Busbar unit

Abstract

The purpose of the present disclosure is to improve the efficiency of disassembly and assembly of a bus unit and a device. The bus bar unit includes: a bus bar including a bolt fastening portion and a connector terminal portion; and a molded resin portion covering the bus bar. The molded resin portion includes: a connector housing portion that covers the connector terminal portion, the connector housing portion being provided apart from a side surface of the battery pack in a first direction so as to face the side surface; an intermediate cover portion covering an intermediate portion of the bus bar extending from the connector housing portion; and a protrusion protruding from the connector housing portion toward the side surface of the battery pack and contacting the side surface of the battery pack. In addition to the bolt fastening part, a fixing part fixed to the battery pack is provided, and the fixing part is provided closer to the bolt fastening part than the center-of-gravity position of the bus bar unit in the second direction in the molded resin part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a busbar unit. Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a terminal connection structure that electrically connects a plurality of devices via a conductive member. The combination of the plurality of devices may be, for example, two single cells or a single cell and a junction box. Prior art literature Patent Literature

[0003] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2020 / 241412 Summary of the invention Problems to be solved by the invention

[0004] When maintaining, overhauling or replacing equipment, it is sometimes necessary to perform disassembly and assembly of conductive components and equipment. In this disassembly and assembly, the installation of conductive components and equipment includes the operation of connecting the conductive components and equipment, and the disassembly of conductive components and equipment includes the operation of disconnecting the conductive components and equipment. In the terminal connection structure of Patent Document 1, if the two ends of the conductive component are bolted, when performing disassembly and assembly of the conductive component and equipment, it is necessary to operate the bolts at both ends respectively. Therefore, people expect to improve the operating efficiency when disassembling and assembling conductive components and equipment.

[0005] In this regard, an object of the present disclosure is to improve the work efficiency when assembling and disassembling a busbar unit and equipment. Solutions for solving problems

[0006] The busbar unit of the present disclosure is electrically connected to the terminal of the battery pack, and comprises a busbar and a molded resin portion covering the busbar, wherein the busbar comprises: a bolt fastening portion, which is arranged at one end of the busbar and is electrically connected to the terminal of the battery pack by bolt fastening; and a connector terminal portion, which is arranged at the other end of the busbar and is electrically connected to the connector terminal of the counterpart connector, wherein the bolt fastening portion and the connector terminal portion of the busbar are separated in a first direction which is a normal direction relative to the side surface of the battery pack and in a second direction along the side surface of the battery pack, respectively. The molded resin portion comprises: a connector A shell portion, wherein the connector shell portion is arranged away from the side surface along the first direction in a manner opposite to the side surface of the battery pack and covers the connector terminal portion; an intermediate covering portion, wherein the intermediate covering portion covers the intermediate portion of the busbar extending from the connector shell portion; and a protrusion, wherein the protrusion protrudes from the connector shell portion toward the side surface of the battery pack and contacts the side surface of the battery pack, and in addition to the bolt fastening portion, a fixing portion fixed to the battery pack is further provided, and the fixing portion is provided on the side of the bolt fastening portion closer to the center of gravity of the busbar unit in the second direction in the molded resin portion. Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the work efficiency during assembly and disassembly of the busbar unit and the equipment is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing a bus bar unit according to the first embodiment and a connection module including the bus bar unit. Figure 2 It is a side view showing the bus bar unit according to the first embodiment and a connection module including the bus bar unit. Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing a busbar unit. Figure 4 It is a top view showing the busbar unit. Figure 5 This is a front view showing the busbar unit. Figure 6 It is a side view showing the busbar unit. Figure 7 It is along Figure 4 Cross-sectional view along line VI I-VI I. Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram showing the inclined state of the busbar unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] [Description of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below.

[0010] The bus bar unit of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0011] (1) A busbar unit electrically connected to a terminal of a battery pack, comprising a busbar and a molded resin portion covering the busbar, the busbar comprising: a bolt fastening portion provided at one end of the busbar and electrically connected to the terminal of the battery pack by bolt fastening; and a connector terminal portion provided at the other end of the busbar and electrically connected to a connector terminal of a mating connector, the bolt fastening portion and the connector terminal portion of the busbar being spaced apart in a first direction being a normal direction relative to a side surface of the battery pack and in a second direction along the side surface of the battery pack, respectively; the molded resin portion comprising : a connector shell portion, the connector shell portion is arranged away from the side surface along the first direction in a manner opposite to the side surface of the battery pack and covers the connector terminal portion; an intermediate covering portion, the intermediate covering portion covers the intermediate portion of the busbar extending from the connector shell portion; and a protrusion, the protrusion protrudes from the connector shell portion toward the side surface of the battery pack and contacts the side surface of the battery pack, in addition to the bolt fastening portion, a fixing portion fixed to the battery pack is also provided, the fixing portion is provided in the molded resin portion in the second direction on the side closer to the bolt fastening portion than the center of gravity position of the busbar unit.

[0012] According to the busbar unit of (1), since the other end of the busbar is connected to the other connector, the working efficiency when assembling and disassembling the busbar unit and the equipment is improved compared to the case where the other end of the busbar is a bolt-fastened portion. In addition, by providing a protrusion on the molded resin portion that contacts the side of the battery pack, when the other end of the busbar is connected to the connector, even if the busbar unit is pushed by the other connector, the other end of the busbar unit can be supported by the battery pack. As a result, the working efficiency of the connector connection is improved.

