Conductive module

Abstract

To provide a conductive module whose height can be reduced.SOLUTION: A conductive module includes bus bars 10 physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals of a pair of battery cells in a battery module, a circuit conductor component including a circuit conductor that electrically connects the bus bar to a battery monitor unit, a first case 30 where a bus bar accommodation part 31 to accommodate the bus bar at an accommodation completion position in a chamber is provided for each bus bar, and a second case 40 where a circuit accommodation part 41 to accommodate the circuit conductor component in the chamber is provided. The bus bar accommodation part includes a bottom wall 32 that is provided with a space for the connection place between the bus bar and the electrode terminal and has the bus bar placed thereon at the accommodation completion position. The first case includes a first engagement part 33 provided for each bus bar accommodation part. The second case includes a bus bar holding part 42 that is provided for each bus bar accommodation part and holds the bus bar at the accommodation completion position with the bottom wall, and a second engagement part 43 that is provided for each bus bar accommodation part and keeps the bus bar holding part at the bus bar holding position by engagement with the first engagement part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

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, an electrical connection component that physically and electrically connects the bus bar to the circuit conductor, and a case that houses these components. 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] Incidentally, the case has a bus bar housing member in which a bus bar housing portion for each bus bar is formed, and the bus bar is stopped in the room by a bus bar holding portion provided in the bus bar housing chamber of the bus bar housing portion. For example, a conventional bus bar holding portion has a cantilever-shaped flexible portion extending toward the bottom wall in the depth direction of the bus bar housing chamber, and a claw portion provided at the free end on the bottom wall side of the flexible portion. This bus bar holding portion holds the bus bar in the bus bar housing chamber by allowing the bus bar to enter between the claw portion and the bottom wall while bending the flexible portion. Therefore, in the conventional bus bar housing member, in order to ensure the holding function by the bus bar holding portion, it is necessary to make the depth of the bus bar housing chamber large with respect to the physical dimensions in the thickness direction of the bus bar. Therefore, the conventional conductive module has a limit in miniaturizing the physical dimensions of the bus bar housing member in the depth direction of the bus bar housing chamber, and there is room for improvement in achieving a low profile.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a conductive module capable of achieving a low profile.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention includes a bus bar physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals of a pair of the battery cells in a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged, a circuit conductor component provided with a circuit conductor for electrically connecting the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit, a first case provided with a bus bar housing portion for housing the bus bar in a housing completion position in the room for each bus bar, and a second case provided with a circuit housing portion for housing the circuit conductor component in the room, the bus bar housing portion being provided with a space for the connection portion between the bus bar and the electrode terminals, and having a bottom wall on which the bus bar is placed in the housing completion position, the first case having a first engaging portion provided for each bus bar housing portion, the second case having a bus bar holding portion provided for each bus bar housing portion for sandwiching the bus bar in the housing completion position between the bus bar holding portion and the bottom wall, and a second engaging portion provided for each bus bar housing portion for engaging with the first engaging portion to keep the bus bar holding portion in the sandwiching position of the bus bar.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] Since the conductive module according to the present invention adopts a bus bar holding structure including its bus bar holding part, first engaging part, and second engaging part, the depth of the interior in the bus bar accommodating part can be made as shallow as the thickness dimension of the bus bar in the thickness direction. Therefore, this conductive module can reduce the size of the bus bar accommodating part in the depth direction of the interior, so that the size of the first case can be reduced in the depth direction. Accordingly, the conductive module according to the present invention can achieve a reduction in height.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment 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 this embodiment.

[0010] [Embodiment] One embodiment of the conductive module according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0011] Reference numeral 1 in FIGS. 1 to 4 indicates the conductive module of the present embodiment. This conductive module 1 is assembled to a battery module BM (FIG. 5) 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) so that the battery monitoring unit monitors the battery state of the battery cell BC. This conductive module 1 constitutes a battery pack together with the battery module BM. 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 (FIG. 5). 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 each 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] In this example, each battery cell BC includes positive and negative electrode terminals BCb on one of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell main body BCa (FIG. 5). Therefore, in the battery module BM, two electrode terminal groups BCc are provided on one plane (hereinafter referred to as the "electrode installation surface") (FIG. 5).

