Battery case for vehicle

Abstract

To provide a battery case for a vehicle which is usable for dissipating heat in a space used for disposing a hold member for holding a wiring member.SOLUTION: A battery case 10a for a vehicle comprises: a housing 29 in which a space is provided where a battery module 90 and a control device 91 electrically connected with the battery module 90 via a bus bar 93 and a wire harness 92 can be stored and which consists of a front frame 20, a rear frame 21, a pair of right and left side frames 22, a share panel 23 and an upper cover 28; and a first heat dissipation member 24 which is provided along an inner peripheral surface of the housing 29 and configured so as to enclose the battery module 90 stored inside of the housing 29. In the first heat dissipation member 24, there are provided a bus bar holding section 245 for holding the bus bar 93 and a harness holding section 246 for holding the wire harness 92.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery case for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] If the battery mounted on a vehicle is not kept in an appropriate temperature range, the charging and discharging efficiency may decrease. If the charging and discharging efficiency of the battery decreases, the traveling distance of the vehicle will be shortened. For this reason, some vehicle battery cases are configured to keep the housed battery at an appropriate temperature. For example, the vehicle battery case disclosed in Patent Document 1 is formed of a heat insulating material so that the charging and discharging efficiency of the battery does not decrease in a low-temperature environment, and is equipped with a battery heating device that heats the housed battery. If the vehicle battery case is configured to be formed of a heat insulating material, the influence of the outside air on the temperature inside the battery case can be reduced, making it easier to keep the temperature of the battery at an appropriate temperature. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-231807 Summary of the Invention

[0004] (Problem to be solved by the invention) Incidentally, wiring members such as bus bars for extracting power from the battery and wire harnesses for transmitting signals for controlling the battery are connected to the battery housed in the vehicle battery case. Such wiring members are held in the vehicle battery case by holding members such as brackets while being housed inside the vehicle battery case.

[0005] In a configuration in which a bracket or the like for holding wiring members is disposed inside a battery case for a vehicle, a space is required for arranging the bracket or the like. For this reason, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the thickness of the heat insulating member must be thin at the location where the bracket or the like is disposed. If there is a thin portion in the heat insulating member, the heat insulating effect of the heat insulating member may be reduced.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to provide a battery case for a vehicle in which the space currently used for placing a holding member for holding wiring members can be used for insulation.

[0007] (Means for solving the problem) The vehicle battery case of the present invention comprises: A housing having a space capable of accommodating a battery; A first insulating member provided in the housing and configured to surround the battery housed inside the housing; The first heat insulating member is provided with a holding portion that holds a wiring member connected to the battery.

[0008] According to the battery case for a vehicle of the present invention, the wiring members are held by the heat insulating member. Therefore, the heat insulating member is disposed in the space that was previously used for disposing the holding member. Therefore, it is not necessary to thin the heat insulating member in order to dispose a holding member for holding the wiring members, such as a bracket, inside the battery case (inside the housing). In other words, according to the battery case for a vehicle of the present invention, the space that is used for disposing the holding member for holding the wiring members can be used for insulation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a battery case for a vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a battery case for a vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a battery case for a vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a battery case for a vehicle to which a first insulating member and a second insulating member according to a first modified example are applied. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a battery case for a vehicle to which a first insulating member and a second insulating member according to the second modified example are applied. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a configuration of a first heat insulating member according to a third modified example. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the configuration of a first heat insulating member according to a third modified example. [Figure 6C] FIG. 6C is a diagram showing the configuration of a first heat insulating member according to a third modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a battery case for a vehicle according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The vehicle battery cases 10a, 10b according to each embodiment are configured to accommodate a battery and a control device 91 that controls the batteries. The vehicle battery cases 10a, 10b according to each embodiment are used to accommodate batteries mounted on electric vehicles (BEV, PHEV (plug-in hybrid vehicle), HEV (hybrid vehicle), etc.), and are disposed, for example, under the vehicle (specifically, under the seat). In the following description, each direction of the vehicle battery cases 10a, 10b is based on the direction when mounted on the vehicle (i.e., the direction of the vehicle). In each drawing, the front side (vehicle front side) of the vehicle battery cases 10a, 10b is indicated by an arrow Fr, the rear side (vehicle rear side) is indicated by an arrow Rr, the upper side is indicated by an arrow Up, the lower side is indicated by an arrow Dw, the right side is indicated by an arrow R, and the left side is indicated by an arrow L. In the following description, the vehicle battery cases 10a, 10b may be abbreviated to "cases 10a, 10b."

[0011] In each embodiment, a plurality of battery modules 90 are shown as an example of the batteries housed in the cases 10a and 10b. One battery module 90 includes a plurality of battery cells arranged in series and connected to each other, and a circuit board (not shown) on which a circuit for controlling the plurality of battery cells is constructed. The circuit board of the battery module 90 is disposed on the upper side of the arranged plurality of battery cells. Each battery module 90 has an elongated shape that is long in the arrangement direction of the battery cells.