[0013] (2) In the busbar unit of (1), the intermediate covering portion may include a first covering portion extending from the connector housing portion and a second covering portion extending in a direction intersecting the first covering portion, the molded resin portion includes a first connecting portion connecting the second covering portion and the connector housing portion, and the fixing portion protrudes from the first connecting portion. Accordingly, when the other end of the busbar is connected to the connector, the connector housing portion is not easily deformed, and the efficiency of the connector connection is improved.

[0014] (3) In the busbar unit of (2), the molded resin portion may include a second connection portion connecting the first connection portion and the first covering portion, and may be made of fiber reinforced plastic. Accordingly, even if the molded resin portion is made of fiber reinforced plastic, the presence of the first connection portion and the second connection portion increases the flow path of the fiber reinforced plastic when the molded resin portion is formed, and the direction of the fibers contained in the fiber reinforced plastic can be dispersed.

[0015] (4) In any one of the busbar units of (1) to (3), the molded resin portion may include a cutout extending between the fixing portion and an end portion of the intermediate cover portion on the side of the bolt fastening portion. This allows the stress applied to the busbar unit by the battery pack to be dispersed when the battery pack expands.

[0016] (5) In any one of the busbar units of (1) to (4), the molded resin portion may be provided with a rotation inhibiting portion, and the rotation inhibiting portion may be hooked on a receiving portion provided on the side of the battery pack, thereby inhibiting the busbar unit from tilting toward the connector housing portion when the bolt fastening portion is not bolted and the fixing portion is not fixed. By forming the other end of the busbar as a connector connection structure, when the bolt fastening portion at one end of the busbar is not fastened, the other end of the busbar may be unsupported. Even in this case, the rotation inhibiting portion is hooked on the receiving portion of the battery pack, thereby inhibiting the busbar unit from tilting toward the connector housing portion when the bolt fastening portion at one end is not fastened, thereby improving the operating efficiency of the bolt operation at one end.

[0017] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Specific examples of the busbar unit of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is shown by the claims, and is intended to include all changes within the equivalent meaning and scope of the claims.

[0018] [Implementation Method 1] The bus bar unit in the first embodiment will be described below. Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the bus bar unit 30 according to the first embodiment and the connection module 100 including the bus bar unit 30 . Figure 2 It is a side view showing the bus bar unit 30 according to the first embodiment and the connection module 100 including the bus bar unit 30 .

[0019] The busbar unit 30 is electrically connected to the terminal 13A of the battery pack 10. The busbar unit 30 is also electrically connected to the connector terminal 23 of the counterpart connector 20. The busbar unit 30 is interposed between the battery pack 10 and the counterpart connector 20 to electrically connect the terminal 13A of the battery pack 10 to the connector terminal 23 of the counterpart connector 20. In the present disclosure, the structure formed by connecting the battery pack 10, the counterpart connector 20, and the busbar unit 30 is referred to as a connection module 100. In addition, Figure 1 and Figure 2 The bus bar unit 30 and the counterpart connector 20 are shown in a disassembled state where they are not connected. First, the battery pack 10 and the counterpart connector 20 to which the bus bar unit 30 is connected will be described.

[0020] The battery pack 10 includes a plurality of single cells 11, a connecting conductor 14 and a frame 15. Each single cell 11 has a battery body 12 and a plurality of terminals 13. The battery body 12 is a portion for storing electric charge. The plurality of terminals 13 are used to connect the battery body 12 to an electrical device and are provided on the battery body 12, and have a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The plurality of single cells 11 are connected in series, for example, by the connecting conductor 14. The connecting conductor 14 connects the positive terminal and the negative terminal of adjacent single cells 11. The terminals 13 and the connecting conductor 14 can be arbitrary. Here, the terminal 13 is a columnar bolt 13. The connecting conductor 14 is a metal plate having a hole through which the columnar bolt 13 passes. The plurality of single cells 11 are held by the frame 15, and the plurality of single cells 11 are held in the frame 15 and integrated.

[0021] The terminal 13A of the battery pack 10 connected to the busbar unit 30 is located on the upper surface 15a of the battery pack 10. Here, the terminal 13A is the terminal 13A of the single cell 11 located at the end among the multiple single cells 11 connected in series. As described above, since the terminal 13 of the single cell 11 is a columnar bolt, the terminal 13A of the battery pack 10 connected to the busbar unit 30 is a columnar bolt. In addition, the terminal of the battery pack connected to the busbar unit 30 may be a terminal that is separately provided relative to the terminal 13 of the single cell 11 and is conductive with the terminal 13 of the single cell 11. In addition, the terminal of the battery pack connected to the busbar unit 30 may be a metal plate or the like having a hole for the bolt to pass through.

[0022] The upper surface 15a of the battery pack 10 is provided with a fixing bolt 16. The fixing bolt 16 and the columnar bolt 13A protrude in the same direction. The fixing bolt 16 is a bolt for fixing the busbar unit 30. The fixing bolt 16 is not used to electrically connect the single battery 11 to the busbar 40 in the busbar unit 30. Here, on the upper surface 15a of the battery pack 10, the portion for setting the fixing bolt 16 is lower than the portion for setting the columnar bolt 13A. Here, on the upper surface 15a of the battery pack 10, a step is generated between the portion for setting the fixing bolt 16 and the portion for setting the columnar bolt 13A.

[0023] like Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , a receiving portion 17 is provided on the side 15b of the battery pack 10. Most of the bus bar unit 30, except for the portion fastened to the column bolt 13A and the portion fastened to the fixing bolt 16, is arranged at a position opposite to the side 15b. The receiving portion 17 contacts the bus bar unit 30 to suppress the rotation of the bus bar unit 30. On the side 15b, the receiving portion 17 protrudes outward from the surrounding portion of the receiving portion 17.

