Battery module

Abstract

To provide a battery module which can suppress positional deviation of battery cells in a structure where a plurality of battery cells are laminated.SOLUTION: A battery module includes a laminate where a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of resin frame bodies are alternatively laminated. The resin frame body includes: a separator part which is sandwiched between adjacent battery cells in a lamination direction of the laminate; a taper part which is arranged at an outer side of a marginal part of the battery cell in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the lamination direction, protruded from the separator part to one side of the lamination direction, and inclined to a center axis side of the laminate relative to the lamination direction; and a guide part which is arranged at the outer side of the marginal part of the battery cell in the orthogonal direction and protruded from the separator part to the other side of the lamination direction. The taper part contacts with the guide part in a state where the taper part is inserted into the guide part of the adjacent resin frame body, and receives load applied from the guide part to the center axis side through compressing the laminate in the lamination direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery module.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of separators are laminated. During lamination, pressure application and release in the lamination direction, and pressure application and release in a direction orthogonal to the lamination direction are repeated to position the battery cells.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, there is no suppression of the surface in the direction orthogonal to the lamination direction of the battery cells during the step of finally applying pressure in the lamination direction. Therefore, there is a risk that the battery cells will be displaced in the height direction or the width direction finally.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a battery module capable of suppressing displacement of battery cells in a structure in which a plurality of battery cells are laminated.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention relates to a battery module including a laminate in which a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of resin frames are alternately laminated. The resin frame has a separator portion sandwiched between the adjacent battery cells in the lamination direction of the laminate, a tapered portion provided outside the edge of the battery cell in a direction orthogonal to the lamination direction, protruding from the separator portion to one side in the lamination direction, and inclined toward the central axis side of the laminate with respect to the lamination direction, and a guide portion provided outside the edge of the battery cell in the orthogonal direction, protruding from the separator portion to the other side in the lamination direction. The tapered portion abuts against the guide portion of the adjacent resin frame in a state of being inserted into the guide portion, and receives a load acting from the guide portion toward the central axis side when the laminate is compressed in the lamination direction.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] In the present invention, in a structure in which a plurality of battery cells are laminated, displacement of the battery cells can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, the battery module in the embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a battery module according to an embodiment. The battery module 1 includes a plurality of battery cells 2 and a plurality of resin frames 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the battery module 1 includes a laminate 10 in which a plurality of battery cells 2 and a plurality of resin frames 3 are alternately laminated. In the following description, the resin frame 3 is simply referred to as the frame 3.

[0011] The battery cell 2 is composed of a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery. The battery cell 2 is a rectangular cell. The frame 3 is provided so as to surround the rectangular edge of the battery cell 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the laminate 10 is formed by laminating a plurality of sets of constituent members in which one battery cell 2 and one frame 3 are integrated in the stacking direction. That is, as a set of constituent members, one battery cell 2 is fixed to one frame 3.

[0012] The frame 3 is an insulating separator disposed between adjacent battery cells 2 in the stacking direction. The frame 3 is formed in a rectangular shape according to the shape of the battery cell 2.

[0013] In the battery module 1, by providing a tapered portion on the outer peripheral portion of the frame 3, the tapered portions of the adjacent frames 3 are configured to align themselves using the compression load when compressing the laminate 10 in the stacking direction. The battery module 1 has an alignment guide structure during stacking and pressurization by imparting a tapered shape to the frame 3.