[0012] The control device 91 (see FIG. 2) is a device including a computer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an I / F, and may be referred to as an ECU (Electric Control Unit). The control device 91 is connected to the circuit board of each battery module 90 via a wire harness 92 so as to be able to transmit and receive signals, and is also connected to be able to extract power from each battery module 90 via a bus bar 93 (in other words, to receive power). The control device 91 is also connected to other control devices (in other words, other control devices provided in the vehicle) arranged outside the cases 10a and 10b via wiring conforming to a predetermined communication standard (e.g., CAN), and is able to communicate with the other control devices according to the predetermined communication standard. The control device 91 is also connected to an electric load arranged outside the cases 10a and 10b via a power wiring.

[0013] The control device 91 can receive signals indicating the state of each battery module 90, such as the temperature of each battery cell and the charging state of each battery module 90, via the wire harness 92, and can transmit the received signals to other control devices outside the cases 10a and 10b. The control device 91 can also control charging and discharging of each battery module 90 in response to signals received from the circuit board of each battery module 90 and signals received from other control devices outside the cases 10a and 10b. Furthermore, the control device 91 can supply power received from each battery module 90 via the bus bar 93 to an electrical load provided outside the cases 10a and 10b via electrical wiring.

[0014] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a case 10a according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the case 10a accommodating a battery module 90 and a control device 91, as viewed from diagonally above. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the case 10a accommodating the battery module 90 and the control device 91, cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction (vehicle front-rear direction). As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the case 10a includes a front frame 20, a rear frame 21, a pair of left and right side frames 22, a share panel 23, a first heat insulating member 24, a lower panel 25, a path member 26, a second heat insulating member 27, and an upper cover 28.

[0015] The front frame 20, the rear frame 21, the pair of left and right side frames 22, the share panel 23, the lower panel 25, the path member 26, and the upper cover 28 are formed of metal materials such as aluminum, aluminum alloy, iron-based metal, copper, or copper alloy. In particular, the lower panel 25 and the path member 26 are preferably formed of a material with high thermal conductivity. Meanwhile, the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 are formed of a material having heat insulating properties (or are configured to include a material having heat insulating properties and have heat insulating properties in the thickness direction).

[0016] The first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 are made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the lower panel 25, the share panel 23, the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, the left and right side frames 22, and the upper cover 28. For example, the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 are made of urethane foam, polystyrene foam, or the like.

[0017] The front frame 20, the rear frame 21, and the left and right side frames 22 are all hollow, long, rod-like members. For example, extruded materials are used for the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, and the left and right side frames 22. The longitudinal ends of the front frame 20 and the rear frame 21 and the longitudinal ends of the left and right side frames 22 are joined to each other to form a frame body that is substantially quadrilateral when viewed in the vertical direction and has a hollow inner periphery.

[0018] The shear panel 23 is a flat member having a substantially quadrilateral shape when viewed in the vertical direction. The shear panel 23 is disposed below the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, and the left and right side frames 22. The outer periphery of the upper surface of the shear panel 23 is joined to the lower surfaces of the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, and the left and right side frames 22, respectively, by, for example, screws.

[0019] By joining the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, the left and right side frames 22, and the share panel 23 together, a box-shaped structure (or a tray-shaped structure with an open top) having an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and a bottom is formed.

[0020] The first heat insulating member 24 is a box-shaped member that is open at the top and has a bottom. Specifically, the first heat insulating member 24 includes a substantially flat bottom plate portion 241, a pair of left and right side plate portions 242 provided along both left and right sides of the bottom plate portion 241, a front plate portion 243 provided along the front side of the bottom plate portion 241, and a rear plate portion 244 provided along the rear side of the bottom plate portion 241.

[0021] A bus bar holding portion 245 capable of holding a bus bar 93, and a harness holding portion 246 capable of holding a wire harness 92 are provided on the side plate portion 242 of the first insulation member 24. Both the bus bar holding portion 245 and the harness holding portion 246 are portions having a bottomed groove-like configuration that extends in the front-rear direction and is open on the upper side.

[0022] The first heat insulating member 24 is accommodated in an area above the share panel 23 and surrounded by the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, the left and right side frames 22, and the share panel 23. Specifically, the first heat insulating member 24 is accommodated in the above area so that the pair of left and right side plate portions 242 are aligned with the pair of left and right side frames 22, respectively, and the rear plate portion 244 is aligned with the rear frame 21. Each of the pair of left and right side plate portions 242 is disposed in contact with or in close proximity to each of the pair of left and right side frames 22. Similarly, the rear plate portion 244 is disposed in contact with or in close proximity to the rear frame 21. In contrast, the front plate portion 243 of the first heat insulating member 24 is accommodated in the above area so that its outer peripheral surface (front surface) and the inner peripheral surface (rear surface) of the front frame 20 are separated from each other by a predetermined distance in the front-rear direction.

