Conductive module

Abstract

A conductive module comprising: a bus bar (10) physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals (BCb) of a pair of battery cells (BC) in a battery module (BM); a circuit conductor component (20) provided with a circuit conductor electrically connecting the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit; a first casing (30) in which a bus bar receiving portion (31) receiving the bus bar at a receiving completion position inside is provided for each bus bar; and a second casing (40) provided with a circuit receiving portion (41) receiving the circuit conductor component inside, wherein the bus bar receiving portion is provided with a space for connecting the bus bar and the electrode terminals and has a bottom wall (32) on which the bus bar is placed at the receiving completion position,wherein the first housing has a first engagement portion (33) provided for each busbar receiving portion, and the second housing has a busbar holding portion (42) provided for each busbar receiving portion to enclose the busbar at the receiving termination position with the bottom wall, and a second engagement portion (43) provided for each busbar receiving portion and engaged with the first engagement portion to hold the busbar holding portion in a position to enclose the busbar.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a conductive module. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0002] The conductive module is a wiring module that electrically connects a battery module in which multiple battery cells are arranged and a battery monitoring unit that monitors the battery status of the battery cells. The conductive module includes a bus bar that is physically and electrically connected to an electrode terminal of a battery cell or electrode terminals of a pair of battery cells of the battery module, a circuit conductor for each bus bar that electrically connects the bus bar to the battery monitoring unit, an electrical connection component that physically and electrically connects the bus bar to the circuit conductor, and a housing that houses it. This type of conductive module is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. JP 2020-119653 A.

[0003] Meanwhile, the housing has a busbar receiving member in which a busbar receiving portion is formed for each busbar, and the busbar is held in a busbar receiving chamber of the busbar receiving portion by a busbar holding portion provided in the chamber. The conventional busbar holding portion includes, for example, a cantilevered flexible portion extending toward a bottom wall in a depth direction of the busbar receiving chamber, and a claw portion provided at a free end of the flexible portion on the bottom wall side. The busbar holding portion holds the busbar within the busbar receiving chamber between the claw portion and the bottom wall by inserting the busbar between the claw portion and the bottom wall while bending the flexible portion.To ensure the holding function of the busbar holding portion, the depth of the busbar accommodating chamber in a thickness direction of the busbar relative to the body must be large. Therefore, in the conventional conductive module, there is a limit to reducing the size of the busbar accommodating member in the depth direction of the busbar accommodating chamber, and there is room for improvement in reducing the height. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a conductive module whose height can be reduced.

[0005] To achieve the above object, a conductive module according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a bus bar physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals of a pair of battery cells in a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged; a circuit conductor component provided with a circuit conductor that electrically connects the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit; a first casing in which a bus bar receiving portion that receives the bus bar at a receiving completion position inside is provided for each bus bar;and a second housing provided with a circuit receiving portion that receives the circuit conductor component inside, the busbar receiving portion being provided with a space for connecting the busbar and the electrode terminals and having a bottom wall on which the busbar is placed at the receiving completion position, the first housing having a first engaging portion provided for each busbar receiving portion, and the second housing having a busbar holding portion provided for each busbar receiving portion for enclosing the busbar with the bottom wall at the receiving completion position, and a second engaging portion provided for each busbar receiving portion and engaging with the first engaging portion to hold the busbar holding portion in a position for enclosing the busbar.

[0006] The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a conductive module according to an embodiment; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the conductive module according to the embodiment; Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the conductive module in a state before mounting a cover member according to the embodiment; Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a busbar support structure; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a battery module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a conductive module according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by the embodiment. Embodiment

[0008] An embodiment of a conductive module according to the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to 5.

[0009] The reference number 1 in the Fig. 1 to 4 denotes a conductive module of the present embodiment. The conductive module 1 is connected to a battery module BM ( Fig. 5) in which a plurality of battery cells BC are arranged (e.g., in a row) to electrically connect the battery module BM to a battery monitoring unit (not shown), so that the battery monitoring unit monitors the battery status of the battery cells BC. The conductive module 1, together with the battery module BM, forms a battery pack. The battery pack is mounted, for example, in a vehicle (a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), or the like) that includes a rotating machine as a power source, and is used to supply power to the rotating machine.

