Connector and secondary battery

Abstract

To prevent a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab from coming into contact with a tab different from a regular connection object.SOLUTION: A connector 32 is attached to a secondary battery A in which a plurality of flat battery cells 10 having a positive electrode tab 13 and a negative electrode tab 14 protruding from an outer peripheral edge are stacked, and connects in series the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14 which are adjacent to each other in a stacking direction of the battery cells 10. The connector 32 includes: a plurality of housings 33 that accommodate the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14 which are targets to be connected; and a conductive member 44 that comes into contact with the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14 in a state of being accommodated in the housing 33. The housing 33 has an insulating partition wall 38 that partitions the housing itself from another housing 33 adjacent in the stacking direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector and a secondary battery. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a direct-connection assembled battery constructed by stacking a plurality of battery elements with protruding positive and negative electrode tabs and connecting the positive and negative electrode tabs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-256605 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the stacked state, the positive electrode tabs and negative electrode tabs are lined up in the stacking direction in a state where they are exposed and close to each other, so there is a risk that tabs other than those that are intended to be properly connected may be short-circuited.

[0005] The present disclosure has been completed in light of the above circumstances, and aims to prevent a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab from coming into contact with a tab that is not a proper connection target. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The connector of the first disclosure comprises: A connector attached to a secondary battery in which a plurality of flat battery cells are stacked, each having a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab protruding from an outer periphery thereof, for connecting the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab adjacent to each other in a stacking direction of the battery cells in series, a plurality of housings that accommodate the positive electrode tabs and the negative electrode tabs to be connected; a conductive member that contacts the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab when housed in the housing, The housing has an insulating partition wall that separates it from other housings adjacent to it in the stacking direction.

[0007] The secondary battery of the second disclosure comprises: a plurality of flat battery cells stacked one on top of the other with positive and negative electrode tabs protruding from the outer periphery; a connector for connecting the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab adjacent to each other in a stacking direction of the battery cells in series; The connector comprises: a plurality of housings that accommodate the positive electrode tabs and the negative electrode tabs to be connected; a conductive member that contacts the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab when housed in the housing, The housing has an insulating partition wall that separates it from other housings adjacent to it in the stacking direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the first and second disclosures, the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab can be prevented from coming into contact with tabs other than those that are intended for proper connection. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a stacked state of secondary batteries according to a first embodiment, viewed obliquely from the front right. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a stacking process of the secondary battery as viewed obliquely from the front right. [Figure 3] 10 is a perspective view of the first support member, the battery cell, and the connector in an exploded state, as viewed obliquely from the front right. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a perspective view of the second support member, the battery cell, and the connector in an exploded state, as viewed obliquely from the front right. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the positive electrode cap in an upside-down state. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the negative electrode cap in an upside-down state. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional side view showing the stacked state of the secondary battery. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the stacked state of secondary batteries according to a second embodiment, viewed obliquely from the front right. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a stacking process of the secondary battery as viewed obliquely from the front right. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a battery cell in which a positive electrode tab is located on the right side and a negative electrode tab is located on the left side, a support member, and a connector in an exploded state, as viewed obliquely from the front right. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a battery cell in which a positive electrode tab is located on the left side and a negative electrode tab is located on the right side, a support member, and a connector in an exploded state, as viewed obliquely from the front right. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional side view showing the stacked state of the secondary battery. [Figure 13] 10 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional side view showing the stacked state of a secondary battery according to a third embodiment. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an enlarged front cross-sectional view of the connector in a state in which the positive electrode tab, the negative electrode tab, and the conductive member are housed. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the housing as viewed obliquely from the rear right. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Here, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. Any combination of the following embodiments without causing any contradiction is also included in the embodiments for carrying out the invention.

[0011] The connector of the first disclosure comprises: (1) A connector attached to a secondary battery formed by stacking multiple flat battery cells with positive and negative tabs protruding from their outer peripheries, for connecting the positive and negative tabs adjacent in the stacking direction of the battery cells in series, the connector comprising: multiple housings that accommodate the positive and negative tabs to be connected; and conductive members that contact the positive and negative tabs when housed in the housings, the housings having insulating partition walls that separate them from other housings adjacent in the stacking direction. According to this configuration, the positive and negative tabs are connected in series within one housing via the conductive members. The insulating partition wall is interposed between two adjacent housings in the stacking direction, preventing the positive and negative tabs from coming into contact with tabs other than the ones they are intended to be connected to.

