JP7017398B2 - Battery assembly and cargo handling work vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present application relates to a battery assembly and the like mounted on an electric cargo handling work vehicle.

For example, in the battery assembly described in Patent Document 1, a battery management device is arranged above the battery module.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-154241

Lithium-ion batteries and the like always require a battery management device for managing charge and discharge. The present application discloses an example of a battery assembly suitable for an electric cargo handling vehicle.

In the battery assembly, a battery module (12) in which a plurality of batteries (11) are arranged side by side in the thickness direction and the batteries (11) are electrically connected in parallel, and a plurality of battery modules (12) are batteries (12). A frame (12) that is a battery subsystem (13) that is arranged side by side in the thickness direction of 11) and has a plurality of battery modules (12) electrically connected in series, and holds the battery modules (12). Management constituting at least a part of the battery sub-unit (13) having the 15) and the battery management device (14) arranged in the battery sub-unit (13) and managing the charge / discharge state of the plurality of batteries (11). It is desirable to have equipment (14A, 14B).

That is, usually, one battery cannot supply sufficient electric power to operate a cargo handling work vehicle. Therefore, in the battery assembly, a battery module (12) in which a plurality of batteries (11) are electrically connected in parallel is configured in order to secure a current value required for operating a cargo handling work vehicle.

Further, in the battery assembly, a plurality of battery modules (12) are electrically connected in series to form a battery subunit (13) in order to secure a voltage value required for operating a cargo handling work vehicle. ..

The number of batteries constituting the battery module (12) and the number of battery modules (12) constituting the battery subunit (13) are specifications determined for each cargo handling vehicle. On the other hand, the management equipment (14A, 14B) is composed of substantially the same equipment regardless of the specifications of the cargo handling work vehicle.

Since the management devices (14A, 14B) are arranged in the battery subunit (13) in the battery assembly, the number of batteries and the number of battery modules (12) are changed according to the specifications of the cargo handling work vehicle. Even if this is the case, the battery module (12) can be configured in the same frame (15) in the battery assembly.

That is, in the battery assembly, the components such as the frame (15) and the management equipment are shared parts regardless of the specifications of the cargo handling work vehicle, so that the increase in the manufacturing cost of the battery assembly can be suppressed.

Incidentally, the reference numeral in each of the parentheses is an example showing a correspondence relationship with the specific configuration and the like described in the embodiment described later, and the present invention is limited to the specific configuration and the like shown in the reference numeral in the parentheses. It's not something.

It is a figure which shows the cargo handling work vehicle which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the battery assembly which concerns on embodiment. It is an exploded schematic diagram of the battery assembly which concerns on embodiment. A is a schematic diagram showing a battery module according to an embodiment. B is a mock diagram showing a battery according to an embodiment. It is an disassembly simulation drawing of the battery module which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the base frame and the like which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the BMS module which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the dummy weight which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the battery assembly which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the battery module which concerns on embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the battery module which concerns on embodiment. A and B are schematic views showing spacers. A and B are schematic views showing spacers.

The following "invention embodiment" shows an example of an embodiment belonging to the technical scope of the present invention. That is, the matters specifying the invention described in the claims are not limited to the specific configuration, structure, etc. shown in the following embodiments.

It should be noted that the arrows and the like indicating the directions attached to each figure are described in order to make it easier to understand the relationship between each figure. The present invention is not limited to the directions attached to each figure.
At least one member or part described with a reference numeral is provided, unless otherwise specified by "one" or the like. That is, if there is no notice such as "one", two or more of the members may be provided.

(First Embodiment)
1. 1. Outline of the cargo handling work vehicle As shown in FIG. 1, the cargo handling work vehicle 1 is applied to the reach type forklift. The cargo handling work vehicle 1 includes at least a cargo handling device 3, a vehicle body 5, and the like. The cargo handling device 3 is a device for lifting and lowering cargo.

