JP7098355B2 - Battery module and assembled battery - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to battery modules and assembled batteries.

Secondary batteries used in mobile vehicles such as hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and railroad vehicles are required to have high output and large capacity. However, since the output of one battery cell is limited,
In order to meet the demands of high output and large capacity, an assembled battery that further combines a battery module accommodating a plurality of battery cells is required.

International Publication No. 2017/158763

Since such an assembled battery contains many battery cells and generates a large amount of heat, it is difficult to dissipate heat. Therefore, an object to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery module and an assembled battery capable of efficiently dissipating heat.

In order to solve the above problems, the battery module of the present embodiment has a housing for accommodating a plurality of battery cells, a plate to which the housing is fixed, and a pipe through which a refrigerant flows. The housing is fixed on one surface, a groove is formed on the surface of the plate opposite to the surface on which the housing is fixed, and the groove is formed from the middle portion of the depth from the opening of the groove to the bottom of the groove. Also, on the bottom side of the groove, a width larger than the width of the opening of the groove is formed, and the pipe is fitted into the groove.

A partially exploded perspective view of the battery module according to this embodiment. A partially exploded perspective view of the battery module according to this embodiment. The perspective view of the battery cell which concerns on this embodiment. The perspective view of the battery module which concerns on this embodiment. The perspective view of the fixing member which concerns on this embodiment. Top view of the plate according to this embodiment. Sectional drawing of the cooling passage which concerns on this embodiment. Sectional drawing of the groove which concerns on this embodiment. Sectional drawing of the cooling passage which concerns on a comparative example. The perspective view of the assembled battery which concerns on this embodiment. The front view of the assembled battery which concerns on this embodiment. The YZ plan sectional view of the assembled battery which concerns on this embodiment. XZ plan sectional view of the assembled battery which concerns on this embodiment.

Hereinafter, the assembled battery of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following figures, for convenience,
The direction is specified. The X direction is the width direction of the battery cell 5 along the short side direction of the battery module 1. The Y direction is along the longitudinal direction of the battery module 1 and along the thickness direction of the battery cell 5. The Z direction is along the height direction of the battery module 1 and the height direction of the battery cell 5. The X, Y, and Z directions are orthogonal to each other.

FIG. 1 is a partially disassembled perspective view of the battery module 1 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a partially disassembled perspective view of FIG. 1 drawn from another angle.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the battery module 1 mainly includes a housing 10 that houses a plurality of battery cells 5, which will be described later, a first fixing member 60 that fixes the housing 10, and a second fixing. It is composed of a member 61. The housing 10 includes a rectangular bottom wall portion 30 and four side walls 31, 32, 33, and 34 standing on the four sides of the bottom wall portion 30, and is a rectangular box-shaped case having an open upper surface. It is composed of 16 and a rectangular lid 20 that covers the upper surface opening of the case 16.

For example, four connecting portions 40 are formed on the first side wall 31, and the first fixing portion 60 is connected to the first side wall 31 via the connecting portion 40. Further, on the second side wall 32,
For example, four connecting portions 41 are formed, and the second fixing portion 61 is connected to the second side wall 32 via the connecting portion 41. That is, the first fixing member 60 and the second fixing member 61 are connected to the side walls 31 and 32 facing each other.

A plurality of battery cells 5 as shown in FIG. 3, for example, are housed on the inner surface of the case 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the battery cell 5 is configured in a rectangular cuboid shape that is thin in one direction (for example, in the Y direction). The battery cell 5 has a housing 6, a positive electrode terminal 7a, a negative electrode terminal 7b, and a valve portion 8. An electrode body and an electrolytic solution (not shown) are housed in the housing 6. As an example, the electrode body may be formed by spirally winding a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet, which are power generation elements, via a separator. Further, as an example, the electrode body may be formed by laminating a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet via a separator. The positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b are connected to the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet of the electrode body, respectively.

The housing 6 is made of a metal material (for example, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, stainless steel, etc.) or a synthetic resin material. The housing 6 is configured by combining the housing body 6a and the lid body 6b. The housing 6a is formed in a box shape of a substantially rectangular cuboid with an open upper portion, and the electrode body and the electrolytic solution are housed in the housing 6a. The lid 6b closes the open upper part of the containment body 6a. The housing 6 may also be referred to as a container.

The positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b are provided on the lid body 6b and project from the outer surface of the lid body 6b. The positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b are arranged at intervals in the X direction, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the lid 6b. The positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b are each made of a conductive material.

The valve portion 8 is provided between the positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b in the lid 6b. The valve portion 8 is opened when the pressure in the housing 6 becomes higher than the threshold value, and the pressure in the housing 6 is reduced.

Although not shown, the plurality of battery cells 5 are arranged in, for example, 3 rows in the X direction and 8 rows in the Y direction in the housing 10, and a total of 24 battery cells are accommodated. The plurality of battery cells 5 are arranged so that the outer surface of the lid 6b faces the same direction (as an example, the Z direction), and the longitudinal direction of the lid 6b follows the same direction (as an example, the Y direction). Is located in. The plurality of battery cells 5 are electrically connected in series or in parallel by a plurality of conductive members. The conductive member is made of a conductive material such as aluminum. The conductive member may also be referred to as a bus bar, a connecting member, or a connecting member.

As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the housing 10 has a rectangular cuboid-like appearance that is long in one direction (Y direction).

The bottom wall portion 30 is formed in a square (for example, rectangular) plate shape. The bottom wall portion 30 is X
It extends along the Y plane. The outer surface of the bottom wall portion 30 is configured to be flat.

The side wall portions 31, 32 are formed in a square (for example, rectangular) plate shape, and are connected to the end portion of the bottom wall portion 30 in the lateral direction (Y direction). Further, the side wall portions 31, 32 extend along a direction intersecting with the bottom wall portion 30 (as an example, a direction orthogonal to each other, an XZ plane). End wall 31,32
Are provided substantially parallel to each other at intervals in the lateral direction (Y direction) of the bottom wall portion 30.

The side wall portions 33, 34 are formed in a square (for example, rectangular) plate shape, and are connected to the end portion of the bottom wall portion 30 in the longitudinal direction (X direction). Further, the side wall portions 33 and 34 extend along a direction intersecting with the bottom wall portion 30 (as an example, a direction orthogonal to each other, a YZ plane). Side wall 33, 34
Are provided substantially parallel to each other at intervals in the longitudinal direction (X direction) of the bottom wall portion 30. Further, the side wall portions 33 and 34 are connected to the adjacent end wall portions 31 and 32.

The lid 20 is formed in a square (for example, rectangular) plate shape. The lid 20 is connected to the ends of the end wall portions 31, 32 and the side wall portions 33, 34 on the opposite side of the bottom wall portion 30, for example, by snap-fitting. The lid 20 is provided at a distance from the bottom wall portion 30 in the thickness direction (Z direction) of the bottom wall portion 30. The lid 20 extends substantially parallel to the bottom wall portion 30.

Each component of the housing 10 is made of an insulating synthetic resin material (for example, modified PPE (polyphenylene ether), PFA (perfluoroalkoxy alkane, tetrafluoroethylene / perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer), or the like. ) Is formed. As the synthetic resin material of the housing 10, a thermoplastic resin can be used, for example, PE, an olefin resin such as PP or PMP, PET, a polyester resin such as PBT or PEN, a POM resin, or PA6. , PA66, PA12 and other polyamide resins, PPS resins, LCP
Crystalline resins such as resins and their alloy resins, PS, PC, PC / ABS
, ABS, AS, modified PPE, PES, PEI, PSF and other non-crystalline resins and their alloy resins can be used.

Next, the protruding portions 15a and 15b will be described. As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the protrusion 15
a and 15b extend in the Y direction from the side wall portion 31. The protrusions 15a and 15b are provided on the side wall 31 at intervals in the X direction. Although not shown, the protrusion 15a,
A space is provided in 15b. In the present embodiment, the protrusions 15a and 15b are female connectors, and the external connector is a male connector.

A circuit is provided in the space provided in the 15a and 15b, and the circuit is electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal 7a and the negative electrode terminal 7b of the battery cell 5 via a conductive member or the like. Further, this circuit can be electrically connected to an external connector, whereby the battery cell 5 can be charged and discharged.

Subsequently, a plurality of connecting portions 40, 41 provided on the side wall portions 31, 32, respectively, will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of connecting portions 40 and 41 are provided for the side wall portions 31 and 32 of the housing 10, respectively. The connecting portions 40 and 41 are provided with a female screw portion inside, and are formed so as to be connectable to a bolt having a male screw portion (not shown). Further, the connecting portions 40 and 41 may be integrally configured with the housing 10 by, for example, forming an insert.

