JP5834857B2 - Battery module connection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a battery module connection device for connecting a battery module to a circuit on the rack side so that energization is possible when the battery module is assembled to a rack of an electricity storage system.

  A power storage system that requires a high voltage and a large electric capacity, such as a power storage system for home use or vehicle use, needs to use a large number of secondary batteries.

  Therefore, in the case of constructing the power storage system as described above, in general, a certain number of secondary battery cells are connected in series and parallel and housed in one module housing, thereby providing a certain electric capacity. And a battery module that can be handled as a single unit like a large battery having a voltage, and by connecting this battery module in series or in parallel, if necessary, the voltage required for the power storage system Electric capacity is obtained (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  When one battery system is constructed by connecting a plurality of battery modules, a rack having a plurality of module storage sections in a shelf shape is used, and individual battery modules are inserted into each module storage section of the rack. Many are assembled.

  By the way, when the electric module is assembled to the rack, a voltage is generated by each battery cell stored.

  Therefore, the battery module has a configuration in which a connector for external connection is provided at an end which is a front end side in the insertion direction into the module storage section of the rack, while the rack includes each module in the backboard. A connector connected to a circuit on the rack side is installed at a location on the back side of the storage section. Thus, the battery module side connector is connected to the rack side connector in accordance with the operation of inserting each battery module into each module storage section of the rack.

  Thus, as a connector for connecting the battery module and the circuit on the rack side, conventionally, a drawer connector has been widely used.

Japanese Patent No. 4103488

  However, due to the structure in which the plug is inserted into the receptacle, the drawer connector is restrained from relative displacement in the direction orthogonal to the connection direction between the receptacle and the plug in the connected state, and the receptacle and the plug while maintaining the connected state. It is difficult to change the angle.

  Therefore, when the power storage system is applied to an object with severe vibration conditions, each battery module stored in each module storage section of the rack is caused by the vibration of the application target to the corresponding module storage section. Drawer connector used to connect the rack side to the battery module when attempting to displace relative to the rack within the clearance range provided or within the range allowed by the deflection of the components of the rack May be damaged. Such damage to the drawer connector leads to disconnection of the connection between the battery module and the circuit on the rack side, which may cause the power storage system to become unusable.

  Therefore, the present invention allows each battery module to be connected to a circuit on the rack side by inserting individual battery modules into each module storage section of the rack, and each battery module and rack can be connected even if vibration occurs. It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery module connecting device capable of maintaining good connection with a circuit on the side.

In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, in accordance with claim 1, a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a battery module stored in a plurality of module storage sections are provided on a backboard of a rack having a plurality of module storage sections. Providing bus bars arranged in series-parallel connection, projecting pieces projecting toward each module storage section are provided at the ends of different bus bars arranged for each module storage section, and inserted into the module storage section of the rack. The bus bar corresponding to a gap between a pair of fork pieces arranged so as to be along the direction in which the battery module assembled in the rack is assumed to be displaced mainly on the front end surface in the insertion direction of the battery module to be stored in Fork-type connectors for positive and negative electrodes that can be connected by sandwiching the protruding piece of The battery module connection device having made structure.

  Further, in the above configuration, a collar is inserted and disposed inside a mounting hole provided in the backboard of the rack, and the bus bar is supported by the backboard via the collar.

According to the battery module connection device of the present invention, the following excellent effects are exhibited.
(1) A bus bar arranged so that the positive and negative electrodes of battery modules stored in a plurality of module storage sections are connected in series and parallel is provided on the backboard of a rack having a plurality of module storage sections. the end of the arranged different bus bars, the protruding piece that protrudes towards the module housing compartment respectively, in the insertion direction front end surface of the battery module for accommodated plugged into the module housing compartment of the rack, with the rack For the positive electrode in which the protruding piece of the corresponding bus bar can be sandwiched and connected between a pair of fork pieces arranged along a direction in which the assembled battery module is assumed to be mainly displaced. Since it is configured to have a fork-type connector for the negative electrode, each module in the rack can be stored The operation for accommodating insert picture into the battery module respectively, each forked connector for positive electrode and the negative electrode of each of the battery modules can be connected to the protruding piece of the bus bar which has been installed on the rack side.
(2) In addition, even if the vibration of the application target of the power storage system acts on the power storage system and each battery module stored in each module storage section of the rack is about to cause relative displacement or change in angular orientation with respect to the rack The connection state of the corresponding bus bars to the protruding pieces can be maintained by the positive and negative fork connectors. Therefore, even when the power storage system is applied to an object with severe vibration conditions, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the power storage system becomes unusable due to the disconnection of the connection between the battery module and the circuit on the rack side.

It is a schematic plan view which shows one Embodiment of the battery module connection apparatus of this invention. It is an AA direction arrow enlarged view of FIG. This figure shows the allowable movement between the rack-side bus bar and the battery module-side fork-type plug when vibration occurs in the power storage system. (A) is orthogonal to the connection direction between the bus bar and the fork-type plug. (B) is a figure corresponding to FIG. 2 which respectively shows the state which a change of an angle produces, and (b) shows the state which a change of an angle produces in a bus bar and a fork type plug. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the other form of implementation of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 3 (a) and 3 (b) show an embodiment of the battery module connection device of the present invention.