An electric motor 7 for power and a battery assembly 10 are mounted on the vehicle body 5. The electric motor 7 generates power for traveling or power for cargo handling. The battery assembly 10 is a power source for supplying electric power to the electric motor 7.

2. 2. Configuration of Battery Assembly 2.1 Overview of Battery Assembly As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one battery assembly 10 includes a plurality of (two in this embodiment) battery subunits 13 and one battery management device. At least 14 mag is provided.

As shown in FIG. 4A, each battery subunit 13 has a plurality of battery modules 12 arranged side by side in the thickness direction of the battery 11 (see FIG. 4B). In each battery module 12, a plurality of (six in this embodiment) batteries 11 are arranged side by side in the thickness direction, and the batteries 11 are electrically connected in parallel.

As shown in FIG. 4B, each battery 11 is configured in a plate-shaped hexahedron shape. The "thickness direction of the battery 11" in the present embodiment means the minimum external dimension of the battery 11, that is, the direction parallel to the external dimension in the left-right direction of the paper surface.

Each battery 11 is provided with two terminals (positive electrode terminal and negative electrode terminal) (not shown). Those terminals are provided on the same side surface of the battery 11. The plurality of batteries 11 constituting each battery subunit 13 are arranged so that their terminals are located on the same side.

The plurality of batteries 11 constituting each battery module 12 are electrically connected by a strip-shaped metal member such as a bus bar (not shown). The maximum current value that can be supplied by the battery assembly 10 is determined by the number of batteries 11 that make up the battery module 12.

A plurality of battery modules 12 constituting each battery subunit 13 are held by a frame 15 as shown in FIG. That is, the plurality of battery modules 12 are integrated by the frame 15 to form one component.

The frame 15 includes two brackets 15A, two side plates 15B, a rear plate 15C, and the like. The two brackets 15A are arranged on the terminal side of each battery 11.

Each bracket 15A is a beam-shaped member extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the battery subunit 13. Each side plate 15B is a plate-shaped member arranged at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the battery subunit 13.

The rear plate 15C is a plate-shaped member arranged on the opposite side of the bracket 15A with the plurality of batteries 11 interposed therebetween. The two brackets 15A, the two side plates 15B, and the rear plate 15C are connected by mechanical fasteners such as bolts or welding.

The plurality of battery modules 12 constituting each battery subunit 13 are electrically connected in series. Further, the two battery subunits 13 are also electrically connected in series.

That is, the plurality of battery modules 12 constituting the battery assembly 10 are electrically connected in series with each other. Therefore, the maximum voltage that the battery assembly 10 can output is determined by the number of battery modules 12.

The two battery subunits 13 are stacked in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the battery subunit 13 arranged in the upper stage is referred to as a first battery subunit 131. The battery subunit 13 arranged in the lower stage is referred to as a second battery subunit 132. When the two battery subunits 13 are generically referred to, they are referred to as the battery subunit 13.

The outer diameter dimension of the first battery subunit 131 and the outer diameter dimension of the second battery subunit 132 are the same. That is, the number of the maximum battery modules 12 that can configure the first battery subunit 131 and the number of the maximum battery modules 12 that can configure the second battery subunit 132 are the same.

Each battery subunit 13 according to the present embodiment can accommodate up to four battery modules 12. The first battery subunit 131 contains three battery modules 12. In the second battery subunit 132, four battery modules 12 are housed.

The first battery subunit 131 and the second battery subunit 132 are held by two pillar frames 16A. As shown in FIG. 6, the two pillar frames 16A are plate-shaped members whose lower ends are fixed to the base frame 16B.

The upper ends of the pillar frames 16A are connected by the connecting frame 16C. The connecting frame 16C is a beam-shaped member extending in the horizontal direction. The connecting frame 16C is provided with at least one eyebolt 16D (two in this embodiment) for lifting the battery assembly 10.

