Conductive module

Abstract

To satisfy implementation requirements of a battery module while reducing the height of a battery pack.SOLUTION: A conductive module includes bus bars 10 physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals BCb of a pair of battery cells BC in a battery module BM where the plurality of battery cells BC are arranged, a circuit conductor component 20 including a circuit conductor for each bus bar 10 that electrically connects the bus bar 10 to a battery monitor unit and formed to be flat, a bus bar holding member 30 that holds the plurality of bus bars 10, and a circuit holding member 40 that holds the circuit conductor component 20 and that can be assembled to the bus bar holding member 30 in a state of covering up the bus bars 10 at a connection completion position where the bus bars are physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminals BCb.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, and an electric wire for each bus bar that electrically connects the bus bar to the battery monitoring unit. Further, this conductive module includes a bus bar holding member that holds each bus bar, and an electric wire holding member that holds each electric wire. The conductive module constitutes a battery pack together with the battery module by being assembled to the 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, in a conventional conductive module, a bus bar held by a bus bar holding member is disposed on an electrode terminal, and the bus bar is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal from above the bus bar. Therefore, in this conductive module, a wire holding member is disposed at a position above the bus bar and adjacent to the bus bar holding member. However, in a battery module, an exhaust duct or a restraint member may be disposed in the vicinity of the location where the wire holding member is disposed, and in order to reduce the height of the profile, measures such as expanding and thinning the exhaust duct or the restraint member toward the electrode terminal side may be taken. In this case, in the battery module, the area where the wire holding member can be disposed becomes narrower, and thus how to secure the location of the wire holding member becomes a problem. Note that the exhaust duct is a member for communicating with the exhaust valve of each battery cell and discharging the gas inside the battery cell discharged from the exhaust valve to the atmosphere. Further, the restraint member is a member for restraining each battery cell while maintaining the arranged state.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a conductive module that can satisfy the mounting requirements on a battery module while reducing the height of a battery pack.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention includes a bus bar that is 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 for each bus bar that electrically connects the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit, a circuit conductor component formed flat, a bus bar holding member that holds a plurality of the bus bars, and a circuit holding member that holds the circuit conductor component and can be assembled to the bus bar holding member in a state of covering and hiding the bus bar at a connection completion position that is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminals.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] When the circuit holding member cannot be installed next to the bus bar holding member on the electrode installation surface due to the requirement of reducing the height of the battery pack, the circuit holding member is laminated on the bus bar holding member, so that the requirements for mounting on the battery module can be satisfied while reducing the height of the battery pack.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

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Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[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 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 this embodiment. This conductive module 1 is assembled to a battery module BM (FIGS. 2 to 5) in which a plurality of battery cells BC are arranged (for example, arranged in a single row), and this battery module BM is electrically connected to a battery monitoring unit (not shown), thereby allowing the battery monitoring unit to monitor 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.

[0012] The battery cell BC includes a cell main body BCa and positive and negative electrode terminals BCb (FIGS. 2 to 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. And 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 (FIGS. 2 to 5).

[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 (FIGS. 2 to 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") BM1 (FIGS. 2 to 5).

[0014] Also, the electrode terminal BCb shown here is formed in a flat plate shape and is to be physically and electrically connected to the 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. In this case, the bus bar 10 is fixed to the electrode terminal BCb by screwing a female screw member onto the male screw portion of the electrode terminal BCb.

[0015] In addition, for the battery cell BC, instead of such a box-shaped one, a pouch-type one or a cylindrical one may be used.

[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 (FIG. 1).

[0017] The bus bar 10 is a plate-shaped conductive component made of metal, and is, for example, press-formed using a metal plate as a base material. The bus bar 10 shown here is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape.

[0018] Furthermore, the conductive module 1 includes a circuit conductor that electrically connects the bus bar 10 to the battery monitoring unit, and includes a flatly formed circuit conductor component 20 (FIG. 1). And this conductive module 1 is physically and electrically connected to the paired bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor, and includes an electrical connection component (not shown, for example, a conductive component such as a terminal fitting or an electric wire) for each bus bar 10 that electrically connects this bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor.

