JP6787148B2 - Battery pack - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a battery pack.

In recent years, battery packs have been mounted on various vehicles such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles (various vehicles including general vehicles and industrial vehicles) and various devices. For example, a battery-powered industrial vehicle such as an electric forklift is equipped with an electric motor for traveling and an electric motor for cargo handling, and is equipped with a battery pack that supplies electric power to these electric motors. For example, the battery pack has a box shape, and the battery pack contains a plurality of battery modules composed of a plurality of battery cells. Battery-powered industrial vehicles do not generate exhaust gas, so they are often used indoors or in warehouses. Battery-powered industrial vehicles are often washed with water, and water streams may be sprayed on various parts of the vehicle, causing the battery pack to be flooded. Therefore, take waterproof measures to prevent water from entering the battery pack. Need to be applied.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a battery pack and a method for manufacturing the battery pack, which can shorten the manufacturing time and improve the sealing property. As shown in FIG. 19, the battery pack described in Patent Document 1 includes a box-shaped housing 151 having a relatively thick plate thickness T10, a lid portion 153 covering an opening 151k of the housing 151, and a housing 151. It has a plurality of battery modules 160 and the like housed therein. 20 is a cross-sectional view in which a lid portion 153, a positioning pin 159, and a bolt 157 are added to the cross-sectional view taken along the line XX-XX in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the lid portion 153 has a bolt through hole 153b for inserting a bolt 157 for fixing the lid portion 153 into the housing 151, and a lid portion with respect to the housing 151. A pin through hole 153c for inserting the alignment pin 159 for positioning the 153 is formed. Further, the opening end surface 151a, which is a surface of the housing 151 facing the lid portion 153, is provided with a bolt mounting hole 151b (non-through hole) as a female screw at a position facing the bolt through hole 153b, and a pin is provided. A pin insertion hole 151c (non-through hole) is provided at a position facing the through hole 153c. Further, on the outer peripheral side of the bolt mounting hole 151b and the inner peripheral side of the pin insertion hole 151c in the opening end surface 151a of the housing 151, the sealing member 151s that seals between the opening end surface 151a of the housing 151 and the lid portion 153s. Is provided. Further, the mounting jig 155 used when assembling the lid portion 153 to the housing 151 has a shape that covers the lid portion 153, and a through hole for a pin 155c and a through hole for a bolt 155b are formed. The inner diameter of the pin through hole 155c is smaller than the outer diameter of the head portion 159a of the alignment pin 159 and larger than the outer diameter of the shaft portion 159b. The inner diameter of the bolt through hole 155b is larger than the outer diameter of the head 157a of the bolt 157.

When assembling the lid portion 153 to the housing 151, first, the lid portion 153 is placed on the open end surface 151a of the housing 151, and then the mounting jig 155 is placed on the lid portion 153. Then, the alignment pin 159 is inserted so as to pass through the pin through hole 155c of the mounting jig 155, the pin through hole 153c of the lid portion 153, and the pin insertion hole 151c of the housing 151. Then, the positions of the bolt through hole 155b of the mounting jig 155, the bolt through hole 153b of the lid portion 153, and the bolt mounting hole 151b of the housing 151 coincide with each other. In this state, the bolt 157 is screwed from the bolt through hole 155b, and the lid portion 153 and the housing 151 are fixed by the bolt 157. Then, when the mounting jig 155 is removed upward after all the bolts 157 are screwed, the alignment pin 159 is pulled out together with the mounting jig 155 with the bolts 157 left. The bolt through hole 153b and the bolt mounting hole 151b are sealed by the bolt 157.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-149147

In the battery pack described in Patent Document 1, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, after the lid portion 153 and the housing 151 are fixed by a plurality of bolts 157, the alignment pin 159 is combined with the mounting jig 155. Is removed, so that the pin through hole 153c of the lid portion 153 and the pin insertion hole 151c of the housing 151 are exposed as open holes. Therefore, the seal member 151s must be provided inside the pin through hole 153c and the pin insertion hole 151c. Therefore, in the opening end surface 151a of the housing 151, the bolt mounting holes 151b, the sealing member 151s, and the pin insertion holes 151c must be arranged in this order from the inside to the outside along the direction of the plate thickness T10. The plate thickness T10 must be made thicker.

The present invention was devised in view of these points, and the plate thickness of the housing does not become thicker than necessary, and a sealed state between the housing and the lid can be appropriately secured. An object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack having a simpler structure.

In order to solve the above problems, the first invention of the present invention is a box-shaped housing that houses a battery module having a plurality of battery cells and has an opening, and a lid portion that covers the opening of the housing. In the battery pack having the above, at least a part of the opening is provided with a flange portion extending inward of the opening, and at least a part of the flange portion is for positioning. A through hole on the flange side, which is a through hole of the above, is provided. Further, the lid portion has a shape that covers the opening portion including the flange portion, and the flange portion penetrates the surface of the lid portion that faces the opening portion including the flange portion. A positioning pin to be inserted into the flange-side through hole is provided at a position corresponding to the hole. Then, on the outer peripheral side of the positioning pin between the housing opening end surface, which is a surface that surrounds the periphery of the opening and faces the lid, and the lid, the housing is placed so as to surround the opening. It is a battery pack provided with an outer peripheral sealing member which is a sealing member for sealing between the end face of the body opening and the lid portion.

Next, the second invention of the present invention is the battery pack according to the first invention, in which a lid-side through hole, which is a through hole, is provided at a position on the lid where the positioning pin is provided. The lid-side through hole is a female screw, and the positioning pin has an insertion portion inserted into the flange-side through hole and a fixed portion fixed to the lid-side through hole. The fixed portion is a battery pack having a male screw.

Next, the third invention of the present invention is the battery pack according to the second invention, and between the lid side through hole and the positioning pin, between the lid side through hole and the positioning pin. It is a battery pack provided with a pin seal member which is a seal member for sealing.