The cover 17A shown in FIG. 3 is a member that horizontally covers the first battery subunit 131 and the second battery subunit 132. The upper part of the cover 17A is closed by the top cover 17B.

2.2 Battery management device The battery management device 14 manages the charge / discharge states of a plurality of batteries 11. The battery 11 according to this embodiment is a lithium ion battery. Usually, when configuring a power source with a plurality of lithium ion batteries, a battery management device 14 is required.

As shown in FIG. 7, the battery management device 14 has at least a controller board 14A, a switch 14B such as a fuse and a contactor, and the like. Hereinafter, these 14A and 14B will be referred to as management devices 14A and 14B.

In the present embodiment, the management devices 14A and 14B are assembled to the frame frame 18 and integrated (unitized). That is, the battery management device 14 according to the present embodiment is incorporated in the battery assembly 10 as one unit. Hereinafter, the unit (in this embodiment, the battery management device 14) is also referred to as a BMS module 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the BMS module 14 is fixed to the frame 15 in a state of being arranged in the first battery subunit 131. The method of fixing the BMS module 14 to the frame 15 will be described later.

The position where the BMS module 14 is arranged is the longitudinal center side of the first battery subunit 131 from the longitudinal end of the first battery subunit 131. In other words, the BMS module 14 is arranged at the center of the battery subunit 13 in the longitudinal direction or at a position close to the center.

That is, the first battery subunit 131 according to the present embodiment can accommodate four (even number) battery modules 12. The first battery subunit 131 contains a smaller number (three in this embodiment) of battery modules 12 than the number of battery modules 12 that can be stored.

Therefore, in the first battery subunit 131, a space corresponding to one battery module 12 is generated as an empty space. The dimension Wo (see FIG. 3) of the space in which the BMS module 14 is arranged parallel to the thickness direction of the battery 11 is the same as the dimension of the portion of the battery module 12 parallel to the thickness direction of the battery 11. be.

Therefore, the dimension W1 (see FIG. 7) of the portion of the BMS module 14 parallel to the thickness direction of the battery 11 is the dimension of the portion of the battery module 12 parallel to the thickness direction of the battery 11 (hereinafter referred to as the battery module width). ) It becomes the following.

Specifically, the dimension W1 (hereinafter referred to as BMS width) of the portion of the BMS module 14 parallel to the thickness direction of the battery 11 is a natural number multiple of the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11 (see FIG. 4B). , It becomes less than the battery module width.

The battery module width is a value obtained by multiplying the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11 by the number of batteries 11 constituting the battery module 12 (hereinafter referred to as the number of components). Therefore, when the BMS width is smaller than the battery module width, the difference between the battery module width and the BMS width is a natural number multiple of the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11.

The BMS width according to the present embodiment is a value obtained by subtracting a natural number (1 in the present embodiment) from the number of constituents and multiplying the value by multiplying the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11. That is, in the above-mentioned "empty space" according to the present embodiment, a space in which the BMS module 14 does not exist, that is, a gap is generated.

In the present embodiment, at least one dummy weight 19 shown in FIG. 8 is arranged between the BMS module 14 and the battery module 12, that is, in the space (gap) where the BMS module 14 does not exist in the above "empty space". Has been done.

The dummy weight 19 is a metal weight member having substantially the same external dimensions as the battery 11. Therefore, the number of dummy weights 19 is equal to the value obtained by dividing the difference between the battery module width and the BMS width by the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11.

3. 3. Fixed structure of battery, BMS module and dummy weight to frame 3.1 Frame As shown in FIG. 5, each of the two brackets 15A is provided with a plurality of through holes 15D. Each of the plurality of through holes 15D provided in each bracket 15A is provided side by side in series along the longitudinal direction of the bracket 15A.

The pitch dimension of the adjacent through holes 15D, that is, the center-to-center dimension of the adjacent through holes 15D is the length obtained by adding the thickness dimension of the spacer 20 (see FIG. 10) to the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11. Each through hole 15D is an elongated hole whose major axis direction coincides with the longitudinal direction of the bracket 15A.