[0019] As the circuit conductor component 20, for example, a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) in which conductor patterns as circuit conductors are formed for each bus bar 10, a printed circuit board (PCB) in which conductor patterns as circuit conductors are formed for each bus bar 10, etc. are used. A circuit having a voltage processing function {for example, a circuit that converts the voltage of an SBM (satellite battery module) connected to each battery cell BC into signal information} may be mounted on the printed circuit board. Here, a flexible printed circuit board is used as the circuit conductor component 20.

[0020] The conductive module 1 includes a bus bar holding member 30 that holds a plurality of bus bars 10 (FIGS. 1 to 4). This bus bar holding member 30 is formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin.

[0021] The bus bar holding member 30 is flatly formed in a shape that exposes a welding portion with the electrode terminal BCb on one plane of the bus bar 10 and, for example, a laser irradiation portion when performing a welding operation on the electrode terminal BCb on the other plane of the bus bar 10. The bus bar holding member 30 shown here is, for example, insert-molded by pouring a liquid synthetic resin material into a mold in which the bus bars 10 are respectively arranged.

[0022] The conductive module 1 includes a circuit holding member 40 that holds a circuit conductor component 20 and can be assembled to the bus bar holding member 30 in a state of covering the bus bar 10 at the connection completed position physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal BCb (FIGS. 1 to 4). This circuit holding member 40 is formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin.

[0023] In the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, a hinge portion 50 having a rotation axis along the arrangement direction of a plurality of battery cells BC and connecting the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 to each other is provided between the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 (FIGS. 1 to 4). Here, the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 are formed as one case component via a living hinge as the hinge portion 50.

[0024] The hinge portion 50 is arranged at a boundary portion between an electrode installation surface BM1 in the battery module BM and an intersecting wall surface BM2 that intersects and continues with the electrode installation surface BM1 in a state where the bus bar 10 held by the bus bar holding member 30 is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal BCb (FIGS. 2 to 4). In this battery module BM, the electrode installation surface BM1 becomes the upper wall surface and the intersecting wall surface BM2 becomes the side wall surface when mounted in a vehicle.

[0025] In this conductive module 1, the circuit holding member 40 is rotated around the axis of the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 with respect to the bus bar holding member 30, and assembled to the bus bar holding member 30 in a state of covering the bus bar 10 at the connection completion position (FIG. 3), or rotated around the axis of the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 with respect to the bus bar holding member 30, and can be arranged at the second installation position (FIG. 4) facing the intersecting wall surface BM2. In this conductive module 1, the bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor are electrically connected to each bus bar 10 by the previous electrical connection parts.

[0026] In this conductive module 1, the bus bar 10 held by the bus bar holding member 30 is placed on the electrode terminal BCb for each bus bar 10, and each bus bar 10 is connected to the electrode terminal BCb by laser welding or the like (FIG. 2).

[0027] In this conductive module 1, the circuit holding member 40 holding the circuit conductor component 20 is rotated around the axis of the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 to the first installation position, and this circuit holding member 40 is assembled to the bus bar holding member 30 (FIG. 3). For example, in this case component, a locking mechanism (not shown) using a claw portion or the like is provided between the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40, and the circuit holding member 40 is held by the bus bar holding member 30 at the first installation position by this locking mechanism.

[0028] The circuit holding member 40 at the first installation position also serves as an insulating protection cover member that covers the bus bar 10 in the space above the bus bar holding member 30. Therefore, in the case of this conductive module 1, it is not necessary to separately prepare such a cover member, and the number of parts can be reduced.

[0029] On the other hand, in this conductive module 1, when the space above the bus bar holding member 30 cannot be used for installing the circuit holding member 40, the circuit holding member 40 that holds the circuit conductor component 20 is rotated around the axis of the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 to the second installation position, and this circuit holding member 40 is assembled facing the intersecting wall surface BM2 of the battery module BM (FIG. 4). For example, here, a locking mechanism (not shown) using a claw portion or the like is provided between the circuit holding member 40 and the intersecting wall surface BM2, and the circuit holding member 40 is held on the intersecting wall surface BM2 at the second installation position by this locking mechanism.

[0030] In this case, an insulating protection cover member 60 that covers the bus bar 10 in the space above the bus bar holding member 30 is separately prepared, and this cover member 60 is assembled to the bus bar holding member 30 (FIG. 4).

