JP7056795B1 - Battery case and storage battery system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery case and a storage battery system in which water intrusion from a wiring pipe into a storage space in which a battery module is housed is suppressed. SOLUTION: In a battery case 10 of a storage battery system 1, an incoming line space S2 separated from an accommodation space S1 is defined inside the battery case 10 by a box portion 40. Wiring 51 to 54 are drawn into the entry space S2 through the wiring pipe 3 attached to the first entry port 17. At this time, water may flow into the battery case 10 through the wiring pipe 3. In the storage battery system 1, the water that has flowed into the battery case 10 through the wiring pipe 3 is retained in the entry space S2 and discharged from the drain port 18 to the outside of the case. [Selection diagram] FIG. 6

Description

The present invention relates to a battery case and a storage battery system.

Conventionally, a storage battery system including a battery module and a battery case for accommodating the battery module is known, and a plurality of wirings such as a power line and a signal line are drawn into the battery case from the outside of the case. The following Patent Document 1 discloses a storage battery system having a configuration in which a plurality of cables are drawn from the outside of the battery case.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-171028

In the storage battery system described above, one end of a wiring tube such as a PF tube is connected to the case so as to communicate with the inside of the case, and a plurality of wirings are drawn into the case through the inside of the wiring tube to have weather resistance of the wiring. Can be enhanced. In this case, the other end of the wiring pipe is attached to an external device such as a power conditioner, but if water infiltrates into the pipe from the other end of the wiring pipe, water infiltrates into the battery case through the wiring pipe. obtain.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a battery case and a storage battery system in which water intrusion from a wiring pipe into a storage space in which a battery module is housed is suppressed.

The battery case according to one aspect of the present invention is a battery case in which a battery module is housed, and has a cylindrical portion extending in the vertical direction while defining a storage space for accommodating the battery module. A lid that closes the upper opening of the tubular part, a box part that defines the incoming line space separated from the accommodation space inside the tubular part, and a tubular part in the area where the incoming line space is defined. It is provided with a first entry port to which one end of a wiring pipe through which wiring connected to the battery module is passed is attached, and a drainage port provided in a cylindrical portion in an area where an entry space is defined.

In the battery case, an entry space separated from the storage space for accommodating the battery module is defined by the box portion. Even if water flows into the battery case through the wiring pipe, the water is retained in the entry space and discharged from the drain port to the outside of the case, so that water intrusion into the storage space is suppressed. Ru.

In the battery case relating to the other side surface, the drainage port is located directly below the first inlet. In this case, the water in the conduit that has entered the entry space flows down toward the drainage port and is immediately discharged from the drainage port.

In the battery case according to the other side surface, the box portion has a bottom portion inclined so as to descend toward the tubular portion, and the drain port is provided at a position corresponding to the bottom portion of the box portion. In this case, the water retained in the entry space flows toward the drainage port along the bottom and is discharged from the drainage port.

In the battery case related to the other side surface, the box portion faces the inner side surface of the tubular portion and has a partition wall portion provided with a second entrance port for drawing wiring from the entry line space to the accommodation space, and the partition wall portion has a partition wall portion. The height position of the provided second inlet is higher than the height position of the first inlet provided in the tubular portion. In this case, since the water that has flowed into the battery case through the wiring pipe drips down, it is possible to suppress the situation where the water enters the accommodation space from the second inlet located higher than the first inlet.

In the battery case according to the other side surface, the box portion has a cap portion that defines the upper side of the entry space.

In the battery case relating to the other side surface, the upper side of the box portion is open, and the lid portion closes the upper opening of the box portion to define the upper side of the entry space.

In the battery case related to the other side surface, the tubular portion and the box portion are formed separately.

In the battery case related to the other side surface, the box portion is adhered to the inner surface surface of the tubular portion with waterproof double-sided tape.

In the battery case related to the other side surface, the tubular portion is made of a steel plate.

In the battery case related to the other side surface, the box portion is made of resin.

The storage battery system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the above battery case and a battery module housed in the battery case.

According to various aspects of the present invention, there is provided a battery case and a storage battery system in which water intrusion from a wiring pipe into a storage space in which a battery module is housed is suppressed.

It is a perspective view which shows the storage battery system which concerns on embodiment. It is an exploded perspective view which shows the battery case shown in FIG. It is a side view which shows the storage battery system shown in FIG. It is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the storage battery system shown in FIG. 1. It is an enlarged plan view of the main part of the storage battery system shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the storage battery system shown in FIG. 1. It is an enlarged side view of the main part of the storage battery system shown in FIG. It is an enlarged sectional view of the main part which showed the storage battery system of a different aspect. It is an enlarged sectional view of the main part which showed the storage battery system of a different aspect.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for the same or equivalent elements, and duplicate description is omitted.