[0012] (2) In (1), it is preferable that the housing can surround at least one of the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab when the battery cells are not stacked. According to this configuration, by surrounding at least one of the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab with the housing, it is possible to prevent tabs that are not intended to be properly connected from shorting each other before the battery cells are stacked or during the process of stacking the battery cells.

[0013] (3) In (2), the housing is preferably configured by stacking a positive electrode cap that accommodates only the positive electrode tab and a negative electrode cap that is a separate component from the positive electrode cap and accommodates only the negative electrode tab. According to this configuration, by attaching the positive electrode cap to the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode cap to the negative electrode tab in advance before stacking the battery cells, the workability of the stacking process is improved.

[0014] (4) In (3), it is preferable that, when the positive electrode cap and the negative electrode cap are stacked, the conductive member is sandwiched between the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab, and the positive electrode tab, the negative electrode tab, and the conductive member are fixed by fastening a fastening member including a bolt and a female thread portion. This configuration improves the contact reliability between the positive electrode tab, the conductive member, and the negative electrode tab.

[0015] (5) In (1) or (2), it is preferable that the housing is a single component that houses the positive electrode tab, the negative electrode tab, and the conductive member, that an accommodation space is formed within the housing to accommodate the positive electrode tab, the negative electrode tab, and the conductive member so that they are aligned in the stacking direction, that the partition wall is disposed at only one of both end portions of the housing in the stacking direction, and that an opening communicating with the accommodation space is formed at the other end portion of the housing in the stacking direction. With this configuration, the number of parts of the housing can be reduced.

[0016] The secondary battery of the second disclosure comprises: (6) A battery battery includes a plurality of flat battery cells stacked with positive and negative tabs protruding from the outer periphery, and a connector for connecting the positive and negative tabs adjacent in the stacking direction of the battery cells in series, the connector having a plurality of housings that accommodate the positive and negative tabs to be connected, and a conductive member that contacts the positive and negative tabs when accommodated in the housings, and the housings have an insulating partition wall that separates them from other housings adjacent in the stacking direction. According to this configuration, the positive and negative tabs are connected in series within one housing via the conductive member. The insulating partition wall is interposed between two adjacent housings in the stacking direction, preventing the positive and negative tabs from coming into contact with tabs other than the ones they are intended to be connected to.

[0017] (7) In (6), it is preferable that the battery cell is mounted one by one on a plurality of plate-shaped support members stacked alternately with the plurality of battery cells, and that the support members and the housing are formed with separation prevention portions that fit together to prevent the housing from separating from the support members. With this configuration, the housing can be prevented from separating from the positive electrode tab or the negative electrode tab.

[0018] In (8) and (7), the support member preferably has a function of cooling the battery cells. This configuration allows the number of parts to be reduced compared to when a device for cooling the battery cells is provided separately from the support member.

[0019] In (9), (7), or (8), it is preferable that the support members include a first support member and a second support member, the first support member having a first female threaded hole and a first fastening hole formed therein, the second support member having a second fastening hole adjacent to the first female threaded hole in the stacking direction and a second female threaded hole adjacent to the first fastening hole in the stacking direction formed therein, a first bolt inserted into the second fastening hole being screwed into the first female threaded hole, and a second bolt inserted into the first fastening hole being screwed into the second female threaded hole. With this configuration, it is possible to reliably fix the support members adjacent to each other in the stacking direction in a stacked state.

[0020] (10) In (7) or (8), it is preferable that the plurality of support members have through holes formed therein, and the plurality of support members are fixed in a stacked state by long bolts inserted into the through holes and nuts screwed onto the long bolts. With this configuration, the number of parts for fixing the support members can be reduced.

[0021] <Embodiment 1> A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. The present invention is not limited to these examples, but is defined by the claims, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. In this first embodiment, with regard to the front-to-rear direction, the F direction in FIGS. 1 to 4 is defined as the front. With regard to the up-down direction, the H direction in FIGS. 1 to 4 is defined as the up. With regard to the left-to-right direction, the R direction in FIGS. 1 to 4 is defined as the right. The stacking direction of the battery cells 10 and the up-to-down direction are used synonymously.

[0022] The secondary battery A of the first embodiment is configured to include a plurality of battery cells 10, a plurality of support members 21 and 22 made of an insulating material, and a plurality of connectors 32. The battery cell 10 has a flat shape in which a laminated electrode body 12 is housed in an outer casing 11. The laminated electrode body 12 is a well-known member in which a positive electrode plate (not shown), a negative electrode plate (not shown), and a separator (not shown) are stacked. The plurality of battery cells 10 are stacked vertically while being placed on a first support member 21 or a second support member 22, which will be described later.

