Conductive module

Abstract

There are a plurality of busbars (10); a circuit conductor component (20) containing a circuit conductor; a housing element (40) which accommodates the busbar (10) and the circuit conductor component (20); and a cover member (50) mounted with the housing member (40) is provided, and the circuit conductor component (20) includes a main line portion (21) in which the circuit conductor is wired and accommodated at a predetermined position in the housing member (40), and a branch portion (22) that branches the circuit conductor from the main line portion (21) and is bent and laid in a predetermined shape within an elastic range between the main line portion (21) at the predetermined position and the bus bar (10), and the housing member (40) is provided with a main line locking portion (42) that locks the main line portion (21) at the predetermined position.

Description

Background of the invention 1. Field of the invention

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

[0002] The conductive module electrically connects a multitude of battery cells using multiple busbars within a battery module. The conductive module then connects each busbar to a battery monitoring unit via a flat, flexible circuit conductor component. This component is equipped with a circuit conductor for each busbar. For example, the circuit conductor component is a flexible printed circuit board with a plate-shaped insulating layer and a circuit conductor layer containing multiple conductors. It is housed together with the busbar in a casing and covered with a protective cover.The circuit conductor component comprises a main conductor section in which a circuit conductor for each busbar is wired, and a branch section formed by branching off the circuit conductor for each busbar from the main conductor section. The circuit conductor of the branch section is electrically connected to the busbar. Such a conductive module is disclosed, for example, in JP 2022-173 610 A. In this conductive module, the circuit conductor of the branch section is electrically connected to the busbar via a terminal block. In the conductive module of JP 2022-173 610 A, the branch section is bent and routed within an elastic zone between the main conductor section and the terminal block.

[0003] In the conductive module, for example, one end of the branch section or the terminal block attached to the end of the branch section is fixed to the busbar positioned in the housing element. The branch section is then bent into the predetermined shape, and the cover element is assembled with the housing element. Therefore, a reaction force caused by the bending of the branch section acts on the busbar or the terminal block in the circuit conductor component. However, this reaction force is transferred back from the busbar or terminal block to the branch section, causing the main conductor section to lift while the branch section returns to its pre-bent shape. For this reason, the ease of assembly of the cover element can be impaired in conventional conductive modules. Summary of the invention

[0004] The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a conductive module that improves the ease of assembly of a cover element.

[0005] To solve this problem, a conductive module according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a plurality of busbars that electrically connect a plurality of battery cells in a battery module; a circuit conductor component that includes a circuit conductor for each busbar, which electrically connects the busbar to a battery monitoring unit, wherein the circuit conductor component is flat and flexible; a housing element that accommodates the busbar and the circuit conductor component through an opening;and a cover element mounted on the housing element and closing the opening, wherein the circuit conductor component comprises a main conductor section in which the circuit conductor for each of the busbars is wired and which is received at a predetermined position in the housing element, and a branch section obtained by branching the circuit conductor for each of the busbars from the main conductor section and which is bent and routed to a predetermined shape within an elastic range between the main conductor section at the predetermined position and the busbar, and the housing element is provided with a main conductor locking section which locks the main conductor section at the predetermined position in a state in which the branch section is bent to the predetermined shape.

[0006] The above and other objectives, features, advantages and the technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiments of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Brief description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a conductive component according to one embodiment; Fig. Figure 2 is an exploded view showing the conductive component according to one embodiment; Fig. Figure 3 is a top view showing a partial view of part of the conductive module from which a cover element and a circuit cover element have been removed, and shows a state in which a main line section is locked by a main line locking section at a predetermined position; Fig. 4 is a partially enlarged view along the X1-X1 line in the Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged view along the X2-X2 line in the Fig. 3; Fig. Figure 6 is a schematic view showing a battery module together with busbars; Fig. Figure 7 is a top view showing a partial section of the conductive module from which a cover element and a circuit cover element have been removed, and represents a state in which the main conductor locking section is in a non-locking position; Fig. 8 is a partially enlarged view along the X2-X2 line in the Fig. 7; Fig. Figure 9 is a top view of a portion of the conductive module from which the cover element has been removed; Fig. Figure 10 is a partially enlarged view along the X3-X3 line in the Fig. 9. Detailed description of preferred embodiments

[0007] In the following, an embodiment of the conductive module according to the present invention is described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the invention is not limited to this embodiment. embodiment

[0008] An embodiment of the conductive module according to the present invention is described with reference to the Fig. 1 to 10 described.

