Battery pack

Abstract

The battery pack is provided with: a lower case and an upper case, each of which has a folding point (R) that is likely to bend when a vehicle is mounted and collides from the front; two battery modules housed inside the lower case and the upper case and disposed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle with a gap at the break point; and an intermediate plate provided in the gap and configured to restrain and hold the two battery modules.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a battery pack provided with a plurality of battery modules. BACKGROUND

[0002] A configuration for suppressing a large size and mitigating an impact on a battery cell in a case where an excessive load is applied from the outside is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-106258. Specifically, the configuration includes a first protruding portion and a second protruding portion that protrude from a side surface portion and are disposed apart from each other in a predetermined direction, and includes a first recess portion and a second recess portion into which the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion are respectively fitted. Thus, a load from the outside is divided between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion, and therefore it is possible to mitigate an impact on the battery cell. SUMMARY

[0003] However, in a case where a structure is provided in which a lower case and an upper case are provided outside a battery cell, since the relationship between a position at which a collision input is likely to occur in the lower case and the upper case and the positions of the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion is not considered, the intended effect is sometimes not obtained.

[0004] The present application takes the above fact into consideration, and aims to provide a battery pack capable of suppressing a load on a battery module.

[0005] The battery pack according to the first aspect of the present application includes a lower case and an upper case having a bending point at which bending is likely to occur when a vehicle is mounted and a collision occurs from the front, two battery modules housed inside the lower case and the upper case and disposed in a vehicle front-rear direction with a gap at the bending point, and an intermediate plate provided at the gap and restraining and holding the two battery modules.

[0006] In the battery pack according to the first aspect of the present application, since the intermediate plate is disposed at a position at which bending is likely to occur when a collision occurs from the front, a collision input is applied to the intermediate plate, and therefore it is possible to suppress a load on the battery module.

[0007] The battery pack according to the second aspect of the present application is, in the structure according to the first aspect, the bending point is a change point at which a width in a vehicle width direction sharply changes when the vehicle is mounted.

[0008] When a collision input is applied to the battery pack, the lower case and the upper case are likely to bend at a point at which a cross section in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction is sharply changed. In the battery pack according to the second aspect of the present application, since the bending point is set to be a change point at which a width in a vehicle width direction sharply changes when the vehicle is mounted, it is possible to set a point at which bending is likely to actually occur as the bending point.

[0009] The battery pack according to the present application described in the third aspect is characterized in that, in the structure described in the first or second aspect, the intermediate plate includes a front holding portion that holds the battery module in front, a rear holding portion that holds the battery module in rear, and a connecting portion that is weaker than the front holding portion and the rear holding portion and connects between the front holding portion and the rear holding portion at the folding point.

[0010] In the battery pack according to the present application described in the third aspect, the connecting portion that is weaker than the front holding portion and the rear holding portion is provided at the folding point, so that the connecting portion is broken when a collision input is applied to the intermediate plate, and thus the load on the battery module can be suppressed.

[0011] The battery pack according to the present application described in the fourth aspect is characterized in that, in the structure described in the third aspect, the intermediate plate has an H-shaped cross-sectional shape composed of the front holding portion, the rear holding portion, and the connecting portion when viewed in at least one of a vehicle width direction and a vehicle up-and-down direction when mounted on a vehicle.

[0012] In the battery pack according to the present application described in the fourth aspect, the intermediate plate has the H-shaped cross-sectional shape composed of the front holding portion, the rear holding portion, and the connecting portion when viewed in at least one of the vehicle width direction and the vehicle up-and-down direction when mounted on a vehicle, so that the thickness of the connecting portion in at least one of the vehicle width direction and the vehicle up-and-down direction is thinner than that of the front holding portion and the rear holding portion. Thus, the connecting portion is weaker than the front holding portion and the rear holding portion, and the connecting portion is broken when a collision input is applied to the intermediate plate, and thus the load on the battery module can be suppressed.

[0013] The battery pack according to the present application described in the fifth aspect is characterized in that, in the structure described in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the two battery modules fastened to the intermediate plate each have a fastening portion that is fastened to the lower case at a position where the intermediate plate is not present.