[0010] The battery cell BC consists of a cell body BCa and positive and negative electrode terminals BCb ( Fig. 5). In the battery cell BC shown here, the cell body BCa is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped with six outer wall surfaces. In the majority of the battery cells BC constituting the battery module BM, the cell bodies BCa are arranged side by side in an arrangement direction such that the respective outer wall surfaces face each other. The battery module BM comprises one electrode terminal group BCc in which the electrode terminals BCb of the battery cells BC are arranged on one side along the arrangement direction, and the other electrode terminal group BCc in which the electrode terminals BCb of the battery cells BC are arranged on the other side along the arrangement direction.

[0011] In this example, each battery cell BC contains positive and negative electrode terminals BCb on one of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell body BCa ( Fig. 5). Therefore, in the battery module BM, two groups of terminals BCc are located on one level (hereinafter referred to as the “electrode installation surface”) ( Fig. 5).

[0012] However, a battery cell BC in which a positive electrode terminal BCb is provided on one of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell body BCa and a negative electrode terminal BCb is provided on another of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell body BCa is also known, although not shown. In the battery module BM including such battery cells BC, the electrode terminals BCc are arranged in different planes. The plane is a portion referred to as a side wall surface of the battery module BM, as described above. The conductive module 1 of the present embodiment is also applied to such a battery module BM.

[0013] The electrode terminal BCb shown here is shaped like a flat plate and physically and electrically connects a busbar 10, described below, by welding or the like. However, the electrode terminal BCb may also be shaped like a pole with an externally threaded portion.

[0014] The conductive module 1 comprises a busbar 10 which is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminals BCb of a pair of battery cells BC in the battery module BM ( Fig. 1 to 4).

[0015] The busbar 10 is a plate-shaped, conductive metal component and is manufactured by press molding, e.g., using a metal plate as the base material. The busbar 10 includes a first electrical connection portion 11 that is physically and electrically connected to one of the electrode terminals BCb, a second electrical connection portion 12 that is physically and electrically connected to the other of the electrode terminals BCb, and a connecting portion 13 that has a bent shape and connects the first and second electrical connection portions 11 and 12 to each other ( Fig. 1 to 4).

[0016] The first electrical connection portion 11 and the second electrical connection portion 12 are shaped like a rectangular flat plate on the same plane and are arranged with a gap between their sides in the arrangement direction of the pair of adjacent electrode terminals BCb (ie, the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC). The connection portion 13 has a cross section formed in a U-shape, such as a C-shape, in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the first electrical connection portion 11 and the second electrical connection portion 12 and the direction vector of the normal to the plane of the first electrical connection portion 11 (the second electrical connection portion 12), and connects the sides so as to fill the gap between the first electrical connection portion 11 and the second electrical connection portion 12.In the connecting section 13, a groove section extending in the orthogonal direction is formed within the U-shape.

[0017] In addition, the conductive module 1 comprises a circuit conductor component 20 provided with a circuit conductor (not shown) that electrically connects the busbar 10 to the battery monitoring unit ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 3). The conductive module 1 includes an electrical connection component (not shown, e.g., a conductive component such as a terminal or an electrical wire) for each busbar 10, wherein the electrical connection component is physically and electrically connected to the busbar 10, and the circuit conductor forms a pair to electrically connect the busbar 10 and the circuit conductor.

[0018] For example, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) on which a conductor pattern is formed for each busbar 10 as a conductive path, a rigid board on which a conductor pattern is formed for each busbar 10 as a conductive path, an electric wire having a core wire as a conductive path for each busbar 10, or the like are used as the circuit conductor component 20. Here, a flexible printed circuit board is used as the circuit conductor component 20.

[0019] The conductive module 1 comprises a first housing 30 in which a busbar receiving section 31 is provided for each busbar 10 for receiving the busbar 10 in a position for completing the reception, and a second housing 40 in which a circuit receiving section 41 for receiving the circuit conductor component 20 is housed inside ( Fig. 1 to 4). The first housing 30 and the second housing 40 are made of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin.

[0020] The first housing 30 comprises a busbar receiving element 30A in which the busbar receiving section 31 for each busbar 10 is formed ( Fig. 1 to 4). In the first housing 30, the busbar receiving portions 31 for the respective busbars 10 are arranged along the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC. The first housing 30 may include a cover member that covers the inside of each busbar receiving portion 31 together with the busbar 10 located in the receiving completion position.