[0014] However, as the battery cell BC, although not shown in the figure, there is also known a type in which a positive electrode terminal BCb is provided on one of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell main body BCa, and a negative electrode terminal BCb is provided on another one of the outer wall surfaces. And in a battery module BM including such a battery cell BC, each electrode terminal group BCc is provided on a different plane. The plane is the portion referred to as the side wall surface in the battery module BM of the previous example. The conductive module 1 of the present embodiment is also applicable to such a battery module BM.

[0015] Also, the electrode terminal BCb shown here is formed in a flat plate shape, and is to be physically and electrically connected to a bus bar 10 described later by welding or the like. However, the electrode terminal BCb may be formed in a post shape having a male screw portion.

[0016] The conductive module 1 includes a bus bar 10 that is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminals BCb of a pair of battery cells BC in the battery module BM (FIGS. 1 to 4).

[0017] The bus bar 10 is a plate-shaped conductive component made of metal, and is, for example, press-formed with a metal plate as the base material. The bus bar 10 has a first electrical connection portion 11 that is physically and electrically connected to one electrode terminal BCb, a second electrical connection portion 12 that is physically and electrically connected to the other electrode terminal BCb, and a bent connection portion 13 that connects these (FIGS. 1 to 4).

[0018] The first electrical connection part 11 and the second electrical connection part 12 are formed in a rectangular flat plate shape on the same plane, and are arranged with a gap between the side parts of each other in the arrangement direction of a pair of adjacent electrode terminals BCb (that is, the arrangement direction of a plurality of battery cells BC). Further, the connecting part 13 is formed in a U-shaped cross-sectional shape such as a U-shape in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the first electrical connection part 11 and the second electrical connection part 12 and the direction vector of the perpendicular line to the plane of the first electrical connection part 11 (the second electrical connection part 12), and connects the side parts to each other in a manner of filling the gap between the first electrical connection part 11 and the second electrical connection part 12. In this connecting part 13, a groove part extending in the orthogonal direction is formed inside the U-shaped shape.

[0019] Furthermore, the conductive module 1 includes a circuit conductor component 20 provided with a circuit conductor (not shown) for electrically connecting the bus bar 10 to the battery monitoring unit (FIGS. 2 and 3). And this conductive module 1 is physically and electrically connected to the paired bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor, and includes electrical connection components (not shown, for example, conductive components such as terminal fittings and electric wires) for each bus bar 10 that electrically connect this bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor.

[0020] As the circuit conductor component 20, for example, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) in which a conductor pattern as a circuit conductor is formed for each bus bar 10, a rigid board in which a conductor pattern as a circuit conductor is formed for each bus bar 10, an electric wire for each bus bar 10 including a core wire as a circuit conductor, etc. are used. Here, a flexible printed circuit board is used as the circuit conductor component 20.

[0021] The conductive module 1 includes a first case 30 provided with a bus bar housing part 31 for housing the bus bar 10 in the indoor housing completion position for each bus bar 10, and a second case 40 provided with a circuit housing part 41 for housing the circuit conductor component 20 indoors (FIGS. 1 to 4). The first case 30 and the second case 40 are molded with an insulating material such as synthetic resin.

[0022] The first case 30 has a bus bar housing member 30A in which a bus bar housing portion 31 is formed for each bus bar 10 (Figs. 1 to 4). In this first case 30, the bus bar housing portions 31 for each bus bar 10 are arranged along the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC. This first case 30 may have a cover member that covers the interior of each bus bar housing portion 31 together with the bus bar 10 at the housing completion position.

[0023] The bus bar housing portion 31 is formed in an angular ring shape having a pair of first side walls 31a arranged opposite to each other with a space therebetween in the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC, and a pair of second side walls 31b arranged opposite to each other with a space therebetween in the extending direction of the connecting portion 13 of the bus bar 10 at the housing completion position (Fig. 2).

