Conductive module

Abstract

To reduce an initial cost.SOLUTION: A conductive module comprises: a bus bar 11 that is physically and electrically connected to an electrode terminal BCb of one or a pair of battery cells BC of a battery module BM in which a plurality of battery cells BC is arranged; and a bus bar holding part 12 that holds the plurality of bus bars 11, and comprises: a bus bar collector compound 10 that assembles one that is matched to a specification of the battery module BM as a connection object from a plurality of types that is prepared in accordance with the specification of the battery module BM to the battery module BM; and a circuit conductor in each bus bar 11 that electrically connects each bus bar 11 to a battery monitoring unit, and comprises: a circuit conductor collector compound 20 that is assembled to the battery module BM that is one to be matched to the specification of the battery module MB as a connection object from the plurality of types that is prepared in accordance with the specification of a battery module M).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] A conductive module is a wiring module that electrically connects between a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged and a battery monitoring unit that monitors the battery state of the battery cells. This conductive module includes a bus bar that physically and electrically connects to the electrode terminals of one or a pair of battery cells of the battery module, a circuit conductor for each bus bar that electrically connects the bus bar to the battery monitoring unit, and an electrical connection component that physically and electrically connects the bus bar to the circuit conductor. The conductive module, when assembled to the battery module, constitutes a battery pack together with this battery module. This type of conductive module is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 below.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the battery module includes an exhaust duct that communicates with the exhaust valve of each battery cell and discharges the gas inside the battery cell discharged from the exhaust valve to the atmosphere. Further, the battery module includes a restraint member that restrains each battery cell while maintaining its arranged state. Conventionally, in a battery pack, even if the same number of the same battery cells are arranged, battery modules with various specifications are used, such as those with different shapes or arrangements of the exhaust ducts or those with different shapes or arrangements of the restraint members. Therefore, conventionally, conductive modules with specifications changed for each specification of the battery module have been prepared, which is one of the inhibiting factors in cost reduction.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a conductive module capable of reducing costs.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention includes a bus bar that is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminals of one or a pair of the battery cells of a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged, and a bus bar holding portion that holds a plurality of the bus bars, and a bus bar assembly component that assembles a bus bar that matches the specification of the battery module to be connected from among a plurality of types prepared according to the specification of the battery module to the battery module, a circuit conductor for each bus bar that electrically connects the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit, a circuit conductor assembly component that assembles a circuit conductor that matches the specification of the battery module to be connected from among a plurality of types prepared according to the specification of the battery module to the battery module, and an electrical connection component for each bus bar that physically and electrically connects the bus bar to the circuit conductor.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] The conductive module according to the present invention broadly classifies its component configuration into a bus bar assembly component and a circuit conductor assembly component, and can create various combinations from among a plurality of types of bus bar assembly components and a plurality of types of circuit conductor assembly components according to the specification of the battery module. And the conductive module according to the present invention can share one bus bar assembly component (shared bus bar assembly component) among battery modules of different specifications, or can share one circuit conductor assembly component (shared circuit conductor assembly component) among battery modules of different specifications. Therefore, the conductive module according to the present invention can reduce costs by cost merits due to component sharing and reduction of component management costs.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

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[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the conductive module according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by these embodiments.

[0010] [Embodiment] One embodiment of the conductive module according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 12.

[0011] Reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 to 5 indicates the conductive module of the present embodiment. This conductive module 1 is assembled to a battery module BM (FIGS. 6 to 9) in which a plurality of battery cells BC are arranged (for example, arranged in a single row), and the battery module BM is electrically connected to a battery monitoring unit (not shown), whereby the battery monitoring unit monitors the battery state of the battery cells BC. This conductive module 1 constitutes a battery pack together with the battery module BM (FIGS. 7 and 9). The battery pack is mounted, for example, on a vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle, HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle, etc.) having a rotating machine as a drive source, and is used for power supply to the rotating machine and the like.