[0024] Here, Figure 1 , which are orthogonal to each other, are shown in the figure. The X direction is the normal direction of the side surface 15b on which the receiving portion 17 is provided, and is an example of the first direction. The Y direction is the direction along the side surface 15b, and is an example of the second direction. Here, the Y direction is a direction along the side surface 15b that is orthogonal to the protruding direction of the columnar bolt 13A. The Z direction is the protruding direction of the columnar bolt 13A and the fixing bolt 16. Figure 2 In the following figures, it is also shown that Figure 1 Corresponding to the X direction, Y direction and Z direction.

[0025] The mating connector 20 includes a connector housing 21 and connector terminals 23 (see Figure 7 ). For example, the connector housing 21 is made of an insulating resin, and the connector terminal 23 is made of a conductive metal. The connector housing 21 holds the connector terminal 23. A locking receiving portion 22 is provided on the side of the connector housing 21. When the counterpart connector 20 is connected to the busbar unit 30, the locking receiving portion 22 is locked to the locking portion 52 provided on the busbar unit 30. Here, the locking receiving portion 22 has a locking piece 22a that is locked to the locking portion 52 and an operating portion 22b that deforms the locking piece 22a to be separated from the locking portion 52 when unlocking. One end of the connector terminal 23 is connected to the busbar unit 30. One end of the electric wire 24 is connected to the other end of the connector terminal 23. The connector terminal 23 and the electric wire 24 are connected by fixing, crimping or welding.

[0026] The electric wire 24 is, for example, a covered electric wire having a conductor core wire and an insulating coating. The conductor core wire is, for example, a stranded wire formed by twisting a plurality of bare metal wires. The insulating coating covers the conductor core wire. The other end of the electric wire 24 is connected to another electrical device other than the battery pack 10. For example, the other end of the electric wire 24 may be provided with a connection terminal or a connector, and the connection terminal or connector is connected to the other electrical device. The electrical device is not particularly limited, and for example, may be a battery pack having the same structure as the battery pack 10 and provided separately from the battery pack 10. Alternatively, for example, the electrical device may be a busbar unit having the same structure as the busbar unit 30 and provided in the other battery pack. In addition, for example, the electrical device may also be a junction box, etc.

[0027] For example, the wire 24 is easier to bend than the busbar 40 in the busbar unit 30. By interposing the wire 24 between the battery pack 10 and other electrical equipment, the freedom of the positional relationship between the battery pack 10 and other electrical equipment in the vehicle is increased. Furthermore, when the positional relationship between the battery pack 10 and the electrical equipment is changed in design, it can be handled by bending the wire 24 without changing the design of other components.

[0028] <Busbar unit> Reference Figures 3 to 7 The bus bar unit 30 will be described in more detail. Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing the bus bar unit 30 . Figure 1 and Figure 3 It is a stereogram observed from different perspectives. Figure 4 It is a plan view showing the bus bar unit 30 . Figure 5 It is a front view showing the bus bar unit 30 . Figure 6 It is a side view showing the bus bar unit 30 . Figure 6 It means Figure 2 The side on the opposite side. Figure 7 It is along Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the line VI I-VI I in FIG. Also, Figures 4 to 6 In FIG. 1 , the battery pack 10 is represented by a virtual line. Figure 7 In FIG. 1 , the counterpart connector 20 is indicated by a solid line.

[0029] The busbar unit 30 includes a busbar 40 and a molded resin portion 50. The molded resin portion 50 is formed by insert molding using the busbar 40 as an insert. In the present embodiment, in addition to the busbar 40, the molded resin portion 50 also includes a collar 70 as an insert. The collar 70 is a component for reinforcing the fixing portion 60 in the molded resin portion 50. The collar 70 may be pressed into the molded resin portion 50 from the rear. The collar 70 may also be omitted.

[0030] The busbar 40 includes a bolt fastening portion 41 and a connector terminal portion 42. The bolt fastening portion 41 is provided at one end of the busbar 40. The bolt fastening portion 41 is electrically connected to the terminal 13A of the battery pack 10 by bolt fastening. The connector terminal portion 42 is provided at the other end of the busbar 40, and the connector terminal portion 42 is electrically connected to the connector terminal 23 of the counterpart connector 20. The bolt fastening portion 41 and the connector terminal portion 42 are separated in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively.

[0031] In the busbar 40, a plate is formed from the bolt fastening portion 41 to the connector terminal portion 42. The plate is made of metal and has a flat cross-section whose thickness dimension is smaller than the width dimension and is formed into a long strip. The busbar 40 has bent portions 43A, 43B, 43C, and 43D bent in the thickness direction. The bent portions 43A, 43B, 43C, and 43D are arranged in this order from the connector terminal portion 42 to the bolt fastening portion 41. At the bent portions 43A, 43B, and 43C, the plate is bent 90 degrees in the thickness direction. At the bent portion 43D, the plate is bent to be offset in the thickness direction.

[0032] The other end side portion of the busbar 40 compared to the bent portion 43A is the connector terminal portion 42. The connector terminal portion 42 extends from the bent portion 43A in the Z direction. The end side portion of the busbar 40 compared to the bent portion 43D is the bolt fastening portion 41. The bolt fastening portion 41 extends from the bent portion 43D in the X direction. The portion between the bent portions 43A and 43D in the busbar 40 is the intermediate portion 44. Here, the intermediate portion 44 has a first intermediate portion 44A, a second intermediate portion 44B, and a third intermediate portion 44C.

