such as a forklift or an automobile, and is accommodated in a predetermined battery accommodating portion.

  The housing 11 is made of, for example, metal. The housing 11 has a bottomed box shape corresponding to the shape of the battery housing portion, and has a housing space for housing the junction box 13, the heat conducting member 14, and the plurality of battery modules 20. The housing 11 includes a rectangular plate-like bottom plate 11a, a top plate 11b provided to face the bottom plate 11a, a front plate 11c, a rear plate 11d, and a pair of side plates 11e provided upright from the periphery of the bottom plate 11a. Have. When mounted on a vehicle such as a forklift or an automobile, the casing 11 is arranged such that the bottom plate 11a is positioned vertically downward and the top plate 11b is positioned vertically upward. FIG. 1 shows a state in which one side plate 11e is removed.

  The connector 12 is a part that connects the battery pack 10 and an external device. The connector 12 is disposed outside the housing 11. The connector 12 is attached to, for example, a portion of the front plate 11c on the top plate 11b side.

  The junction box 13 is disposed in the housing space of the housing 11 corresponding to the position of the connector 12. The junction box 13 is opposed to the connector 12 via, for example, a portion of the front plate 11c on the top plate 11b side. In the junction box 13, a harness connection structure, a relay, and the like are accommodated. Junction box 13 is connected to connector 12 and harness H extending from each battery module 20.

  The heat conducting member 14 (see FIG. 2 or 3) is disposed between the battery module 20 and the housing 11 in the housing space. Specifically, the heat conducting member 14 is sandwiched between a second portion 32 of the heat transfer plate 3 described later and the housing 11 (the other side plate 11e). As the heat conducting member 14, for example, a solid sheet-like heat conducting material (TIM: Thermal Interface Material) is used. The heat conductive material is a material in which a powdery ceramic filler having heat conductivity is contained in an elastic material such as silicon rubber.

  The plurality of battery modules 20 are arranged in the accommodation space. Here, five battery modules 20 are attached to the other side plate 11e in an arrayed state.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the battery module 20 includes a plurality of battery units 1, a pair of brackets 21, an elastic member 22, and a connecting member 23. Here, each battery module 20 has seven battery units 1. The plurality of battery units 1 are arranged along one direction.

  FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the battery unit of FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the battery unit 1 includes a battery cell 2, a heat transfer plate 3, and a cell holder 4. The battery unit 1 is attached to the housing 11 in a state of being arranged together with other battery units 1.

  The battery cell 2 is a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery or a nickel metal hydride storage battery. The battery cell 2 has an electrode assembly (not shown), a case 7, and a pair of electrode terminals 8. The case 7 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and houses the electrode assembly. The case 7 has a pair of main surfaces 7a, an upper surface 7b, a bottom surface 7c, a first side surface 7d, and a second side surface 7e. Each of these surfaces has a rectangular shape.

  The pair of main surfaces 7a have the same shape and are separated from each other. The top surface 7b and the bottom surface 7c have the same shape and are separated from each other. The first side surface 7d and the second side surface 7e have the same shape and are separated from each other. In the following description, in the case 7, the direction in which the upper surface 7 b is provided is “up” and the direction in which the bottom surface 7 c is provided is “down”. The direction in which the pair of main surfaces 7a are separated from each other is defined as the X direction, the direction in which the upper surface 7b and the bottom surface 7c are separated from each other is defined as the Y direction, and the direction in which the first side surface 7d and second side surface 7e are separated from each other. The X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction intersect each other. The X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are orthogonal to each other, for example. The first side surface 7d faces the other side plate 11e in the Z direction.

  The pair of electrode terminals 8 are attached to the upper surface 7b so as to be separated from each other in the Z direction. One of the electrode terminals 8 is a positive electrode terminal connected to the positive electrode of the electrode assembly, and the other of the electrode terminals 8 is a negative electrode terminal connected to the negative electrode of the electrode assembly. In the adjacent battery units 1, the plurality of battery units 1 are arranged so that the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal are adjacent to each other in the X direction. The plurality of battery units 1 are electrically connected in series with each other by connecting adjacent positive and negative terminals with a bus bar member (not shown).

