JP4916480B2 - Cell holder, holder assembly and battery pack - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention supplies power to electronic devices such as notebook personal computers, mobile phones, portable terminals, digital cameras and video cameras, electric devices such as motors and tools, various devices such as communication devices and measuring devices. The present invention relates to a cell holder, a holder assembly, and a battery pack used in a power supply device, and in particular, includes a cell holder for holding a cell, a holder assembly configured by assembling the cell holder, a cell holder, or a holder assembly. Related to the battery pack.

  In general, battery packs supply power to electronic devices such as notebook personal computers, mobile phones, portable terminals, digital cameras and video cameras, electric devices such as motors and tools, communication devices, and measuring devices. It is used as a power supply device.

  The battery pack includes, for example, a plurality of cells that are internal batteries and a case that accommodates the cells.

  A conventional battery pack case has a role of protecting the cell from external impact and a role of holding the cell, and is manufactured in a custom-made shape having a desired shape (hereinafter, this technology is referred to as Conventional Example 1). Called).

Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for modularizing cell holders (cassette holders) that hold a plurality of cells arranged in a straight line in a power supply device that drives an electric device such as a vehicle. (Hereinafter, this technique is referred to as Conventional Example 2).
JP 2005-285458 A

  In Conventional Example 1, since a case having a desired shape is manufactured in a custom-made manner, there is a problem that the design cost of a mold or the like increases and the manufacturing cost is increased.

  In addition, when connecting a plurality of cells by welding with a connecting member such as a metal plate, it is troublesome because the welding operation is performed by fixing the cells using a dedicated jig, and there is a problem that work efficiency is poor. there were.

  In Conventional Example 2, the cell holders that are arranged and held vertically are connected in the horizontal direction to be modularized, but are not configured to be connected in the vertical direction. For this reason, there is a problem that it is impossible to modularize a three-dimensional structure and the types of structures that can be modularized are limited.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and provides a cell holder, a holder assembly, and a battery pack that can reduce manufacturing costs, improve work efficiency, and modularize various types of structures. The purpose is to provide.

The cell holder of the present invention is a cell holder for holding a cell.
A main body formed with an opening to be fitted to the end of the cell;
An abutting portion provided on the main body, extending inside the opening and abutting against an end surface of the cell;
A first connecting portion provided on a side surface of the main body and connected to a side surface of the main body of another cell holder;
A second connecting portion provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the main body and connected to the lower surface and the upper surface of the main body of another cell holder;
Have
The first connection portion includes a first connection hole formed on one side surface of the main body and a protrusion provided on the other side surface, and the first connection hole includes another cell holder. A protrusion is inserted, and the protrusion is inserted into the first connection hole of the other cell holder, thereby connecting to the other cell holder in the horizontal direction,
The second connecting portion has a bottomed second connecting hole into which a connecting pin is inserted, and the second connecting hole and the bottomed second connecting hole of another cell holder By inserting the connecting pin between the two, it is connected to the other cell holder in the vertical direction,
It is characterized by this.

The upper part of the outer side of the abutting part is bent in a substantially L-shaped cross section, and an upper protruding piece with the tip part facing upward is provided, and the lower part thereof is bent in a substantially L-shaped cross section, with the tip part facing downward. A lower projecting piece is provided and is connected to another cell holder in a vertical direction so that the upper projecting piece or the lower projecting piece is connected to the lower projecting piece or the upper projecting piece of the other cell holder. A space for wiring may be formed in contact with the piece.

A connecting member for connecting the electrode terminals on the end face of the cell fitted in the opening may be arranged in a space formed between the upper protruding piece and the lower protruding piece.
A plurality of the openings may be formed in the main body, and the adjacent openings may be spaced from each other so that adjacent cells to be held do not contact each other.

The holder assembly of the present invention has a plurality of the cell holders,
A plurality of cell holders are connected in the horizontal direction and / or the vertical direction by the first connection part and / or the second connection part of the cell holder.

  The first battery pack of the present invention includes a cell, the cell holder or the holder assembly for holding the cell, and a case for accommodating the cell, the cell holder or the holder assembly. It is what.

The second battery pack of the present invention is covered with a cell, the cell holder or the holder assembly for holding the cell, and the cell, the cell holder or the holder assembly, and is made of a heat-shrinkable material. Tube made,
It is characterized by having.

