JP5642616B2 - Battery module - Google Patents

Description

  In the present invention, a plurality of single cells (cells) are accommodated in a case, the cells are connected in series or in parallel by lead terminals formed respectively, and the cells can be connected to the outside. It is related with the comprised battery module.

  Conventionally, cells of various shapes such as a flat plate type have been developed, and accordingly, a plurality of cells are handled as a unit without using the cells alone. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that a cell unit is formed by stacking a plurality of flat or sheet-like cells, and Patent Document 2 describes that the cell unit thus formed is placed inside a case. And modularized batteries are described.

  In this type of battery module, the cells in the case are basically connected by lead terminals, the other cells are in contact with each other in an insulated state, are accommodated in the case in that state, and are insulated from the case. Is done. In addition to such a basic structure, in the battery modules described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the electrode tabs of each cell are held by insulating spacers, stacked in that state, and accommodated inside the case. . The battery modules configured as described above are connected via a spacer, and a shaft portion is formed in the spacer, and the shaft portion is configured to penetrate the case and the cell unit. That is, in the battery module described in Patent Document 1, the cell unit in which the cells are stacked is not actively fixed to the case, and by interposing a spacer when connecting the plurality of battery modules, Alternatively, it is fixed to the cell unit case for the first time by assembling the spacer.

JP 2009-231267 A JP 2010-212165 A

  In the conventional battery module described above, the tabs provided in the cells are sandwiched between the insulating plates arranged between the cells at the side edges of the cells, and the insulating plates are stacked to connect the cells together. Yes. In addition, through holes that penetrate vertically are formed in these insulating plates, and the cell unit is fixed to the case by inserting a shaft portion formed in the spacer into the through hole. Therefore, the conventional battery module is configured for cells in which tabs are integrally formed in advance, and it is possible to use general cells or general-purpose cells that do not include this type of tab. Can not.

  That is, since the battery module connects the internal cell to an external electrical device or is electrically connected to a cell of another battery module, the connection part (connector) is located at a predetermined position of the case. The cell or the cell unit is fixed or connected to the case. Since the conventional battery module is configured to fix the cell unit to the case via the tab, the insulating plate, or the like, it does not include a portion that protrudes to a certain extent on the outer peripheral side of the cell, such as a tab. Even if the battery module is configured using cells having general purpose or versatility, since there is no portion to be connected to the case, the cells or the cell unit and the case are connected by the lead terminal. If a general or general-purpose flat plate cell or flat cell or a cell unit in which multiple cells are combined is fixed to the case only with lead terminals, the battery module and the device in which it is assembled will move. In the case of vibration, the load is concentrated on the lead terminal, and there is a problem that the durability of the lead terminal is low.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above technical problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a battery module that is excellent in resistance to breakage or breakage of a lead terminal and that is durable.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of cells electrically connected to each other by lead terminals are accommodated in a case, and the cells are connected to the outside of the case by a connector. In the battery module configured to be electrically connected to the device, each of the cells is formed in a flat plate shape, and the cells are arranged on both sides of the support plate, and each cell is disposed in the flat plate portion of the support plate. At least one of a substrate holder that holds the substrate that is fixed in surface contact and that is connected to each cell and a lead holder that holds the lead terminal in a predetermined position is provided, and the support plate is attached to the support plate. A column portion connected and fixed to the case is formed integrally with the holder.

The invention of claim 2 is the invention of claim 1, the reinforcing portion bent in the thickness direction of the flat plate-shaped portion in said support plate is a battery module, characterized by being made form.

The invention according to claim 3, in the invention of claim 1 or 2, wherein the strut, that is provided with a projecting portion to be fitted into the fixing hole formed in the penetrating and said case the support plate This is an electronic module.

A fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the claims 1 stomach Shi 3, wherein the holder is an electromagnetic module, characterized in that it is fixed to the casing by a fixing pin passing through the casing and the holder It is.

  In the battery module of the present invention, flat cells are attached to both sides of the support plate and held inside the case. The support plate serves as a reinforcing portion by bending a peripheral portion thereof in the thickness direction or partially bending it in the plate thickness direction to form a rib or a bead. Therefore, since the bending rigidity of the support plate is high, the relative movement between the cells is prevented or suppressed, the load on the lead terminals electrically connecting the cells or the stress on the lead terminals is reduced, and the breakage Further, it is possible to prevent breakage and improve the durability of the battery module.