[0023] A positive electrode tab 13 connected to a plurality of positive electrode plates and a negative electrode tab 14 connected to a plurality of negative electrode plates protrude from the front edge of the outer periphery of the exterior body 11. The positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14 are arranged with a gap in the left-right direction. A connection hole 13H is formed in the positive electrode tab 13, penetrating the positive electrode tab 13 in the vertical direction. A connection hole 14H is also formed in the negative electrode tab 14, penetrating the negative electrode tab 14 in the vertical direction.

[0024] The multiple battery cells 10 are arranged so that battery cells 10 oriented such that the positive electrode tab 13 is located on the right side and the negative electrode tab 14 is located on the left side, and battery cells 10 oriented such that the negative electrode tab 14 is located on the right side and the positive electrode tab 13 is located on the left side are alternately stacked. On the right and left end sides of the secondary battery A, the positive electrode tabs 13 and the negative electrode tabs 14 are arranged alternately in the stacking direction. The positive electrode tab 13 of one battery cell 10 is connected to the negative electrode tab 14 of the battery cell 10 arranged above it. The negative electrode tab 14 of one battery cell 10 is connected to the positive electrode tab 13 of the battery cell 10 arranged below it.

[0025] The multiple support members 21, 22 include multiple plate-shaped first support members 21 and multiple plate-shaped second support members 22. The first support members 21 and the second support members 22 each have a plate-shaped mounting portion 23 and a peripheral wall portion 24 that rises upward from the outer periphery or near the outer periphery of the plate-shaped mounting portion 23. The plate-shaped mounting portion 23 functions as a cooling member having a refrigerant flow path (not shown) provided therein.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 3, one first female screw hole 25 and a pair of first fastening holes 26 are formed in each of the front wall portion 24F and the rear wall portion 24R of the peripheral wall portion 24 of the first support member 21. The first female screw hole 25 is located in the center of the front wall portion 24F and the rear wall portion 24R in the left-right direction. The pair of first fastening holes 26 are located near both left and right ends of the front wall portion 24F and the rear wall portion 24R. One first female screw hole 25 is formed in each of the left and right side wall portions 24S of the peripheral wall portion 24 of the first support member 21.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 4, one second fastening hole 27 and a pair of second female screw holes 28 are formed in each of the front wall portion 24F and the rear wall portion 24R of the peripheral wall portion 24 of the second support member 22. The second fastening hole 27 is located in the center of the front wall portion 24F and the rear wall portion 24R in the left-right direction. The pair of second female screw holes 28 are located near both left and right ends of the front wall portion 24F and the rear wall portion 24R. One second fastening hole 27 is formed in each of the left and right side wall portions 24S of the peripheral wall portion 24 of the second support member 22.

[0028] Cutout portions 29 formed by partially cutting out the front wall portions 24F are formed at both left and right end portions of the front wall portions 24F of the first support member 21 and the second support member 22. The left and right edge portions of the front wall portions 24F of the cutout portions 29 are defined as cutout edge portions 30.

[0029] The connector 32 is a member that electrically connects the positive electrode tabs 13 and negative electrode tabs 14 that are adjacent in the stacking direction of the battery cells 10. One connector 32 includes one housing 33 made of an insulating material, one conductive member 44, a bolt 45, and a nut 46 (fastening member) having a female thread portion 47. One housing 33 is formed by stacking one positive electrode cap 34 and one negative electrode cap 40 one on top of the other.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 7 , the positive electrode cap 34 includes a positive electrode chamber 35 that accommodates the positive electrode tab 13, a nut chamber 36 formed below the positive electrode chamber 35, and a lower conductive chamber 37 formed above the positive electrode chamber 35. The positive electrode chamber 35 opens at the rear end face of the positive electrode cap 34 and communicates with the nut chamber 36 and the lower conductive chamber 37. The lower conductive chamber 37 opens at the top face of the positive electrode cap 34. The bottom wall of the positive electrode cap 34 functions as a partition wall 38 that electrically insulates the space inside the positive electrode cap 34 from the space outside and below the positive electrode cap 34. Protrusions 39 that protrude to both the left and right sides are formed at the rear end of the positive electrode cap 34.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 7, the negative electrode cap 40 includes a negative electrode chamber 41 that accommodates the negative electrode tab 14, an upper conductive chamber 42 formed below the negative electrode chamber 41, and a bolt chamber 43 formed above the negative electrode chamber. The negative electrode chamber 41 opens at the rear end surface of the negative electrode cap 40 and communicates with the bolt chamber 43 and the upper conductive chamber 42. The upper conductive chamber 42 opens at the bottom surface of the negative electrode cap 40. Similar to the positive electrode cap 34, the rear end of the negative electrode cap 40 is also formed with protrusions 39 that protrude to both the left and right.