Next, the fourth invention of the present invention is the battery pack according to any one of the above first invention to the third invention, and at least the end portion of the positioning pin on the flange side through hole side. At least one of the flange-side through hole on the side of the positioning pin and at least one of them has a tapered shape that tapers in the insertion direction in which the positioning pin is inserted into the flange-side through hole. It is a battery pack.

Next, the fifth invention of the present invention is a battery pack according to any one of the first to fourth inventions, wherein the outer peripheral seal member is a compressible elastic body, and the said invention. The protruding length of the positioning pin from the lid portion to the flange portion is set to be longer than the thickness of the outer peripheral seal member before being compressed by being sandwiched between the housing opening end surface and the lid portion. It is a pack.

According to the first invention, the opening of the housing is provided with a flange portion extending inside the opening, and the flange portion is provided with a through hole on the flange side. An outer peripheral seal member is provided on the outer peripheral side of the positioning pin between the housing opening end surface and the lid, which is a surface that surrounds the periphery of the opening and faces the lid. Therefore, when fixing the housing and the lid with a fastening member such as a bolt, for example, a hole for the fastening member (for example, a bolt mounting hole) and a flange side penetration from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side of the flange portion. The holes and the outer peripheral seal member may be arranged in this order. In this way, the flange portion is provided, the positioning pin is fixed to the lid portion, the positioning pin remains even after the lid portion is fixed to the housing, and the outer peripheral seal member is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the flange side through hole. The plate thickness of the body does not become thicker than necessary, the sealed state between the housing and the lid can be appropriately secured, and a battery pack having a simpler structure can be realized.

According to the second invention, the positioning pin can be fixed to the lid only by screwing the fixed portion (male screw) of the positioning pin into the lid-side through hole of the female screw provided in the lid portion. Therefore, it is easy to fix the positioning pin. Further, by making the outer diameter of the insertion portion of the positioning pin larger than the outer diameter of the fixed portion of the positioning pin, the space between the lid portion and the positioning pin can be appropriately sealed.

According to the third invention, the sealing property between the lid portion and the positioning pin can be further improved.

According to the fourth invention, the tapered shape that tapers in the insertion direction of the positioning pin is formed at least at the end of the positioning pin on the flange side through hole side and at least at the inlet portion of the flange side through hole on the positioning pin side. By providing the positioning pin on at least one of the two, it becomes easy to insert the positioning pin into the through hole on the flange side.

According to the fifth invention, even when the outer peripheral sealing member is not compressed, the tip of the positioning pin can be inserted into the flange side through hole, so that the operation of inserting the positioning pin into the flange side through hole can be performed. Work efficiency can be further improved.

It is a schematic side view which shows the appearance of the reach lift equipped with a battery pack. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the appearance of the battery pack, and the battery module housed in the battery pack. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the appearance of the battery module in a battery pack. It is a top view which shows the example of the appearance of the battery module in a battery pack. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the appearance of the battery cell, the battery holder, and the heat transfer plate which make up a battery module. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance, etc. of the housing which constitutes a battery pack and a lid part. It is a front view of a lid part, a housing body, and a flange body. It is a perspective view which shows the housing body and the flange body which make up the housing. It is a figure which shows the state which overlapped the flange main body with the opening end surface of the housing main body. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the structure around the positioning pin according to the first embodiment in which the cross-sectional view of the lid and the positioning pin are added to the cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI in FIG. 6, and the positioning pin is inserted through the pin. It is sectional drawing explaining the state before inserting into a hole. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the positioning pin is inserted into the pin insertion hole with respect to FIG. 11. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view in which a lid portion, a positioning pin, and a bolt are added to the cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII in FIG. It is sectional drawing explaining the state which is fixed by a bolt. It is sectional drawing explaining the structure around the positioning pin in 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing explaining the structure around the positioning pin in 3rd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing explaining the structure around the positioning pin in 4th Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which explains the structure around the positioning pin in the comparative example 1 which provided the positioning pin in the flange part. It is sectional drawing which explains the structure around the positioning pin in the comparative example 2 which provided the positioning pin in the flange part. It is a figure explaining an example of the method of assembling the lid part to the housing in the conventional battery pack. In a conventional battery pack, examples of bolt mounting and pin insertion holes, which are non-through holes on the housing side, bolt through holes and pin through holes, which are through holes on the lid side, and bolts and alignment pins will be described. It is a cross-sectional view.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The battery pack described in the present embodiment is, for example, a battery pack mounted on a battery-powered industrial vehicle. Further, for convenience of explanation, each direction of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis is determined based on FIG. 1, but the arrangement direction of the battery pack is not specified. Further, the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in the figure are orthogonal to each other, the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction indicate the horizontal direction, and the Z-axis direction indicates the vertically upward direction. In the following description, the Z-axis direction is "up", the direction opposite to the Z-axis direction is "down", the Y-axis direction is "front", the direction opposite to the Y-axis direction is "rear", and the X-axis direction is "back". "Right" and the direction opposite to the X-axis direction will be described as "left". Further, in the description of the present embodiment, the battery pack 50 mounted on the reach lift 1 (battery-powered industrial vehicle) will be described as an example.

● [Overall configuration of reach lift 1 equipped with battery pack 50 (Fig. 1) and appearance of battery pack 50 (Fig. 2)]
The overall configuration of the reach lift 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1, which shows a left side view of the reach lift 1. The reach lift 1 has a vehicle body 20 and a cargo handling device 30, and is a relatively small forklift in which a driver performs traveling and cargo handling work while standing in a driver's seat provided on the vehicle body 20. The reach lift 1 uses the electric power from the mounted battery pack 50 to perform traveling and cargo handling work.

