Relay unit

Abstract

To provide a relay unit capable of suppressing vibration of a bus bar caused by vibration generated by a relay.SOLUTION: A relay unit includes a case, a conductive relay terminal supported by the case, a relay having conductive terminals respectively connected to the relay terminal, and a conductive bus bar 45 having a main body portion 45A, a bent base portion 45B extending in a direction orthogonal to the main body portion from an end of the main body portion, and a connection end portion 45C connected to the bent base portion and individually connected to respective relay terminals. The thickness of ThB of the bent base portion is greater than the thickness of the connection end portion ThC.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a relay unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a battery device including a case, a relay fixed to the case via a vibration-isolating material, and a bus bar connected to the relay and capable of supplying power to the relay.

[0003] When power is supplied from the bus bar, the relay vibrates. However, vibration-damping material is provided between the case and the relay, so the vibration generated by the relay is not easily transmitted to the case. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-192410 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the battery device of Patent Document 1, vibrations generated in the relays are easily transmitted to the bus bars, which makes the battery device prone to generating noise due to vibrations generated in the bus bars.

[0006] In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a relay unit capable of suppressing vibration of a bus bar caused by vibration generated in a relay. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first embodiment of the relay unit includes a case, conductive relay terminals supported by the case, relays having conductive terminals connected to the relay terminals, and a conductive bus bar having a main body, bent base ends extending from an end of the main body in a direction perpendicular to the main body, and connection ends connected to the bent base ends and connected to the relay terminals, respectively, wherein the thickness of the bent base ends is greater than the thickness of the connection ends.

[0008] A first embodiment of the relay unit includes a case, conductive relay terminals supported by the case, and relays having conductive terminals connected to the relay terminals. The first embodiment of the relay unit further includes a conductive bus bar. The bus bar has a main body, a bent base end extending from an end of the main body in a direction perpendicular to the main body, and connection ends connected to the bent base end and connected to the relay terminals. When power is supplied to the relay, the relay vibrates. This vibration of the relay is transmitted to each bus bar via the relay terminals.

[0009] At this time, the connecting end of the busbar, which is thinner than the bent base end of the busbar, converts the vibration transmitted from the relay terminal to the busbar into thermal energy. Furthermore, the bent base end, which is thicker than the connecting end and has higher mechanical rigidity, absorbs the vibration energy. Therefore, the relay unit of the first aspect can suppress vibration of the busbar caused by vibrations generated by the relay.

[0010] The relay unit of the second aspect is the same as that of the first aspect, wherein the thickness of the main body is equal to or greater than the thickness of the bent base end portion.

[0011] In the relay unit of the second aspect, the body portion more easily absorbs vibrations transmitted to the bus bar than when the body portion is thinner than the bent base end portion, and therefore the relay unit of the second aspect can more effectively suppress vibrations of the bus bar caused by vibrations generated in the relay. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, the relay unit according to the present invention has the excellent effect of being able to suppress vibration of the bus bar caused by vibrations generated in the relay. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a relay unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bus bar. [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a relay terminal storage section of an upper case, a relay terminal, a connection end of a bus bar, and a relay terminal. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a graph showing acoustic power of the relay unit of the embodiment and the relay unit of the comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, a relay unit 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that in each drawing, the arrows UP, FR, and LH indicate the upper side in the vehicle vertical direction, the front side in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and the left side in the vehicle width direction, respectively.

[0015] The relay unit 10 of this embodiment is part of a battery pack mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle) or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle). This battery pack includes a number of battery cells (not shown), a relay unit 10, and a battery case (not shown) that houses the battery cells and the relay unit 10. The battery cells and the relay unit 10 are electrically connected. The relay unit 10 is further connected to an electrical circuit mounted on the vehicle and located outside the battery pack. Electric power generated in the battery cells is supplied to, for example, an electric motor, which is a drive device for the vehicle, via the relay unit 10 and the electrical circuit.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the relay unit 10 includes an upper case (case) 15, relay terminals 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3, a relay 40, bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50, a lower case (case) 60, and multiple electronic components (not shown) different from the relay 40.

