Battery packs, electric motors

Abstract

This invention provides a battery pack, electric motor, and electric motor body in which the position of the battery-side terminals does not deviate even when an impact such as a drop is applied to the housing. In a battery pack (1) in which a circuit board (70) having battery-side terminals is fixed to a separator (50) that holds the battery, and the separator (50) is held between an upper housing (10) and a lower housing (2), claws (61, 62) are provided in the portion of the separator (50) opposite to the upper housing (10), and recesses (29a, 29b) that engage with the claws (61, 62) are provided in the upper housing. When the upper housing (10) and the lower housing (2) are fixed with screws, the claws (61, 62) enter the recesses (29a, 29b) and become engaged, so even if the lower housing (2) is subsequently removed, the separator 50 remains held on the side of the upper housing (10).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a battery pack, an electric motor, and the body of the electric motor. Background Technology

[0002] Wireless electric machines powered by battery packs containing rechargeable batteries such as lithium-ion batteries are widely used. For example, in handheld power tools that drive a front-end tool via a motor, a battery pack housing multiple rechargeable battery cells is used as a power source, and the electrical energy stored in the battery pack drives the motor and other load devices. The battery pack is detachable from the electric machine body; when the voltage drops due to discharge, the battery pack is removed from the electric machine body and recharged using an external charger. Patent Document 1 is known as an example of such a battery pack. In Patent Document 1, the battery cells are housed within a casing, and a separator is included to hold the battery cells. A locking mechanism is also included for attaching and detaching the battery cells from the electric machine body.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-46588 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In the structure of Patent Document 1, when the battery pack is installed on the motor machine body, if the lower housing deviates from the upper housing due to certain reasons (such as deterioration over time), the battery cells (terminal portions) may also deviate. To prevent the terminals from deviating from the upper housing, it is considered to fix the terminals to the upper housing side. However, if the battery cells and separators are housed in the lower housing, and only the terminal portion side is fixed to the upper housing, there is a problem of poor assembly. Furthermore, it is also considered to fix the battery cells (separators) and terminals to the upper housing. However, according to the fixing method, through holes must be provided on the circuit board above the separators, which results in a narrowing of the component placement area on the circuit board or the need to increase the board area.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the aforementioned background, and its object is to provide a battery pack that suppresses the deviation of the battery pack terminals relative to the housing side constituting the track portion, and an electric machine using this battery pack. Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack that stably holds the housing and fixing terminals of the battery pack track portion without hindering the assembly of the battery pack, or a battery pack that suppresses damage during disassembly or breakage, and an electric machine using this battery pack. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a battery pack and an electric machine that do not increase the area of ​​the battery pack's circuit board (narrowing the component placement area).

[0009] Technical means to solve the problem

[0010] Representative features of the invention disclosed in this application are described below. According to one feature of the invention, a battery pack includes: a first housing having a slot exposing a battery-side terminal portion and a guide portion guiding mounting toward a motor machine body; a second housing defining a space for housing battery cells by engaging with the first housing; a separator holding the battery cells; a circuit board fixed to the side of the separator facing the first housing; and battery-side terminal portions fixed to the circuit board at a position corresponding to the slot, configured to connect with a body-side terminal of the motor machine body. The separator has a connecting portion located at a position facing the first housing and surrounding the circuit board when viewed from above. The first housing has a connected portion at a position corresponding to the connecting portion, connected to the connecting portion. The connecting portion is a claw formed on one side of the separator or the first housing, and the connected portion is a recess formed on the other side of the separator or the first housing. When the first housing and the second housing are in a separated engaged state, the separator is held on the first housing side by the locking state of the claw and the recess. Furthermore, when the battery pack is joined with the first housing and the second housing, the claw and the recess remain in a contact state or a non-contact state.

[0011] According to another feature of the present invention, a plurality of screw holes are provided on one side of the first housing and the second housing of the battery pack, and a plurality of female threads corresponding to the screw holes are provided on the other side of the first housing and the second housing. When the separator is housed within the first housing and the second housing, the first housing and the second housing are secured by the plurality of screws. The long side direction of the screws faces the same direction as the engagement direction, and the extension direction of the connecting portion is formed orthogonal to the engagement direction. Furthermore, the battery-side terminal portion of the battery pack has a plurality of terminals arranged side-by-side on the circuit board, and the connecting portion has a first connecting portion, which is respectively provided on both sides of the side-by-side direction of the plurality of terminals. Furthermore, the battery cell is cylindrical and supported by the separator in a manner extending along the side-by-side direction of the plurality of terminals. The connecting portion has a second connecting portion, which is provided near the center in the side-by-side direction and at the end of the separator in the front-rear direction. The second connecting portion may be provided on both sides of the separator in the front-rear direction.

[0012] According to another feature of the invention, the first housing of the battery pack has a protrusion extending inward from the inner wall of the first housing to restrict the movement of the battery cells in space, and the connected portion is provided at the protrusion. Furthermore, the battery pack includes a locking mechanism provided at the first housing for attaching and detaching from the motor body; the locking mechanism is located between the separator and the first housing when the connecting portion and the connected portion are held together. Moreover, the connecting portion of the battery pack has a hole in the separator and a fastening member provided independently of the separator and penetrating the hole; the connected portion has a fastening hole for inserting the fastening member.

[0013] According to another feature of the present invention, a battery pack includes: a first housing having a slot portion exposing a battery-side terminal portion and a guide portion guiding mounting toward a motor machine body; a second housing defining a space for accommodating a plurality of battery cells by engaging with the first housing; a separator holding the battery cells; a circuit board fixed to the side of the separator facing the first housing; and a battery-side terminal portion fixed to a position on the circuit board corresponding to the slot portion, configured to connect with a body-side terminal of the motor machine body, wherein the battery pack is configured such that the separator has a connecting portion extending around the circuit board when viewed from above, and the second housing has a connected portion connected to the connecting portion. The connecting portion is a claw integrally provided on the separator, and the connected portion is a recess provided in the second housing. A motor machine is constituted by the battery pack configured in this manner and the motor machine body, the motor machine body having a battery pack mounting portion for mounting the battery pack and a body-side terminal portion provided on the battery pack mounting portion and connected to the battery-side terminal portion.