[0014] In the battery pack according to the present application described in the fifth aspect, the two battery modules fastened to the intermediate plate each have the fastening portion that is fastened to the lower case at the position where the intermediate plate is not present, so that the constraint of each of the two battery modules to the lower case is maintained even if the intermediate plate is broken.

[0015] As described above, the battery pack according to the present application has an excellent effect of suppressing the load on the battery module. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present application.

[0018] Figure 2A (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present application.

[0019] Figure 2B (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a first embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Figure 3 (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a second embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 4 (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 5 (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present application.

[0023] Figure 6 (A) is a longitudinal sectional view and (B) is a transverse sectional view schematically showing a battery pack according to a third embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Hereinafter, a battery pack 10 according to a first embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the description of the drawings, the same reference signs are used for the same or equivalent elements, and repetitive description will be omitted. Note that in the drawings, repetitive reference signs are sometimes appropriately omitted. In addition, arrows FR, UP, and RH appropriately shown in each drawing represent the front side in the vehicle front-rear direction, the upper side in the vehicle up-down direction, and the right side in the vehicle width direction, respectively, when the battery pack 10 is mounted on a vehicle. Hereinafter, in a case where only the front-rear, up-down, left-right, and inner-outer directions are described, unless otherwise specified, the front-rear, up-down, left-right, and inner-outer directions represent the vehicle front-rear direction, the vehicle up-down direction, the vehicle left-right direction (vehicle width direction), and the vehicle width direction, respectively. Note that each drawing schematically shows the configuration of the battery pack, and in fact, the configuration of the battery pack is simplified by, for example, representing parts requiring hatching with thick lines, and the like.

[0025] As an example, the battery pack 10 in this embodiment is a secondary battery, such as a battery used in various vehicles such as forklifts, hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles. The battery pack 10 is, for example, a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery or a lithium-ion secondary battery. The battery pack 10 may also be, for example, a double-layer capacitor.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown in part (A), as an example, the battery pack 10 includes a plurality of battery modules 20, a housing 30 that internally houses the plurality of battery modules 20, and an intermediate plate 40 that constrains and holds the plurality of battery modules 20. In this embodiment, as an example, the battery pack 10 includes two battery modules 20: a front battery module 20A and a rear battery module 20B. Furthermore, in the following description, both the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B are sometimes referred to as battery modules 20. Additionally, although not shown in the figure, a plurality of battery modules may also be arranged behind the rear battery module 20B. The plurality of battery modules 20 are electrically connected via a busbar (not shown).

[0027] The battery module 20 includes a plurality of battery cells 22 arranged in one direction. Furthermore, the number of battery cells 22 is not particularly limited as long as there are two or more. In this embodiment, the aforementioned "one direction" refers to the direction that forms the front-rear direction of the vehicle when the battery pack 10 is mounted on it; hereinafter, this is referred to as the stacking direction (see reference). Figure 2A (Hollow arrow).

[0028] The shell 30 includes a lower shell 32 and an upper shell 34. For example, the shell 30 is constructed of a composite material, such as a high-strength steel plate, a frame portion made of high-strength steel plate, and other portions made of FRGP (Flat Steel Plate). Figure 1 As shown in part (A), the lower housing 32 is formed in a plate shape to accommodate multiple battery modules 20. The upper housing 34 is formed in a concave shape that is open at the bottom, covering the multiple battery modules 20 from above, and is sealed relative to the lower housing 32.

[0029] More specifically, the upper housing 34 has a flange portion 34A extending outward at its lower end and sealing with the lower housing 32. Additionally, the upper housing 34 has a front portion 34B that rises from the flange portion 34A on the front side of the vehicle and is formed in a generally rectangular shape. The upper housing 34 has a rear portion 34C that rises from the flange portion 34A on the rear side of the vehicle, extends from the front portion 34B, and is formed to a height higher than the front portion 34B.

[0030] The lower housing 32 is formed in the shape of a plate, and its periphery is joined to the flange portion 34A of the upper housing 34.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown in part (B), the lower housing 32 includes a first main body portion 32A, a second main body portion 32B, a third main body portion 32C, and a fourth main body portion 32D from the front side of the vehicle. Figure 1 Part (B) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the battery pack 10, but for convenience, the state after the upper housing 34 has been removed is shown.