[0017] The upper case 15, which is an integrally molded resin product, includes a support plate 16, a relay support 18, and an annular wall 20. The support plate 16 is a generally plate-shaped portion having a generally rectangular planar shape. The upper case 15 includes two relay support portions 18. Each relay support portion 18 is an annular wall having a generally rectangular planar shape that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the support plate 16. In other words, a generally rectangular parallelepiped relay storage space 22 is formed between the upper surface of the support plate 16 and the inner surface of each relay support portion 18. Furthermore, the upper end of the annular wall 20 is connected to the outer periphery of the lower surface of the support plate 16.

[0018] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, four relay terminal housings 24 are formed in each of the support plate 16 at locations located on the inner periphery of each relay support portion 18 (only one relay terminal housing 24 is shown in FIG. 4). That is, eight relay terminal housings 24 are formed in the support plate 16. Each relay terminal housing 24 protrudes upward from the support plate 16, and a terminal insertion hole 25 is formed in its upper surface. Furthermore, the internal space of each relay terminal housing 24 is formed as a relay terminal housing space 27 with an open bottom. Furthermore, although not shown, multiple relay terminal housings 24 are also provided in locations on the support plate 16 other than the locations on the inner periphery of the relay support portion 18.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, metal relay terminals 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3 are provided in the relay terminal housing space 27 of each relay terminal housing 24 (only relay terminal 30-1 is shown in FIG. 4). Each of the conductive relay terminals 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3 includes a main body 31 and a resilient contact portion 34. While the specific shapes of the relay terminals 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3 are not completely identical, the basic structures of the relay terminals 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3 are identical. The main body 31 is a hollow body with a substantially rectangular cross section. An upper through-hole 32 is formed in the top surface of the main body 31, and a lower through-hole 33 is formed in the bottom surface of the main body 31. The upper through-hole 32 is located directly below the terminal insertion hole 25 of the corresponding relay terminal housing 24. The resilient contact portion 34 is provided in the internal space of each of the relay terminals 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3. One end of the resilient contact portion 34 is connected to the inner surface of the side wall portion of the main body portion 31. The resilient contact portion 34 includes a connection end portion 35 connected to the side wall portion of the main body portion 31, a first contact portion 36 extending downward from the connection end portion 35, an intermediate portion 37 having a generally U-shaped cross section connected to the lower end of the first contact portion 36, and a second contact portion 38 extending upward from the intermediate portion 37. The resilient contact portion 34 is resiliently deformable.

[0020] The relay unit 10 includes two relays 40. The relays 40 are electronic components that include a coil and a switch. The relays 40 generate a magnetic field by passing a current through the coil, which switches the switch between ON and OFF. When the switch of the relay 40 is in the ON state, power supplied from the battery cell to the relay 40 is supplied from the relay 40 to the electric circuit. On the other hand, when the switch of the relay 40 is in the OFF state, power supplied from the battery cell to the relay 40 is not supplied from the relay 40 to the electric circuit.

[0021] Each relay 40 includes a relay case 41 that is substantially rectangular and houses a coil, a switch, etc. inside, and four conductive metal relay terminals 43 that protrude downward from the underside of the relay case 41. The outer shape of the relay case 41 is substantially the same shape as the relay storage space 22, which is the internal space of the relay support part 18.

[0022] A relay 40 is inserted into each relay support portion 18 of the upper case 15, and the relay 40 is fixed to the corresponding relay support portion 18. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 4, each relay terminal 43 protruding downward from the bottom surface of the relay case 41 of each relay 40 passes downward through the terminal insertion hole 25 of the corresponding relay terminal housing portion 24, and comes into contact with the second contact portion 38 while elastically deforming the elastic contact portion 34.

[0023] A relay terminal 30-3 is provided in each relay terminal housing 24 provided in a position different from the inner peripheral position of the relay support portion 18 of the support plate portion 16. Furthermore, the terminals of the plurality of electronic components provided on the upper portion of the support plate portion 16 pass downward through the terminal insertion holes 25 of the corresponding relay terminal housing portions 24 and come into contact with the second contact portion 38 while elastically deforming the elastic contact portion 34.

[0024] 2, the relay unit 10 includes six metal bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50. The bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 are integrally molded products manufactured by pressing a metal plate.

