JP6759007B2 - Power supply and vehicle equipped with it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power supply device and a vehicle provided with a power supply device, for example, a device mounted on an electric vehicle such as a hybrid car or an electric vehicle to supply electric power to a motor for running the vehicle, and an electric vehicle.

A power supply device in which a plurality of battery cells that can be charged and discharged are connected in series or in parallel is used as a power supply device that supplies electric power to a motor traveling in a vehicle. In such a power supply device, a large number of high-voltage components such as battery cells and circuit boards are housed in an outer case and mounted on a vehicle. In a power supply device for a vehicle, a large number of battery cells are connected in series to increase the output voltage, and the output and charge / discharge capacity are considerably increased so that a large amount of electric power can be supplied to the motor. Vehicles are required to have high safety in an extremely wide range of usage environments. For example, sufficient safety is required even when the vehicle is flooded and the power supply device is submerged. Since this type of power supply has a high output voltage and can output a large current, a large short current flows through conductive water in a submerged state. Since a large short-circuit current due to submersion causes a decrease in safety, a high-power power supply device needs to take measures to ensure safety against submersion.

The battery can be housed in a watertight sealed case to make the battery itself waterproof. However, even if the battery itself has a waterproof structure, it is difficult to have a completely insulated structure because power is supplied to the motor from the output terminal of the power supply device and a line for charging the battery is connected to the outside. Further, in a power supply device having a structure for forcibly blowing air into the case, it is necessary to blow cooling air inside, and the battery cannot be stored in a case having a completely sealed structure.

In order to prevent this harmful effect, a structure has been developed that protects the power supply device in a submerged state. (See Patent Document 1)

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-176669

As shown in FIG. A, the power supply device for submersion measures houses a battery in the upper part of a sealed case in which an air pool is formed in the upper part. In the sealed case shown in this figure, the lower part is opened and the leader wire is wired to seal the upper part, so that the air inside collects in the upper part in a submerged state, and the battery can be placed in this part to prevent the battery from being submerged. ..

A power supply with this structure can protect the battery when submerged. However, since the battery is arranged in the air reservoir, the volume of the contents of the sealed case needs to be large and particularly high, so that there is a drawback that the mounting position of the vehicle is restricted. Since it is important for electric vehicles to reduce the space of the vehicle and install a high-power power supply device, the vehicles that can be equipped with a power supply device that requires a large storage space are limited.

Further, in the power supply device having this structure, since the output line is pulled out from the sealed case and connected to the motor or the generator, the battery is not submerged, but the output line is submerged and a large short current flows. In particular, since a battery that is not submerged is in a normal state in which a large current can flow, there is a drawback that an extremely large short current flows when the output line is submerged and safety cannot be ensured.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a power supply device that reduces a short-circuit current flowing to the output side when submerged to ensure safety when submerged, and a vehicle provided with this power supply device.

Means and effects to solve problems

For the power supply, multiple secondary batteries are arranged horizontally side by side in the outer case. The outer case is provided with through holes in the first and second facing plates arranged on the facing surfaces, and the through holes of the first facing plate and the second facing plate are vertically displaced from each other by the lower edges. And are arranged.

The above power supply device has a feature that it can reduce the short flow flowing to the output side when submerged and realize high safety when submerged. That is, in the above power supply device, the outer case accommodating the secondary battery is arranged so that the lower edge of the through hole opened in the facing plate arranged on the facing surface is vertically displaced. Because. When the vehicle is submerged and the power supply is submerged, water enters the outer case containing the secondary battery through the through hole. However, in the above outer case, the lower edge of the through hole provided on the facing surface is used. Since the water is arranged so as to be displaced vertically, water does not enter through both through holes provided on the facing surface in the submerged state, but enters through one through hole. When water enters through both through holes in a submerged state, all the secondary batteries in the outer case are immersed in the water together and a large short-circuit current flows. In the above power supply device, the lower edge of the through hole is displaced vertically, so that water does not enter through both through holes at the same time. The water that enters from one side does not submerge all the secondary batteries at the same time, but submerges some of the secondary batteries in order. When all the secondary batteries are submerged at the same time, the high voltage output terminal is short-circuited through the water and a large short current flows, but the above power supply does not submerge all the secondary batteries at the same time, so it is submerged. The secondary battery of the part sends a short current through water and discharges. Since the output voltage of some secondary batteries is lower than the output voltage of the entire secondary battery, the short-circuit current due to water is small. Further, since the above power supply device discharges by passing a short current in order from the submerged battery, the submerged battery is already discharged and the remaining capacity is reduced in the state where all the batteries are submerged. Therefore, when all the batteries are submerged and a short current flows, there are already discharged batteries and the short current becomes small.

The above power supply device does not reduce the short-circuit current with a structure that does not submerge the battery. Many batteries are submerged because some batteries are submerged without submerging all the batteries together, the short-circuit current is reduced and the batteries are discharged, and the batteries are submerged one after another to increase the short-circuit current. Therefore, even if the short-circuit current increases, the short-circuit current can be reduced by the battery that has been submerged first and has already been discharged.

When the power supply is submerged and an excessive short current flows at one time, the large short current electrolyzes the water to generate a large amount of hydrogen in the flammable gas, and when the hydrogen concentration in the air reaches a certain concentration, it becomes excessive. Safety cannot be ensured because it ignites due to the heat generated by the short-circuit current. This harmful effect can be eliminated by reducing the short-circuit current when submerged and reducing the amount of hydrogen generated by electrolysis. This is because the amount of hydrogen generated can be reduced and the hydrogen concentration can be kept below the explosion limit.