[0014] The effects of the invention

[0015] According to the present invention, a battery pack that suppresses deviation of the battery pack terminals relative to the housing side constituting the track portion, and an electric machine using this battery pack, can be provided. Furthermore, a battery pack that stably holds the housing containing the track portion of the battery pack and the assembly that fixes the terminals without hindering the assembly of the battery pack, or that suppresses damage during disassembly or breakage, and an electric machine using this battery pack, can be provided. Moreover, a battery pack and an electric machine that do not increase the area of ​​the circuit board of the battery pack (narrowing the component placement area) can be provided. Specifically, a connecting portion such as a claw is provided in the assembly (insulator) that fixes the battery side terminals. When the assembly is housed in the first housing and the second housing, a connecting portion such as a recess is formed on the side of the first housing where the track portion is formed. When the first housing and the second housing are joined, the connecting portion and the connecting portion are connected, thus preventing the first housing and the assembly from separating. In this way, both the assembly of the battery pack is maintained and the separation of the first housing and the assembly is difficult. In particular, even if a strong impact is applied to the battery pack due to the falling of the electric machine, resulting in the first housing and the second housing being damaged and separated, the connection between the first housing and the assembly is likely to be maintained, thus greatly preventing the connection of the terminals on the electric machine body side from deviating during installation. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the electric motor body 201 and the battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is an external view of battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 (A) is a top view. Figure 2 (B) is a side view.

[0018] Figure 3 (A) is Figure 2 AA section view, Figure 3 (B) is Figure 3 Enlarged view of part D of (A).

[0019] Figure 4 (A) is Figure 2 BB cross-section, Figure 4 (B) is Figure 4 Enlarged view of part E of (A).

[0020] Figure 5 It means Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the appearance of the 50 individual partitions.

[0021] Figure 6 express Figure 1 The battery pack 1 is in the state where the upper casing 10 has been removed. Figure 6(A) is a 3D diagram. Figure 6 (B) is the right-side view.

[0022] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A top view of the battery pack 1 with the upper housing 10 removed.

[0023] Figure 8 This refers to the battery pack 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 (A) is a vertical cross-sectional view through the left and right centers of the battery pack. Figure 8 (B) is Figure 8 Enlarged view of part F of (A).

[0024] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of the upper housing 10 of the battery pack 1 of the first embodiment and the battery pack 1A of the second embodiment of the present invention, viewed from below.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the battery pack 1B according to the third embodiment of the present invention (equivalent to...). Figure 2 (Cross section of CC part) Figure 10 (B) is a top view of the battery pack 1B with the upper housing 10B removed.

[0026] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0027] 1, 1A, 1B: Battery pack

[0028] 2, 2A: Lower shell

[0029] 3a: Front side

[0030] 3b: Rear side

[0031] 3c: Right side

[0032] 3D: Left Side View

[0033] 3e: Bottom surface

[0034] 4a~4d: Screw holes

[0035] 5a~5e: Convex ribs

[0036] 6a~6e: Convex ribs

[0037] 7a, 7b: concave part

[0038] 10, 10B: Upper shell

[0039] 11: Lower section noodles

[0040] 12: Step Difference Part

[0041] 13: Upper noodles

[0042] 13a: Slit

[0043] 14a~14d: Screw boss

[0044] 15: Raised area

[0045] 15a: Stopping Block

[0046] 16a, 16b: Locking buttons

[0047] 17a, 17b: Locking claw

[0048] 18a, 18b: Track groove

[0049] 19a, 19b: Through holes

[0050] 20: Slotted section configuration area

[0051] 21-28: Slots

[0052] 29a~29d: concave portion

[0053] 30a~30e: Convex ribs

[0054] 31: Positive terminal for charging

[0055] 32: Positive extreme

[0056] 34: T-terminal

[0057] 35: V terminal

[0058] 36: LS terminal

[0059] 37: Negative extreme

[0060] 38: LD terminal

[0061] 39a, 39b: Lower terminals

[0062] 41a~41j: Battery cells

[0063] 50, 50A, 50B: partitions

[0064] 51a: Upper wall

[0065] 51b: Bottom wall

[0066] 51c: Front wall surface

[0067] 51d: Rear wall surface

[0068] 51e: Upper and lower partition walls

[0069] 53a~53d: Front and rear partition walls

[0070] 54, 55: Positioning plates

[0071] 54a: Convex rib

[0072] 56a, 56b: Screw boss

[0073] 57a~57g: Convex ribs

[0074] 58a~58g: Convex ribs

[0075] 59a~59d: Tongue fixing part

[0076] 61~64: Claws

[0077] 61a, 63a: Inclined surfaces

[0078] 61b, 63b: Lower surface

[0079] 70, 70A: Circuit board

[0080] 71a, 71b: Incision site

[0081] 75b, 76a: Connecting parts

[0082] 78: Substrate Cover

[0083] 79a, 79b: Screws

[0084] 80: Display Section

[0085] 81-84: Display Window

[0086] 85: Switch button

[0087] 91: Snap-on plate

[0088] 92: Screw

[0089] 155, 156: Locking retainer

[0090] 161~164: (upper side) claw part

[0091] 161a, 162a: (claw part) inclined surface

[0092] 165~168: (Lower side) Claw area

[0093] 165a, 166a: (claw part) inclined surface

[0094] 165b, 166b: (claw part) upper surface

[0095] 201: Electric Machine Body

[0096] 202: Shell

[0097] 202a: Main body

[0098] 202b: Handle

[0099] 202c: Battery Pack Installation Section

[0100] 204: Action switch (trigger switch)

[0101] 205: Forward / Reverse Switch

[0102] 208: Front-end Tools Maintenance Department

[0103] 209: Front-end tools

[0104] 211a, 211b: Track section

[0105] 212: Bend

[0106] 214: Protrusion

[0107] 215: Termination section (body-side terminal section)

[0108] 215a: Vertical plane

[0109] 215b: Horizontal plane

[0110] 222: Positive input terminal

[0111] 227: Negative input terminal

[0112] 228: LD terminal

[0113] 229a, 229b: Terminals for series connection Detailed Implementation

[0114] Example 1

[0115] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in the following drawings, the same symbols will be used to label the same parts, and repeated descriptions will be omitted. Moreover, in this specification, the front-back, left-right, and up-down directions of the electric motor body and the battery pack will be described as shown in the drawings.

[0116] Figure 1This is a perspective view of the electric machine body 201 and battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The electric machine body 201 is shown as an example of an impact tool with a rated voltage of 36 V. The electric machine body 201 uses the detachable battery pack 1 as a power source and uses the rotational driving force from a motor (not shown) to drive the front tool 209, thereby performing a fastening operation. The electric machine body 201 includes a housing 202 that forms the outer frame. The housing 202 includes: a main body 202a that houses a motor or power transmission mechanism (not shown); a handle 202b extending downward from the main body 202a; and a battery pack mounting portion 202c formed on the underside of the handle 202b. A trigger-like actuation switch 204 is provided near the handle 202b, which is part of the handle and is touched by the user's index finger when gripping it. Above the actuation switch 204, a forward / reverse switching lever 205 for switching the rotation direction of the motor is provided. On the front side of the housing 202, there is an anvil (not shown in the figure) that serves as an output shaft. At the front end of the anvil, there is a front tool holding part 208 for mounting a front tool 209. Here, a flathead screwdriver bit is mounted as the front tool 209.