[0033] The portion between the bend 43A and the bend 43B in the busbar 40 is the first intermediate portion 44A. After the first intermediate portion 44A extends from the bend 43A in the Y direction, the extension direction is changed to the X direction in front of the bend 43B to the bend 43B. The portion between the bend 43B and the bend 43C in the busbar 40 is the second intermediate portion 44B. The second intermediate portion 44B extends from the bend 43B in the Z direction to the bend 43C. The portion between the bend 43C and the bend 43D in the busbar 40 is the third intermediate portion 44C. After the third intermediate portion 44C extends from the bend 43C in the X direction, the extension direction is changed to the direction intersecting the X direction and the Y direction in the XY plane in front of the bend 43D to the bend 43D.

[0034] In the busbar 40 , the number, position, and bending method of the bent portions are not limited to those described above, and can be appropriately set.

[0035] The molded resin portion 50 includes a connector housing portion 51 , an intermediate cover portion 53 , a protrusion 55 , a first connecting portion 56 , a second connecting portion 57 , a fixing portion 60 , and a cutout 61 .

[0036] The connector housing portion 51 covers the connector terminal portion 42. The connector housing portion 51 is disposed away from the side surface 15b in the X direction in a manner opposed to the side surface 15b of the battery pack 10. The bend portion 43A is located inside the connector housing portion 51. The connector housing portion 51 is provided with a fitting recess 51A for fitting the front end of the counterpart connector 20. The fitting recess 51A is a hole that is continuous in the Z direction. The fitting recess 51A is open on the upper surface of the connector housing portion 51. From the bottom surface located on the opposite side to the opening of the fitting recess 51A, the front end of the connector terminal portion 42 protrudes into the fitting recess 51A. The bus bar 40 extends outward from the connector housing portion 51 halfway from the bend portion 43A to the bend portion 43B. Here, the bus bar 40 extends outward from the connector housing portion 51 near the bend portion 43A. The bus bar 40 extends from an end portion of the connector housing portion 51 on the opposite side to an end portion of the opening portion where the fitting recess 51A is provided in the Z direction.

[0037] The intermediate covering portion 53 covers the intermediate portion 44 of the busbar 40 extending from the connector housing portion 51. The intermediate covering portion 53 includes a first covering portion 53A, a second covering portion 53B, and a third covering portion 53C. The first covering portion 53A extends from the connector housing portion 51. The second covering portion 53B extends in a direction (here, the Z direction) that intersects with the extending direction (here, the Y direction) of the portion extending from the connector housing portion 51 in the first covering portion 53A. The third covering portion 53C extends in a direction (here, the X direction) that intersects with the second covering portion 53B. Here, the first covering portion 53A covers a portion of the first intermediate portion 44A of the busbar 40 that is located outside the connector housing portion 51. The second covering portion 53B covers the second intermediate portion 44B of the busbar 40. The third covering portion 53C covers a portion of the third intermediate portion 44C of the busbar 40 that is located near the curved portion 43C. The connection between the first covering portion 53A and the second covering portion 53B covers the bent portion 43B, and the connection between the second covering portion 53B and the third covering portion 53C covers the bent portion 43C. A portion of the third intermediate portion 44C of the busbar 40 near the bent portion 43D and the bolt fastening portion 41 are not covered by the molded resin portion 50.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, the protrusion 55 protrudes from the connector housing portion 51 toward the side surface 15b of the battery pack 10 in the X direction. When the bus bar unit 30 is mounted on the battery pack 10, the protrusion 55 contacts the side surface 15b of the battery pack 10. In the Z direction in the connector housing portion 51, the protrusion 55 extends from the end of the opening portion provided with the fitting recess 51A.

[0039] The first connection portion 56 connects the portion of the intermediate covering portion 53 that is away from the connector housing portion 51 and the connector housing portion 51. Here, the first connection portion 56 connects the second covering portion 53B and the connector housing portion 51. Here, there is one first connection portion 56. The first connection portion 56 extends linearly and parallel to the Y direction. In the Z direction of the connector housing portion 51, the first connection portion 56 extends from the end of the opening portion where the fitting recess 51A is provided. The first connection portion 56 and the first covering portion 53A extend parallel to the Y direction from the connector housing portion 51. The portion of the first covering portion 53A that extends from the connector housing portion 51 in the Y direction is separated from the first connection portion 56 in the X direction and the Z direction. The first connection portion 56 is connected to the side surface from which the protrusion 55 in the connector housing portion 51 protrudes. The front end of the first connection portion 56 is also connected to the protrusion 55.

[0040] The second connection portion 57 connects a portion of the intermediate covering portion 53 that is closer to the connector housing portion 51 than the intersection with the first connection portion 56 and the intermediate portion of the first connection portion 56. Here, the second connection portion 57 connects the first covering portion 53A and the first connection portion 56. Here, there is one second connection portion 57. The second connection portion 57 extends linearly parallel to the Z direction. Figure 5 As shown, the second connection portion 57 is located closer to the second covering portion 53B than the center of the connector housing portion 51 and the second covering portion 53B in the Y direction. The fixing portion 60 is located between the second covering portion 53B and the second connection portion 57 in the Y direction.

[0041] Here, the second connection portion 57 includes a connection body 57A and a rib 57B. The connection body 57A connects the first cover portion 53A and the first connection portion 56. The rib 57B protrudes toward the battery pack 10 side along the X direction from the connection body 57A. In the X direction, the protruding dimension of the rib 57B is smaller than the protruding dimension of the protrusion 55. Figure 3 As shown, the rib 57B protrudes from the first connecting portion 56 toward the battery pack 10 in the X direction. The upper end of the rib 57B in the Z direction reaches the middle portion 44 of the first connecting portion 56.