[0032] The first main body portion 32A is formed into a rectangle with a width of H1 in the vehicle width direction when viewed from above. The second main body portion 32B is adjacent to the first main body portion 32A, and its width in the vehicle width direction when viewed from above is smaller than that of the first main body portion 32A (H2 < H1). It has a gradually narrowing inclined side portion 32E on the side opposite to the first main body portion 32A. The third main body portion 32C is formed into a rectangle that continues from the inclined side portion 32E when viewed from above, and has a width of H3 (H3 < H2) smaller than that of the second main body portion 32B. The fourth main body portion 32D is formed into a rectangle with a width of H4 (H4 > H1) larger than that of the first main body portion 32A when viewed from above.

[0033] The lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34 have the same shape when viewed from above. In this embodiment, as an example, the first main body portion 32A, the second main body portion 32B, and the third main body portion 32C of the lower housing 32 are covered by the front portion 34B of the upper housing 34. Furthermore, the fourth main body portion 32D of the lower housing 32 is covered by the rear portion 34C of the upper housing 34. Additionally, in this embodiment, as an example, the housing 30 is disposed below a floor panel (not shown), which is located under the passenger compartment S for occupants.

[0034] When an impact input is applied to the battery pack 10, there is a high probability that the housing 30, i.e., the lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34, configured as described above, will be bent starting from a point where the cross-section changes abruptly in the horizontal or vertical direction. In this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown in part (B), the boundary line between the first main body 32A and the second main body 32B is a point where the horizontal cross-section changes abruptly from width H1 to width H2. Therefore, in the lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34, there is a high probability of bending from this point when an impact input is applied from the front of the vehicle, so this point is designated as the inflection point R.

[0035] Specifically, when an impact input is applied from the front of the vehicle, such as Figure 1 As shown by the dashed line in section (A), the lower housing 32 is highly likely to bend downwards from the inflection point R. Additionally, similarly... Figure 1 As shown by the dashed line in part (A), the upper shell 34 is highly likely to bend downwards from the inflection point R.

[0036] In the housing 30 configured as described above, a front battery module 20A and a rear battery module 20B, housed within the internal space formed by the lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34, are arranged along the vehicle's longitudinal direction with a gap A at the inflection point R. Specifically, the front battery module 20A is arranged in front of the vehicle at the inflection point R, and the rear battery module 20B is arranged behind the vehicle at the inflection point R, with a gap A between them.

[0037] The constraint keeps the intermediate plate 40 between the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B positioned within the gap A. For example... Figure 2A As shown, the intermediate plate 40 includes a front holding portion 42 that holds the front battery module 20A and a rear holding portion 44 that holds the rear battery module 20B. The front holding portion 42 and the rear holding portion 44 are connected by a connecting portion 46 that is more fragile than the front holding portion 42 and the rear holding portion 44.

[0038] When viewed from the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction, the intermediate plate 40 has an H-shaped cross-section formed by the front retaining portion 42, the rear retaining portion 44, and the connecting portion 46. That is, the connecting portion 46 is formed such that its diameter in the vehicle vertical direction and the vehicle width direction is smaller than that of the front retaining portion 42 and the rear retaining portion 44.

[0039] Furthermore, the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B, connected by the intermediate plate 40, are clamped by a pair of end plates 24 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The pair of end plates 24 are respectively fastened to the lower housing 32 via brackets or the like. Here, the fastening portion between the end plates 24 and the lower housing 32 is designated as a fastening part 26. Figure 1 Part (A) Part (B) and Figure 2A As shown, the fastening part 26 is provided in the part without the intermediate plate 40. It should be noted that, in order to be more securely fastened to the lower housing 32, the width of at least one of the end plate 24 and the fastening part 26 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is formed to be larger than the width of the front retaining part 42 and the rear retaining part 44 in the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0040] Next, the effects of the battery pack 10 in the first embodiment will be explained.