[0117] In the battery pack mounting section 202c, track sections 211a and 211b, which include grooves or tracks, are formed on the inner walls of the left and right sides, extending parallel to each other in the front-back direction. An end-connection section (body-side terminal section) 215 is provided between them. The end-connection section 215 is manufactured by integral molding of a non-conductive material such as synthetic resin, and multiple metal terminals, such as a positive input terminal 222, a negative input terminal 227, an LD terminal (abnormal signal terminal) 228, and series connection terminals 229a and 229b, are cast into it. The end-connection section 215 is manufactured by casting multiple metal terminals (here, terminals 222, 227, and 228) into it using the molding of synthetic resin, and has a vertical surface 215a and a horizontal surface 215b that form the mating surface in the mounting direction (front-back direction). Furthermore, Figure 1 The diagram omits the other terminal groups (T terminal, V terminal, LS terminal) for signal transmission that are grounded between or adjacent to the positive input terminal 222 and the negative input terminal 227 in the termination section 215, but any of these terminals can be arbitrarily added to the termination section 215.

[0118] The termination portion 215 is fixed by being clamped by the opening portion of the left-right split housing 202 (termination holding portion: not shown in the figure). The horizontal surface 215b of the termination portion 215 is a surface that is close to and faces the upper section surface 13 on the side of the battery pack 1 when the battery pack 1 is installed. A curved portion 212 is formed on the front side of the horizontal surface 215b, which abuts against the raised portion 15 of the battery pack 1, and a protrusion 214 is formed near the center of the left and right sides of the curved portion 212. The protrusion 214 also serves as a boss for fastening the housing of the electric motor body 201, which is formed in two parts in the left-right direction, and also acts as a stop to restrict the relative movement of the battery pack 1 in the installation direction.

[0119] The battery pack 1 is detachable from the corresponding electric motor body 201, and multiple battery cells are housed within a synthetic resin casing. At the top of the battery pack 1, there is a track groove 18a for mounting to the electric motor body 201. Figure 1 (Not visible in the middle), 18b; a slot 20 for realizing electrical connection with the electric motor body 201; a group of connection terminals disposed on the inner part of the slot 20. Figure 6 (described later); and a locking mechanism (locking part) for maintaining or releasing the installation state with the electric machine body 201. The locking mechanism includes locking buttons 16a, 16b and a locking pawl 17a that moves in conjunction with the locking buttons 16a, 16b. Figure 1 (Not visible in the text), and constituted by 17b.

[0120] Battery pack 1 is a so-called multi-voltage power supply capable of outputting either 18V or 36V. Battery pack 1 can be installed on both 18V rated motor body (not shown) and 36V rated motor body 201. When installed on an 18V rated motor body, it outputs 18V DC; when installed on a 36V rated motor body 201, it outputs 36V DC. Furthermore, the output voltage of battery pack 1 can be configured as either a low / high voltage switching type or a single voltage type; this invention is applicable to any type of battery pack. Moreover, the rated voltage of battery pack 1 is arbitrary. After removing battery pack 1 from motor body 201, it can be charged using an external charger (not shown).

[0121] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating battery pack 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 (A) is a top view. Figure 2(B) is the right-side view. The battery pack 1 defines the space for accommodating multiple battery cells by a housing made of synthetic resin, comprising an upper housing (first housing) 10 and a lower housing (second housing) 2. Importantly, both the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are made of non-conductive material, here manufactured by integral molding of polycarbonate. On the front side of the upper housing 10, a flat lower section surface 11 is formed, and near the center, an upper section surface 13 is formed that is higher than the lower section surface 11. The lower section surface 11 and the upper section surface 13 are stepped, and their connection portion forms a vertical step portion 12. The portion from the step portion 12 to the front side of the upper section surface 13 forms a slot arrangement area (slot portion) 20. In the slot arrangement area 20, multiple (here, eight) slots 21 to 28 are formed as cutouts on the front surface (step portion 12) that is vertical to the upper surface parallel to the mounting direction (front-rear direction). Slots 21-28 are portions cut in a manner that have a predetermined length along the battery pack mounting direction (front-back direction) and a predetermined width along a direction intersecting the battery pack mounting direction (left-right direction), and have the shape described below, that is, cut at a predetermined height along the vertical direction at the front end of the step portion 12. The left-right width of the step portion 12 is formed to be slightly wider than the width near the rear end of slots 21-28, and the left-right interval narrows towards the rear near the step portion 12, thereby facilitating the insertion of the terminal group on the motor body side.

[0122] Two track grooves 18a and 18b are formed on the side of the upper section surface 13 of the upper housing (first housing) 10. The track grooves 18a and 18b are formed parallel to the mounting direction of the battery pack 1 along their long sides. The front end of the groove portion of the track grooves 18a and 18b is an open end, and the rear end is a closed end that connects to the front side wall of the raised portion 15. The slot portion 20 (slots 21 to 28) is disposed in the area sandwiched by the track grooves 18a and 18b. A raised portion 15 is formed on the rear side of the upper section surface 13. The raised portion 15 is shaped to bulge upward from the upper section surface 13, and a recessed stop portion 15a is formed near its center. When the battery pack 1 is installed in the battery pack mounting portion 202c, the stop portion 15a becomes a protrusion 214 (see reference). Figure 1 When the protrusion 214 on the side of the electric motor body 201 abuts against the stop portion 15a, the multiple terminals (machine-side terminals) provided on the electric motor body 201 and the multiple connection terminals provided on the battery pack 1 are connected to each other. Figure 4 (As will be described later) it comes into contact and becomes conductive.

[0123] On the left and right sides of the rear portion of the track grooves 18a and 18b, there are locking buttons 16a and 16b. The locking buttons 16a and 16b are spring-loaded (the springs are not visible in the figure) and can slide left and right relative to the upper housing 10. Locking claws 17a and 17b (see reference) Figure 1 Through the action of springs, in the track grooves 18a and 18b (refer to...) Figure 1 The lower part of the object pops out to the left and right, and... Figure 1 The recesses formed on the track portions 211a and 211b of the electric machine body 201 shown engage to prevent the battery pack 1 from falling off. When the battery pack 1 is installed on the electric machine body 201, when the locking buttons 16a and 16b are pressed inward, the locking claws 17a and 17b, which are linked to the locking buttons 16a and 16b, move inward, releasing the locking claws 17a and 17b from their protruding state from the track grooves 18a and 18b. Once the protruding state is released, the battery pack 1 can be removed from the main body of the electric machine body 201 by sliding it along the extending direction of the track grooves 18a and 18b. On the wall surface forming the track grooves 18a and 18b, there are formed the locking portions (locking claws) 17a and 17b (see reference). Figure 2 Through holes 19a and 19b protruding from the outer surface Figure 2 (Not visible in (B)).

[0124] The lower housing (second housing) 2 is generally rectangular in shape with an opening on the upper surface, and has a front side 3a, a rear side 3b, a right side 3c, a left side 3d, and a bottom surface 3e. The internal space of the lower housing 2 has a volume sufficient to accommodate the partition 50.

