Voltage detection unit and power storage device
The voltage detection unit with a plate-shaped housing and overlapping temperature measuring device simplifies the connection process in power storage devices, improving workability and reducing contact resistance by eliminating the need for additional connection parts and ensuring proper alignment and protection.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023106245
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-17
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-06-28
AI Technical Summary
Conventional power storage devices face challenges in aligning and connecting voltage detection terminals due to the thin plate shape of conductive plates, necessitating additional parts like bolts and complicating the connection process, which affects workability and increases contact resistance.
A voltage detection unit with a plate-shaped housing that accommodates the detection terminal, a cover for secure locking, and a temperature measuring device that overlaps the terminal to restrict movement, allowing for easy alignment and reduced contact resistance through methods like ultrasonic bonding.
The solution enhances workability by eliminating the need for additional connection parts, simplifying the assembly process, reducing contact resistance, and ensuring proper alignment and protection of the connection points, while also enabling accurate temperature measurement.
Smart Images

Figure 2025005846000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a voltage detection unit configured so that a voltage detection terminal to be conductively connected to an object to be detected is accommodated in a plate-shaped housing, and to an electricity storage device using the voltage detection unit. [Background technology]
[0002] Conventionally, there has been proposed a stacked type energy storage device configured to connect a plurality of energy storage modules in series via a conductive plate by repeatedly stacking thin, chargeable and dischargeable energy storage modules and conductive plates in an alternating arrangement. The energy storage module used in this type of energy storage device generally has a structure in which a plurality of battery cells are built therein, and functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery. In one conventional energy storage device, in order to monitor the output state of each energy storage module (i.e., the potential of the output surface of each energy storage module relative to a reference zero potential; hereinafter, also simply referred to as the "voltage of the energy storage module"), a detection terminal such as a bus bar is connected to a conductive plate in contact with the output surface of each energy storage module, and the voltage of each energy storage module is measured via this detection terminal (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-161340 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] However, when actually connecting a bus bar or the like to a conductive plate in an energy storage device having the above-mentioned structure, it is difficult to secure space for installing other connection parts (e.g., bolts for bolt fastening) because the energy storage module and the conductive plate have a thin plate-like shape. Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional energy storage device, an insertion hole for inserting a detection terminal is provided in a side edge portion of the conductive plate, and the detection terminal is inserted into the insertion hole of each conductive plate from the side of a stack of the energy storage module and the conductive plate, thereby connecting the conductive plate and the detection terminal. However, in this conventional connection method, it is difficult to improve the workability of the connection work because it is complicated to align the insertion hole of the conductive plate and the detection terminal when inserting the detection terminal.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a voltage detection unit that is easy to work with in conductive connection to an object to be detected, and a power storage device that uses the voltage detection unit. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the voltage detection unit and the power storage device according to the present invention are characterized as follows.
[0007] a voltage detection terminal having a first portion that is to be conductively connected to an object to be detected; a plate-shaped housing having a terminal accommodating recess in which the voltage detection terminal is accommodated; a cover that can be engaged with the housing at a temporary engagement position that does not cover the first location of the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess and at a full engagement position that covers the first location; a temperature detector having a temperature measuring element housed therein and attached to the housing; an electric wire that is conductively connected to a second portion of the voltage detection terminal and that is drawn out toward the outside of the housing; A voltage detection unit comprising: The temperature measuring device is The temperature gauge is disposed so that at least a portion of the temperature gauge overlaps with the voltage detection terminal in the thickness direction of the housing so as to restrict the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess from moving in the thickness direction of the housing. It is a voltage detection unit.
[0008] a plate-shaped conductive module including the voltage detection unit and a conductive plate as a detection target to which the voltage detection terminal is conductively connected; a chargeable and dischargeable storage module in which the conductive modules are stacked; It is a power storage device comprising: Effect of the Invention
[0009] According to the voltage detection unit and the electric storage device of the present invention, the voltage detection terminal to which the electric wire is connected at the second point can be accommodated in the terminal accommodation recess of the housing, and the cover can be locked to the housing with the first point of the voltage detection terminal exposed. Therefore, when electrically connecting the voltage detection unit to a detection target (e.g., a conductive plate used in a stacked electric storage device), for example, the voltage detection unit can be assembled to the detection target, and then the exposed first point of the voltage detection terminal can be fixed to the detection target using a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. This does not require other parts for connection compared to typical bolt fastening, and compared to the above-mentioned conventional connection method, it is easy to align the two and the contact resistance at the contact point can be reduced. After connecting the detection target and the voltage detection terminal, if the cover is placed in the main locking position, the first point of the voltage detection terminal (i.e., the contact point between the two) can be covered and protected with the cover.
[0010] Furthermore, as described above, by attaching a temperature detector (e.g., a thermistor) to the housing before attaching the cover to the housing, at least a part of the temperature detector overlaps with the voltage detection terminal in the plate thickness direction, and the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess is prevented from moving in the plate thickness direction (so-called riding up of the voltage detection terminal). At least a part of the temperature detector may be in contact with the voltage detection terminal, or may be separated from the voltage detection terminal with a gap that is acceptable from the viewpoint of restricting the movement of the voltage detection terminal. This prevents, for example, the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess from unintentionally moving in the plate thickness direction, which would prevent the attachment of the cover to the housing. In addition, if the voltage detection terminal moves in the plate thickness direction from its original accommodation position before the attachment of the temperature detector (for example, if the voltage detection terminal is not properly accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess and rides up on the periphery of the terminal accommodating recess), the attachment of the temperature detector to the housing itself is prevented by the voltage detection terminal, and it is possible to detect that the voltage detection terminal is not properly accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess.
[0011] Therefore, the voltage detection unit and the power storage device according to the present invention have excellent workability in conductive connection with the detection target. Furthermore, the voltage detection unit and the power storage device having the above configuration allow the voltage detection terminal and the cover to be easily and properly assembled to the housing.