[0024] This bus bar housing portion 31 is provided with a space from the connection portion between the bus bar 10 and the electrode terminal BCb, and has a bottom wall 32 on which the bus bar 10 is placed at the housing completion position (Fig. 2). This bottom wall 32 is a connecting wall that connects the pair of second side walls 31b, and when the bus bar 10 is at the housing completion position, it enters the U-shaped inner groove portion of the connecting portion 13. Then, when the bus bar 10 is at the housing completion position, the groove bottom of the connecting portion 13 is placed on this bottom wall 32.

[0025] In this bus bar housing portion 31, the bus bar 10 is inserted toward the bottom wall 32 in the axial direction of the angular ring shape.

[0026] The second case 40 has a circuit housing member 40A in which a circuit housing portion 41 is formed, and a cover member 40B that covers the insertion port 41a of the circuit conductor component 20 in the circuit housing portion 41 (Figs. 1 to 4). In this second case 40, by assembling the circuit housing member 40A and the cover member 40B, the cover member 40B covers the insertion port 41a of the circuit housing portion 41.

[0027] The second case 40 may be such that its circuit housing member 40A and cover member 40B are prepared as individual parts, or the circuit housing member 40A and cover member 40B may be formed as one part via a hinge or the like.

[0028] This second case 40 is provided adjacent to the bus bar housing member 30A in a direction orthogonal to both the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells BC and the insertion direction of the bus bar 10 toward the bottom wall 32 in the bus bar housing portion 31 (FIGS. 1 to 3).

[0029] In this conductive module 1, the bus bar housing member 30A of the first case 30 and the circuit housing member 40A of the second case 40 may be prepared as individual parts, or the bus bar housing member 30A and the circuit housing member 40A may be formed as one part via a connecting portion or the like.

[0030] Here, in this conductive module 1, the cover member 40B of the second case 40 is used to hold the bus bar 10 at the accommodation completion position in the bus bar housing member 30A of the first case 30 inside the chamber of the bus bar housing portion 31.

[0031] First, the first case 30 has a first engaging portion 33 provided for each bus bar housing portion 31 (FIGS. 1 to 4). The bus bar housing member 30A is also formed with the first engaging portion 33 for each bus bar housing portion 31. Next, the second case 40 is provided for each bus bar housing portion 31 and has a bus bar holding portion 42 that sandwiches the bus bar 10 at the accommodation completion position between the bus bar holding portion 42 and the bottom wall 32 of the bus bar housing portion 31, and a second engaging portion 43 that is provided for each bus bar housing portion 31 and keeps the bus bar holding portion 42 at the sandwiching position of the bus bar 10 by engaging with the first engaging portion 33 (FIGS. 1 to 4). The bus bar holding portion 42 and the second engaging portion 43 are provided on the cover member 40B.

[0032] Specifically, the bus bar holding portion 42 is formed in a cantilever shape that protrudes from the cover member 40B toward the bus bar housing portion 31 side (FIGS. 1 to 4). This bus bar holding portion 42 protrudes along the extending direction of the connecting portion 13 of the bus bar 10 at the accommodation completed position and along the extending direction of the bottom wall 32 of the bus bar housing portion 31.

[0033] The second engaging portion 43 is provided at the free end and the fixed end of this bus bar holding portion 42 respectively (FIGS. 2 to 4). The bus bar housing portion 31 has a first engaging portion 33 that pairs with the second engaging portion 43 at the free end of the bus bar holding portion 42, and a first engaging portion 33 that pairs with the second engaging portion 43 at the fixed end of the bus bar holding portion 42 (FIGS. 1 to 4). For example, the second engaging portion 43 has a piece portion 43a that protrudes from the bus bar holding portion 42, and a claw portion 43b that protrudes from the wall surface of this piece portion 43a (FIG. 4). The first engaging portion 33 is formed in an angular ring shape that inserts the second engaging portion 43 into the ring and hooks the claw portion 43b that has come out from inside the ring to hold the second engaging portion 43 inside the ring.