[0125] On the inner side of the baffle portion 15a, a plurality of slits 13a are provided as cooling air outlets. When the battery pack 1 is installed on the electric motor body 201, the slits 13a are covered and closed in a manner not visible from the outside. When the battery pack 1 is connected to a charging device (not shown) for charging, the slits 13a are used as air vents to force cooling air into the battery pack 1. By rotating a fan provided in the charging device, cooling air introduced into the battery pack 1 from a cooling air inlet (not shown) provided on the front wall of the lower housing 2 of the battery pack 1 cools the battery cells and the like, and is then discharged to the outside through the slits 13a. Alternatively, the slits 13a can be configured as cooling air inlets, allowing the cooling air to flow in the opposite direction.

[0126] A display section 80 is provided on the sloping rear side of the raised portion 15. The display section 80 has four display windows 81-84, and a push-button switch 85 is provided on the right side of each display window 81. The switch 85 is an operation unit operated by the user. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs, not shown) are arranged inside the display windows 81-84, illuminating from the inside of the windows. The entire display section 80 is covered by a laminated film, and the display windows 81-84 are configured such that a portion of the printed laminated film is transparent or semi-transparent, allowing light to pass through. The switch 85 is a user-operated button; once the switch 85 is pressed, the remaining battery level of the battery pack 1 is displayed in the display windows 81-84.

[0127] Of the slots 21 to 28, slot 21, located near the right side of track slot 18a of battery pack 1, serves as the insertion port for the positive terminal (C+ terminal) for charging, and slot 22 serves as the insertion port for the positive terminal (+ terminal) for discharging. Furthermore, slot 27, located near the left side of track slot 18b of battery pack 1, serves as the insertion port for the negative terminal (- terminal). In battery pack 1, the positive and negative sides of the power terminals used for power transmission are typically arranged in a manner that fully separates them. Therefore, when viewed from the AA cross-section (vertical plane) located at the center of the left and right sides, the positive terminal is located in slots 21 and 22 on the right side, which are fully separated, and the negative terminal is located in slot 27 on the left side, which is fully separated. Between the positive and negative terminals, multiple signal terminals for signal transmission are arranged for controlling battery pack 1 and the electric motor body 201 or an external charging device (not shown). Here, four slots 23 to 26 for signal terminals are provided between the power terminal groups. Slot 23 is a pre-installed terminal insertion port; no terminal is provided in this embodiment. Slot 24 is an insertion port for outputting a signal as identification information of battery pack 1 to the T terminal of the electric motor body or charging device. Slot 25 is an insertion port for inputting a V terminal control signal from an external charging device (not shown). Slot 26 is an insertion port for outputting the temperature information of the battery pack obtained by a thermistor (temperature sensing element) (not shown) that is in contact with the battery cell. To the left of slot 27, which serves as the insertion port for the negative terminal (- terminal), a slot 28 is provided for outputting an abnormal stop signal issued by the battery protection circuit (described later) contained within battery pack 1.

[0128] Figure 3 (A) is Figure 2The diagram shows a cross-sectional view (AA). Ten cylindrical battery cells 41a-41j are housed within the internal space formed by the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2. The ten battery cells 41a-41j are stacked in two sections of five each, and are secured by a separator 50, which is a non-conductive material such as synthetic resin. The separator 50 is integrally molded from synthetic resin, a non-conductive material, and positions the battery cells 41a-41j in a left-right direction with both ends exposed through openings. By using the separator 50, the battery cells 41a-41j are kept at a fixed distance from each other without contact, and are stably positioned within the internal space formed by the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2.

[0129] Battery cells 41a to 41j are rechargeable lithium-ion battery cells of the so-called 18650 size, with a diameter of 18 mm and a length of 65 mm, and are arranged alternately with the electrodes of adjacent battery cells facing opposite directions. Furthermore, adjacent battery cells are electrically and mechanically connected via a metal plate (not shown). The size or number of battery cells used in the battery pack of this invention is arbitrary, and this invention is widely applicable as long as the battery pack is a battery pack with a separator 50 sandwiched within the casing held by the upper casing 10 and the lower casing 2. Moreover, the shape of the battery cells fixed by the separator is not limited to cylindrical; it can also be cuboid, laminated, or other shapes.

[0130] The upper and lower adjacent battery cells 41a to 41j are separated by a flat upper and lower partition wall 51e, and the front and rear adjacent battery cells 41a to 41j are separated by a flat front and rear partition wall 53a to 53d. The lower surface of the separator 50 forms a bottom wall 51b that is curved into a cylindrical shape along the contour of the battery cells 41a to 41d.

[0131] The circuit board 70 is fixed to the upper side of the partition 50. The circuit board 70 is screwed to the partition 50 by two screws 79a and 79b. Multiple connection terminals are fixed (e.g., soldered) to the circuit board 70. Figure 6 (described later), and make electrical connections between these connection terminals and circuit patterns not shown. On the circuit board 70, various electronic components (not shown here) are mounted, such as a battery protection integrated circuit (IC) or microcomputer, a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor, resistors, capacitors, fuses, and light-emitting diodes.

[0132] The upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 can be separated vertically from the dividing surface. During engagement, they are secured by multiple screws arranged in the vertical direction (the same direction as the engagement direction). Here, two screw holes (not visible in the figure) are formed on both the front side 3a and the rear side 3b of the lower housing 2. On the corresponding portion of the upper housing 10, screw bosses 14a to 14d (refer to the symbols) with female threads are formed. Figure 9 The screws are screwed in from bottom to top. In conventional battery packs, the assembly of the separator 50, in which the circuit board 70 is screwed in and the electrical wiring with the battery cells 41a-41j is completed, is sandwiched between the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2, and the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are screwed in while sandwiched. Specifically, the upper housing 10 is put on while the assembly is housed in the lower housing 2, and the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are screwed in. With this structure, in conventional separators, the bottom wall 51b abuts against the bottom surface of the lower housing 2, and upwardly extending ribs 57a-57g are formed around the circuit board 70 (see reference). Figure 5 It abuts against the inner wall surface of the upper housing 10 and is thus held in place. Although not shown, a sponge-like cushioning material may sometimes be placed between the bottom wall 51b and the bottom surface of the lower housing 2.

[0133] In this embodiment, connecting portions (claws 61, 62) for connecting to the upper housing 10 via engagement or the like are formed in the upwardly extending portion formed around the circuit board 70. That is, connecting portions (claws 61, 62) are provided in the partition 50 without penetrating the circuit board 70. This ensures sufficient area for configurable components on the circuit board 70. On the other hand, connecting portions (recesses 29a, 29b) corresponding to the claws 61, 62 are formed inside the upper housing 10. By forming the claws 61, 62 and the recesses 29a, 29b in this way, when assembling the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2, the protruding portions of the claws 61, 62 in the front-rear direction are located within the internal space of the recesses 29a, 29b, thereby securing the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 in this state. With this structure, during the screwing of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2, the assembly (including, for example, the circuit board 70, battery cells 41a-41j, and separator 50) is automatically fixed to the upper housing 10 via the claws 61 and 62. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dividing surface between the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 is configured as a horizontal opening, but it could also be a dividing surface inclined relative to the horizontal, a dividing surface with a step, or a dividing surface with a complex shape such as a curved surface. That is, for the separator 50 on one of the housing sides (the upper housing 10 as the first housing), as long as the claws and the corresponding shape portion of these claws prevent the separator 50 from separating from the upper housing 10, the configuration of the claws and their corresponding shapes can be arbitrary.