In the above power supply device, only a part of the batteries is submerged and the submerged batteries are discharged by a short current, but the short current in this state can be considerably reduced as compared with the state in which the whole is submerged. This is because the short-circuit current increases in proportion to the total voltage, which increases in proportion to the number of submerged batteries connected in series. When the number of submerged batteries is small, the total voltage of the submerged batteries becomes low, and the short-circuit current is limited to a small value. A submerged battery is discharged with a limited short current and its discharge capacity is reduced. Therefore, in the state where all the batteries are submerged, the batteries that are submerged first, are discharged, and have a reduced ability to be discharged are included. Therefore, as compared with the state where all the batteries are submerged at the same time, the short-circuit current can be considerably reduced, and the safety deterioration due to the large short-circuit current can be prevented.

The outer case of the power supply device of the present invention has a plurality of secondary batteries connected to form a battery unit, which is arranged in the outer case in the state of the battery unit, and the outer case has a first facing plate side. The battery unit is arranged on the side of the second facing plate, the lower edge of the through hole of the first facing plate is arranged below the lower edge of the through hole of the second facing plate, and further, the first The battery unit arranged on the facing plate side of the above can be arranged below the battery unit arranged on the second facing plate side.

The above power supply device is arranged on the first facing plate side by arranging the lower edge of the through hole on the first facing plate side below the lower edge of the through hole on the second facing plate side. Since the battery unit is arranged below the battery unit arranged on the second facing plate side, the battery unit arranged on the first facing plate side is first submerged to submerge the battery unit with a short current. Since it discharges, the short-circuit current in this state can be limited to half of the submerged state of the entire battery, and in this state, the battery unit arranged in the lower stage is discharged to reduce the discharge capacity, and then the second Since the battery unit arranged on the facing plate side is submerged and the entire battery unit is submerged, when all the batteries are submerged, the short-circuit current is reduced by the already discharged battery and the battery is completely discharged. It is possible to improve safety by shortening the time required to prevent harmful effects due to an excessive short-circuit current.

In the power supply device of the present invention, the bottom plate of the outer case is provided with a lower plate portion arranged on the first facing plate side and an upper plate portion arranged on the second facing plate side, and the lower plate portion is provided. The unit can be arranged below the upper plate portion, the battery unit can be arranged on the lower plate portion and the upper plate portion, and the battery unit can be arranged vertically displaced.

In the above power supply device, the battery units arranged in the lower plate portion are first submerged and discharged with a short current of 1/2 of the submerged state of all batteries, and then both battery units are submerged and discharged. Therefore, the short-circuit current when the battery unit of the lower plate part is submerged can be reduced, and when both battery units are submerged, the battery unit of the upper plate part is connected to the battery unit of the lower plate part that has already been discharged. In this state, the short-circuit current is small, and the time during which the short-circuit current flows can be shortened to improve safety.

The power supply device of the present invention can have a through hole provided in the facing plate as a blower opening for blowing air to and cooling the secondary battery of the battery unit arranged in the outer case.

In the power supply device of the present invention, the bottom plate is provided with a partition wall between the lower plate portion and the upper plate portion.
In the above power supply device, the battery unit arranged in the lower plate portion and the battery unit arranged in the upper plate portion are partitioned by a partition wall, so that the battery unit in the lower plate portion is submerged in the upper plate portion. It has the feature of preventing the battery unit from being flooded and reliably and stably limiting the initial short-circuit current.

In the power supply device of the present invention, the secondary battery is housed in a battery case having a waterproof structure and arranged in the outer case via the battery case, and the battery case is provided with an inner opening for blowing air to the secondary battery. It is also possible to arrange the opening at a position facing the through hole of the outer case and blow cooling air passing through the through hole and the inner opening into the battery case to cool the secondary battery.

Since the secondary battery is housed in the battery case having a waterproof structure, the above power supply device has a feature that the water immersion of the battery can be restricted and the safety can be further improved by using the battery case having a waterproof structure. This is because the water that the outer case is flooded with is flooded into the waterproof battery case, and the secondary battery is submerged.

Further, the power supply device of the present invention can be arranged between the chassis and the seat of the vehicle.

It is a perspective view which looked at the power supply device which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention from the front obliquely above. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the power supply device of FIG. 1 as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the power supply device of FIG. 1 as viewed from diagonally downward in front. It is a perspective view which looked at the power supply device of FIG. 1 from the rear diagonally lower side. It is a rear view of the power supply device of FIG. It is the schematic sectional drawing of the exterior case of the power supply device of FIG. It is an exploded perspective view which removed the outer case from the power supply device of FIG. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the battery case is disassembled from FIG. 7. It is an exploded perspective view of the battery case which shows the back side of FIG. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the battery unit is disassembled from FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance that the power supply device was arranged in a vehicle. It is a horizontal schematic cross-sectional view which shows the path which introduces and discharges a cooling gas inside a power supply device. It is a vertical schematic cross-sectional view which shows the path which introduces and discharges a cooling gas inside a power supply device. It is an exploded perspective view which shows the battery cell and a separator. It is a circuit diagram of a power supply device. It is a block diagram which shows an example which mounts a power supply device in a hybrid vehicle which runs by an engine and a motor. It is a block diagram which shows the example which mounts the power-source device on the electric vehicle which runs only by a motor.