[0042] The connector housing portion 51, the first covering portion 53A, the second covering portion 53B, and the first connecting portion 56 are connected to form a closed ring. In the molded resin portion 50, there is an opening portion surrounded by the connector housing portion 51, the first covering portion 53A, the second covering portion 53B, and the first connecting portion 56. The opening portion is divided into two by the second connecting portion 57. In the molded resin portion 50, there is an opening portion surrounded by the connector housing portion 51, the first covering portion 53A, the second connecting portion 57, and the first connecting portion 56, and an opening portion surrounded by the first covering portion 53A, the second covering portion 53B, the first connecting portion 56, and the second connecting portion 57.

[0043] The thickness dimension (dimension along the X direction) of the first connection portion 56 is larger than the thickness dimension (dimension along the Y direction) of the second connection portion 57. The thickness dimension (dimension along the X direction) of the first connection portion 56 is the same as the thickness dimension of the intermediate cover portion 53 (for example, the dimension along the Z direction in the first cover portion 53A). The width dimension (dimension along the Z direction) of the first connection portion 56 is smaller than the width dimension of the intermediate cover portion 53 (for example, the dimension along the Y direction in the second cover portion 53B).

[0044] The fixing portion 60 is fixed to the battery pack 10 independently of the bolt fastening portion 41. The fixing portion 60 is provided on the side of the bolt fastening portion 41 in the Y direction of the molded resin portion 50 relative to the center of gravity of the bus bar unit 30. In other words, the center of gravity of the bus bar unit 30 in the Y direction is located closer to the connector housing portion 51 than the fixing portion 60. The fixing portion 60 protrudes from the first connecting portion 56.

[0045] The molded resin portion 50 is provided with a rotation inhibiting portion. Here, the rib 57B functions as the rotation inhibiting portion. The rotation inhibiting portion 57B is hooked on the receiving portion 17 provided on the side 15b of the battery pack 10. The rotation inhibiting portion 57B inhibits the busbar unit 30 from tilting toward the connector housing portion 51 when the bolt fastening portion 41 is not bolted and the fixing portion 60 is not fixed. Here, the rotation inhibiting portion 57B is provided on the second connecting portion 57. The rib 57B is hooked on the receiving portion 17 and functions as the rotation inhibiting portion 57B.

[0046] In the present embodiment, the rib 58 parallel to the rib 57B is provided on the second covering portion 53B. The rib 58 protrudes toward the battery pack 10 side in the X direction from the second covering portion 53B. The upper end of the rib 58 in the Z direction reaches the lower surface of the third covering portion 53C. The size of the rib 58 in the Y direction is smaller than the size of the second covering portion 53B in the Y direction. One rib 58 is provided at the center of the second covering portion 53B in the Y direction. A plurality of ribs 58 may also be provided. In the X direction, the protruding dimension of the rib 58 is smaller than the protruding dimension of the protrusion 55 and is the same as the protruding dimension of the rib 57B. The rib 57B and the rib 58 do not reach the side 15b of the battery pack 10. In addition, when the battery pack 10 expands due to heat, the side 15b of the battery pack 10 may come into contact with the ribs 57B and 58. Even in this case, since the ribs 57B and 58 are thin, they are not easily affected by the expansion of the battery pack 10 due to heat, etc.

[0047] The cutout 61 extends between the fixing portion 60 and the end portion of the intermediate cover portion 53 on the side of the bolt fastening portion 41. Here, the third cover portion 53C is completely separated from the fixing portion 60 by the cutout 61. In addition, the portion of the second cover portion 53B on the side of the third cover portion 53C is also completely separated from the fixing portion 60 by the cutout 61. In the Z direction, the cutout 61 reaches the upper surface of the first connection portion 56. In the Z direction, the cutout 61 does not reach the height of the upper surface of the connector housing portion 51. The width dimension (dimension along the Z direction) of the connection portion of the first connection portion 56 with the second cover portion 53B is larger than the width dimension (dimension along the Z direction) of the connection portion of the first connection portion 56 with the connector housing portion 51. The width dimension (dimension along the Y direction) of the cutout 61 is larger than the thickness dimension (dimension along the Y direction) of the second connection portion 57.

[0048] The molded resin portion 50 is made of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP). The fiber contained in the fiber reinforced plastic is not particularly limited, and may be glass fiber, etc. The resin used as the base in the fiber reinforced plastic is not particularly limited, and may be polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), etc.

[0049] The molded resin portion 50 is formed by pouring a material (here, molten resin containing fibers) into a mold. A gate mark for pouring the material into the mold is left on the molded resin portion 50. Figure 5 In the example shown, the gate mark 62 is provided in the first covering portion 53A. Figure 5 In the example shown, the gate mark 62 is provided on the surface of the first covering portion 53A which is located on the opposite side to the surface connected to the second connecting portion 57. Of course, the position of the gate mark 62 is not limited to this, and can be set as appropriate.

[0050] The fibers flow in the mold together with the molten resin, and the flow of the fibers stops as the flow of the molten resin stops. As the molten resin hardens, the direction of the fibers is fixed. Therefore, normally, the fibers contained in the fiber-reinforced plastic are in a state of extending in the flow direction of the molten resin in the molded resin portion 50. In this embodiment, in the mold, in addition to the portion serving as the intermediate covering portion 53, the portions serving as the first connecting portion 56 and the second connecting portion 57 also serve as flow paths for the molten resin. Therefore, since bifurcations can be formed in the flow path, it is difficult for the direction of the fibers to form a constant direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which the molded resin portion 50 made of the fiber-reinforced plastic is prone to cracking in a specific direction. The specific direction is, for example, the direction of the crack along the extension direction of the fiber.