[0012] The present invention has been briefly described above. Furthermore, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading the following description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as "embodiment") with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a partly exploded stacked electricity storage device including a voltage detection unit according to this embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the voltage detection unit shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view for explaining an operation when the voltage detection terminal is accommodated in the housing. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a top view showing a housing in which the voltage detection terminal and the electric wires are housed, a cover, and a thermistor. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a top view for explaining an operation when attaching a thermistor to the housing shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a top view for explaining an operation when attaching a cover to the housing shown in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, the voltage detection unit 105 and the power storage device 101 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the following terms are defined as shown in Fig. 1 and elsewhere: "front-rear direction", "left-right direction", "up-down direction", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "up", and "down". The "front-rear direction", "left-right direction", and "up-down direction" are perpendicular to each other.
[0015] The voltage detection unit 105 is typically used in a stacked type energy storage device 101 shown in Fig. 1. The energy storage device 101 is configured by stacking rectangular thin plate-shaped chargeable and dischargeable energy storage modules 102 and rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive modules 103 capable of electrically connecting adjacent energy storage modules 102 alternately in the vertical direction. In the energy storage device 101, the multiple energy storage modules 102 are electrically connected in series via the conductive modules 103. The energy storage module 102 has a structure in which multiple battery cells (not shown) are built in, and the energy storage module 102 as a whole functions as a single chargeable and dischargeable battery.
[0016] 1, the conductive module 103 is configured to have a rectangular thin plate shape as a whole, including a rectangular thin plate-shaped conductive plate 104 (the conductive plate 104 also functions as a heat sink, as described later), a rectangular thin plate-shaped voltage detection unit 105 connected to the left side of the conductive plate 104, and a rectangular thin plate-shaped opposing unit 106 connected to the right side of the conductive plate 104. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 (see FIG. 2 in particular), the conductive plate 104 and the voltage detection unit 105 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 104a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the left end face of the conductive plate 104 into a recessed portion 105a extending in the front-rear direction provided on the right end face of the voltage detection unit 105. The conductive plate 104 and the opposing unit 106 are connected to each other by fitting a flange portion 104b extending in the front-to-rear direction on the right end surface of the conductive plate 104 into a recess portion 106a extending in the front-to-rear direction on the left end surface of the opposing unit 106.
[0017] In each conductive module 103 located between vertically adjacent power storage modules 102, the conductive plate 104 is in direct contact with the upper and lower power storage modules 102 as shown in Fig. 2. Therefore, the conductive plate 104 functions to provide electrical continuity between the lower surface of the upper power storage module 102 and the upper surface of the lower power storage module 102, and also functions as a heat sink that releases heat generated from the upper and lower power storage modules 102 to the outside.
[0018] In each conductive module 103 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 102, the voltage detection unit 105 includes a voltage detection terminal 110 (see FIG. 2) described later that contacts the conductive plate 104. The voltage detection unit 105 functions to output a signal indicating the voltage between the upper and lower storage modules 102 (specifically, the potential of the upper surface (output surface) of the lower storage module 102 with respect to a zero potential as a reference) via an electric wire 120 (see FIG. 1, etc.) connected to the voltage detection terminal 110. Note that although the voltage detection unit 105 is arranged on the left side of the conductive plate 104 in FIGS. 1 to 3, a voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 105 may be arranged on the right side of the conductive plate 104. In this case, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 105 (i.e., a mirror product of the voltage detection unit 105) is used as the voltage detection unit having the same function as the voltage detection unit 105.
[0019] In each conductive module 103 located between vertically adjacent storage modules 102, any one of a voltage detection unit, a dummy unit, and a temperature detection unit is applied as the opposing unit 106 depending on the specifications of the storage device 101.
[0020] When the opposing unit 106 is a voltage detection unit, a voltage detection unit obtained by reversing the overall configuration of the voltage detection unit 105 (i.e., a mirror product of the above-mentioned voltage detection unit 105) is used as the opposing unit 106. In this case, the voltage detection unit 105 is disposed on the left side of the conductive plate 104, and the mirror product of the voltage detection unit 105 is disposed on the right side of the conductive plate 104. The opposing unit 106 (mirror product of the voltage detection unit 105) performs the same function as the voltage detection unit 105.
[0021] When the opposing unit 106 is a dummy unit, a simple resin plate having a recess 106a (see FIG. 2) extending in the front-rear direction is used as the opposing unit 106. In this case, the opposing unit 106 only serves to fill the gap between the upper and lower power storage modules 102.
[0022] When the opposing unit 106 is a temperature detection unit, a structure in which a temperature sensor (not shown) is incorporated in a resin plate used as a dummy unit is used as the opposing unit 106. In this case, the opposing unit 106 fulfills the function of outputting a signal indicating the temperatures of the upper and lower power storage modules 102 via an electric wire 107 (see FIG. 1) connected to this temperature sensor.
[0023] A specific configuration of the voltage detection unit 105 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 4 to Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 4, the voltage detection unit 105 includes a housing 140, a voltage detection terminal 110 housed in the housing 140, an electric wire 120 connected to the voltage detection terminal 110 and housed in the housing 140, a cover 130 attached to the housing 140, and a thermistor 170 attached to the housing 140. The thermistor 170 corresponds to the "temperature gauge" in the present invention.
[0024] The voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess 142 (see FIG. 4) which is formed in the housing 140 and will be described later, the electric wire 120 is accommodated in an electric wire accommodating recess 146 (see FIG. 4) which is formed in the housing 140 and will be described later, the cover 130 is attached to a cover attachment recess 141 (see FIG. 4) which is formed in the housing 140 and will be described later, and the thermistor 170 is attached to a thermistor attachment recess 161 (see FIG. 4) which is formed in the housing 140 and will be described later. Each of the members which make up the voltage detection unit 105 will be described below in order.
[0025] First, the voltage detection terminal 110 will be described. The metallic voltage detection terminal 110 is formed by performing processing such as pressing on a single metal plate. The voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in a terminal accommodating recess 142 of a housing 140 from above. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the voltage detection terminal 110 has a rectangular flat first portion 111 extending in the front-rear direction, a rectangular flat second portion 112 extending rightward from a rear end of the first portion 111, and a rectangular flat third portion 113 extending leftward from a front end of the first portion 111, and has a generally crank-shaped flat plate shape as a whole when viewed in the up-down direction.