  That is, the battery module connection device of the present invention includes a bus-bar 5 attached to a backboard 4 of a rack 2 having a plurality of module housing sections 3 as shown by reference numeral 1 in FIGS. The projecting pieces 6a and 6b provided at the end of the bus bar 5 so as to protrude toward the inside of each module housing section 3 are inserted into the module housing section 3 of the rack 2 in the battery module 7. It is configured to include fork-type connectors 9a and 9b provided on an end surface 8 (hereinafter referred to as the insertion direction front end surface 8) that becomes a front end portion in the insertion direction when assembled.

  More specifically, the battery module 7 is provided with positive and negative fork connectors 9a and 9b.

  The fork-type connectors 9a and 9b are composed of a pair of conductor-made flat fork pieces 10 arranged opposite to each other and urging means (not shown) for urging the fork pieces 10 toward each other. Has been. As a result, the fork-type connectors 9a and 9b are configured to press the distal ends of the pair of fork pieces 10 against the edges of the flat plate-like conductive members disposed substantially parallel to the fork pieces 10. The flat plate-like conductive member is sandwiched between the pair of fork pieces 10 so that the fork pieces 10 can be connected to the conductive member in a conductive manner.

  The positive and negative fork connectors 9a and 9b provided on the battery module 7 are arranged so that the fork pieces 10 are parallel to the insertion direction of the battery module with respect to the module housing section 3 of the rack 2. Has been. Further, each of the fork connectors 9a and 9b has a direction in which the battery module 7 assembled in the rack 2 is mainly displaced due to vibration of a target to which the power storage system is applied, for example, a vertical direction. The fork pieces 10 are arranged so as to extend along the line.

  A bus bar 5 is attached to the backboard 4 of the rack 2 so as to straddle the plurality of module storage sections 3.

  For example, when the plurality of battery modules 7 assembled in each module storage section 3 are connected in series, the bus bar 5 is disposed so as to straddle two adjacent module storage sections 3. Further, the bus bar 5 includes a portion corresponding to the positive electrode fork-type connector 9a of the battery module 7 housed in one module housing section 3, and a negative electrode of another battery module 7 housed in the other module housing section 3. Protruding pieces 6a and 6b that are bent so as to protrude toward the inside of each module housing section 3 are provided at both ends arranged at locations corresponding to the fork connector 9b.

  Furthermore, when the bus bar 5 is attached to the backboard 4 of the rack 2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a gap is provided inside the attachment hole 11 provided in the backboard 4. The collar 12 is inserted and arranged, and in this state, the bus bar 5 is fixed to the collar 12 using a bolt 13, a washer 14, and a nut 15. Thereby, the place where the bus bar 5 is attached to the backboard 4 is loosened so that the collar 12 is displaced or tilted inside the attachment hole 11.

  When the battery module connection device 1 of the present invention having the above-described configuration is used, the battery module 7 and the positive and negative fork connectors 9a and 9b are attached to the module storage sections 3 of the rack 2, respectively. Insert it separately from the side where it is attached. As a result, the positive electrode fork connector 9a of the battery module 7 is connected so as to sandwich the protruding piece 6a of the bus bar 5 disposed at the corresponding position of the backboard 4 of the rack 2, and the negative electrode fork. The mold connector 9b is connected so as to sandwich the protruding piece 6b of another bus bar 5 disposed at a corresponding location.

  Therefore, the battery module 7 is assembled by being inserted into each module storage section 3 of the rack 2 so as to be inserted into the module fork connector 9a for positive electrode of each battery module 7 stored in the adjacent module storage section 3. The negative electrode fork connector 9 b is connected via the bus bar 5. Therefore, an electricity storage system is formed in which all the battery modules 7 housed in the rack 2 are connected in series.

  When the power storage system vibrates in accordance with the vibration to which the power storage system is applied, each battery module 7 stored in each module storage section 3 is within the clearance range provided in each module storage section 3 or The rack 2 tends to be displaced with respect to the rack 2 within a range allowed by bending of the constituent members of the rack 2.

  At this time, each fork piece 10 is arranged so that each fork type connector 9a, 9b of each battery module 7 is parallel to the direction in which each battery module 7 housed in each module housing section 3 tends to be displaced. It is. For this reason, the fork-type connectors 9a and 9b are connected to the protruding pieces 6a and 6b of the corresponding bus bars 5 as shown by the one-dot chain line and the two-dot chain line in FIG. , 6b, the fork pieces 10 can hold the protruding pieces 6a, 6b and maintain electrical continuity. Further, as shown by a one-dot chain line and a two-dot chain line in FIG. 3B, the angle of the corresponding protrusion pieces 6a, 6b is changed within the plane where the protrusion pieces 6a, 6b are arranged. As in the above, the conduction can be maintained.

  Furthermore, since the collar 12 is displaced or tilted inside the mounting hole 11 at the mounting position of each bus bar 5 with respect to the backboard 4, the loosening is caused by this loosening. Displacement and angle change of each battery module 7 in each module storage section 3 can be allowed. Thereby, the connection state with respect to the protrusion pieces 6a and 6b of the bus bars 5 of the fork connectors 9a and 9b of the battery modules 7 can be maintained better.