[0032] The conductive member 44 is accommodated in the lower conductive accommodating chamber 37 of the positive electrode cap 34 and the upper conductive accommodating chamber 42 of the negative electrode cap 40. The conductive member 44 is formed with a connection hole 44H that penetrates the conductive member 44 in the vertical direction.

[0033] Next, the assembly process of the secondary battery A of embodiment 1 will be described. First, the nut 46 is accommodated in the nut chamber 36 from above the positive electrode cap 34, then the positive electrode tab 13 is inserted into the positive electrode chamber 35 from behind the positive electrode cap 34, and then the conductive portion is accommodated in the conductive chamber from above the positive electrode cap 34. Before, during, or at the same time as this, the negative electrode tab 14 is inserted into the negative electrode chamber 41 from behind the negative electrode cap 40.

[0034] Thereafter, the battery cell 10 to which the positive electrode cap 34 and the negative electrode cap 40 are attached is attached to the first support member 21 or the second support member 22. When attaching, the battery cell 10 is housed within the peripheral wall portion 24 and placed on the plate-shaped mounting portion 23. The positive electrode cap 34 and the negative electrode cap 40 are protruded forward (outside) from the cutout portion 29 of the peripheral wall portion 24, and the protrusion 39 is hooked onto the cutout edge portion 30 from behind (inside the peripheral wall portion 24). The engagement between the protrusion 39 and the cutout edge portion 30 holds the positive electrode cap 34 and the negative electrode cap 40 in an assembled state with the first support member 21 or the second support member 22.

[0035] Thereafter, first support members 21 to which battery cells 10, positive electrode caps 34, and negative electrode caps 40 are attached and second support members 22 to which battery cells 10, positive electrode caps 34, and negative electrode caps 40 are attached are alternately stacked. Before stacking and during the stacking process, the positive electrode tabs 13 are housed in the positive electrode caps 34, and the negative electrode tabs 14 are housed in the negative electrode caps 40. Therefore, there is no risk of the positive electrode tabs 13 shorting out with the negative electrode tabs 14 that are not properly connected, and there is also no risk of the negative electrode tabs 14 shorting out with the positive electrode tabs 13 that are not properly connected.

[0036] After the second support member 22 is stacked on top of the first support member 21, the first bolt 48 is inserted into the second fastening hole 27 from above the second support member 22 and screwed into the first female threaded hole 25 to tighten. This secures the lower first support member 21 and the upper second support member 22 together. Furthermore, after the first support member 21 is stacked on top of the second support member 22, the second bolt 49 is inserted into the first fastening hole 26 from above the first support member 21 and screwed into the second female threaded hole 28 to tighten. This secures the lower second support member 22 and the upper first support member 21 together.

[0037] When the first support member 21 and the second support member 22 are stacked, the negative electrode cap 40 overlaps the upper side of the positive electrode cap 34, and the upper end portion of the conductive member 44 protruding upward from the positive electrode cap 34 is accommodated in the upper conductive accommodation chamber 42. From this state, the bolt 45 is inserted into the connection hole 14H of the negative electrode tab 14 from above the negative electrode cap 40, passes through the connection hole 44H of the conductive member 44 and the connection hole 13H of the positive electrode tab 13 in that order, and is screwed into the female thread portion 47 of the nut 46 and tightened. Tightening the bolt 45 and the nut 46 fixes the positive electrode tab 13, the conductive member 44, and the negative electrode tab 14 with high contact pressure, and the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14 are electrically connected via the conductive member 44.

[0038] The secondary battery A of the first embodiment includes a plurality of flat battery cells 10 stacked with positive electrode tabs 13 and negative electrode tabs 14 protruding from the outer periphery, and a connector 32 for connecting in series the positive electrode tabs 13 and negative electrode tabs 14 adjacent in the stacking direction of the battery cells 10. The connector 32 has a plurality of housings 33 that accommodate the positive electrode tabs 13 and negative electrode tabs 14 to be connected, and a conductive member 44 that contacts the positive electrode tabs 13 and negative electrode tabs 14 when accommodated in the housings 33. The housing 33 has an insulating partition wall 38 that separates it from another adjacent housing 33 on the lower side in the stacking direction.