1 to 10 show an example of an in-vehicle power supply device. Specifically, the power supply device 100 is mainly mounted on an electric vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, and is used as a power source for supplying electric power to a traveling motor of the vehicle to drive the vehicle. However, the power supply device of the present invention can be used for electric vehicles other than hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, and can also be used for applications other than electric vehicles that require high output, such as power storage devices and uninterruptible power supplies. The power supply device mounted on the electric vehicle may be submerged in the vehicle and the power supply device used for the power storage device or the uninterruptible power supply may be submerged in the building due to torrential rain or the like. The biggest cause of submersion of power supplies is torrential rain. Submersion due to torrential rain occurs when the water surface level gradually rises above the ground and the power supply is flooded.
(Power supply device 100)

As shown in the exploded perspective views of FIGS. 7 to 9, the power supply device 100 includes an elongated substantially box-shaped outer case 30, and a plurality of secondary batteries arranged in the outer case 30 via a battery case 20. It is provided with 1. In this power supply device 100, a plurality of secondary batteries 1 are connected to form a battery unit 10, and a plurality of battery units 10 are arranged in a battery case 20. In the power supply device 100 shown in these figures, four sets of battery units 10 are arranged in the outer case 30 via the battery case 20. The four sets of battery units 10 are made by stacking square batteries and have an elongated shape in the stacking direction, and are arranged in two rows in a parallel posture. A space is provided between the two sets of battery units 10 arranged linearly in the longitudinal direction, and the two sets of battery units 10 are arranged at both ends of the outer case 30.
(Exterior case 30)

In the outer case 30, a plurality of battery units 10 are arranged horizontally and arranged inside the peripheral wall 20A via the battery case 20. The outer case 30 has an elongated box shape and is mounted on the vehicle in a horizontal posture with the longitudinal direction as the width direction of the vehicle. In the electric vehicle of FIG. 11, the exterior case 30 is fixed in the gap between the seat ST and the chassis 92, and the power supply device 100 is arranged there. In the electric vehicle shown in the figure, the power supply device 100 is arranged under the front seat ST.

The outer case 30 is provided with a peripheral wall 37 around the bottom plate 35, and houses a battery unit 10 composed of a plurality of secondary batteries 1 inside the peripheral wall 37 via a battery case 20. In the outer case 30, side plates 38 are connected to the facing surfaces on both sides of the bottom plate 35, and first and second facing plates 39 are connected to the facing surfaces at both ends, and the peripheral wall 37 is formed by the side plates 38 and the facing plates 39. Consists of. Further, in the exterior case 30 shown in the figure, a part of the upper opening is closed with a lid plate 34.

The lid plate 34 and the bottom plate 35 of the outer case 30 are manufactured by bending a metal plate by press working. Further, in order to increase the rigidity, it is possible to form partially bent irregularities and ribs. As this metal plate, high tensile strength steel, general steel, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, etc., which are excellent in rigidity and heat conduction, or a combination thereof can be used. In the exterior case 30 shown in the figure, both ends of the bottom plate 35 are bent at right angles to connect the first and second facing plates 39 to both ends, and both sides are bent at right angles to provide side plates 38. There is. The side plate 38 and the lid plate 34 are connected by screws or the like via a side fixing piece 36. The bottom plate 35 is made by pressing a metal plate to form an integral structure of the facing plate 39 and the side plate 38, but it can also be manufactured by welding a plurality of metal plates.

The peripheral wall 37 of the exterior case 30 in the figure includes first and second facing plates 39 provided on facing surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and side plates 38 provided on both sides. The first and second facing plates 39 are provided with through holes 40 at positions that control the inflow of water. The power supply device 100 in the figure has through holes 40 provided in the first and second facing plates 39 as ventilation openings for forcibly blowing air to the battery unit 10 arranged inside the outer case 30 to cool the battery unit 10. However, in the power supply device of the present invention, the through hole 40 provided in the facing plate 39 is not specified as the blower opening, but may be a thin-walled opening provided for weight reduction.

The exterior case 30 in the figure supplies cooling air to the inside through through holes 40 provided in the first and second facing plates 39 to cool the secondary battery 1 constituting the battery unit 10, and causes the secondary battery 1 to cool. The cooled cooling air is exhausted to the outside from the exhaust port 52 provided in the battery case. In the above power supply device 100, the through holes 40 provided in the first and second facing plates 39 are used as inflow ports for cooling air, but the through holes 40 can also be used as exhaust ports for cooling air. One of the plurality of through holes 40 provided in each facing plate 39 may be used as an inflow port for cooling air, and the other through hole 40 may be used as an exhaust port.

The through hole 40 provided in the facing plate 39 of the outer case 30 serves as a flow path for water to flow into the inside when the vehicle is submerged. In order to control the inflow of water from the through hole 40 in the submerged state, the power supply device 100 of the figure has a through hole 40A of the first facing plate 39A and a second facing hole 40A as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. The positions of the through holes 40B provided in the plate 39B, to be exact, the positions of the lower edges of the through holes 40A and 40B are arranged so as to be vertically displaced, and a level difference D is provided in the lower edge. This is to prevent the power supply device 100 from being submerged and water from flowing in from all the through holes 40 at the same time. The level difference D is set to, for example, 20 mm, and one battery unit is short-circuited with the flowing water to sufficiently discharge the battery unit, and then the other battery unit is short-circuited with the flowing water. The level difference D at the lower edge of the through hole can be increased to short-circuit one battery unit with the flowing water to sufficiently discharge the battery, and then short-circuit the other battery unit with the flowing water to further improve safety. However, since the height of the facing plate is limited, the level difference D is set to, for example, 10 mm or more, preferably 15 mm or more, more preferably 20 mm or more, and the height of the facing plate is, for example, 50% or less, preferably 40% or less. , More preferably 30% or less.