[0026] One end of the electric wire 120 is fixed to the tip 113a (i.e., the end on the left side) of the third portion 113 so as to be electrically connected. The other end of the electric wire 120 is connected to a voltage measuring device (not shown) outside the power storage device 101. A part of the flange portion 104a of the conductive plate 104 is fixed to the lower surface of the tip 112a (i.e., the end on the right side) of the second portion 112 by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding (see FIG. 3).
[0027] The voltage detection terminal 110 is provided with an extension portion 114 extending further rearward from the rear end of the first portion 111. Specifically, the extension portion 114 is composed of a first extension portion 114a extending further rearward from the rear end of the first portion 111, and a second extension portion 114b extending downward (in the plate thickness direction of the voltage detection terminal 110) from the extending end of the first extension portion 114a. The downward extension length of the second extension portion 114b is greater than the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 110. When the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in the housing 140, the extension portion 114 is accommodated in an accommodating recess 162 (see FIGS. 4 and 8, etc.) formed in the thermistor mounting recess 161. The effect of providing the extension portion 114 in the voltage detection terminal 110 will be described later.
[0028] Next, the cover 130 will be described. The cover 130 is a resin molded product, and is attached to the cover attachment recess 141 of the housing 140 from the left. As shown in Fig. 4 etc., the cover 130 is composed of a facing portion 131 and an extending portion 132 extending forward from the facing portion 131. The facing portion 131 mainly functions to cover and protect the voltage detection terminal 110, and the extending portion 132 mainly functions to cover and protect the electric wire 120.
[0029] The facing portion 131 is composed of a pair of flat plate portions 133 facing each other with a gap therebetween in the vertical direction, and a connecting portion 134 that connects the left end edges of the pair of flat plate portions 133 extending in the front-rear direction in the vertical direction over the entire front-rear direction. When viewed from the front-rear direction, the facing portion 131 has a substantially U-shaped shape that opens to the right. The right end edge of each flat plate portion 133 has a stepped shape that slopes in a direction moving leftward as it moves forward. The extension portion 132 extends flush and continuously forward from the front end edge of the upper flat plate portion 133 of the pair of flat plate portions 133 that constitute the facing portion 131, and has a substantially rectangular flat plate shape.
[0030] A pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 extending in the left-right direction are integrally formed on the extending portion 132 so as to be aligned at a distance in the front-rear direction. Each electric wire holding piece 135 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the extending portion 132, extends in the left-right direction, and protrudes further rightward from the right end edge of the extending portion 132. When the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140, the electric wire holding piece 135 functions to hold the electric wires 120 accommodated in the housing 140.
[0031] A locking portion 136 protruding upward toward the upper flat plate portion 133 is formed at a predetermined position of the lower flat plate portion 133 of the pair of flat plate portions 133 constituting the facing portion 131 (see FIG. 10). The locking portion 136 functions to lock the cover 130 at a temporary locking position (not shown) and a regular locking position (see FIGS. 9 and 10) in cooperation with a temporary locking portion 154 and a regular locking portion 155, which are provided on the housing 140 and will be described later. A protrusion 137 protruding rearward is provided on a rear side wall of the cover 130 (i.e., a side wall that vertically connects the rear end edges extending in the left-right direction of the pair of flat plate portions 133 across the left-right direction).
[0032] Next, the housing 140 will be described. The housing 140 is a resin molded product, and has a generally rectangular thin plate shape extending in the front-rear direction as shown in Fig. 1 etc. A recess 105a is formed on the right end face of the housing 140, recessed to the left and extending in the front-rear direction. A flange portion 104a of the conductive plate 104 is fitted into the recess 105a (see Fig. 2).
[0033] At the locations on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing 140 where the cover 130 is attached, cover attachment recesses 141 are formed that are recessed and have a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the cover 130 (see FIGS. 4 to 6). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the cover attachment recess 141 is equal to the plate thickness of the resin material that constitutes the cover 130 (facing portion 131+extending portion 132). Therefore, when the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140, the surface of the housing 140 and the surface of the cover 130 become flush with each other (see FIGS. 1 and 9).
[0034] A terminal accommodating recess 142 having a shape corresponding to the overall shape of the voltage detection terminal 110 is formed at a location on the bottom surface 141a of the cover mounting recess 141 on the upper side of the housing 140 where the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The recess depth (depth in the vertical direction) of the terminal accommodating recess 142 is equal to the plate thickness of the voltage detection terminal 110. Therefore, when the voltage detection terminal 110 is attached to the housing 140, the upper surface of the voltage detection terminal 110 and the bottom surface 141a of the cover mounting recess 141 are flush with each other.
[0035] At the right edge of the housing 140, at the front-rear position where the tip 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 is disposed, a notch 143 recessed toward the left in a generally rectangular shape as viewed from the top-bottom direction is formed. The recess 105a extending in the front-rear direction on the right end face of the housing 140 is divided by the notch 143. When the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in the housing 140, the top and bottom faces of the tip 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 are exposed by the notch 143.
[0036] A through hole 144 extending in the front-rear direction and penetrating in the up-down direction is formed in the terminal accommodating recess 142 at a position where the tip 113a of the voltage detection terminal 110 is disposed (see FIGS. 4 and 5). When the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in the housing 140, one end (contact point) of the electric wire 120 connected to the voltage detection terminal 110 enters the through hole 144 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). In other words, the through hole 144 functions as a relief portion for avoiding interference between the bottom surface 142a of the terminal accommodating recess 142 and the one end of the electric wire 120.
[0037] An electric wire accommodating recess 146 is formed in a portion of the bottom surface 141a of the upper cover mounting recess 141 of the housing 140 where the electric wire 120 is accommodated, the electric wire accommodating recess 146 being recessed and having a shape corresponding to the arrangement of the electric wire 120 when the electric wire 120 is accommodated (see Figs. 4 and 5). In this example, the electric wire accommodating recess 146 is a groove extending linearly in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the electric wire accommodating recess 146 communicates with the terminal accommodating recess 142, and the front end of the electric wire accommodating recess 146 forms an electric wire outlet 149 through which the electric wire 120 extends from the front edge of the housing 140.