[0039] According to this configuration, within one housing 33, the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14 are connected in series via the conductive member 44. An insulating partition wall 38 is interposed between two housings 33 adjacent to each other in the stacking direction, preventing the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14 from coming into contact with tabs 13, 14 that are not their intended connection targets.

[0040] The secondary battery A includes a plurality of plate-shaped support members 21, 22 on which a battery cell 10 is placed one by one and which are alternately stacked with the plurality of battery cells 10. The support members 21, 22 and the housing 33 are fitted together to form separation prevention portions (notched edge portions 30 and protrusions 39) that prevent the housing 33 from separating from the support members 21, 22. This configuration can prevent the housing 33 from separating from the positive electrode tab 13 or the negative electrode tab 14.

[0041] The support members 21, 22 have the function of cooling the battery cells 10. According to this configuration, the number of parts can be reduced compared to when a device for cooling the battery cells 10 is provided separately from the support members 21, 22.

[0042] The support members 21, 22 include a first support member 21 and a second support member 22. A first female screw hole 25 and a first fastening hole 26 are formed in the outer peripheral edge of the first support member 21. A second fastening hole 27 adjacent to the first female screw hole 25 in the stacking direction, and a second female screw hole 28 adjacent to the first fastening hole 26 in the stacking direction are formed in the outer peripheral edge of the second support member 22. A first bolt 48 inserted into the second fastening hole 27 is screwed into the first female screw hole 25. A second bolt 49 inserted into the first fastening hole 26 is screwed into the second female screw hole 28. With this configuration, the support members 21, 22 adjacent to each other in the stacking direction can be reliably fixed in a stacked state.

[0043] The housing 33 can surround both the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14 when the battery cells 10 are not stacked. According to this configuration, by having the housing 33 surround both the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14, it is possible to prevent the tabs 13, 14 that are not to be properly connected from shorting together before the battery cells 10 are stacked or during the process of stacking the battery cells 10.

[0044] The housing 33 is configured by stacking a positive electrode cap 34 that houses only the positive electrode tab 13 and a negative electrode cap 40 that is a separate component from the positive electrode cap 34 and houses only the negative electrode tab 14. With this configuration, by attaching the positive electrode cap 34 to the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode cap 40 to the negative electrode tab 14 in advance before stacking the battery cells 10, the workability of the stacking process is improved.

[0045] When the positive electrode cap 34 and the negative electrode cap 40 are stacked, the conductive member 44 is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the positive electrode tab 13 and the negative electrode tab 14. The positive electrode tab 13, the negative electrode tab 14, and the conductive member 44 are fixed by fastening a bolt 45 and a nut 46 including a female thread portion 47. This configuration improves the contact reliability between the positive electrode tab 13, the conductive member 44, and the negative electrode tab 14.

[0046] <Embodiment 2> Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 12. In the second embodiment, the front-rear direction is defined as the F direction in FIGS. 8 to 11 as the front. The up-down direction is defined as the H direction in FIGS. 8 to 11 as the up. The left-right direction is defined as the R direction in FIGS. 8 to 11 as the right. The up-down direction and the stacking direction are used synonymously. In the second embodiment, the positive electrode tab 51, the negative electrode tab 52, and the connector 65 have different configurations from those in the first embodiment. Since the other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same configurations, and descriptions of the structure, operation, and effects will be omitted.

[0047] The secondary battery B of the second embodiment is configured to include a plurality of battery cells 50, a plurality of support members 55 made of an insulating material, and a plurality of connectors 65. The battery cell 50 of the second embodiment has the same configuration as the battery cell 10 of the first embodiment, except for the positive electrode tab 51 and the negative electrode tab 52. The positive electrode tab 51 and the negative electrode tab 52 of the second embodiment do not have connection holes.

[0048] The support member 55 has a plate-shaped mounting portion 56 and a peripheral wall portion 57 that rises upward from the outer periphery of the plate-shaped mounting portion 56 or near the outer periphery. The plate-shaped mounting portion 56 functions as a cooling member having a refrigerant flow path (not shown) provided therein. Cutout portions 58 are formed at both left and right ends of the front wall portion 57F of the support member 55 by partially cutting out the front wall portion 57F. The left and right edge portions of the front wall portion 57F around the cutout portion 58 are defined as cutout edge portions 59.