The state where the power supply is submerged and water flows into the outer case is the state where the water overflows to the ground due to torrential rain and the water level gradually rises and the vehicle is submerged in water, and the vehicle jumps into the water and the power supply Is in a state of being submerged momentarily. It is not only the power supply mounted on the vehicle that the power supply is submerged due to torrential rain. Power storage devices and uninterruptible power supplies installed in buildings may also be flooded under the floor due to torrential rain. The state in which the power supply is submerged includes a state in which water gradually flows in due to torrential rain and the like, and a state in which the entire power supply is momentarily submerged in water. In a state where the entire battery unit is submerged momentarily, the entire battery unit is submerged at one time, so that the water acts as a shield to protect the battery unit and safety is ensured. On the other hand, a state in which the water surface level gradually rises and water infiltrates into the outer case, such as torrential rain, means that the entire battery unit is submerged even if water flows into the outer case. Therefore, it may not be possible to guarantee the safety of water. The water that enters the outer case 30 shorts the battery and causes a large short current to flow, and the short current electrolyzes the water to generate hydrogen, which is a flammable gas, and the large short current generates heat due to Joule heat. This is because it may ignite. In particular, if the infiltrated water short-circuits all the batteries, the short-circuit current becomes large, which has an adverse effect of impairing safety.

In order to eliminate the above adverse effects, the outer case 30 does not allow water to flow in from all the through holes 40 at the same time, and the through holes 40A of the first facing plate 39A are the through holes 40B of the second end plate 39B. It is placed below the lower edge. When the power supply device 100 is submerged, it does not allow water to enter through the through hole 40B of the second end plate 39B at first, and penetrates the first facing plate 39A having the lower edge arranged downward. Water flows in only through the hole 40A. The water flowing in only from the through hole 40A of the first facing plate 39A shorts the secondary battery arranged on the first facing plate 39A side and is arranged on the second end plate 39B side. Do not short the next battery with water. That is, the secondary battery arranged on the first facing plate 39A side is discharged by the water flowing in only from the through hole 40A of the first facing plate 39A.

In order to make it more reliable that only the secondary battery 1 on the first facing plate 39A side is short-circuited, the power supply device 100 in the figure has a battery unit 10 arranged on the first facing plate 39A side. It is arranged below the battery unit 10 arranged on the facing plate 39B side of 2. Further, in the battery unit 10 in the figure, a step is provided on the bottom plate 35, and the battery unit 10 on the first facing plate 39A side and the battery unit 10 on the second facing plate 39B side are arranged vertically. .. The bottom plate 35 is provided with a lower plate portion 35A arranged on the first facing plate 39A side and an upper plate portion 35B arranged on the second facing plate 39B side to provide the lower plate portion 35A. It is arranged below the upper plate portion 35B. The battery units 10 are arranged on the lower plate portion 35A and the upper plate portion 35B, and the battery units 10 are arranged so as to be vertically displaced from each other. Since the lower plate portion 35A is provided on the first facing plate 39A side and the battery unit 10 is arranged therein, the battery unit 10 on the first facing plate 39A side is arranged on the second facing plate 39B side. It is arranged below the battery unit 10.

Further, in the bottom plate 35, a partition wall 35C is provided between the lower plate portion 35A and the upper plate portion 35B, and the battery units 10 are arranged on both sides of the partition wall 35C. In the exterior case 30, the lower plate portion 35A and the upper plate portion 35B are partitioned by the partition wall 35C, and the battery unit 10 arranged in the lower plate portion 35A and the battery unit 10 arranged in the upper plate portion 35B To partition. In this structure, the lower plate portion 35A is flooded from the through hole 40A of the first facing plate 39A, and the battery unit 10 arranged in the lower stage is flooded into the battery unit 10 of the upper plate portion 35B. Inundation can be prevented more reliably. Therefore, in a state where the battery unit 10 of the lower plate portion 35A is flooded, the short-circuit current in this state can be reliably reduced without short-circuiting the battery unit 10 of the upper plate portion 35B with water. The height of the partition wall 35C is made substantially equal to, for example, the level of the lower edge of the through hole 40B provided in the second facing plate 39B. In the exterior case 30, the timing at which water flows in from the through hole 40B of the second facing plate 39B and the timing at which water flows from the lower plate portion 35A over the partition wall 35C into the upper plate portion 35B are made substantially equal. There is a feature that water can flow into the lower plate portion 35A from both of them, and the battery unit 10 arranged here can be quickly submerged in water to be in a safe state. However, the partition wall 35C is made higher or lower than the lower edge of the through hole 40 of the facing plate of the first facing plate 39A so that water can flow from the through hole 40B of the second facing plate 39B to the upper plate portion 35B. It is also possible to shift the timing of the inflow from the timing of the water flowing into the upper plate portion 35B of the lower plate portion 35A.

Since the lower edge of the through hole 40A of the first facing plate 39A is arranged below the lower edge of the through hole 40B of the second facing plate 39B, it is arranged on the first facing plate 39A side. The secondary battery 1 of the battery unit 10 is short-circuited first by the inflowing water and discharged by the short-circuit current. In this state, only the secondary battery 1 of the battery unit 10 on the first facing plate 39A side is short-circuited by the flowing water, so that the short-circuit current is halved as compared with the short-circuit current that short-circuits the entire secondary battery 1. Can be limited to. In this state, the secondary battery 1 of the battery unit 10 arranged in the lower stage is discharged to reduce the remaining capacity and the discharge capacity. After that, water flows in from the through hole 40B on the second facing plate 39B side, and the secondary battery 1 of the battery unit 10 arranged here is also short-circuited with water. In this state, the secondary battery 1 of the entire battery unit 10 is short-circuited, but the short-circuit current is reduced by the battery unit 10 on the lower stage side that has been discharged first. Further, since the lower battery unit 10 is discharged with a short current first, the time until the battery unit is completely discharged is shortened.