As shown in FIG. 9, the rear plate 15C is also provided with a plurality of through holes 15E. The through holes 15E are provided side by side in series along the longitudinal direction of the rear plate 15C near the center in the width direction (vertical direction in FIG. 9) of the rear plate 15C.

The width direction means a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the rear plate 15C and the thickness direction of the rear plate 15C. The pitch dimension of the adjacent through holes 15E is the length obtained by adding the thickness dimension of the spacer 20 to the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11. Each through hole 15D is an elongated hole whose major axis direction coincides with the longitudinal direction of the rear plate 15C.

3.2 Fixed structure of dummy weight As shown in FIG. 8, the dummy weight 19 has a plurality of penetrations through which two bolts 19A and one bolt 19B and a plurality of rods 15R (see FIG. 5) penetrate. A hole 19C is provided.

The two bolts 19A are inserted into the through hole 15D, and the bolt 19B is inserted into the through hole 15E. With the bolts 19A and 19B inserted into the through holes 15D and 15E, nuts (not shown) are tightened into the bolts 19A and 19B.

That is, in the dummy weight 19, the nuts are tightened into the bolts 19A and 19B in a state where the plurality of rods 15R penetrate the through holes 19C and the bolts 19A and 19B are inserted into the through holes 15D and 15E. It is rolled up and fixed to the frame 15.

A nut (not shown) is tightened at the longitudinal end of each rod 15R. As a result, tension is generated in each rod 15R, so that each rod 15R is in a state of being fixed to the two side plates 15B.

3.3 Fixed structure of BMS module The fixed structure of BMS module 14 is almost the same as the fixed structure of dummy weight 19. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, four bolts 14C and two bolts 14D, and a plurality of through holes 14E through which the plurality of rods 15R penetrate are provided.

The four bolts 14C are inserted into the through hole 15D and the two bolts 14D are inserted into the through hole 15E. With the bolts 14C and 14D inserted into the through holes 15D and 15E, nuts (not shown) are tightened into the bolts 19A and 19B.

That is, in the BMS module 14, the nuts are tightened into the bolts 14C and 14D in a state where the plurality of rods 15R penetrate the through holes 14E and the bolts 14C and 14D are inserted into the through holes 15D and 15E. It is rolled up and fixed to the frame 15.

3.4 Battery fixing structure As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the plurality of rods 15R penetrate each battery 11 in the thickness direction. Spacers 20 are arranged between adjacent batteries 11. Each spacer 20 is provided with a through hole 20H (see FIGS. 12A to 13B) through which the rod 15R penetrates.

That is, each spacer 20 is supported by the frame 15 by at least one rod 15R (two in this embodiment). In this embodiment, it has a plurality of types of spacers 20.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 12A to 13B, four types of spacers 20 (first spacer 20A to fourth spacer 20D) are used in the fixing structure of the battery 11. Two rods 15R adjacent to the bracket 15A penetrate through the first spacer 20A and the second spacer 20B. Two rods 15R adjacent to the rear plate 15C penetrate through the third spacer 20C and the fourth spacer 20D.

As shown in FIG. 12A, the first spacer 20A is provided with a bolt 20E that can be inserted into a through hole 15D provided in each of the two brackets 15A. The second spacer 20B is not provided with a protrusion such as a bolt corresponding to the bolt 20E (see FIG. 12B).

As shown in FIG. 13A, the third spacer 20C is provided with a bolt 20F that can be inserted into the through hole 15E provided in the rear plate 15C. The fourth spacer 20D is not provided with a protrusion such as a bolt corresponding to the bolt 20F (see FIG. 13B).

As shown in FIG. 10, the first spacer 20A is arranged for each unit of a plurality of predetermined batteries 11 as one unit. Similar to the first spacer 20A, the third spacer 20C is also arranged for each unit of a plurality of predetermined batteries 11 as one unit, as shown in FIG.