Next, the first fixing member 60 and the second fixing member 61 will be described. The housing 10 is fixed to a plate 18 or the like, which will be described later, by, for example, a first fixing member 60, a second fixing member 61, and a bolt. Since the structures of the first fixing member 60 and the second fixing member 61 are the same, both fixing members will be described with reference to FIG.

The first fixing member 60 has, for example, a bottom wall portion 60a and a standing wall portion 60b. Bottom wall part 6
0a is formed in the shape of a quadrangular plate extending along the plate. As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom wall portion 60a is provided with an opening 60-1 through which a bolt penetrates. Further, the vertical wall portion 60b is formed in a rectangular plate shape extending along the end wall portion 31 of the housing 10, and is connected to the end portion of the bottom wall portion 60a. The vertical wall portion 60b is provided with an opening 60-2 through which a bolt penetrates. The first fixing member 60 includes a bottom wall portion 60a and a standing wall portion 6 connected to each other.
By 0b, it is formed in a substantially L shape when viewed from the X direction. First fixing member 6
0 may also be referred to as a mounting member, a fixing member, or the like.

The second fixing member 61 has the same configuration as the first fixing member 60. The second fixing member 61 has, for example, a bottom wall portion 61a and a standing wall portion 61b. The bottom wall portion 61a is formed in a rectangular plate shape extending along the plate. As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom wall portion 61a is provided with an opening 61-1 through which a bolt penetrates. Further, the vertical wall portion 61b is formed in a rectangular plate shape extending along the end wall portion 32 of the housing 10, and is connected to the end portion of the bottom wall portion 30. The vertical wall portion 61b is provided with an opening 61-2 through which a bolt penetrates. The second fixing member 61 is provided by the bottom wall portion 61a and the vertical wall portion 61b connected to each other.
When viewed from the X direction, it is formed in a substantially L shape. The second fixing member 61 may also be referred to as a mounting member, a fixing member, or the like.

Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 4, a configuration in which the housing 10 is fixed to the plate 18 will be described. Plate 18
Has a function of fixing a plurality of battery modules 1 and cooling the battery modules 1. Here, a plate 18 having a structure capable of fixing six battery modules 1
Will be described using. The battery module 1 is fixed so that the bottom wall portion 30 of the housing 10 faces the plate 18. Further, the side wall portions 33 are arranged so as to face the side wall portions 34 of the adjacent housings 10. As will be described later, the plate 18 is formed with a notch 51, and the side wall portion 31 of the housing 10 is provided on the end (side) side of the plate 18 having the notch 51, and the notch thereof is provided. The housing 10 is fixed to the plate 18 so that the side wall portion 32 of the housing 10 is provided on the end (side) side facing the end (side) having the portion 51.

As a means for fixing the housing 10 to the plate 18, the first fixing member 60 and the second fixing member 61 described with reference to FIG. 5 are used. The housing 10 has a bolt inserted into the opening 60-2 of the first fixing member 60 and is fitted to the female screw portion of the connection portion 40 of the housing 10, so that the housing 10 and the first fixing member are fitted to each other. Connect and fix to 60. Further, in the same manner for the second fixing member 61, the bolt is inserted through the opening 61-2 of the second fixing member 61, and the connecting portion 41 of the housing 10 is inserted.
The housing 10 and the second fixing member 61 are connected and fixed by being fitted to the female screw portion of the above.

Next, the plate 18 to which the housing 10 is fixed will be described with reference to FIG. The plate 18 shown in FIG. 6 shows a surface opposite to the surface on which the battery module 1 is fixed.
In this embodiment, six pieces are arranged and fixed in the X direction. At one end of the plate 18 in the X direction, a predetermined number (4 each in the present embodiment) of the first fixing holes 19 are continuously formed in the Y direction at intervals, and the other end in the X direction. In this embodiment, a predetermined number of second fixing holes 21 (4 each in the present embodiment) are continuously provided at intervals in the Y direction.