[0041] like Figure 5 As shown in section (A), the conventional battery pack 100 uses a housing 30 with the same structure as the battery pack 10 described in the above embodiment. Hereinafter, structures having the same structure as those in the above embodiment will be indicated by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0042] If a collision input F is applied to the battery pack 100 from the front, then as Figure 5As shown in parts (B) and (C), there is a high probability of bending at the inflection point R in the housing 30. In conventional battery packs 100, in order to improve the energy density of the battery pack 100, multiple battery cells are continuously arranged in a single battery module along the vehicle's longitudinal direction. The battery module is held in the vehicle's longitudinal direction by a pair of end plates 24, each of which has a fastening portion 26 that is fastened to the lower housing 32 via a bracket or the like.

[0043] In such a conventional structure, during a frontal collision, if the housing 30, namely the lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34, bends at the inflection point R, there is a possibility that the bent lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34 will come into contact with the battery module, requiring a structure to mitigate the impact on the battery module.

[0044] Therefore, as Figure 6 As shown in parts (A) and (B), in the conventional second battery pack 100A, the battery modules are divided, with the front battery module 120A and the rear battery module 120B arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction with a gap D at the inflection point R. Furthermore, the front battery module 120A and the rear battery module 120B are each held in the vehicle longitudinal direction by a pair of end plates 24, each end plate 24 having a fastening portion 26 fastened to the lower housing 32 via a bracket or the like.

[0045] Here, the gap D of the conventional second battery pack 100A is set to be larger than the gap A in the battery pack 10 of the above embodiment. That is, the width of the end plate 24 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is larger than the front retaining portion 42 and the rear retaining portion 44 of the above embodiment. Therefore, the gap D of the conventional second battery pack 100A with two end plates 24 is larger than the gap A of the battery pack 100A with front retaining portion 42 and rear retaining portion 44 but without end plates 24.

[0046] In the conventional second battery pack 100A, during a frontal collision, the impact on the battery module 120 is mitigated when the housing 30 (lower housing 32 and upper housing 34) bends at the inflection point R. However, in the front battery module 120A and the rear battery module 120B, end plates 24 and fastening parts 26 are required on both sides in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, respectively, resulting in a decrease in energy density.

[0047] Therefore, in the battery pack 10 of this embodiment, an intermediate plate 40 is arranged in the area that is considered to be prone to bending during a frontal collision, namely the area containing the inflection point R. Therefore, during a frontal collision, when the housing 30, namely the lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34, bends at the inflection point R, the collision input is applied to the intermediate plate 40, thereby suppressing the load on the battery module 20.

[0048] Furthermore, when a collision input is applied to the battery pack 10, the lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34 are highly likely to bend, starting from a point where their cross-sections change abruptly in the horizontal or vertical direction. In the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment, the inflection point R is set as a point where the width changes more drastically in the vehicle width direction when the battery is mounted on a vehicle, thus allowing the point with a high probability of actual bending to be set as the inflection point R.

[0049] Furthermore, in the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment, a connecting portion 46, which is more fragile than the front holding portion 42 and the rear holding portion 44 of the intermediate plate 40, is provided at the fold point R. Therefore, as Figure 2A As shown, when a collision input is applied to the intermediate plate 40, as Figure 2B As shown, the connection part 46 is damaged, thus suppressing the load on the battery module 20.

[0050] Furthermore, in the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment, when viewed from the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction when mounted in a vehicle, the intermediate plate 40 has an H-shaped cross-sectional shape formed by the front retaining portion 42, the rear retaining portion 44, and the connecting portion 46. Therefore, the thickness of the connecting portion 46 in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction is thinner than that of the front retaining portion 42 and the rear retaining portion 44. As a result, the connecting portion 46 is more fragile than the front retaining portion 42 and the rear retaining portion 44. When a collision input is applied to the intermediate plate 40, the connecting portion 46 breaks, thus suppressing the load on the battery module 20.

[0051] Furthermore, in the battery pack 10 of this embodiment, the gap A between the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B in the vehicle longitudinal direction is smaller than the gap D of the conventional second battery pack 100A described above. Therefore, the decrease in energy density can be suppressed compared with the conventional second battery pack 100A described above.

