Battery pack and wiring structure for the same

Abstract

To provide a battery pack and a wiring structure for the same, in which the stability of operation of a gas discharge valve is improved.SOLUTION: A battery pack includes a plurality of batteries arranged in a first direction. Each battery includes a housing having a pair of first surfaces facing each other in a second direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction, and a pair of second surfaces facing each other in a third direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. An electrode terminal is provided on the first surface of the housing. On the second surface of the housing, a gas discharge valve that is fractured when the pressure in the housing becomes a predetermined value or more and discharges the gas in the housing to the outside of the housing is provided. In the batteries arranged in the first direction, the gas discharge valves are formed alternately on one and the other of the pair of second surfaces facing each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present technology relates to a battery pack and its arrangement structure.

Background Art

[0002] Chinese Utility Model Patent No. 216958403 Specification (Patent Document 1), Chinese Utility Model Patent No. 216928766 Specification (Patent Document 2), and Chinese Utility Model Patent No. 219267787 Specification (Patent Document 3) describe a battery pack in which batteries provided with a gas discharge valve for discharging gas inside the battery case to the outside of the case when the pressure inside the battery case reaches a predetermined value or more are stacked.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] It is required to stably operate the gas discharge valves of a plurality of batteries included in a battery pack.

[0005] An object of the present technology is to provide a battery pack and its arrangement structure with improved stability of the operation of the gas discharge valve.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present technology provides the following battery pack and its arrangement structure.

[0007] [1] A battery pack includes a plurality of batteries arranged in a first direction. Each of the plurality of batteries has a housing including a pair of first surfaces facing each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a pair of second surfaces orthogonal to each other in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. An electrode terminal is provided on the first surface of the housing, and a gas discharge valve is provided on the second surface of the housing. The gas discharge valve breaks when the pressure inside the housing becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and discharges the gas inside the housing to the outside of the housing. In the plurality of batteries arranged in the first direction, the gas discharge valves are alternately formed on one and the other of a pair of the second surfaces facing each other.

[0008] [2] The battery pack according to [1], further comprising a cooling plate facing one of the second surfaces, the cooling plate having a space communicating with the gas discharge valve.

[0009] [3] The battery pack according to [1] or [2], wherein the gas discharge valve is formed at a central portion of the second surface in the second direction.

[0010] [4] The battery pack according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the gas discharge valve includes a thin-walled portion of the housing that is longer in the second direction than in the first direction.

[0011] [5] An arrangement structure of a battery pack, in which a plurality of battery packs according to any one of [1] to [4] are arranged along the second direction.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] According to the present technology, it is possible to provide a battery pack and its arrangement structure with improved operating stability of the gas discharge valve.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present technology will be described. In addition, the same or corresponding parts may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may not be repeated.

[0015] In addition, in the embodiments described below, when referring to the number, amount, etc., unless otherwise specified, the scope of the present technology is not necessarily limited to the number, amount, etc. Also, in the following embodiments, each component is not necessarily essential to the present technology, unless otherwise specified. Further, the present technology is not limited to those that necessarily exhibit all the effects mentioned in the present embodiments.

[0016] In addition, in this specification, the descriptions of "comprise", "include", and "have" are in an open-ended format. That is, when a certain configuration is included, other configurations other than the said configuration may or may not be included.

[0017] Also, in this specification, when geometric terms and terms representing positional and directional relationships, such as "parallel", "orthogonal", "diagonal 45°", "coaxial", "along", etc., are used, those terms allow for manufacturing errors or slight variations. When terms representing relative positional relationships such as "upper side" and "lower side" are used in this specification, those terms are used to indicate the relative positional relationship in one state, and the relative positional relationship can be reversed or rotated at an arbitrary angle depending on the installation direction of each mechanism (for example, turning the entire mechanism upside down, etc.).

