Battery pack housing

Abstract

A battery pack case is provided. The battery pack case has: a battery cell housing portion made of metal, which is capable of housing battery cells, which are overlapped in a first direction and compressed in the first direction, from a second direction side orthogonal to the first direction, and is capable of supporting a restoring force of the battery cells; and a flow path forming portion made of resin, which is provided integrally with the battery cell housing portion, is disposed on the other second direction side of the battery cells, and constitutes a part of a cooling air flow path portion through which cooling air for the battery cells flows.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to battery pack housings. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-129474 discloses an invention related to a battery casing. In this casing, the resilience of a battery stack composed of multiple stacked battery cells is supported by a sidewall portion that is configured as a sandwich plate.

[0003] Furthermore, since the battery cells generate heat during charging and discharging, it is preferable to provide a cooling airflow path in the casing to cool the battery cells.

[0004] However, in the aforementioned prior art, there is no flow path for cooling air to cool the battery cells, so there is room for improvement from the perspective of battery cell cooling. While it is possible to shape the casing to ensure a flow path for the cooling air by making it a cast material, this structure would increase the weight of the casing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention takes into account the above facts and aims to obtain a battery pack housing that can hold the battery cells in a stable state and ensure the flow path of cooling air for the battery cells, thereby suppressing the increase in weight.

[0006] The battery pack housing according to the first aspect of the present invention includes: a metal battery cell housing portion capable of housing multiple battery cells overlapping in a first direction in a compressed state from a side of a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and capable of supporting the restorative force of the battery cells; and a resin flow path forming portion integrally provided with the battery cell housing portion, disposed on the other side of the battery cells in the second direction, and constituting part of a cooling air flow path portion for cooling air to flow through the battery cells.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a metal battery cell housing is provided, in which multiple battery cells overlapping in a first direction are housed from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in a compressed state in the first direction. Furthermore, the restoring force of the battery cells is supported by the battery cell housing.

[0008] Furthermore, since the battery cells generate heat during charging and discharging, it is preferable to have a cooling airflow path for cooling the battery cells. However, if the entire cooling airflow path is to be provided in the battery cell housing while the housing is made of metal, the structure of the battery cell housing becomes complicated, requiring the use of castings to construct the battery cell housing. However, in such a structure, the weight of the battery pack casing is expected to increase.

[0009] In this invention, a resin flow path forming part is integrally provided with the battery cell housing part. This flow path forming part is disposed on the other side of the battery cell in the second direction and constitutes part of the cooling air flow path part for the cooling air to flow through the battery cell.

[0010] Therefore, in this invention, by utilizing a resin-made flow path forming part to form a complex-shaped portion in the cooling air flow path, it is possible to ensure the flow path of the cooling air for cooling the battery cell and suppress the structural complexity of the battery cell housing.

[0011] The battery pack housing according to the second aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, comprises the battery cell housing as follows: a first component comprising a pair of first sidewall portions extending in the first direction and capable of supporting the battery cell in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions, and a support wall portion supporting the battery cell from the other side of the second direction; and a pair of second components comprising a second sidewall portion capable of supporting the battery cell in the first direction, and a pair of third sidewall portions continuously disposed with and engaged with the first sidewall portion on one and the other side of the second sidewall portion in the third direction.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the battery cell receiving portion includes a first sidewall portion extending in a first direction and capable of supporting the battery cell in a third direction, a support wall portion supporting the battery cell from the other side in a second direction, and a second sidewall portion capable of supporting the battery cell in the first direction.

[0013] Furthermore, in the battery cell housing configured as described above, the restoring force of the battery cell mainly acts on the second side wall portion, so it is preferable to ensure the tensile strength and rigidity of the second side wall portion in response to the restoring force.

[0014] On the other hand, the restoring force of the battery cell does not act directly on the first side wall and the supporting wall. Therefore, actively ensuring the tensile strength and rigidity of the first side wall and the supporting wall in response to the restoring force would be an excessive quality.

[0015] However, for example, in cases where the battery cell housing is constructed using a casting including a first side wall, a support wall, and a second side wall, it is difficult to ensure the tensile strength and rigidity of only the second side wall.

[0016] In this invention, the battery cell housing is configured to include a first component and a pair of second components. Furthermore, the first component is configured to include a pair of first sidewall portions and a support wall portion.

[0017] On the other hand, the second component is configured to include a second sidewall portion and a pair of third sidewall portions that are continuously disposed on one and the other side of the second sidewall portion in a third direction and are joined to the first sidewall portion. Therefore, by using only the second component to construct it with a material with high tensile strength and thick plate thickness, the tensile strength and rigidity of the battery cell housing portion in terms of the recovery force of the battery cell can be ensured.

[0018] The battery pack housing according to the third aspect of the present invention, based on the second aspect, has a main flow path integrally provided with the support wall on the other side of the support wall in the second direction. The main flow path constitutes part of the cooling airflow path and extends in the first direction and is capable of supplying cooling air to the battery cell. The flow path forming part is configured to include: an end forming part integrally provided with a portion of the first component on one side of the first direction and the second component on the first side of the first direction and constitutes the end of the cooling airflow path; and an air outlet part integrally provided with a portion of the first component on the other side of the first direction and the second component on the other side of the first direction and is capable of connecting to an air outlet part capable of supplying cooling air to the cooling airflow path.