The vehicle body 20 has a pedestal portion 21, a main body portion 22, a guard 23, and the like. A main body 22 is mounted on the pedestal 21, and a guard 23 is attached to the main body 22. Further, below the pedestal portion 21, a driving wheel 28d and a caster wheel 28s (a driven wheel that is rotatable and rotatable in an XY plane) are provided. The main body 22 is configured to surround the front, right, and left of the driver's seat on which the driver stands, and the battery pack 50, the traveling motor 41, the cargo handling motor 42, and the like are housed inside the main body 22. Has been done. The traveling motor 41 rotationally drives the drive wheels 28d using the electric power supplied from the battery pack 50. The cargo handling motor 42 drives a hydraulic pump (not shown) using the electric power from the battery pack 50, and operates the fork 34 and the like of the cargo handling device 30 with the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump.

Further, the main body 22 is provided with a driver's seat on which the driver rides while standing, and the driver's seat is provided with a steering wheel 43, an accelerator lever 44, a plurality of cargo handling operation levers (not shown), and the like. There is. The driver can operate the steering wheel 43 to change the direction of the drive wheels 28d to change the left and right traveling directions of the reach lift 1. Further, the driver can operate the accelerator lever 44 to instruct the rotation speed (speed of the reach lift 1) and the rotation direction (advance and retreat of the reach lift) of the drive wheels 28d. The guard 23 covers the upper part of the driver and protects the driver from falling objects and the like.

The cargo handling device 30 has a reach leg 31, a mast 32, a lift bracket 33, a fork 34, and the like. The reach leg 31 is a pair of left and right arms having a rear end fixed to the pedestal portion 21 and extending forward. Below the front end of each reach leg 31, a front wheel 38, which is a fixed driven wheel whose direction is fixed in the front-rear direction and is rotatable, is provided. The mast 32 is a pair of left and right columns, and is capable of sliding in the front-rear direction along the reach leg 31 and tilting in the front-rear direction (tilt operation). A fork 34 is attached to the lift bracket 33, and the lift bracket 33 and the fork 34 can move (up and down) in the vertical direction along the mast 32. The driver can operate the cargo handling operation lever (not shown) to instruct the above-mentioned slide operation, tilt operation, and elevating operation.

As shown in FIG. 2, the battery pack 50 has a box shape having a housing 53 and a lid portion 55, and houses a plurality of battery modules 60 inside. The material of the housing 53 and the lid 55 is a metal such as iron. Further, the battery module 60 is composed of a plurality of battery cells, as will be described later. Further, the battery pack 50 described in the present embodiment has a charging terminal 53z at a corner portion. It should be noted that the description of the outlet for wiring to the traveling motor 41, the cargo handling motor 42, etc. is omitted. In addition to the battery module 60, wiring from each battery module 60 and wiring such as the charging terminal 53z are integrated inside the battery pack 50 to control the input / output of each battery module 60. A control box 69 or the like in which the device is housed is also housed.

● [Appearance and structure of the battery module 60 housed in the battery pack 50 (FIGS. 3 to 5)]
FIG. 2 shows an example in which seven battery modules 60 are housed inside the battery pack 50. In the description of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a battery pack 50 in which four battery modules 60 are fixed to the lid 55 and three battery modules 60 are fixed to the housing 53 will be described as an example. Hereinafter, the configuration of the battery module 60 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 by taking the battery module 60 fixed to the lid 55 as an example.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, one battery module 60 is composed of a plurality of battery cells 61 (7 battery cells 61 in this example). As shown in FIG. 5, in each battery cell 61, the bottom surface 61b, the side surface 61c, and the side surface 61d are covered by the U-shaped battery holder 62, and the back surface 61e is covered by the L-shaped heat transfer plate 63. It constitutes the battery cell unit 61u. Then, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of battery cell units 61u are arranged side by side to form a battery cell module, and the battery cell module is sandwiched between a pair of end plates 67 and a pair of brackets 66 and placed on a lid 55. It is fixed. The pair of brackets 66 are fixed by, for example, a fastening member composed of bolts B2 and nuts N2. The pair of end plates 67 are fixed by, for example, a fastening member composed of a bolt B1 and a nut N1. Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a pair of brackets 66 are provided so as to be on the outside of each end plate 67. That is, a battery cell module in which a plurality of battery cell units 61u are arranged is sandwiched between a pair of end plates 67, and a pair of end plates 67 are sandwiched between a pair of brackets 66. Further, the pair of brackets 66 are fixed to the lid portion 55 with bolts B3. An elastic member 64 is sandwiched between the end plate 67 and the battery cell 61 facing each other without the heat transfer plate 63 (see FIG. 4). For example, the elastic member 64 is a flat plate-shaped rubber that absorbs the expansion of the battery cell 61. A heat conductive member 68 is provided between each heat transfer plate 63 and the lid 55. The heat conductive member 68 is referred to as a TIM (Thermal Interface Material). The heat conductive member 68 is made of an adhesive material, and examples of the adhesive material include silicon, acrylic, and urethane.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each battery cell 61 excluding the battery cell 61 in contact with the elastic member 64 is in a storage space surrounded by a battery holder 62 and a heat transfer plate 63 and having an open upper surface. Is housed in. The leftmost battery cell 61 (battery cell 61 in contact with the elastic member 64) in FIG. 4 is surrounded by a battery holder 62, a heat transfer plate 63, and an elastic member 64 on a surface other than the upper surface.

Further, in the battery module 60, adjacent battery cells 61 are arranged so that the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal face each other. The positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal of the adjacent battery cells 61 are connected by a bus bar 65 which is a conductor. That is, in the battery module 60, each battery cell 61 is connected in series. As shown in FIG. 3, the bus bar 65 has a protruding portion 65a in which a plate-shaped conductor is bent and protrudes upward, and the distance between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal to be connected is abnormal or used. Even if the change is caused by the expansion of the battery cell 61 due to the above, the bent shape of the protruding portion 65a is deformed so that the change in the distance between the terminals can be followed. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the heat generated in each battery cell 61 is dissipated to the lid portion 55 via the heat transfer plate 63 and the heat conductive member 68. The heat transfer plate 63 may be omitted and the battery holder 62 may be brought into contact with the heat conductive member 68. Further, the shape of the bus bar 65 is not limited to the shape having the protruding portion 65a.

