Power storage device

Abstract

To provide a power storage device capable of suppressing discharge of blast from an exhaust port while discharging gas in a smoke exhaust space from the exhaust port.SOLUTION: A power storage device 100 includes a plurality of storage cells 10, a housing 30 including a lower case 31 and a shear panel 33, and a cover member 40 disposed in the shear panel 33. The shear panel 33 has a smoke exhaust space S1 between the shear panel 33 and a bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31, and the smoke exhaust space S1 is sealed by an outer path defining part 90. The shear panel 33 includes a panel main body 33a with an exhaust port 33b, and a standing wall 33d standing upward from a portion around the exhaust port 33b. The cover member 40 includes a peripheral wall part 41 surrounding the standing wall 33d, and a covering part 42 connected to the peripheral wall part 41 and covering the exhaust port 33b from above.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electricity storage device. [Background technology]

[0002] JP 2022-525014 A (Patent Document 1) discloses a power battery pack for use in an electric vehicle. The power battery pack includes a plurality of unit cells. Each of the unit cells is provided with an explosion-proof valve for venting internal smoke or gas. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2022-525014 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Although not described in Patent Document 1, an explosion-proof valve (safety valve) may be provided on the underside of a cell to allow smoke or gas to be discharged from the underside of the cell (storage cell). In this configuration, a smoke exhaust space (smoke exhaust path) is formed below the cell. In this case, it is conceivable to discharge gas from the smoke exhaust space to the outside through an exhaust port, but there is a risk that blast released from the storage cell may be discharged from the exhaust port.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an energy storage device that can suppress the emission of blast from the exhaust port while discharging gas in the smoke exhaust space from the exhaust port. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An energy storage device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes at least one energy storage cell including a lower surface on which a safety valve is provided, a housing that houses the at least one energy storage cell and includes a lower case and a shear panel, and a cover member arranged on the shear panel. The lower case covers the at least one energy storage cell from below and includes a bottom surface portion with a through-hole formed in a position overlapping with the safety valve. The shear panel is arranged below the lower case and forms a smoke exhaust space between the shear panel and the bottom surface portion of the lower case. The smoke exhaust space is sealed by a sealing portion. The shear panel covers the bottom surface portion of the lower case from below and includes a panel main body having an exhaust port formed therein, and an upright wall that rises upward from a portion of the panel main body surrounding the exhaust port. The cover member includes an outer wall portion that faces the upright wall at a position opposite the exhaust port with respect to the upright wall, and a covering portion that is connected to the outer wall portion and covers the exhaust port from above.

[0007] As described above, the energy storage device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an outer wall portion facing the upright wall at a position opposite the exhaust port relative to the upright wall, and a covering portion covering the exhaust port from above. This allows the double structure of the upright wall and the outer wall portion to shield the exhaust port from blast emitted from the energy storage cells. Furthermore, the covering portion can shield the exhaust port from blast from above. As a result, the blast can be effectively prevented from being discharged from the exhaust port. Therefore, the gas in the smoke exhaust space can be discharged from the exhaust port while the blast can be prevented from being discharged from the exhaust port.

[0008] The upright wall may have an opening formed therein. With this configuration, moisture present in the smoke exhaust space can be discharged to the outside through the exhaust port through the opening in the upright wall. Also, gas in the smoke exhaust space can be discharged to the outside through the exhaust port through the opening in the upright wall.

[0009] The power storage device may include at least one side wall disposed between the upright wall and the outer wall portion and facing the opening. With this configuration, the at least one side wall can prevent blast from being discharged to the outside through the exhaust port via the opening in the upright wall. Furthermore, the at least one side wall can prevent moisture that has entered from the exhaust port via the opening in the upright wall from entering the smoke exhaust space.

[0010] A protruding portion may be connected to an upper portion of at least one side wall, protruding toward the opposite side from the opening. With this configuration, the blast that has scattered up to the at least one side wall is covered from above by the protruding portion, thereby preventing the blast from going over the side wall and being discharged to the outside through the exhaust port.