The storage battery system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

The storage battery system 1 includes a battery case 10, a battery module 20 housed inside the battery case 10, and a control unit 30. When the storage battery system 1 is used, it is attached to an external device 2 such as a power conditioner, and transmits and receives electric power and signals to and from the external device 2. Wiring 51 to 54, which will be described later, are used for transmitting and receiving electric power and signals between the storage battery system 1 and the external device 2. In this embodiment, one end 3a of the wiring tube 3 is attached to the storage battery system 1, and the other end 3b is attached to the external device 2. The wiring tube 3 can be made of, for example, a flexible resin, and for example, a PF tube having flame retardancy and weather resistance can be adopted.

The battery case 10 defines a storage space S1 for accommodating the battery module 20, and as shown in FIG. 2, a tubular body (cylindrical portion) 12, a top plate (cover portion) 14, and a bottom plate 16 It is configured with and. The tubular body 12, the top plate 14, and the bottom plate 16 can all be made of a metal material.

The tubular body 12 has a tubular shape extending in the vertical direction, and has a square tubular shape in the present embodiment. The tubular body 12 is made of a metal plate, and in the present embodiment, it is made of a steel plate (more specifically, a pre-painted steel plate). The tubular body 12 according to the present embodiment is provided by bending a single steel plate into a square tubular shape, abutting the ends thereof, and folding the steel plate to provide a crease 13 in the vertical direction. The tubular body 12 has a rectangular annular shape when viewed from the vertical direction, and has a front plate portion 12a and a back plate portion 12b corresponding to the long side of the rectangle, and a pair of side plate portions 12c and 12d corresponding to the short side of the rectangle. Has. The crease 13 is provided in the front plate portion 12a. Since the tubular body 12 has only one crease 13 that serves as a joint, high waterproofness can be obtained. In particular, by using a pre-coated steel plate as the material of the tubular body 12, a significant cost reduction can be achieved.

The top plate 14 is a plate-shaped member that closes the upper opening of the tubular body 12, and defines the upper side of the accommodation space S1. The top plate 14 can be attached to the tubular body 12 by screwing. In the present embodiment, the edge of the upper opening of the tubular body 12 is bent inward and is used for screwing. The bottom plate 16 is a plate-shaped member that closes the lower opening of the tubular body 12, and defines the lower side of the accommodation space S1. Like the top plate 14, the bottom plate 16 can be attached to the tubular body 12 by screwing. The top plate 14 and the bottom plate 16 protect the battery module 20 housed in the battery case 10 from rainwater, dust, and the like. When the top plate 14 and the bottom plate 16 are attached to the tubular body 12, a sealing member such as packing can be appropriately used in order to improve the airtightness of the battery case 10.

The storage battery system 1 can be fixed to a predetermined base via a pair of fixing brackets 19 provided at the lower ends of the battery case 10.

As shown in FIG. 3, the battery module 20 and the control unit 30 are housed in the storage space S1 defined by the battery case 10. In the present embodiment, the battery module 20 is located below the accommodation space S1, and the control unit 30 is located above the accommodation space S1. More specifically, the control unit 30 is mounted on the battery module 20.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the battery case 10 further includes a box portion 40. The box portion 40 is a portion that defines the incoming line space S2 inside the tubular body 12. The box portion 40 is provided inside the one side plate portion 12c of the tubular body 12 and at the upper end portion of the side plate portion 12c (specifically, a portion adjacent to the top plate 14 in the vertical direction). There is. In the present embodiment, the box portion 40 is a separate body from the tubular body 12. The box portion 40 can be made of resin, for example, polycarbonate. The box portion 40 can be formed, for example, by injection molding.

The box portion 40 includes a joint surface portion 42a joined to the inner side surface of the side plate portion 12c, a partition wall portion 42b facing the inner side surface of the side plate portion 12c and the joint surface portion 42a at a predetermined distance, and a joint surface portion 42a. A pair of joint surface portions 42c and 42d extending in the facing direction with the partition wall portion 42b and connecting the joint surface portion 42a and the partition wall portion 42b, and a pair of joint surface portions 42c and 42d of the joint surface portion 42a and the partition wall portion 42b. It is configured to include a bottom surface portion (bottom portion) 42e.

In the present embodiment, the upper side of the box portion 40 is open. The upper opening 40a of the box portion 40 is closed by the top plate 14. That is, the top plate 14 defines the upper side of the accommodation space S1 and also defines the upper side of the incoming line space S2. In the present embodiment, a flat plate-shaped waterproof packing material 15 (gasket / seal) is arranged on the lower surface of the top plate 14 in a region corresponding to the upper opening 40a of the box portion 40, and the top plate 14 is arranged. The upper opening 40a of the box portion 40 is closed by the packing material 15 provided in the box portion 40. The packing material 15 has a function as a cushioning material in addition to a waterproof function, and can be made of, for example, ethylene propylene rubber, nitrile rubber, fluororubber, chloroprene rubber, urethane foam, foamed silicone, or the like.