[0038] The electric wire accommodating recess 146 has narrow recesses 151 each having a narrower width (left-right distance) than other portions of the electric wire accommodating recess 146 at two locations spaced apart in the front-rear direction. The width of the narrow recesses 151 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the electric wire 120. Therefore, the narrow recesses 151 function to clamp the electric wire 120 while pressing it in the left-right direction. By clamping the electric wire 120 between the pair of narrow recesses 151, even if an unintended external force acts on the electric wire 120 drawn out from the housing 140, the external force can be resisted by the friction between the narrow recesses 151 and the electric wire 120. Therefore, a large external force is unlikely to act on the contact point between the voltage detection terminal 110 and the electric wire 120.
[0039] At the location on the bottom surface 141a of the upper cover mounting recess 141 of the housing 140, where the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 of the cover 130 are arranged, a pair of electric wire holding piece recesses 152 extending in the left-right direction are formed so as to be spaced apart in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.
[0040] Each electric wire retaining piece recess 152 extends in the left-right direction from the left edge of the upper surface of the housing 140, across the electric wire accommodating recess 146, to a right end inner wall 141b (see Figs. 4 and 5) that defines the right end of the upper cover mounting recess 141. A storage hole 153 recessed toward the right is formed at each location on the right end inner wall 141b of the upper cover mounting recess 141 where the pair of electric wire retaining piece recesses 152 are connected (see Figs. 4 and 5). When the cover 130 is mounted on the housing 140, the extending ends (i.e., right ends) of the pair of electric wire retaining pieces 135 of the cover 130 are inserted into the pair of storage holes 153 and stored therein.
[0041] 10, a temporary locked portion 154 and a permanently locked portion 155 are formed on the bottom surface 141a of the cover mounting recess 141 on the lower side of the housing 140, which are recesses recessed upward. The temporary locked portion 154 and the permanently locked portion 155 are provided at the locations where the locking portion 136 of the cover 130 is located in the temporary locking position (not shown) and the permanent locking position (see FIGS. 9 and 10), respectively. Specifically, the temporary locked portion 154 and the permanently locked portion 155 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction with the permanently locked portion 155 located to the right of the temporary locked portion 154.
[0042] At the location on the left end edge extending in the front-to-rear direction of the housing 140 where the thermistor 170 is mounted, i.e., at the location adjacent to the rear side of the upper and lower cover mounting recesses 141, a thermistor mounting recess 161 is formed which has a shape corresponding to the overall shape of thermistor 170 (of its main body portion 172 described below) and which is recessed towards the right in a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the top-to-bottom direction (see Figures 4 to 6).
[0043] The thermistor 170 is a component that serves to measure the temperature of the voltage detection terminal 110, and is mounted in the thermistor mounting recess 161 of the housing 140 from the left. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the thermistor 170 has a thermistor element 171 constituting a temperature measuring element, and a resin-made body portion 172 that accommodates the thermistor element 171 therein. The body portion 172 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the left-right direction, and has an internal space 172a therein in which the thermistor element 171 is accommodated (see FIG. 8). A sealant 173 is filled in the gap between the thermistor element 171 accommodated in the internal space 172a and the inner wall surface that defines the internal space 172a (see FIG. 8). The thickness (vertical length) of the body portion 172 is equal to the depth (vertical length) of the thermistor mounting recess 161 (=the plate thickness of the resin material that constitutes the housing 140). Therefore, when thermistor 170 is attached to housing 140, the surface of housing 140 and the surface of main body portion 172 are flush with each other (see FIGS. 7 to 9).
[0044] One end of an electric wire 180 is fixed so as to be electrically connected to the thermistor element 171 inside the main body 172. The electric wire 180 connected to the thermistor element 171 extends rearward from the left end of the main body 172 toward the outside of the main body 172 (see FIGS. 4 and 6, etc.). The other end of the electric wire 180 is connected to a temperature measuring device (not shown) outside the power storage device 101.
[0045] A protruding plate portion 174 that protrudes forward and extends in the left-right direction is integrally provided at the upper right end of the main body portion 172, which is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped extending in the left-right direction (see Figs. 4, 6 to 9). When the thermistor 170 is attached to the housing 140, the protruding plate portion 174 engages with the extension portion 114 (more specifically, the first extension portion 114a) of the voltage detection terminal 110 housed in the terminal housing recess 142 (see Fig. 8). Locking portions 175 are provided on both front and rear outer surfaces of the main body portion 172 (see Figs. 4 and 6). When the thermistor 170 is attached to the housing 140, the locking portion 175 is locked to a locked portion 163 (described later) provided in the thermistor mounting recess 161. In this example, the locking portion 175 is configured as a recess provided in a groove portion extending in the left-right direction provided in each of the front and rear side walls of the main body portion 172. A notched recess 176 extending in the left-right direction is provided in the side wall on the front side of the main body 172. When the cover 130 and thermistor 170 are attached to the housing 140, the protrusion 137 of the cover 130 fits into the recess 176.
[0046] An upper portion of the front inner wall at the bottom (right end portion) of the thermistor mounting recess 161 communicates with the rear end of the terminal accommodating recess 142, and an accommodating recess 162 is formed in the upper portion of the front inner wall. The accommodating recess 162 is a groove adjacent to the rear side of the rear edge of the bottom surface 142a of the terminal accommodating recess 142 and recessed below the bottom surface 142a. Locked portions 163 are provided on both front and rear inner surfaces of the thermistor mounting recess 161. In this example, the locked portions 163 are composed of a cantilever-shaped locking piece extending in the left-right direction adjacent to and along the front inner surface of the thermistor mounting recess 161, and a locking protrusion extending in the left-right direction provided on the rear inner surface of the thermistor mounting recess 161 itself. A recess 164 that recesses to the right and extends in the front-rear direction is formed in the entire front-rear direction area rearward of the thermistor mounting recess 161 on the left end face of the housing 140, which is a generally rectangular thin plate extending in the front-rear direction (see FIGS. 4 and 5). The recess 164 is adapted to accommodate the electric wire 180 extending from the thermistor 170 (see FIGS. 7 and 9). The components that make up the voltage detection unit 105 have been described above.