[0009] Reference number 1 in the Fig. 1 to 5 denote a conductive module of the present embodiment. The conductive module 1 is equipped with a battery module BM ( Fig. 6) assembled in which a plurality of battery cells BC are arranged (e.g., in a row), and electrically connects the plurality of battery cells BC in the battery module BM. The conductive module 1 also electrically connects the battery module BM to a battery monitoring unit (not shown) so that the battery monitoring unit can monitor 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 installed, for example, in a vehicle (battery electric vehicle (BEV), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), etc.) with a rotary engine as its drive source and is used to supply power to the rotary engine.

[0010] The battery cell BC comprises a cell body BCa and positive and negative electrode terminals BCb ( Fig. 6) In the battery cell BC shown here, the cell body BCa is designed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with six outer wall surfaces. In the plurality of battery cells BC that form the battery module BM, the cell bodies BCa are arranged side by side in one orientation such that one outer wall surface faces the other. The battery module BM comprises an electrode terminal group BCc, in which the electrode terminals BCb of the battery cells BC are arranged on one side along the orientation, and another electrode terminal group BCc, in which the electrode terminals BCb of the battery cells BC are arranged on the other side along the orientation ( Fig. 6).

[0011] In the following, the term “arrangement direction” refers without specific reference to the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC or the arrangement direction of the plurality of electrode terminals BCb in the electrode terminal group BCc.

[0012] In this example, each battery cell BC has positive and negative electrode terminals BCb on one of the six outer surfaces of the cell body BCa ( Fig. 6) Therefore, the battery module BM has two electrode connection groups BCc on one level ( Fig. 6).

[0013] The electrode connection terminals BCb shown here are flat plate-shaped and connect the busbars 10 described below physically and electrically by welding or similar means ( Fig. 6) Alternatively, the electrode terminals BCb can also be designed in a pole-like manner with an external threaded section. In this case, the busbar 10 is firmly screwed to the electrode terminal BCb by screwing a threaded nut onto the screw section of the electrode terminal BCb.

[0014] The conductive module 1 comprises a plurality of busbars 10 that electrically connect the plurality of battery cells BC of the battery module BM ( Fig. 6) Then the conductive module 1 comprises a circuit conductor component 20, which contains a circuit conductor for each busbar 10, electrically connecting the busbar 10 to the battery monitoring unit, and is designed to be flat and flexible ( Fig. 1 to 5). The conductive module 1 of the present embodiment further comprises a connection terminal 30 for each busbar 10, which electrically connects the circuit conductor to the busbar 10, which is the connection destination ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 3) The conductive module 1 comprises a housing element 40, which accommodates the busbar 10 and the circuit conductor component 20 through an opening, and a cover element 50, which is mounted on the housing element 40 and closes the opening ( Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) Furthermore, the conductive module 1 comprises a circuit cover element 60, which is mounted on the housing element 40, is located between the circuit conductor component 20 and the cover element 50 and covers the circuit conductor component 20 ( Fig. 2) In this case, for example, the terminal block 30 for each busbar 10 is attached in advance to the circuit conductor component 20 and the circuit conductor component 20 with the terminal blocks 30 is included in the housing element 40.

[0015] The busbar 10 and the terminal block 30 are made of a conductive material such as metal. The circuit conductor component 20 consists of a conductive material, such as metal, and an insulating material, such as synthetic resin. The housing element 40, the cover element 50, and the circuit cover element 60 are formed from an insulating material, such as synthetic resin.

[0016] The busbar 10 is a plate-shaped, conductive component made of metal and is manufactured by pressing, using, for example, a metal plate as the base material. The busbar 10 shown here is formed into a rectangular, flat plate shape.

[0017] The conductive module 1 comprises, as busbars 10, for example, one that is physically and electrically connected to the adjacent electrode terminals BCb of a battery cell pair BC of the battery module BM, one that is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal BCb as the overall negative electrode of the battery module BM, and one that is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal BCb as the overall positive electrode of the battery module BM.

[0018] For example, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) is used as a circuit conductor component 20, on which a conductor pattern is formed as a circuit conductor for each busbar 10.

[0019] The circuit conductor component 20 comprises a main conductor section 21, in which the circuit conductor for each busbar 10 is wired and which is received at a predetermined position in the housing element 40, and a branch section 22, which is formed by branching off the circuit conductor for each busbar 10 from the main conductor section 21, and is bent and laid into a predetermined shape within an elastic area between the main conductor section 21 at the predetermined position and the busbar 10 ( Fig. 2 to 4).

[0020] The main line sections 21 run in the direction of the arrangement and are arranged side by side orthogonally to the direction of the arrangement with respect to the busbars 10, which are the connection destinations. In the main line section 21, the circuit conductor for each busbar 10 is wired along the direction of the arrangement. The branch section 22 branches off from the main line section 21 together with the circuit conductor for the busbar 10, which is a connection destination. In the branch section 22, the circuit conductor is wired up to a distal end section.