  Further, in the present invention, even if the support plate has a simple flat plate shape without a reinforcing portion, the support plate is fixed to the case by a support column portion of a holder such as a lead holder or a substrate holder. The rigidity is improved and the deformation is suppressed. As a result, the relative movement between cells attached to both sides of the support plate is prevented or suppressed, reducing the load on the lead terminals that electrically connect the cells to each other or the stress on the lead terminals, and breaking the Further, it is possible to prevent breakage and improve the durability of the battery module.

  In particular, according to the present invention, the support plate is connected and fixed to the case by using the column portion connecting the holder to the case, so that the number of necessary parts is reduced, and The overall configuration can be simplified.

It is a disassembled perspective view which shows an example of the battery module which concerns on this invention. It is a top view of the support plate. It is a side view of the support plate. It is a figure which shows the substrate holder, Comprising: (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view. It is a figure which shows the lead holder, Comprising: (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view. It is a top view of the main-body part in a case.

The battery module according to the present invention can be connected to each other by storing flat or flat (hereinafter simply referred to as flat plate) cells inside a container and stacking or arranging them via a connector. It is configured. The example shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a battery module configured by storing two cells 1A and 1B inside a case, and each cell 1A and 1B is formed in a rectangular or rectangular flat plate shape. Positive side lead terminals 2A and 2B and negative lead terminals 3A and 3B made of a thin metal piece such as copper are provided in a protruding state at a side edge corresponding to a predetermined one side. In addition, each lead terminal 2A, 3A in the upper cell 1A in FIG. 1 is bent in a crank shape so that the tip portion is somewhat on the lower side in FIG. 1, and the upper cell 1B in FIG. the lead terminals 2 B that put, 3B are somewhat tip is bent in a crank shape so that the upper side in FIG. 1.

  Between the cells 1A and 1B, there is provided a support plate 4 arranged so as to be sandwiched between the cells 1A and 1B. An example of the support plate 4 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The support plate 4 has a flat plate portion 4A having an area substantially equal to or larger than one surface of the cells 1A and 1B, and a flat plate thereof. A plurality of pedestal portions 4B, 4C, and 4D provided on two opposite sides of the shaped portion 4A. In the following description, these pedestal portions 4B, 4C, and 4D are sequentially referred to as a first pedestal portion 4B, a second pedestal portion 4C, and a third pedestal portion 4D. Among these pedestal portions 4B, 4C, 4D, the first pedestal portion 4B close to the side edge opposite to the side edge where the lead terminals 2A, 3A, 2B, 3B are formed in the cells 1A, 1B, Formed over the entire length of one side edge of the flat plate portion 4A, the first pedestal portion 4B is offset to one surface side (the lower surface side in FIG. 1) of the flat plate portion 4A. Yes. That is, the flat plate portion 4A is bent in a crank shape. A relatively large-diameter fixing hole 5 is formed at both longitudinal ends of the first pedestal portion 4B, and a small-diameter pin hole 6 is formed in the vicinity thereof.

  A second pedestal portion 4C having a small width (or length) is formed at each end on the side edge opposite to the first pedestal portion 4B of the flat plate portion 4A. A fixed hole 5 and pin hole 6 similar to the above-described fixed hole 5 and pin hole 6 are formed in the portion 4C. Moreover, these 2nd base parts 4C are offset to the one surface side (lower surface side of FIG. 1) with respect to the flat part 4A similarly to said long 1st base part 4B. That is, the flat plate portion 4A is bent in a crank shape.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG.2 and FIG.3, a pair of side edge part in which said 1st and 2nd base parts 4B and 4C of said long and short (large and small) are not formed among the peripheral parts of a plate-shaped part is as follows. It is bent to one side (the lower side in FIG. 1). The bending width (depth) is equal to or less than the thickness of the cells 1A and 1B and is such that the side surfaces of the cells 1A and 1B are caught. Therefore, the support plate 4 has the above-mentioned pedestal portions 4B and 4C bent in a crank shape with respect to the flat plate portion 4A, and the other side edge portions are bent as described above, so that as a whole It has a shallow box shape. The depth is about the thickness of one cell 1B, and the cell 1B can be fitted into the box-shaped portion so as not to move relative to the front, rear, left and right. Further, by forming a box shape, a so-called wall portion perpendicular to the flat portion 4A is formed, so that the rigidity of the support plate 4 as a whole is increased and deformation such as bending is less likely to occur. . In order to improve the rigidity, a bead or a rib may be formed in any part of the flat plate-like portion 4A, in addition to the box shape as described above. That is, the portion bent in the plate thickness direction to form a box shape or the portion bent for a bead or a rib is a reinforcing portion in the present invention.