[0012] The battery cell BC includes a cell main body BCa and positive and negative electrode terminals BCb (FIGS. 6 and 8). The battery cell BC shown here is formed in a cubic shape in which the cell main body BCa has six outer wall surfaces. In the plurality of battery cells BC that make up the battery module BM, the adjacent cell main bodies BCa in the arrangement direction are arranged with one outer wall surface facing the other. This battery module BM includes one electrode terminal group BCc in which one electrode terminal BCb in each battery cell BC is arranged along the arrangement direction, and the other electrode terminal group BCc in which the other electrode terminal BCb in each battery cell BC is arranged along the arrangement direction.

[0013] Here, the battery module BM has, for example, a plurality of specifications with different arrangements and shapes of the electrode terminals BCb. For example, the battery module BM1 shown in FIG. 6 and the battery module BM2 shown in FIG. 8 each have the flat-plate-shaped electrode terminals BCb1 of positive and negative polarities provided on one of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell body BCa of each battery cell BC. Therefore, in these battery modules BM1 and BM2, two electrode terminal groups BCc1 are provided on one plane (hereinafter referred to as the "electrode installation plane"). The electrode terminal BCb1 is for physically and electrically connecting the bus bar 11 described later by welding or the like. Also, although not shown here, there are also battery modules BM with a specification in which the electrode terminal BCb is formed in a stud shape having a male screw portion.

[0014] Furthermore, some battery modules BM are provided with an exhaust duct BMa that communicates with the exhaust valve of each battery cell BC and discharges the gas inside the battery cell BC discharged from this exhaust valve to the atmosphere. And this battery module BM has a plurality of specifications with different arrangements and shapes of the exhaust duct BMa. The battery module BM1 in FIG. 6 exemplifies an example of a specification with the exhaust duct BMa, in which the exhaust duct BMa is arranged between two electrode terminal groups BCc1.

[0015] Moreover, some battery modules BM are provided with a restraint member BMb that restrains each battery cell BC while in an array state. And this battery module BM has a plurality of specifications with different arrangements and shapes of the restraint member BMb. The battery module BM2 in FIG. 8 exemplifies an example of a specification with the restraint member BMb, in which the restraint member BMb is provided for each electrode terminal group BCc1. This restraint member BMb extends in the arrangement direction of the electrode terminals BCb1 of the electrode terminal group BCc1 and holds and restrains each battery cell BC1 at the boundary portion between the electrode installation plane in the battery module BM2 and the wall surface (hereinafter referred to as the "side wall surface") that is continuous and intersects with the electrode installation plane.

[0016] As described above, there are various specifications for the battery module BM. The conductive module 1 of the present embodiment is configured as follows to be adaptable to battery modules BM with multiple specifications.

[0017] The conductive module 1 includes a busbar assembly component 10 including a busbar 11 that physically and electrically connects to the electrode terminals BCb of one or a pair of battery cells BC of the battery module BM, and a busbar holding portion 12 that holds the plurality of busbars 11 (FIGS. 1 to 5). In the drawings, for convenience, only the busbar 11 that physically and electrically connects to the electrode terminals BCb of a pair of battery cells BC is shown.

[0018] The busbar 11 is a plate-shaped conductive component made of metal, and is, for example, press-formed using a metal plate as a base material. The busbar 11 shown here is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape.

[0019] The busbar holding portion 12 is formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. The busbar holding portion 12 is flatly formed in a shape that exposes a welding portion with the electrode terminal BCb on one plane of the busbar 11 and, for example, a laser irradiation portion during welding work on the electrode terminal BCb on the other plane of the busbar 11. The busbar holding portion 12 shown here is, for example, insert-molded by pouring a liquid synthetic resin material into a mold in which the busbars 11 are respectively arranged.

[0020] A plurality of types of this busbar assembly component 10 are prepared according to the specifications of the battery module BM, and the one that matches the specifications of the battery module BM to be connected is assembled to the battery module BM from among the plurality of types.