[0021] The main line section 21 shown here is formed in a rectangular plate shape, with a side section positioned along the arrangement direction on the side of the busbar 10, which is a connection destination, and the branch section 22 for each busbar 10 branching off from the other side of the side section along the arrangement direction as the branch start point. The branch section 22 shown here is formed in a rectangular plate shape.

[0022] If one considers the main line section 21 from the branch section 22, it can be viewed as a cantilever, the other side section of which (i.e., the branch start point side) branching off from the branch section 22 is a fixed end. Likewise, the branch section 22, viewed from the side of the main line section 21, can be viewed as a cantilever with the branch start point side as its fixed end.

[0023] The branch section 22 is bent in a U-shape from the branch start point side for the branch section 22 of the main line section 21, so that it creeps between the main line section 21 and the bottom section of the housing element 40 ( Fig. 4) This means that the branch section 22 branches off from the other side section of the main line section 21 in the housing element 40, runs between the main line section 21 and the bottom section of the housing element 40 and is folded back to one side of the side section of the main line section 21.

[0024] The terminal block 30 for the busbar 10, which is a connection point, is attached to the distal end section of the branch section 22 ( Fig. 4) The terminal block 30 is a plate-shaped, conductive component made of metal and is manufactured by press forming using, for example, a metal plate as the base material. The terminal block 30 is attached to the distal end section of the branch section 22 for each busbar 10 and is physically and electrically connected to the circuit conductor of the branch section 22. The physical and electrical connection between the terminal block 30 and the circuit conductor of the branch section 22 is made, for example, by welding.

[0025] The distal end section of the branch section 22 shown here is arranged between the main line section 21 and the bottom section of the housing element 40 in the housing element 40 ( Fig. 4) Furthermore, the terminal block 30 shown here is located on the side of the bottom section of the housing element 40 in relation to the distal end section of the branch section 22 ( Fig. 4) Therefore, the terminal block 30 is attached to the distal end section of the branch section 22 between the main line section 21 and the bottom section of the housing element 40. The terminal block 30 shown here is pre-attached to the distal end section of the branch section 22.

[0026] It should be noted that the terminal block 30 extends from its mounting position on the distal end section of the branch section 22 to the busbar 10 as the connection point in the housing element 40 and is physically and electrically connected to the busbar 10 at the end of this extension. The terminal block 30 is positioned on the busbar 10 in the housing element 40 and is physically and electrically connected to the busbar 10, for example by welding or similar means.

[0027] The circuit conductor component 20 shown here comprises an arrangement of the main conductor section 21 and the branch section 22 for each busbar 10 for each electrode terminal group BCc ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 3).

[0028] The circuit conductor component 20 comprises a circuit merging section 23 in which the ends are coupled to each other in the arrangement direction of the main conductor section 21 of one electrode terminal group BCc and the main conductor section 21 of the other electrode terminal group BCc, and the plurality of circuit conductors of both main conductor sections 21 are joined together at one point ( Fig. 2) In the circuit conductor component 20, the circuit junction section 23 is electrically connected to the battery monitoring unit.

[0029] Furthermore, in the circuit conductor component 20, the main conductor section 21 of one electrode terminal group BCc and the main conductor section 21 of the other electrode terminal group BCc are connected via coupling sections 24 ( Fig. 2) One or a plurality of coupling sections 24 are provided in the direction of arrangement, depending on the length of the main line section 21.

[0030] In the conductive module 1, the busbars 10 are in respective busbar receiving chambers 41a ( Fig. 2 to 5, 7 and 8) of the main body 41 of the housing element 40, the terminal 30 is placed on the busbar 10, and the busbar 10 and the terminal 30 are physically and electrically connected to each other for each busbar 10 by welding or the like. In the conductive module 1, the circuit conductor component 20 is attached to each terminal 30. Therefore, it can happen in the conductive module 1 that, even if an attempt is made to arrange the main conductor section 21 at the specified position by bending each branch section 22 into the specified shape (U-shape described above), the main conductor section 21 is returned from the specified position towards its original position due to the restoring force associated with the bending of each branch section 22, and the main conductor section 21 lifts up.

[0031] Therefore, the housing element 40 is provided with a main line locking section 42 which locks the main line section 21 at the predetermined position in a state in which the branch section 22 is bent to the predetermined shape ( Fig. 3 to 5, 7 and 8). The main line locking section 42 extends in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction and covers a part of the main line section 21 in the direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction (i.e. in the width direction of the main line section 21) ( Fig. 3 to 5). The main line locking section 42 is provided at a multitude of locations along the direction of arrangement.