[0019] According to a third aspect of the invention, on the other side of the support wall portion in the second direction of the first component, a main flow path portion constituting part of a cooling airflow path portion is integrally provided with the support wall portion, and the main flow path portion extends in the first direction. Therefore, cooling air flows in the main flow path portion in the first direction, and cooling air is supplied to the battery cell from the main flow path portion.

[0020] Furthermore, since the battery cell housing is made of metal, it is preferable to simplify the shape of the first and second components constituting the battery cell housing in order to form them using stamping or other processes.

[0021] On the other hand, in the cooling airflow path section, it is necessary to provide a portion constituting the end of the cooling airflow path section and a portion connected to the air supply section that supplies cooling air to the cooling airflow path section. However, if these are provided in the first component and the second component, the shape of these components will become complicated, making it difficult to form these components using stamping.

[0022] In this invention, the resin-made flow path forming portion is configured to include an end portion constituting the end of the cooling air flow path portion and an air outlet portion capable of being connected to the air supply portion. Furthermore, the end portion is integrally formed with a portion of the first component on one side in the first direction and with a second component on the same side. Conversely, the air outlet portion is integrally formed with a portion of the first component on the other side in the first direction and with a second component on the same side.

[0023] Therefore, in the present invention, in the cooling airflow path section, the part whose structure is easy to become complicated can be constructed by using a resin-made flow path forming part. As a result, the shapes of the first part and the second part can be simplified into shapes that can be formed by stamping or the like.

[0024] The battery pack housing according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, based on the second or third aspect, wherein the battery cell housing portions are arranged in a plurality of interconnected configurations in the third direction, and further comprises: a first metal connecting member for connecting the second sidewall portions on one side of the first direction to each other; and a second metal connecting member for connecting the second sidewall portions on the other side of the first direction to each other.

[0025] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, multiple battery cell receiving portions are connected together in the third direction, thereby increasing the volume capable of accommodating battery cells. Furthermore, in the battery cell receiving portions connected together in the third direction, the second sidewall portions on one side of the first direction are connected to each other using a first metal connecting member, and the second sidewall portions on the other side of the first direction are connected to each other using a second metal connecting member. Therefore, in the present invention, the second sidewall portions on one side of the first direction can be reinforced using the first connecting member, and the second sidewall portions on the other side of the first direction can be reinforced using the second connecting member.

[0026] The battery pack housing according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, based on the fourth aspect, has ribs extending in the third direction and protruding to the side opposite to the battery cell in the second side wall portion, the first connecting structural member, and the second connecting structural member, respectively.

[0027] According to a fifth aspect of the invention, ribs are provided on the second sidewall of the second component, the first connecting structural member, and the second connecting structural member. These ribs extend in the third direction and protrude toward the side opposite to the battery cell. Therefore, in the present invention, rigidity for the recovery force against the battery cell can be ensured in each of the second sidewall, the first connecting structural member, and the second connecting structural member.

[0028] As described above, the battery pack housing according to the first aspect of the present invention has the following excellent effects: it can maintain the battery cell in a stable state and ensure the flow path of the cooling air of the battery cell, thereby suppressing the increase in weight.

[0029] The battery pack housing according to the second aspect of the present invention has the following excellent effects: it can ensure tensile strength and rigidity for the recovery force of the battery cell and suppress excess quality.

[0030] The battery pack housing according to the third aspect of the present invention has the excellent effect of improving manufacturing efficiency.

[0031] The battery pack housing according to the fourth aspect of the present invention has the excellent effect of helping to ensure power capacity and enhancing the resilience of the battery cells.

[0032] The battery pack housing according to the fifth aspect of the present invention has the excellent effect of improving rigidity for the recovery force of the battery cells. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Based on the following figures, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail, wherein:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a top view schematically showing the structure of the battery pack housing according to this embodiment;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic side view showing the structure of the battery pack housing according to this embodiment. Figure 1 (2-direction view);

[0036] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the metal portion constituting the battery pack housing according to this embodiment;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a top view showing the structure of the metal portion constituting the battery pack housing according to this embodiment;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the metal portion constituting the battery pack housing according to this embodiment (showing along...). Figure 4 (Cross-sectional view of the state of the section cut by line 5-5);

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic rear view showing the structure of the metal portion constituting the battery pack housing according to this embodiment. Figure 4 (6-directional views);

[0040] Figure 7 This is a partial cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the structure of the battery pack housing according to this embodiment (showing along...). Figure 1 (Cross-sectional view of the state of the section cut along line 7-7);

[0041] Figure 8 This is a partial cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the structure of the battery pack housing according to this embodiment (showing along...). Figure 1 (A sectional view showing the state of being cut along line 8-8);

[0042] Figure 9This is a top view schematically showing the structure of the resin portion constituting the battery pack housing according to this embodiment; and

[0043] Figure 10 This is a rear view showing the structure of the battery pack housing according to this embodiment. Figure 1 (10-direction view). Detailed Implementation

[0044] The following uses Figures 1-10 An example of an embodiment of the battery pack housing according to the present invention will be described. The "battery pack housing 10" according to this embodiment constitutes the outer shell of a battery pack 12 mounted in a vehicle (not shown) such as a hybrid vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, or an electric vehicle, and holds a plurality of "battery cells 14" as described later.