[0025] The conductive bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 have different shapes. However, each of the bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 includes main body portions 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, and 50A located on a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction, bent base end portions 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, and 50B extending upward from the end of the main body portion 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, and 50A, and connection end portions 45C, 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, and 50C extending upward from the end of the bent base end portion 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, and 50B opposite the main body portion 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, and 50A. Each of the bus bars 47 and 48 includes two bent base ends 47B and 48B and two connecting ends 47C and 48C. Furthermore, each of the bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 and 50 includes protruding pieces 45X, 46X, 47X, 48X, 49X and 50X extending upward from the corresponding main body portions 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A and 50A. Although not shown, each of the protruding pieces 45X, 46X, 47X, 48X, 49X and 50X includes a bent base end connected to the corresponding main body portion and a connecting end extending upward from the bent base end.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 45A of the bus bar 45 has a substantially L-shaped planar shape. That is, the main body 45A includes a first component 45A1 parallel to the left-right direction and a second component 45A2 parallel to the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 3, a bent base end 45B protrudes upward from the end of the second component 45A2 opposite to the first component 45A1. Furthermore, a connecting end 45C protrudes upward from the upper end of the bent base end 45B. Here, the thickness of the main body 45A (second component 45A2) is ThA, the thickness of the bent base end 45B and the bent base end of the protruding piece 45X is ThB, and the thickness of the connecting end 45C and the connecting end of the protruding piece 45X is ThC. In this case, ThC <ThB≦ThAである。

[0027] Although illustration is omitted, if the thickness of the main body parts 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, 50A is ThA, the thickness of the bending base ends 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, 50B and the bending base ends of the projecting pieces 46X, 47X, 48X, 49X, 50X is ThB, and the thickness of the connection ends 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, 50C and the connection ends of the projecting pieces 46X, 47X, 48X, 49X, 50X is ThC, then ThC < ThB ≤ ThA holds among the bus bars 46, 47, 48, 49, 50. That is, the rigidity (mechanical strength) of the main body part and the bending base end is larger than that of the connection end respectively.

[0028] When ThB < ThA, it is preferable that the value obtained by dividing ThB by ThA is not less than a predetermined value. That is, when the value obtained by dividing ThB by ThA is less than the predetermined value, the rigidity of the main body parts 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, 50A becomes excessively high, and the vibration energy absorption function of the main body parts 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, 50A described later may decrease.

[0029] The main body parts 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, 50A are located directly below the support plate part 16. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, eight connection ends 45C, 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, 50C penetrate the lower through-holes 33 of the relay terminals 30-1, 30-2 upward and contact the first contact part 36 while elastically deforming the elastic contact part 34 in the internal space of the main body part 31 (a diagram showing the connection relationship between the connection ends 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, 50C and the relay terminals 30-1, 30-2 is omitted). That is, the bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 are supported by the upper case 15 via the relay terminals 30-1, 30-2.

[0030] The lower through-holes 33 of the relay terminals 30-3 provided in each relay terminal housing part 24 provided at a part different from the inner peripheral side part of the relay support part 18 of the support plate part 16 are penetrated upward by the connection ends of the projecting pieces 46X, 47X, 48X, 49X, 50X and contact the first contact part 36 while elastically deforming the elastic contact part 34 in the internal space of the main body part 31.

[0031] The lower case 60, which is an integrally molded resin product, includes a bottom plate portion 61, an outer peripheral wall 62, and an inner wall 63. The bottom plate portion 61 is a flat plate-like portion that is perpendicular to the up-down direction and has a substantially rectangular planar shape. The outer peripheral wall 62 protrudes upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate portion 61 and has an annular planar shape. A plurality of inner walls 63 are provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 61 at portions located on the inner periphery of the outer peripheral wall 62. Each inner wall 63 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 61. A plurality of spaces (rooms) are formed between the bottom plate portion 61, the outer peripheral wall 62, and the inner wall 63.

[0032] The lower case 60 is inserted from below the upper case 15 into the space formed between the support plate portion 16 and the annular wall portion 20, and the lower case 60 is fixed to the upper case 15. As a result, the outer peripheral wall 62 is positioned on the inner peripheral side of the annular wall portion 20, and further, the bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 fixed to the upper case 15 are arranged in the above-mentioned spaces (rooms) of the lower case 60. Note that the main body portions 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, and 50A may or may not contact the upper surface of the bottom plate portion 61.

[0033] The completed relay unit 10 is placed inside the battery pack and connected to the battery cells and the above-mentioned electrical circuit.

[0034] (Action and effect) Next, the operation and effects of the embodiment will be described.