[0023] The lower panel 25 and the path member 26 are flat plate-like members, and have a shape and dimensions that can be accommodated in the first heat insulating member 24. The upper surface of the lower panel 25 is substantially flat, and the battery module 90 can be placed on the upper surface of the lower panel 25. The path member 26 is provided with a path groove portion 261 that forms the temperature control path 30 when joined to the lower panel 25. The temperature control path 30 is a path through which a fluid for adjusting the temperature of the battery module 90, such as water (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "temperature control fluid"), can flow. The path groove portion 261 has a groove-like configuration with an opening on the upper side (the side facing the lower panel 25). Then, the path member 26 is arranged on the lower side of the lower panel 25, and the lower surface of the lower panel 25 and the upper surface of the path member 26 are joined. As a result, the opening of the path groove portion 261 provided on the upper surface of the path member 26 is blocked by the lower panel 25. Therefore, inside the laminate of the lower panel 25 and the path member 26 (in other words, between the lower panel 25 and the path member 26), a hollow temperature control path 30 through which the temperature control fluid can flow is formed. Note that the number, position, shape, and dimensions of the temperature control paths 30 are not particularly limited.

[0024] The laminate of the lower panel 25 and the path member 26 is accommodated inside the first heat insulating member 24. Specifically, the laminate of the lower panel 25 and the path member 26 is disposed on the upper side of the bottom plate portion 241 so that its lower surface (the lower surface of the path member 26) is in surface contact with the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 241 of the first heat insulating member 24. In addition, when the path groove portion 261 of the path member 26 is configured to be formed by, for example, press working, a convex portion corresponding to the path groove portion 261 is provided on the lower surface of the path member 26. Therefore, in this case, a recess having a shape corresponding to the convex portion of the path member 26 is provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 241 of the first heat insulating member 24 so that the convex portion provided on the lower surface of the path member 26 can be fitted into the concave portion. In addition, the temperature control path 30 is connected to a supply source of the temperature control fluid (e.g., a pump) outside the case 10a so that the temperature control fluid can flow through the temperature control path 30.

[0025] The second heat insulating member 27 is a substantially quadrilateral flat plate-like member. The second heat insulating member 27 is disposed on the upper side of the first heat insulating member 24 to close the opening of the first heat insulating member 24. In this manner, the second heat insulating member 27 is disposed on the upper side of the first heat insulating member 24, forming a box-like structure made of a heat insulating material (in other words, having heat insulating properties) and having a hollow interior. A bus bar holding portion 271 and a harness holding portion 272 are provided on the lower surface of the second heat insulating member 27. The bus bar holding portion 271 and the harness holding portion 272 are both protruding portions that protrude downward and extend in the front-rear direction. The bus bar holding portion 271 and the harness holding portion 272 are configured to enter the bus bar holding portion 245 and the harness holding portion 246, respectively, in a state in which the second heat insulating member 27 is disposed on the upper side of the first heat insulating member 24 in a layered manner.

[0026] The upper cover 28 is a substantially flat plate-shaped member. The upper cover 28 is arranged so as to be overlapped with the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, and the left and right side frames 22. In this way, a box-shaped housing 29 having a hollow interior is formed, which is composed of the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, the left and right side frames 22, the share panel 23, and the upper cover 28.

[0027] A box-shaped heat insulating structure including the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 is housed inside the housing 29. The space inside this heat insulating structure is an area capable of housing a battery module 90. This area has dimensions and a shape capable of housing multiple battery modules 90 lined up in the front-rear direction with their longitudinal directions oriented approximately parallel to the left-right direction (vehicle width direction). The area in front of the first heat insulating member 24, between the front frame 20 and the front plate portion 243 of the first heat insulating member 24, is an area capable of housing a control device 91.

[0028] Thus, the case 10a includes a housing 29 having a space capable of housing the plurality of battery modules 90 and the control device 91 therein. A heat insulating structure including the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 is provided inside the housing 29. The plurality of battery modules 90 are housed inside the heat insulating structure. Therefore, the plurality of battery modules 90 are surrounded on all six sides by members having heat insulating properties, including the bottom plate portion 241 of the first heat insulating member 24 located below the plurality of battery modules 90, the side plate portion 242 of the first heat insulating member 24 located on the side of the plurality of battery modules 90, the front plate portion 243 located in front of the plurality of battery modules 90, the rear plate portion 244 located behind the plurality of battery modules 90, and the second heat insulating member 27 located above the plurality of battery modules 90. The plurality of battery modules 90 are in direct contact with the upper surface of the lower panel 25. The plurality of battery modules 90 are maintained at an appropriate temperature (a temperature at which the efficiency of charging and discharging is not reduced) by heat exchange with a fluid flowing through a temperature control path 30 provided between the lower panel 25 and the path member 26.

[0029] Although the configuration in which the first insulating member 24 and the second insulating member 27 surround all six sides of the battery module 90 has been shown here, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. That is, the first insulating member 24 and the second insulating member 27 do not need to surround all six sides of the battery module 90, but may surround some of them. For example, the first insulating member 24 includes two side plate portions 242 that surround the outer sides of the battery module 90 in the vehicle width direction, but does not need to include one or both of the front plate portion 243 and the rear plate portion 244.