In the power supply device 100 shown in the figure, the side plate 38 of the outer case 30 is provided with a thinning opening 40C as a through hole for weight reduction. The meat opening 40C serves as a flow path through which water flows in a submerged state. When water flows in from the thinning opening 40C before the through hole 40 provided in the facing plate 39 while the power supply device 100 is submerged, the inflow of water from the through hole 40 of the facing plate is controlled. , The specific secondary battery 1 cannot be sheeted in order and discharged, and the inflow of water cannot be controlled normally. In order to prevent this adverse effect, the lower edges of all the thinning openings 40C provided in the side plate 38 are arranged higher than the lowermost edges of the through holes 40 provided in the facing plate 39. The structure is such that water flows into the outer case 30 from the through hole 40 in which the lower edge is arranged at the lowest position, and the specific secondary battery 1 is discharged with a short current. After water flows in from the through hole 40 provided in the facing plate 39 and the lower edge is arranged at the lowermost portion to discharge a part of the secondary battery 1 with a short current, the through hole 40B of the facing plate 39 is formed. Water is made to flow in from the thin-walled opening 40C provided in the side plate 38, and the remaining secondary battery 1 is discharged with a short current. In the power supply device 100 shown in the figure, the lower edge of the through hole 40A of the first facing plate 39A is arranged below the lower edge of the through hole 40B of the second facing plate 39B, so that the thinning opening of the side plate 38 The lower edge of the 40C is placed in the second facing plate 39B at the same position as the through hole 40 or above the through hole 40, at the same timing as the through hole 40B of the second facing plate 39B, or in the first. Water flows in later than the through hole 40A of the facing plate 39A.

The exterior case 30 in the figure does not necessarily have to have a closed structure as a whole. In the exterior case 30 shown in the figure, the entire upper opening is not blocked by the lid plate 34. The lid plate 34 closes both ends of the upper opening and opens the middle portion to expose the battery case 20. In the exterior case 30 having this structure, the lid plate 34 that closes the upper opening can be made smaller, and the weight of the metal plate corresponding to the portion that does not close can be reduced.

In the examples of FIGS. 7 and 8, the lid plate 34 is divided into a first plate 31 and a second plate 32, and an opening is provided between the first plate 31 and the second plate 32. As a result, an exposed region 23 in which a part of the battery case 20 is exposed is formed between the first plate 31 and the second plate 32. In the exposed area 23, weight reduction and thinning can be achieved. In particular, in a configuration in which the power supply device 100 is arranged across the lower surfaces of two adjacent seats ST as shown in the perspective view of FIG. 11, the portion corresponding to the lower surface of the seat ST where strength is required is the first. While the 1st plate 31 and the 2nd plate 32 are arranged respectively, the outer case 30 is omitted in the portion between them, so that the necessary member arrangement space can be secured and the vehicle interior space can be efficiently used.
(Fixed piece 36)

Further, the outer case 30 has a fixing piece 36 protruding outward, and the lid plate 34 and the bottom plate 35 are fixed with bolts and nuts by a screw hole opened in the fixing piece 36. In the example of FIG. 1, fixing pieces 36 are provided at four locations on the top, bottom, left, and right in a plan view. Further, the fixing piece 36 is fixed to the cross member 91 of the vehicle to fix the power supply device 100 to the vehicle. The vehicle has a cross member 91 extending in the width direction fixed to the chassis 92 to increase the rigidity. The power supply device 100 is arranged between the two rows of cross members 91, and the fixing pieces on both sides are fixed to the cross member 91, and the power supply device 100 is fixed in a space formed under the seat.
(Battery case 20)

The battery case 20 houses the battery unit 10 inside the battery case 20, as shown in the exploded perspective views of FIGS. 8, 9, and 10. The battery unit 10 is composed of a battery laminate 11 in which a secondary battery 1 is laminated, a circuit board 42, and the like.

Since the battery case 20 is made of resin and can be molded into various shapes, it is easy to realize a waterproof structure. The battery case 20 is housed in the outer case 30, and the power supply device 100 secures mechanical strength. Further, by surrounding the periphery with the metal outer case 30, heat dissipation can be improved, and the noise immunity of the electronic circuit in the battery case 20 can be improved by the shielding effect of the metal plate.

As shown in the exploded perspective views of FIGS. 8 to 9, the battery case 20 is divided into an upper case 21 and a lower case 22. Since the battery case 20 is made of resin, there is an advantage that even a relatively complicated shape can be easily constructed by resin molding. In addition, it is lightweight, inexpensive, and has excellent insulation properties. Examples of such resin materials include PP (polypropylene), PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PA (polyamide / nylon (registered trademark)) or composite materials such as those resins and glass fibers / glass beads, and further carbon fiber resins. It can also be used. Further, in order to further enhance the resistance to electromagnetic noise, it is also possible to use a resin-metal composite material or the like which is integrally molded by sandwiching a metal mesh, a metal plate or the like with a resin at the time of resin molding.

A fitting structure is provided at the joining interface where the upper case 21 and the lower case 22 are joined. This enhances the airtightness. Further, by arranging the elastic member 24 in the fitting structure, further waterproofness can be achieved. In the example of FIG. 8, a packing is interposed as an elastic member 24 at the joint interface between the upper case 21 and the lower case 22. In this way, the battery case 20 is waterproofed, and the secondary battery 1 and the electronic circuit inside the battery case 20 are protected from an unintended short circuit or the like.