[0021] The busbar receiving portion 31 is like a square ring having a pair of first side walls 31a arranged to oppose each other with a gap in the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC, and a pair of second side walls 31b arranged to oppose each other with a gap in the extension direction of the connecting portion 13 in the busbar 10 in the receiving completion position ( Fig. 2).

[0022] The busbar receiving section 31 is provided with a space for connecting the busbar 10 and the electrode terminals BCb and has a bottom wall 32 on which the busbar 10 is placed in the receiving completion position ( Fig. 2). The bottom wall 32 is a connecting wall that connects the pair of second side walls 31b and enters the U-shaped inner groove portion of the connecting portion 13 when the busbar 10 is in the receiving completion position. When the busbar 10 is in the receiving completion position, the groove bottom of the connecting portion 13 is placed on the bottom wall 32.

[0023] In the busbar receiving portion 31, the busbar 10 is inserted toward the bottom wall 32 in the axial direction of the square ring shape.

[0024] The second housing 40 includes a circuit receiving member 40A in which the circuit receiving portion 41 is formed, and a cover member 40B covering an opening 41a for inserting the circuit conductor component 20 into the circuit receiving portion 41 ( Fig. 1 to 4). In the second case 40, by assembling the circuit accommodating member 40A and the cover member 40B, the opening 41a of the circuit accommodating portion 41 is covered with the cover member 40B.

[0025] In the second housing 40, the circuit accommodating member 40A and the cover member 40B may be prepared as individual components, or the circuit accommodating member 40A and the cover member 40B may be formed as one component via a hinge or the like.

[0026] The second housing 40 is provided adjacent to the busbar receiving member 30A in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC and the insertion direction of the busbar 10 toward the bottom wall 32 in the busbar receiving portion 31 ( Fig. 1 to 3).

[0027] In the conductive module 1, the busbar receiving member 30A of the first housing 30 and the circuit receiving member 40A of the second housing 40 may be prepared as individual components, or the busbar receiving member 30A and the circuit receiving member 40A may be formed as one component via a connecting portion or the like.

[0028] Here, in the conductive module 1, the cover member 40B of the second housing 40 is used to hold the busbar 10, which is placed in the fully received position in the busbar receiving member 30A of the first housing 30, within the busbar receiving portion 31.

[0029] First, the first housing 30 includes a first engaging portion 33 provided for each busbar receiving portion 31 ( Fig. 1 to 4). The first engagement portion 33 for each busbar receiving portion 31 is also formed in the busbar receiving member 30A. Next, the second housing 40 includes a busbar holding portion 42 provided for each busbar receiving portion 31 and clamping the busbar 10 in the receiving-complete position with the bottom wall 32 of the busbar receiving portion 31, and a second engagement portion 43 provided for each busbar receiving portion 31 and engaging with the first engagement portion 33 to hold the busbar holding portion 42 in a clamping position with the busbar 10 ( Fig. 1 to 4). The busbar holding portion 42 and the second engaging portion 43 are provided in the cover member 40B.

[0030] In particular, the busbar holding portion 42 is shaped like a cantilever projecting from the cover member 40B toward the busbar receiving portion 31 ( Fig. 1 to 4). The busbar holding portion 42 projects along the extension direction of the connecting portion 13 in the busbar 10 in the fully received position and along the extension direction of the bottom wall 32 of the busbar receiving portion 31.

[0031] The second engagement portion 43 is provided at a free end and a fixed end of the busbar holding portion 42 ( Fig. 2 to 4). The busbar receiving portion 31 includes a first engaging portion 33 that is paired with the second engaging portion 43 at the free end of the busbar holding portion 42, and a first engaging portion 33 that is paired with the second engaging portion 43 at the fixed end of the busbar holding portion 42 ( Fig. 1 to 4). The second engagement portion 43 includes, for example, a partial portion 43a protruding from the busbar holding portion 42 and a claw portion 43b protruding from a wall surface of the partial portion 43a ( Fig. 4). The first engaging portion 33 is shaped like a square ring, so that the second engaging portion 43 is inserted into the ring, and the claw portion 43b removed from the ring is hooked into the first engaging portion 33, thereby holding the second engaging portion 43 in the ring.