  According to the first aspect of the invention, since the first and second connecting portions can be connected in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, the number of cells depends on various specifications and usage purposes. Even if it is necessary to change the arrangement, by assembling the cell holder, it can be easily handled in a semi-order, the design cost of a mold or the like is not required, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In addition, when connecting a plurality of cells by welding with connecting members, the welding operation can be performed with the cells held by the cell holder without using a dedicated jig, so that the operation can be performed smoothly. Work efficiency can be improved.
In addition, the cell holders can be more reliably connected in the horizontal direction.
Furthermore, the vertical connection between the cell holders can be more reliably performed.

According to the invention of claim 2, since the upper protruding piece or the lower protruding piece comes into contact with the lower protruding piece or the upper protruding piece of another cell holder, a wiring space is formed. Cables can be passed through.

According to the invention which concerns on Claim 3, the cells fitted by the opening part can be electrically connected by a connection member.
According to the invention of claim 4, since the adjacent cells are arranged so as not to contact each other, the heat dissipation effect is enhanced, and even if one cell generates heat due to a short circuit or the like, the other normal cell is sparked. This prevents the occurrence of large fires.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 5, since the cell holder is connected and modularized in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, it is possible to realize modularization of various types of structures including a three-dimensional structure. it can.

  According to the invention which concerns on Claim 6 and Claim 7, while providing the battery pack which show | plays the effect of the said cell holder or holder assembly, the said cell holder or holder assembly is protected from an external impact. can do.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, a cell holder according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 1A is a perspective view showing a cell holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a front view thereof, FIG. 1C is a rear view thereof, FIG. 1D is a plan view thereof, and FIG. Is a side view of one side, (F) is a side view of the other side, FIG. 2 (A) is a front sectional view for explaining a state before two cell holders are connected in the horizontal direction, and (B). Is a front sectional view for explaining a state after being connected, FIG. 3A is a front sectional view for explaining a state before two cell holders are connected in the vertical direction, and FIG. FIG. 4C is a side sectional view showing a state in which the upper and lower protruding pieces overlap each other, and FIG. 4A shows a state in which the cell is held by the cell holder. Side surface sectional drawing, (B) is a rear view which shows the state which has connected the terminal of the cell via the connection member.

  The cell holder H according to the embodiment of the present invention is made of a material such as synthetic resin, for example, and holds the end of the cell S that is an internal battery of various shapes (cylindrical in this embodiment). Is.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cell holder H includes a main body 2 having a plurality of (two in the present embodiment) openings 1 to be fitted to the end of the cell S, and a main body 2. A plurality of (four in this embodiment) abutting portions 3 extending inside the opening 1 on the back surface side and abutting against the end surface of the cell, and provided on the side surface of the main body 2, and other cells A first connecting portion 4 that is connected to the side surface of the main body 2 of the holder, and a second connecting portion 5 that is provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the main body 2 and is connected to the lower surface and the upper surface of the main body 2 of the other cell holder. Have

  The first connecting portion 4 is provided on a plurality of (four in the present embodiment) first connecting holes 4a (see FIG. 1E) formed on one side surface of the main body 2 and on the other side surface. And a plurality of projections 4b (see FIG. 1F).

  As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the protrusion 4b of the other cell holder H2 is fitted into the first connection hole 4a of one cell holder H1. Thus, the cell holders H1 and H2 can be connected in the horizontal direction.

  The second connecting portion 5 is formed with a plurality of (two in the present embodiment) second connecting holes 5 a arranged in the center of the main body 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, one side of the connection pin 6 is fitted into the second connection hole 5a of one cell holder H1, and the second connection hole of the other cell holder H2 is inserted. By inserting the other side of the connecting pin 6 into 5a, the cell holders H1, H2 can be connected in the vertical direction.

  On the back side of the contact portion 3, a projecting piece 7 bent in a substantially L-shaped cross section is provided so that a wiring (not shown) such as a cable can pass therethrough. That is, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the two cell holders H1 and H2 are connected in the vertical direction, the upper and lower protruding pieces 7 overlap to form a space portion 7a. Etc. pass.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the cell S is fitted into the opening 1 of the cell holder H, and the end surface of the cell S is brought into contact with the contact portion 3 extending inside the opening 1.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (B), in order to connect the electrode terminals on the end faces of the plurality of cells S fitted in the opening 1, a connection member 8 made of a metal plate such as nickel is used. It arrange | positions in the linear space formed between the upper and lower protrusions 7, and is connected by welding etc.
Further, the adjacent openings 1 are formed at an interval so that the held adjacent cells S do not contact each other (see FIGS. 1A and 4B).