[0045] In addition, in each figure, arrow FR indicates the front side of the battery pack 12 in the front-rear direction, arrow UP indicates the upper side of the battery pack 12 in the height direction, and arrow LH indicates the left side of the battery pack 12 in the left-right direction.

[0046] In addition, unless otherwise specified, the front side of the battery pack 12 in the front-to-back direction is referred to as the first direction side, the upper side of the battery pack 12 in the height direction is referred to as the second direction side, and the left side of the battery pack 12 in the left-to-right direction is referred to as the third direction side.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the battery pack housing 10 is configured to be linearly symmetrical with respect to the centerline CL extending in the first direction when viewed from the second direction. The battery pack housing 10 is configured to include a metal "battery cell housing 16" and "battery cell housing 18", a "connecting member 20" as a first connecting member, a "connecting member 22" as a second connecting member, and a resin "flow path forming part 24".

[0048] like Figures 3-5 As shown, the battery cell housing 16 is configured to include a "body portion 26" as a first component and a "tail portion 28" as a pair of second components.

[0049] In detail, as an example, the body portion 26 is formed by stamping a steel plate with a tensile strength of 270 MPa and a thickness of 0.6 mm, and is configured to include a lower wall portion 26A, a "side wall portion 26B" as a first side wall portion, and a "side wall portion 26C" as a first side wall portion. The lower wall portion 26A extends in the first direction, and its portion on one side in the third direction and the portion on the other side are constructed using a "support wall portion 26A1" with the second direction as the thickness direction, and the battery unit 14 is supported from the other side in the second direction by the support wall portion 26A1.

[0050] On the other hand, in the portion of the lower wall portion 26A at the center in the third direction, an integral part of the support wall portion 26A1 is provided with a "main flow path portion 26A2" that forms part of a "cooling airflow path portion 30" for supplying cooling air to the battery unit 14. This main flow path portion 26A2 is disposed on the other side of the support wall portion 26A1 in the second direction, and when viewed from the second direction, it is rectangular in shape extending in the first direction, and when viewed from the first direction, it is U-shaped with one side open in the second direction.

[0051] Furthermore, the main flow path 26A2 is not provided at the end of the support wall portion 26A1 on the first direction side and the end of the support wall portion 26A1 on the other side of the first direction. When viewed from the second direction, the peripheral portion on the first direction side and the central portion of the peripheral portion on the other side of the first direction of the lower wall portion 26A are in a rectangular recessed state on the central portion side of the lower wall portion 26A.

[0052] The side wall portion 26B is a plate-shaped portion that extends from the peripheral portion of the lower wall portion 26A in the third direction towards the second direction, with the third direction as the plate thickness direction. The flange portion 26D extends from the peripheral portion of the side wall portion 26B in the second direction towards the third direction.

[0053] On the other hand, the sidewall portion 26C is generally plate-shaped, extending from the periphery of the lower wall portion 26A in the third direction toward the second direction, with the third direction being the plate thickness direction. Furthermore, on the second-direction side of the sidewall portion 26C, a bulge 26C1 extending toward the third direction is provided in the portion other than the end on the first direction side and the end on the other side of the first direction. In addition, the sidewall portions 26B and 26C support the battery unit 14 in the third direction.

[0054] The terminal portion 28 is disposed on one end of the main body portion 26 in the first direction and on the other end in the first direction. As an example, the terminal portion 28 is formed by stamping a steel plate with a tensile strength of 980 [MPa] and a thickness of 1.6 [mm], and is configured to include a "main wall portion 28A" as a second side wall portion and a pair of "side wall portions 28B" as third side wall portions.

[0055] The main wall portion 28A is a rectangular plate extending in a third direction with the thickness direction as the first direction, and in the center of its second direction, it is also like... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, a "rib 28C" is provided. This rib 28C extends in the third direction and protrudes from the main wall portion 28A toward the side opposite to the center of the lower wall portion 26A, that is, the side opposite to the battery cell 14. The cross-sectional shape viewed from the third direction is an arc shape. Furthermore, the main wall portion 28A supports the battery cell 14 in the first direction using the surface opposite to the rib 28C.

[0056] On the other hand, the side wall portion 28B is a plate-shaped portion extending from the peripheral portion on one side of the main wall portion 28A in the third direction and the peripheral portion on the other side of the third direction to the central portion of the lower wall portion 26A, with the thickness direction set as the third direction. In other words, the end portion 28 is a U-shaped portion that is open to the central portion of the lower wall portion 26A when viewed from the second direction.