[0052] Furthermore, in the battery pack 10 according to this embodiment, fastening portions 26 for fastening the downward housing 32 are provided in the parts of the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B that are fastened to the intermediate plate 40, respectively. Therefore, even if the intermediate plate 40 is damaged, the constraint of the downward housing 32 is maintained in the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B.

[0053] Next, refer to Figure 3 The battery pack 10A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The battery pack 10A of this embodiment has an intermediate plate 40A with a structure different from that of the battery pack 10 of the first embodiment described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the structure other than the intermediate plate 40A is the same as that of the battery pack 10 of the first embodiment described above, so only the intermediate plate 40A will be described in detail here.

[0054] likeFigure 3 As shown in parts (A) and (B), the intermediate plate 40A of this embodiment does not have a structure corresponding to the front retaining portion 42 of the intermediate plate 40 in the above embodiment. That is, the intermediate plate 40A is composed of a rear retaining portion 44 and a connecting portion 46.

[0055] In this embodiment, the front battery module 20A is held in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by a pair of end plates 24, each of which has a fastening portion 26 that is fastened to the lower housing 32 via a bracket or the like. The rear end plate 24 of the pair of end plates 24 engages with the connecting portion 46 of the intermediate plate 40. Furthermore, the intermediate plate 40A is disposed in the gap B between the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B.

[0056] Here, the gap B of the battery pack 10A is set to be larger than the gap A in the battery pack 10 of the above-described embodiment. That is, the width of the end plate 24 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is larger than that of the rear retaining portion 44 in this embodiment. Therefore, the gap B of the battery pack 10A of this embodiment, which has one end plate 24, is larger than the gap A of the above-described embodiment, which does not have an end plate 24 but has a front retaining portion 42 and a rear retaining portion 44. On the other hand, the gap B of this embodiment is formed to be smaller than that of the conventional second battery pack 100A. That is, the gap B of the battery pack 10A of this embodiment, which has one end plate 24, is smaller than the gap D of the conventional second battery pack 100A, which has two end plates 24.

[0057] Next, the effects of the battery pack 10A in the second embodiment will be explained.

[0058] In the battery pack 10A according to this embodiment, similarly to the embodiment described above, an intermediate plate 40A is provided in the region containing the inflection point R, which is considered to be prone to bending during a frontal collision. Therefore, during a frontal collision, when the housing 30, i.e., the lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34, bends at the inflection point R, the collision input is applied to the intermediate plate 40A, thereby suppressing the load on the battery module 20.

[0059] Furthermore, when a collision input is applied to the battery pack 10A, the lower housing 32 and the upper housing 34 are highly likely to bend, starting from a point where the cross-section changes abruptly in the horizontal or vertical direction. In the battery pack 10A according to this embodiment, the inflection point R is set as a point where the width changes more abruptly in the vehicle width direction when the battery is mounted on a vehicle, thus allowing the point with a high probability of actual bending to be set as the inflection point R.

[0060] Furthermore, in the battery pack 10A according to this embodiment, since the connecting portion 46, which is more fragile than the rear retaining portion 44 of the intermediate plate 40A, is provided at the inflection point R, the connecting portion 46 breaks when an impact input is applied to the intermediate plate 40A, thereby suppressing the load on the battery module 20.

[0061] Furthermore, in the battery pack 10A according to this embodiment, when viewed from the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction when the battery pack 10A is mounted in a vehicle, the thickness of the connecting portion 46 of the intermediate plate 40A in both the vehicle width and vertical directions is thinner than that of the rear retaining portion 44. Therefore, the connecting portion 46 is more fragile than the rear retaining portion 44, and when a collision input is applied to the intermediate plate 40A, it breaks at the connecting portion 46, thus suppressing the load on the battery module 20.

[0062] Furthermore, in the battery pack 10A of this embodiment, the front battery module 20A is held in the vehicle's longitudinal direction by a pair of end plates 24, each of which has a fastening portion 26 fastened to the lower housing 32 via a bracket or the like. Therefore, the gap B between the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B is larger than the gap A in the aforementioned embodiment. However, the gap B between the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B can be smaller than the gap A in the conventional second battery pack 100A, thus suppressing the decrease in energy density compared to the conventional second battery pack 100A.