[0011] The at least one side wall may include a first side wall and a second side wall that sandwich the exhaust port in a first direction, and a third side wall and a fourth side wall that sandwich the exhaust port in a second direction that intersects with the first direction. With this configuration, the exhaust port is surrounded by the first to fourth side walls, which further reduces the amount of blast that is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port.

[0012] The first side wall and the second side wall may be connected to the third side wall and the fourth side wall, respectively. With this configuration, the positional relationship between the first to fourth side walls can be more easily maintained constant than when the first to fourth side walls are independent of each other. Furthermore, compared to when the first to fourth side walls are independent of each other, the number of parts can be reduced and the configuration of the electricity storage device can be simplified.

[0013] The upright wall may surround the exhaust port, which can more effectively prevent blast from being discharged from the exhaust port than when the upright wall is disposed on only one side of the exhaust port.

[0014] The outer wall portion may surround the upright wall. With this configuration, it is possible to more effectively prevent blast from being discharged from the exhaust port than when the outer wall portion faces only a portion of the upright wall. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress the discharge of blast from the exhaust port while discharging gas in the smoke exhaust space from the exhaust port. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a vehicle including a power storage device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing an electricity storage device and a vehicle body according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a storage cell. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a lower case of the power storage device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a lower case to which a bracket unit is attached. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a lower case and a cooler. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a lower case and an inner path defining portion. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an upright wall and a cover member near the exhaust port. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a state in which the cover member is disposed on the share panel. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the smoke exhaust port in FIG. 9. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the side bracket in FIG. 9. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a cover member and an upright wall according to a modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0018] An electricity storage device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 17. FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a vehicle 900 including the electricity storage device 100 according to the present embodiment. In this specification, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are directions that are perpendicular to one another. For example, the X direction and the Y direction are the front-to-rear direction and the width direction of the vehicle 900 when the electricity storage device 100 is mounted on the vehicle 900, respectively. The X1 direction and the X2 direction are the front and rear of the vehicle, respectively. The Y1 direction and the Y2 direction are the left and right sides of the vehicle, respectively. The Z direction is the up-down (vertical) direction. The X direction and the Y direction are examples of the "first direction" and the "second direction" of the present disclosure, respectively.

[0019] 1 , the vehicle 900 includes, in addition to the power storage device 100, a vehicle body 910 and an equipment unit 930. Examples of the vehicle 900 include a hybrid electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and an electric vehicle (battery electric vehicle). The vehicle body 910 includes a frame member 920. The frame member 920 is disposed on the bottom of the vehicle body 910.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the frame member 920 has a pair of first frames 921, a pair of second frames 922, a first cross frame 923, and a second cross frame 924.

[0021] The pair of first frames 921 face each other in the X direction. Each of the first frames 921 has a shape that extends along the Y direction.

[0022] The pair of second frames 922 face each other in the Y direction. Each second frame 922 has a shape extending along the X direction. An end of each second frame 922 in the X direction is connected to the first frame 921. The pair of second frames 922, together with the pair of first frames 921, are formed in a substantially rectangular tubular shape that surrounds the power storage device 100.

[0023] The first cross frame 923 is disposed between the pair of first frames 921 and connects the pair of second frames 922 to each other.

[0024] The second cross frame 924 is disposed between the pair of first frames 921 and connects the pair of second frames 922. The second cross frame 924 is spaced apart from the first cross frame 923 in the X direction. Each of the first cross frame 923 and the second cross frame 924 constitutes, for example, a seat cross.

[0025] The power storage device 100 is attached to a frame member 920. The power storage device 100 is disposed below a first cross frame 923 and a second cross frame 924. The power storage device 100 includes four power storage stacks 101 to 104. The number of power storage stacks is not limited to four.

[0026] In this embodiment, each of the power storage stacks 101 to 104 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped that is long in the X direction. As shown in Fig. 2, the four power storage stacks 101 to 104 are arranged side by side along the Y direction. In Fig. 3, the discharge direction of gas that can be discharged from a safety valve SV (described later) is indicated by a dashed arrow.