[0051] In addition, since the molten resin containing fibers is generally less fluid than the molten resin without fibers, it is difficult to spread throughout the mold. Figure 5 As shown, since the second connection portion 57 is located near the gate mark 62, the flow path of the material that has just entered the mold from the gate includes a flow path corresponding to the first covering portion 53A and a flow path corresponding to the second connection portion 57. Therefore, the material easily spreads throughout the mold.

[0052] The mold for molding the molded resin portion 50 includes an upper mold and a lower mold. Here, the upper mold and the lower mold are pulled up and down along the Z direction. In the Z direction, the molded resin portion 50 is formed into a shape without a portion (so-called undercut portion) that is opposed to each other with a space therebetween. For example, in the X direction, by setting the first covering portion 53A and the first connecting portion 56 away from each other, the formation of an undercut by the first covering portion 53A and the first connecting portion 56 is suppressed. For another example, in the Y direction, by setting the rib 57B of the second connecting portion 57 away from the fixing portion 60, the formation of an undercut by the rib 57B and the fixing portion 60 is suppressed.

[0053] When the molded resin portion 50 is formed, the insert (here, the busbar 40 and the bushing 70) is held between the upper mold and the lower mold. In addition, at this point, the first intermediate portion 44A of the busbar 40 is held by a positioning pin. A positioning pin recess 63 is left in the first covering portion 53A of the molded resin portion 50 as a trace of the positioning pin. The positioning pins are provided on the busbar 40 from above and below in the Z direction, respectively. In the first covering portion 53A of the molded resin portion 50, a positioning pin recess 63 is left on the surface facing upward in the Z direction and on the surface facing downward, respectively. A plurality of positioning pin recesses 63 are provided along the extension direction of the first covering portion 53A.

[0054] <About disassembly and assembly of battery pack and busbar unit> The assembly and disassembly (installation and removal) of the battery pack 10 and the bus bar unit 30 will be described in more detail.

[0055] When installing the battery pack 10 and the bus bar unit 30, the operator first moves the bus bar unit 30 in the Z direction relative to the battery pack 10, passes the column bolt 13A through the bolt fastening portion 41, and passes the fixing bolt 16 through the fixing portion 60 (see Figure 5 ). After that, the operator takes a wrench or other fastening jig and the nut 80, and tightens the nut 80 to the column bolt 13A and the fixing bolt 16 respectively by the fastening jig. At this time, the operator can release his hands from the busbar unit 30 in order to take the nut 80 and the fastening jig.

[0056] Here, the center of gravity of the busbar unit 30 is located on the side closer to the connector housing portion 51 than the fixing portion 60 in the Y direction. Therefore, if the rotation is not restrained by the rotation restraining portion 57B and the receiving portion 17, when the operator releases his hands from the busbar unit 30 before tightening the bolts, Figure 8 As shown, the busbar unit 30 may tilt toward the connector housing portion 51. When the fixing portion 60 is closer to the center of gravity in the Y direction than the bolt fastening portion 41, the busbar unit 30 tilts to rotate around the contact portion between the fixing portion 60 and the fixing bolt 16. When the inclination of the busbar unit 30 increases, the bolt fastening portion 41 may be detached from the columnar bolt 13A. Therefore, the operator may need to adjust the inclination of the busbar unit 30 before tightening the nut 80. In addition, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing that the busbar unit 30 is in an inclined state. Figure 8 , an example in which the receiving portion 17 is not provided on the battery pack 10 is described.

[0057] In contrast, in the busbar unit 30 of the present embodiment, since rotation is suppressed by the rotation suppressing portion 57B and the receiving portion 17, even if the operator releases his hands from the busbar unit 30 before the bolts are tightened, the rotation of the busbar unit 30 is suppressed. Figure 5 As shown, the busbar unit 30 can and easily maintain a normal posture. Therefore, after the operator takes the nut 80 and the fastening jig, even if the posture of the busbar unit 30 is not adjusted, the nut 80 can be tightened as it is.

[0058] When the battery pack 10 and the bus bar unit 30 are disassembled, when the rotation is not restrained by the rotation restraining portion 57B and the receiving portion 17, when the operator releases both hands from the bus bar unit 30 with the nut 80 removed, Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , the bus bar unit 30 may be tilted toward the connector housing portion 51. At this time, the fixing portion 60 and the fixing bolt 16 push each other in the Y direction. Therefore, when the bus bar unit 30 is moved in the Z direction and removed from the battery pack 10, the fixing portion 60 and the fixing bolt 16 may generate strong mutual friction.

[0059] In contrast, in the busbar unit 30 of the present embodiment, since the rotation is restrained by the rotation restraining portion 57B and the receiving portion 17, even if the operator releases both hands from the busbar unit 30 when the nut 80 is removed, the rotation of the busbar unit 30 is not affected. Figure 5 As shown, the busbar unit 30 is also easy to maintain a normal posture. Therefore, after removing the nut 80, the operator moves the busbar unit 30 in the Z direction without any change, and the possibility of strong mutual friction between the fixing portion 60 and the fixing bolt 16 is low. Therefore, it is easy to remove the busbar unit 30 from the battery pack 10.

