Battery pack

Abstract

To provide a battery pack capable of suppressing deformation and enlargement of a bracket.SOLUTION: A battery pack includes a storage case, battery modules each consisting of a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, an intermediate plate arranged between the plurality of battery modules, a bracket for fixing the battery modules to the storage case, and a magnetic member arranged above the bracket, and the bracket is arranged to overlap the intermediate plate in the second direction, and the magnetic member is made of a material having higher rigidity than the bracket.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a battery pack. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a bracket that fixes a battery module to a lower case. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-046644 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the bracket bears most of the load input from outside the battery pack, which may cause the bracket to deform. Also, in the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the bracket needs to be made larger to increase its rigidity, which increases the size of the battery pack.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a battery pack that can suppress deformation and enlargement of the bracket. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The battery pack according to the present disclosure comprises a storage case, battery modules each consisting of a plurality of battery cells stacked in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, an intermediate plate arranged between the plurality of battery modules, a bracket for fixing the battery modules to the storage case, and a magnetic member arranged above the bracket, wherein the bracket is arranged to overlap the intermediate plate in the second direction, and the magnetic member is made of a material having higher rigidity than the bracket. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, by placing a magnetic member having higher rigidity than the bracket on the upper side of the bracket arranged so as to overlap the intermediate plate in the second direction, deformation and enlargement of the bracket can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the configuration of a battery pack according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a magnetic member in the battery pack according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a magnetic member in a battery pack according to an embodiment, and is a diagram showing a state in which FIG. 2 is cut at the position of line XX. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the connection relationship between the battery cells, bus bars, and PCU in the battery pack according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A battery pack according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily replaceable by those skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same.

[0010] The battery pack according to the embodiment is used as a battery for a vehicle such as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a battery electric vehicle (BEV).

[0011] Fig. 1 shows a battery pack according to an embodiment with an upper cover (lid member) removed. Fig. 2 shows the configuration of a magnetic member in the battery pack according to an embodiment. Fig. 3 shows Fig. 2 cut along line XX.

[0012] 1 to 3, the battery pack 1 includes a battery module 11, an intermediate plate 12, devices 13, a bracket 14, a magnetic member 15, bus bars 16 and 17, and a housing case 18. Note that only the components necessary to explain the battery pack according to the embodiment are shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and other components are not shown.

[0013] The battery module 11 is, for example, a liquid battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery. The battery module 11 is configured, for example, by stacking a plurality of battery cells in a first direction (the length direction of the battery pack 1). Furthermore, a plurality of battery modules 11 (two in this case) are arranged in a second direction (the width direction of the battery pack 1) perpendicular to the first direction. Note that the battery module 11 may also be configured by stacking a plurality of battery cells in the second direction. In this case, a plurality of battery modules 11 may also be arranged in the first direction.

[0014] The intermediate plate 12 is, for example, a plate-shaped member, but may also be a member made by bending a steel plate. The intermediate plate 12 is disposed between a plurality of battery modules 11. If the battery module 11 is configured with battery cells stacked in the second direction, the intermediate plate 12 may be a part of the battery module 11. The intermediate plate 12 is for transmitting a load (stress) input from the outside to the position indicated by part A in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a bracket 14, a magnetic member 15, and bus bars 16 and 17 are disposed in this part A. The load input direction shown in FIG. 1 is an example. The load input method is not limited to the direction shown in FIG. 1.

[0015] The devices 13 are components mounted inside the battery pack 1, and include, for example, various circuit boards, wiring, etc. In the battery pack 1, an external load is transmitted to the bracket 14 and the magnetic member 15 through the intermediate plate 12, thereby preventing damage to the devices 13.

[0016] The bracket 14 is used to fix the battery module 11 to the housing case 18. As shown in Fig. 1 , the bracket 14 is disposed so as to overlap the intermediate plate 12 in the second direction. In other words, the bracket 14 is disposed at a position where a load is transmitted from the intermediate plate 12.

[0017] The magnetic member 15 is used to remove noise in the battery pack 1. The magnetic member 15 converts noise into heat by, for example, absorbing magnetic flux due to a noise current. As shown in FIG. 2, the magnetic member 15 is formed in a hollow rectangular shape and is arranged to surround the bus bars 16 and 17. The magnetic member 15 is made of a material with higher rigidity than the bracket 14, specifically a ferrite core.

[0018] 3, the magnetic member 15 is disposed above the bracket 14. There are no particular limitations on the method for fixing the magnetic member 15 to the bracket 14, and methods such as welding, adhesive bonding, and crimping can be used. It is also preferable to provide a certain space (gap) between the magnetic member 15 and the inside of the housing case 18.

[0019] Busbar 16 is a positive busbar (P busbar). Busbar 17 is a negative busbar (N busbar). As shown in FIG. 4, busbars 16 and 17 connect the battery cells (104 connected in series) that make up battery module 11 to a PCU (Power Control Unit).

[0020] The housing case 18 (lower case) is for housing the components that make up the battery pack 1 (battery modules 11, intermediate plate 12, devices 13, brackets 14, magnetic members 15, and bus bars 16, 17).

[0021] In the conventional configuration, the bracket bears most of the load applied from outside the battery pack, which can lead to deformation of the bracket. Examples of this "deformation" include downward bending (buckling). Furthermore, if the bracket is deformed, the housing case may be crushed, potentially transferring load to the devices and bus bars.

[0022] Therefore, in this embodiment, the magnetic member 15, which is installed as a noise countermeasure, is located in the center of the width of the battery pack 1 (see part A in FIG. 1), where the external load input is greatest. In addition, by configuring the magnetic member 15 from a material (ferrite core) that is more rigid than the bracket 14, deformation of the bracket 14 and crushing of the casing 18 when the load is input are prevented.

[0023] In this embodiment, magnetic member 15 made of a highly rigid material is used to protect devices 13 and bus bars 16 and 17 from external loads, but magnetic member 15 is a component that was originally included as part of the configuration of battery pack 1. Therefore, while magnetic member 15 can perform its original function (noise removal), it can also achieve an additional function of protecting devices 13 and bus bars 16 and 17.

[0024] According to the battery pack of the embodiment described above, by disposing magnetic member 15, which has higher rigidity than bracket 14, above bracket 14, which is disposed so as to overlap intermediate plate 12 in the second direction, it is possible to suppress deformation and enlargement of bracket 14. In other words, the noise removal function of magnetic member 15 and the function of increasing the rigidity of bracket 14 can be integrated.

[0025] Further advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 1 battery pack 11 Battery module 12 Intermediate plate 13 Equipment 14 Bracket 15 Magnetic components 16 Busbar (P busbar) 17 Busbar (N busbar)

Claims

[Claim 1] A storage case and a battery module formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; an intermediate plate disposed between the plurality of battery modules; a bracket for fixing the battery module to the housing case; a magnetic member disposed above the bracket; Equipped with the bracket is disposed to overlap the intermediate plate in the second direction, The magnetic member is made of a material having higher rigidity than the bracket. Battery pack.

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