[Appearance and structure of the housing 53 and the lid 55 constituting the battery pack 50 (FIGS. 6 to 10)]
As shown in FIG. 6, the battery pack 50 includes a housing 53, an outer peripheral sealing member 53s, a lid 55, a battery module 60, a control BOX 69, and the like, and the housing 53 is shown in FIG. As described above, it is composed of a housing body 51 and a flange body 52.

As shown in FIG. 8, the housing body 51 has a box shape having an opening 51k and is made of a metal such as iron. The opening 51k is surrounded by an opening end surface 51a having a plate thickness of 51t. ing. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the housing body 51 has a control BOX mounting hole 51x for fixing the control BOX 69 (see FIG. 6) and a battery mounting hole 51d for fixing the battery module 60 (see FIG. 6). Is formed. The control BOX mounting hole 51x and the battery mounting hole 51d are female threads, and may be through holes or non-through holes.

As shown in FIG. 8, the flange main body 52 has a plate shape having a plate thickness of 52 t, is formed of a metal such as iron, and has an annular shape having a shape covering the opening end surface 51a. As shown in FIG. 7, the overall width 52w1 of the flange body 52 is slightly smaller than the overall width 51w1 of the housing body 51, and the protrusion width 52w2 of the flange body 52 is larger than the protrusion width 51w2 of the housing body 51. It's a little small. The body height 52v1 of the flange body 52 is slightly smaller than the body height 51v1 of the housing body 51, and the protrusion height 52v2 of the flange body 52 is slightly smaller than the protrusion height 51v2 of the housing body 51. .. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, when the flange main body 52 is stacked so as to cover the open end surface 51a of the housing main body 51, the edge portion of the open end surface 51a is exposed so as to surround the outer periphery of the flange main body 52. As shown in FIG. 10, in the housing 53, the exposed opening end surface 51a and the outer peripheral surface 52g of the flange body 52 are welded at the welded portion 53y over the entire circumference, and the flange body is welded to the opening end surface 51a. The 52 is fixed, and the gap between the open end surface 51a and the flange body 52 is filled.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, at least a part of the flange body 52 is provided with flange portions 52f1 to 52f6 that extend inward of the opening 51k when stacked on the opening end surface 51a. Each of the flange portions 52f1 to 52f6 has a surface opposite to the opening end surface 51a (a housing opening end surface 52m facing the lid portion 55) and an opening direction of the opening 51k (Y in FIGS. 7 to 10). Spacers 52s (see FIGS. 7 to 10), which are surfaces protruding toward the lid 55 by several [mm] with respect to the flange portion, are provided at positions that do not overlap with the opening end surface 51a in the axial direction). .. Each spacer 52s of the flange body 52 is formed with one or more bolt mounting holes 52b which are through holes penetrating in the thickness direction (Y-axis direction) of the plate-shaped flange body 52, and the bolt mounting holes 52b are formed. Is a female screw. Further, the flange is located at the four corners of the flange body 52 on the flange portions 52f1, 52f3, 52f6 and does not overlap with the opening end surface 51a in the opening direction of the opening 51k when it is overlapped with the opening end surface 51a. A pin insertion hole 52p, which is a through hole penetrating in the thickness direction (Y-axis direction) of the main body 52, is formed. The pin insertion hole 52p is not a female screw, and has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the corresponding positioning pin 59a (see FIG. 6). Further, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the housing opening end surface 52 m (in this case, the surface of the flange body 52 facing the lid 55) which surrounds the circumference of the opening 51k and faces the lid 55). On the outer peripheral side of the pin insertion hole 52p (that is, the outer peripheral side of the positioning pin) between the lid portion 55 and the lid portion 55, the space between the housing opening end surface 52m and the lid portion 55 is sealed so as to surround the opening portion 51k. An outer peripheral seal member 53s, which is a seal member, is provided (pasted).

As shown in FIG. 7, the lid portion 55 has a bolt insertion hole 55b penetrating in the thickness direction (Y-axis direction) of the plate-shaped lid portion 55 at a position corresponding to the bolt mounting hole 52b of the flange body 52. It is formed. The bolt insertion hole 55b is not a female screw, but has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the threaded portion of the corresponding bolt and a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the head of the corresponding bolt. Further, the lid portion 55 is formed with a pin mounting hole 55p which is a through hole penetrating in the thickness direction (Y-axis direction) of the lid portion 55 at a position corresponding to the pin insertion hole 52p of the flange main body 52. The pin mounting hole 55p is a female screw. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the fixed portion 59a2 (male screw, see FIG. 11) of the positioning pin 59a is screwed into the pin mounting hole 55p (see FIG. 7) on the housing 53 side of the lid portion 55. It has been stopped. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the lid portion 55 is formed with a battery mounting hole 55d for fixing the battery module 60 (see FIG. 6). The battery mounting hole 55d is a female screw and may be a through hole or a non-through hole. The pin mounting hole 55p formed in the lid portion 55 corresponds to the "lid side through hole", and the pin insertion hole 52p formed in the flange portion of the flange body 52 corresponds to the "flange side through hole". ..