  The heat transfer plate 3 is a metal or alloy member having high thermal conductivity. The heat transfer plate 3 functions as a heat radiating device for releasing heat generated in the battery cells 2 to the housing 11. The heat transfer plate 3 is a plate-shaped member having an L-shaped cross section, and includes a first portion 31 and a second portion 32 extending from one end of the first portion 31 along the X direction. . The first portions 31 are rectangular plate-like members, and are alternately arranged with the battery cells 2 in the X direction. The first portion 31 contacts both of the battery cells 2 adjacent in the X direction, and reduces the temperature difference between the battery cells 2.

  The second portion 32 is a rectangular plate-like member, and is disposed on the first side surface 7d. Specifically, the second portion 32 is disposed on the first side surface 7d on the outer surface 43b of the first side wall 43, which will be described later, away from the upper end 43c and the lower end 43d. The second portion 32 has a heat transfer surface 32 a that contacts the heat conducting member 14 and a facing surface 32 b that faces the cell holder 4. The heat transfer surface 32a faces the other side plate 11e, and sandwiches the heat conducting member 14 with the other side plate 11e. Thereby, the heat generated in the battery cell 2 is transmitted to the housing 11 via the heat transfer plate 3 and the heat conducting member 14. The length of the second portion 32 in the X direction is equal to the length of the first side surface 7d in the X direction.

  The cell holder 4 is a member for holding the battery cell 2. The cell holder 4 has a frame shape into which the battery cell 2 is fitted, and surrounds and holds the upper surface 7b, the bottom surface 7c, the first side surface 7d, and the second side surface 7e of the battery cell 2. The cell holder 4 is configured by a resin molded member. The cell holder 4 includes a bottom wall 41 disposed on the bottom surface 7c, an upper wall 42 disposed on the top surface 7b, a first side wall 43 disposed on the first side surface 7d, and a second wall disposed on the second side surface 7e. And a side wall 44.

  The bottom wall 41 and the top wall 42 face each other in the Y direction. The first side wall 43 and the second side wall 44 connect the bottom wall 41 and the top wall 42 and face each other in the Z direction. The first side wall 43 has an inner surface 43 a that faces the first side surface 7 d and an outer surface 43 b that faces the heat transfer surface 32 a of the second portion 32. The outer surface 43b includes an upper end 43c and a lower end 43d. A concave portion 43e in which the second portion 32 of the heat transfer plate 3 is disposed is provided at the center of the outer surface 43b in the Y direction.

  Since the length of the recess 43e in the Y direction matches the length of the second portion 32 in the Y direction, movement of the heat transfer plate 3 in the Y direction is suppressed. The length of the recess 43e in the X direction is the same as the length of the outer surface 43b in the X direction. The bottom surface of the recess 43 e is in contact with the facing surface 32 b of the second portion 32. The distance at which the bottom surface of the recess 43e and the outer surface 43b are separated from each other in the Z direction (depth of the recess 43e) is shorter than the length of the second portion 32 in the Z direction (thickness of the second portion 32). The hot surface 32a protrudes outward from the outer surface 43b. The protrusion amount of the heat transfer surface 32a (the distance in the Z direction between the heat transfer surface 32a and the outer surface 43b) is, for example, 0.5 mm. Insertion holes 4a through which the connecting members 23 are inserted are provided at both ends in the Z direction of the bottom wall 41 and both ends in the Z direction of the top wall 42.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the pair of brackets 21 are disposed on both sides in the X direction of the plurality of battery units 1 arranged as described above. The bracket 21 is made of a highly rigid material such as a metal such as iron. The bracket 21 has a clamping part 24 and a fixing part 25. The clamping part 24 is a rectangular flat plate. The clamping part 24 is provided with an insertion hole (not shown) through which the connecting member 23 is inserted. The pair of sandwiching portions 24 are connected to each other by the connecting member 23 so that a force is applied so as to approach each other along the X direction. As a result, the pair of sandwiching portions 24 applies a restraining load (external force) in the X direction to the plurality of battery units 1, and the plurality of battery units 1 are fixed and integrated with each other.

  The fixing portion 25 is a rectangular flat plate extending from one end in the Z direction of the sandwiching portion 24 along the X direction on the side opposite to the plurality of battery units 1. The fixing portion 25 is provided with a through hole 25a that penetrates the fixing portion 25 along the Z direction. The battery module 20 is fixed to the housing 11 by inserting the bolts 26 into the through holes 25a.