[0014] Specifically, the frame body 3 has a separator portion 30 sandwiched between adjacent battery cells 2 in the stacking direction of the laminate 10, and a tapered portion and a guide portion integrally formed with the separator portion 30. The tapered portion is a portion inclined toward the central axis CL side of the laminate 10 with respect to the stacking direction. The tapered portion is provided outside the edge of the battery cell 2 in the orthogonal direction orthogonal to the stacking direction, and is a portion protruding from the separator portion 30 to one side in the stacking direction. The guide portion is provided outside the edge of the battery cell 2 in the orthogonal direction orthogonal to the stacking direction, and is a portion protruding from the separator portion 30 to the other side in the stacking direction. The tapered portion abuts against the guide portion in a state of being inserted into the guide portion of the adjacent frame body 3, and receives the load acting from the guide portion toward the central axis CL side when the laminate 10 is compressed in the stacking direction. In the following description, the orthogonal direction orthogonal to the stacking direction is simply referred to as the orthogonal direction. The orthogonal direction includes the height direction and the width direction.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the frame body 3 has a separator portion 30, an upper tapered portion 31, a lower tapered portion 32, an upper guide portion 33, a lower guide portion 34, a one-side tapered portion 35, an other-side tapered portion 36, a one-side guide portion 37, and an other-side guide portion 38. The tapered portions of the frame body 3 include the upper tapered portion 31, the lower tapered portion 32, the one-side tapered portion 35, and the other-side tapered portion 36. The guide portions of the frame body 3 include the upper guide portion 33, the lower guide portion 34, the one-side guide portion 37, and the other-side guide portion 38.

[0016] The separator portion 30 is a plate-shaped portion disposed between adjacent battery cells 2 in the stacking direction of the laminate 10. The separator portion 30 has a facing surface facing the battery cell 2 in the stacking direction. The separator portion 30 is formed in a rectangular shape slightly larger than the surface of the battery cell 2 on the stacking direction side.

[0017] The upper tapered portion 31 is provided above the upper edge portion 21 of the battery cell 2 in the height direction of the laminate 10, and protrudes from the upper portion of the separator portion 30 toward one side in the stacking direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper tapered portion 31 is inclined downward in the height direction from the upper portion of the separator portion 30 toward the central axis CL side. The upper tapered portion 31 is formed in a range of a predetermined width in the width direction of the laminate 10. For example, the upper tapered portion 31 is provided in a range including at least both ends in the width direction of the frame body 3.

[0018] The lower tapered portion 32 is provided below the lower edge portion 22 of the battery cell 2 in the height direction of the laminate 10, and protrudes from the lower portion of the separator portion 30 toward one side in the stacking direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower tapered portion 32 is inclined upward in the height direction from the lower portion of the separator portion 30 toward the central axis CL side. The lower tapered portion 32 is formed in a range of a predetermined width in the width direction of the laminate 10. For example, the lower tapered portion 32 is provided in a range including at least both ends in the width direction of the frame body 3. The rigidity of the lower tapered portion 32 is configured to be the same as that of the upper tapered portion 31.

[0019] The upper guide portion 33 is a guide portion into which the upper tapered portion 31 of the adjacent frame body 3 is inserted. The upper guide portion 33 is provided above the upper edge portion 21 of the battery cell 2 in the height direction, and protrudes from the upper portion of the separator portion 30 toward the other side in the stacking direction. The upper guide portion 33 extends parallel to the stacking direction. The upper guide portion 33 is formed at a position corresponding to the upper tapered portion 31 in the width direction of the laminate 10. For example, the upper guide portion 33 is provided in a range including at least both ends in the width direction of the frame body 3. The upper tapered portion 31 abuts against the lower surface of the upper guide portion 33 in a state of being inserted into the upper guide portion 33.

[0020] The lower guide portion 34 is a guide portion into which the lower tapered portion 32 of the adjacent frame body 3 is inserted. The lower guide portion 34 is provided below the lower edge portion 22 of the battery cell 2 in the height direction, and protrudes from the lower portion of the separator portion 30 toward the other side in the stacking direction. The lower guide portion 34 extends parallel to the stacking direction. The lower guide portion 34 is formed at a position corresponding to the lower tapered portion 32 in the width direction of the laminate 10. For example, the lower guide portion 34 is provided in a range including at least both end sides in the width direction of the frame body 3. The lower tapered portion 32 abuts against the upper surface of the lower guide portion 34 in a state of being inserted into the lower guide portion 34. The rigidity of the lower guide portion 34 is configured to be the same as that of the upper guide portion 33.