● [Assembly procedure of battery pack 50 (FIGS. 6 to 10)]
Next, an example of the procedure for assembling the battery pack 50 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10. The battery pack 50 is assembled in the following order (procedure 1) to (procedure 7).
(Procedure 1) The flange main body 52 is welded to the open end surface 51a of the housing main body 51 to form the housing 53 (Procedure 2) The battery module 60 and the control BOX 69 are fixed to the housing 53 and the wiring is connected (Procedure 3). Attach the outer peripheral seal member 53s to the flange body 52 (housing opening end surface 52 m) of the housing 53 (procedure 4) Fix the battery module 60 to the lid 55 and wire (procedure 5) fix the positioning pin 59a to the lid 55. (Procedure 6) Cover the opening 51k of the housing 53 with the lid 55 and insert the positioning pin 59a into the pin insertion hole 52p (Procedure 7) Fix the lid 55 to the housing 53 using the bolt B4.

In the above (procedure 1), the flange main body 52 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is superposed on the open end surface 51a of the housing main body 51 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the stacked state, as shown in FIG. 9, the edge portion of the open end surface 51a is exposed so as to surround the outer circumference of the flange body 52. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the edge portion of the open end surface 51a (exposed open end surface 51a) and the outer peripheral surface 52 g of the flange body 52 are welded at the welded portion 53y over the entire circumference to form the housing 53. Will be done. As a result, the flange body 52 is fixed to the opening end surface 51a, and the gap between the opening end surface 51a and the flange body 52 is filled.

In the above (procedure 2), the battery module 60 is fixed to the battery mounting hole 51d of the housing body 51 shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 (see FIG. 6), and the housing body 51 shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 is controlled. The control BOX 69 is fixed to the BOX mounting hole 51x (see FIG. 6). Then, the wiring between the control BOX 69 and each battery module 60, the wiring between the control BOX 69 and the charging terminal 53z, and the like are connected.

In the above (procedure 3), as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, the housing opening end surface 52 m (in this case, the lid portion in the flange body 52) is a surface that surrounds the circumference of the opening 51 k and faces the lid portion 55. On the outer peripheral side of the pin insertion hole 52p (that is, the outer peripheral side of the positioning pin) between the surface facing the 55 and the lid 55, the housing opening end surface 52m and the lid 55 surround the opening 51k. The outer peripheral seal member 53s, which is a seal member that seals between the two, is attached (attached).

In the above (procedure 4), the battery module 60 is fixed to the battery mounting hole 55d on the side of the lid 55 shown in FIG. 7 facing the housing 53 (see FIG. 6). Then, the wiring between the control BOX 69 and each battery module 60 is connected.

In the above (procedure 5), the positioning pin 59a is screwed into the pin mounting hole 55p on the surface of the lid portion 55 shown in FIG. 7 facing the housing 53. As shown in the example of FIG. 11, the positioning pin 59a has a fixed portion 59a2 and an insertion portion 59a1, and the fixed portion 59a2 of the positioning pin 59a is provided in the pin mounting hole 55p at the tip of the insertion portion 59a1. Hexagonal holes 59a3 used for screwing are formed. The operator uses a hexagon wrench and a hexagonal hole 59a3 to screw the positioning pin 59a into the pin mounting hole 55p.

In the above (procedure 6), as shown in FIG. 6, the lid portion 55 is overlapped with the housing portion 53 so as to cover the opening 51k of the housing portion 53 with the lid portion 55, and the positioning pin 59a of the lid portion 55 Is inserted into the pin insertion hole 52p of the housing 53, and the lid 55 is positioned with respect to the housing 53.

In the above (procedure 7), as shown in FIG. 6, after the bolt B4 is inserted into the bolt insertion hole 55b of the lid 55, the inserted bolt B4 is screwed into the bolt mounting hole 52b of the housing 53. The lid 55 is fixed to the housing 53, and the assembly of the battery pack 50 is completed.

Then, in the following first to fourth embodiments, details such as the structure around the positioning pin, the shape of the positioning pin, the shape of the pin insertion hole 52p of the housing 53, and the like will be described. In the first embodiment to the fourth embodiment, the structures described in the following [common point 1] to [common point 3] are common, and the shape of the insertion portion of the positioning pin and the positioning pin are different. The shape of the pin insertion hole of the flange portion of the housing 53 to be inserted, the sealing state of the positioning pin, and the like are different from each other. In the first to fourth embodiments, the periphery of the pin insertion hole 52p formed in the flange portion 52f3 shown in FIG. 6 will be described as an example.
[Common point 1] The lid portion 55 is formed with a pin mounting hole 55p, which is a through hole as a female screw for screwing the fixed portion (male screw) of the positioning pin. The positioning pin is screwed into the pin mounting hole 55p of the above (see FIG. 6).
[Common point 2] A pin insertion hole 52p, which is a through hole (non-female screw) for inserting the tip of the positioning pin, is formed in the flange portion of the housing 53 corresponding to the pin mounting hole 55p of the lid portion 55. (See Fig. 6).
[Common point 3] The outer peripheral seal member 53s is attached to the outer peripheral side (that is, the outer peripheral side of the positioning pin) of the pin insertion hole 52p in the housing opening end surface 52 m so as to surround the opening of the housing 53 (FIG. 3). 6).

[Structure around the positioning pin 59a in the first embodiment (FIGS. 11 to 13)]
Next, the structure around the positioning pin 59a in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. FIG. 11 shows a state before the tip of the positioning pin 59a screwed to the lid portion 55 is inserted into the pin insertion hole 52p formed in the flange portion 52f3 of the housing 53. Further, in FIG. 12, the tip of the positioning pin 59a is inserted into the pin insertion hole 52p from the state of FIG. 11, and the bolt B4 (see FIG. 6), which is not shown, is inserted until the spacer 52s of the flange portion 52f3 contacts the lid portion 55. The tightened state is shown, and the outer peripheral sealing member 53s is compressed to the same thickness as the thickness 52s1 of the spacer 52s, and the lid portion 55 is fixed to the housing 53. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the lid portion 55, a positioning pin 59a, and a bolt B4 added to the cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII in FIG. 6, and the lid portion is relative to the flange portion 52f3 of the housing 53. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which 55 is positioned by a positioning pin 59a, and a lid portion 55 and a flange portion 52f3 of a housing 53 are fixed by bolts B4.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, in the first embodiment, the positioning pin 59a has a fixed portion 59a2 and an insertion portion 59a1, and the fixed portion 59a2 is a male screw. ing. Further, the insertion portion 59a1 having a protruding length 59a6 has a cylindrical portion having a protruding length 59a4 and a tapered portion having a protruding length 59a5. The tapered portion has a shape that tapers in the insertion direction of the positioning pin. Further, the pin insertion hole 52p of the flange portion 52f3 is formed as a through hole (cylindrical cavity portion, non-female screw) having a constant diameter.