[0134] Figure 3 (B) is Figure 3 An enlarged view of part D of (A). The claw 61 is integrally manufactured with the partition 50. It is extended by a height h1 above the positioning piece 54 of the partition 50, and further, it is formed as a connecting part by protruding a distance L1 in the orthogonal direction (front side) of the positioning piece 54 of the partition 50. When the upper housing (first housing) 10 and the lower housing (second housing) 2 are joined, the claw 61 connected to the first housing 10 is provided on the partition 50. A connected part (recess 29a) is formed on the upper housing 10 at the position corresponding to the claw 61. When the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are joined, the claw 61 elastically deforms and embeds into the recess of the recess 29a, thereby connecting the claw 61 and the recess 29a (locking state). The claw 61 and the recess 29a are maintained in a contact state or a non-contact state. The shape of the claw 61 is arbitrary, but it is designed to have a forward-protruding portion of length L1, such that the upper surface of the protruding portion L1 of the claw 61 forms an inclined surface 61a that decreases in position from the rear to the front, in other words, the position decreases as it moves towards the outside of the partition 50. By forming an inclined surface 61a on the claw 61 in this way, when the upper housing 10 is connected to the partition 50, the inclined surface 61a slides against the inner wall surface of the upper housing 10. As a result, the claw 61 elastically deforms inward (away from the side facing the wall of the upper housing 10). When the partition 50 is properly assembled to the locking portion of the claw 61 (the portion of length L1, which extends from the inclined surface 61a to the lower surface 61b when viewed vertically) until it reaches the position facing the recess 29a, the claw 61 returns from the elastically deformed state to its original state. Thus, the locking portion of the claw (the portion of length L1) is located within the recess 29a, becoming... Figure 3 The locking state is shown in (B). The lower surface 61b of the claw 61 is a horizontal surface, and the lower side surface of the recess 29a is also a horizontal surface. Therefore, through their engagement or abutment, when the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are disassembled, the partition 50 is also maintained in a connected (locked) state with the upper housing 10 by the action of the claw 61. Figure 3 The shape of the claw portion 61 is described in (B), but a claw portion 62 is also formed on the positioning piece 55 side behind the partition plate 50, and a recess 29b is formed on the upper housing 10 facing the claw portion 62. The relationship between the claw portion 62 and the recess 29b is the same as the relationship between the claw portion 61 and the recess 29a.

[0135] Figure 4 (A) is Figure 2 BB cross-sectional view. Eight slots 21-28 (symbols refer to) are formed in the upper shell 10. Figure 2The battery pack 1 in this embodiment supports multiple voltages, and therefore also includes lower terminals 39a and 39b that are connected to the series connection terminals 229a and 229b. The positive terminal 32 and the lower terminal 39a are connected to either the positive terminal of the upper cell unit containing the upper battery cells 41a to 41e, or the positive terminal of the lower cell unit containing the lower battery cells 41f to 41j. The negative terminal 37 and the lower terminal 39b are connected to either the negative terminal of the upper cell unit or the negative terminal of the lower cell unit. The circuit board 70 is held in place by ribs 58a to 58g extending upwards from the upper wall 51a of the partition 50. The area near the feet of the battery-side terminals is covered by a substrate cover 78 made of synthetic resin.

[0136] Claw portions 63 and 64 are formed on the left and right sides of the upper surface of the partition 50 and on the outer side of the circuit board 70. Recesses 29c and 29d are respectively provided on the inner wall surface of the upper housing 10 facing the claw portions 63 and 64. That is, the partition 50 is provided with connecting portions (claw portions 63 and 64) that connect to the upper housing (first housing) 10, and connected portions (recesses 29c and 29d) are formed on the upper housing 10 at locations corresponding to the claw portions 63 and 64. When the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are engaged, the claw portions 63 and 64 and the recesses 29c and 29d are in a connected state (or a locking state). The shape of the claw portion 63 is the same as that of the claw portions 61 and 62, having a length L2 of a laterally protruding portion. The upper surface of the protruding portion of the length L2 of the claw portion 62 is a sloping surface 63a that descends from the inside to the outside. By forming an inclined surface 63a on the claw portion 63, the inclined surface 63a slides against the inner wall surface of the upper housing 10 during the engagement of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2. As a result, the claw portion 63 elastically deforms inward (towards the opposite wall surface of the upper housing 10). When the partition plate 50 is properly assembled to the locking portion of the claw portion 63 (the portion of length L2 extending from the inclined surface 63a to the lower surface 63b when viewed vertically) until it reaches the position facing the recess 29c, the claw portion 63 returns to its original state (restoring the elastic deformation). Thus, the locking portion (the portion of length L2) is located within the recess 29c, becoming... Figure 4 The state of (B).

[0137] The lower surface 63b of the claw portion 63 is a horizontal surface, and the lower side surface of the recess 29c is also a horizontal surface. Therefore, through their engagement or abutment, the partition 50 maintains its connection with the upper housing 10 during disassembly of the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2. Above, in Figure 4The shape of the claw 63 is described in (B), but a claw 64 and a recess 29d are also formed on the left side of the partition 50. Furthermore, the connection between the claws 61-64 and the recesses 29a-29d can be a secure fit where the lower surface 63b of the claw 63 is in close contact with the recess 29c, or a loose engagement where the claws 61-64 are in loose contact with the recesses 29a-29d or are separated by a small distance. This is because the partition 50 is held in place by the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2; therefore, as long as the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 do not separate (e.g., screws loosening, screw breakage, or lower housing 2 breakage), the fixation by the claws 61-64 and the recesses 29a-29d is not important.

[0138] Figure 5 It means Figure 3 A three-dimensional view of the appearance of the 50 individual partitions. Figure 5 The diagram shows the state before the battery cells 41a to 41j are installed. The separator 50 is a battery holding member as described below, that is, used to hold multiple battery cells 41a to 41j (see reference 1) with openings only at the left and right sides of both ends of the battery cells. Figure 3 The cells are arranged in two sections, top and bottom, and five columns, front and back. During assembly, battery cells 41a-41j are inserted into the cylindrical space of separator 50, and the terminals exposed on the left and right sides of the separator are connected to each other via connecting plates (not shown). The connecting plates (not shown) are electrically connected to the circuit board 70 via wires or metal plates (not shown). Separator 50 is manufactured by molding a non-conductive material such as synthetic resin. Compared to metal, synthetic resin has high elasticity and therefore excellent vibration absorption characteristics.