[0021] In the adjacent frame body 3, when the laminate 10 is compressed in the stacking direction, a downward load in the height direction acts from the upper guide portion 33 on the upper tapered portion 31, and an upward load in the height direction acts from the lower guide portion 34 on the lower tapered portion 32. As a result, a load acting toward the central axis CL is generated by using the compressive load in the stacking direction, so that the alignment in the height direction of the battery cell 2 can be performed.

[0022] The one-side tapered portion 35 is provided outside the one-side edge portion 23 of the battery cell 2 on one side in the width direction of the laminate 10, and protrudes from the end portion of the separator portion 30 toward one side in the stacking direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the one-side tapered portion 35 is inclined toward the other side in the width direction from the end portion of the separator portion 30 toward the central axis CL side. The one-side tapered portion 35 is a vertical wall portion formed on one side in the width direction of the frame body 3. On one side in the width direction of the frame body 3, the one-side tapered portion 35 is formed over the entire height direction of the frame body 3.

[0023] The other-side tapered portion 36 is provided outside the other-side edge portion 24 of the battery cell 2 on the other side in the width direction of the laminate 10, and protrudes from the end portion of the separator portion 30 toward one side in the stacking direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the other-side tapered portion 36 is inclined toward one side in the width direction from the end portion of the separator portion 30 toward the central axis CL side. The other-side tapered portion 36 is a vertical wall portion formed on the other side in the width direction of the frame body 3. On the other side in the width direction of the frame body 3, the other-side tapered portion 36 is formed over the entire height direction of the frame body 3. The rigidity of the other-side tapered portion 36 is configured to be the same as that of the one-side tapered portion 35.

[0024] The one-side guide portion 37 is a guide portion into which the one-side tapered portion 35 of the adjacent frame body 3 is inserted. The one-side guide portion 37 is provided outside the one-side edge portion 23 of the battery cell 2 on one side in the width direction, and protrudes from the end portion of the separator portion 30 toward one side in the stacking direction. The one-side guide portion 37 extends parallel to the stacking direction. The one-side guide portion 37 is formed at a position corresponding to the one-side tapered portion 35 in the height direction of the laminate 10. For example, on one side in the width direction of the frame body 3, the one-side guide portion 37 is formed over the entire height direction of the frame body 3. The one-side tapered portion 35 abuts against the inner surface of the one-side guide portion 37 in a state of being inserted into the one-side guide portion 37.

[0025] The other-side guide portion 38 is a guide portion into which the other-side tapered portion 36 of the adjacent frame body 3 is inserted. The other-side guide portion 38 is provided outside the other-side edge portion 24 of the battery cell 2 on the other side in the width direction, and protrudes from the end portion of the separator portion 30 toward one side in the stacking direction. The other-side guide portion 38 extends parallel to the stacking direction. The other-side guide portion 38 is formed at a position corresponding to the other-side tapered portion 36 in the height direction of the laminate 10. For example, on the other side in the width direction of the frame body 3, the other-side guide portion 38 is formed over the entire height direction of the frame body 3. The other-side tapered portion 36 abuts against the inner surface of the other-side guide portion 38 in a state of being inserted into the other-side guide portion 38. The rigidity of the other-side guide portion 38 is configured to be the same as that of the one-side guide portion 37.

[0026] In the adjacent frame body 3, when the laminate 10 is compressed in the stacking direction, a downward load in the height direction acts from the upper guide portion 33 to the upper tapered portion 31, and an upward load in the height direction acts from the lower guide portion 34 to the lower tapered portion 32. As a result, a load acting toward the central axis CL is generated by utilizing the compressive load in the stacking direction, so that the alignment in the height direction of the battery cell 2 can be performed.