  The positive and negative fork connectors 9a and 9b of the battery module 7 are respectively connected to the protruding pieces 6a and 6b of the bus bar 5 provided on the backboard 4 of the rack 2, respectively. Are connected by sandwiching them between a pair of fork pieces 10, so that the fork type connectors 9 a and 9 b of the battery module 7 can be connected to each other by pulling out the battery module 7 from the module storage section 3 of the rack 2. It can be easily detached from the corresponding projecting pieces 6a, 6b of each bus bar 5 to release the connected state.

  As described above, according to the battery module connection device 1 of the present invention, the operation for inserting and storing the individual battery modules 7 in the module storage sections 3 of the rack 2 allows the positive and negative electrodes of the battery modules 7 to be stored. These fork-type connectors 9a and 9b can be connected to the protruding pieces 6a and 6b of the bus bar 5 provided on the rack 2 side.

  In addition, the battery module connection device according to the present invention is configured so that the vibration to be applied to the power storage system acts on the power storage system, so that each battery module 7 stored in each module storage section 3 of the rack 2 is relative to the rack 2. Even if the displacement or the change in the angular orientation occurs, the connection state of the positive and negative electrode fork connectors 9a and 9b of the battery modules 7 to the corresponding protruding pieces 6a and 6b of the corresponding bus bars 5 can be maintained. . Therefore, even when the power storage system is applied to an object with severe vibration conditions, it is possible to avoid the possibility that the power storage system becomes unusable due to the disconnection of the connection between the battery module 7 and the circuit on the rack 2 side. .

  In addition, each fork connector 9a, 9b of each battery module 7 tries to displace each battery module 7 by vibration acting on the power storage system in a state where each fork piece 10 is housed in each module housing section 3. Since the fork-type connectors 9a and 9b are arranged so as to be parallel to the direction in which the projections 6a and 6b of the bus bar 5 are displaced and changed in angle, the connection state is maintained. be able to.

  In the above embodiment, the rack 2 accommodates the battery modules 7 arranged in the horizontal direction, and each battery module 7 has the positive and negative fork connectors 9a and 9b arranged in the horizontal direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the rack 2 may have a configuration in which module storage sections 3 for storing the battery modules 7 are arranged vertically and horizontally.

  Further, each battery module 7 may have a configuration in which the positive and negative fork connectors 9 a and 9 b are arranged in a direction parallel to the respective fork pieces 10.

  When using the rack 2 and the battery module 7 as described above, for example, the bus bar 5 provided on the rack 2 side may be arranged as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 4, illustration of the backboard 4 in the rack 2 is omitted for convenience of illustration.

  In addition, this invention is not limited only to the said embodiment, You may change suitably arrangement | positioning of each fork type connector 9a, 9b for positive electrodes and negative electrodes in each battery module 7. FIG.

  Further, the direction of the fork piece 10 of each of the fork type connectors 9a and 9b may be appropriately changed according to the direction of vibration acting on the power storage system formed by housing each battery module 7 in the rack 2. .

  The bus bar 5 provided in the rack 2 may be appropriately changed according to the arrangement of the module storage sections 3 of the rack 2.

  In the said embodiment, although the bus bar 5 provided in the rack 2 was shown as a form which connects each battery module 7 accommodated in each module storage section 3 in series, as a form which connects each battery module 7 in series and parallel Also good.

  The height, width, and depth of the battery module 7 may be any dimensions other than those illustrated. Correspondingly, the shape and size of the module storage section 3 of the rack 2 may be changed as appropriate.

  The number of module storage sections 3 provided in the rack 2 may be freely set according to the voltage and electric capacity desired for the power storage system.

  The fork type connectors 9a and 9b may have a configuration in which a cover made of an insulating material is provided outside each fork piece 10.

  Of course, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Battery module connection apparatus 2 Rack 3 Module storage section 4 Back board 5 Bus bar 6a, 6b Projection piece 8 Insertion direction front end surface 9a Fork type connector for positive electrodes 9b Fork type connector for negative electrodes 10 Fork piece 11 Mounting hole 12 Color

Claims (2)

A bus bar arranged to connect the positive and negative electrodes of the battery modules stored in the plurality of module storage sections in series-parallel connection is provided on the backboard of the rack having a plurality of module storage sections, and is arranged for each module storage section. Protruding pieces that project toward the module storage compartments are provided at the ends of different bus bars,
A pair of forks arranged on the front end surface of the battery module for inserting and storing in the module storage section of the rack so as to follow the direction in which the battery module in the state assembled to the rack is assumed to be mainly displaced. A battery module connecting device comprising: a positive electrode and a negative electrode fork-type connector provided such that a corresponding protruding portion of the bus bar can be sandwiched and connected between the pieces.   2. The battery module connecting device according to claim 1, wherein a collar is inserted and disposed inside a mounting hole provided in the back board of the rack with a gap, and the bus bar is supported by the back board via the collar.

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