  The elastic member 22 is a plate-like member made of an elastically deformable material such as rubber and resin sponge. The elastic member 22 is provided between one bracket 21 and the plurality of battery units 1. Generally, the battery cell 2 expand | swells as the use period of the battery cell 2 becomes long. The elastic member 22 absorbs the expansion of the battery cell 2 in the X direction in the battery module 20.

  The connecting member 23 is a member that connects the pair of clamping portions 24, and is, for example, a bolt and a nut. The connecting member 23 is inserted through the insertion hole 4 a (see FIG. 4) and the insertion hole of the clamping part 24. Specifically, the bolt is inserted through the insertion hole of one clamping part 24, each insertion hole 4 a, and the insertion hole of the other clamping part 24 in this order. A nut is screwed into a tip portion of a bolt protruding from the insertion hole of the other holding portion 24. Thereby, the connecting member 23 connects the plurality of battery units 1 and the pair of holding portions 24.

  5-7 is a figure for demonstrating the manufacturing apparatus of a battery module. FIG. 5 shows a state before the battery unit 1 is transported. FIG. 6 shows a state in which the battery unit 1 is being transported. FIG. 7 shows a state after the battery unit 1 is conveyed. The manufacturing apparatus 100 of the battery module 20 (refer FIG. 1) shown by FIGS. 5-7 is an apparatus for manufacturing the battery module 20. As shown in FIG. In order to improve the heat dissipation of the battery module 20, high accuracy is required for the alignment of the heat transfer surfaces 32a. The alignment of the heat transfer surfaces 32a is to align the positions of the heat transfer surfaces 32a in the Z direction. The position of each heat transfer surface 32a in the Z direction needs to be within a predetermined range set in advance.

  The manufacturing apparatus 100 is an apparatus for assembling the battery module 20 with the heat transfer surfaces 32a aligned with each other. The manufacturing apparatus 100 connects the standby table 50 for waiting the battery unit 1, the work table (slide block) 51 for aligning the heat transfer surface 32 a, and the standby table 50 and the work table 51. A transport path 52 and a transport device 60 are provided.

  The stand 50 has a placement surface 50a on which the battery unit 1 in a stand-by state is placed. The placement surface 50a is a horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 5, the battery unit 1 is placed on the placement surface 50a with the heat transfer surface 32a facing the placement surface 50a. That is, the battery unit 1 is placed so that the heat transfer surface 32a faces downward in the vertical direction. Since the heat transfer surface 32a protrudes outward from the outer surface 43b, the heat transfer surface 32a contacts the mounting surface 50a, thereby separating the outer surface 43b from the mounting surface 50a. At this time, the lower end 43d is positioned in front of the upper end 43c when viewed from the work table 51.

  The work table 51 has a reference surface 51a that serves as a reference for positioning the heat transfer surfaces 32a. The reference surface 51a is a horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 7, the battery unit 1 is arranged such that the heat transfer surface 32 a is pressed against the reference surface 51 a by the weight of the battery unit 1. That is, the battery unit 1 is disposed such that the heat transfer surface 32a faces downward in the vertical direction. A suction mechanism (not shown) for fixing the battery unit 1 may be provided on the reference surface 51a.

  The conveyance path 52 has a conveyance surface 52a. The conveyance surface 52a is a horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 6, the battery unit 1 is transported along the transport surface 52 a from the standby table 50 to the work table 51. Therefore, the conveyance direction D1 of the battery unit 1 is a direction along the conveyance surface 52a. The battery unit 1 is transported by sliding on the transport surface 52a. The transport surface 52a smoothly connects the placement surface 50a and the reference surface 51a to such an extent that the battery unit 1 can slide.

  The transport device 60 is a device that transports the battery unit 1 by sliding the battery unit 1 on the transport surface 52a. The transport device 60 includes a main body (holding portion) 61 disposed behind the battery unit 1 as viewed from the work table 51 and a support (stopper) 62 disposed in front of the battery unit 1 as viewed from the work table 51. And the drive part 63 is provided. The main body portion 61 and the support portion 62 are provided so as to be slidable between the standby table 50 and the work table 51 along the transport direction D1 by the driving unit 63.

  The main body 61 holds the battery unit 1 in a state where the lower end 43d is brought into contact with the transport surface 52a and the outer surface 43b is inclined with respect to the transport surface 52a. The main body 61 holds the battery unit 1 so that the center of gravity G of the battery unit 1 is located between the lower end 43d and the upper end 43c in the transport direction D1. The main body 61 has a first portion 64 and a second portion 65.