[0057] Furthermore, when viewed from the third direction, the side wall portion 28B is a trapezoidal shape that narrows as it moves toward the central portion of the lower wall portion 26A, and is joined to one of the side wall portions 26B and 26C via a joint (not shown) based on spot welding or the like, in a state of abutting against the central portion of the lower wall portion 26A in the third direction.

[0058] On the other hand, the battery cell housing 18 is configured to include a "body portion 32" as a first component and a "terminal portion 34" as a pair of second components, and is disposed on the third direction side of the battery cell housing 16 connected to the battery cell housing 16.

[0059] Specifically, as an example, the body portion 32 is formed by stamping a steel plate with a tensile strength of 270 MPa and a thickness of 0.6 mm. The body portion 32 is configured to include a lower wall portion 32A with the same structure as the lower wall portion 26A, a "side wall portion 32B" with the same structure as the side wall portion 26B as a first side wall portion, and a "side wall portion 32C" with the same structure as the side wall portion 26C as a first side wall portion.

[0060] Furthermore, the lower wall portion 32A is configured to include a “support wall portion 32A1” that supports the battery unit 14 from the other side in the second direction, and a “main flow path portion 32A2” that forms part of a “cooling air flow path portion 33” for supplying cooling air to the battery unit 14.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sidewall portion 32B constitutes a portion on the other side of the body portion 32 in the third direction, and the sidewall portion 32C constitutes a portion on one side of the body portion 32 in the third direction. Also, the flange portion 32D extends from the peripheral portion on the second side of the sidewall portion 32B toward the other side in the third direction.

[0062] On the other hand, the sidewall portion 32C constitutes a portion of the body portion 32 on one side in the third direction and is adjacent to the sidewall portion 26C. Its protrusion 32C1 and protrusion 26C1 are joined in an abutting state via a joint (not shown) based on spot welding or the like. Furthermore, in Figure 4 and Figure 5 In order to make it easier to understand the structure of the bulge 26C1 and the bulge 32C1, the bulge 26C1 and the bulge 32C1 are shown separately in the illustration.

[0063] The terminal portion 34 is disposed on one end of the main body portion 32 in the first direction and on the other end in the first direction. As an example, the terminal portion 34 is formed by stamping a steel plate with a tensile strength of 980 MPa and a thickness of 1.6 mm. Furthermore, the terminal portion 34 includes a "main wall portion 34A" as a second side wall portion and a "side wall portion 34B" as a pair of third side wall portions, and has the same structure as the terminal portion 28.

[0064] The main wall portion 34A has the same structure as the main wall portion 28A, and a "rib portion 34C" is provided on the main wall portion 34A. Furthermore, the main wall portion 34A supports the battery cell 14 in the first direction using the side opposite to the rib portion 34C.

[0065] On the other hand, the side wall portion 34B has the same structure as the side wall portion 28B, extending from the peripheral portion on one side of the main wall portion 34A in the third direction and the peripheral portion on the other side of the third direction to the central portion of the lower wall portion 26A, with the plate thickness direction set as the third direction. Furthermore, the side wall portion 34B is joined to one of the side wall portions 32B and 32C via a joint portion (not shown) based on spot welding or the like, in a state of abutting against the central side of the lower wall portion 32A in the third direction.

[0066] As an example, the connecting structural member 20 is formed by stamping a steel plate with a tensile strength of 780 MPa and a thickness of 2.0 mm. Figure 3 and Figure 8 As shown, it is disposed on one side of the battery cell housing 16 and the battery cell housing 18 in the first direction.

[0067] In detail, the connecting member 20 is configured to include a main wall portion 20A, an upper flange portion 20B, a lower flange portion 20C, and an extended wall portion 20E. The main wall portion 20A is a rectangular plate-shaped portion extending in a third direction with the plate thickness direction set as the first direction. It is joined to the main wall portion 28A of the end portion 28 on the first direction side and the main wall portion 34A of the end portion 34 on the first direction side via a joint portion (not shown) based on spot welding or the like. In other words, the connecting member 20 connects the main wall portion 28A and the main wall portion 34A in the third direction on the first direction side.

[0068] Furthermore, a "rib 20D" is provided at the center of the main wall portion 20A in the second direction. This rib 20D extends in the third direction and protrudes from the main wall portion 20A toward the side opposite to the battery cell housing portion 16 and the battery cell housing portion 18, that is, the side opposite to the battery cell 14, and its cross-sectional shape when viewed from the third direction is arc-shaped. In addition, the rib 20D is positioned at a position that overlaps with the rib 28C of the battery cell housing portion 16 and the rib 34C of the battery cell housing portion 18 when viewed from the first direction, and is arranged at intervals relative to them in the first direction.

[0069] The upper flange portion 20B extends from the periphery of the main wall portion 20A in the second direction to the first direction, and becomes a plate-shaped portion that extends in the third direction with the thickness direction set as the second direction.

[0070] On the other hand, the lower flange portion 20C extends from the peripheral portion on the other side of the main wall portion 20A in the second direction toward the first direction, and becomes a plate-shaped portion extending in the third direction with the thickness direction set as the second direction. In addition, at the end of the lower flange portion 20C on the third direction side and the end of the lower flange portion 20C on the other side of the third direction, respectively, there are protruding wall portions 20E extending from the peripheral portion on the first direction side of the lower flange portion 20C toward the other side of the second direction.