[0027] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the energy storage device 100 includes an energy storage cell 10, a cooler 20, a housing 30, and a reinforcing member 35. At least one energy storage cell 10 is included in each of the energy storage stacks 101 to 104 (Fig. 2). In this embodiment, a plurality of (for example, 50) energy storage cells 10 are arranged in the X direction in each of the energy storage stacks 101 to 104.

[0028] Each storage cell 10 includes an electrode assembly 11. The electrode assembly 11 may be formed as a wound body in which a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet are wound with a separator interposed therebetween, or may be formed as a laminate in which a positive electrode sheet and a negative electrode sheet are stacked with a separator interposed therebetween. The electrode assembly 11 is formed in a shape that is long in the Y direction.

[0029] The cooler 20 cools the plurality of energy storage cells 10. In this embodiment, the cooler 20 cools each of the energy storage stacks 101 to 104 (FIG. 2). A cooling medium (oil or the like) flows through the cooler 20.

[0030] The housing 30 includes a lower case 31 , an upper cover 32 , and a share panel 33 .

[0031] The upper cover 32, together with the lower case 31, houses the plurality of energy storage cells 10. In this embodiment, the upper cover 32, together with the lower case 31, houses four energy storage stacks 101-104 (FIG. 2) in a sealed state. The upper cover 32 covers each of the energy storage stacks 101-104 from above. The lower case 31 covers each of the energy storage stacks 101-104 from below. The peripheral edge of the upper cover 32 is connected to the peripheral edge of the lower case 31 by bolts or the like via a sealing member.

[0032] The shear panel 33 is provided below the lower case 31. The shear panel 33 has a function of protecting the lower case 31. The shear panel 33 may be formed in a flat plate shape.

[0033] The lower case 31 includes a bottom plate 31c. The bottom plate 31c covers the plurality of energy storage cells 10 from below. The bottom plate 31c and the share panel 33 are located below the plurality of energy storage cells 10. A smoke exhaust space S1 is formed between the bottom plate 31c and the share panel 33. The smoke exhaust space S1 constitutes a smoke exhaust path through which gas and smoke (hereinafter simply referred to as "gas") emitted from the energy storage cells 10 flow. The bottom plate 31c is an example of a "bottom surface portion" in the present disclosure.

[0034] The share panel 33 includes a panel body 33a. The panel body 33a covers the bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31 from below. An exhaust port 33b is formed in the panel body 33a. Gas in the smoke exhaust space S1 is exhausted to the outside through the exhaust port 33b. The exhaust port 33b is formed near the end of the smoke exhaust space S1 on the X2 side.

[0035] The electricity storage device 100 includes a cover member 40. The cover member 40 is disposed on the shear panel 33. The cover member 40 covers the exhaust port 33b from above. The cover member 40 is made of, for example, mica, which is a natural inorganic mineral solidified by heat pressing. Details of the cover member 40 will be described later.

[0036] A pair of end plates 10a are provided on both sides of the plurality of storage cells 10 in the X direction to sandwich the plurality of storage cells 10 from both sides in the X direction. A monitoring unit (Smart Battery Management) 10b is arranged on the outer side of each end plate 10a in the X direction.

[0037] The equipment unit 930 is disposed, for example, at an end in the X direction. In this embodiment, the equipment unit 930 is disposed on the rear part of the upper cover 32 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 900. The equipment unit 930 has a junction box 931, an electricity supply unit 932, an electronic control unit 933, a first cooler 934, a second cooler 935, and an equipment cover 936.

[0038] The junction box 931 is disposed above the upper cover 32. The junction box 931 houses a relay, a fuse, etc. The junction box 931 is cooled by a first cooler 934 disposed between the junction box 931 and the upper cover 32.