These first fixing holes 19 are formed at the same intervals as the plurality of openings 60-1 provided in the bottom wall portion 60a of the first fixing member 60 connected to the battery module 1, and the openings 60-1 are formed. The bolt penetrates the first fixing hole 19 and the female screw structure formed in the first fixing hole 19 and the male screw structure of the bolt are engaged with each other, and further fixed with a nut or the like to perform the first fixing. Member 60
Is fixed to the plate 18.

Similarly, a plurality of openings 61-1 provided in the bottom wall portion 61a of the second fixing member 61 are formed at the same intervals, and the bolt penetrates the openings 61-1 and the second fixing hole 21. Second fixing hole 2
The second fixing member 61 is fixed to the plate 18 by engaging the female screw structure formed in 1 with the male screw structure of the bolt and further fixing the bolt with a nut or the like.

A groove 5 is formed on the first surface 18a of the plate 18, which is a surface opposite to the surface on which the housing 10 is installed.
0a is formed, and a tubular cooling passage 50 is embedded in the groove 50a. The groove 50a and the cooling passage 50 are formed by combining a straight portion and a curved portion so as to widely cover the plate 18 from one end of the plate 18, and are formed so as to return to one end of the plate 18. That is, the start end and the end end of the groove 50a and the cooling passage 50 are formed at two places at one end of the plate 18.

The combination of the straight portion and the curved portion of the groove 50a and the cooling passage 50 is not particularly specified, but in the case of the plate 18 shown in FIG. 6, for example, the bottom wall portion 30 of all the housings 10 fixed to the plate 18
It is preferable that it is formed in a portion facing the surface.

Further, in the plate 18, at one end where the first fixing hole 19 is formed, the place where the first fixing hole 19 is continuously formed (four in the present embodiment) is continuously formed as a group. In the case of a hole portion, a notch portion 51 is provided between the continuous hole portions. As will be described later, by providing the notch 51, a refrigerant such as air can be passed through the notch 51 when a plurality of plates 18 are combined.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cooling passage 50 and the groove 50a according to the present embodiment. The cooling passage 50 is formed by press-fitting a hollow circular pipe 50b into the groove 50a. The tube 50b is preferably made of metal, for example aluminum. The pipe 50b in FIG. 7 shows a state of being deformed by being press-fitted into the groove 50a, and the pipe 50b before deformation has a circular cross section.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing only the groove 50a according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, in the groove 50a according to the present embodiment, assuming that the width of the opening of the groove 50a is A, a width B larger than A is formed from the opening of the groove 50a to the vicinity of the bottom of the groove 50a. .. In other words, when the distance from the opening of the groove 50a to the bottom of the groove 50a is C, a width B larger than the width A is formed from 1 / 2C to C from the opening.

Further, the groove 50a has a bottom curve, and has a radius of curvature larger than the outermost radius of curvature of the tube 50b before the hollow circular tube 50b constituting the cooling passage is press-fitted into the groove 50a. again,
It has a radius of curvature larger than half the width of the opening of the groove 50a.

When the pipe 50b is press-fitted into such a groove 50a, the circular pipe 50b comes into contact with the bottom of the groove 50a and is further pushed in so that the portion of the pipe 50b in contact with the groove 50a is in contact with the groove 50a. Deforms along the shape of the groove 50a.

On the other hand, when the groove is formed as shown in FIG. 9, when the distance from the opening to the bottom of the groove 50a is C, the width B larger than the width A is 1 / 2C to C from the opening. Not formed. When the pipe 50b is press-fitted into such a groove 50a, as shown in FIG. 9, the pipe 50b
Is not suitable because it does not deform along the shape of the groove 50a and a part of the pipe 50b is greatly deformed inward.
Therefore, by providing the groove 50a according to the present embodiment, the pipe 50b is deformed along the shape of the groove 50a, so that the inner cross section is made larger than that of the deformed pipe as shown in FIG. be able to. Therefore, for example, when the refrigerant flows in the pipe 50b, since the inner cross section is formed to be large, more refrigerant can flow and the cooling effect can be enhanced.

Next, the assembled battery 100 in which a plurality of plates 18 on which the plurality of battery modules 1 are placed are combined will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 13.

10 is a perspective view of the assembled battery 100, FIG. 11 is a front view of the assembled battery 100, and FIG. 12 is the assembled battery 10
0 is a YZ plan sectional view, and FIG. 13 is an XZ plan sectional view of the assembled battery 100 (the assembled battery is not shown).