As shown in the state shown in FIG. 12 (the state in which the lid portion 55 is fixed to the housing 53), the protruding length 59a4 of the positioning pin 59a includes the thickness 52s1 of the spacer 52s and the thickness 52t of the flange portion 52f3. , Is set to a length equal to or greater than the sum of the above (protruding length 59a4 ≧ [spacer thickness 52s1 + flange thickness 52t]). As a result, the cylindrical portion of the positioning pin 59a having the protruding length 59a4 is firmly held in the pin insertion hole 52p, which is a cylindrical cavity portion.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the outer peripheral seal member 53s is a compressible elastic body. The protrusion length 59a6 of the positioning pin 59a is set longer than the thickness 53s1 (see FIG. 11) of the outer peripheral seal member 53s before being compressed by being sandwiched between the flange portion 52f3 and the lid portion 55. As a result, even when the outer peripheral seal member 53s is not compressed, the tip of the positioning pin 59a can be inserted into the pin insertion hole 52p, so that the positioning pin 59a can be more easily positioned with respect to the pin insertion hole 52p. Can be done. Further, since the tip of the positioning pin 59a is tapered, the positioning pin 59a can be easily inserted into the pin insertion hole 52p.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the pin mounting hole 55p (female screw) is substantially sealed by screwing the fixed portion 59a2 (male screw) of the positioning pin 59a. Further, the pin mounting hole 55p and the fixed portion 59a2 of the positioning pin 59a are substantially sealed by pressing the end surface of the insertion portion 59a1 against the surface of the lid portion 55. Therefore, the ingress of water into the battery pack from the pin mounting hole 55p is prevented. Further, the space between the bolt insertion hole 55b and the head of the bolt B4 is substantially sealed by pressing the end surface of the head of the bolt B4 against the surface of the lid portion 55. Therefore, water is prevented from entering the battery pack through the bolt insertion hole 55b.

In the first embodiment, the pin insertion hole 52p, which is a through hole, is formed not in the lid portion 55 but in the flange portion 52f3. When the pin insertion hole 255p, which is a through hole, is formed in the lid portion 255 as shown in [Comparative Example 1] of FIG. 17, water enters the battery pack from the pin insertion hole 255p, so that the positioning pin 259 It is also necessary to attach the seal member 253s to the housing opening end surface 252 m on the inner peripheral side. In this case, in order to attach the seal member 253s, it is necessary to make the protruding length 252w of the flange portion 252f longer than the protruding length 52w shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, so that the flange portion is projected inward. Must be longer. Then, since the opening of the housing becomes narrower, the work efficiency of fixing the battery module in the housing may decrease, and the battery module fixed to the lid may interfere with the flange portion. And it's not very preferable. In the first embodiment, the pin insertion hole 52p, which is a through hole, is formed not in the lid portion 55 but in the flange portion 52f3, so that the pin mounting hole 55p formed in the lid portion 55 is sealed by the positioning pin 59a. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, it is possible to arrange the outer peripheral seal member 53s on the outer peripheral side of the positioning pin 59a. Therefore, as compared with the structure of [Comparative Example 1] shown in FIG. 17, the inward protrusion length 52w (see FIGS. 11 and 12) of the flange portion can be made shorter, which is more preferable.

Further, in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the pin mounting hole 55p, the pin insertion hole 52p, the bolt insertion hole 55b, and the bolt mounting hole 52b are all through holes. Compared with the case of forming the non-through hole (355p) shown in [Comparative Example 2] of 18, the step of forming the hole is simple and the time for forming the hole is short. In addition, chips from the formation of the hole do not remain in the hole. If metal chips remain in the holes, the terminals of the contained battery module and the like may be short-circuited, which is not preferable.

Further, in the conventional structure shown in FIG. 20, since the alignment pin 159 is removed, water enters through the pin through hole 153c which is a through hole formed in the lid portion 153. Therefore, the seal member 151s must be attached to the inner peripheral side of the pin insertion hole 151c. Therefore, in the conventional structure shown in FIG. 20, the pin insertion hole 151c, the seal member 151s, and the bolt mounting hole 151b are arranged in this order on the opening end surface 151a of the housing 151 from the outer peripheral side to the inner peripheral side. The thickness T10 of the housing 151 is very thick, which is not very preferable. On the other hand, in the first embodiment, as compared with the conventional structure shown in FIG. 20, the positioning pin 59a is formed in the pin mounting hole 55p (female screw) which is a through hole for the positioning pin formed in the lid portion 55. Since the fixed portion (male screw) of the above is screwed and substantially sealed, it is possible to prevent water from entering through the through hole for the positioning pin formed in the lid portion 55. That is, in the first embodiment, the outer peripheral seal member 53s can be attached to the outer peripheral side of the pin insertion hole 52p (that is, the outer peripheral side of the positioning pin 59a). Further, in the first embodiment, it has a flange portion. As a result, as compared with the conventional structure shown in FIG. 20, in the first embodiment, the plate thickness 51t (see FIG. 8) of the housing 53 does not have to be thicker than necessary, and the flange portion is inward. The protruding length of 52w (see FIG. 12) does not have to be longer than necessary.