[0018] In this specification, the "battery" is not limited to a lithium-ion battery, and may include other batteries such as nickel-metal hydride batteries and sodium-ion batteries.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the secondary battery 1 that constitutes the assembled battery. The secondary battery 1 can be mounted on an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a hybrid vehicle (HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle), etc. However, the use of the secondary battery 1 is not limited to in-vehicle use.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the secondary battery 1 includes a case 100 (housing). The case 100 includes a case body 110, a sealing plate 120, and a sealing plate 130.

[0021] When constructing an assembled battery including the secondary battery 1, a plurality of secondary batteries 1 are stacked in their thickness direction. The stacked secondary batteries 1 may be constrained in the stacking direction (Y direction) by a constraining member to form a battery module, or the assembled battery may be directly supported on the side surface of the case of the battery pack without using a constraining member.

[0022] The case body 110 is made of a cylindrical, preferably rectangular cylindrical member. Thereby, a rectangular secondary battery 1 can be obtained. The case body 110 is made of metal. Specifically, the case body 110 is made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, iron, or an iron alloy, etc.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the sealing plate 120 and the sealing plate 130 are respectively provided at both ends of the case body 110. The case body 110 can be formed into a rectangular cylindrical shape, for example, by abutting the end edges of a plate-shaped member subjected to bending processing and joining them to each other (for example, laser welding). The corners of the "rectangular cylindrical shape" may have an R shape.

[0024] The case body 110 is formed to be longer in the thickness direction (Y direction) and the height direction (Z direction) of the secondary battery 1 than in the width direction (X direction) of the secondary battery 1. The dimension (width) of the case body 110 in the X direction is preferably about 30 cm or more. Thereby, a relatively large (high-capacity) secondary battery 1 can be configured. The dimension (height) of the case body 110 in the Z direction is preferably about 20 cm or less, more preferably about 15 cm or less, and even more preferably about 10 cm or less. Thereby, a secondary battery 1 with a relatively low height (low height) can be configured, and for example, the mountability on a vehicle is improved.

[0025] The sealing plates 120 and 130 (first surface) are made of metal. Specifically, the sealing plates 120 and 130 are made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, iron, or an iron alloy, etc. The sealing plates 120 and 130 (first surface) face each other in the X direction (second direction) orthogonal to the Y direction (first direction).

[0026] A negative electrode terminal 150 is provided on the sealing plate 120 (first sealing plate). The position of the negative electrode terminal 150 can be changed as appropriate. The negative electrode terminal 150 is made of a conductive material (more specifically, metal), and can be made of, for example, copper or a copper alloy, etc. A portion or layer made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy may be provided on the outer surface portion of the negative electrode terminal 150.

[0027] A liquid injection hole 140 and a positive electrode terminal 160 are provided on the sealing plate 130 (second sealing plate). The positions of the liquid injection hole 140 and the positive electrode terminal 160 can be changed as appropriate. The liquid injection hole 140 is sealed by a sealing member (not shown). As the sealing member, for example, a blind rivet and other metal members can be used. The positive electrode terminal 160 is made of a conductive material (more specifically, metal), and can be made of, for example, aluminum or an aluminum alloy, etc.

[0028] The case body 110 is provided with a gas discharge valve 170. The gas discharge valve 170 is provided on one of a pair of surfaces (the second surface) of the case body 110 that are orthogonal to each other in the Z direction (the third direction).

[0029] In the example of FIG. 1, the gas discharge valve 170 is provided at the central portion in the width direction (X direction) of the secondary battery 1. The gas discharge valve 170 has a shape that is longer in the X direction than in the Y direction. However, the position and shape of the gas discharge valve 170 can be changed as appropriate.