The battery stack 11, the circuit board 42, and the DC / DC converter 41 are housed in the battery case 20. In the battery laminate 11, a plurality of secondary batteries 1 are laminated via an insulating separator. Both end faces of the laminate are covered with end plates, and the end plates are fastened to each other with bind bars. The circuit board 42 mounts electronic circuits such as a control circuit and a protection circuit that control charging and discharging of the battery laminate 11.
(DC / DC converter 41)

The DC / DC converter 41 is a member for converting the output of the battery stack 11 into a predetermined voltage. Here, the output of the battery stack 11 is converted to 12V, 24V, or the like by the DC / DC converter 41 for supplying power to the electrical components of the vehicle. The circuit board 42 is arranged in the area covered by the second plate 32. As a result, the heat generated by the circuit group mounted on the circuit board 42 can be dissipated via the second plate 32. Further, by covering the circuit board 42 with the second plate 32 made of metal, a shielding effect on the electronic circuit mounted on the circuit board 42 can be obtained, and noise resistance can be enhanced.

In the above example, the DC / DC converter 41 is arranged on the first plate 31 side and the circuit board 42 is arranged on the second plate 32 side, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, for example, the first. Needless to say, the circuit board may be arranged on the one plate side and the DC / DC converter may be arranged on the second plate side.
(Cooling structure)

Further, the battery case 20 is provided with a cooling mechanism for dissipating heat from the internal members. In the example of FIG. 8, it is an air-cooled type that takes in cooling air from the outside and forcibly blows air to the surface of the secondary battery 1 to cool it. Specifically, an intake port 51 for taking in cooling air and an exhaust port 5252 for discharging heat-exchanged cooling air are opened in a part of the battery case 20.

The intake port 51 is arranged at a position facing the through hole 40 provided in the outer case 30. The power supply device 100 in the figure is provided with a through hole 40 of the facing plate 39 at a position facing the intake port 51. The power supply device 100 allows the cooling gas that passes through the through hole 40 of the outer case 30 to pass through the intake port 51 of the battery case 20. The battery case 20 is provided with an exhaust port 52 for discharging the cooling air that cools the secondary battery 1. The exhaust port 52 is above the side plate 38 and is open to the open portion of the lid plate 34. The exhaust port 52 is formed so as to project upward from the surface of the battery case 20. The exhaust port 52 can increase the opening area to increase the air volume of the cooling air and improve the cooling capacity. In the examples of FIGS. 2 and 5, the exhaust port 52 is formed by opening the exhaust port 52 on the back side of the battery case 20 and projecting the exhaust port 52 upward by a height d from the upper surface of the battery case 20. Such an exhaust port 52 is integrally molded with the upper case 21 of the battery case 20. Further, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, on the upper surface of the battery case 20, a gradient is provided in the protruding portion so as to gradually increase toward the exhaust port 52.

The power supply device 100 cools the secondary battery 1 of the battery unit 10 by blowing air as shown in the schematic horizontal sectional view of FIG. In this example, four battery laminates 11 on which the secondary batteries 1 are laminated are arranged vertically and horizontally in the battery case 20, and cooling air taken in from the upper and lower sides of the left and right sides in the drawing is vertically and vertically applied. It is bent in the direction and passed through the battery laminate 11 to exchange heat, and the cooling air is further guided to the center in the longitudinal direction. Then, the cooling air collected from the left and right to the center is discharged to the outside of the battery case 20 from the exhaust port 52 opened upward (back side). In order to guide the cooling air, a ventilation duct or the like is appropriately provided inside the battery case 20. A blower fan 56 is provided in the vicinity of the exhaust port 52. The blower fan 56 forcibly discharges the cooling air taken into the battery case 20 to the outside through the exhaust port 52. In this configuration, the number of blower fans 56 can be reduced by providing a plurality of intake ports 51 to supply cooling air to many parts and by sharing the exhaust ports 52. In particular, one blower fan 56 can take in and exhaust the cooling air of the plurality of battery laminates 11 into the battery case 20.

Further, a part of the cooling air is used to cool other members in the battery case 20. In particular, it can also be used to cool the circuit group mounted on the DC / DC converter 41 which is the first heat source and the circuit board 42 which is the second heat source. In the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 9, the first heat source intake port 53 is opened on the side surface of the battery case 20 on the side where the DC / DC converter 41 is arranged. The first heat source intake port 53 is communicated with the DC / DC converter 41, whereby cooling air is taken into the battery case 20 from the first heat source intake port 53 and exchanges heat with the DC / DC converter 41. Can be cooled. Further, the heat-exchanged cooling air is discharged to the outside of the battery case 20 by the blower fan 56. The cooling air discharge path can be integrated with the cooling air discharge path for cooling the battery laminate 11 as described above. Therefore, inside the battery case 20, a partition wall 58 for partitioning the cooling air path for the battery laminate 11 and the cooling air path for the DC / DC converter 41 is provided.

Further, in the above example, the configuration in which the opening on the side surface side of the battery case 20 is the intake port 51 and the opening formed on the back surface side of the exposed region 23 is the exhaust port 52 has been described, but the present invention is limited to this configuration. Instead, for example, the opening on the side surface side of the battery case 20 may be the exhaust port 52, and the opening formed on the back surface side of the exposed region may be the intake port. In this case, the blower fan is on the intake port side, and the cooling air is forcibly sent to each part.
(Recess 25)

Further, the battery case 20 forms one or more recesses 25 having a recessed surface in the exposed region 23. The recess 25 can be used for positioning and fixing the power supply device 100. The recess 25 is provided on the upper surface side of the battery case 20. By providing the recess 25 on the surface of the battery case 20 in this way, the battery case 20 is positioned on both sides, so that the stability of fixing and the efficiency of work can be improved.