[0030] Furthermore, the control device 91 is disposed on the front side of the battery module 90 inside the thermal insulation structure. The control device 91 is accommodated in the space between the housing 29 and the thermal insulation structure, specifically, in the space between the front frame 20 and the front plate portion 243 of the first thermal insulation member 24.

[0031] The plurality of battery modules 90 arranged side by side in the front-rear direction and the control device 91 are electrically connected by a bus bar 93. The circuit board provided in each battery module 90 and the control device 91 are electrically connected by a wire harness 92. The bus bars 93 are rod-shaped members (which can also be called strip-shaped members) made of metal or the like, and are arranged on both outer sides of each battery module 90 in the vehicle width direction with their longitudinal directions substantially parallel to the front-rear direction (they can also be said to be located on both left and right outer sides of the plurality of battery modules 90 and arranged along these plurality of battery modules 90). In this embodiment, the bus bars 93 are shown as an example in which the thickness direction of the bus bars 93 is arranged in a direction substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction. The front end of the bus bar 93 is connected to the control device 91, and the middle and rear ends are connected to each battery module 90. The wire harness 92 is also arranged on both outer sides of each battery module 90 in the vehicle width direction, similar to the bus bar 93 (they can also be said to be located on both left and right outer sides of the plurality of battery modules 90 and arranged along these plurality of battery modules 90).

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the bus bar 93 is inserted (or may be said to be fitted) into the bus bar holding portion 245 of the first heat insulating member 24, and is thereby held in the case 10a. Similarly, the wire harness 92 is inserted into the harness holding portion 246 of the first heat insulating member 24, and is thereby held relative to the case 10a. As a result, the wire harness 92 and the bus bar 93 are positioned so that movement relative to the case 10a is restricted. Then, when the second heat insulating member 27 is disposed above the first heat insulating member 24, the bus bar pressing portion 271 of the second heat insulating member 27 enters the bus bar holding portion 245 of the first heat insulating member 24. As a result, the bus bar 93 is held (positioned) relative to the case so as not to move upward. Similarly, the harness pressing portion 272 of the second heat insulating member 27 enters the harness holding portion 246 of the first heat insulating member 24, and the wire harness 92 is held (positioned) so as not to move upward.

[0033] In this way, in the first embodiment, the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 are held in the case 10a via the side plate portion 242 of the first heat insulating member 24. That is, the first heat insulating member 24 directly holds the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92. Therefore, it is not necessary to arrange a holding member (bracket) for holding the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 inside the housing 29. Therefore, since the first heat insulating member 24 is arranged in the space used for arranging the holding member, it is not necessary to make the first heat insulating member 24 thin in order to arrange the holding member inside the case 10a. That is, the space used for arranging the holding member for holding the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 can be used for insulation (i.e., as the arrangement space of the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27). Therefore, the heat insulating property by the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 can be improved. As a result, it becomes easier to maintain the battery module 90 at an appropriate temperature regardless of the outside air temperature, so that the performance of the battery module 90 is less affected by the outside air temperature. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the discharge efficiency caused by the battery module 90 being cooled by the cold heat of the outside air, for example, and a decrease in the travel distance of the vehicle.

[0034] Bus bar holding portion 245 is a groove into which bus bar 93 can be inserted, and harness holding portion 246 is a groove into which wire harness 92 can be inserted. With this configuration, simply by inserting bus bar 93 into bus bar holding portion 245, which is a groove, bus bar 93 is held by first insulation member 24 (held relative to case 10a via first insulation member 24). Similarly, simply by inserting wire harness 92 into harness holding portion 246, wire harness 92 is held by first insulation member 24. Therefore, assembly of bus bar 93 and wire harness 92 is easier than in a configuration in which bus bar 93 and wire harness 92 are screwed to a holding member such as a bracket.

[0035] It should be noted that the busbar holding portion 245 does not need to be able to insert the entire busbar 93, but only needs to be able to insert a portion of it. That is, the busbar holding portion 245 is configured to be able to hold at least a portion of the busbar 93. Similarly, the harness holding portion 246 does not need to be able to insert the entire wire harness 92, but only needs to be able to insert a portion of it. That is, the harness holding portion 246 is configured to be able to hold at least a portion of the wire harness 92. Also, the busbar holding portion 245 may be configured to hold the busbar 93 by sandwiching the busbar 93 together with the battery module 90. Similarly, the harness holding portion 246 may be configured to hold the wire harness 92 by sandwiching the wire harness 92 together with the battery module 90.

[0036] In the present embodiment, the bus bar holding portion 245 and the harness holding portion 246 are grooves that open upward. With this configuration, the first heat insulating member 24, the control device 91, the battery module 90, the bus bar 93, the wire harness 92, the second heat insulating member 27, and the upper cover 28 can all be assembled from above to an intermediate assembly in which the front frame 20, the rear frame 21, and the pair of left and right side frames 22 are assembled to the share panel 23. Therefore, when assembling the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92, it is not necessary to change the orientation of the intermediate assembly (for example, turn it upside down), and therefore the assembly workability is good.