[0039] The power supply unit 932 is disposed above the junction box 931. The power supply unit 932 is cooled by a second cooler 935 disposed on the power supply unit 932. The electronic control unit 933 is disposed above the junction box 931.

[0040] The equipment cover 936 houses the junction box 931 , the power supply unit 932 , the electronic control unit 933 , and the second cooler 935 .

[0041] The reinforcing member 35 is disposed on the upper cover 32. The reinforcing member 35 has a function of dispersing a load that is locally applied from above to the electricity storage device 100 by an occupant of the vehicle 900.

[0042] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the energy storage cell 10. As shown in Fig. 4, each energy storage cell 10 has a cell case 12, a pair of external terminals 13, and a safety valve SV. The cell case 12 houses the electrode assembly 11 (Fig. 3).

[0043] The cell case 12 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The cell case 12 is made of a metal such as aluminum. The energy storage cell 10 is formed to be elongated in the Y direction. Specifically, a width W1 of the energy storage cell 10 in the Y direction is larger than a width W2 of the energy storage cell 10 in the X direction. The height H of the energy storage cell 10 is smaller than the width W1 and larger than the width W2.

[0044] The energy storage cell 10 (cell case 12) has a short side surface 1, a short side surface 2, a long side surface 3, a long side surface 4, an upper surface 5, and a lower surface 6.

[0045] The short side surface 1 and the short side surface 2 are arranged in the Y direction. Specifically, the short side surface 1 and the short side surface 2 are one end surface and the other end surface of the energy storage cell 10 in the Y direction, respectively.

[0046] The long side surfaces 3 and 4 are arranged in the X direction. Specifically, the long side surfaces 3 and 4 are one end surface and the other end surface of the energy storage cell 10 in the X direction, respectively.

[0047] The upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 are arranged in the Z direction. Specifically, the upper surface 5 and the lower surface 6 are the end surface on the Z1 side and the end surface on the Z2 side of the energy storage cell 10, respectively.

[0048] A pair of external terminals 13 are provided on the short side surface 1 and the short side surface 2, respectively. The safety valve SV is provided on the bottom surface 6. The safety valve SV opens when the smoke or gas pressure inside the cell casing 12 reaches or exceeds a certain level. In other words, the bottom surface 6 on which the safety valve SV is provided constitutes the pressure release surface of the cell casing 12.

[0049] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of lower case 31. Lower case 31 includes a storage section 31a and a plate section 31b. Storage section 31a includes a bottom plate 31c and a peripheral wall 31d. Bottom plate 31c is formed in a plate shape, and multiple smoke exhaust holes 31e are formed in bottom plate 31c. Multiple smoke exhaust holes 31e are arranged in the front-to-rear direction (X direction) of vehicle 900. Furthermore, multiple rows of multiple smoke exhaust holes 31e arranged in the X direction are arranged in the Y direction (four in FIG. 5). Note that smoke exhaust holes 31e are an example of a "through hole" in the present disclosure.

[0050] Furthermore, instead of the plurality of smoke exhaust holes 31e arranged in the X direction, an opening that is elongated in the X direction may be formed. In the case of such an opening, when the lower case 31 is fixed to the upper cover 32, the safety valve SV of each of the plurality of energy storage cells 10 communicates with the opening. By providing such an opening, it is possible to easily align the opening and the safety valve SV.

[0051] The storage section 31a includes a protruding section 31f that protrudes toward the X2 side. The protruding section 31f is provided at the end of the storage section 31a on the X2 side. The protruding section 31f is also provided at the center of the storage section 31a in the Y direction. Note that no storage cell 10 is arranged above the protruding section 31f.

[0052] The peripheral wall 31d extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate 31c. The peripheral wall 31d is formed in an annular shape. The peripheral wall 31d includes a front wall 31g disposed in the front (X1 side), a rear wall 31h disposed in the rear (X2 side), a left side wall 31i disposed on the left side (Y1 side), and a right side wall 31j disposed on the right side (Y2 side). The storage section 31a has an opening that opens upward. The plate section 31b protrudes horizontally from the edge of the opening of the storage section 31a. The rear wall 31h includes the side wall of the protruding section 31f and the side wall of a portion of the storage section 31a adjacent to the protruding section 31f in the Y direction.