[0031] As described above, in the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, when the circuit holding member 40 cannot be installed next to the bus bar holding member 30 on the electrode installation surface BM1 due to the requirement of reducing the height of the battery pack, by laminating the circuit holding member 40 at the first installation position above the bus bar holding member 30, it is possible to satisfy the mounting requirements on the battery module BM while reducing the height of the battery pack. And as previously shown, in this conductive module 1, since the circuit holding member 40 can be used as an insulating protection cover member that covers the bus bar 10 in the space above the bus bar holding member 30, the number of parts can be reduced.

[0032] Further, in the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, even when the space above the bus bar holding member 30 cannot be used for installing the circuit holding member 40, it can be installed on the side wall surface (intersecting wall surface BM2) of the battery module BM only by rotating the circuit holding member 40 around the axis of the rotation axis of the hinge portion 50 to the second installation position.

[0033] [Modification Example] The conductive module 2 of this modified example is prepared by using the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 as individual components without providing the hinge portion 50 in the conductive module 1 of the above-described embodiment (FIGS. 6 to 9). Therefore, in the conductive module 2 of this modified example, the same reference numerals as those in the embodiment are given to the same parts and the like as those in the conductive module 1 of the embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0034] The bus bar holding member 30 of this modified example has a first engaging portion (not shown). And the battery module BM of this modified example has a first engaging portion having the same shape as the first engaging portion of the bus bar holding member 30 on the intersecting wall surface BM2 (not shown).

[0035] When the circuit holding member 40 of this modified example is assembled to the bus bar holding member 30 in a state of covering and hiding the bus bar 10 at the connection completion position, by engaging with the first engaging portion of this bus bar holding member 30, it is possible to maintain the assembled state with the bus bar holding member 30, and when assembling to the battery module BM in a state facing the intersecting wall surface BM2, by engaging with the first engaging portion of the intersecting wall surface BM2, it has a second engaging portion capable of maintaining the assembled state with the battery module BM (not shown). The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are, for example, a locking mechanism in which one of them has a claw portion and the other of them engages with the claw portion to engage with each other.

[0036] In the conductive module 2 of this modified example, the bus bar 10 held by the bus bar holding member 30 is placed on the electrode terminal BCb for each bus bar 10, and each bus bar 10 is connected to the electrode terminal BCb by laser welding or the like (FIG. 7).

[0037] In this conductive module 2, the circuit holding member 40 holding the circuit conductor component 20 is assembled on the bus bar holding member 30, and the assembled state is maintained by the previous locking mechanism (the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion) (FIG. 8).

[0038] In this conductive module 2, for example, if an electrical connection component (here, a terminal fitting) of the embodiment is used, the circuit conductor component 20 is held by the circuit holding member 40, and in the step of assembling the circuit holding member 40 on the bus bar holding member 30, the bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor are electrically connected by the electrical connection component. For example, here, the electrical connection component assembled to the circuit conductor is assembled to the bus bar 10 simultaneously with the assembly of the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40. In this case, the bus bar 10 is provided with a terminal portion capable of fitting connection with the electrical connection component.

[0039] Also, if such an electrical connection component is not used, the circuit conductor is provided with a conductor connection portion that is arranged to face the bus bar 10 in a state where the bus bar holding member 30 and the circuit holding member 40 are assembled, and is physically and electrically connected to the facing bus bar 10 (not shown). In this case, for example, the circuit holding member 40 has a shape that exposes both planes of the circuit conductor component 20. And in this conductive module 2, the conductor connection portion of the circuit conductor is connected to the bus bar 10 by laser welding or the like.

[0040] The circuit holding member 40 also serves as an insulating protection cover member that covers the bus bar 10 in the space above the bus bar holding member 30. Therefore, in this case, the conductive module 2 does not need to separately prepare such a cover member, and the number of parts can be reduced. However, when connecting the conductor connection portion between the bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor by laser welding or the like, since one plane of the circuit conductor component 20 is exposed, it is necessary to separately prepare an insulating protection cover member that covers this.