[0035] The relay unit 10 of the embodiment configured as described above includes the upper case 15, a plurality of conductive relay terminals 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3 supported by the upper case 15, and a plurality of relays 40 having relay terminals 43 connected to the respective relay terminals 30-1 and 30-2. The relay unit 10 further includes a plurality of conductive bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50. Each bus bar 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 has a main body portion 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, 50A, a bent base end portion 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, 50B extending from the end of the main body portion 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, 50A in a direction perpendicular to the main body portion 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, 50A, and a connection end portion 45C, 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, 50C connected to the bent base end portion 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, 50B and connected to the relay terminal 30-1, 30-2, respectively.

[0036] When electricity is supplied to each relay 40 from each bus bar 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50, a ripple current flows through each relay 40. This ripple current causes a coil provided inside each relay 40 to generate a magnetic field, which switches the switch of the relay 40 on and off. At this time, an attractive force is generated between the iron core inside the coil and the iron core of the switch, which causes the components provided inside each relay 40 to vibrate. This vibration is transmitted to each bus bar 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 via the relay terminal 43 and relay terminals 30-1, 30-2, and 30-3.

[0037] At this time, connection ends 45C, 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, and 50C, which have thicknesses ThC smaller than thicknesses ThB of bent base ends 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, and 50B of each bus bar 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50, convert vibrations transmitted from relay terminals 30-1 and 30-2 to bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 into thermal energy. Furthermore, bent base ends 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, and 50B, which are thicker and have higher mechanical rigidity than connection ends 45C, 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, and 50C, absorb the vibration energy of bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50.

[0038] Furthermore, thickness ThA of main body portions 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, and 50A is equal to or greater than thickness ThB of bent base ends 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, and 50B. Therefore, main body portions 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, and 50A can more easily absorb vibrations of bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 compared to when thickness ThA is smaller than thickness ThB.

[0039] Therefore, the relay unit 10 can suppress vibration of the bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 due to vibrations generated in the relays 40 and the electronic components other than the relays 40. Therefore, there is little risk that vibrations generated in the bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 will cause large vibrations in the support plate 16 (upper case) or the bottom plate 61 (lower case 60) that come into contact with the main body portions 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, and 50A, or large vibrations in the air in the space surrounded by the upper case 15 and the lower case 60. Therefore, the relay unit 10 is less likely to generate noise due to vibrations generated in the bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50.

[0040] FIG. 5 shows the experimental results for the relay unit 10 of the embodiment and the relay unit of the comparative example. Graph (A) shows the experimental results for the relay unit 10 of the embodiment, and graph (B) shows the experimental results for the relay unit of the comparative example. The relay unit 10 of the embodiment and the relay unit of the comparative example vibrate at approximately 11.5 kHz. The structure of the relay unit of the comparative example is the same as that of the relay unit 10, except that the thickness of the main body, bent base end, and connection end of each bus bar is ThC. In this case, the acoustic power of the relay unit of the comparative example was 32 dB, while the acoustic power of the relay unit 10 of the embodiment was 30 dB.

[0041] Although the battery pack according to the embodiment has been described above, the design thereof can be appropriately modified within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0042] For example, each of bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 does not have to be an integrally molded product formed by press molding. For example, each of bus bars 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50 may be manufactured by joining together main body portions 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, and 50A, bent base end portions 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, and 50B, and connecting end portions 45C, 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, and 50C, which are manufactured separately from one another.

[0043] The number of bus bars, relays, and relay terminals may be different from those in the embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 10 Relay Unit 15 Upper case (case) 30-1 30-2 30-3 Relay terminal 40 Relay 45 46 47 48 49 50 Busbar 45A, 46A, 47A, 48A, 49A, 50A Main unit 45B, 46B, 47B, 48B, 49B, 50B Bent base end 45C, 46C, 47C, 48C, 49C, 50C connection end 60 Lower case (case) ThA 1st thickness ThB Second thickness ThC 3rd thickness

Claims

1. Case and a conductive relay terminal supported by the case; a relay having conductive terminals connected to the relay terminals, respectively; a conductive bus bar having a main body portion, a bent base end portion extending from an end portion of the main body portion in a direction perpendicular to the main body portion, and a connection end portion connected to the bent base end portion and connected to each of the relay terminals; Equipped with The relay unit has a thickness of the bent base end greater than a thickness of the connecting end.

2. 2. The relay unit according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the main body is equal to or greater than the thickness of the bent base end portion.

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