  The first portion 64 has, for example, a triangular prism shape. Here, the first portion 64 has a right triangular prism shape. The axial direction of the first portion 64 is a direction along the transport surface 52a and intersects the transport direction D1. Here, the axial direction of the first portion 64 coincides with the X direction. The length of the first portion 64 in the X direction matches, for example, the length of the battery unit 1 in the X direction. The first portion 64 has an inclined surface 66, a bottom surface 67, and a side surface 68.

  The inclined surface 66 is a rectangular surface that is inclined with respect to the transport surface 52a. The inclined surface 66 includes one end 66a and the other end 66b of the inclined surface 66 in the inclination direction D2. One end 66 a is connected to the bottom surface 67. The other end 66 b is connected to the side surface 68. One end 66a is the end of the inclined surface 66 in the transport direction D1 on the battery unit 1 side, and the other end 66b is the end of the inclined surface 66 in the transport direction D1 opposite to the battery unit 1. The inclined surface 66 is inclined away from each of the bottom surface 67 and the battery unit 1 as it goes from the one end 66a to the other end 66b along the inclination direction D2. The inclination angle of the inclined surface 66 with respect to the transport surface 52a is, for example, not less than 30 degrees and not more than 60 degrees. By setting the angle to 60 degrees or less, the center of gravity G of the battery unit 1 is positioned between the lower end 43d and the upper end 43c in the transport direction D1.

  The length L1 of the inclined surface 66 in the inclination direction D2 is shorter than the distance L2 at which the heat transfer plate 3 is separated from the upper end 43c. When the battery unit 1 is transported, the upper end 43 c is in contact with the inclined surface 66. The inclined surface 66 is a surface that is so smooth that the upper end 43 c slides down the inclined surface 66 due to the weight of the battery unit 1. The inclined surface 66 is made of, for example, a mirror-finished metal or a resin coated with Teflon (registered trademark). The bottom surface 67 is a rectangular surface facing the transport surface 52a, and is in contact with the transport surface 52a. The side surface 68 is a rectangular surface that stands on the bottom surface 67 and connects the bottom surface 67 and the other end 66b along the vertical direction.

  The second portion 65 has, for example, a rectangular column shape in which the axial direction coincides with the first portion 64. Here, the second portion 65 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The second portion 65 has a side surface 69. The second portion 65 is attached to the first portion 64 such that the side surface 69 overlaps the side surface 68. The side surface 69 includes an extending portion (locking portion) 70 extending vertically upward from the other end 66b. When the battery unit 1 is transported, the extending portion 70 abuts on the upper end 43c, and the upper end 43c is locked to the inclined surface 66 by applying a pressing force along the transport direction D1 to the upper end 43c.

  The support part 62 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example. The support part 62 is disposed to face the main body part 61 with the battery unit 1 in the transport direction D1. The support part 62 is in contact with the bottom wall 41 and supports the battery unit 1. The support part 62 prevents the upper end 43c from trying to slide on the inclined surface 66 due to its own weight. Specifically, the support portion 62 prevents the upper end 43c from sliding down the inclined surface 66 from the other end 66b toward the one end 66a.

  The drive unit 63 is a device that drives the main body unit 61 and the support unit 62 along the transport direction D1. The drive unit 63 is connected to the main body unit 61 and the support unit 62, and applies a driving force along the transport direction D1 to the main body unit 61 and the support unit 62. The drive part 63 can drive the main body part 61 and the support part 62 separately, and can also drive the main body part 61 and the support part 62 in conjunction with each other. The drive unit 63 is, for example, a cylinder that expands and contracts along the transport direction D1.

  The manufacturing method of the battery module 20 using such a manufacturing apparatus 100 includes a preparation process, a mounting process, a transport process, and an assembly process. The preparation process, placement process, transport process, and assembly process are performed in this order. In the preparation step, the main body portion 61 and the support portion 62 are driven by the drive portion 63 and arranged on the placement surface 50 a of the standby table 50. The main body portion 61 and the support portion 62 are arranged so that they are separated from each other and the main body portion 61 is positioned in front of the support portion 62 when viewed from the work table 51.