[0032] In the conductive module 1, the circuit accommodating member 40A and the cover member 40B are assembled in a state where the busbar 10 is accommodated in the busbar accommodating portion 31, and the first engaging portion 33 and the second engaging portion 43 are engaged with each other on the free end side and the fixed end side of the busbar holding portion 42 in the cover member 40B. As a result, in the conductive module 1, the connecting portion 13 of the busbar 10 is clamped between the bottom wall 32 of the busbar accommodating portion 31 and the busbar holding portion 42, and the busbar 10 is held in the busbar accommodating portion 31 in the accommodation completion position.

[0033] Since the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment employs such a busbar support structure, the depth of the inner side of the busbar accommodating portion 31 can be flattened to a size corresponding to the body of the busbar 10 in the thickness direction. Therefore, in the conductive module 1, the size of the busbar accommodating portion 31 in the depth direction of the inner side can be reduced, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the first housing 30 in the depth direction. Therefore, the height of the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can be reduced.For example, as mentioned above, the busbar holding portion of the conventional conductive module has a cantilevered flexible portion extending in the depth direction of the inside of the busbar accommodating portion, and the busbar enters between the claw portion at the distal end and the bottom wall while the flexible portion is bent. On the other hand, the busbar holding portion 42 of the present embodiment does not affect the depth of the inside of the busbar accommodating portion 31. Therefore, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can be made smaller in size than the conventional conductive module.

[0034] Furthermore, in the conventional busbar support structure, the flexible portion is bent by the busbar, while the metal busbar slides on the resin flexible portion. Therefore, in order to reduce the aggressiveness of the busbar to the flexible portion, the conventional busbar support reduces the load acting between the busbar and the flexible portion by expanding the flexible portion in the expansion direction, etc. However, the extension of the flexible portion reduces the holding force of the conventional busbar support portion against the busbar.On the other hand, the busbar holding structure of the present embodiment generates a force for clamping the busbar 10 between the busbar holding portion 42 and the bottom wall 32 of the busbar receiving portion 31 by engaging the first engagement portion 33 made of a synthetic resin and the second engagement portion 43 made of a synthetic resin with each other. That is, the busbar holding structure of the present embodiment is capable of holding the busbar 10 without the busbar 10 sliding with respect to the first engagement portion 33, the second engagement portion 43, and the busbar holding portion 42. Therefore, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can improve the durability of the busbar holding structure and the force for holding the busbar 10 compared to the conventional conductive module.

[0035] Meanwhile, in the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, an electrical connection component that electrically connects the bus bar 10 and the conductor of the circuit forming a pair may extend between the bus bar 10 and the bus bar holding portion 42. In this case, the bus bar holding portion 42 is arranged, for example, with a gap to space the electrical connection component from the bus bar 10, which is arranged on the bottom wall 32 of the bus bar receiving portion 31 to enclose the bus bar 10 via the electrical connection component. The second engagement portion 43 is provided at the free end of the bus bar holding portion 42.In this case, the second engagement portion 43 is not provided at the fixed end of the busbar holding portion 42 to allow the passage of the electrical connection component between the busbar 10 and the busbar holding portion 42. Therefore, the busbar receiving portion 31 includes a first engagement portion 33 mated with the second engagement portion 43 at the free end of the busbar holding portion 42, and does not include a first engagement portion 33 mated with the second engagement portion 43 at the fixed end of the busbar holding portion 42.

[0036] In the conductive module 1, for example, the electrical connection member is welded to the connecting portion 13 of the busbar 10 to physically and electrically connect them. In the conductive module 1, the circuit accommodating member 40A and the cover member 40B are assembled in a state where the busbar 10 is housed in the busbar accommodating portion 31 and the electrical connection member is welded to the connecting portion 13 of the busbar 10. Then, in the conductive module 1, the first engaging portion 33 and the second engaging portion 43 on the free end side of the busbar holding portion 42 in the cover member 40B are engaged. As a result, in the conductive module 1, the connecting portion 13 of the busbar 10 and the electrical connection component are clamped between the bottom wall 32 of the busbar accommodating portion 31 and the busbar holding portion 42.Therefore, in the conductive module 1, the busbar 10 is held in the busbar receiving portion 31 in the position where the receiving is completed, and the welded portion between the connecting portion 13 of the busbar 10 and the electrical connection component is covered and hidden by the busbar holding portion 42. Therefore, in the conductive module 1, in addition to the above-described effect, the exposure of the welding mark between the connecting portion 13 of the busbar 10 and the electrical connection component can be prevented.

