Power supply device

Abstract

To provide a power supply device that can reduce the impact on a storage battery of impact loads caused by flying objects and the like during stormy weather such as typhoons.SOLUTION: A power supply device 10 includes an inner case 12 with an upper case 14 and a lower case 16, and a plurality of storage battery modules 18 stored in the inner case 12. The lower case 16 includes a side wall portion 16B that forms the outer periphery, a flange portion 16C that is provided above the side wall portion 16B and to which the upper case 14 can be attached when the upper case 14 is placed above the bottom surface of the storage battery module 18, and a thick portion 16D that protrudes toward the outside of the lower case 16 at the boundary between the side wall portion 16B and the flange portion 16C.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses an invention related to a battery pack. In this battery pack, a plurality of battery modules are stacked vertically inside a tray, and a plurality of protrusions are provided on the lower wall of the case that forms the outer shell of the upper battery module. These protrusions are engaged with the upper wall of the case that forms the outer shell of the lower battery module. Therefore, in the invention described in Patent Document 1 below, when the battery modules move due to their inertia in the event of a vehicle collision, the protrusions collide with the case, allowing each protrusion to absorb the impact load. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-010835 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above prior art, it is assumed that the battery pack will be mounted on a vehicle. However, if the battery pack is installed outdoors as a power source for a building, it is conceivable that the battery module may be affected by impact loads from flying objects during severe weather such as typhoons.

[0005] Specifically, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the thickness of the case is uniform, when an impact load from a flying object or the like is input to the case, stress is concentrated at the boundary between the bottom wall and the side wall of the case, causing cracks, etc., which may allow rainwater or the like to seep into the inside of the case.

[0006] However, the above prior art documents do not mention measures against impact loads caused by flying objects during stormy weather such as typhoons.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a power supply device that can reduce the influence of impact loads on a storage battery caused by flying objects and the like during severe weather such as typhoons. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The power supply device of the first aspect has a housing section with an upper case and a lower case, and a plurality of storage batteries stored in the housing section, and the lower case has a side wall section that forms the outer periphery, an attachment section that is provided above the side wall section and allows the upper case to be attached when the upper case is placed above the bottom surface of the storage batteries, and a thick section that protrudes toward the outside of the lower case at the boundary between the side wall section and the attachment section.

[0009] In the power supply device according to the first aspect, a plurality of storage batteries are housed inside a housing unit that includes an upper case and a lower case.

[0010] Incidentally, when the housing is installed outdoors, it is conceivable that impact loads from flying objects and the like will be input to the lower case during severe weather such as a typhoon. In this case, if the lower case has a uniform thickness, stress will concentrate at the boundary between the bottom wall and the side wall of the lower case, causing cracks, which may allow rainwater and the like to seep into the inside of the lower case.

[0011] In this embodiment, the lower case has a side wall portion that forms the outer periphery and a mounting portion provided on the upper side of the side wall portion, and the upper case is mounted on the mounting portion in a state where it is placed above the bottom surface of the storage battery.

[0012] On the other hand, a thick portion that protrudes toward the outside of the lower case is provided at the boundary between the side wall portion and the mounting portion.

[0013] Therefore, in this aspect, when an impact load is applied to the lower case due to flying objects or the like during severe weather such as a typhoon, stress tends to concentrate at the boundary between the side wall portion and the thick portion. As a result, the likelihood that the side wall portion of the lower case will deform above the bottom surface of the storage battery due to the impact load is improved, and it is possible to prevent rainwater or the like from entering the inside of the lower case through cracks in the lower case caused by the impact load.

[0014] A power supply device according to a second aspect is the power supply device according to the first aspect, wherein the side wall portion is inclined outward from the lower case as it approaches the upper case.

[0015] In the power supply device according to the second aspect, the side walls of the lower case are inclined outward from the lower case as they approach the upper case, thereby ensuring a distance between the thick portion of the lower case and the storage battery and preventing the lower case from coming into contact with the storage battery when the vicinity of the thick portion of the lower case is deformed by an impact load from a flying object or the like. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As described above, the power supply device according to the present invention has the excellent effect of reducing the influence on the storage battery of impact loads caused by flying objects and the like during severe weather such as typhoons. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the configuration of a power supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An example of an embodiment of a power supply device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, a "power supply device 10" according to this embodiment is placed at a predetermined location within the premises of building B, and includes a box-shaped outer case 11 that forms its outer shell, and an "inner case 12" that serves as a housing portion placed inside outer case 11.

[0019] 1 indicates one side in the longitudinal direction of the inner case 12, arrow Y indicates one side in the lateral direction of the inner case 12, and arrow Z indicates one side in the height direction of the inner case 12. Furthermore, hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the longitudinal direction of the inner case 12 will be simply referred to as the longitudinal direction, the lateral direction of the inner case 12 will be simply referred to as the lateral direction, and the height direction of the inner case 12 will be simply referred to as the height direction. Note that one of the longitudinal direction, lateral direction, and height direction is perpendicular to the remaining two directions.

[0020] More specifically, the inner case 12 comprises an "upper case 14" that constitutes the upper part in the height direction, and a "lower case 16" that constitutes the lower part in the height direction.