[0030] The thickness of the plate-like member in the gas discharge valve 170 is thinner compared to the thickness of the plate-like members of the case body 110 other than the gas discharge valve 170. Thereby, when the pressure in the case 100 becomes a predetermined value or more, the gas discharge valve 170 breaks preferentially compared to other portions of the case body 110 and discharges the gas in the case 100 to the outside.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the secondary batteries 1 are stacked (a battery pack), and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state of the battery pack shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the Z-axis direction.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the battery pack includes a plurality of secondary batteries 1 arranged in the Y direction and end plates 2 provided at both ends of the stacked body of the secondary batteries 1. Among the plurality of secondary batteries 1 arranged in the Y direction, the gas discharge valves 170 are alternately arranged on the lower surface side (one side) and the upper surface side (the other side) of the battery pack.

[0033] When the pressure in the case 100 rises and the gas discharge valve 170 opens, the contents of the case 100 are ejected from the gas discharge valve 170. When the ejected contents cover the gas discharge valve 170 of the adjacent secondary battery 1 and block the gas discharge valve 170, when the adjacent secondary battery 1 also burns and the internal pressure rises, portions other than the gas discharge valve 170 may crack.

[0034] In contrast, the assembled battery according to the present embodiment adopts a structure in which gas discharge valves 170 are alternately arranged on the lower surface side (one side) and the upper surface side (the other side) of the assembled battery in a plurality of secondary batteries 1 arranged in the Y direction. Therefore, even if the content ejected from the gas discharge valve 170 reaches the region of the adjacent secondary battery 1 and accumulates, it is possible to suppress the gas discharge valve 170 from being covered by the ejected material. Therefore, even if the adjacent secondary battery 1 catches fire, it is possible to surely break the gas discharge valve 170 and control the content to be ejected from a predetermined position.

[0035] Thus, in the assembled battery according to the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the operating stability of the gas discharge valve 170. Note that a plurality of the assembled batteries shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 may be arranged, for example, along the X direction.

[0036] FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken along lines IV-IV and V-V in FIG. 3, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the assembled battery according to the present embodiment further includes a heat transfer sheet 3 and a cooling plate 4 facing the lower surface of the assembled battery. A refrigerant passage 4A is formed inside the cooling plate 4.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, the heat transfer sheet 3 and the cooling plate 4 are provided so as to form a space in a portion facing the gas discharge valve 170. This space is not limited to the form of the through hole illustrated in FIG. 4. For example, a recess extending in the Y direction may be provided in the cooling plate 4, and this recess may be opposed to the gas discharge valve 170 to function as a gas duct.

[0038] Although the embodiments of the present technology have been described above, it should be considered that the disclosed embodiments are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present technology is defined by the claims, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims be included.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0039] 1 Secondary battery, 2 End plate, 3 Heat transfer sheet, 4 Cooling plate, 4A Refrigerant passage, 100 Case, 110 Case body, 120, 130 Sealing plate, 140 Liquid injection hole, 150 Negative electrode terminal, 160 Positive electrode terminal, 170 Gas discharge valve.

Claims

1. Comprising a plurality of batteries arranged in a first direction, each of the plurality of batteries having a housing including a pair of first surfaces facing each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a pair of second surfaces orthogonal to each other in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, an electrode terminal being provided on the first surface of the housing, a gas discharge valve being provided on the second surface of the housing, the gas discharge valve breaking when the pressure inside the housing becomes a predetermined value or more and discharging the gas inside the housing to the outside of the housing, a battery pack, wherein in the plurality of batteries arranged in the first direction, the gas discharge valves are alternately formed on one and the other of a pair of the second surfaces facing each other.

2. Further comprising a cooling plate facing one of the second surfaces, the cooling plate having a space communicating with the gas discharge valve, the battery pack according to claim 1.

3. The gas discharge valve is formed at the central portion of the second surface in the second direction, the battery pack according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The gas discharge valve includes a thin-walled portion of the housing that is longer in the second direction than in the first direction, the battery pack according to claim 1 or claim 2.

5. An arrangement structure of a battery pack, wherein a plurality of the battery packs according to claim 1 or claim 2 are arranged along the second direction.

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