[0047] Next, a procedure for assembling the voltage detection terminal 110, the thermistor 170, and the cover 130 to the housing 140 will be described. First, the voltage detection terminal 110 to which the electric wire 120 is previously connected is accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142 of the housing 140. For this purpose, the voltage detection terminal 110 is fitted from above into the terminal accommodating recess 142 of the housing 140 so that one end (contact point) of the electric wire 120 enters the through hole 144 (see the white arrow in FIG. 5). Here, the voltage detection terminal 110 has a shape that does not interfere with the housing 140 (the terminal accommodating recess 142) between an accommodation position (the position of the voltage detection terminal 110 shown in FIG. 6) accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142 and an external position (the position of the voltage detection terminal 110 shown in FIG. 5) assumed to be moved from the accommodation position in the plate thickness direction (up-down direction) away from the housing 140. As a result, when accommodating the voltage detection terminal 110 in the terminal accommodating recess 142, the voltage detection terminal 110 can be accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142 simply by moving the voltage detection terminal 110 linearly downward (in the plate thickness direction) toward the terminal accommodating recess 142 while maintaining the entire voltage detection terminal 110 horizontal (orientation perpendicular to the up-down direction).
[0048] When the voltage detection terminal 110 is completely accommodated in the housing 140, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 are exposed by the notch 143 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Furthermore, the second extension portion 114b of the extension portion 114 of the voltage detection terminal 110 is accommodated in the accommodating recess 162 of the thermistor mounting recess 161 such that the first extension portion 114a of the extension portion 114 closes the upper opening of the accommodating recess 162 (see FIG. 8).
[0049] Next, the electric wire 120 extending from the voltage detection terminal 110 accommodated in the housing 140 is accommodated in the electric wire accommodating recess 146 of the housing 140. For this purpose, the electric wire 120 is fitted from above along the electric wire accommodating recess 146. At this time, a pair of portions of the electric wire 120 located at the upper portions of the pair of narrow recesses 151 are pushed downward, so that the pair of portions of the electric wire 120 are accommodated inside the pair of narrow recesses 151. When the accommodation of the electric wire 120 in the housing 140 is completed, the electric wire 120 extends from the electric wire outlet 149 toward the front to the outside of the housing 140.
[0050] Next, the thermistor 170 is attached to the housing 140. For this purpose, the main body 172 of the thermistor 170 is fitted from the left into the thermistor mounting recess 161 of the housing 140 so that the locking portion 175 of the main body 172 is locked with the locked portion 163 of the thermistor mounting recess 161 (see the white arrow in FIG. 7). Then, the electric wire 180 extending rearward from the left end portion of the main body 172 is housed in a recess 164 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) that is provided on the left end face of the housing 140 and extends in the front-rear direction, and is extended to the outside of the housing 140 through the rear end opening of the recess 164 (see FIG. 1).
[0051] 8, when the thermistor 170 is completely attached to the thermistor attachment recess 161, the protruding plate portion 174 provided on the main body portion 172 of the thermistor 170 is engaged with the first extending portion 114a of the extending portion 114 of the voltage detection terminal 110 so as to overlap the upper side of the first extending portion 114a. This restricts the voltage detection terminal 110 housed in the terminal accommodating recess 142 from moving upward (in the plate thickness direction). This prevents, for example, the voltage detection terminal 110 housed in the terminal accommodating recess 142 from unintentionally moving upward (in the plate thickness direction) and impeding the attachment of the cover 130 to the housing 140. Furthermore, if the voltage detection terminal 110 has moved upward (in the plate thickness direction) from its original housing position before the thermistor 170 is attached to the housing 140 (for example, if the voltage detection terminal 110 is not properly housed in the terminal accommodating recess 142 and rides up on the periphery of the terminal accommodating recess 142), the protruding plate portion 174 interferes with the first extending portion 114a of the extending portion 114, and the voltage detection terminal 110 prevents the thermistor 170 from being attached to the housing 140, making it possible to detect that the voltage detection terminal 110 is not properly housed in the terminal accommodating recess 142. Note that in this example, the protruding plate portion 174 of the thermistor 170 contacts the first extending portion 114a of the voltage detection terminal 110, but the protruding plate portion 174 and the first extending portion 114a may be separated from each other by a gap that is acceptable from the viewpoint of the above regulation.
[0052] Furthermore, in a state where the thermistor 170 is completely mounted in the thermistor mounting recess 161, the second extending portion 114b of the extending portion 114 of the voltage detection terminal 110 is disposed adjacent to the right side of the main body portion 172 of the thermistor 170 (see FIG. 8). The second extending portion 114b of the voltage detection terminal 110 and the main body portion 172 of the thermistor 170 may be in contact with each other, or may be separated from each other by a gap that is acceptable from the viewpoint of improving heat transferability, which will be described later. As a result, the heat of the second extending portion 114b (i.e., the voltage detection terminal 110) is transferred to the thermistor element 171 housed in the main body portion 172 via the main body portion 172 and the sealing material 173 filled in the internal space 172a of the main body portion 172 in this order, so that the thermistor 170 can measure the temperature of the voltage detection terminal 110. Here, since the main body 172 of thermistor 170 is adjacent to the second extending portion 114b of the voltage detection terminal 110 extending downward (in the plate thickness direction of the voltage detection terminal 110), the area contributing to heat transfer from the voltage detection terminal 110 to the main body 172 (in other words, the contact area between the two, or the area of the area in which the two are arranged close to each other even if they are not in contact) becomes larger than when the edge of the voltage detection terminal 110 is simply adjacent to the main body 172 of thermistor 170. This allows the thermistor 170 to accurately measure the temperature of the voltage detection terminal 110 (and thus the temperature of the power storage module 102 transmitted through the conductive plate 104 and the voltage detection terminal 110 in the stacked power storage device 101). In addition, not only heat is transferred to the thermistor 170 from the power storage module 102 via the conductive plate 104 and the voltage detection terminal 110, but also heat is transferred from the power storage modules 102 arranged so as to sandwich the thermistor 170 in the vertical direction.