[0049] Of the multiple support members 55, the base support member 55S, which is located at the bottom, is provided with two pairs of long bolts 60. The two pairs of long bolts 60 are located at both left and right ends of the front wall portion 57F and the rear wall portion 57R of the peripheral wall portion 57, and protrude upward parallel to the stacking direction. Male thread portions 61 are formed at the upper ends of the long bolts 60. Of the multiple support members 55, two pairs of through holes 62 are formed in the support members 55 other than the base support member 55S. In a plan view of the secondary battery B viewed from above, the two pairs of through holes 62 are located at the same positions as the two pairs of long bolts 60.

[0050] The connector 65 is a member that electrically connects the positive electrode tab 51 and the negative electrode tab 52 that are adjacent in the stacking direction of the battery cells 50. One connector 65 includes one housing 66 made of an insulating material and one conductive member 76. One housing 66 is formed by stacking one positive electrode cap 67 and one negative electrode cap 73 one above the other.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 12 , the positive electrode cap 67 is provided with a positive electrode chamber 68 that accommodates the positive electrode tab 51, and a lower conductive chamber 69. The positive electrode chamber 68 opens at the rear end face of the positive electrode cap 67 and communicates with the lower conductive chamber 69. The lower conductive chamber 69 opens at the top face of the positive electrode cap 67. The bottom wall of the positive electrode cap 67 functions as a partition wall 70 that electrically insulates the space inside the positive electrode cap 67 from the space outside and below the positive electrode cap 67. Protrusions 71 that protrude to both the left and right sides are formed at the rear end of the positive electrode cap 67.

[0052] The negative electrode cap 73 includes a negative electrode chamber 74 that accommodates the negative electrode tab 52, and an upper conductive chamber 75 formed below the negative electrode chamber 74. The negative electrode chamber 74 opens at the rear end surface of the negative electrode cap 73 and communicates with the upper conductive chamber 75. The upper conductive chamber 75 opens at the lower surface of the negative electrode cap 73. The upper wall of the negative electrode cap 73 functions as a partition wall 70 that electrically insulates the space inside the negative electrode cap 73 from the space above and outside the negative electrode cap 73. Similar to the positive electrode cap 67, protrusions 71 that protrude to both the left and right are formed at the rear end of the negative electrode cap 73.

[0053] Next, the assembly process of the secondary battery B of embodiment 2 will be described. First, the positive electrode tab 51 is inserted into the positive electrode accommodating chamber 68 from behind the positive electrode cap 67, and the conductive member 76 is accommodated in the lower conductive accommodating chamber 69 from above the positive electrode cap 67. Before, during, or at the same time as this, the negative electrode tab 52 is inserted into the negative electrode accommodating chamber 74 from behind the negative electrode cap 73.

[0054] Thereafter, the battery cell 50 to which the positive electrode cap 67 and the negative electrode cap 73 are attached is attached to the support member 55. When attaching, the battery cell 50 is housed within the peripheral wall portion 57 and placed on the plate-shaped mounting portion 56. The positive electrode cap 67 and the negative electrode cap 73 are caused to protrude forward (outside) from the cutout portion 58 of the peripheral wall portion 57, and the protrusion 71 is hooked onto the cutout edge portion 59 from behind (inside the peripheral wall portion 57). The engagement between the protrusion 71 and the cutout edge portion 59 holds the positive electrode cap 67 and the negative electrode cap 73 in an assembled state relative to the support member 55.

[0055] Thereafter, the support members 55 other than the base support member 55S are stacked from above. When stacking, each support member 55 is positioned horizontally relative to the base support member 55S by fitting the through holes 62 onto the long bolts 60. This positions the positive electrode caps 67 and the negative electrode caps 73 in a plan view. When the support members 55 are stacked, the negative electrode caps 73 are assembled so that they overlap the positive electrode caps 67 from above. The long bolts 60 have a positioning function and a guide function that prevent the support members 55 from shifting horizontally when stacking them.

[0056] After all of the support members 55 have been stacked, nuts 77 are threaded onto the male threaded portions 61 at the upper ends of the long bolts 60 and tightened. By tightening the long bolts 60 and the nuts 77, the support members 55 are fixed in a stacked state, and the negative electrode cap 73 is assembled in a state where it overlaps the positive electrode cap 67. By tightening the long bolts 60 and the nuts 77, high contact pressure is fixed between the positive electrode tab 51, the negative electrode tab 52, and the conductive member 76 within the housing 66, and the positive electrode tab 51 and the negative electrode tab 52 are electrically connected via the conductive member 76.