[0071] In addition, the connecting member 20 is connected to an electronic device unit (not shown) that includes multiple electronic devices, to which power is supplied from the battery unit 14.

[0072] On the other hand, as an example, the connecting structural member 22 is formed by stamping a steel plate with a tensile strength of 780 [MPa] and a thickness of 2.0 [mm], such as... Figure 3 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, it is disposed on the other side of the first direction of the battery cell housing 16 and the battery cell housing 18.

[0073] In detail, the connecting member 22 is configured to include a main wall portion 22A, an upper flange portion 22B, and a lower flange portion 22C. The main wall portion 22A is a rectangular plate-shaped portion extending in a third direction with the plate thickness direction set as a first direction. It is joined to the main wall portion 28A of the end portion 28 on the other side of the first direction and the main wall portion 34A of the end portion 34 on the other side of the first direction via a joint portion (not shown) based on spot welding or the like. In other words, the connecting member 22 connects the main wall portion 28A and the main wall portion 34A in the third direction on the other side of the first direction.

[0074] Furthermore, a "rib 22D" is provided at the center of the main wall portion 22A in the second direction. This rib 22D extends in the third direction and protrudes from the main wall portion 22A toward the side opposite to the battery cell housing portion 16 and the battery cell housing portion 18, that is, the side opposite to the battery cell 14, and its cross-sectional shape when viewed from the third direction is arc-shaped. In addition, the rib 22D is positioned at a position that overlaps with the rib 28C of the battery cell housing portion 16 and the rib 34C of the battery cell housing portion 18 when viewed from the first direction, and is arranged at intervals relative to them in the first direction.

[0075] The upper flange 22B extends from the periphery of the main wall portion 22A in the second direction to the other side in the first direction, and is plate-shaped with the thickness direction set as the second direction and extending in the third direction. On the other hand, the lower flange 22C extends from the periphery of the main wall portion 22A in the second direction to the other side in the first direction, and is plate-shaped with the thickness direction set as the second direction and extending in the third direction.

[0076] Next, use Figure 1 , Figure 2 as well as Figures 7-10 The structure of the flow path forming part 24 will be described below. This flow path forming part 24 is integrally formed with the battery cell housing 16, battery cell housing 18, connecting member 20, and connecting member 22 by injection molding a predetermined resin. That is, the battery pack housing 10 becomes a composite molded product of metal and resin components.

[0077] In detail, the flow path forming part 24 is configured to include an "end forming part 36" which forms part of one side of the first direction and forms the end of the cooling air flow path part 30 and the cooling air flow path part 33, and an "air outlet part 38" which forms part of the other side of the first direction.

[0078] The end component 36 is configured to include a lower component 36A that forms the portion on the other side in the second direction, a front component 36B that forms the portion on one side in the first direction, a pair of side components 36C that form the portion on the outer side in the third direction of the battery pack housing 10, and a front partition wall portion 36D.

[0079] The main part of the lower component 36A has a cross-section that is open on one side in the second direction when viewed from the first direction, and covers the portion of the main body 26 and the main body 32 on the first side from the other side in the second direction. Specifically, the lower component 36A seals the recessed portion at the end of the lower wall portion 26A of the main body 26 and the lower wall portion 32A of the main body 32 on the first side, and connects the main body 26, the main body 32, the end portion 28, and the end portion 34 on the other side in the second direction.

[0080] Furthermore, the lower component 36A includes a front wall portion 36A1, which is located on the other side of the main wall portion 28A of the terminal portion 28 and the main wall portion 34A of the terminal portion 34 in the second direction, and extends in the third direction. In other words, the lower component 36A, within the end component 36, can be considered as a part that constitutes part of the cooling airflow path 30 and the cooling airflow path 33.

[0081] The front component 36B covers the main wall portion 28A of the terminal portion 28, the main wall portion 34A of the terminal portion 34, and the connecting member 20. In addition, a portion of the front component 36B extends between the rib portion 20D and the rib portion 28C and the rib portion 34C, thereby forming a sandwich structure that is stacked on one side of the battery pack housing 10 in the first direction in the first direction.

[0082] The side component 36C is continuously provided with the front component 36B and extends to the other side in the first direction, covering the side wall portion 28B and side wall portion 34B on the outer side in the third direction of the battery pack housing 10.

[0083] The front partition wall portion 36D extends from the front component portion 36B to the other side in the first direction, covering the portion of the side wall portion 26C and the side wall portion 32C on the first direction side.

[0084] On the other hand, the air outlet portion 38 is configured to include a lower portion 38A constituting the portion on the other side of the second direction, a rear portion 38B constituting the portion on the other side of the first direction, a pair of side portions 38C constituting the portion on the outer side of the battery pack housing 10 in the third direction, a rear partition wall portion 38D, and an opening portion 38E.