[0037] Furthermore, by disposing second insulation member 27 above first insulation member 24, the openings of busbar holding portion 245 and harness holding portion 246, which are grooves, are blocked. In particular, in this embodiment, second insulation member 27 is provided with busbar pressing portion 271 and harness pressing portion 272, which enter busbar holding portion 245 and harness holding portion 246, respectively. Therefore, second insulation member 27 prevents or suppresses flapping or displacement (particularly upward movement) of busbar 93 fitted in busbar holding portion 245 and wire harness 92 fitted in harness holding portion 246.

[0038] In the present embodiment, bus bar holding portion 245 that holds bus bar 93 and harness holding portion 246 that holds wire harness 92 are provided separately. With this configuration, bus bar 93 and wire harness 92 are held in a state where they are not in direct contact with each other, which makes it easy to prevent damage caused by contact with each other and to ensure electrical insulation.

[0039] In this embodiment, the control device 91 is disposed in front of the battery modules 90, but the position of the control device 91 is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the rear plate portion 244 of the first heat insulating member 24 may be disposed at a position spaced forward from the rear frame 21, and the control device 91 may be disposed in the space between the rear plate portion 244 of the first heat insulating member 24 and the rear frame 21 (the control device 91 is disposed behind the battery modules 90).

[0040] (First Modification) Next, a first modified example of the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 will be described. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the case 10a to which the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 according to the first modified example are applied, cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the busbar holding portion 245 of the first heat insulating member 24 according to the first modified example is configured to be able to accommodate the band-shaped busbar 93 with its thickness direction oriented substantially parallel to the vertical direction. The depth of the busbar holding portion 245 is substantially the same as the thickness (vertical dimension) of the busbar 93. Therefore, the upper surface of the busbar 93 accommodated in the busbar holding portion 245 is substantially flush with the upper surface of the side plate portion 242. In this case, the busbar pressing portion 271 is not necessary for the first heat insulating member 24 (the busbar pressing portion 271 is not provided in the first heat insulating member 24), and the lower surface of the first heat insulating member 24 comes into contact with the upper surface of the busbar 93, thereby holding the busbar 93 so as not to move upward.

[0041] The harness holding portion 246 is provided on the outer surface of the side plate portion 242 in the vehicle width direction, and has a groove-like configuration that extends in the front-rear direction and opens to the outside in the vehicle width direction. In this case, the inner peripheral surface of the side frame 22 contacts or faces closely to the outer surface of the side plate portion 242 of the first heat insulating member 24 in the vehicle width direction, thereby preventing the wire harness 92 held by the harness holding portion 246 from moving outward in the vehicle width direction (the wire harness 92 from slipping out of the harness holding portion 246). Note that the second heat insulating member 27 is not provided with a harness pressing portion 272. Also, in FIG. 4, a space exists on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the wire harness 92 accommodated in the harness holding portion 246, but a rod-shaped heat insulating member may be inserted into the harness holding portion 246 so as to fill this space.

[0042] (Second modified example) Next, a second modified example of the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 will be described. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the case 10a to which the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 according to the second modified example are applied, cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction (case 10b in Fig. 5). As shown in Fig. 5, a common wiring member holding portion 247 into which (capable of holding) the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 can be inserted is provided on the upper surface of the side plate portion 242 of the first heat insulating member 24 according to the second modified example. The wiring member holding portion 247 is a groove that extends in the front-rear direction and is open at the top, and is configured so that the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 can be inserted together.

[0043] A protruding wiring member pressing portion 273 extending in the front-rear direction and protruding downward is provided on the lower surface of the second heat insulating member 27. The wiring member pressing portion 273 is configured to be inserted into the wiring member holding portion 247 of the first heat insulating member 24 in a state in which the second heat insulating member 27 is disposed above the first heat insulating member 24.

[0044] Then, the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 are inserted into the wiring member holding portion 247 of the first insulation member 24, and the wiring member pressing portion 273 of the second insulation member 27 is inserted above them. That is, the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 are held together in the wiring member holding portion 247 of the first insulation member 24. With this configuration, when assembling the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92, an assembly error (inserting the bus bar 93 into the harness holding portion 246, or inserting the wire harness 92 into the bus bar holding portion 245) is prevented.