As shown in FIG. 10, the assembled battery 100 includes a second housing 101. As is often shown in FIG. 11 which is a front view of the assembled battery 100, a plurality of plates 18 to which a plurality of battery modules 1 (six in the present embodiment) are fixed to the second housing 101. Are provided on top of each other in the Z-axis direction. In the present embodiment, the plates 18 to which the six battery modules 1 are fixed are vertically stacked in 14 stages. Here, for convenience, the first battery module group is used. Those having the same structure are housed so that the sides having no notch 51 face each other. This is called the second battery module group for convenience.

As shown in FIG. 12, in the assembled battery 100 according to the present embodiment, the portion where the first assembled battery group and the second assembled battery group face each other, that is, the central portion of the Y-axis direction width in the housing 101. Plate 18
A central passage portion 103 extended in the stacking direction (Z direction) of the above is formed. In addition, the assembled battery 1
As shown in FIG. 13 which is an XZ plan sectional view of 00 (battery module 1 is not shown), connection holes 104 are formed in each laminated portion of the plate 18 and the central passage portion 103, and air is formed from each laminated portion of the plate 18. Such a refrigerant can flow into the central passage portion 103. In other words, a connection hole 104 is formed in a portion of the battery module 1 facing the side wall 32.

Further, a fan accommodating portion 105 for providing the fan 102 is provided at the lowermost layer portion of the central passage portion 103 in the Z-axis direction. The fan 102 is, for example, the central passage portion 10.
The air in 3 is rotated so as to flow downward in the Z-axis direction.

Further, as described above, the notch 51 is provided between the continuous holes of the plates 18, and the notch 51 is provided on the surface of the outer wall of the second housing 101 in contact with the plate 18. Since each plate 18 is in contact with the outer wall except for this, a refrigerant such as air can enter the plate 18.
Only the notch 51 can pass through each of the laminated portions in the Z-axis direction. Therefore, the refrigerant such as air flowing in the fan accommodating portion 105 flows in the upper direction in the Z-axis direction of the second housing 101 with the notch 51 continuous in the Z-axis direction as the refrigerant passage. The flow of this refrigerant is as shown by the arrow in FIG.

In this way, after the air in the central passage portion 103 flows downward in the Z-axis direction, the second housing 101
Air flows upward in the Z-axis direction through the passage formed by the notch 51 between the continuous holes of the plates 18 via the fan accommodating portion 105 provided in the lower portion in the Z-axis direction.
Further, the air flowing into each plate 18 circulates through the connection hole 104 so as to return to the central passage portion 103. As a result, the heat generated in the battery module 1 can be effectively dissipated.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and variations thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

1 Battery module, 5 Battery cell, 7a positive electrode terminal, 7b negative electrode terminal, 8 valve part, 10
Housing, 15a overhangs, 15b overhangs, 18 plates, 18a first surface, 19
First fixing hole, 20 lid, 21 second fixing hole, 50 cooling passage, 50a groove, 50b
Tube, 60 1st fixing member, 61 2nd fixing member, 100 sets of batteries, 101 2nd housing, 102 fan, 103 central passage, 104 connection hole, 105 fan housing

Claims (3)

A housing that accommodates multiple battery cells and
The plate to which the housing is fixed and
A battery module having a pipe through which a refrigerant flows.
The housing is fixed to one side of the plate,
A groove is formed on the surface of the plate opposite to the surface on which the housing is fixed, and the groove is located on the bottom side of the groove rather than the middle portion of the depth from the opening of the groove to the bottom of the groove. A width larger than the width of the groove opening is formed,
A battery module in which the tube is fitted in the groove. The battery module according to claim 1, wherein a notch is provided at one end of the plate. A first battery module group in which the battery modules according to claim 2 are stacked in a vertical direction with the orientation of the side provided with the notch portion aligned at a predetermined interval.
A second battery module group in which the battery modules according to claim 2 are laminated in a vertical direction with the orientation of the side provided with the notch portion aligned at a predetermined interval, and the second battery module group.
It has a second housing for accommodating the first battery module group and the second battery module group so as to face each other on the side where the notch is not provided.
The second housing has a central passage portion formed by two partition walls provided between the first battery module group and the second battery module group , and a lower portion of the central passage portion. An assembled battery having a fan provided and connection holes provided on the partition wall at predetermined intervals so as to face the stacked battery modules of the first battery module group and the second battery module group .

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