[0139] The upper wall 51a of the separator 50 is constructed by including an arc surface along the outer edge of the cylindrical battery cell (not shown). On the upper side of the upper wall 51a, the circuit board 70 is secured by two screws 79a and 79b (not shown) (see reference). Figure 3 The upper wall 51a is formed to cover the cylindrical surface of the battery cells 41a-41e. Screw bosses 56a and 56b are formed near the rear and front ends of the upper wall 51a. Multiple ribs 54a, 57a-57g are formed on the upper wall 51a of the partition 50, extending upwards to abut against the upper housing 10. Furthermore, multiple ribs 58a-58g are formed to abut against the bottom surface of the circuit board 70. In addition, tongue fixing portions 59a-59d are formed on the upper side of the circuit board 70 to hold metal tongues, which are used for welding the electrodes of the battery cells to the circuit board 70.

[0140] A positioning piece 54 for connecting to the inner wall surface of the lower housing 2 is formed on the upper part of the front wall surface 51c of the partition 50. A claw portion 61 and a protruding rib 54a are formed on the upper part of the positioning piece 54. Furthermore, a positioning piece 55 is formed on the upper part of the rear wall surface 51d of the partition 50, and a claw portion 62 is formed on its upper part. Claw portions 63 and 64 are formed on the upper right and upper left sides of the partition 50. Figure 3 as well as Figure 4 As shown, claws 61-64 engage with the upper housing 10. The manufacturing and assembly method of the battery pack 1 in this embodiment is the same as that of conventional battery packs. The assembly of the battery cells 41a-41j, the circuit board 70, and the wired separator 50 is placed inside the lower housing 2, with the upper housing 10 aligned with the upper side of the separator 50. Then, the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are joined using four screws (not shown). During this assembly process, claws 61-64 engage with the recesses 29a-29d of the upper housing 10. Alternatively, the lower housing 2 can be joined (screwed in place) after the assembly of the upper housing 10 and the separator 50 is in a connected state.

[0141] When disassembling the battery pack 1, the partition 50 can be easily separated from the lower housing 2 by removing the four screws (not shown) that secure the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2. However, since the claws 61-64 are engaged with the upper housing 10, the partition 50 remains connected to the upper housing 10. Therefore, the positional relationship between the slots 21-28 of the upper housing 10 and the terminal groups (31, 32, 34-38, 39a, 39b) does not change. In this way, the positional relationship between the upper housing 10 and the body-side terminal group fixed to the circuit board 70 will not deviate. Even if the battery pack 1 housing is damaged due to the electric motor body 201 being dropped from a height, the relative positional relationship between the body-side terminals on the electric motor body 201 side and the terminal group on the battery pack 1 side is unlikely to deviate. Therefore, the risk of poor electrical contact between terminals due to terminal deformation or other reasons can be greatly reduced.

[0142] The bottom wall 51b of the separator 50 has an arc-shaped outer surface only near the left and right ends of the cylindrical battery cells 41a-41j (not shown), but no wall surface is formed near the center on the left and right sides. This is based on reasons for lightweighting or the forming of the separator 50.

[0143] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the battery pack 1 with the upper casing 10 removed. Figure 6 (A) is a 3D diagram. Figure 6(B) is the right-side view. The circuit board 70 is made of a material called a printed circuit board, and can be a single-layer board, a double-sided board, or a multi-layer board. The printed circuit board is a substrate impregnated with a resin that is insulating to the raw materials, on which patterns and wirings are printed using conductive materials such as copper foil. In this embodiment, a multi-layer board is used, and on the upper layer (the surface and from) of the circuit board 70... Figure 4 The top surface (as seen) forms a wiring pattern with the bottom surface. Illustrations of the large-scale integrated circuits (LSI), ICs, other mounted electronic components, and circuit patterns mounted on the circuit board 70 are omitted.

[0144] On the portion of the circuit board 70 slightly forward of the center in the front-rear direction, a plurality of connecting terminals (31, 32, 34-38) are fixedly arranged laterally. Each connecting terminal is made of metal and uses a stamping process to form two sets of horizontally extending arms, one set on the upper left and one set on the lower left and one set on the lower right. Each connecting terminal has a foot extending from the upper surface (surface) of the circuit board 70 to the back surface (lower surface). Multiple mounting holes are formed in the circuit board 70 to allow each foot to extend from the surface to the back surface, and the feet are then soldered to the back surface (lower surface) of the circuit board 70. The soldering extends to the wiring pattern of the conductors on the back surface of the circuit board 70. Therefore, through soldering, the connecting terminals (31, 32, 34-38) are fixed to the circuit board 70 and electrically connected to the wiring pattern. Furthermore, in this invention, as long as the connecting terminals (31, 32, 34-38) are fixed through the circuit board 70, and in the case of... Figure 6 When the upper housing 10 is disassembled as in (A), the connecting terminals (31, 32, 34 to 38) are located on the side of the circuit board 70. The connection method between the connecting terminals (31, 32, 34 to 38) and the circuit board 70 is arbitrary, and other known connecting terminal shapes or fixing methods to the circuit board 70 can also be selected.

[0145] Three signal terminals (T terminal 34, V terminal 35, LS terminal 36) are provided between the positive terminal 32 and the negative terminal 37. Furthermore, an LD terminal 38 is provided to the left of the negative terminal 37, and a charging positive terminal 31 is provided to the right of the positive terminal 32. As described above, electronic components (not shown) are mounted on the circuit board 70. After multiple connection terminals are fixed by soldering, a board cover 78 is provided around the connection terminals (31, 32, 34-38). The surface of the circuit board 70 is then treated with a resin (not shown) for dust and water protection. Finally, the circuit board 70 is fixed to the partition 50 by two screws 79a and 79b.

[0146] Claws 61-64 are formed at four locations near the upper outer periphery of the partition 50 (64 is not visible in the figure). According to... Figure 6 As can be seen from the right-side view of (B), the upper ends of the claw portions 61 to 64 are positioned above the opening (partition surface) of the lower housing 2 and below the circuit board 70. The claw portion 62 is disposed between the two screw holes 4c and 4d. Therefore, even if the connection between the upper housing 10 and the rear portion of the lower housing 2 via the screw holes 4c and 4d is terminated for some reason, the rear wall surface 51d of the partition 50 can maintain its connection with the upper housing 10 via the claw portion 62. Similarly, the claw portion 61 is provided in the two screw holes 4a and 4b (4b refers to...). Figure 7 Therefore, even if the connection between the upper housing 10 and the front part of the lower housing 2, made through screw holes 4a and 4b, is released, the front wall surface 51c of the partition 50 can maintain its connection with the upper housing 10 through the claw 61. Figure 6 As shown in (B), the battery cells 41a to 41j are electrically connected to the circuit board 70 by welding through connecting parts 75b and 76a that include wires or metal plates, screws 79a and 79b, etc.