(Battery unit 10)

The battery unit 10 is composed of a battery laminate 11, a circuit board 42, and the like. An exploded perspective view of the battery unit 10 is shown in FIG. In this example, the battery unit 10 includes four battery laminates 11. In the battery laminate 11, two sets of two battery laminates 11 arranged so as to be adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the battery case 20. However, the number and layout of the battery laminates are not limited to this example.

As described above, while leaving the minimum structure of the outer case 30 for ensuring the strength, by arranging the resin battery case 20 inside the outer case 30, the strength and the weight reduction are balanced. A waterproof structure can also be realized. That is, since the battery case 20 is made of resin, it is easy to form a closed structure, and it is possible to enhance the dustproof and waterproof functions. Further, as a result of improving the insulation of the bottom surface side and the side surface side of the power supply device 100, it is possible to adopt a structure in which the surface of the secondary battery 1 is exposed. Further, it contributes to the weight reduction of the power supply device 100.
(Battery laminate 11)

Each battery laminate 11 includes a separator 2 that insulates between the secondary batteries 1 by interposing between the plurality of secondary batteries 1 and the main surface on which the plurality of secondary batteries 1 are laminated, and the plurality of secondary batteries. A pair of end plates 3 arranged on the end faces in the stacking direction in which 1 and the separator 2 are alternately laminated, and a plurality of metal fastening members arranged on both side surfaces of the battery laminate 11 and fastening the end plates 3 to each other. It has 4.

The secondary battery 1 has an outer can exposed. As described above, the structure in which the battery laminate 11 is housed in the resin battery case 20 enhances the insulating property. However, the surface of the secondary battery 1 can also be coated with an insulating material. For example, the surface of the outer can excluding the electrode portion of the secondary battery 1 may be heat-welded with a shrink tube made of PET resin or the like.
(Fastening member 4)

As shown in FIG. 10, the fastening member 4 is arranged on the side surface side of the battery laminate 11 in which the end plates 3 are laminated on the facing surfaces, and is fixed to the pair of end plates 3 to fasten the battery laminate 11. The fastening member 4 is formed in a size that covers almost the entire side surface of the battery laminate 11. In addition, a through hole of 40 minutes is provided so that cooling air can be blown between the secondary batteries 1. The fastening member may have other shapes. For example, the facing surface of the metal plate extended in a strip shape may be bent in a U-shape in a cross-sectional view. Further, the position where the fastening member is provided may be the side surface of the battery laminate 11 or the upper surface. Further, the structure for fixing the fastening member to the end plate is not limited to screwing, and known fixing structures such as rivets, caulking, welding, and adhesion can be appropriately used.
(Secondary battery 1)

As shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 14, the secondary battery 1 is a square lithium ion secondary battery in which the outer can constituting the outer shape thereof is thinner than the width. A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery can have a large charge / discharge capacity with respect to capacity and weight. However, the present invention does not specify the secondary battery as a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery. As the secondary battery, all rechargeable batteries other than the lithium ion secondary battery 1 can be used.
(Separator 2)

As shown in the exploded perspective view of FIG. 14, the separator 2 is interposed between the main surfaces of the adjacent secondary batteries 1 facing each other to insulate them. The separator 2 is formed in a size capable of covering the entire surface or most of the main surface of the secondary battery 1. Further, the separator is provided with a cooling gap for passing cooling air between the secondary batteries 1. Each separator is bent in an uneven shape in a vertical cross-sectional view so that a cooling gap 2b is formed between the separator and the secondary battery 1. As a result, the battery laminate 11 is laminated with a plurality of secondary batteries 1 in a state where a cooling gap 2b is formed. The cooling gap is connected to a cooling mechanism that forcibly blows cooling air such as air or cooling gas to cool it. Further, the separator 2 has a secondary battery 1 connected to both sides in a fitted structure. By using the separator 2 connected to the secondary battery 1 in a fitting structure, the adjacent secondary batteries 1 can be stacked by preventing the misalignment.

The material of the separator shall be insulating. For example, by using a resin such as plastic, it can be constructed lightweight and inexpensively. In addition to being a hard member, it may be a flexible member. In particular, the separator having no cooling gap can be made of a thin and flexible material such as a tape. If a separator having an adhesive surface coated on one side as a tape is used, it can be easily attached to an area requiring insulation such as a main surface or a part of a side surface of the secondary battery 1. In addition, since the separator is made of tape, the thickness of the separator can be easily reduced, and the thickness and weight of the battery laminate 11 can be suppressed from increasing.

By using the power supply device 100 having the above configuration, the resin battery case 20 secures the airtightness, and the outer case 30 is partially left to secure the strength, and the strength is maintained and the waterproof property is exhibited. Weight reduction is achieved.

FIG. 15 shows a circuit diagram of the power supply device 100. The power supply device 100 has a fuse connected between the battery units 10 connected in series. In this power supply device 100, two sets of battery units 10 are connected in series to form one set of batteries, and two sets of batteries are connected in series via a fuse 12. In the conventional power supply device 100, since the fuse 12 is connected in series with the output side of the device, even if the fuse 12 is blown by being submerged in water, the voltage on the output side of the battery unit 10 is the voltage of the four sets of battery units 10. The added value of the voltage, that is, the voltage of four times the voltage of each battery unit 10. Therefore, even if the power supply device 100 is submerged and the fuse 12 is blown, the voltage on the output side of the battery unit 10 is four times the voltage and a short current flows. In the power supply device 100 of FIG. 15, when the fuse 12 is blown by submersion, the two sets of batteries are separated, and the output voltage of each set of batteries is the added value of the two sets of battery units 10, that is, the battery unit. The voltage is twice that of 10. Therefore, when the power supply device 100 is submerged and the fuse 12 is blown, the short-circuit current flowing through each assembled battery can be reduced to 1/2, and the safety at the time of submersion can be further improved.