[0085] The lower component 38A, when viewed from the first direction, has a cap-like cross-section that is open on one side in the second direction, covering the portion of the main body 26 and the main body 32 on the other side of the first direction from the other side of the second direction. Specifically, the lower component 38A seals the recessed portion at the end of the lower wall portion 26A of the main body 26 and the lower wall portion 32A of the main body 32 on the other side of the first direction, and connects the main body 26, the main body 32, the terminal portion 28, and the terminal portion 34 on the other side of the second direction.

[0086] The rear component 38B covers the main wall portion 28A of the terminal portion 28, the main wall portion 34A of the terminal portion 34, and the connecting member 22. In addition, a portion of the rear component 38B extends between the rib portion 22D, the rib portion 28C, and the rib portion 34C, thereby forming a sandwich structure that is stacked on the other side of the battery pack housing 10 in the first direction.

[0087] The side component 38C and the rear component 38B are continuously provided and extend to one side in the first direction, covering the side wall portion 28B and the side wall portion 34B on the outer side in the third direction of the battery pack housing 10.

[0088] The rear partition wall portion 38D extends from the rear component portion 38B to the other side in the first direction, covering the portion of the side wall portion 26C and the other side in the first direction of the side wall portion 32C.

[0089] The opening 38E is located on the other side of the rear component 38B in the second direction when viewed from the first direction. The opening 38E is configured to include an upper wall portion 38E1 forming the upper part in the second direction, a lower wall portion 38E2 forming the other side in the second direction, and a pair of outer wall portions 38E3 connecting the upper wall portion 38E1 and the lower wall portion 38E2 in the second direction on the outer side of the battery pack housing 10 in the third direction.

[0090] In detail, the upper wall portion 38E1 extends from the peripheral portion on the other side of the rear component portion 38B in the second direction toward the first direction with the thickness direction set as the second direction, and extends in the third direction. On the other hand, the lower wall portion 38E2 extends from the peripheral portion on the other side of the bottom of the lower component portion 38A in the first direction toward the other side of both the first and second directions, and extends in the third direction.

[0091] Furthermore, the central portion of the upper wall portion 38E1 in the third direction and the central portion of the lower wall portion 38E2 in the third direction are connected in the second direction by a branch portion 38E4. Specifically, when viewed from the second direction, the branch portion 38E4 has a triangular shape whose width increases as it moves from the other side of the first direction to the side of the first direction. The opening 38E is branched by the branch portion 38E4 into a first inlet portion 38E5 on the other side of the third direction and a second inlet portion 38E6 on the side of the third direction. The first inlet portion 38E5 forms part of the cooling airflow path 30, and the second inlet portion 38E6 forms part of the cooling airflow path 33.

[0092] In addition, a blower 40, which serves as an air supply unit, is connected to the opening 38E. By driving the blower 40, cooling air blown out from the blower 40 is supplied to the cooling airflow path 30 and the cooling airflow path 33.

[0093] Furthermore, in the battery cell housing 10 configured as described above, the battery cell housing 16 and battery cell housing 18 respectively house multiple battery cells 14 in a stacked and compressed state in the first direction from one side in the second direction. In addition, terminal plates 42 are respectively disposed on the first side and the other side of the stacked battery cells 14 in the first direction.

[0094] Furthermore, in the battery cell housing 16, the cooling airflow passage 30 is opened on the other side of the battery cell 14 in the second direction, and in the battery cell housing 18, the cooling airflow passage 33 is opened on the other side of the battery cell 14 in the second direction. Cooling air from the blower 40 is supplied to the battery cell 14 via the cooling airflow passage 30 and the cooling airflow passage 33.

[0095] (The function and effects of this implementation method)

[0096] Next, the function and effects of this implementation method will be explained.

[0097] In this embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the battery pack housing 10 includes a metal battery cell housing 16 and a battery cell housing 18, in which a plurality of battery cells 14 are stacked in a first direction and housed from one side in a compressed state in the first direction. Furthermore, the restoring force of the battery cells 14 is supported by the battery cell housing 16 and the battery cell housing 18.

[0098] Furthermore, since the battery cell 14 generates heat during charging and discharging, it is preferable that the battery pack housing 10 has a cooling airflow path for cooling the battery cell 14. However, if the battery cell housing 16 and battery cell housing 18 are made of metal and have all the cooling airflow paths on them, their structure would become complicated, requiring them to be constructed using castings. However, in such a structure, the weight of the battery pack housing 10 is expected to increase.

[0099] In this embodiment, a resin flow path forming part 24 is integrally provided with the battery cell housing 16 and the battery cell housing 18. A portion of the flow path forming part 24 is disposed on the other side of the battery cell 14 in the second direction, and the flow path forming part 24 constitutes a part of the cooling air flow path 30 and the cooling air flow path 33 for the cooling air to flow through the battery cell 14.

[0100] Therefore, in this embodiment, by using the resin flow path forming part 24 to form the complex-shaped parts in the cooling air flow path part 30 and the cooling air flow path part 33, the flow path of the cooling air that cools the battery cell 14 can be ensured, and the structural complexity of the battery cell housing part 16 and the battery cell housing part 18 can be suppressed.

[0101] Therefore, in the battery pack housing 10 according to this embodiment, the battery cell 14 can be maintained in a stable state and the flow path of the cooling air of the battery cell 14 can be ensured, thereby suppressing the increase in weight.