The above-mentioned "predetermined plurality" according to the present embodiment is the number of batteries 11 constituting one battery module 12. That is, the first spacer 20A and the third spacer 20C according to the present embodiment are arranged for each of the six batteries 11 as one unit.

Then, each bolt 20E is inserted into the through hole 15D, and each bolt 20F is inserted into the through hole 15E. With the bolts 20E and 20F inserted into the through holes 15D and 15E, nuts (not shown) are tightened into the bolts 20E and 20F.

That is, in each battery 11, the bolts 20E and 20F are inserted into the through holes 15D and 15E with the plurality of rods 15R penetrating, and nuts are tightened into the bolts 20E and 20F to form the frame 15. It is fixed.

4. Characteristics of the battery assembly according to the present embodiment Normally, one battery 11 cannot supply sufficient electric power to operate the cargo handling work vehicle 1. Therefore, in order to secure the current value required for operating the cargo handling work vehicle 1, the battery assembly 10 includes a battery module 12 in which a plurality of batteries 11 are electrically connected in parallel.

Further, in the battery assembly 10, a plurality of battery modules 12 are electrically connected in series to form a battery subunit 13 in order to secure a voltage value required for operating the cargo handling work vehicle 1.

The number of batteries constituting the battery module 12 and the number of battery modules 12 constituting the battery subunit 13 are specifications determined for each cargo handling work vehicle 1. On the other hand, the BMS module 14 is composed of substantially the same equipment regardless of the specifications of the cargo handling work vehicle 1.

In the battery assembly 10 according to the present embodiment, since the BMS module 14 is arranged in the battery subunit 13, the number of batteries 11 and the number of battery modules 12 are changed according to the specifications of the cargo handling work vehicle 1. Even in this case, the battery module 12 can be configured with the same frame 15.

That is, in the battery assembly 10, the frame 15 and the BMS module 14 are shared parts regardless of the specifications of the cargo handling work vehicle 1, so that the increase in the manufacturing cost of the battery assembly 10 can be suppressed.

The BMS module 14 is arranged in the first battery subunit 131. As a result, the mass of the second battery subunit 132, that is, the lower battery subunit 13 becomes larger than the mass of the upper battery subunit 13.

Therefore, in the battery assembly 10 according to the present embodiment, the position of the center of gravity of the battery assembly 10 is lower than that in the configuration in which the BMS module 14 is arranged in the lower battery subunit 13. As a result, the stability of the battery assembly 10 and the cargo handling work vehicle 1 can be improved.

The BMS module 14 is arranged on the longitudinal center side of the battery subunit 13 from the longitudinal end of the battery subunit 13. As a result, the position of the center of gravity of the battery subunit 13 is prevented from being significantly deviated from the center of the battery subunit 13 in the longitudinal direction.

That is, if the BMS module 14 is present at one end in the longitudinal direction of the battery subunit 13, the position of the center of gravity of the battery subunit 13 may be significantly deviated from the center of the battery subunit 13 in the longitudinal direction to the other end in the longitudinal direction. There is.

On the other hand, when the BMS module 14 is located near the center of the battery subunit 13 in the longitudinal direction, the moment arm becomes smaller, so that the position of the center of gravity of the battery subunit 13 is the longitudinal length of the battery subunit 13. It is suppressed that the deviation from the center of the direction is large.

The BMS width is equal to or less than the battery module width. As a result, when designing the battery assembly 10, the designer can easily arrange the BMS module 14 in the battery subunit 13.

The BMS width is a value obtained by multiplying the value obtained by subtracting a natural number (1 in this embodiment) from the number of constituents by the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11. As a result, the designer can change the number of dummy weights 19 without changing the BMS module 14 (BMS width) even if the number of components is changed due to the difference in the specifications of the cargo handling work vehicle 1. Therefore, it is possible to easily correspond to the cargo handling work vehicle 1 of the said specification.