[Structure around the positioning pin 59a in the second embodiment (FIG. 14)]
Next, the structure around the positioning pin 59a in the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the pin seal member 59s is added in order to further improve the sealing property between the positioning pin 59a and the lid portion 55. Hereinafter, this difference will be mainly described.

As shown in FIG. 14, a gap between the pin mounting hole 55p and the positioning pin 59a is sealed between the insertion portion 59a1 of the positioning pin 59a and the lid portion 55 and around the fixed portion 59a2 of the positioning pin 59a. A pin seal member 59s, which is a seal member to be used, is provided. The thickness 59s1 of the pin seal member 59s sandwiched between the lid portion 55 and the insertion portion 59a1 is thinner than the thickness 52s1 of the spacer 52s.

Even in the first embodiment in which the pin seal member 59s is not provided, the pin mounting hole 55p and the positioning pin 59a are substantially sealed, but in the second embodiment, the sealing property is improved. It is improving more. The effect compared with [Comparative Example 1] shown in FIG. 17, the effect compared with [Comparative Example 2] shown in FIG. 18, and the effect compared with the conventional structure shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 are the first implementations. Since it is the same as the form of, the description thereof will be omitted.

[Structure around the positioning pin 59b in the third embodiment (FIG. 15)]
Next, the structure around the positioning pin 59b in the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the third embodiment, the shape of the positioning pin 59b is different from that in the first embodiment. Hereinafter, this difference will be mainly described.

As shown in FIG. 15, the positioning pin 59b has a fixed portion 59b2 and an insertion portion 59b1, and the fixed portion 59b2 is the same as the fixed portion 59a2 (see FIG. 12) of the first embodiment. However, the shape of the insertion portion 59b1 is different from the shape of the insertion portion 59a1 (see FIG. 12) of the first embodiment. The insertion portion 59b1 does not have a cylindrical portion having a constant diameter, but has a tapered shape that tapers in the insertion direction of the positioning pin 59b, and has a truncated cone shape in the example of FIG. There is. As shown in FIG. 15, the diameter 59b7 of the insertion portion 59b1 at the position corresponding to the surface of the flange portion 52f3 on the side of the lid portion 55 is substantially equal to the diameter of the pin insertion hole 52p.

As shown in FIG. 15, since the pin insertion hole 52p of the housing 53 is a cylindrical hollow portion, when the positioning pin 59b having the truncated cone-shaped insertion portion 59b1 is inserted, the center of the positioning pin 59b is the pin insertion. It is properly guided to the center of the hole 52p. Further, since the contact area between the pin insertion hole 52p and the positioning pin 59b is small and the friction is small, the operator can easily insert the positioning pin 59b into the pin insertion hole 52p. The effect compared with [Comparative Example 1] shown in FIG. 17, the effect compared with [Comparative Example 2] shown in FIG. 18, and the effect compared with the conventional structure shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 are the first implementations. Since it is the same as the form of, the description thereof will be omitted.

[Structure around the positioning pin 59c in the fourth embodiment (FIG. 16)]
Next, the structure around the positioning pin 59c in the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the fourth embodiment as opposed to the first embodiment, the shape of the positioning pin 59c and the shape of the pin insertion hole 52p are different. Hereinafter, this difference will be mainly described.

As shown in FIG. 16, the positioning pin 59c has a fixed portion 59c2 and an insertion portion 59c1, and the fixed portion 59c2 is the same as the fixed portion 59a2 (see FIG. 12) of the first embodiment. However, the shape of the insertion portion 59c1 is different from the shape of the insertion portion 59a1 (see FIG. 12) of the first embodiment. The insertion portion 59c1 is a cylindrical portion having a constant diameter, and does not have a tapered portion that tapers in the insertion direction of the positioning pin 59c. Further, as shown in FIG. 16, the shape of the pin insertion hole 52p is a tapered shape that tapers in the insertion direction of the positioning pin 59c. The smallest diameter of the tapered pin insertion hole 52p is substantially equal to the diameter of the insertion portion 59c1 of the positioning pin 59c.

As shown in FIG. 16, since the pin insertion hole 52p is tapered and has a truncated cone-shaped cavity, the center of the positioning pin 59b is inserted when the insertion portion 59c1 of the cylindrical positioning pin 59c is inserted. Is properly guided to the center of the pin insertion hole 52p. Further, since the contact area between the pin insertion hole 52p and the positioning pin 59c is small and the friction is small, the operator can easily insert the positioning pin 59c into the pin insertion hole 52p. The effect compared with [Comparative Example 1] shown in FIG. 17, the effect compared with [Comparative Example 2] shown in FIG. 18, and the effect compared with the conventional structure shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 are the first implementations. Since it is the same as the form of, the description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, in the first to fourth embodiments, a flange portion is provided in at least a part of the opening of the housing, the positioning pin is fixed to the lid portion, and the positioning pin remains even after the lid portion is fixed to the housing portion. , The outer peripheral sealing member is arranged on the outer peripheral side (outer peripheral side of the positioning pin) of the flange side through hole. As a result, the plate thickness of the housing does not become thicker than necessary, the sealed state between the housing and the lid can be appropriately secured, and a battery pack having a simpler structure can be realized.

The battery pack 50 of the present invention is not limited to the configuration, structure, shape, appearance, assembly procedure, etc. described in the present embodiment, and various changes, additions, and deletions can be made without changing the gist of the present invention. is there.

Further, in the first embodiment, an example in which the tip of the insertion portion of the positioning pin is tapered (see FIG. 12) will be described, and in the third embodiment, the entire insertion portion of the positioning pin will be tapered. An example (see FIG. 15) has been described, and in the fourth embodiment, an example in which the entire pin insertion hole has a tapered shape (see FIG. 16) has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and at least the end (tip) on the side of the pin insertion hole in the positioning pin and at least the inlet (inlet when the positioning pin is inserted) on the side of the positioning pin in the pin insertion hole. At least one of the above may be tapered in the direction of insertion of the positioning pin.