[0147] Figure 7This is a top view of the battery pack 1 with the upper housing 10 removed. Here, the claws 63 and 64, located on the left and right sides of the separator 50, are respectively positioned on both sides of the multiple battery-side terminals (31, 32, 34 to 38) in a parallel direction, and their length in the front-back direction is Lf. The position occupied by this length Lf is partially overlapping with the position occupied by the length Lt occupied by the connecting terminals (31, 32, 34 to 38) in the front-back direction. That is, by arranging the claws 63 and 64 near the connecting terminals 31 and 38, the following effect is achieved: even if the upper housing 10 and the side portion of the lower housing 2 are separated due to some reason via the screw holes 4a to 4d, the connection between the separator 50 and the upper housing 10 can be maintained near the connecting terminals (31, 32, 34 to 38). Furthermore, it is not necessary in this invention for the claws 63 and 64 to partially or completely overlap with the length Lt when viewed in the front-back direction, as long as the range of length Lt and the range of length Lf can be positioned sufficiently close. Furthermore, multiple claws 63 and 64 may be provided on the right and left sides of the partition 50, and may be sufficiently long in the front-back direction (e.g., longer than length Lt in the front-back direction). Furthermore, the shape of the claws 63 and 64 is arbitrary, as long as they allow the partition 50 and the upper housing 10 to engage when the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are screwed together. Furthermore, the claws 61-64 and the recesses 29a-29d may be reversed by forming the claws on the inner side of the upper housing 10 and the recesses on the partition 50 side. Additionally, the portion on the inner wall of the lower housing 2 is the left and right side portion (see reference). Figure 3 Furthermore, at opposite positions, protruding ribs 5a-5e (5b not shown) and 6a-6e (6b not shown) are formed to hold the battery cells 41a-41e in a manner that prevents them from wobbling in the left-right direction. Each protruding rib is a plurality of plate-like pieces extending in the vertical (up-down) direction and is integrally formed with the lower housing 2.

[0148] Example 2

[0149] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view showing the battery pack 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 (A) is a vertical cross-sectional view through the left and right centers of the battery pack. The difference from the battery pack 1 of the first embodiment is that, as claws provided on the separator 50A, claws (first connecting portions) 161 and 162 are formed that engage with the upper housing 10, and claws (second connecting portions) 165 and 166 that engage with the lower housing 2A. Including the presence of recesses 29a and 29b, the upper housing 10 is... Figure 3 The same parts as those in the first embodiment shown. On the other hand, in the lower housing 2A, recesses 7a and 7b are newly formed to engage with claw portions 165 and 166.

[0150] Figure 8 (B) is Figure 8 An enlarged view of part F of (A). For comparison... Figure 8 (B) and Figure 3 As can be seen from (B), the claw portions 165 and 166 newly added to the partition 50A are protrusions extending forward or backward from a portion of the positioning plates 54 and 55, that is, Figure 3 The partition 50 shown maintains its basic shape, with only additional protruding portions (claw portions 165, 166). An inclined surface 166a is formed on the lower side of the claw portion 166, and a horizontal upper surface 166b is formed on the upper side. Similarly, an inclined surface 165a is formed on the lower side of the front claw portion 165, and a horizontal upper surface 165b is formed on the upper side. Thus, the inclined surfaces 161a, 162a of the claw portions 161, 162 that engage with the upper housing 10 and the inclined surfaces 165a, 166a of the claw portions 165, 166 that engage with the lower housing 2A become opposite in direction; in other words, they are symmetrical with respect to the dividing surface. Therefore, by using the same assembly method as before, with the partition 50A sandwiched between the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2A, the partition 50A can be connected (locked) to the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2A by the action of the inclined surfaces of the claw portions 161, 162, 165, 166. In this state, the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2A are secured by four screws (not shown), thus providing better resistance to vibration or drops compared to conventional battery packs. Furthermore, although... Figure 8 Not visible in the image, but on the upper right and upper left sides of the partition 50A, the claws 63 and 64 (see reference) Figure 5 The portion of the upper housing 10 also has claws that engage with the upper housing 10 and claws that engage with the lower housing 2A. Alternatively, the left and right sides may only have claws 63 and 64 that engage with the upper housing 10. Furthermore, in... Figure 8 In one embodiment, the claws (161-164) that engage with the upper housing 10 and the claws (165, 166, etc.) that engage with the lower housing 2A are respectively formed at the same position in the horizontal direction, but they do not need to be at the same position. The claws can also be arranged at positions that are staggered from each other in the horizontal direction.

[0151] In the battery pack 1 of the first embodiment and the battery pack 1A of the second embodiment, since the track mechanism (guide portion) and the slot portion 20 that guide the installation toward the electric motor body 201 are located on the upper housing 10 side, it is important to fix the upper housing 10 and the partitions 50 and 50A by means of claw portions and recesses. However, in the case of a battery pack where it is sufficient for the partitions 50A and the lower housing 2A to engage for some reason, the claw portions 161 and 162 that engage with the upper housing side may be omitted, and only the claw portions 165 to 168 that engage with the lower housing side may be formed.

[0152] Here, use Figure 9 To illustrate the upper shell (first shell) 10. Figure 9 This is a perspective view of the upper housing 10 of the battery pack 1 of the first embodiment and the battery pack 1A of the second embodiment, viewed from below. Four screw bosses 14a-14d are formed on the front side wall of the upper housing 10 for screwing into the lower housing 2 (or 2A). Female threads (not visible in the figure) are formed on the inner side of the screw bosses 14a-14d. On the left and right sides of the inner wall of the upper housing 10 (the left side is not visible in the figure), to restrict the battery cells 41a-41e located on the upper side (see reference...). Figure 3 The upper shell 10 moves within the space defined by the lower shell 2, forming multiple protruding ribs (protrusions) 30a-30e that project inward from the inner wall of the upper shell 10. Ribs 30a, 30b, and 30e are multiple plate-like pieces extending vertically and horizontally, with three pieces formed in each case. Ribs 30c and 30d are individual plate-like pieces. Ribs 30a-30e are integrally formed with the upper shell 10B. These ribs 30a-30e are respectively positioned vertically and horizontally... Figure 7 The convex ribs shown are arranged in a continuous manner from 5a to 5e and from 6a to 6e.

[0153] The upper part of the three plate-like plates of the rib 30b forms a cut that is concave to the right from the left and right center lines. The outline of the cut becomes Figure 4 The recess 29c described in the text. Although in Figure 9 Although not visible in the image, the same recess 29d is also formed on the inner left side of the upper housing 10. By partially changing the shape of the existing parts (ribs 30b) in this way, the existing function (preventing the battery cells from shaking) can be maintained, and the connected parts (recesses 29c and 29d) can be formed on the side of the upper housing 10.