[0045] (Third Modification) Next, a third modified example of the first heat insulating member 24 will be described. FIG. 6A is a top view of the side plate portion 242 of the first heat insulating member 24 according to the third modified example. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIB-VIB of FIG. 6A. FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIC-VIC of FIG. 6A. As shown in these figures, the side plate portion 242 is provided with a first opening 248 communicating with the inner surface of the side frame 22 on the opposite side of the bus bar holding portion 245 from the battery module 90 (i.e., on the outer side in the vehicle width direction). The number of the first openings 248 is not particularly limited, and for example, as shown in FIG. 6A, a configuration in which a plurality of first openings 248 are provided so as to be aligned in the front-rear direction at a predetermined interval can be applied. Furthermore, the side plate portion 242 is provided with a second opening 249 communicating with the bus bar holding portion 245 on the opposite side of the harness holding portion 246 from the battery module 90 (in FIG. 6A, a portion between the harness holding portion 246 and the bus bar holding portion 245). The number of second openings 249 is not particularly limited, and for example, as shown in Fig. 6A, a configuration in which a plurality of second openings 249 are arranged in the front-rear direction at a predetermined interval can be applied. In addition, the positional relationship between the first openings 248 and the second openings 249 is not particularly limited, and for example, the first openings 248 and the second openings 249 may be arranged so as to be shifted from each other in the front-rear direction.

[0046] In the configuration in which such a first opening 248 is provided, heat generated by the bus bar 93 held in the bus bar holding portion 245 is transferred to the inner surface of the side frame 22 through the first opening 248, and dissipated to the outside through the side frame 22. Similarly, heat generated by the wire harness 92 held in the harness holding portion 246 is transferred to the inner surface of the side frame 22 through the second opening 249, the bus bar 93, and the first opening 248, and dissipated to the outside through the side frame 22. Therefore, it is possible to prevent or suppress a rise in temperature of the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92. On the other hand, no opening is provided in the part of the harness holding portion 246 of the side plate portion 242 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the heat insulation property of the first heat insulating member 24 with respect to the battery module 90 is maintained.

[0047] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. The same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are used for the components common to the first embodiment, and the description may be omitted. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the case 10b according to the second embodiment cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Although FIG. 7 shows the vicinity of the right end in the vehicle width direction, the vehicle and the case 10b have a substantially symmetrical configuration. As shown in FIG. 7, the case 10b includes a lower case 40, an upper case 41, a first heat insulating member 24, a lower panel 25, a path member 26, and a second heat insulating member 27. The lower case 40 and the upper case 41 are formed of a metal material such as an aluminum alloy, an iron-based metal, copper, or a copper alloy, similar to the lower panel 25 and the path member 26.

[0048] The lower case 40 is a member having a box-like (or tray-like) configuration with a bottom that is open on the top. Specifically, the lower case 40 includes a lower plate portion 401 that is substantially flat and substantially quadrilateral when viewed in the up-down direction, plate-like side plate portions 402 provided to stand upward from both left and right sides of the lower plate portion 401, a front plate portion (not shown) provided to stand upward from the front edge of the lower plate portion 401, and a rear plate portion (not shown) provided to stand upward from the rear edge of the lower plate portion 401. The upper case 41 is a member having a box-like configuration with a bottom that is open on the bottom. Specifically, the lower case 40 comprises an upper plate portion 411 that is generally flat and generally quadrilateral when viewed in the vertical direction, plate-shaped side plate portions 412 extending downward from each of the left and right sides of the upper plate portion 411, a front plate portion (not shown) extending downward from the front edge of the upper plate portion 411, and a rear plate portion (not shown) extending downward from the rear edge of the upper plate portion 411.

[0049] The first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 can have the same configuration as in the first embodiment. Similarly to the first embodiment, a bus bar holding portion 245 capable of holding a bus bar 93 and a harness holding portion 246 capable of holding a wire harness 92 are provided on each of a pair of left and right side plate portions 242 of the first heat insulating member 24.

[0050] The upper case 41 and the lower case 40 are disposed one on top of the other in the vertical direction and joined to each other by screws or the like. This forms a hollow box-shaped housing 42. The first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 are provided inside the housing 42. Specifically, the pair of left and right side plate portions 242 of the first heat insulating member 24 are disposed so as to be aligned with the side plate portions 402, 412 of the lower case 40 and the upper case 41, respectively, and the rear plate portion 244 of the first heat insulating member 24 is disposed so as to be aligned with the rear plate portions of the lower case 40 and the upper case 41, respectively. The pair of left and right side plate portions 242 are disposed so as to be in contact with or in close proximity to the side plate portions 402, 412 of the lower case 40 and the upper case 41, respectively. Similarly, the rear plate portion 244 is disposed so as to be in contact with or in close proximity to the rear plate portions of the lower case 40 and the upper case 41, respectively. In contrast, the front plate portion 243 of the first heat insulating member 24 is disposed so as to be spaced rearward from the front plate portions of the lower case 40 and the upper case 41 at a predetermined distance.

[0051] For this reason, a space surrounded by the first insulation member 24 and the second insulation member 27 is formed inside the housing 42 consisting of the lower case 40 and the upper case 41. This space can accommodate a plurality of battery modules 90. Furthermore, a space is also formed inside the housing 42 between the front plate portions of the lower case 40 and the upper case 41 and the front plate portion 243 of the first insulation member 24. A control device 91 can be accommodated in this space.