Further, in the first to fourth embodiments, an example in which the pin mounting hole 55p for fixing the positioning pin to the lid portion is formed on the female screw of the through hole and the fixed portion of the positioning pin is formed on the male screw. As described above, the pin mounting hole 55p may be formed as a female screw having a non-through hole. In addition, the pin mounting holes are formed as through holes or non-through holes without using female threads, and the fixed portion of the positioning pin is formed into a columnar shape without using male threads, and the lid is formed by welding or press fitting. The fixed portion of the positioning pin may be fixed to the pin mounting hole of.

Further, in the first to fourth embodiments, an example in which the housing body 51 and the flange body 52 (flange portion) are separated from each other has been described, but the flange portion is integrally molded with the housing body to form the housing. It may be configured.

Further, in the second embodiment (see FIG. 14), an example will be described in which a pin seal member 59s seals between the periphery of the pin mounting hole 55p on the surface of the lid portion 55 and the insertion portion 59a1 of the positioning pin 59a. However, the pin mounting hole 55p and the fixed portion 59a2 of the positioning pin 59a may be sealed with a pin seal member.

The battery pack 50 described in the present embodiment is not limited to application to battery-powered industrial vehicles such as the reach lift 1 shown in FIG. 1, but is limited to various vehicles including general vehicles and industrial vehicles, and vehicles. It can be applied to battery packs mounted on various devices that use batteries. Further, in the description of the present embodiment, an example in which a plurality of battery modules 60 are housed in the battery pack 50 has been described, but the battery modules 60 housed in the battery pack 50 may be a single number or a plurality of battery modules 60. Further, in the present embodiment, the example in which the battery module 60 is attached to the housing 53 and the lid 55 has been described, but the battery module 60 may be attached to at least one of the housing 53 and the lid 55. Even if the battery module 60 is not attached to the housing 53 and the lid 55, the battery module 60 can be placed in the space formed by the box-shaped housing 53 having an opening and the lid 55 covering the opening. It suffices if it is contained. Further, in the description of the present embodiment, the example in which the positioning pins (four positioning pins) are provided at the four corners of the lid portion 55 has been described, but at least two positioning pins may be provided. If it has two or more positioning pins, for example, in FIG. 2, the lid portion 55 can be positioned in the XZ plane with respect to the housing 53, and the position of the lid portion 55 with respect to the housing 53 in the rotation direction. Misalignment (positional misalignment due to rotation of the lid 55 in the XZ plane) can also be suppressed.

1 Reach lift 20 Body 21 Pedestal 22 Main body 28d Drive wheel 28s Caster wheel 30 Cargo handling device 31 Reach leg 32 Mast 33 Lift bracket 34 Fork 38 Front wheel 41 Traveling motor 42 Cargo handling motor 43 Steering 44 Accelerator lever 50 Battery pack 51 Main body 51a Open end face 51d, 55d Battery mounting hole (female screw)
51k opening 51x control BOX mounting hole (female screw)
52 Flange body 52b Bolt mounting hole (female screw)
52f1 to 52f6 Flange part 52g Outer peripheral surface 52m Housing opening end surface 52p Pin insertion hole (flange side through hole, non-female screw)
52s Spacer 53 Housing 53s Outer peripheral seal member (elastic body)
53y Welded part 53z Charging terminal 55 Lid part 55b Bolt insertion hole (non-female screw)
55p pin mounting hole (lid side through hole, female screw)
59a, 59b, 59c Positioning pin 59a1, 59b1, 59c1 Insertion part 59a2, 59b2, 59c2 Fixed part 59s Pin seal member 60 Battery module 61 Battery cell 61u Battery cell unit 62 Battery holder 63 Heat transfer plate 64 Elastic member 65 Busbar 66 Bracket 67 End plate 68 Heat transfer member 69 Control BOX
B1, B2, B3, B4 bolts N1, N2 nuts

Claims (5)

A box-shaped housing that houses a battery module having a plurality of battery cells and has an opening,
A lid covering the opening of the housing and
It is a battery pack with
At least a part of the opening is provided with a flange portion extending inward of the opening.
At least a part of the flange portion is provided with a flange-side through hole, which is a through hole for positioning.
The lid portion has a shape that covers the opening portion including the flange portion.
On the surface of the lid portion facing the opening including the flange portion, a positioning pin to be inserted into the flange side through hole is provided at a position corresponding to the flange side through hole.
The housing opening is provided on the outer peripheral side of the positioning pin between the housing opening end surface, which is a surface that surrounds the periphery of the opening and faces the lid, and the lid, so as to surround the opening. An outer peripheral sealing member, which is a sealing member that seals between the end face and the lid portion, is provided.
Battery pack. The battery pack according to claim 1.
A lid-side through hole, which is a through hole, is provided at a position of the lid portion where the positioning pin is provided, and the lid-side through hole is a female screw.
The positioning pin has an insertion portion to be inserted into the flange-side through hole and a fixed portion to be fixed to the lid-side through hole, and the fixed portion is a male screw.
Battery pack. The battery pack according to claim 2.
A pin seal member, which is a sealing member for sealing between the lid side through hole and the positioning pin, is provided between the lid side through hole and the positioning pin.
Battery pack. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
At least the end of the positioning pin on the side of the flange-side through hole,
At least the inlet on the side of the positioning pin in the flange-side through hole,
At least one of the above has a tapered shape that tapers in the insertion direction in which the positioning pin is inserted into the flange-side through hole.
Battery pack. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The outer peripheral seal member is a compressible elastic body, and is
The protruding length of the positioning pin from the lid portion to the flange portion is set to be longer than the thickness of the outer peripheral seal member before being compressed by being sandwiched between the housing opening end surface and the lid portion.
Battery pack.

Images