[0021] For example, the busbar assembly component 10A shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is connected to the electrode terminals BCb1 of the electrode terminal group BCc1 included in the battery module BM1 of FIG. 6 and the battery module BM2 of FIG. 8 (FIGS. 7 and 9). Therefore, this busbar assembly component 10A includes a plurality of rectangular-shaped busbars 11A having a size corresponding to the electrode terminals BCb1 of the electrode terminal group BCc1, and each busbar 11A is held by a busbar holding portion 12A formed by insert molding.

[0022] This bus bar assembly component 10A can be applied to battery modules BM of different specifications, such as the battery module BM1 in FIG. 6 and the battery module BM2 in FIG. 8, as long as they are equipped with the electrode terminal group BCc1. That is, in this case, the bus bar assembly component 10A becomes a shared bus bar assembly component that can be shared by a plurality of types of battery modules BM equipped with the electrode terminal group BCc1. Therefore, if such sharing of the bus bar assembly component 10A is to be achieved among a plurality of types of battery modules BM, in this conductive module 1, the plurality of types of bus bar assembly components 10 include the bus bar assembly component 10A as the shared bus bar assembly component. Incidentally, the conductive module 1 may be composed of only the bus bar assembly component 10A as the bus bar assembly component 10.

[0023] Also, for example, the bus bar assembly component 10B shown in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5 is used for a battery module BM including an electrode terminal group BCc composed of electrode terminals BCb in the shape of a pole post. This bus bar assembly component 10B includes a plurality of rectangular bus bars 11B each having two through holes 11a for inserting the electrode terminals BCb in the shape of a pole post, and the respective bus bars 11B are held by a bus bar holding portion 12B formed by insert molding.

[0024] This bus bar assembly component 10B can be applied to battery modules BM of different specifications as long as they are equipped with an electrode terminal group BCc composed of electrode terminals BCb in the shape of a pole post. That is, in this case, the bus bar assembly component 10B becomes a shared bus bar assembly component that can be shared by a plurality of types of battery modules BM equipped with the electrode terminal group BCc. Therefore, if such sharing of the bus bar assembly component 10B is to be achieved among a plurality of types of battery modules BM, in this conductive module 1, the plurality of types of bus bar assembly components 10 include the bus bar assembly component 10B as the shared bus bar assembly component. Incidentally, the conductive module 1 may be composed of only the bus bar assembly component 10B as the bus bar assembly component 10.

[0025] Next, the conductive module 1 includes a circuit conductor assembly component 20 having circuit conductors (not shown) for each bus bar 11 that electrically connect the bus bar 11 to the battery monitoring unit (FIGS. 1 to 5). And this conductive module 1 physically and electrically connects the paired bus bars 11 and the circuit conductors, and includes electrical connection components (not shown, for example, conductive components such as terminal fittings and electric wires) for each bus bar 11 that electrically connect the bus bars 11 and the circuit conductors.

[0026] The circuit conductor assembly component 20 is formed flat along the extending direction of the bus bar assembly component 10 in a shape that follows the bus bar assembly component 10 (FIGS. 1 to 5). And, for example, this circuit conductor assembly component 20 is held by a rectangular flat plate-shaped conductor holding part 25 (FIGS. 1 to 5). Although not shown, in this conductive module 1, the bus bar holding part 12 of the bus bar assembly component 10 and the conductor holding part 25 hold each other by a locking mechanism using, for example, claw parts, etc., and the bus bar assembly component 10 and the circuit conductor assembly component 20 integrated by this locking mechanism are assembled to the battery module BM.

[0027] As this circuit conductor assembly component 20, for example, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) in which conductor patterns as circuit conductors are formed for each bus bar 11, a rigid board in which conductor patterns as circuit conductors are formed for each bus bar 11, an electric wire assembly including electric wires as circuit conductors for each bus bar 11 (for example, a bundle of a plurality of electric wires or a flat cable (FC), etc.) are used.

[0028] A plurality of types of this circuit conductor assembly component 20 are prepared according to the specifications of the battery module BM, and the one that matches the specifications of the battery module BM to be connected is assembled to the battery module BM from among the plurality of types.