The box portion 40 is adhered to the inner surface of the side plate portion 12c by the waterproof double-sided tape 43, and the waterproof double-sided tape 43 is interposed between the entire surface of the joint surface portion 42a and the inner surface of the side plate portion 12c.

The side plate portion 12c of the tubular body 12 is provided with a perfect circular first entry port 17 in the area where the entry space S2 is defined. The first incoming line port 17 penetrates the side plate portion 12c of the tubular body 12 and the joint surface portion 42a of the box portion 40 to reach the incoming line space S2 and communicates with the incoming line space S2. One end 3a of the above-mentioned wiring pipe 3 is attached to the first entry port 17. Then, the wiring passed through the inside of the conduit 3 is drawn into the entry space S2 via the first entry port 17. In the present embodiment, four power lines 51 and 52, a signal line 53, and a ground line 54 are drawn as wiring.

The partition wall portion 42b of the box portion 40 is provided with a perfect circular second inlet 44. All of the wirings 51 to 54 drawn into the incoming line space S2 are drawn into the accommodation space S1 via the second incoming line port 44. The second inlet 44 is provided with a wiring member 45 such as a grommet or a cable gland, and the wirings 51 to 54 are drawn into the accommodation space S1 with the second inlet 44 closed. The wirings 51 to 54 drawn into the accommodation space S1 are directly or indirectly connected to the battery module 20 or the control unit 30. The accommodation space S1 and the incoming line space S2 are separated from each other by a wiring member 45 in an airtight and watertight state. In the present embodiment, the height position of the second incoming line port 44 is designed to be higher than the height position of the first incoming line port 17, as shown in FIG.

Further, the side plate portion 12c of the tubular body 12 is provided with a drainage port 18 below (more specifically, directly below) the first line entry port 17 in the area where the line entry space S2 is defined. The drainage port 18 penetrates the side plate portion 12c of the tubular body 12 to reach the incoming line space S2 and communicates with the incoming line space S2. The drainage port 18 has an elongated rectangular shape and extends along the horizontal direction.

The bottom surface portion 42e of the box portion 40 is aligned with the drain port 18. In other words, the drainage port 18 is provided at a position corresponding to the bottom surface portion 42e of the box portion 40. In the present embodiment, the bottom surface portion 42e of the box portion 40 has a flat plate-like shape as shown in FIG. 6, and is inclined so as to descend toward the side plate portion 12c of the tubular body 12. Further, the box portion 40 includes a protruding portion 46 projecting along the edge of the drain port 18.

In the battery case 10 of the storage battery system 1 described above, the box portion 40 defines an incoming line space S2 separated from the accommodation space S1 inside the battery case 10. Wiring 51 to 54 are drawn into the entry space S2 through the wiring pipe 3 attached to the first entry port 17. At this time, water may flow into the battery case 10 through the wiring pipe 3. For example, water enters the wiring pipe 3 from the other end 3b attached to the external device 2 and flows to the one end 3a. In particular, when the external device 2 is installed at a position higher than that of the storage battery system 1, the water that has entered from the other end 3b tends to flow to the one end 3a. In the storage battery system 1, the water that has flowed into the battery case 10 through the wiring pipe 3 is retained in the entry space S2 and discharged from the drain port 18 to the outside of the case. That is, the water that has flowed into the battery case 10 through the wiring pipe 3 enters the entry space S2, but does not enter the accommodation space S1 separated from the entry space S2 by the box portion 40, and therefore is accommodated. Inundation into the space S1 is suppressed.

Further, in the battery case 10 of the storage battery system 1, the drainage port 18 is located directly below the first inlet port 17 in the side plate portion 12c. Therefore, the water content of the wiring pipe 3 that has entered the entry space S2 flows down toward the drainage port 18 due to gravity and is discharged from the drainage port 18. Therefore, the water content of the conduit 3 that has entered the wire entry space S2 can be quickly discharged to the outside of the case without being retained in the wire entry space S2. The drainage port 18 may be communicated with the incoming line space S2 and may not be located directly below the first incoming line port 17. Even in this case, the water retained in the incoming line space S2 can be discharged from the drain port 18 due to evaporation, outflow, or the like.

Further, in the battery case 10 of the storage battery system 1, the drain port 18 is provided at a position corresponding to the inclined bottom surface portion 42e of the box portion 40. Therefore, the water retained in the entry space S2 can flow down toward the drainage port 18 along the bottom surface portion 42e and be smoothly discharged from the drainage port 18.