  According to the cell holder H according to the embodiment of the present invention, the first connecting part 4 and the second connecting part 5 can be connected in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Even if it is necessary to change the number and arrangement of cells according to, etc., by assembling the cell holder H, it can be easily accommodated in a semi-order, and there is no design cost for molds, etc. Manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Further, when a plurality of cells S are welded and connected by the connecting member 8, the welding operation can be performed with the cells S held by the cell holder H without using a dedicated jig. It can be performed smoothly and work efficiency can be improved.
Furthermore, since the adjacent cells S are arranged so as not to contact each other, the heat dissipation effect is enhanced, and even if one cell S generates heat due to a short circuit or the like, the other normal cell S does not ignite, The occurrence of large ignition can be prevented in advance.

  Next, a holder assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 5 is a perspective view showing a holder assembly in which cell holders are connected in the horizontal direction, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a holder assembly in which cell holders are connected in the horizontal and vertical directions, and FIG. (C) is a perspective view schematically showing another example of a holder assembly.

  The holder assembly K according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of the cell holders H described above, and a plurality of the holder assemblies K are provided by the first connecting part 4 and / or the second connecting part 5 of the cell holder H. The cell holder H is connected in the horizontal direction and / or the vertical direction to be modularized.

  For example, in the holder assembly K1 shown in FIG. 5, four cell holders H1 to H4 that hold both ends of the four cells S are connected in the horizontal direction by the first connecting portion 4 to be modularized. .

  The holder assembly K1 is provided with a protection circuit portion 9 for electrically protecting the cell S from overdischarge, overcharge, and the like.

  Further, in the holder assembly K2 shown in FIG. 6, four cell holders H1 to H4 that hold both ends of the four cells S are connected in the horizontal direction by the first connecting portion 4, and the other four cells. The four cell holders H5 to H8 that hold both ends of S are connected in the horizontal direction, and the four connection holders 6 shown in FIG. H4 and the four cell holders H5 to H8 are vertically connected to form a module in two stages.

  A protection circuit unit 9 for electrically protecting the cell S from overdischarge, overcharge, and the like is attached to the holder assembly K2.

  The holder assembly K is not limited to the above example, and can be modularized into various structures. For example, the holder assembly K3 shown in FIG. 7A has a structure like an atrium of a building with a space 10 extending vertically in the middle. In the holder assembly K3 having such a structure, since air passes through the space 10 in the intermediate portion, the cooling effect is improved.

  Moreover, the holder assembly K4 shown in FIG. 7B has a substantially convex structure, and the holder assembly K5 shown in FIG. 7C has a substantially cross-shaped structure.

  The structure of the holder assembly K is an example, and is not limited to this.

  According to the holder assembly K according to the embodiment of the present invention, the cell holder H is configured to be modularized by connecting the cell holder H in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Modularization can be realized.

  Next, a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the first battery pack, and FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of the first battery pack.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the first battery pack P <b> 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a holder assembly K in which a plurality of cells S and a plurality of cell holders H that hold the cells S are assembled. And a protection circuit portion 9 that is attached to the holder assembly K and electrically protects the cell S, and a case 11 that houses the cell S, the holder assembly K, and the protection circuit portion 9.

  The case 11 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin. As shown in FIG. 9, the case 11 has a hollow case main body 11a having an open front and rear surfaces, a front panel 11b attached to the front of the case main body 11a, and a case main body. A rear panel 11c attached to the rear surface of 11a, a front label 11e attached to the front panel 11b with screws 11d, a rear label 11g attached to the rear panel 11c with screws 11f, and attached to the upper surface of the case body 11a with screws 11h. And an upper surface label 11i.

  In addition, in the case 11, not only the holder assembly K but only one or more cell holders H for holding the cells S may be accommodated alone.

Further, a plurality of separate holder assemblies K may be accommodated in the case 11.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a second battery pack according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The second battery pack P2 according to the embodiment of the present invention is housed in various devices such as cordless phone handsets, and covers the periphery of the holder assembly K with a tube 12 as shown in FIG. ing. As a result, the holder assembly K can be protected from external impacts and the like.
The tube 12 is made of, for example, a heat-shrinkable resin such as polyvinyl chloride. After the tube 12 is attached to the holder assembly K, the tube 12 is made to shrink by applying heat with a dryer or the like. The assembly K can be tightly coated.

  According to the battery packs P1 and P2 according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a battery pack that exhibits the effect of the cell holder H or the holder assembly K, and to provide the cell holder H or the holder assembly. K can be protected from external impact.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical matters described in the claims.