Since the fixed structure of the BMS module 14 and the fixed structure of the dummy weight 19 are the same, it is possible to prevent the arrangement position of the BMS module 14 and the dummy weight 19 from being limited to a specific position.

As a result, in the battery assembly 10 according to the present embodiment, even if the number of batteries 11 constituting the BMS module 14 is changed, the change can be easily dealt with by changing the number of dummy weights 19. can.

(Other embodiments)
In the above-described embodiment, the plurality of batteries 11 are arranged so that the thickness direction of the batteries 11 coincides with the horizontal direction. However, the invention disclosed in the present specification is not limited to this. That is, for example, a plurality of batteries 11 may be arranged side by side so that the thickness direction of the batteries 11 coincides with the vertical direction.

In the above-described embodiment, the number of constituents is an even number, and the BMS width is an odd multiple of the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11. However, the invention disclosed in the present specification is not limited to this. That is, for example, the number of constituents may be an odd number, and the BMS width may be an even multiple of the thickness dimension Tb of the battery 11.

The BMS module 14 according to the above-described embodiment was arranged in the first battery subunit 131. However, the invention disclosed in the present specification is not limited to this. That is, for example, the BMS module 14 may be arranged in the second battery subunit 132.

The BMS module 14 according to the above-described embodiment was arranged on the longitudinal center side of the battery subunit 13 from the longitudinal end of the battery subunit 13. However, the invention disclosed in the present specification is not limited to this. That is, for example, the BMS module 14 may be arranged at the longitudinal end of the battery subunit 13.

In the above embodiment, two battery subunits 13 are provided. However, the invention disclosed in the present specification is not limited to this. That is, for example, it may be a battery assembly 10 provided with one or three or more battery subunits 13.

In the above-described embodiment, the reach type forklift is described as an example of the cargo handling work vehicle 1. However, the invention disclosed in the present specification is not limited to this. That is, for example, the battery assembly 10 according to the above-described embodiment can also be applied to a counter type forklift.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as long as it conforms to the gist of the invention described in the claims. Therefore, at least two of the plurality of embodiments described above may be combined.

1 ... Cargo handling vehicle 3 ... Cargo handling device 5 ... Vehicle body 7 ... Electric motor 10 ... Battery assembly 11 ... Battery 12 ... Battery module 13 ... Battery subsystem 14 ... Battery management device (BMS module) 15 ... Frame

Claims (4)

In a battery assembly that is mounted on an electric cargo handling vehicle and supplies power to a power motor.
A battery module in which multiple batteries are arranged side by side in the thickness direction and the batteries are electrically connected in parallel,
A battery in which a plurality of the battery modules are arranged side by side in the thickness direction of the battery and the plurality of the battery modules are electrically connected in series and have a frame for holding the battery modules. Subunits and
A management device arranged in the battery subunit and constituting at least a part of the battery management device that manages the charge / discharge states of the plurality of batteries.
When the unit to which the management device is assembled is a BMS module, it is provided with a dummy weight arranged in a gap between the BMS module and the battery module.
The dimension of the portion of the BMS module parallel to the thickness direction of the battery is equal to or less than the dimension of the portion of the battery module parallel to the thickness direction of the battery, and is a natural number multiple of the thickness dimension of the battery. Yes,
Further, the dummy weight is a battery assembly having substantially the same external dimensions as the battery. The first battery subunit and the second battery subunit electrically connected in series are provided, and the two battery subunits are stacked in the vertical direction.
The battery assembly according to claim 1, wherein the management device is arranged in the upper battery subunit of the two battery subunits. The battery assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the management device is arranged on the longitudinal center side of the battery subunit from the longitudinal end of the battery subunit. In an electric cargo handling work vehicle
An electric motor for power and
A cargo handling work vehicle including the battery assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which supplies electric power to the electric motor.

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