[0102] In addition, in this embodiment, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the battery cell housing 16 includes side wall portions 26B and 26C that extend in the first direction and can support the battery cell 14 in the third direction, a support wall portion 26A1 that supports the battery cell 14 from the other side in the second direction, and a main wall portion 28A that can support the battery cell 14 in the first direction.

[0103] In addition, the battery cell housing 18 includes side wall portions 32B and 32C that extend in the first direction and can support the battery cell 14 in the third direction, a support wall portion 32A1 that supports the battery cell 14 from the other side in the second direction, and a main wall portion 34A that can support the battery cell 14 in the first direction.

[0104] Furthermore, in the battery cell housing 16 and battery cell housing 18 configured as described above, the restoring force of the battery cell 14 mainly acts on the main wall portion 28A and the main wall portion 34A, so it is preferable to ensure their tensile strength and rigidity against the restoring force of the battery cell 14.

[0105] On the other hand, the recovery force of the battery cell 14 does not directly act on the side wall portion 26B, side wall portion 26C, side wall portion 32B, side wall portion 32C, support wall portion 26A1, and support wall portion 32A1. Therefore, actively ensuring the tensile strength and rigidity of the recovery force of the battery cell 14 among them would be a reason for excessive quality.

[0106] However, for example, if the battery cell housing 16 is constructed using a casting including side wall portion 26B, side wall portion 26C, support wall portion 26A1, and main wall portion 28A, it is difficult to ensure the tensile strength and rigidity of the main wall portion 28A alone. Similarly, if the battery cell housing 18 is constructed using a casting including side wall portion 32B, side wall portion 32C, support wall portion 32A1, and main wall portion 34A, it is difficult to ensure the tensile strength and rigidity of the main wall portion 34A alone.

[0107] In this embodiment, the battery cell housing 16 is configured to include a body portion 26 and a pair of terminal portions 28. Furthermore, the body portion 26 is configured to include a side wall portion 26B, a side wall portion 26C, and a support wall portion 26A1.

[0108] On the other hand, the terminal portion 28 is configured to include a main wall portion 28A and a pair of side wall portions 28B that are continuously disposed with the main wall portion 28A on one side and the other side in the third direction and are engaged with the side wall portion 26B or the side wall portion 26C.

[0109] Furthermore, the battery cell housing 18 is configured to include a main body 32 and a pair of terminal portions 34. The main body 32 is configured to include a side wall portion 32B, a side wall portion 32C, and a support wall portion 32A1.

[0110] On the other hand, the terminal portion 34 is configured to include a main wall portion 34A and a pair of side wall portions 34B that are continuously disposed with the main wall portion 34A on one side and the other side in the third direction and are engaged with the side wall portion 32B or the side wall portion 32C.

[0111] Therefore, by using materials with high tensile strength and thick plates to construct the terminal portion 28 and terminal portion 34, the tensile strength and rigidity of the battery cell housing portion 16 and battery cell housing portion 18 in relation to the restoring force of the battery cell 14 can be ensured.

[0112] Therefore, in this embodiment, the tensile strength and rigidity of the battery pack housing 10 in relation to the restoring force of the battery cell 14 can be ensured and the battery pack housing 10 can be prevented from becoming excessively bulky.

[0113] In addition, in this embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, on the other side of the support wall portion 26A1 in the second direction of the main body portion 26, a main flow path portion 26A2 that forms part of the cooling airflow path portion 30 is integrally provided with the support wall portion 26A1, and the main flow path portion 26A2 extends in the first direction.

[0114] Furthermore, on the other side of the support wall portion 32A1 in the second direction of the main body portion 32, a main flow path portion 32A2, which forms part of the cooling airflow path portion 33, is integrally provided with the support wall portion 32A1, and the main flow path portion 32A2 extends in the first direction. Therefore, cooling air flows in the main flow path portion 26A2 and the main flow path portion 32A2 in the first direction, and cooling air is supplied to the battery unit 14 from the main flow path portion 26A2 and the main flow path portion 32A2.

[0115] Furthermore, since the battery cell housing 16 is made of metal, it is preferable to simplify the shape of the body portion 26 and the tip portion 28 constituting the battery cell housing 16 in order to form them using stamping or other processes. The same applies to the battery cell housing 18.

[0116] On the other hand, the cooling airflow path 30 needs to include a portion constituting the end of the cooling airflow path 30 and a portion connected to the blower 40 that supplies cooling air to the cooling airflow path 30. Similarly, the cooling airflow path 33 also needs to include a portion constituting the end of the cooling airflow path 33 and a portion connected to the blower 40. However, if these are provided in the body 26, body 32, end portion 28, and end portion 34, the shapes of these components become complicated, making it difficult to form these components using stamping.

[0117] In this embodiment, as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the resin flow path forming part 24 is configured to include an end forming part 36 that forms the ends of the cooling air flow path part 30 and the cooling air flow path part 33, and an air outlet part 38 that can be connected to the blower 40. Furthermore, the end forming part 36 is integrally provided with the first direction side portion of the main body part 26 and the main body part 32, as well as the first direction side end part 28 and end part 34.