  A third pedestal portion 4D having a width (or length) smaller than the distance between the positive and negative lead terminals 2A, 3A (or 2B, 3B) is formed between the pair of so-called small second pedestal portions 4C. . The third pedestal portion 4D is a plate-like portion obtained by extending the flat plate-like portion 4A without being bent with respect to the flat plate-like portion 4A, and is a portion for fixing bus bars 7A and 7B described later. Therefore, a plurality of attachment holes for attaching the bus bars 7A and 7B are formed in the third pedestal portion 4D.

The battery module according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 includes a substrate 8 made of a microcomputer, a sensor, an FPC (flexible printed circuit) connecting them, and the like. The substrate 8 is an elongate member having a width approximately the same width of the first pedestal 4 B described above, the port portion 8A for exchanging signals is provided in the center thereof. Further, a substrate holder 9 for attaching the substrate 8 to the support plate 4 is provided. The substrate holder 9 is an elongated member having the same width as the first pedestal portion 4B so as to be placed and fixed on the first pedestal portion 4B described above, and as shown in FIG. Each hollow cylindrical portion 9A is integrally formed. The interval between the cylindrical portions 9A is the same as the interval between the two fixing holes 5 formed in the first pedestal portion 4B described above. It has an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter and protrudes to a height (length) substantially equal to the thickness of the metal plate forming the first pedestal portion 4B and a case described later. By fitting the protruding portion 9B into the fixing hole 5, the substrate holder 9 and the first pedestal portion 4B or the case are connected, and the interval between the members fitted to the upper and lower protruding portions 9B is maintained. It is like that. That is, this cylindrical portion 9A is a support portion in the present invention. In the vicinity of each cylindrical portion 9A, a pin hole 9C having the same position and diameter as the above-described pin hole 6 is formed. Further, a pin 9D for attaching the substrate 8 is provided at an appropriate position of the substrate holder 9, and a clamping portion 9E made up of a pair of plate pieces for sandwiching the substrate 8 is provided in the central portion in the longitudinal direction. .

  Here, the bus bars 7A, 7B will be described. The lead bars 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B of the cells 1A, 1B are electrically connected to the outside, and are rod-shaped members having a rectangular cross section, and the surfaces thereof are insulated. Conductive terminals 10A and 10B made of copper or the like are provided at one end so as to protrude in the longitudinal direction. In addition, connector holes 11A and 11B are provided in the central portions of the bus bars 7A and 7B. The connector holes 11A and 11B are provided so that connectors (not shown) connected to the terminals 10A and 10B are exposed inside. One bus bar 7A is a positive electrode and the other bus bar 7B is a negative electrode. Therefore, the terminal 10A in one bus bar 7A is sandwiched between the positive lead terminals 2A and 2B in the cells 1A and 1B, and the other bus bar The terminal 10B in 7B is configured to be sandwiched between the negative lead terminals 3A and 3B in the cells 1A and 1B.

  A lead holder 12 for fixing the support plate 4 to the case is provided on the side where the bus bars 7A and 7B are provided. An example of the lead holder 12 is shown in FIG. 5, and the lead holder 12 listed here is an elongated member in which a hollow cylindrical portion 12A is integrated at both ends, and the cylindrical portion 12A is described above. The substrate holder 9 is configured in the same shape as the cylindrical portion 9A. That is, the interval between the cylindrical portions 12A is the same as the interval between the two fixing holes 5 formed in the second pedestal portion 4C described above, and the upper and lower end portions of each cylindrical portion 12A It has an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter and protrudes to a height (length) substantially equal to the thickness of the metal plate forming the second pedestal portion 4C and a case described later. By fitting the protruding portion 12B into the fixing hole 5, the lead holder 12 and the second pedestal portion 4C or the case are connected, and the interval between the members fitted to the upper and lower protruding portions 12B is maintained. It is like that. That is, this cylindrical portion 9A is a support portion in the present invention. In the vicinity of each cylindrical portion 12A, a pin hole 12C having the same position and diameter as the above-described pin hole 6 is formed.