[0052] As in the first embodiment, the multiple battery modules 90 and the control device 91 are connected by a bus bar 93. Furthermore, a circuit board provided in each battery module 90 and the control device 91 are connected by a wire harness 92. A front end of the bus bar 93 is connected to the control device 91, and a middle portion and a rear end are connected to each battery module 90. As with the bus bar 93, the wire harness 92 is also routed on both outer sides of each battery module 90 in the vehicle width direction.

[0053] The bus bar 93 is inserted into the bus bar holding portion 245 of the first insulating member 24, and is thereby held in the case 10b. Similarly, the wire harness 92 is inserted into the harness holding portion 246 of the first insulating member 24, and is thereby held in the case 10b. Then, when the second insulating member 27 is disposed above the first insulating member 24, the bus bar holding portion 271 of the second insulating member 27 enters the bus bar holding portion 245 of the first insulating member 24. This holds the bus bar 93 so as not to move upward. Similarly, the harness holding portion 272 of the second insulating member 27 enters the harness holding portion 246 of the first insulating member 24, and is thereby held so as not to move upward.

[0054] Here, the positional relationship between the case 10b and the vehicle will be described. A pair of left and right rockers 80 and a pair of left and right energy absorbing materials (EA materials) 81 are provided near both outer ends of the lower part of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. The case 10b is disposed between the pair of left and right rockers 80 and the pair of left and right EA materials 81 in the lower part of the vehicle. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the case 10b is disposed so that the outer side surface of the lower case 40 is located on the inner side of the EA materials 81. The EA materials 81 have a long hollow rod-like configuration extending in the front-rear direction, and are configured to absorb the energy of a side collision or the like by compressively deforming in the vehicle width direction when a side collision or the like occurs to the vehicle. However, if the EA materials 81 are deformed so as to be recessed inward in the vehicle width direction due to a side collision or the like, the case 10b may be pushed and deformed by the EA materials 81.

[0055] In this embodiment, when the case 10b is assembled to the vehicle, the busbar holding portion 245 and the harness holding portion 246 are provided so as to be positioned at a position offset (displaced) in the vertical direction with respect to the EA material 81, more specifically, at a position offset upward. In other words, when the case 10b is assembled to the vehicle, the busbar holding portion 245 and the harness holding portion 246 are provided at a position not overlapping with the EA material 81 as viewed in the vehicle width direction. Furthermore, the busbar holding portion 245 is provided at a position overlapping with the EA material 81 as viewed in the vertical direction, more specifically, above the EA material 81. The harness holding portion 246 may also be provided at a position overlapping with the EA material 81 as viewed in the vertical direction. The busbar holding portion 245 and the harness holding portion 246 do not have to be entirely overlapped with the EA material 81 in the vertical direction, but only need to be at least partially overlapped.

[0056] 7, in a configuration in which side plate portion 402 of lower case 40 overlaps with EA material 81 as viewed in the vehicle width direction (a configuration in which lower case 40 and EA material 81 are aligned in the vehicle width direction), bus bar holding portion 245 and harness holding portion 246 are provided so as to be located above lower case 40. In other words, bus bar holding portion 245 and harness holding portion 246 are provided so as to overlap with side plate portion 412 of upper case 41 as viewed in the vehicle width direction.

[0057] With this configuration, even if the EA material 81 is deformed due to a side collision or the like occurring to the vehicle, it is possible to prevent or suppress damage to the bus bar 93 held by the bus bar holding portion 245 and the wire harness 92 held by the harness holding portion 246. Furthermore, with this configuration, since the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 are not present between the EA material 81 and the battery module 90, it is possible to prevent or suppress the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 from being pushed by the deformed EA material 81 and coming into contact with the battery module 90.

[0058] According to the second embodiment, it is possible to achieve the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the busbar holding portion 245 and the harness holding portion 246 are disposed at a position shifted in the up-down direction from the EA material 81 when viewed in the vehicle width direction, and at least a portion of them overlaps with the EA material 81 when viewed in the up-down direction. With this configuration, the busbar holding portion 245 and the harness holding portion 246 can be disposed in a space where the EA material 81 is not disposed, so that the space can be effectively utilized.

[0059] Although not described, the same modifications as those in the first embodiment can be applied to the second embodiment.

[0060] <Summary of the embodiment> The vehicle battery cases (cases 10a and 10b) according to the respective embodiments are as follows: A housing (housing 29, 42) having a space capable of accommodating a battery (battery module 90); a first insulating member (first insulating member 24) provided in the housing (housing 29, 42) and configured to surround the battery (battery module 90) accommodated inside the housing (housing 29, 42), The first insulation member (first insulation member 24) is provided with holding portions (bus bar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246, wiring member holding portion 247) that hold wiring members (bus bar 93, wire harness 92) connected to the battery (battery module 90).