[0029] For example, the circuit conductor assembly component 20A shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 is a flexible printed circuit board disposed between the bus bar assembly component 10A and the exhaust duct BMa in the battery module BM1 of FIG. 6 (FIG. 7). When using a flexible printed circuit board for the circuit conductor assembly component 20, for example, a flexible printed circuit board (with a single-layer conductor pattern) used when the distance between the bus bar assembly component 10A and the exhaust duct BMa is wide due to a narrow-width exhaust duct BMa, and a flexible printed circuit board (with a multi-layer conductor pattern) used when the distance between the bus bar assembly component 10A and the exhaust duct BMa is narrow due to a wide-width exhaust duct BMa can be classified into different types.

[0030] This circuit conductor assembly component 20A can be applied as long as the distance between the bus bar assembly component 10 and the exhaust duct BMa is the same even in a battery module BM of a different specification. That is, in this case, the circuit conductor assembly component 20A becomes a shared circuit conductor assembly component that can be shared among battery modules BM of a plurality of specifications with the same distance between the bus bar assembly component 10 and the exhaust duct BMa. Therefore, if such sharing of the circuit conductor assembly component 20A is to be achieved among battery modules BM of a plurality of specifications, in this conductive module 1, the plurality of types of circuit conductor assembly components 20 will include the circuit conductor assembly component 20A as the shared circuit conductor assembly component. Note that the conductive module 1 may be configured with only the circuit conductor assembly component 20A as the circuit conductor assembly component 20.

[0031] Further, for example, the circuit conductor assembly component 20B shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5 is a flat cable disposed in the battery module BM2 of FIG. 8 at a position avoiding the restraint member BMb and between the two electrode terminal groups BCc2 (FIG. 9). This circuit conductor assembly component 20B can be applied to battery modules BM of different specifications as long as the arrangement of the restraint member BMb is the same. That is, in this case, the circuit conductor assembly component 20B becomes a shared circuit conductor assembly component that can be shared among battery modules BM of a plurality of specifications with the same arrangement of the restraint member BMb. Therefore, if it is intended to share such a circuit conductor assembly component 20B among battery modules BM of a plurality of specifications, in this conductive module 1, the plurality of types of circuit conductor assembly components 20 will include the circuit conductor assembly component 20B as the shared circuit conductor assembly component. Note that the conductive module 1 may be configured with only the circuit conductor assembly component 20B as the circuit conductor assembly component 20.

[0032] The conductive module 1 shown here includes a bus bar assembly component 10A and a bus bar assembly component 10B as the bus bar assembly component 10, and includes a circuit conductor assembly component 20A and a circuit conductor assembly component 20B as the circuit conductor assembly component 20 (FIG. 1). In this conductive module 1, any one of the bus bar assembly component 10A and the bus bar assembly component 10B is combined with any one of the circuit conductor assembly component 20A and the circuit conductor assembly component 20B (FIGS. 2 to 5). FIG. 2 shows the combination of the bus bar assembly component 10A and the circuit conductor assembly component 20A. FIG. 3 shows the combination of the bus bar assembly component 10A and the circuit conductor assembly component 20B. FIG. 4 shows the combination of the bus bar assembly component 10B and the circuit conductor assembly component 20A. FIG. 5 shows the combination of the bus bar assembly component 10B and the circuit conductor assembly component 20B.

[0033] In this conductive module 1, for example, the bus bar assembly component 10 and the circuit conductor assembly component 20 are combined as an assembly target for the battery module BM by adapting them to the arrangement and shape of the exhaust duct BMa in the battery module BM to be connected. In this example, the combination of the bus bar assembly component 10A and the circuit conductor assembly component 20A is assembled to the battery module BM1 of FIG. 6 (FIG. 7).

[0034] Also, in this conductive module 1, for example, the bus bar assembly component 10 and the circuit conductor assembly component 20 are combined with those adapted to the arrangement and shape of the restraint member BMb in the battery module BM to be connected as the assembly targets for the battery module BM. In this example, the combination of the bus bar assembly component 10A and the circuit conductor assembly component 20B is assembled to the battery module BM2 in FIG. 8 (FIG. 9).