  A case that accommodates the cells 1A, 1B, the support plate 4 and the like includes a so-called main body portion 13A having a thin (shallow) concave cross-sectional shape and a lid body 13B that is attached to the opening end and closes. The main body portion 13A and the lid body 13B are formed in a rectangular shape or a rectangular shape having an inner method that is approximately the outline of the support plate 4 or slightly larger than that, and four corners in the main body portion 13A and the lid body 13B. Fixing holes 14 similar to the respective fixing holes 5 are formed at positions corresponding to the respective fixing holes 5 in the first and second pedestal portions 4B and 4C of the support plate 4. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the main body 13A. Further, at positions corresponding to the pin holes 6 in the first and second pedestal portions 4B and 4C of the support plate 4 at positions adjacent to the fixing holes 14 in the main body portion 13A, the same as the pin holes 6 are provided. A pin hole 15 is formed. Further, a connector window hole 16A having a diameter larger than that of the connector hole 11B is formed in the main body portion 13A so as to correspond to the connector hole 11B in the one bus bar 7B described above. Similarly, the lid 13B is formed with a connector window hole 16B having a diameter larger than that of the connector hole 11A corresponding to the connector hole 11A in the other bus bar 7A described above. Furthermore, port holes 17A and 17B for opening the above-described port portion 8A to the outside are formed in portions corresponding to the port portion 8A in each of the main body portion 13A and the lid body 13B.

  The battery module described above is configured by accommodating the cells 1A, 1B, the support plate 4 and the like in the main body 13A in the order shown in FIG. 1, and closing the main body 13A with a lid 13B. The order of the assembly is arbitrary. For example, other members may be attached to the support plate 4, and the unitized one may be placed in the main body 13A and closed by the lid 13B. First, the upper and lower bus bars 7 </ b> A and 7 </ b> B are attached to the third pedestal portion 4 </ b> D in the support plate 4. In this case, the terminals 10A and 10B are attached with their orientation determined so as to extend to the corresponding lead terminals 2A, 3A, 2B and 3B on the pole side. The mounting may be performed by fitting the pins formed on the upper and lower bus bars 7A and 7B to each other through the through hole in the third pedestal portion 4D, or adopting a method such as screwing or bonding. Also good.

  Next, the cells 1A and 1B are assembled to the upper and lower portions of the support plate 4, respectively. In this case, since the support plate 4 is formed in a shallow box shape as described above, the lower cell 1B in FIG. 1 is fitted therein. The cell 1B may be attached to the lower surface of the support plate 4 through an adhesive material such as a double-sided tape. Moreover, although the upper cell 1A in FIG. 1 is mounted on the upper surface of the support plate 4, in that case, it may be attached to the upper surface of the support plate 4 in FIG. By arranging the cells 1A, 1B on the upper and lower surfaces of the support plate 4, the positive lead terminals 2A, 2B sandwich the terminal 10A of the positive bus bar 7A and are electrically connected, and the negative lead terminals 3A, 2B 3B sandwiches the terminal 10B of the bus bar 7B on the negative electrode side and conducts electrically. In addition, in order to ensure electrical conduction, you may solder.

  When the support plate 4 in which the cells 1A and 1B and the bus bars 7A and 7B are assembled as described above is fitted into the body portion 13A constituting the case, the first pedestal portion 4B and the second pedestal portion 4C The fixing holes 5 formed respectively coincide with the fixing holes 14 formed in the main body portion 13A, and the pin holes 6 coincide with the pin holes 15 formed in the main body portion 13A. When the substrate holder 9 is placed on the first pedestal portion 4B in this state, the protruding portions 9B in the columnar portions 9A formed at both ends thereof are the fixing holes 5 of the support plate 4, or in addition to this, the main body portion 13A. These are connected to the fixing holes 14 to be connected.

  Similarly, when the lead holder 12 is placed on the second pedestal portion 4C, the projecting portions 12B of the cylindrical portions 12A formed at both ends thereof are fixed holes 5 of the support plate 4 or in addition to the main body portion. These are connected to the fixed holes 14 of 13A. Then, when the fixing pin 18 is inserted into the pin hole 15 from the bottom surface side in FIG. 1 of the main body 13A, the tip part reaches the pin holes 9C and 12C in the holders 9 and 12, so that the tip part is made of cacimel or the like. As a result, the support plate 4 is fixed to the main body 13 </ b> A via the holders 9 and 12. When the substrate 8 is placed on the substrate holder 9 fixed in this manner, the substrate 8 is engaged with the pins 9D and the holding portions 9E of the substrate holder 9, and the substrate 8 is held by the substrate holder 9. A connector hole 11B in the lower bus bar 7B in FIG. 1 opens to the outside through a connector window hole 16A formed in the main body 13A. Similarly, the port portion 8A in the substrate 8 is opened to the outside through a port hole 17A formed in the main body portion 13A.