The above power supply device 100 can be used as an in-vehicle power supply. As a vehicle equipped with the power supply device 100, an electric vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle that runs on both an engine and a motor, or an electric vehicle that runs only on a motor can be used, and is used as a power source for these vehicles. To.
(Power supply device 100 for hybrid vehicles)

FIG. 16 shows an example in which the power supply device 100 is mounted on a hybrid vehicle traveling by both an engine and a motor. The vehicle HV equipped with the power supply device 100 shown in this figure includes an engine 96 for traveling the vehicle HV, a motor 93 for traveling, a power supply device 100 for supplying electric power to the motor 93, and a power generator for charging the batteries of the power supply device 100. It is equipped with a machine 94. The power supply device 100 is connected to the motor 93 and the generator 94 via the DC / AC inverter 95. The vehicle HV runs on both the motor 93 and the engine 96 while charging and discharging the battery of the power supply device 100. The motor 93 is driven to drive the vehicle in a region where the engine efficiency is low, for example, when accelerating or traveling at a low speed. The motor 93 is driven by being supplied with electric power from the power supply device 100. The generator 94 is driven by the engine 96 or by regenerative braking when braking the vehicle to charge the battery of the power supply device 100.
(Power supply device 100 for electric vehicles)

Further, FIG. 17 shows an example in which the power supply device 100 is mounted on an electric vehicle traveling only by a motor. The vehicle EV equipped with the power supply device 100 shown in this figure includes a traveling motor 93 for running the vehicle EV, a power supply device 100 for supplying power to the motor 93, and a generator for charging the batteries of the power supply device 100. It is equipped with 94. The motor 93 is driven by being supplied with electric power from the power supply device 100. The generator 94 is driven by the energy used for regenerative braking of the vehicle EV to charge the battery of the power supply device 100.

The embodiments or examples of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the above-described embodiments to examples are examples for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention is not specified as described above. In addition, the present specification does not specify the members shown in the claims as the members of the embodiment. In particular, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to that alone, and are merely explanatory examples unless otherwise specified. It's just that. The size and positional relationship of the members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated to clarify the explanation. Further, in the above description, members having the same or the same quality are shown with the same name and reference numeral, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. Further, each element constituting the present invention may be configured such that a plurality of elements are composed of the same member and the plurality of elements are combined with one member, or conversely, the function of one member is performed by the plurality of members. It can also be shared and realized.

The vehicle provided with the power supply device according to the present invention can be suitably used as a power supply device for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle, an electric vehicle, etc. that can switch between an EV driving mode and an HEV driving mode. The power supply includes a backup power supply that can be mounted in a computer server rack, a backup power supply for wireless base stations such as mobile phones, a power storage for home and factory storage, a power supply for street lights, and solar cells. It can also be appropriately used for backup power sources such as combined power storage devices and traffic lights.

1 ... Secondary battery 2 ... Separator 2b ... Cooling gap 3 ... End plate 4 ... Fastening member 10 ... Battery unit 11 ... Battery laminate 12 ... Fuse 20 ... Battery case 21 ... Upper case 22 ... Lower case 23 ... Display area 24 ... Elastic member 25 ... Recess 30 ... Exterior case
31 ... 1st plate 32 ... 2nd plate 34 ... Lid plate 35 ... Bottom plate 35A ... Lower plate
35B ... Upper plate part
35C ... Partition wall 36 ... Fixed piece 37 ... Peripheral wall 38 ... Side plate 39 ... Facing plate 39A ... First facing plate
39B ... Second facing plate 40 ... Through hole 40A ... Through hole of the first facing plate
40B ... Through hole of the second facing plate
40C ... Slow-walled opening 41 ... DC / DC converter 42 ... Circuit board 51 ... Intake port 52 ... Exhaust port 53 ... First heat source intake port 56 ... Blower fan 58 ... Upper and lower partition walls 91 ... Cross member 92 ... Chassis 93 ... Motor 94 ... Generator 95 ... DC / AC inverter 96 ... Engine 100 ... Power supply device D ... Level difference between 40A and 40B d ... Height ST ... Seat HV ... Hybrid vehicle EV ... Electric vehicle

Claims (4)

A power supply device including a plurality of battery units in which a plurality of secondary batteries arranged in a horizontal direction are connected, and an exterior case in which the plurality of battery units are arranged .
The outer case has a peripheral wall and a bottom plate.
The peripheral wall includes a first facing plate and a second facing plate arranged on the facing surface of the exterior case , and the first facing plate and the second facing plate have through holes. has, and the lower edge of the through hole of the first opposing plate is disposed below the lower edge of the through hole of the second facing plate,
The bottom plate is provided between the lower plate portion arranged on the first facing plate side, the upper plate portion arranged on the second facing plate side, and the lower plate portion and the upper plate portion. The lower plate portion includes the partition wall, and the lower plate portion is arranged below the upper plate portion.
The plurality of battery units are arranged in the lower plate portion and the upper plate portion, and the battery unit on the first facing plate side is larger than the battery unit on the second facing plate side. power and wherein that you have placed below. The power supply device according to claim 1 .
A power supply device characterized in that the through hole is a blower opening for blowing air to and cooling the secondary battery arranged in the outer case. A vehicle including the power supply device according to claim 1 or 2 . A vehicle provided with the power supply device according to claim 3 .
A vehicle characterized in that the power supply device is arranged between the chassis and the seat of the vehicle.

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