[0035] Here, as the battery cell BC, there is known a battery cell BC3 in which a flat electrode terminal BCb of the positive electrode is provided on one of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell body BCa, and a flat electrode terminal BCb of the negative electrode is provided on another one of the outer wall surfaces (FIG. 10). The battery module BM3 shown in FIG. 10 has a different specification in which a plurality of the battery cells BC3 are arranged, and the plane referred to as the side wall surface in the previous battery modules BM1 and BM2 is used as the electrode installation surface. This battery module BM3 is provided with electrode terminal groups BCc one by one on two side wall surfaces. Here, for convenience, the electrode terminals BCb1 of the battery modules BM1 and BM2 are applied to the positive and negative electrode terminals BCb, respectively.

[0036] In the conductive module 1, for example, the combination of the bus bar assembly component 10A and the circuit conductor assembly component 20A can be assembled to the battery module BM3 in FIG. 10 (FIG. 11). Also, in this conductive module 1, only the bus bar assembly component 10A can be assembled to the battery module BM3 in FIG. 10 (FIG. 12).

[0037] As described above, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment broadly classifies its component configuration into the bus bar assembly component 10 and the circuit conductor assembly component 20, and can create various combinations from a plurality of types of bus bar assembly components 10 and a plurality of types of circuit conductor assembly components 20 according to the specifications of the battery module BM. And the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can share one bus bar assembly component (shared bus bar assembly component) 10 among battery modules BM of different specifications, or share one circuit conductor assembly component (shared circuit conductor assembly component) 20 among battery modules BM of different specifications. Therefore, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can reduce costs by cost merits due to component sharing and reduction of component management costs.

Explanation of Signs

[0038] 1 Conductive module 10, 10A, 10B Bus bar assembly component 11, 11A, 11B Bus bar 12, 12A, 12B Bus bar holding part 20, 20A, 20B Circuit conductor assembly component BC, BC1, BC3 Battery cell BCb, BCb1 Electrode terminal BM, BM1, BM2, BM3 Battery module BMa Exhaust duct BMb Restraining member

Claims

1. A bus bar that physically and electrically connects to the electrode terminals of one or a pair of the battery cells in a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged, and a bus bar holding part that holds a plurality of the bus bar, and a bus bar assembly part that assembles, to the battery module, a bus bar that matches the specification of the battery module to be connected from among a plurality of types prepared according to the specification of the battery module, a circuit conductor for each of the bus bars that electrically connects the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit, and a circuit conductor assembly part that assembles, to the battery module, a circuit conductor that matches the specification of the battery module to be connected from among a plurality of types prepared according to the specification of the battery module, A conductive module characterized by comprising these.

2. The battery module includes an exhaust duct that communicates with the exhaust valve of each of the battery cells and discharges the gas inside the battery cell discharged from the exhaust valve to the atmosphere, and there are a plurality of specifications with different arrangements and shapes of the exhaust duct, The bus bar assembly part and the circuit conductor assembly part are combined with those adapted to the arrangement and shape of the exhaust duct in the battery module to be connected as an assembly target for the battery module. The conductive module according to Claim 1.

3. The battery module includes a restraint member that restrains each of the battery cells while in an array state, and there are a plurality of specifications with different arrangements and shapes of the restraint member, The bus bar assembly part and the circuit conductor assembly part are combined with those adapted to the arrangement and shape of the restraint member in the battery module to be connected as an assembly target for the battery module. The conductive module according to Claim 1.

4. The plurality of types of bus bar assembly parts include a shared bus bar assembly part that can be shared by battery modules of a plurality of specifications. The conductive module according to Claim 1, 2, or 3.

5. The plurality of types of circuit conductor assembly parts include a shared circuit conductor assembly part that can be shared by battery modules of a plurality of specifications. The conductive module according to Claim 1, 2, or 3.

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