[0053] Next, the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140 by engaging it with the housing 140 at the temporary engagement position. For this reason, the cover 130 is pushed rightward so that the facing portions 131 of the cover 130 sandwich the upper and lower cover attachment recesses 141 of the housing 140 from above and below, the extension portions 132 of the cover 130 cover the upper cover attachment recesses 141 of the housing 140, and the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 of the cover 130 cover the pair of electric wire holding piece recesses 152 of the housing 140 (see the white arrows in FIG. 9). In the process in which the cover 130 moves rightward relative to the housing 140, the engagement portions 136 of the cover 130 slide on the bottom surfaces 141a of the cover attachment recesses 141. Thereafter, the engagement portions 136 enter the interior of the temporary engagement portions 154 (see FIG. 10) and engage with the temporary engagement portions 154. As a result, the cover 130 is locked to the housing 140 at the provisional locking position, the attachment of the cover 130 to the housing 140 is completed, and the voltage detection unit 105 (see FIG. 1) is obtained. When the cover 130 is locked at the provisional locking position, the upper and lower right end edges 130b (see FIGS. 4, 6, and 7) of the cover 130 do not abut against the upper and lower right end inner walls 141b (see FIGS. 4 to 7) of the housing 140, and a gap exists in the left-right direction between the right end edges 130b and the right end inner wall 141b. As described later, the voltage detection unit 105 obtained when the attachment of the cover 130 to the housing 140 is completed (when the cover 130 is locked at the provisional locking position) is used for assembling the conductive module 103 (see FIG. 1).
[0054] When the cover 130 is locked in the provisionally locked position, the opposing portion 131 of the cover 130 (more specifically, the right end portion 133a of the pair of upper and lower flat plate portions 133 (see FIGS. 4, 6 and 7)) does not cover the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110. Therefore, the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 are still exposed by the notch 143.
[0055] Furthermore, the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 of the cover 130 are disposed on the opening of the electric wire accommodating recess 146. This prevents the electric wire 120 from slipping out of the electric wire accommodating recess 146. Furthermore, the extending ends of the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 are received in the pair of storage holes 153. This prevents the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 from shifting in position or from unintentionally deforming the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 from moving away from the electric wire accommodating recess 146.
[0056] The procedure for moving the cover 130 locked at the temporary locking position to the full locking position (see Figs. 9 and 10) will be described below. In order to move the cover 130 locked at the temporary locking position to the full locking position, the cover 130 locked at the temporary locking position is pushed rightward (see the white arrow in Fig. 9). In the process of the cover 130 moving rightward relative to the housing 140, the extending ends of the pair of electric wire holding pieces 135 of the cover 130 further enter and are stored in the pair of storage holes 153, and the locking portion 136 of the cover 130 climbs over the temporary locking portion 154 and slides on the bottom surface 141a of the cover mounting recess 141. Thereafter, the locking portion 136 enters the inside of the full locking portion 155 and engages with the full locking portion 155, and the upper and lower right end edges 130b of the cover 130 abut against the upper and lower right end inner walls 141b of the housing 140, respectively. As a result, the cover 130 is locked to the housing 140 at the full locking position (see FIGS. 9 and 10).
[0057] When the cover 130 is locked in the full locking position, as shown in Fig. 9, the entire area of the cover mounting recess 141 is covered by the cover 130 without any gaps, and the entire electric wire accommodating recess 146 is covered by the extension portion 132 of the cover 130. This prevents the electric wire 120 from slipping out of the electric wire accommodating recess 146. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 10, the facing portion 131 of the cover 130 (more specifically, the right end portion 133a of the pair of upper and lower flat plate portions 133) covers the upper and lower surfaces of the tip portion 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110. As a result, the entire voltage detection terminal 110 is covered by the facing portion 131 of the cover 130, so that the voltage detection terminal 110 can be reliably protected.
[0058] As described above, the voltage detection unit 105 obtained after the attachment of the cover 130 to the housing 140 is completed (with the cover 130 locked in the provisionally locked position) is used for assembling the conductive module 103 (see FIG. 1). Specifically, first, as shown in FIG. 2, the flange portion 104a of the conductive plate 104 and the recessed portion 105a of the voltage detection unit 105 are fitted together, so that the voltage detection unit 105 is connected to the left side of the conductive plate 104.
[0059] In this state, as can be seen from FIG. 3, a portion of flange portion 104a of conductive plate 104 is positioned so as to overlap the underside of tip portion 112a of voltage detection terminal 110, and due to the presence of notch 143 in housing 140, the upper surface of tip portion 112a of voltage detection terminal 110 is exposed upward, and the lower surface of a portion of flange portion 104a of conductive plate 104 is exposed downward.
[0060] Next, using the upper surface of tip portion 112a of voltage detection terminal 110 exposed upward and the lower surface of part of flange portion 104a of conductive plate 104 exposed downward, tip portion 112a of voltage detection terminal 110 and part of flange portion 104a of conductive plate 104 are fixed by a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. Thereafter, cover 130 is moved from the provisional locking position to the full locking position, and the assembly of voltage detection unit 105 and conductive plate 104 is completed.
[0061] Next, the flange portion 104b of the conductive plate 104 is fitted into the recessed portion 106a of the opposing unit 106, so that the opposing unit 106 is connected to the right side of the conductive plate 104 to which the voltage detection unit 105 is attached (see FIG. 2, etc.). This completes the assembly of the conductive module 103.
[0062] The conductive module 103 thus obtained is used to assemble the energy storage device 101 shown in Fig. 1. Specifically, the energy storage modules 102 and the conductive modules 103 are stacked alternately in the vertical direction, and the stack is fixed with a predetermined metal fitting or the like to obtain the energy storage device 101.
[0063] <Actions and Effects> As described above, according to the voltage detection unit 105 according to the present embodiment and the power storage device 101 using the voltage detection unit 105, the voltage detection terminal 110 to which the electric wire 120 is connected at the tip 113a is accommodated in the terminal accommodation recess 142 of the housing 140, and the cover 130 can be locked to the housing 140 in a state in which the tip 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 is exposed. Therefore, when electrically connecting the voltage detection unit 105 to the conductive plate 104 (the conductive plate 104 of the stacked type power storage device 101), for example, the voltage detection unit 105 can be assembled to the conductive plate 104, and then the exposed tip 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 can be fixed to the conductive plate 104 using a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. As a result, compared to typical bolt fastening, no other parts for connection are required, and compared to the above-mentioned conventional connection method, the alignment between the two is easy and the contact resistance at the contact point can be reduced. Furthermore, by placing the cover 130 in the full locking position after connecting the conductive plate 104 and the voltage detection terminal 110, the tip 112a of the voltage detection terminal 110 (i.e., the contact point between them) can be covered and protected by the cover 130.