[0032] The housing element 40 includes a hinge section 43 which has a pivot shaft on the branch start point side of the main line section 21 and causes the main line locking section 42 to rotate between a locking position and a non-locking position of the main line section 21 ( Fig. 3 to 5, 7 and 8). The hinge section 43 is provided at one end of the main line locking section 42. The position of the main line locking section 42 in the Fig. 7 and Fig. Position 8 is here referred to as the non-locking position, in which the main line section 21 is not locked by the main line locking section 42. It should be noted that in the Fig. 7 the main line section 21 is located at the specified position for illustrative purposes.

[0033] The main line locking section 42 is rotated about the axis of the pivot shaft of the hinge section 43 from the non-locking position towards the locking position. During this process, the main line locking section 42 rotates the main line section 21 while the main line section 21 is pressed downwards ( Fig. 8), whereby, due to the restoring force associated with the bending of each of the branch sections 22, it attempts to return to its original position and holds the main line section 21 in the predetermined position in the locking position.

[0034] The main line locking section 42 can either be formed as a separate component from the housing element 40 and mounted on the housing element 40, or it can be formed as part of the housing element 40. In this example, the main line locking section 42 is designed as part of the housing element 40. Therefore, the hinge section 43 is designed as a film hinge that connects the main body 41 to one end of the main line locking section 42.

[0035] The housing element 40 comprises a first engagement section 44a, which is provided at the other end of the main line locking section 42, and a second engagement section 44b, which engages with the first engagement section 44a in order to maintain the locking state of the main line section 21 at the predetermined position by the main line locking section 42 ( Fig. 5 and Fig. 8) The first engagement section 44a and the second engagement section 44b together form a locking mechanism 44 to maintain the locking state of the main line section 21 at the predetermined position ( Fig. 3 and Fig. 5).

[0036] The first engagement section 44a, for example, comprises a cantilevered flexible section 44a1, which projects from the other end of the main line locking section 42 and is flexible, and a claw section 44a2, which projects from a free end of the flexible section 44a1 ( Fig. 5 and Fig. 8) The second engagement section 44b is provided at the circumferential edge of a through-hole 44c of the main body 41 ( Fig. 5 and Fig. 8) The first engagement section 44a is inserted into the through-hole 44c. When the main line locking section 42 is in the locking position in the first engagement section 44a, the claw section 44a2 guided through the through-hole 44c is locked to the second engagement section 44b at the circumferential edge of the through-hole 44c.

[0037] In the main line locking section 42 at the locking position, the first engagement section 44a is located outside a side section (free end) on one side of the side section (i.e., the free end side) of the main line section 21 at the predetermined position (see Figure 5). Thus, in the engaged state, the first engagement section 44a and the second engagement section 44b cover the one side section (free end) of the main line section 21 at the predetermined position from the busbar side 10. Consequently, the position of the one side section (free end) of the main line section 21 at the predetermined position is regulated by the first engagement section 44a and the second engagement section 44b in the engaged state.

[0038] The circuit cover element 60 is mounted on the housing element 40 in a state in which the main conductor section 21 is held in the locked position by the main conductor locking section, the first engagement section 44a, and the second engagement section 44b (see Figure 9). The circuit cover element 60 is a cover element that covers the circuit conductor component 20 together with the main conductor locking section 42 in the locked position, and the electrode terminal is located between one electrode terminal group BCc and the other electrode terminal group BCc.

[0039] The circuit cover element 60 comprises a first cover engagement section 61, which is arranged at a position outside a side section (free end) on one side of the side section (free end side) of the main line section 21 at the predetermined position in the fully assembled state relative to the housing element 40 (see Fig. 9 and Fig. 10) Additionally, the housing element 40 includes a second cover engagement section 45, which engages with the first cover engagement section 61 to hold the circuit cover element 60 relative to the housing element 40 in the fully assembled state (see Fig. 9 and Fig. 10).

[0040] The first cover engagement section 61 comprises, for example, a pair of flexible shaft sections 61a in cantilever form, which are flexible and arranged facing each other in the arrangement direction with a gap between them, as well as a coupling section 61b that couples the free ends of the pair of flexible shaft sections 61a (see Fig. 9 and Fig. 10) The second cover engagement section 45 comprises a flexible cantilever section 45a, which projects vertically from one side of the bottom section of the main body 41 of the housing element 40 and is flexible, and a claw section 45b, which projects from the flexible section 45a (see Fig. 9 and Fig.10) In the second cover engagement section 45, the claw section 45b is inserted into the space enclosed by the pair of flexible shaft sections 61a and the coupling section 61b of the first cover engagement section 61, and the claw section 45b is hooked onto the coupling section 61b to maintain the engagement state with the first cover engagement section 61.