[0057] In the secondary battery B of the second embodiment, through holes 62 are formed in the multiple support members 55 other than the base support member 55S. All of the support members 55, including the base support member 55S, are fixed in a stacked state by long bolts 60 inserted into the through holes 62 and nuts 77 screwed onto the long bolts 60. This configuration allows for a reduction in the number of parts compared to when only two support members 55 adjacent to each other in the stacking direction are fixed in order.

[0058] <Embodiment 3> Next, a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15. In the third embodiment, the front-to-rear direction is defined as the F direction in FIG. 15. The up-down direction is defined as the H direction in FIG. 15. The left-to-right direction is defined as the R direction in FIG. 15. The up-down direction and the stacking direction are used synonymously. The third embodiment uses a battery cell 50 having the same configuration as the second embodiment, but the connector 80 has a different configuration from the second embodiment. Since the other configurations are the same as the first or second embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a description of the structure, operation, and effects will be omitted.

[0059] The connector 80 of the third embodiment is a member that electrically connects the positive electrode tab 51 and the negative electrode tab 52 that are adjacent in the stacking direction of the battery cells 50. One connector 80 includes one housing 81 made of an insulating material and one conductive member 92. The housing 81 is a single component that has a box-shaped accommodating portion 82 and a protrusion 89 that protrudes rearward from the rear end of the box-shaped accommodating portion 82. An accommodating space 83 is formed within the box-shaped accommodating portion 82.

[0060] The storage space 83 is a single space constituted by, in order from bottom to top, a positive electrode storage chamber 84, a conductivity storage chamber 85, and a negative electrode storage chamber 86. An opening 87 that opens the storage space 83 to the outside of the housing 81 is formed in the top surface of the box-shaped storage portion 82. The box-shaped storage portion 82 has a front plate portion 82F, left and right side plate portions 82S, and a bottom plate portion 82B. The bottom plate portion 82B functions as a partition wall 88 that electrically insulates the inside of the housing 81 (storage space 83) from the outside of the housing 81.

[0061] The protrusion 89 closes a lower end region of the rear surface of the box-shaped accommodating portion 82. More specifically, in the up-down direction, the protrusion 89 closes the entire positive electrode accommodating chamber 84 and the lower end region of the conductivity accommodating chamber 85. The upper end region of the conductivity accommodating chamber 85 and the entire negative electrode accommodating chamber 86 open to the outside of the housing 81 at the rear surface of the box-shaped accommodating portion 82. A slit-shaped insertion hole 90 is formed in the protrusion 89, which connects the inside of the positive electrode accommodating chamber 84 with the space outside and behind the housing 81. Both left and right ends of the protrusion 89 function as a pair of left and right protrusions 91 that engage with the cutout edge portion 59 (not shown) of the support member 55 (not shown).

[0062] Next, the assembly process of the secondary battery C of embodiment 3 will be described. First, for all battery cells 50, the positive electrode tabs 51 are inserted into the insertion holes 90 from the rear of the housing 81 and accommodated in the positive electrode accommodating chambers 84, and the conductive portions are accommodated in the conductive accommodating chambers 85 from above the housing 81. Next, the battery cells 50 are attached to the support members, and the protrusions 91 are engaged with the notched edges (not shown) of the support members. Thereafter, the support members are stacked in order.

[0063] At this time, the negative electrode tab 52 attached to the upper support member is accommodated in the negative electrode accommodation chamber 86 of the housing 81 attached to the lower support member. By performing the above steps, the stacking process of the support members progresses and the process of connecting the positive electrode tab 51, the negative electrode tab 52, and the conductive member 92 is completed. Before stacking and during the stacking process, the positive electrode tab 51 is accommodated in the housing 81 made of an insulating material, so there is no risk of the positive electrode tab 51 shorting out with the negative electrode tab 52 that is not properly connected, and there is also no risk of the negative electrode tab 52 shorting out with the positive electrode tab 51 that is not properly connected.

[0064] The housing 81 attached to the secondary battery C of the third embodiment is a single component that houses the positive electrode tab 51, the negative electrode tab 52, and the conductive member 92. A storage space 83 is formed within the housing 81 to house the positive electrode tab 51, the negative electrode tab 52, and the conductive member 92 so that they are aligned in the stacking direction. A partition wall 88 is disposed only at the lower end (either end) of both end portions of the housing 81 in the stacking direction (vertical direction). An opening 87 that communicates with the storage space 83 is formed at the upper end (the other end) of both end portions of the housing 81 in the stacking direction. With this configuration, the number of components of the housing 81 can be reduced.