[0060] The rotation inhibiting portion 57B and the receiving portion 17 may also contact each other when the battery pack 10 and the busbar unit 30 are in the normal installation posture. The rotation inhibiting portion 57B and the receiving portion 17 may also contact each other when the battery pack 10 and the busbar unit 30 are slightly tilted from the normal installation posture. In this case, as long as the tilt of the busbar unit 30 satisfies the following conditions: the bolt fastening portion 41 does not detach from the columnar bolt 13A, the nut 80 can be installed at the front end of the columnar bolt 13A, and the tilt is adjusted to the normal posture by tightening the nut 80.

[0061] <About Attachment and Disassembly of Bus Bar Unit 30 and Mating Connector 20> The attachment and detachment of the bus bar unit 30 and the counterpart connector 20 will be described in more detail.

[0062] The installation of the bus bar unit 30 and the counterpart connector 20 is described below on the premise that the bus bar unit 30 has been installed on the battery pack 10. The counterpart connector 20 is arranged along the Z direction according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The mating connector 20 is moved in the direction of the arrow A1 (in this case, a direction parallel to the Z direction) and the front end of the mating connector 20 is fitted into the fitting recess 51A to complete the installation.

[0063] At this time, the moving direction of the other connector 20 may be as follows Figure 2 In this case, the force of inserting the counterpart connector 20 into the connector housing portion 51 may act as a force to rotate the connector housing portion 51 around the Y-axis. Even so, in the bus bar unit 30 of the present embodiment, since the protrusion 55 contacts and supports the side surface 15b of the battery pack 10, even if a force to rotate around the Y-axis is applied to the connector housing portion 51 from the counterpart connector 20, the rotation of the connector housing portion 51 is suppressed. As a result, the installation of the bus bar unit 30 and the counterpart connector 20 becomes easy.

[0064] Similarly, when the bus bar unit 30 and the counterpart connector 20 are disassembled, the direction of the force for pulling the counterpart connector 20 out of the connector housing portion 51 may be offset in the X direction. In this case, the force for pulling the counterpart connector 20 out of the connector housing portion 51 may also act as a force for rotating the connector housing portion 51 around the Y axis. Even so, in the bus bar unit 30 of the present embodiment, since the protrusion 55 contacts and supports the side surface 15b of the battery pack 10, even if the force for rotation around the Y axis is applied from the counterpart connector 20 to the connector housing portion 51, the rotation of the connector housing portion 51 is suppressed. As a result, the bus bar unit 30 and the counterpart connector 20 can be easily disassembled.

[0065] The contact between the protrusion 55 and the side surface 15b of the battery pack 10 also has the function of suppressing the busbar unit 30 from rotating around the Y axis when the battery pack 10 and the busbar unit 30 are assembled or disassembled, that is, when the bolts are not tightened. That is, in the busbar unit 30, the center of gravity in the X direction is located closer to the connector housing portion 51 than the fixing portion 60. Therefore, if there is no contact between the protrusion 55 and the side surface 15b of the battery pack 10, when the bolts are not tightened, the connector housing portion 51 may drop and cause the busbar unit 30 to rotate around the Y axis. The contact between the protrusion 55 and the side surface 15b of the battery pack 10 can suppress this rotation.

[0066] <Effects, etc.> According to the busbar unit 30 of the above structure, since the other end of the busbar 40 is connected to the connector of the counterpart connector 20, the operating efficiency of the busbar unit 30 when assembling and disassembling the equipment is improved compared to the case where the other end and one end of the busbar are also bolt-fastened parts 41. In addition, by providing a protrusion 55 that contacts the side 15b of the battery pack 10 on the molded resin part 50, when the other end connector of the busbar 40 is connected, even if the busbar unit 30 is pushed by the counterpart connector 20, the other end of the busbar unit 30 can be supported by the battery pack 10. As a result, the operating efficiency of the connector connection is improved. In addition, since there is contact between the protrusion 55 and the side 15b of the battery pack 10, it is difficult to cause the busbar unit 30 to rotate around the Y-axis due to the lowering of the connector housing part 51 when the bolts are not tightened.

[0067] In addition, the intermediate cover portion 53 includes a first cover portion 53A extending from the connector housing portion 51 and a second cover portion 53B extending in a direction intersecting the first cover portion 53A, the molded resin portion 50 includes a first connection portion 56 connecting the second cover portion 53B and the connector housing portion 51, and the fixing portion 60 protrudes from the first connection portion 56. As a result, when the other end of the bus bar 40 is connected to the connector, the connector housing portion 51 becomes less likely to be deformed, and the efficiency of the connector connection operation is improved.

[0068] In addition, the molded resin part 50 includes a second connecting part 57 connecting the first connecting part 56 and the first covering part 53A and is made of fiber reinforced plastic. When the molded resin part 50 is made of fiber reinforced plastic, the fibers flow in the mold together with the softened resin when the molded resin part 50 is molded. At this time, even if the molded resin part 50 is made of fiber reinforced plastic, due to the presence of the first connecting part 56 and the second connecting part 57, the flow path of the fiber reinforced plastic during the molding of the molded resin part 50 increases, and the direction of the fibers contained in the fiber reinforced plastic can be dispersed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the molded resin part 50 is prone to cracking in a specific direction.

[0069] The molded resin portion 50 includes a cutout 61 extending between the fixing portion 60 and the end of the intermediate cover portion 53 on the bolt fastening portion 41 side. This can disperse stress applied from the battery pack 10 to the bus bar unit 30 when the battery pack 10 expands due to heat or the like.