[0034] In this conductive module 1, with the bus bar 10 housed in the bus bar housing portion 31, the circuit housing member 40A and the cover member 40B are assembled, and the first engaging portion 33 and the second engaging portion 43 are engaged on the free end side and the fixed end side of the bus bar holding portion 42 in the cover member 40B. Thereby, in this conductive module 1, the connecting portion 13 of the bus bar 10 is sandwiched between the bottom wall 32 of the bus bar housing portion 31 and the bus bar holding portion 42, and this bus bar 10 is held at the accommodation completed position in the bus bar housing portion 31.

[0035] Since the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment adopts such a bus bar holding structure, the depth of the interior in the bus bar housing portion 31 can be made as shallow as the thickness dimension of the bus bar 10 in the thickness direction. Therefore, the conductive module 1 can reduce the size of the bus bar housing portion 31 in the depth direction of the interior, and thus the size of the first case 30 can be reduced in its depth direction. Accordingly, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can be made low-profile. For example, as also shown above, the bus bar holding portion of the conventional conductive module has a cantilever-shaped flexible portion extending in the depth direction of the interior of the bus bar housing portion, and the bus bar is inserted between the claw portion at the tip and the bottom wall while flexing the flexible portion. On the other hand, the bus bar holding portion 42 of the present embodiment does not affect the depth of the interior of the bus bar housing portion 31. Therefore, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can reduce the size of its physical dimensions compared to the conventional conductive module.

[0036] Further, in the conventional bus bar holding structure, while sliding a metal bus bar on a flexible portion made of synthetic resin, the flexible portion is flexed by this bus bar. Therefore, the conventional bus bar holding portion reduces the load acting between the bus bar and the flexible portion by extending the flexible portion in the extending direction or the like in order to alleviate the aggressiveness of the bus bar against the flexible portion. However, in this conventional bus bar holding portion, the holding force against the bus bar decreases as the flexible portion is extended. On the other hand, the bus bar holding structure of the present embodiment generates a clamping force against the bus bar 10 by engaging the first engaging portion 33 made of synthetic resin and the second engaging portion 43 made of synthetic resin, between the bus bar holding portion 42 and the bottom wall 32 of the bus bar housing portion 31. That is, the bus bar holding structure of the present embodiment can hold the bus bar 10 without sliding the bus bar 10 against the first engaging portion 33, the second engaging portion 43, or the bus bar holding portion 42. Accordingly, the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment can improve the durability of the bus bar holding structure and the holding force against the bus bar 10 as compared with the conventional conductive module.

[0037] By the way, in the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, with regard to the electrical connection component that electrically connects the paired bus bars 10 and the circuit conductor, it may be passed between the bus bar 10 and the bus bar holding portion 42. In this case, for example, the bus bar holding portion 42 is arranged with a gap for interposing an electrical connection component between the bus bar 10 placed on the bottom wall 32 of the bus bar housing portion 31 so as to sandwich the bus bar 10 via the electrical connection component. And the second engaging portion 43 is provided at the free end of the bus bar holding portion 42. In this case, since the second engaging portion 43 passes the electrical connection component between the bus bar 10 and the bus bar holding portion 42, it is not provided at the fixed end of the bus bar holding portion 42. Therefore, while the bus bar housing portion 31 has the first engaging portion 33 that mates with the second engaging portion 43 at the free end of the bus bar holding portion 42, it does not have the first engaging portion 33 that mates with the second engaging portion 43 at the fixed end of the bus bar holding portion 42.