[0061] According to the battery case for a vehicle (case 10a, 10b) according to each embodiment, it is not necessary to arrange a member (bracket) for holding the wiring member (bus bar 93 and wire harness 92) inside the housing (housing 29, 42). Therefore, the space in which the heat insulating member (first heat insulating member 24 and second heat insulating member 27) can be arranged inside the housing (housing 29, 42) can be increased (the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 can be arranged in the space in which the member for holding the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 is arranged), and therefore the heat insulating property by the first heat insulating member 24 and the second heat insulating member 27 can be improved. As a result, the battery module 90 can be easily maintained at an appropriate temperature regardless of the outside air temperature, so that the performance of the battery module 90 is less affected by the outside air temperature. Therefore, for example, a decrease in the travel distance of the vehicle can be suppressed.

[0062] In the vehicle battery case (cases 10a and 10b) according to each embodiment, The holding portions (bus bar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246, wiring member holding portion 247) may be grooves extending in the front-rear direction and configured to allow the wiring members (bus bar 93, wire harness 92) to be fitted therein.

[0063] According to this configuration, the wiring members (bus bar 93, wire harness 92) are held in the first heat insulating member (first heat insulating member 24) by being fitted into the holding portions (bus bar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246, wiring member holding portion 247) which are grooves. That is, the wiring members (bus bar 93, wire harness 92) are held in the vehicle battery case (cases 10a, 10b) via the first heat insulating member (first heat insulating member 24). Therefore, assembling the wiring members (bus bar 93, wire harness 92) is easier than in a configuration in which the wiring members are screwed to a bracket, for example.

[0064] In the battery case for a vehicle according to the second embodiment (cases 10a and 10b), The holding portions (busbar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246, wiring member holding portion 247) can be configured to be positioned in a position that is biased in the vertical direction when viewed in the vehicle width direction relative to the energy absorbing material (EA material 81) that is arranged on the vehicle width outer side of the box-shaped body, and at least a portion of the holding portions can overlap with the energy absorbing material (EA material 81) when viewed in the vertical direction.

[0065] According to the vehicle battery cases (cases 10a, 10b) according to each embodiment of the present invention, the holding portions (busbar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246) are provided at positions offset in the vertical direction with respect to the EA material (EA material 81), and therefore the wiring members (busbar 93, wire harness 92) are also held at positions offset in the vertical direction with respect to the EA material (EA material 81). Therefore, the holding portions (busbar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246) can be arranged in spaces where no energy absorbing material (EA material 81) is arranged, making it possible to effectively utilize the space.

[0066] The holding portions (busbar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246) are provided with openings (first opening 248, second opening 249) that communicate with the inner surface of the housing (housings 29, 42) on the opposite side (outer side in the vehicle width direction) from the side on which the battery (battery module 90) is arranged.

[0067] With this configuration, heat generated by the wiring members (bus bar 93, wire harness 92) held by the holding portions (bus bar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246) is transferred to the inner surface of the housing (housing 29, 42) through the openings (first opening 248, second opening 249) and dissipated to the outside through the housing (housing 29, 42). This makes it possible to prevent or suppress a rise in temperature of the wiring members (bus bar 93, wire harness 92). On the other hand, no openings are provided in the inner portions of the holding portions (bus bar holding portion 245, harness holding portion 246) in the vehicle width direction. This maintains the thermal insulation property of the first insulation member (first insulation member 24) against the battery (battery module 90).

[0068] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0069] For example, in each of the above embodiments, the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92 are shown as wiring members electrically connecting the battery module 90 and the control device 91, but the wiring members are not limited to the bus bar 93 and the wire harness 92.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the control device 91 is accommodated outside the thermal insulation structure formed including the first thermal insulation member 24 and the second thermal insulation member 27, but is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the control device 91 may be accommodated inside the thermal insulation structure together with the multiple battery modules 90. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] Reference Signs List 10a, 10b... battery case for vehicle, 24... first heat insulating member, 27... second heat insulating member, 29... housing, 40... lower case, 41... upper case, 42... housing, 80... locker, 81... EA material, 90... battery module, 91... control device, 92... wire harness, 93... bus bar, 245... bus bar holding portion, 246... harness holding portion, 247... wiring member holding portion

Claims

1. A housing having a space capable of accommodating a battery; A first insulating member provided in the housing and configured to surround the battery housed inside the housing; Equipped with A battery case for a vehicle, wherein the first insulation member is provided with a holding portion that holds a wiring member connected to the battery.

2. The battery case for a vehicle according to claim 1, A battery case for a vehicle, wherein the holding portion is a groove extending in the front-rear direction and configured so that the wiring member can be fitted therein.

3. The battery case for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, A battery case for a vehicle, wherein the retaining portion is positioned in a position that is biased in the vertical direction when viewed in the vehicle width direction relative to an energy absorbing material that is arranged on the vehicle width outer side of the housing, and at least a portion of the retaining portion overlaps with the energy absorbing member when viewed in the vertical direction.

4. The battery case for a vehicle according to claim 2, A battery case for a vehicle, wherein the holding portion has an opening communicating with the inner surface of the housing on the side opposite to the side on which the battery is arranged.

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