[0053] Here, a plurality of energy storage cells 10 are arranged in the accommodation portion 31a. The safety valves SV (FIG. 4) of the energy storage cells 10 and the smoke exhaust holes 31e are arranged in the Z direction, and the safety valves SV and the smoke exhaust holes 31e are in communication with each other. Note that the energy storage cells 10 do not necessarily have to be provided on the protruding portions 31f.

[0054] 6, the energy storage device 100 includes a bracket unit 60 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the housing portion 31a. The bracket unit 60 is provided on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 31d of the lower case 31. The bracket unit 60 includes a front bracket 61, a rear bracket 62, and side brackets 63 and 64.

[0055] The front bracket 61 is fixed to the outer surface of the front wall 31g of the lower case 31. The rear bracket 62 is provided on the outer surface of the rear wall 31h. The side bracket 63 is provided on the outer surface of the left side wall 31i. The side bracket 64 is provided on the outer surface of the right side wall 31j. The bracket unit 60 is formed in a substantially annular shape. The rear bracket 62 may be formed of a single bracket, or may be formed of, for example, a plurality of linear brackets.

[0056] 7 is a perspective view showing the lower case 31, the bracket unit 60, and the cooler 20. The cooler 20 includes a cooling portion 21, a connecting portion 22, and a connecting portion .

[0057] Cooling section 21 extends in the X direction. Connection section 22 is provided at the front end (end on the X1 side) of cooling section 21, and connection section 23 is provided at the rear end (end on the X2 side) of cooling section 21.

[0058] A supply pipe and a discharge pipe (not shown) are connected to the connection part 22. The coolant is supplied from the supply pipe. The coolant passes through the inside of the cooling part 21 and the connection part 22 and returns to the connection part 22. The coolant that has returned to the connection part 22 is discharged from the discharge pipe.

[0059] Above the cooling section 21, the power storage stacks 101 to 104 (FIG. 2) are arranged with the bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31 sandwiched therebetween. The cooling section 21 includes a first cooling section 24, a second cooling section 25, a third cooling section 26, and a fourth cooling section 27. The first cooling section 24, the second cooling section 25, the third cooling section 26, and the fourth cooling section 27 are arranged in this order from the Y2 side (in the Y direction).

[0060] The first cooling section 24 has a circulating section 24A, a circulating section 24B, and a connecting plate 24C. The second cooling section 25 has a circulating section 25A, a circulating section 25B, and a connecting plate 25C. The third cooling section 26 has a circulating section 26A, a circulating section 26B, and a connecting plate 26C. The fourth cooling section 27 has a circulating section 27A, a circulating section 27B, and a connecting plate 27C. The first cooling section 24, the second cooling section 25, the third cooling section 26, and the fourth cooling section 27 have the same configuration, so only the first cooling section 24 will be described in detail as a representative.

[0061] The circulating portion 24A and the circulating portion 24B are arranged at an interval in the Y direction. The circulating portion 24A and the circulating portion 24B each extend in the X direction.

[0062] The connecting plate 24C is disposed between the circulating portion 24A and the circulating portion 24B, and connects the circulating portion 24A and the circulating portion 24B.

[0063] The connecting plate 24C is formed with a plurality of holes 28. The holes 28 are provided at intervals in the X direction.

[0064] Each hole 28 corresponds to each smoke exhaust hole 31e formed in the bottom plate 31c. When the cooler 20 is fixed to the lower case 31, the holes 28 and the smoke exhaust holes 31e are arranged in the Z direction.

[0065] Note that, instead of the plurality of holes 28 arranged in the X direction, an opening formed long in the X direction may be formed. In the case of the opening as described above, the smoke exhaust hole 31e formed in the lower case 31 communicates with the opening when the cooler 20 is fixed to the lower case 31. By forming such an opening, it is possible to easily align the opening with the smoke exhaust hole 31e.