[0064] Furthermore, when the cover 130 is attached to the housing 140, the thermistor 170 is attached to the housing 140, so that the thermistor 170 engages with the voltage detection terminal 110, and the voltage detection terminal 110 accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142 is restricted from moving in the plate thickness direction (upward). This prevents, for example, the voltage detection terminal 110 accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142 from unintentionally moving in the plate thickness direction (upward) and impeding the attachment of the cover 130 to the housing 140. In addition, if the voltage detection terminal 110 has moved in the plate thickness direction (upward) from its original accommodation position before the attachment of the thermistor 170 (for example, if the voltage detection terminal 110 is not properly accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142 and rides up on the periphery of the terminal accommodating recess 142), the attachment of the thermistor 170 to the housing 140 is prevented by the voltage detection terminal 110, so that it is possible to detect that the voltage detection terminal 110 is not properly accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142. Therefore, the voltage detection unit 105 and the power storage device 101 according to this embodiment have excellent workability in conductive connection with the conductive plate 104. Furthermore, the voltage detection unit 105 and the power storage device 101 according to this embodiment enable the voltage detection terminal 110 and the cover 130 to be easily and appropriately assembled to the housing 140.
[0065] Furthermore, according to the voltage detection unit 105 of this embodiment, the main body 172 of the thermistor 170 is adjacent to the second extending portion 114b extending in the plate thickness direction of the voltage detection terminal 110, so that the area contributing to heat transfer from the voltage detection terminal 110 to the main body 172 (in other words, the contact area between the two, or the area of the area in which the two are arranged close to each other even if they are not in contact) is larger than when the edge of the voltage detection terminal 110 is simply adjacent to the main body 172. This allows the thermistor 170 to accurately measure the temperature of the voltage detection terminal 110 (in other words, for example, in the stacked-type power storage device 101, the temperature of the power storage module 102 transmitted through the conductive plate 104 and the voltage detection terminal 110).
[0066] Furthermore, according to the voltage detection unit 105 of this embodiment, the voltage detection terminal 110 has a shape that does not interfere with the housing 140 between an accommodation position accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142 and an external position assumed to be moved from the accommodation position in a direction away from the housing 140 in the plate thickness direction (upward). As a result, when accommodating the voltage detection terminal 110 in the terminal accommodating recess 142, the voltage detection terminal 110 can be accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142 simply by moving the voltage detection terminal 110 linearly in the plate thickness direction (downward) toward the terminal accommodating recess 142. Therefore, compared to a case in which an operation such as hooking an edge of the voltage detection terminal 110 into a locking hole of the housing 140 is required when accommodating the voltage detection terminal 110, for example, the voltage detection terminal 110 can be easily accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess 142.
[0067] <Other forms> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and appropriate modifications, improvements, etc. are possible. In addition, the material, shape, size, number, arrangement location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary as long as the present invention can be achieved, and are not limited.
[0068] Here, the features of the above-described embodiments of the voltage detection unit 105 and the power storage device 101 will be briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [4].
[0069] [1] a voltage detection terminal (110) having a first portion (112a) to be conductively connected to a detection target (104); a plate-shaped housing (140) having a terminal accommodating recess (142) in which the voltage detection terminal (110) is accommodated; a cover (130) that can be engaged with the housing (140) at a temporary engagement position that does not cover the first location (112a) of the voltage detection terminal (110) accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess (142) and at a full engagement position that covers the first location (112a); a temperature detector (170) having a temperature sensor (171) mounted on the housing (140); an electric wire (120) that is conductively connected to the second portion (113a) of the voltage detection terminal (110) and that is drawn out toward the outside of the housing (140); A voltage detection unit (105) comprising: The temperature detector (170) is the temperature gauge (170) is arranged so that at least a portion of the temperature gauge (170) overlaps with the voltage detection terminal (110) in the thickness direction of the housing (140) so as to restrict the voltage detection terminal (110) accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess (142) from moving in the thickness direction of the housing (140); A voltage detection unit (105).
[0070] According to the voltage detection unit having the configuration of [1] above, the voltage detection terminal to which the electric wire is connected at the second point is accommodated in the terminal accommodation recess of the housing, and the cover can be locked to the housing with the first point of the voltage detection terminal exposed. Therefore, when electrically connecting the voltage detection unit to a detection target (e.g., a conductive plate used in a stacked-type power storage device), for example, the voltage detection unit can be assembled to the detection target, and the exposed first point of the voltage detection terminal can be fixed to the detection target using a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. This does not require other parts for connection compared to typical bolt fastening, and compared to the above-mentioned conventional connection method, it is easy to align the two and the contact resistance at the contact point can be reduced. Furthermore, if the cover is placed in the main locking position after the detection target and the voltage detection terminal are connected, the first point of the voltage detection terminal (i.e., the contact point between the two) can be covered and protected by the cover.
[0071] Furthermore, by attaching a temperature detector (e.g., a thermistor) to the housing before attaching the cover to the housing, at least a part of the temperature detector overlaps with the voltage detection terminal in the plate thickness direction, and the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess is prevented from moving in the plate thickness direction (so-called riding up of the voltage detection terminal). At least a part of the temperature detector may be in contact with the voltage detection terminal, or may be separated from the voltage detection terminal with a gap that is acceptable from the viewpoint of restricting the movement of the voltage detection terminal. This prevents, for example, the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess from moving unintentionally in the plate thickness direction, which would prevent the attachment of the cover to the housing. Also, if the voltage detection terminal moves in the plate thickness direction from its original accommodation position before the attachment of the temperature detector (for example, if the voltage detection terminal is not properly accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess and rides up on the periphery of the terminal accommodating recess), the attachment of the temperature detector to the housing itself is prevented by the voltage detection terminal, and it is possible to detect that the voltage detection terminal is not properly accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess.
[0072] Therefore, the voltage detection unit of this configuration is excellent in workability in conductive connection with the detection target. Furthermore, the voltage detection unit of this configuration allows the voltage detection terminal and the cover to be easily and properly assembled to the housing.