[0063] Furthermore, in the battery pack 10A according to this embodiment, fastening portions 26 for fastening downward housing 32 are provided in the parts of the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B that are fastened to the intermediate plate 40A, respectively. Therefore, even if the intermediate plate 40A is damaged, the constraint of the downward housing 32 is maintained in the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B.

[0064] Next, refer to Figure 4 The battery pack 10B according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The battery pack 10B of this embodiment has an intermediate plate 40B with a structure different from that of the battery pack 10 of the first embodiment described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the structure other than the intermediate plate 40B is the same as that of the battery pack 10 of the first embodiment described above, so only the intermediate plate 40B will be described in detail here.

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown in parts (A) and (B), the intermediate plate 40B of this embodiment does not have a structure corresponding to the rear retaining portion 44 of the intermediate plate 40 of the above embodiment. That is, the intermediate plate 40B is composed of a front retaining portion 42 and a connecting portion 46.

[0066] In this embodiment, unlike the second embodiment described above, the rear battery module 20B is held in the vehicle's longitudinal direction by a pair of end plates 24, each end plate 24 having a fastening portion 26 that is secured to the lower housing 32 via a bracket or the like. The rear end plate 24 of the pair of end plates 24 engages with the connecting portion 46 of the intermediate plate 40. Furthermore, the intermediate plate 40B is positioned in the gap B between the front battery module 20A and the rear battery module 20B. Here, the gap B of the battery pack 10B is set in the same way as the gap B in the battery pack 10A of the second embodiment described above.

[0067] Next, the effects of the battery pack 10B in the third embodiment will be explained.

[0068] In the battery pack 10B of this embodiment, in the gap B, the battery pack 10A of the second embodiment has an end plate 24 on the front battery module 20A, while the battery pack 10A of the second embodiment has an end plate 24 on the rear battery module 20B, which is different from the second embodiment, but otherwise the same. Therefore, the same effect as the second embodiment can be obtained.

[0069] [Additional Explanation]

[0070] Furthermore, although in the first embodiment described above, the intermediate plate 40 has an H-shaped cross-section when viewed from the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction when mounted in a vehicle, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may also have an H-shaped cross-section when viewed only from the vehicle width direction or the vehicle vertical direction when mounted in a vehicle.

[0071] Furthermore, although in the above-described embodiments, the diameter of the connecting portion 46 of the intermediate plates 40, 40A, and 40B in the vertical direction and the width direction is smaller than that of the front retaining portion 42 or the rear retaining portion 44, the present invention is not limited to this, and the diameter in the vertical direction or the width direction can also be made larger.

[0072] Furthermore, the intermediate plates 40, 40A, and 40B are not limited to the aforementioned structure, as long as the connecting portion 46 is configured to be more fragile than the front and rear retaining portions. For example, a slit or cut may be provided in the connecting portion to create a more fragile part.

[0073] Furthermore, the structure disclosed herein is not limited to the above-described embodiments; the structure can be appropriately modified as long as the problem can be solved.

Claims

1. A battery pack, comprising: The lower and upper housings have bends that are prone to bending when the vehicle is mounted and collides with the front. Two battery modules, housed within the lower and upper housings, are arranged with a gap at the fold point along the vehicle's longitudinal direction; and An intermediate plate, positioned in the gap, constrains and holds the two battery modules in place.

2. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein, The inflection point is the point where the width of the vehicle changes drastically in the width direction when the vehicle is mounted.

3. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein, The intermediate plate has: The front retaining part constrains and holds the battery module at the front; The rear retaining part constrains and holds the battery module at the rear; and The connecting portion is configured to be more fragile than the front retaining portion and the rear retaining portion, and connects the front retaining portion and the rear retaining portion at the fold point.

4. The battery pack according to claim 3, wherein, When viewed from at least one of the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction while the intermediate plate is mounted on the vehicle, it has an H-shaped cross-sectional shape formed by the front retaining portion, the rear retaining portion and the connecting portion.

5. The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein, The two battery modules, which are constrained and held by the intermediate plate, are respectively provided with fastening parts for fastening to the lower housing in the part where the intermediate plate is not.

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