  When the lid 13B is put on the open end of the main body 13A with the cells 1A, 1B, the support plate 4 and the like placed in the main body 13A as described above and the orientation with respect to the main body 13A being adjusted, The body 13B is fitted into the opening end of the main body 13A, and the protrusions 9B and 12B in the cylindrical portions 9A and 12A described above are fitted into the fixing holes 14 formed in the lid 13B, so that both are connected. . Further, the connector hole 11A in the upper bus bar 7A in FIG. 1 opens to the outside through the connector window hole 16B formed in the lid 13B, and similarly, the port portion 8A in the substrate 8 is formed in the lid 13B. It opens to the outside through the port hole 17B. In addition, appropriate bolts or rods (not shown) may be inserted into the cylindrical portions 9 and 12, respectively, and the lid 13B may be positively or firmly connected to the main body portion 13A, or the battery module described above. In this state, an appropriate bolt or rod (not shown) may be inserted into each of the cylindrical portions 9 and 12 to positively or firmly connect the lid 13B to the main body 13A. .

  Therefore, in the battery module according to the present invention, the support plate 4 to which the cells 1A and 1B are attached is attached to the case made up of the main body portion 13A and the lid body 13B via the cylindrical portions 9A and 12A of the holders 9 and 12. Since it is securely connected and fixed, even if a load or vibration during movement is applied, the load is received by the case via the cylindrical portions 9A and 12A. Therefore, the stress of the lead terminals 2A, 3A, 2B, 3B in each cell 1A, 1B can be reduced to prevent or suppress the breakage or breakage, thereby improving the durability. In particular, since the holders 9 and 12 are fixed to the main body by the fixing pins 18 as described above, the support plate 4 and the cells 1A and 1B attached thereto can be securely fixed to the case. it can. Furthermore, in the battery module described above, since the support plate 4 is formed in a box shape by bending the peripheral edge portion thereof, the rigidity thereof is high, and the deformation of the support plate 4 and the movement of the cells 1A and 1B resulting therefrom are performed. Can be prevented. In addition, the cells 1A and 1B do not need to have a portion for attaching a tab or the like in particular, so that a battery module can be configured using a general or versatile cell.

  Note that the support plate 4 may be formed in a box shape as described above to increase its bending rigidity, or the ribs or beads may be formed to increase its bending rigidity. Further, if the support plate 4 is formed in a box shape, at least one of the cells 1A and 1B can be fitted and fixed to the support plate 4, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and the support plate 4 may be a simple flat plate. In this case, the cells 1A and 1B may be fixed to the support plate 4 with a bonding agent such as an adhesive tape or an adhesive. In the present invention, the cells need only be arranged on both sides of the support plate 4, and one cell (or one) is arranged on each side of the support plate 4. A plurality of cells may be arranged and fixed. Further, the support column in the present invention does not necessarily have a hollow cylindrical shape, the cross section may have a square shape, and a part of the peripheral portion is cut open in addition to a completely closed hollow shape. May be.

  1A, 1B ... cell, 2A, 2B ... positive lead terminal, 3A, 3B ... negative lead terminal, 4 ... support plate, 4A ... flat plate part, 4B, 4C, 4D ... pedestal part, 5 ... fixing hole, 6 ... Pin hole, 7A, 7B ... Bus bar, 8 ... Substrate, 8A ... Port part, 9 ... Substrate holder, 9A ... Cylindrical part, 9B ... Protruding part, 9C ... Pin hole, 9D ... Pin, 9E ... Pinch part, 10A , 10B ... terminal, 11A, 11B ... connector hole, 12 ... lead holder, 12A ... cylindrical part, 12B ... projecting part, 12C ... pin hole, 13A ... main body part, 13B ... lid, 14 ... fixing hole, 15 ... pin 16A ... Connector window hole, 16B ... Connector window hole, 17A, 17B ... Port hole, 18 ... Fixing pin.

Claims (4)

In the battery module configured such that a plurality of cells electrically connected to each other by the lead terminals are accommodated inside the case, and the cells are connected to a device outside the case by a connector.
Wherein each cell is formed in a plate shape, each cell on a flat portion in the support plate with their cells are disposed on both sides of the support plate is fixed in surface contact, connected to each cell to further At least one of a substrate holder for holding the formed substrate and a lead holder for holding the lead terminal in a predetermined position is provided, and a column portion for connecting and fixing the support plate to the case is the holder cell module characterized in that it is made form integrally on. The batteries module according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing portion bent in the thickness direction of the flat plate-shaped portion in the support plate is made form. 3. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the support portion includes a protruding portion that penetrates the support plate and fits into a fixing hole formed in the case . 4. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein the holder is fixed to the case by a fixing pin that penetrates the case and the holder . 5.

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