[0154] A locking mechanism is provided in the upper housing 10. The locking mechanism includes: locking buttons 16a and 16b; locking portions (locking claws) 17a and 17b integrally formed with the locking buttons 16a and 16b; spring members (not shown in the figure) that apply force to the locking buttons 16a and 16b from the left and right centers outward; and a locking plate 91 for holding the locking buttons 16a and 16b and the spring in the upper housing 10B. The upper sliding surfaces of the locking buttons 16a and 16b are held by ribs (not shown in the figure) formed on the inner wall of the upper housing 10B, and their lower sliding surfaces are held by ribs (not shown in the figure) formed on the upper surface of the locking plate 91. The locking plate 91 is fixed to the upper housing 10 by screws 92. In addition, the locking plate 91 is also fixed to the upper housing 10 by screws 92 on the side of the locking buttons 16b.

[0155] Example 3

[0156] Next, use Figure 10 The third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the third embodiment, Figure 9 The locking plate 91, which forms the lower sliding surface, is integrally formed with the partition plate 50B. This structure eliminates the need for the locking plate 91 and the screws 92 used to fix the locking plate 91 to the upper housing 10, thus reducing assembly costs. The partition plate 50B has claw portions 61-64 and recesses 29a and 29b formed in the upper housing 10B (see reference). Figure 3 ) and recesses 29c and 29d (refer to Figure 4 ) engage. Therefore, as long as the partition 50B can also function as the locking plate 91, the locking plate 91 can be omitted, and the screwing operation of the locking plate 91 using screws 92 during assembly can also be omitted. By using the partition 50B of the third embodiment ( Figure 10 (described later), the partition 50B is connected (fastened) to the upper housing 10B, thereby holding the locking mechanism between the upper housing 10B and the partition 50B, eliminating the need for the locking plate 91 and the screw 92.

[0157] Figure 10 (A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the battery pack 1B of the third embodiment (equivalent to...). Figure 2 A cross-section of the CC section. Figure 10 (B) is a top view of battery pack 1B with the upper casing 10B removed. Figure 5 The difference between the partition 50 of the first embodiment shown is that, in the partition 50B of the third embodiment, locking retaining portions 155 and 156 are formed below the locking buttons 16a (not shown in the figure) and 16b. The locking retaining portions 155 and 156 are cuboid in shape, and their upper surfaces become the lower sliding surfaces of the locking buttons 16a and 16b. By adding this to the partition 50... Figure 9 The function of the locking plate 91 shown is to reduce manufacturing time. To provide the locking retaining parts 155 and 156, as... Figure 10 As shown in (B), a portion of the circuit board 70A is cut into rectangular slits 71a and 71b, and latching portions 155 and 156 extend upward from the slits 71a and 71b. On the other hand, even with latching portions 155 and 156, the claw portions 61 to 64 can be configured similarly to those in the first embodiment. Furthermore, in the battery pack of the third embodiment, by connecting the assembly of the separator 50 to the upper housing 10B, the claw portions 61 to 64 and the recesses 29a to 29d (see reference) are connected. Figure 3 , Figure 4 After the upper housing 10B is fastened (fitted), it can be connected to the lower housing 2.

[0158] The present invention has been described above based on embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described, and various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit. For example, in the first and second embodiments, the partition 50 is held to the upper housing 10 by using claw portions 61-64 and 161-166 formed on the partition 50. However, even if configured as follows, the same effect as the present invention can be obtained, that is, a plurality of fastening holes (connecting portions) are formed in the partition 50, and corresponding screw bosses (connected portions) for screw insertion are formed in the upper housing 10. After the partition 50 is screwed to the upper housing 10 using a plurality of screws as fastening members passing through the fastening holes, the upper housing 10 and the lower housing 2 are connected. At this time, the screwing can also be performed through the circuit board 70, but if the screwing is performed in a way that avoids the circuit board 70, the component placement area of ​​the circuit board 70 can also be ensured.

Claims

1. A battery pack comprising: a first case having a slot portion exposing a battery-side terminal portion and a guide portion guiding attachment to a motor machine body; a second case defining a space housing a battery cell by engaging with the first case; a separator holding the battery cell; a circuit board fixed to a side of the separator facing the first case; and the battery-side terminal portion fixed to a position of the circuit board corresponding to the slot portion, configured to be connectable with a body-side terminal of the motor machine body, characterized in that the separator has a connecting portion provided at a portion facing the first case and surrounding the circuit board when viewed from above, and the first case has a connected portion connected to the connecting portion at a portion corresponding to the connecting portion.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting portion is a claw portion formed in the separator, the connected portion is a recess portion formed in the first case, and the separator is held on the first case side by a latching state of the claw portion and the recess portion when the first case and the second case are separated from the engaged state.

3. The battery pack according to claim 2, characterized in that the claw portion and the recess portion are maintained in a contact state or a non-contact state when the first case and the second case are engaged.

4. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a plurality of screw holes are provided on one side of the first case and the second case, a plurality of female threads corresponding to the screw holes are provided on the other side of the first case and the second case, the first case and the second case are screwed by a plurality of screws in a state where the separator is housed in the first case and the second case, the long side direction of the screws is oriented in the same direction as the direction of engagement, and the extension direction of the connecting portion is formed in a direction orthogonal to the direction of engagement.

5. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the battery-side terminal portion has a plurality of terminals arranged in a side-by-side manner on the circuit board, and the connecting portion has first connecting portions provided at portions on both sides in a side-by-side direction of the plurality of terminals, respectively.

6. The battery pack according to claim 5, characterized in that the battery cell is cylindrical and is supported by the separator so as to extend in the side-by-side direction of the plurality of terminals, and the connecting portion has second connecting portions provided at positions near the center in the side-by-side direction and the end portions in a front-rear direction of the separator.

7. The battery pack according to claim 6, characterized in that the second connecting portions are provided on both sides of the separator in the front-rear direction.

8. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first case has a protruding portion protruding inward from an inner wall of the first case to restrict movement of the battery cell within the space, and the connected portion is provided at the protruding portion. including: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 9. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by ​ A lock mechanism is provided in the first housing to attach and detach the motor body, The lock mechanism is positioned between the partition and the first housing in a state in which the connection portion and the connected portion are held.

10. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The connection portion has a hole portion provided in the partition, and a fastening member provided independently of the partition and penetrating the hole portion, The connected portion has a fastening hole into which the fastening member is inserted.

11. The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The partition has a second connection portion engaged to the second housing, The second housing has a second connected portion connected to the second connection portion.

12. The battery pack according to claim 11, wherein The second connection portion is a claw provided integrally in the partition, The second connected portion is a recess provided in the second housing.

13. An electric machine characterized by including: The battery pack according to any one of claims 1 to 12; and The motor body has a battery pack mounting portion on which the battery pack is mounted, and a body-side terminal portion provided in the battery pack mounting portion and connected to the battery-side terminal portion.

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