[0021] The upper case 14 is configured to include an upper wall portion 14A that forms the upper portion in the height direction, a side wall portion 14B that forms the outer periphery of the upper case 14, and a flange portion 14C that extends from the peripheral edge of the side wall portion 14B on the lower side in the height direction to the outside of the inner case 12. The side wall portion 14B is inclined outward from the inner case 12 so that its longitudinal width and lateral width increase toward the lower case 16, i.e., downward in the height direction.

[0022] On the other hand, the lower case 16 is configured to include a bottom wall portion 16A that forms the lower portion in the height direction, a "side wall portion 16B" that forms the outer periphery of the bottom wall portion 16A, and a "flange portion 16C" that serves as an attachment portion that extends from the upper peripheral edge of the side wall portion 16B in the height direction to the outside of the inner case 12. The side wall portion 16B is inclined outward from the inner case 12 so that its longitudinal width and lateral width increase toward the upper case 14, i.e., toward the upper side in the height direction.

[0023] In addition, at the boundary between the side wall portion 16B and the flange portion 16C, a "thick portion 16D" protruding toward the outside of the lower case 16 is provided along the upper peripheral edge of the side wall portion 16B in the height direction, and the portion of the lower case 16 where the thick portion 16D is provided is the thickest.

[0024] Furthermore, thick portion 16D is formed with a plurality of female threads (not shown) that engage with bolts (not shown) used to fasten upper case 14 and lower case 16. Then, with flange portion 14C of upper case 14 placed on flange portion 16C of lower case 16, bolts are engaged with the female threads of thick portion 16D from above in the height direction, thereby attaching upper case 14 to lower case 16.

[0025] The thick portion 16D does not have to be provided in a portion of the lower case 16 where no female thread portion is formed, and does not have to be provided in a portion of the lower case 16 on the building B side. Inside the inner case 12 configured as described above, a plurality of "storage battery modules 18" as storage batteries and a control device 20 are stored.

[0026] The storage battery module 18 is made up of multiple lithium ion battery cells (not shown), and is arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction inside the lower case 16. These storage battery modules 18 are electrically connected to connection parts (not shown) provided on the outer case 11, and can supply power to various loads in the building B via these connection parts.

[0027] The upper surface of the flange portion 16C is located higher than the lower surface of the battery module 18 in the height direction.

[0028] On the other hand, the control device 20 is located inside the upper case 14 and is supported by the lower case 16 via a support frame (not shown). The control device 20 can control the storage battery module 18 to supply the power stored in the storage battery module 18 to a load in the building B, and can also control the storage battery module 18 to charge with power supplied from an external power source (not shown) connected to the power supply device 10.

[0029] The power supply device 10 configured as described above is supported on the ground G via a foundation 22.

[0030] (Actions and Effects of This Embodiment) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0031] In this embodiment, a plurality of storage battery modules 18 are housed inside an inner case 12 that includes an upper case 14 and a lower case 16 .

[0032] Incidentally, when the inner case 12 is installed outdoors, it is conceivable that an impact load from flying objects F during stormy weather such as a typhoon will be input to the lower case 16. If the thickness of the lower case 16 is uniform at this time, stress will concentrate at the boundary between the bottom wall portion 16A and the side wall portion 16B of the lower case 16, causing cracks, which may allow rainwater and the like to seep into the inside of the lower case 16.

[0033] Here, in this embodiment, the lower case 16 has a flange portion 16C provided on the upper side of the side wall portion 16B, and the upper case 14 is attached to the flange portion 16C in a state where it is placed above the bottom surface of the storage battery module 18.

[0034] On the other hand, a thick portion 16D that protrudes toward the outside of the lower case 16 is provided at the boundary between the side wall portion 16B and the flange portion 16C.

[0035] For this reason, in this embodiment, when an impact load from a flying object F during severe weather such as a typhoon is applied to the lower case 16, stress tends to concentrate at the boundary between the side wall portion 16B and the thick portion 16D. As a result, the likelihood that the side wall portion 16B of the lower case 16 will be deformed above the bottom surface of the storage battery module 18 due to the impact load is improved, and it is possible to prevent rainwater and the like from entering the inside of the lower case 16 through cracks in the lower case 16 caused by the impact load.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the side wall portion 16B of the lower case 16 is inclined outward from the lower case 16 as it approaches the upper case 14. This ensures a distance between the thick portion 16D provided in the lower case 16 and the storage battery module 18, and prevents the lower case 16 and the storage battery module 18 from coming into contact with each other when the vicinity of the thick portion 16D in the lower case 16 is deformed by an impact load from a flying object F.

[0037] As described above, the power supply device 10 according to this embodiment can reduce the impact on the storage battery module 18 of impact loads caused by flying objects and the like during stormy weather such as a typhoon. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 10 Power supply 12 Inner case (housing part) 14 Upper case 16 Lower case 16B Side wall part 16C Flange part (mounting part) 16D Thick part 18 Battery module (battery)

Claims

1. a housing unit including an upper case and a lower case; A plurality of storage batteries housed in the housing; and the lower case includes a side wall portion that forms an outer periphery, and an attachment portion that is provided above the side wall portion and that allows the upper case to be attached in a state where the upper case is placed above a bottom surface of the storage battery; a thick portion protruding toward the outside of the lower case at a boundary between the side wall portion and the mounting portion, power supply.

2. The side wall portion is inclined outward from the lower case toward the upper case. The power supply device of claim 1 .

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