Bus bar and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A busbar is formed by a metal plate, the metal plate having one or more holes penetrating the metal plate on a bending line. The busbar comprises: a folded portion formed by bending the metal plate along the bending line using a folding process, the folded portion having a first region between an outer edge of the metal plate and the bending line and a second region overlapping the first region in a close contact state; and a terminal arranged in the first region. The folded portion includes one or more welded portions where the first region and the second region are welded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to bus bars and methods of manufacturing the same. Background Art

[0002] The metal plate is subjected to folding processing on its outer edge to improve its strength.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a first and a second metal plate that overlap in the thickness direction. The first metal plate has a folded portion including an outer edge region folded along a bending line, and the outer edge of the second metal plate is clamped by the folded portion. The folded portion of the first metal plate has a plurality of through holes arranged along the bending line. The outer edge of the second metal plate has a plurality of protruding pieces, and these protruding pieces penetrate the corresponding through holes. Each protruding piece is bent in a manner overlapping with the folded portion of the first metal plate in the thickness direction. As a result, the outer edges of the first and second metal plates are joined to each other, resulting in improved strength.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-65521 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] A typical busbar electrically connects a plurality of electrical components. In order to form such a busbar, a metal plate is sometimes used whose strength is increased by bending a region including an outer edge by folding. Terminals for connecting electrical components are sometimes provided at the folded portion of the busbar. In the case of forming a busbar using the metal plate of the above-mentioned publication to which the folding process has been performed, the outer edges of the first and second metal plates are firmly joined to each other by the folding process.

[0009] When the folding process described in the above publication is applied to the metal plate used to form the busbar, the following problems may arise. In the folded portion formed by the folding process, the close contact between the overlapping plates may not necessarily be improved. Therefore, there is a possibility that a gap will be generated between the overlapping plates in the folded portion. When such a gap is generated, the resistance increases when the busbar is energized, and the current-carrying performance of the busbar is reduced.

[0010] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a bus bar capable of suppressing a decrease in current carrying performance and a method for manufacturing the bus bar.

[0011] Solutions to Solve Problems

[0012] A busbar of one embodiment of the present disclosure is formed by a metal plate. The metal plate has one or more holes penetrating the metal plate on a bending line. The busbar comprises: a folded portion formed by bending the metal plate along the bending line using a folding process, the folded portion having a first region between an outer edge of the metal plate and the bending line and a second region overlapping the first region in a close contact state; and a terminal arranged in the first region. The folded portion includes one or more welded portions where the first region and the second region are welded.

[0013] A method for forming a busbar using a metal plate in one embodiment of the present invention includes: setting a bending line for the metal plate; forming one or more holes penetrating the metal plate on the bending line; forming one or more terminals in a first region between an outer edge of the metal plate and the bending line; forming a folded portion by bending the metal plate along the bending line, the folded portion including the first region and a second region overlapping the first region in a tightly attached state; and locally welding the first region and the second region. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing a bus bar according to the embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 Yes Figure 1 A perspective view showing an enlarged view of a bus bar terminal and its surroundings.

[0016] Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing a metal plate before the outer edge is bent.

[0017] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 Cross-sectional view along line AA.

[0018] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a bus bar. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Below, refer to Figure 1 to Figure 5 An embodiment of the bus bar will be described.

[0020] Figure 1The busbar for electrically connecting electrical components is shown. The busbar is formed by a metal plate 1. The metal plate 1 is bent along a bending line L1 by a folding process. The strip-shaped portion of the metal plate 1 that is overlapped by the bending is called a folded portion 10. The folded portion 10 has a first region 11 between the bending line L1 and the outer edge of the metal plate 1, and a second region 12 that overlaps the first region 11 in a tightly attached state. The outer edge of the folded portion 10 is located at a position that is separated from the bending line L1 by the thickness of the metal plate 1. The outer edge of the metal plate 1, the outer edge of the folded portion 10, and the bending line L1 may be parallel to each other. The busbar has a plurality of terminals 2 for connecting electrical components in the first region 11. Each terminal 2 faces in a manner perpendicular to the folded portion 10. Figure 1 A plurality of terminals 2 are arranged along the outer edge of the metal plate 1 at predetermined intervals.

[0021] Figure 2 Will Figure 1 The terminal 2 and its surroundings in the bus bar are shown in an enlarged manner. Figure 2 It can be seen that the bus bar has a plurality of welded portions 3 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the folded portion 10. In the welded portions 3, the first region 11 and the second region 12 are welded by, for example, laser welding.

[0022] Figure 3 The vicinity of the outer edge of the metal plate 1 before being bent using the hemming process is shown. Figure 3 It can be seen that the bending line L1 extends parallel to the outer edge of the metal plate 1. The metal plate 1 has a plurality of holes 4 that penetrate the metal plate 1 in the thickness direction on the bending line L1. These holes 4 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the bending line L1. In a state before the metal plate 1 is bent, the hole 4 has two long sides that are arranged in line symmetry with the bending line L1 as an axis, and two short sides that are orthogonal to these long sides. In a state before the outer edge of the metal plate 1 is bent, the bending line L1 passes through the center of the plurality of holes 4. In more detail, the bending line L1 intersects with the center points of the two short sides of the hole 4.

[0023] When manufacturing the bus bar, first, a bending line L1 is set on the metal plate 1. Next, one or more holes 4 penetrating the metal plate 1 are formed on the bending line L1. The one or more holes 4 can be formed by, for example, press working.

[0024] In addition, one or more terminals 2 are formed in the first region 11 between the outer edge of the metal plate 1 and the bending line L1. The terminals 2 can be formed by, for example, pressing to face Figure 3 Specifically, the square area to be the terminal 2 is formed by leaving one side of the square from the Figure 3 The hole is punched from the top to the bottom. Figure 3 Terminal 2 protruding from below.