[0037] Since the conductive module according to the present embodiment uses a busbar holding structure including the busbar holding portion, the first engaging portion, and the second engaging portion, the depth of the inside of the busbar receiving portion can be flattened to a size corresponding to the body structure of the busbar in the thickness direction. Therefore, in the conductive module, the size of the busbar receiving portion in the depth direction of the inside can be reduced, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the first housing in the depth direction. Therefore, the height of the conductive module according to the present invention can be reduced. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2020 - 119 653 A

[0002]

Claims

[1] A conductive module (1) comprising: a bus bar (10) physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals (BCb) of a pair of battery cells (BC) in a battery module (BM) in which a plurality of battery cells (BC) are arranged; a circuit conductor component (20) provided with a circuit conductor that electrically connects the busbar (10) to a battery monitoring unit; a first housing (30) in which a busbar receiving section (31) is provided for each busbar (10), which receives the busbar (10) in a receiving completion position inside; and a second housing (40) provided with a circuit receiving portion (41) which receives the circuit conductor component (20) inside, wherein the busbar receiving section (31) is provided with a space for connecting the busbar (10) and the electrode terminals (BCb) and has a bottom wall (32) on which the busbar (10) is placed in the receiving completion position, the first housing (30) has a first engagement portion (33) provided for each busbar receiving portion (31), and the second housing (40) has a busbar holding portion (42) provided for each busbar receiving portion (31) to enclose the busbar (10) at the receiving completion position with the bottom wall (32), and a second engaging portion (43) provided for each busbar receiving portion (31) and engaged with the first engaging portion (33) to hold the busbar holding portion (42) in a position to enclose the busbar (10). [2] The conductive module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first housing (30) contains a busbar receiving element (30A) in which the busbar receiving portion (31) for each busbar (10) and the first engagement portion (33) for each busbar receiving portion (31) are formed, the second housing (40) includes a circuit receiving member (40A) in which the circuit receiving portion (41) is formed, and a cover member (40B) covering an opening (41a) for inserting the circuit conductor component (20) into the circuit receiving portion (41), and the busbar holding portion (42) and the second engaging portion (43) are provided in the cover member (40B). [3] The conductive module (1) according to claim 2, wherein the second housing (40) is provided next to the busbar receiving element (31) in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells (BC) and an insertion direction of the busbar (10) toward the bottom wall (32) in the busbar receiving section (31), the busbar holding portion (42) is formed like a cantilever projecting from the cover member (40B) toward the busbar receiving portion (31), the second engagement portion (43) is provided at a free end and a fixed end of the busbar holding portion (42), and the busbar receiving portion (31) has a first engaging portion (33) paired with the second engaging portion (43) at the free end of the busbar holding portion (42) and a first engaging portion (33) paired with the second engaging portion (43) at the fixed end of the busbar holding portion (42). [4] The conductive module (1) according to claim 2, further comprising: an electrical connection component for each busbar (10), wherein the electrical connection component is physically and electrically connected to the busbar (10) and the circuit conductor forms a pair to electrically connect the busbar (10) and the circuit conductor, wherein the second housing (40) is provided adjacent to the busbar receiving member (30A) in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells (BC) and an insertion direction of the busbar (10) toward the bottom wall (32) in the busbar receiving portion (10), the busbar holding portion (42) is shaped like a cantilever projecting from the cover member (40B) toward the busbar receiving portion (31) and is arranged with a gap to interpose the electrical connection component from the busbar (10) placed on the bottom wall (32) to enclose the busbar (10) via the electrical connection component, the second engagement portion (43) is provided at a free end of the busbar holding portion (42), and the busbar receiving portion (31) has a first engagement portion (33) which is paired with the second engagement portion (43) at the free end of the busbar holding portion (42).

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