  In the placement step, the plurality of battery units 1 that are components of the battery module 20 are placed on the placement surface 50a. As described above, the battery unit 1 is placed on the placement surface 50a with the heat transfer surface 32a facing the placement surface 50a. At this time, the lower end 43d is positioned in front of the upper end 43c when viewed from the work table 51. The outer surface 43b is separated from the placement surface 50a, and a gap is formed between the outer surface 43b and the placement surface 50a. The size of the gap (the distance between the outer surface 43b and the mounting surface 50a) corresponds to the amount of protrusion of the heat transfer surface 32a.

  The battery unit 1 is placed between the main body portion 61 and the support portion 62. That is, when viewed from the work table 51, the main body 61 is disposed behind the battery unit 1, and the support 62 is disposed in front of the battery unit 1. At this time, the support portion 62 is in contact with the bottom wall 41. The main body 61 is separated from the battery unit 1. A distance L3 in which the main body 61 is separated from the support 62 in the placing process is longer than the length L4 of the battery unit 1 in the Y direction.

  In the transfer process, the battery unit 1 is transferred from the standby table 50 to the work table 51 by the transfer device 60. First, the main body 61 is driven by the drive unit 63. The main body 61 moves along the transport direction D <b> 1 so as to approach the battery unit 1. Thereby, the one end 66a of the main body 61 enters the gap between the outer surface 43b and the mounting surface 50a. Since the position of the support portion 62 that contacts the bottom wall 41 is fixed, the upper end 43c moves by sliding the inclined surface 66 from the one end 66a toward the other end 66b as the main body portion 61 moves.

  The upper end 43c slides and moves on the inclined surface 66 until it abuts on the extending portion 70 at the other end 66b. The upper end 43c abuts on the extending portion 70 and is locked to the other end 66b by being given a pressing force along the conveying direction D1 from the extending portion 70. Accordingly, the battery unit 1 is supported by the support portion 62 and is held by the main body portion 61. At this time, the outer surface 43b is inclined with respect to the transport surface 52a, whereby the heat transfer surface 32a is separated from the transport surface 52a. Subsequently, the main body portion 61 and the support portion 62 are driven by the drive portion 63 and move in conjunction with each other along the transport direction D1. The main body portion 61 and the support portion 62 transport the battery unit 1 while moving in the same direction and at the same speed. A distance L5 at which the main body 61 is separated from the support 62 during conveyance is shorter than the length L4.

  When the battery unit 1 reaches the reference surface 51a of the work table 51, the main body 61 moves away from the battery unit 1 along the transport direction D1. As the main body 61 moves, the upper end 43c slides down the inclined surface 66 from the other end 66b toward the one end 66a due to its own weight. Thereby, the main-body part 61 is extracted from between the outer surface 43b and the conveyance surface 52a. As a result, the battery unit 1 is detached from the main body 61. The battery unit 1 is in a state where the outer surface 43b is parallel to the reference surface 51a and the heat transfer surface 32a is in contact with the reference surface 51a.

  In the assembly process, the battery module 20 is assembled by integrating the plurality of battery units 1 arranged on the work table 51. In the work table 51, the heat transfer surface 32 a is pressed against the reference surface 51 a by the weight of the battery unit 1. Thereby, in the some battery unit 1, heat transfer surface 32a is correctly aligned. With the heat transfer surfaces 32a aligned in this manner, the elastic member 22 and the bracket 21 are disposed at one end in the X direction of the plurality of battery units 1, and the bracket 21 is disposed at the other end. The plurality of battery units 1 are integrated together with the elastic member 22 by connecting the pair of brackets 21 with the connecting member 23. As a result, the battery module 20 is obtained.

  In the transport device 60 described above, the main body 61 holds the battery unit 1 with the lower end 43d in contact with the transport surface 52a and the upper end 43c in contact with the inclined surface 66. Therefore, the outer surface 43b of the cell holder 4 is inclined with respect to the transport surface 52a. Thereby, parts other than the lower end 43d of the outer surface 43b are separated from the conveyance surface 52a. The heat transfer surface 32a of the heat transfer plate 3 is disposed on the outer surface 43b so as to be separated from the upper end 43c and the lower end 43d of the outer surface 43b. Therefore, the battery unit 1 is transported in a state where the heat transfer surface 32a is separated from the transport surface 52a.

  As described above, since the heat transfer surface 32a does not come into contact with the transfer surface 52a, even if the battery unit 1 is transferred by sliding on the transfer surface 52a, it is possible to prevent the heat transfer surface 32a from being scratched (scratched). It becomes. The scratches on the heat transfer surface 32a may not be filled with the heat conducting member 14 even if the depth is about 0.1 mm, for example. According to the battery unit 1, it is possible to suppress a decrease in heat dissipation of the battery cell 2 due to such a flaw on the heat transfer surface 32 a.