[0073] [2] In the voltage detection unit (105) described in [1] above, The voltage detection terminal (110) is A third portion (114b) extending in the plate thickness direction, The temperature detector (170) is The third portion (114b) is disposed adjacent to the third portion (114b). A voltage detection unit (105).
[0074] According to the voltage detection unit having the configuration of [2] above, the temperature detector is adjacent to the third location extending in the plate thickness direction of the voltage detection terminal, and therefore the area contributing to heat transfer from the voltage detection terminal to the temperature detector (in other words, the contact area between the two, or the area of the area in which the two are arranged close to each other even if they are not in contact) is larger than when the edge of the voltage detection terminal is simply adjacent to the temperature detector. This allows the temperature detector to accurately measure the temperature of the voltage detection terminal (in other words, for example, in a stacked-type power storage device, the temperature of the storage module transmitted through the detection target such as a conductive plate and the voltage detection terminal).
[0075] [3] In the voltage detection unit (105) described in [1] above, The voltage detection terminal (110) is the terminal accommodating recess (142) has a shape that does not interfere with the housing (140) between an accommodating position where the voltage detection terminal (110) is accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess (142) and an external position where the voltage detection terminal (110) is assumed to have moved from the accommodating position in the plate thickness direction away from the housing (140); A voltage detection unit (105).
[0076] According to the voltage detection unit having the configuration [3] above, the voltage detection terminal has a shape that does not interfere with the housing between the accommodation position accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess and an external position assumed to be moved from the accommodation position in the plate thickness direction away from the housing. As a result, when attaching the voltage detection terminal, the voltage detection terminal can be accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess simply by moving the voltage detection terminal linearly in the plate thickness direction from the outside of the housing (i.e., from the external position) to the accommodation position in the terminal accommodating recess. Therefore, the voltage detection terminal can be easily accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess, compared to a case where, for example, an operation of hooking the edge of the voltage detection terminal into a locking hole in the housing is required when accommodating the voltage detection terminal.
[0077] [4] A plate-shaped conductive module (103) including the voltage detection unit (105) according to any one of the above [1] to [3] and a conductive plate (104) as a detection target to which the voltage detection terminal (110) is conductively connected; a chargeable and dischargeable storage module (102) on which the conductive module (103) is stacked; The power storage device (101) includes:
[0078] According to the electric storage device having the configuration of [4], the voltage detection terminal to which the electric wire is connected at the second point can be accommodated in the terminal accommodation recess of the housing, and the cover can be locked to the housing with the first point of the voltage detection terminal exposed. Therefore, when electrically connecting the voltage detection unit to a detection target (for example, a conductive plate used in a stacked electric storage device), for example, the voltage detection unit can be assembled to the detection target, and then the exposed first point of the voltage detection terminal can be fixed to the detection target using a method such as ultrasonic bonding or welding. This does not require other parts for connection compared to typical bolt fastening, and compared to the above-mentioned conventional connection method, it is easy to align the two and the contact resistance at the contact point can be reduced. Furthermore, if the cover is placed in the main locking position after the detection target and the voltage detection terminal are connected, the first point of the voltage detection terminal (i.e., the contact point between the two) can be covered and protected by the cover.
[0079] Furthermore, when the cover is attached to the housing, by attaching the temperature detector to the housing, at least a part of the temperature detector overlaps with the voltage detection terminal in the plate thickness direction, and the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess is restricted from moving in the plate thickness direction. At least a part of the temperature detector may be in contact with the voltage detection terminal, or may be separated from the voltage detection terminal with a gap that is acceptable in terms of the above restriction. This prevents, for example, the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess from unintentionally moving in the plate thickness direction and preventing the attachment of the cover to the housing. Furthermore, if the voltage detection terminal has moved in the plate thickness direction from its original accommodation position before the temperature detector is attached (for example, if the voltage detection terminal is not properly accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess and rides up on the periphery of the terminal accommodating recess), the attachment of the temperature detector to the housing is prevented by the voltage detection terminal, and it can be detected that the voltage detection terminal is not properly accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess.
[0080] Therefore, the electric storage device of this configuration has excellent workability in conductive connection with the detection object. Furthermore, the electric storage device of this configuration allows the voltage detection terminal and the cover to be easily and properly assembled to the housing. [Explanation of symbols]
[0081] 101 Electricity storage device 102 Energy Storage Module 103 Conductive Module 104 Conductive plate (detection object) 105 Voltage detection unit 110 Voltage detection terminal 112a Tip (first location) 113a Tip (second location) 114b Second extension portion (third location) 120 Electric wire 130 Cover 140 Housing 142 Terminal receiving recess 170 Thermistor (temperature detector) 171 Thermistor element (temperature measuring element)
Claims
1. a voltage detection terminal having a first portion that is to be conductively connected to an object to be detected; a plate-shaped housing having a terminal accommodating recess in which the voltage detection terminal is accommodated; a cover that can be engaged with the housing at a temporary engagement position that does not cover the first location of the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess and at a full engagement position that covers the first location; a temperature detector having a temperature measuring element housed therein and attached to the housing; an electric wire that is conductively connected to a second portion of the voltage detection terminal and that is drawn out toward the outside of the housing; A voltage detection unit comprising: The temperature measuring device is The temperature gauge is disposed so that at least a portion of the temperature gauge overlaps with the voltage detection terminal in the thickness direction of the housing so as to restrict the voltage detection terminal accommodated in the terminal accommodating recess from moving in the thickness direction of the housing. Voltage sensing unit.
2. 2. The voltage detection unit according to claim 1, The voltage detection terminal is A third portion extending in the plate thickness direction, The temperature measuring device is Located adjacent to the third location; Voltage sensing unit.
3. 2. The voltage detection unit according to claim 1, The voltage detection terminal is the voltage detection terminal has a shape that does not interfere with the housing between an accommodation position where the voltage detection terminal is accommodated in the terminal accommodation recess and an external position where the voltage detection terminal is assumed to have moved from the accommodation position in a direction away from the housing in the plate thickness direction; Voltage sensing unit.
4. A plate-shaped conductive module including the voltage detection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and a conductive plate as a detection target to which the voltage detection terminal is conductively connected; a chargeable and dischargeable storage module in which the conductive modules are stacked; A power storage device comprising:
Citation Information
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