For example, the cell S held by the cell holder H can be applied to various shapes such as a cylindrical shape and a rectangular shape.
Moreover, the whole and partial shapes, structures, materials, and the like of the cell holder H, the holder assembly K, and the battery pack P are examples, and are not limited thereto.
The present invention can also be applied to secondary batteries such as lithium ion batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, and nickel metal hydride batteries, and primary batteries such as dry batteries.

  Furthermore, the protection circuit unit 9 may or may not be used depending on the type of battery.

  The present invention supplies power to electronic devices such as notebook personal computers, mobile phones, portable terminals, digital cameras and video cameras, electric devices such as motors and tools, various devices such as communication devices and measuring devices. Used for.

(A) is a perspective view showing a cell holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, (B) is a front view thereof, (C) is a rear view thereof, (D) is a plan view thereof, and (E) is a plan view thereof. One side view, (F) is the other side view. (A) is front sectional drawing for demonstrating the state before connecting the holder for two cells to a horizontal direction, (B) is front sectional drawing for demonstrating the state after connecting. (A) is front sectional drawing for demonstrating the state before connecting the holder for two cells to a perpendicular direction, (B) is front sectional drawing for demonstrating the state after connecting, (C) is It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the state with which the upper and lower protrusions overlapped. (A) is side surface sectional drawing which shows the state which hold | maintained the cell to the cell holder, (B) is a rear view which shows the state which has connected the terminal of the cell via the connection member. It is a perspective view which shows the holder assembly which connected the holder for cells to the horizontal direction. It is a perspective view which shows the holder assembly which connected the holder for cells to the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. (A)-(C) are perspective views which show the other example of a holder assembly roughly. It is a perspective view which shows a 1st battery pack. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the internal structure of a 1st battery pack. It is a perspective view which shows a 2nd battery pack.

Explanation of symbols

S: Cell H: Cell holder K: Holder assembly P1, P2: Battery pack 1: Opening portion 2: Main body 3: Abutting portion 4: First connecting portion 4a: First connecting hole 4b: Protrusion 5: 2nd connection part 5a: 2nd connection hole 6: Connection pin 7: Projection piece 8: Connection member 9: Protection circuit part 10: Space 11: Case 12: Tube

Claims (7)

In the cell holder that holds the cell,
A main body formed with an opening to be fitted to the end of the cell;
An abutting portion provided on the main body, extending inside the opening and abutting against an end surface of the cell;
A first connecting portion provided on a side surface of the main body and connected to a side surface of the main body of another cell holder;
A second connecting portion provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the main body and connected to the lower surface and the upper surface of the main body of another cell holder;
I have a,
The first connection portion includes a first connection hole formed on one side surface of the main body and a protrusion provided on the other side surface, and the first connection hole includes another cell holder. A protrusion is inserted, and the protrusion is inserted into the first connection hole of the other cell holder, thereby connecting to the other cell holder in the horizontal direction,
The second connecting portion has a bottomed second connecting hole into which a connecting pin is inserted, and the second connecting hole and the bottomed second connecting hole of another cell holder By inserting the connecting pin between the two, it is connected to another cell holder in the vertical direction.
A cell holder characterized by that. The upper part of the outer side of the abutting part is bent in a substantially L-shaped cross section, and an upper protruding piece with the tip part facing upward is provided, and the lower part thereof is bent in a substantially L-shaped cross section, with the tip part facing downward. A facing lower projecting piece is provided and connected to another cell holder in a vertical direction so that the upper projecting piece or the lower projecting piece is connected to the lower projecting piece or the upper projecting piece of the other cell holder. A space for wiring is formed by contact,
The cell holder according to claim 1. A connecting member for connecting between electrode terminals on the end face of the cell fitted in the opening is disposed in a space formed between the upper protruding piece and the lower protruding piece. The cell holder according to claim 2. A plurality of the openings are formed in the main body,
Adjacent openings are spaced apart so that adjacent held cells do not contact each other,
The cell holder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cell holder is provided. A plurality of cell holders according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A holder assembly comprising a plurality of cell holders connected in a horizontal direction and / or a vertical direction by a first connection part and / or a second connection part of the cell holder. Cell,
The cell holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or the holder assembly according to claim 5, which holds the cell;
A case for housing the cell, the cell holder or the holder assembly;
A battery pack comprising: Cell,
The cell holder according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or the holder assembly according to claim 5, which holds the cell;
A tube made of a heat-shrinkable material, coated on the cell, the cell holder or the holder assembly;
A battery pack comprising:

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