[0041] On the other hand, in this conductive module 2, when the space above the bus bar holding member 30 cannot be used for installing the circuit holding member 40, the circuit holding member 40 that holds the circuit conductor component 20 is assembled facing the intersecting wall surface BM2 of the battery module BM, and the assembled state is maintained by the previous locking mechanism (the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion) (Fig. 9).

[0042] In this case, similar to the installation form of the circuit holding member 40 in the embodiment, an insulating protective cover member 60 for covering the bus bar 10 in the space above the bus bar holding member 30 is separately prepared, and this cover member 60 is assembled to the bus bar holding member 30 (FIG. 9).

[0043] As described above, when the circuit holding member 40 cannot be installed next to the bus bar holding member 30 on the electrode installation surface BM1 due to the requirement of reducing the height of the battery pack, in the conductive module 2 of this modification example, by laminating the circuit holding member 40 on the bus bar holding member 30, it is possible to satisfy the mounting requirements on the battery module BM while reducing the height of the battery pack. And as shown above, in this conductive module 2, when the bus bar 10 and the circuit conductor are electrically connected by electrical connection components, the circuit holding member 40 can be used as an insulating protective cover member for covering the bus bar 10 in the space above the bus bar holding member 30, so that the number of parts can be reduced.

[0044] Further, even when the space above the bus bar holding member 30 cannot be used for installing the circuit holding member 40, in the conductive module 2 of this modification example, since the first engaging portions that can be engaged with the second engaging portion of the circuit holding member 40 are provided on both the bus bar holding member 30 and the side wall surface (intersecting wall surface BM2) of the battery module BM, the circuit holding member 40 can be installed on the side wall surface (intersecting wall surface BM2) of the battery module BM without increasing the number of parts.

Explanation of Signs

[0045] 1, 2 Conductive module 10 Bus bar 20 Circuit conductor component 30 Bus bar holding member 40 Circuit holding member 50 Hinge portion BC Battery cell BCb Electrode terminal BM Battery module BM1 Electrode installation surface BM2 Intersecting wall surface

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 for each bus bar that electrically connects the bus bar to a battery monitoring unit, and a circuit conductor component formed flat, A bus bar holding member that holds a plurality of the bus bars, A circuit holding member that holds the circuit conductor component and can be assembled to the bus bar holding member in a state where the bus bar at the connection completion position physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal is covered, A conductive module, characterized by comprising the above.

2. A hinge part having a rotation axis along the arrangement direction of the plurality of battery cells is provided between the bus bar holding member and the circuit holding member to connect them to each other, The hinge part is arranged at a boundary part between an electrode installation surface provided with the electrode terminal in the battery module and an intersecting wall surface that intersects and continues with the electrode installation surface in a state where the bus bar held by the bus bar holding member is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal, The circuit holding member is rotated around the axis of the rotation axis of the hinge part with respect to the bus bar holding member and assembled to the bus bar holding member in a state where the bus bar at the connection completion position is covered, or rotated around the axis of the rotation axis of the hinge part with respect to the bus bar holding member and arranged at a second installation position facing the intersecting wall surface. The conductive module according to Claim 1, characterized in that.

3. The bus bar holding member has a first engaging part, The battery module has a first engaging part having the same shape as the first engaging part of the bus bar holding member on an intersecting wall surface that intersects and continues with an electrode installation surface provided with the electrode terminal, When the circuit holding member is assembled to the bus bar holding member in a state where the bus bar at the connection completion position is covered, the circuit holding member can be engaged with the first engaging part of the bus bar holding member to maintain the assembled state with the bus bar holding member, and when assembled to the battery module in a state facing the intersecting wall surface, the circuit holding member can be engaged with the first engaging part of the intersecting wall surface to maintain the assembled state with the battery module. The conductive module according to Claim 1, characterized by having a second engaging part.

4. The conductive module according to claim 1, wherein the circuit conductor is provided with a conductor connection portion that is disposed to face the bus bar in a state where the bus bar holding member and the circuit holding member are assembled, and is physically and electrically connected to the facing bus bar.

5. The conductive module according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising electrical connection components for each of the bus bars that physically and electrically connect the paired bus bars and the circuit conductors, and electrically connect the bus bars and the circuit conductors.

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