[0070] In addition, a rotation inhibiting portion 57B is provided in the molded resin portion 50, and the rotation inhibiting portion 57B is hooked with the receiving portion 17 provided on the side 15b of the battery pack 10, thereby inhibiting the busbar unit 30 from tilting toward the connector housing portion 51 when the bolt fastening portion 41 is not bolted and the fixing portion 60 is not fixed. The busbar unit 30 of the present disclosure has a structure in which the other end of the busbar 40 is connected to the connector, so when the bolt fastening portion 41 at one end of the busbar 40 is not fastened, the other end of the busbar 40 may be in an unsupported state. Even in this case, since the rotation inhibiting portion 57B is hooked with the receiving portion 17 of the battery pack 10, the busbar unit 30 is inhibited from tilting toward the connector housing portion 51 when the bolt fastening portion 41 at one end is not fastened, thereby improving the efficiency of the bolt operation.

[0071] [Note] The above description states that the molded resin portion 50 includes the first connection portion 56 and the fixing portion 60 protrudes from the first connection portion 56, but this is not a necessary structure. For example, the molded resin portion 50 may not include the first connection portion 56. In addition, even when the molded resin portion 50 includes the first connection portion 56, the fixing portion 60 may not protrude from the first connection portion 56. For example, the fixing portion 60 may protrude from the second covering portion 53B. In this case, the fixing portion 60 may be farther from the center of gravity of the molded resin portion 50 in the Y direction than the bolt fastening portion 41.

[0072] In addition, the molded resin part 50 is described above as including the second connecting part 57 and being made of fiber reinforced plastic, but this is not necessarily a structure. For example, the molded resin part 50 may not include the second connecting part 57. Alternatively, the molded resin part 50 may be made of a resin that does not contain fibers.

[0073] In addition, although the molded resin portion 50 is described above as including the cutout 61 , this is not necessarily a configuration, and the molded resin portion 50 may not include the cutout 61 , and the fixing portion 60 and the third covering portion 53C may be directly connected.

[0074] In addition, although it is described above that the molded resin portion 50 is provided with the rotation inhibiting portion 57B, this is not a necessary structure. The molded resin portion 50 may not be provided with the rotation inhibiting portion 57B. In addition, even if the molded resin portion 50 is provided with the rotation inhibiting portion 57B, the rotation inhibiting portion is not necessarily the above-mentioned rib 57B. The rotation inhibiting portion may also be provided at a position different from the rib 57B. For example, the protrusion 55 or the rib 58 may also function as the rotation inhibiting portion.

[0075] In addition, the various configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications can be appropriately combined as long as there is no contradiction between them. Description of Reference Numerals

[0076] 10 Battery Pack 11 Cells 12 Battery body 13, 13A terminal (stud bolt) 14 Connecting conductors 15 Frame 15a Upper surface 15b Side 16 Fixing bolts 17 Receiving Department 20 Mating connector 21 Connector housing 22 Lock receiving part 22a Locking piece 22b Operation section 23 Connector terminals 24 Wire 30 Busbar unit 40 Busbar 41 Bolt fastening part 42 Connector terminal part 43A, 43B, 43C, 43D Bend 44 Middle 44A 1st Middle Section 44B 2nd middle part 44C 3rd middle section 50 Molding resin part 51 Connector housing 51A fitting recess 52 Locking part 53 Middle cover 53A Covering part 1 53B Second covering part 53C Covering part 3 55 protrusion 56 1st connection 57 Second connection 57A Connection body 57B Rib (rotation inhibition part) 58 Ribs 60 Fixed part 61 Incision 62 Gate traces 63 Recess for positioning pin 70 Ring 80 Nut 100 Connection modules

Claims

1. A bus bar unit electrically connected to a terminal of a battery pack, comprising a bus bar and a molded resin portion covering the bus bar, The busbar comprises: a bolt fastening portion, the bolt fastening portion being disposed at one end of the bus bar and being fastened with a terminal bolt of the battery pack to be electrically connected; as well as a connector terminal portion, which is disposed at the other end of the bus bar and is electrically connected to a connector terminal of a counterpart connector, The bolt fastening portion and the connector terminal portion of the busbar are spaced apart in a first direction which is a normal direction relative to a side surface of the battery pack and in a second direction along the side surface of the battery pack, respectively. The molded resin portion includes: a connector housing portion, the connector housing portion being disposed away from the side surface along the first direction in a manner opposed to the side surface of the battery pack and covering the connector terminal portion; an intermediate covering portion that covers an intermediate portion of the busbar extending from the connector housing portion; and a protrusion that protrudes from the connector housing portion toward the side surface of the battery pack and contacts the side surface of the battery pack, In addition to the bolt fastening portion, a fixing portion fixed to the battery pack is provided, and the fixing portion is provided on the side of the bolt fastening portion closer to the center of gravity of the bus bar unit in the second direction in the mold resin portion.

2. The busbar unit according to claim 1, wherein: The intermediate cover portion includes a first cover portion extending from the connector housing portion and a second cover portion extending in a direction intersecting the first cover portion. The molded resin portion includes a first connecting portion connecting the second covering portion and the connector housing portion. The fixing portion protrudes from the first connecting portion.

3. The busbar unit according to claim 2, wherein: The molded resin portion includes a second connection portion connecting the first connection portion and the first covering portion, and is made of fiber reinforced plastic.

4. The busbar unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The molded resin portion includes a cutout extending between the fixing portion and an end portion of the intermediate cover portion on the bolt fastening portion side.

5. The busbar unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The molded resin portion is provided with a rotation inhibiting portion, and the rotation inhibiting portion is hooked on a receiving portion provided on the side surface of the battery pack, thereby inhibiting the bus bar unit from tilting toward the connector housing portion when the bolt fastening portion is not bolted and the fixing portion is not fixed.

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