[0025] After forming the hole 4 and the terminal 2, as Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , the metal plate 1 is bent upward along the bending line L1. Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , a folded portion 10 of the metal plate 1 is formed. In the folded portion 10, the first region 11 and the second region 12 are in close contact with each other. Next, the first region 11 and the second region 12 of the folded portion 10 are partially welded, for example, by laser welding. Thus, a plurality of welded portions 3 are provided along the outer edge of the metal plate 1. In this way, a Figure 1 Bus bar shown.

[0026] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the busbar has a plurality of cutouts at the outer edge of the folded portion 10. Each cutout is rectangular in plan view and has two end faces 4a extending along the bending line L1. The end faces 4a are the long sides of the hole 4. The two end faces 4a are located on the same surface extending in the thickness direction of the metal plate 1. This is because: Figure 3 As shown, the bending line L1 passes through the center of the hole 4 before deformation by bending.

[0027] In this way, the outer edge of the folded portion 10 is partially cut through the plurality of holes 4 arranged on the bending line L1. The cutout is the hole 4 deformed by bending the metal plate 1 along the bending line L1. The plurality of welded portions 3 may also be arranged along the portion of the outer edge of the folded portion 10 cut through the holes 4, i.e., the end surface 4a.

[0028] Next, the operation of the bus bar according to the present embodiment will be described.

[0029] The metal plate 1 processed into a busbar has a plurality of long holes 4 on the bending line L1. The bent metal plate 1 is extended to be shorter by the amount of these long holes 4, so that bending is easy. Therefore, when bending, the force to restore (hereinafter referred to as springback) acting on the metal plate 1 can be suppressed to be small. When the springback is large, a gap sometimes occurs between the first area 11 and the second area 12 that overlap in the thickness direction. By reducing the springback, the generation of such a gap can be suppressed.

[0030] Furthermore, a plurality of welded portions 3 arranged along the bending line L1 are arranged at the outer edge of the metal plate 1. By arranging the welded portions 3 in this manner, the occurrence of the above-mentioned gap can be more effectively suppressed.

[0031] When a gap is generated due to springback, welding is not easy to perform. By suppressing springback to a small value, a gap is not easy to be generated between the first region 11 and the second region 12. Therefore, welding can be easily performed.

[0032] According to the present embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained.

[0033] (1) Since no gap is generated between the first region 11 and the second region 12 folded by the hemming process, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the current carrying performance of the bus bar.

[0034] (2) Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , the bending line L1 passes through the center of the hole 4. Figure 5 As shown, when the metal plate 1 is bent along the bending line L1, the two end faces 4a are located on the same plane.

[0035] When the bending line L1 does not pass through the center of the hole 4, the first region 11 and the second region 12 overlapped in the thickness direction become relative to each other. Figure 5 The state shown is a state deviated to the left and right direction in the figure. As a result, a step is generated in the portion corresponding to the end surface 4a overlapping in the thickness direction. Due to the generation of such a step, the area that can be welded is narrowed.

[0036] In this embodiment, the bending line L1 passes through the center of the hole 4. Therefore, when the metal plate 1 is bent along the bending line L1, the generation of the above-mentioned step can be suppressed. In other words, the two end faces 4a, which are the two long sides of the hole 4, are located on the same plane. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the narrowing of the weldable area of ​​the metal plate 1 due to the above-mentioned step.

[0037] In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments can also be modified as follows, for example. The above-mentioned embodiments and the following modified examples can be combined with each other within the range of no technical contradiction.

[0038] The end faces 4 a that overlap in the thickness direction are not necessarily located on the same plane. In other words, the bending line L1 may pass through a position deviated from the center of the hole 4 .

[0039] The terminal 2 may be formed by a method other than press working.

Claims

1. A bus bar formed by a metal plate, The metal plate has a plurality of holes arranged at predetermined intervals on the bending line and penetrating the metal plate, The bus bar has: a folded portion formed by bending the metal plate along the bending line by hemming, the folded portion having a first region between an outer edge of the metal plate and the bending line and a second region overlapping the first region in a closely contacted state; and a plurality of terminals arranged in the first region and formed by stamping so as to protrude in a direction orthogonal to the folded portion, The folded portion includes a plurality of welded portions where the first region and the second region are welded, A plurality of soldering portions are arranged at positions corresponding to the holes along portions of the outer edge of the folded portion cut out by the holes, and each of the terminals is located between adjacent soldering portions corresponding to the holes.

2. The bus bar according to claim 1, wherein: In a state before the metal plate is bent, the bending line passes through the center of each of the holes.

3. The bus bar according to claim 2, wherein: Before the outer edge of the metal plate is bent, each of the holes has two end faces arranged in line symmetry with the bending line as an axis. By bending the metal plate along the bending line, the two end faces are located on the same plane extending in the thickness direction of the metal plate.

4. The bus bar according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The outer edge of the metal plate, the outer edge of the folded portion, and the bending line are parallel to each other.

5. A method for forming a bus bar using a metal plate, which is a method for forming the bus bar according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the method comprising: Set bending lines for metal sheets; forming a plurality of holes on the bending line, arranged at predetermined intervals and penetrating the metal plate; A plurality of terminals are formed in a first region between an outer edge of the metal plate and the bending line by stamping so as to protrude in a direction perpendicular to the folded portion; The metal plate is bent along the bending line to form a folded portion, wherein the folded portion includes the first region and a second region overlapping the first region in a closely contacted state; as well as Portions cut out through the holes along the outer edge of the folded portion are arranged at positions corresponding to the holes, the first region and the second region are partially welded to form welding portions, and each of the terminals is located between adjacent welding portions corresponding to the holes.

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