[0027] As described above, according to the embodiment, since the structure is such that the tapered portion interferes with the guide portion due to the pressurization when the laminate 10 is compressed in the stacking direction, the laminate 10 can align itself due to this interference.

[0028] Also, in the frame body 3, the rigidity of the upper tapered portion 31 and the rigidity of the lower tapered portion 32 can be configured to have different magnitudes. By providing ribs on the tapered portion to increase the rigidity or by changing the wall thickness of the tapered portion, the upper tapered portion 31 and the lower tapered portion 32 can have different rigidities. For example, the frame body 3 in which the rigidity of the upper tapered portion 31 is lower than the rigidity of the lower tapered portion 32 is defined as the thin frame 3A, and the frame body 3 in which the rigidity of the upper tapered portion 31 is higher than the rigidity of the lower tapered portion 32 is defined as the thick frame 3B. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, by forming the laminate 10 by laminating the thin frame 3A and the thick frame 3B at a predetermined ratio, it becomes possible to offset the axial displacement due to the rigidity difference. Thereby, the variation in the overall length of the laminate 10 can be absorbed.

[0029] Also, in the frame body 3, similar to the upper tapered portion 31 and the lower tapered portion 32, the rigidity of one-sided tapered portion 35 and the rigidity of the other-sided tapered portion 36 can be configured to have different magnitudes.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0030] 1 Battery module 2 Battery cell 3 Resin frame body 10 Laminate 21 Upper edge portion 22 Lower edge portion 23 One-sided edge portion 24 Other-sided edge portion 30 Separator section 31 Upper tapered section 32 Lower tapered section 33 Upper guide section 34 Lower guide section 35 One-sided tapered section 36 The other-sided tapered section 37 One-sided guide section 38 The other-sided guide section

Claims

1. A battery module comprising a laminate in which a plurality of battery cells and a plurality of resin frames are alternately laminated, wherein the resin frame has, a separator portion sandwiched between the adjacent battery cells in the lamination direction of the laminate, a taper portion provided outside the edge of the battery cell in a direction orthogonal to the lamination direction, protruding from the separator portion to one side in the lamination direction, and inclined toward the central axis side of the laminate with respect to the lamination direction, and a guide portion provided outside the edge of the battery cell in the orthogonal direction, protruding from the separator portion to the other side in the lamination direction, wherein the taper portion abuts against the guide portion in a state of being inserted into the guide portion of the adjacent resin frame, and receives a load acting from the guide portion toward the central axis side when the laminate is compressed in the lamination direction characterizing the battery module.

2. The taper portion has, an upper taper portion provided above the upper edge of the battery cell in the height direction of the laminate, and a lower taper portion provided below the lower edge of the battery cell in the height direction, wherein the guide portion has, an upper guide portion into which the upper taper portion is inserted, and a lower guide portion into which the lower taper portion is inserted, and in the adjacent resin frames, when the laminate is compressed in the lamination direction, a load on the lower side in the height direction acts from the upper guide portion on the upper taper portion, and a load on the upper side in the height direction acts from the lower guide portion on the lower taper portion characterizing the battery module according to claim 1.

3. The rigidity of the upper taper portion is different from that of the lower taper portion characterizing the battery module according to claim 2.

4. The taper portion has, a first side taper portion provided outside the edge of the battery cell on one side in the width direction of the laminate, and a second side taper portion provided outside the edge of the battery cell on the other side in the width direction, wherein the guide portion has, a first side guide portion into which the first side taper portion is inserted, and a second side guide portion into which the second side taper portion is inserted, In the adjacent resin frame body, when the laminate is compressed in the lamination direction, a load on the other side in the width direction acts from the one-side guide portion to the one-side tapered portion, and a load on the one side in the width direction acts from the other-side guide portion to the other-side tapered portion. The battery module according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that.

5. The rigidity of the one-side tapered portion is different from the rigidity of the lower-side tapered portion. The battery module according to claim 4, characterized in that.

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