[0066] The cooler 20 is fixed to the bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31. Specifically, the cooler 20 is fixed to the bottom plate 31c by a thermally conductive adhesive that is not shown in FIG.

[0067] 8, the power storage device 100 includes an inner path defining portion 70. The inner path defining portion 70 is disposed on the lower surface of the cooler 20.

[0068] The inner path defining portion 70 is disposed in the smoke exhaust space S1 (FIG. 3) between the share panel 33 and the bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31, and is formed in an annular shape.

[0069] The inner path defining portion 70 includes a front side portion 71, a rear side portion 72, a left side portion 73, and a right side portion 74. The front side portion 71 and the rear side portion 72 are arranged at an interval from each other in the X direction. Each of the front side portion 71 and the rear side portion 72 extends in the Y direction. The left side portion 73 and the right side portion 74 are arranged at an interval from each other in the Y direction. Each of the left side portion 73 and the right side portion 74 extends in the X direction.

[0070] An opening 75 is formed between the front side 71 and the left side 73. An opening 76 is formed between the front side 71 and the right side 74. An opening 77 is formed between the rear side 72 and the left side 73. An opening 78 is formed between the rear side 72 and the right side 74.

[0071] The front side portion 71 is located on the front side (X1 side) of the inner path defining portion 70. The front side portion 71 is disposed on the lower surface of the connection portion 22 of the cooler 20.

[0072] The rear side portion 72 is located on the rear side (X2 side) of the inner path defining portion 70. The rear side portion 72 is disposed on the lower surface of the connection portion 23 of the cooler 20. Note that an opening may be formed in the rear side portion 72, for example, in the center in the Y direction.

[0073] The left side portion 73 is disposed between the left end portion (the end portion on the Y1 side) of the front side portion 71 and the left end portion (the end portion on the Y2 side) of the rear side portion 72. The left side portion 73 is disposed in the flow portion 27B.

[0074] The right side portion 74 is disposed between the right end portion (the end portion on the Y2 side) of the front side portion 71 and the right end portion (the end portion on the Y2 side) of the rear side portion 72. The right side portion 74 is disposed in the flow portion 24A.

[0075] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the energy storage cell 10 etc. taken along the Y direction. As shown in Fig. 9, the energy storage device 100 includes a blast collector 80. The blast collector 80 is disposed between the bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31 and the shear panel 33. The blast collector 80 is fixed to the bracket unit 60 (the side bracket 64 in Fig. 9). The blast collector 80 is disposed adjacent to the inner path defining portion 70 (the right side portion 74 in Fig. 9).

[0076] The share panel 33 includes a panel body 33a and a flange 33c formed on the outer peripheral edge of the panel body 33a. The panel body 33a is recessed downward beyond the flange 33c. The flange 33c extends horizontally from the edge of the panel body 33a.

[0077] The blast collector 80 is fixed to the bracket unit 60 together with the flange 33c of the shear panel 33 by bolts 81. The blast collector 80 comes into contact with the bracket unit 60 to form an outer path defining portion 90. The outer path defining portion 90 is located outside the inner path defining portion 70. The outer path defining portion 90 is a seal portion formed by fastening the blast collector 80 and the bracket unit 60 together.

[0078] The energy storage device 100 includes a cross member 36. The cross member 36 is connected to a portion of the bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31 between a pair of adjacent energy storage stacks (between the energy storage stack 101 and the energy storage stack 102 in FIG. 9). The cross member 36 extends in the X direction. The cross member 36 is connected to the peripheral wall 31d (FIG. 5). The cross member 36 may be connected to a pair of first frames 921 (FIG. 2) via brackets (not shown).

[0079] Fig. 10 is a bottom view showing the cooler 20, the bracket unit 60, and the inner path defining portion 70. Note that in Fig. 10, the blast collecting portion 80 is represented by a dashed line. As shown in Fig. 10, the blast collecting portion 80 has an annular shape that follows the bracket unit 60.