Further, in the battery case 10 of the storage battery system 1, the height position of the second inlet 44 provided in the partition wall 42b of the box portion 40 is the height position of the first inlet 17 provided in the tubular body 12. It's getting higher. Therefore, the water that has flowed into the battery case 10 through the wiring pipe 3 is liable to drip and is difficult to reach the second inlet 44. Moreover, even when water is accumulated in the box portion 40 and the water level rises due to clogging of the drainage port 18, it is difficult for the water level to reach the height position of the second inlet port 44. Therefore, the situation where the accommodation space S1 is flooded from the entry space S2 through the second entry port 44 is effectively suppressed.

Further, in the battery case 10 of the storage battery system 1, the box portion 40 includes a protruding portion 46 projecting along the edge of the drain port 18. Therefore, the water discharged from the incoming line space S2 is smoothly discharged from the drainage port 18 without stagnation at the portion of the drainage port 18.

When the storage battery system 1 is installed outdoors, it is conceivable that the protruding portion 46 of the box portion 40 is exposed to ultraviolet rays, and the protruding portion 46 made of resin deteriorates. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the ultraviolet rays may be blocked by the light-shielding cover 50 that covers the drainage port 18 and the protrusion 46 from above and from the side. The light-shielding cover 50 may be made of, for example, a steel plate.

The box portion 40 does not necessarily have to be made of resin, and may be made of a material other than resin. However, by using a resin, molding is easy and reliable waterproofing can be achieved. When the box portion 40 is formed by bending or drawing using the same steel plate as the tubular body 12, the number of man-hours increases in order to ensure waterproofing, and it is necessary to prepare a special mold. Therefore, an increase in cost can be invited. Since most of the box portion 40 is located inside the battery case 10, deterioration due to exposure to ultraviolet rays can be avoided, and it is not necessary to use an expensive resin material having high weather resistance.

The above-mentioned box portion 40 may have an aspect in which an upper opening 40a is provided, or may have an embodiment in which there is no upper opening as in the box portion 40A shown in FIG. The box portion 40A shown in FIG. 9 includes a cap portion 42f that defines the upper side of the incoming line space S2. The cap portion 42f is attached so as to be joined to the upper ends of the joint surface portion 42a, the partition wall portion 42b, and the joint surface portions 42c and 42d. The cap portion 42f may be configured separately from the joint surface portion 42a, the partition wall portion 42b, and the joint surface portions 42c and 42d, or may be integrally configured. The box portion 40A is configured so that the cap portion 42f can be removed so that the construction wiring inside the box portion can be performed.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the position of the discharge port is not limited to directly below the first entry port, and may be next to the first entry port or above the first entry port. The shape of the discharge port is not limited to a square shape, but may be a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or a polygonal shape. The box portion may be a separate body from the tubular body, or may be integrated with the tubular body. The box portion can be variously deformed as long as an incoming line space can be defined between the box portion and the tubular body, and for example, the joint surface portion can be omitted.

1 ... Storage battery system, 10 ... Battery case, 12 ... Cylindrical body, 14 ... Top plate, 16 ... Bottom plate, 17 ... First inlet, 18 ... Drainage port, 20 ... Battery module, 40, 40A ... Box part, 42b ... partition wall, 44 ... second entrance, S1 ... accommodation space, S2 ... entry space.

Claims (10)

A battery case that houses the battery module inside
A cylindrical portion extending in the vertical direction while defining a storage space for accommodating the battery module,
A lid portion that closes the upper opening of the tubular portion, and a lid portion.
Inside the tubular portion, a box portion that defines an incoming line space separated from the accommodation space,
A first entry port provided in the cylindrical portion of the area where the entry space is defined and to which one end of a wiring pipe through which wiring connected to the battery module is passed is attached.
It is provided with a drainage port provided in the cylindrical portion of the area where the incoming line space is defined .
The box portion has a partition wall portion that faces the inner side surface of the tubular portion and is provided with a second entry port for drawing the wiring from the entry space to the accommodation space.
A battery case in which the height position of the second entrance port provided in the partition wall portion is higher than the height position of the first entry port provided in the cylindrical portion . The battery case according to claim 1, wherein the drainage port is located directly below the first inlet. The box portion has a bottom portion that is inclined downward toward the tubular portion.
The battery case according to claim 2, wherein the drain port is provided at a position corresponding to the bottom of the box portion. The battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the box portion has a cap portion that defines the upper side of the incoming line space. The upper side of the box portion is open
The battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the lid portion closes the upper opening of the box portion to define the upper side of the line entry space. The battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the tubular portion and the box portion are formed separately. The battery case according to claim 6 , wherein the box portion is adhered to the inner surface of the tubular portion with a waterproof double-sided tape. The battery case according to claim 6 or 7 , wherein the tubular portion is made of a steel plate. The battery case according to any one of claims 6 to 8 , wherein the box portion is made of resin. The battery case according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and the battery case.
A storage battery system comprising a battery module housed in the battery case.

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