  The main body 61 has an extending portion 70 that locks the upper end 43 c to the other end 66 b of the inclined surface 66. For this reason, the drive force of the drive part 63 can be transmitted to the battery unit 1 through the main body part 61. Therefore, the battery unit 1 can be easily transported. Further, the transport device 60 includes a support portion 62 that contacts the bottom wall 41 and supports the battery unit 1. The support portion 62 prevents the upper end 43c from sliding down the inclined surface 66 from the other end 66b toward the one end 66a. Thereby, the attitude | position at the time of conveyance of the battery unit 1 can be stabilized.

  In the manufacturing apparatus 100, the upper end 43 c slides on the inclined surface 66 when the battery unit 1 is held by the main body 61 and when the battery unit 1 is detached from the main body 61. Since the length L1 is shorter than the distance L2, the heat transfer plate 3 does not contact the inclined surface 66 even when the battery unit 1 slides. Therefore, it becomes possible to further suppress the heat transfer plate 3 from being damaged.

  The inclination angle of the outer surface 43b with respect to the transport surface 52a is 30 degrees or more. For this reason, parts other than the lower end 43d are sufficiently separated from the transport surface 52a by the main body 61. Therefore, contact (bottom contact) between the heat transfer surface 32a and the transport surface 52a is suppressed. Thereby, it becomes possible to suppress reliably that the heat-transfer surface 32a is damaged.

  The main body 61 holds the battery unit 1 so that the center of gravity G of the battery unit 1 is located between the upper end 43c and the lower end 43d in the transport direction D1. For this reason, it is suppressed that the battery unit 1 falls to the opposite side to the main-body part 61 centering on the lower end 43d.

  The transport device 60 according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the main body 61 may be disposed in front of the battery unit 1 when viewed from the work table 51, and the support unit 62 may be disposed behind the battery unit 1 as viewed from the work table 51. In this case, the battery unit 1 may be arranged such that the upper end 43c contacts the inclined surface 66 and the lower end 43d contacts the conveying surface 52a, or the lower end 43d contacts the inclined surface 66 and the upper end 43c. May contact the transport surface 52a.

  In the main body 61, the center of gravity G of the battery unit 1 in the transport direction D1 may be located closer to the support 62 than the upper end 43c and the lower end 43d. Even in this case, the battery unit 1 is supported by the support portion 62. Further, the transport device 60 may not include the support part 62. Even in this case, since the gravity center position G of the battery unit 1 is located between the upper end 43c and the lower end 43d in the transport direction D1, the posture of the battery unit 1 is kept stable. Further, the main body portion 61 may not have the second portion 65. Further, the length L1 may be greater than or equal to the distance L2.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Battery unit, 2 ... Battery cell, 3 ... Heat transfer plate, 4 ... Cell holder, 43b ... Outer surface, 43c ... Upper end, 43d ... Lower end, 52a ... Conveying surface, 60 ... Conveying device, 61 ... Main-body part (holding part) , 62 ... support part, 66 ... inclined surface, 70 ... extended part (locking part), G ... gravity center position.

Claims (6)

A transport device for transporting a battery unit along a transport surface, comprising a battery cell, a cell holder holding the battery cell and having an outer surface, and a heat transfer plate disposed on the outer surface,
A holding portion that has an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the conveying surface and holds the battery unit;
A drive unit that drives the holding unit along the conveyance direction,
The heat transfer plate is separated from one end and the other end in the transport direction of the outer surface,
The holding unit holds the battery unit in a state where the one end is in contact with the transfer surface and the other end is in contact with the inclined surface.   The transport device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion further includes a locking portion that locks the other end to the inclined surface.   The transport apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support unit that is disposed to face the holding unit via the battery unit in the transport direction and supports the battery unit.   The conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a length of the inclined surface in the inclination direction is shorter than a distance at which the heat transfer plate is separated from the other end.   The conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an inclination angle of the outer surface with respect to the conveying surface is 30 degrees or more. The said holding | maintenance part hold | maintains the said battery unit so that the gravity center position of the said battery unit may be located between the said one end and the said other end in the said conveyance direction. The conveying apparatus as described in.

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