[0080] In FIG. 10, region R1 indicates a region of the bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31 where the smoke exhaust hole 31e (hole 28) is formed.

[0081] When the shear panel 33 is attached to the lower case 31, a smoke exhaust space S1 surrounded by the inner path regulating portion 70 is formed between the shear panel 33 and the lower case 31. As shown in Fig. 10 , when the lower case 31 and the like are viewed from below in a plan view, the region R1 and the smoke exhaust space S1 overlap each other.

[0082] The contact area R2 indicates the area where the blast collector 80 and the bracket unit 60 come into contact. In Fig. 10, the contact area R2 is hatched to clarify it. The contact area R2 is located outside the inner path defining portion 70. The contact area R2 surrounds the inner path defining portion 70.

[0083] An outer path defining portion 90 is formed in the contact region R2. That is, the outer path defining portion 90 is located outside the inner path defining portion 70 and surrounds the inner path defining portion 70. This makes it possible to prevent gas and the like from the energy storage cell 10 from leaking to the outside of the energy storage device 100. That is, the outer path defining portion 90 is an example of a "sealing portion" in the present disclosure.

[0084] An exhaust passage 110 is formed between the inner path defining portion 70 and the outer path defining portion 90 configured as described above. The exhaust passage 110 has an annular shape that follows the inner path defining portion 70 and the outer path defining portion 90.

[0085] The exhaust passage 110 communicates with the smoke exhaust space S1 through the openings 75, 76, 77, and 78. The exhaust passage 110 communicates with the outside through the exhaust port 33b. In FIG. 10, the position where the exhaust port 33b is provided is indicated by a dashed line. As shown in FIG. 10, the exhaust port 33b is provided below the protruding portion 31f of the lower case 31. In other words, the exhaust port 33b is provided between the inner path defining portion 70 and the outer path defining portion 90.

[0086] In a conventional electricity storage device, when gas is discharged from the smoke exhaust space to the outside through an exhaust port, there is a risk that blast released from the electricity storage cells may be discharged from the exhaust port.

[0087] Therefore, in this embodiment, an exhaust structure shown in Figures 11 and 12 is provided around the exhaust port 33b. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the cover member 40 and the share panel 33. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the cover member 40 arranged on the share panel 33.

[0088] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 11, the share panel 33 has an upright wall 33d. The upright wall 33d stands upward from the area surrounding the exhaust port 33b. The upright wall 33d surrounds the exhaust port 33b. The upright wall 33d is formed integrally (continuously) with the panel main body 33a. The upright wall 33d is formed by cutting and raising a portion of the panel main body 33a.

[0089] The cover member 40 includes a peripheral wall portion 41 and a covering portion 42. The peripheral wall portion 41 faces the upright wall 33d at a position opposite (outside of) the upright wall 33d from the exhaust port 33b. That is, the peripheral wall portion 41 surrounds (encloses) the exhaust port 33b and the upright wall 33d from the outside. The peripheral wall portion 41 is an example of an "outer wall portion" in the present disclosure.

[0090] The covering portion 42 is connected to the peripheral wall portion 41 and covers the exhaust port 33b from above. The covering portion 42 is connected to the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 41.

[0091] As a result, the exhaust port 33b is surrounded by a double shielding structure formed by the upright wall 33d and the peripheral wall portion 41, and by the covering portion 42, making it possible to effectively prevent blast emitted from the storage cell 10 from being discharged from the exhaust port 33b.

[0092] A plurality of openings 33e (four in this embodiment) are formed in the upright wall 33d. The openings 33e have a slit shape extending in the vertical direction. The openings 33e are formed on the X1 side, X2 side, Y1 side, and Y2 side with respect to the center O of the exhaust port 33b. This allows gas and moisture to be discharged from the exhaust port 33b through the openings 33e.