[0041] The first cover engagement section 61 and the second cover engagement section 45 are brought into the engaged state by mounting the circuit cover element s 60 on the housing element 40. Subsequently, the first cover engagement section 61 and the second cover engagement section 45 are positioned between one side section (free end) of the main line section 21 at the predetermined position and the busbar 10 in the engaged state. As described above, the main line section 21 is held in the predetermined position, while lifting is prevented by the main line locking section 42. Then, in the main line section 21, the position of one side section (free end) at the predetermined position is regulated by the first engagement section 44a and the second engagement section 44b in the engaged state.Therefore, when mounting the circuit cover element 60 on the housing element 40 in the conductive module 1, the main conductor section 21 does not need to be fixed between the first cover engagement section 61 and the second cover engagement section 45, so that the circuit cover element 60 can be mounted on the housing element 40 without regard to the state of the main conductor section 21.

[0042] As described above, the conductive module 1 according to the present embodiment can improve the ease of assembly of the circuit cover element 60 with respect to the housing element 40. Additionally, in the conductive module 1 according to the present embodiment, the cover element 50 is placed onto the circuit cover element 60 from above and the cover element 50 is mounted on the housing element 40. As with the assembly of the circuit cover element 60, in the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, the main conductor section 21 is already held in the predetermined position in a state in which lifting by the main conductor locking section 42 is prevented.Accordingly, in the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, the cover element 50 can be mounted on the housing element 40 without regard to the condition of the main line section 21; the ease of assembly of the cover element 50 with respect to the housing element 40 can be improved.

[0043] In the conductive module according to the present embodiment, the main conductor section is held in a predetermined position, while lifting is prevented by the main conductor locking section. Therefore, in the conductive module according to the present invention, the ease of assembly of the cover element with respect to the housing element can be improved, since the cover element can be mounted on the housing element without taking the condition of the main conductor section into account. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

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

[0000] JP 2022-173 610 A

[0002]

Claims

[1] A conductive module (1) comprising: a plurality of busbars (10) that electrically connect a plurality of battery cells (BC) in a battery module (BM); a circuit conductor component (20) which includes a circuit conductor for each busbar (10) which electrically connects the busbar (10) to a battery monitoring unit, wherein the circuit conductor component (20) is flat and flexible; a housing element (40) that accommodates the busbar (10) and the circuit conductor component (20) through an opening; and a cover element (50) which is mounted on the housing element (40) and closes the opening, wherein the circuit conductor component (20) comprises a main conductor section (21) in which the circuit conductor for each busbar (10) is wired and which is received at a predetermined position in the housing element (40), and a branch section (22) which is formed by branching the circuit conductor for each busbar (10) from the main conductor section (21), and which is bent and laid into a predetermined shape within an elastic area between the main conductor section (21) at the predetermined position and the busbar (10), and the housing element (40) is provided with a main line locking section (42) which locks the main line section (21) at the specified position in a state in which the branch section (22) is bent to the specified shape. [2] The conductive module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the branch section (22) is bent in a U-shape from the branch start point side for the branch section (22) of the main line section (21), so that it creeps between the main line section (21) and the bottom section of the housing element (40), and the housing element (40) includes a hinge section (43) which has a pivot shaft on the branch start point side of the main line section (21) and causes the main line locking section (42) to rotate between a locking position and a non-locking position of the main line section (21). [3] The conductive module (1) according to claim 2, wherein the hinge section (43) is provided at one end of the main line locking section (42), and the housing element (40) comprises a first engagement section (44a) provided at the other end of the main line locking section (42), and a second engagement section (44b) which engages with the first engagement section (44a) to maintain the locking state of the main line section (21) at the predetermined position by the main line locking section (42). [4] The conductive module (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the main line section (21) is a cantilever arm with the branch start point side as a fixed end, from which the branch section (22) branches off, the conductive module (1) continues to include: a circuit cover element (60) mounted on the housing element (40), located between the circuit conductor component (20) and the cover element (50), and covering the circuit conductor component (20) together with the main conductor locking section (42) in the locking position, the circuit cover element (60) comprises a first cover engagement section (61) which is arranged at a position outside a free end on one side of the free end of the main line section (21) at the predetermined position in the fully assembled state with respect to the housing element (40), The housing element (40) includes a second cover engagement section (45) which engages with the first cover engagement section (61) to hold the circuit cover element (60) in the fully assembled state relative to the housing element (40).

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