[0038] In this conductive module 1, for example, an electrical connection component is welded to the connecting portion 13 of the bus bar 10 to physically and electrically connect them. In this conductive module 1, with the bus bar 10 housed in the bus bar housing portion 31 and an electrical connection component welded to the connecting portion 13 of the bus bar 10, the circuit housing member 40A and the cover member 40B are assembled. And in this conductive module 1, the first engaging portion 33 and the second engaging portion 43 are engaged on the free end side of the bus bar holding portion 42 in the cover member 40B. Thereby, in this conductive module 1, the connecting portion 13 of the bus bar 10 and the electrical connection component are sandwiched between the bottom wall 32 of the bus bar housing portion 31 and the bus bar holding portion 42. Therefore, in this conductive module 1, the bus bar 10 is held at the accommodation completion position in the bus bar housing portion 31, and the welding portion between the connecting portion 13 of the bus bar 10 and the electrical connection component is covered by the bus bar holding portion 42. Therefore, in this conductive module 1, not only the effects shown above can be achieved, but also the exposure of the welding mark between the connecting portion 13 of the bus bar 10 and the electrical connection component can be prevented.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0039] 1 Conductive module 10 Bus bar 20 Circuit conductor component 30 First case 30A Bus bar housing member 31 Bus bar housing part 32 Bottom wall 33 First engaging part 40 Second case 40A Circuit housing member 40B Cover member 41 Circuit housing part 41a Insertion port 42 Bus bar holding part 43 Second engaging part BC Battery cell BCb Electrode terminal BM Battery module

Claims

1. A bus bar that physically and electrically connects to the electrode terminals of a pair of the battery cells in a battery module in which a plurality of battery cells are arranged; A circuit conductor component provided with a circuit conductor that electrically connects the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit; A first case provided with a bus bar housing portion for housing the bus bar at a completed housing position indoors for each bus bar; A second case provided with a circuit housing portion for housing the circuit conductor component indoors; Comprising: The bus bar housing portion is provided with a space at the connection portion between the bus bar and the electrode terminal, and has a bottom wall on which the bus bar is placed at the completed housing position; The first case has a first engaging portion provided for each bus bar housing portion; The second case is provided for each bus bar housing portion, and has a bus bar holding portion that sandwiches the bus bar at the completed housing position between the bottom wall, and a second engaging portion provided for each bus bar housing portion that keeps the bus bar holding portion at the sandwiching position of the bus bar by engaging with the first engaging portion. A conductive module characterized by this.

2. The first case has a bus bar housing member in which the bus bar housing portion for each bus bar and the first engaging portion for each bus bar housing portion are formed; The second case has a circuit housing member in which the circuit housing portion is formed, and a cover member that covers an insertion port of the circuit conductor component in the circuit housing portion; The conductive module according to claim 1, wherein the bus bar holding portion and the second engaging portion are provided on the cover member.

3. The second case is provided adjacent to the bus bar housing member in a direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells and the insertion direction of the bus bar toward the bottom wall in the bus bar housing portion; The bus bar holding portion is formed in a cantilever shape protruding from the cover member toward the bus bar housing portion side; The second engaging portion is provided at the free end and the fixed end of the bus bar holding portion, respectively; The conductive module according to claim 2, wherein the bus bar housing portion has a first engaging portion that pairs with the second engaging portion at the free end of the bus bar holding portion, and a first engaging portion that pairs with the second engaging portion at the fixed end of the bus bar holding portion.

4. Electric connection components for each bus bar that physically and electrically connect to the paired bus bars and the circuit conductors and electrically connect the bus bars and the circuit conductors are provided. The second case is disposed adjacent to the bus bar housing member in a direction orthogonal to the array direction of the plurality of battery cells and the insertion direction of the bus bar toward the bottom wall in the bus bar housing portion. The bus bar holding portion is formed in a cantilever shape protruding from the cover member toward the bus bar housing portion side, and is arranged with a gap for interposing the electrical connection component between the bus bar placed on the bottom wall so as to sandwich the bus bar via the electrical connection component. The second engaging portion is provided at the free end of the bus bar holding portion. The bus bar housing portion has the first engaging portion that pairs with the second engaging portion at the free end of the bus bar holding portion, and the conductive module according to claim 2, characterized in that.

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