[0118] On the other hand, the air outlet portion 38 is integrally provided with the portion on the other side of the first direction of the main body portion 26 and the main body portion 32, as well as the terminal portion 28 and the terminal portion 34 on the other side of the first direction.

[0119] Therefore, in this embodiment, the flow path section 30 and the cooling airflow path section 33 can be constructed using the flow path forming section 24 made of resin to form the part whose structure is easy to become complicated. As a result, the shapes of the body section 26, body section 32, end section 28 and end section 34 can be simplified to shapes that can be formed by stamping or the like.

[0120] Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve the manufacturing efficiency of the battery pack housing 10.

[0121] return Figure 4 In this embodiment, the battery cell housing 16 and the battery cell housing 18 are connected in the third direction, which can expand the volume that can accommodate the battery cell 14. In addition, among the battery cell housing 16 and the battery cell housing 18 connected in the third direction, the main wall portion 28A and the main wall portion 34A on the first direction side are connected by a metal connecting member 20, and the main wall portion 28A and the main wall portion 34A on the other side of the first direction are connected by a metal connecting member 22.

[0122] Therefore, in this embodiment, the main wall portion 28A and main wall portion 34A on the first direction side can be reinforced by the connecting member 20, and the main wall portion 28A and main wall portion 34A on the other side of the first direction can be reinforced by the connecting member 22. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to help ensure the power capacity of the battery pack 12 and to strengthen the restorative force of the battery pack housing 10 on the battery cell 14.

[0123] In addition, in this embodiment, a rib 28C is provided on the main wall portion 28A of the terminal portion 28, a rib 34C is provided on the main wall portion 34A of the terminal portion 34, a rib 20D is provided on the connecting member 20, and a rib 22D is provided on the connecting member 22. Furthermore, the ribs 20D, 22D, 28C, and 34C extend in the third direction and protrude towards the side opposite to the battery cell 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rigidity of the main wall portion 28A, the main wall portion 34A, the connecting member 20, and the connecting member 22 can be ensured for the recovery force against the battery cell 14. Thus, in this embodiment, the rigidity of the battery pack housing 10 for the recovery force against the battery cell can be improved.

[0124] <Supplementary Explanation of the Above Implementation Methods>

[0125] (1) In the above embodiment, the battery pack housing 10 has multiple battery cell housings, but the number of battery cell housings can be increased or decreased depending on the specifications of the vehicle on which the battery pack housing 10 is mounted. In addition, the structure of the connecting member 20 and the connecting member 22 can be appropriately changed depending on the number of battery cell housings.

[0126] (2) In addition, in the above embodiment, the battery cell housing portion constitutes part of the cooling airflow path portion, but depending on the specifications of the battery cell housed in the battery pack housing 10, a structure such as using resin to construct the entire cooling airflow path portion may be adopted. For example, a structure such as the following may be adopted: the battery cell housing portion is constructed using a frame-shaped metal member viewed from the second direction, and the battery cell support portion and the entire cooling airflow path portion are provided in the resin flow path forming portion.

Claims

1. A battery pack housing, comprising: A metal battery cell housing portion capable of housing a plurality of battery cells overlapped in a first direction in a state compressed in the first direction from a side of a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and capable of supporting a restoring force of the battery cell; and A resin-made flow path forming section is integrally provided with the battery cell housing section, disposed on the other side of the battery cell in the second direction, and constitutes part of a cooling air flow path section for the cooling air to flow through the battery cell. The battery cell housing is configured to include: The first component is configured to include a pair of first sidewall portions extending in the first direction and capable of supporting the battery cell in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and a support wall portion supporting the battery cell from the other side of the second direction. and A pair of second components are configured to include a second sidewall portion capable of supporting the battery cell in the first direction, and a pair of third sidewall portions continuously disposed on one and the other side of the second sidewall portion in the third direction and engaged with the first sidewall portion.

2. The battery pack housing according to claim 1, On the other side of the support wall in the second direction, a main flow path is integrally provided with the support wall. This main flow path forms part of the cooling airflow path and extends in the first direction, and is capable of supplying cooling air to the battery cell. The flow path forming section is configured to include: An end portion is integrally formed with a portion of the first component on one side in the first direction and the second component on the same side in the first direction, and constitutes the end portion of the cooling airflow path; and an air outlet portion is integrally formed with a portion of the first component on the other side in the first direction and the second component on the other side in the first direction, and is connectable to an air outlet portion capable of supplying cooling air to the cooling airflow path.

3. The battery pack housing according to claim 1 or 2, The battery cell housing is arranged in a plurality of interconnected configurations in the third direction, and further comprises: A first connecting structural member made of metal connects the second sidewall portions on one side of the first direction to each other; and A second metal connecting structural member connects the second sidewall portions on the other side of the first direction to each other.

4. The battery pack housing according to claim 3, The second side wall portion, the first connecting structural member, and the second connecting structural member are each provided with a rib that extends in the third direction and protrudes toward the side opposite to the battery cell.

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