[0065] <Other Examples> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. In the second and third embodiments, the conductive member is not limited to being sandwiched between the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab, but may be in contact with the side surfaces of the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab that are parallel to the stacking direction. In the first and second embodiments, the partition wall of the housing may be formed on only one of the upper and lower surfaces of the housing. In the first and second embodiments, the housing may be configured to surround only one of the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab when the battery cells are not stacked. In the first to third embodiments, a device for cooling the battery cells may be provided separately from the support member. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] A,B,C…Secondary battery 10,50…battery cells 13,51...Positive electrode tab 14,52...Negative electrode tab 21...First support member 22...Second support member 25...First female screw hole 26...1st fastening hole 27…Second fastening hole 28...Second female thread 30, 59...Notched edge (separation prevention part) 32,65,80...Connector 33, 66, 81…Housing 34,67...Positive electrode cap 38,70,88…bulkhead 39, 71, 91...Protrusions (anti-detachment parts) 40,73...Anode cap 44, 76, 92...Conductive members 45...volts 46, 77... Nut (fastening member) 47...Female thread 48...First bolt 49...Second bolt 55...Support member 55S...Base support member (support member) 60...Long bolt 62...Through hole 83...Containment space 87...Opening

Claims

1. A connector attached to a secondary battery in which a plurality of flat battery cells are stacked, each having a positive electrode tab and a negative electrode tab protruding from an outer periphery thereof, for connecting the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab adjacent to each other in a stacking direction of the battery cells in series, a plurality of housings that accommodate the positive electrode tabs and the negative electrode tabs to be connected; a conductive member that contacts the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab when housed in the housing, The housing of the connector has an insulating partition wall that separates it from another housing adjacent to it in the stacking direction.

2. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is capable of enclosing at least one of the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab when the battery cells are not stacked.

3. The housing includes: a positive electrode cap that accommodates only the positive electrode tab; 3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the connector is configured by laminating a negative electrode cap that is a separate component from the positive electrode cap and that houses only the negative electrode tab.

4. When the positive electrode cap and the negative electrode cap are stacked, the conductive member is disposed so as to be sandwiched between the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab, The connector according to claim 3 , wherein the positive electrode tab, the negative electrode tab, and the conductive member are fixed by fastening a fastening member including a bolt and a female thread portion.

5. the housing is a single part that accommodates the positive electrode tab, the negative electrode tab, and the conductive member; an accommodation space is formed in the housing to accommodate the positive electrode tab, the negative electrode tab, and the conductive member so as to be aligned in the stacking direction; the partition wall is disposed at only one of both end portions of the housing in the stacking direction, 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the housing has an opening formed at the other end thereof in the stacking direction, the opening communicating with the accommodating space.

6. a plurality of flat battery cells stacked one on top of the other with positive and negative electrode tabs protruding from the outer periphery; a connector for connecting the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab adjacent to each other in a stacking direction of the battery cells in series; The connector comprises: a plurality of housings that accommodate the positive electrode tabs and the negative electrode tabs to be connected; a conductive member that contacts the positive electrode tab and the negative electrode tab when housed in the housing, The housing has an insulating partition wall that separates it from another housing adjacent to it in the stacking direction.

7. a plurality of plate-shaped support members on which the battery cells are mounted one by one and stacked alternately with the plurality of battery cells; The secondary battery according to claim 6 , wherein the support member and the housing are formed with a separation prevention portion that prevents the housing from separating from the support member by fitting together.

8. The secondary battery according to claim 7 , wherein the support member has a function of cooling the battery cell.

9. the support member includes a first support member and a second support member; The first support member has a first female screw hole and a first fastening hole formed therein. The second support member is formed with a second fastening hole adjacent to the first female screw hole in the stacking direction, and a second female screw hole adjacent to the first fastening hole in the stacking direction, a first bolt inserted into the second fastening hole is screwed into the first female screw hole; The secondary battery according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a second bolt inserted through the first fastening hole is screwed into the second female screw hole.

10. The plurality of support members have through holes formed therein, 9. The secondary battery according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of support members are fixed in a stacked state by long bolts inserted into the through holes and nuts screwed onto the long bolts.

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