[0093] The exhaust port 33b includes a central hole 33f and a plurality of (four in this embodiment) protruding holes 33g. The central hole 33f is formed continuously with the plurality of protruding holes 33g. Each of the plurality of protruding holes 33g protrudes outward from a position corresponding to a different opening 33e. Each of the plurality of protruding holes 33g protrudes outward from the central hole 33f. The central hole 33f is formed more inward than the upright wall 33d. The formation of the protruding holes 33g makes it possible to more efficiently exhaust gas to the outside.

[0094] The cover member 40 includes four legs 43, each of which is connected to the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 41. The four legs 43 are provided at the four corners of the lower end of the cover member 40, which has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0095] The leg portion 43 has a vertical portion 43a and a horizontal portion 43b. The vertical portion 43a extends downward from the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 41. The horizontal portion 43b extends horizontally (outward) from the lower end of the vertical portion 43a. The horizontal portion 43b is fixed (for example, by welding or fastening) to the upper surface of the share panel 33 (panel main body 33a). This fixes the cover member 40 to the panel main body 33a.

[0096] The electricity storage device 100 includes a shielding member 50. The shielding member 50 is formed in an annular shape. The shielding member 50 surrounds the upright wall 33d from the outside.

[0097] The shielding member 50 includes a plurality of (four in this embodiment) shielding portions 51 and a plurality of (four in this embodiment) connecting portions 52. The shielding portions 51 are arranged on the X1 side, X2 side, Y1 side, and Y2 side of the exhaust port 33b. That is, the exhaust port 33b is sandwiched between the shielding portion 51 on the X1 side and the shielding portion 51 on the X2 side. Furthermore, the exhaust port 33b is sandwiched between the shielding portion 51 on the Y1 side and the shielding portion 51 on the Y2 side. Each of the plurality of shielding portions 51 is arranged at a position facing a different opening 33e.

[0098] Each of the multiple shielding portions 51 extends linearly in the circumferential direction of the shielding member 50. Each of the multiple shielding portions 51 has a width W1 in the circumferential direction. The width W1 is greater than the width W2 of the opening 33e in the circumferential direction of the upright wall 33d. The opening 33e is formed at a position facing the center of the shielding portion 51 in the circumferential direction.

[0099] Each of the multiple connection portions 52 connects adjacent shielding portions 51 in the circumferential direction of the shielding member 50. That is, each of the shielding portions 51 on the X1 side and the shielding portions 51 on the X2 side is connected to each of the shielding portions 51 on the Y1 side and the shielding portions 51 on the Y2 side by a connection portion 52. Each of the multiple connection portions 52 connects the lower ends of the shielding portions 51 to each other. Note that the leg portions 43 of the cover member 40 are disposed in positions facing the connection portions 52 (between adjacent shielding portions 51).

[0100] As shown in Figure 12, when the cover member 40 is placed on the panel main body 33a, an opening 44 is formed between the peripheral wall portion 41 and the panel main body 33a. The opening 44 is formed by providing vertical portions 43a on the leg portions 43. The opening 44 is formed between adjacent leg portions 43 in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall portion 41. The opening 44 has a width W3 in the circumferential direction. The width W3 is larger than the width W1 of the shielding portion 51. Note that a lower surface portion 51b (described below) of the shielding portion 51 protrudes from the opening 44.

[0101] 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 13, each of the multiple shielding portions 51 includes an upper surface portion 51a, a lower surface portion 51b, and a side surface portion 51c. The upper surface portion 51a and the lower surface portion 51b are provided at the upper end and the lower end of the shielding portion 51, respectively. The side surface portion 51c connects the upper surface portion 51a and the lower surface portion 51b. The upper surface portion 51a and the side surface portion 51c are examples of the "protruding portion" and the "side wall" of the present disclosure, respectively. The side surface portions 51c of the shielding portion 51 on the X1 side, the shielding portion 51 on the X2 side, the shielding portion 51 on the Y1 side, and the shielding portion 51 on the Y2 side are examples of the "first side wall," the "second side wall," the "third side wall," and the "fourth side wall," respectively, of the present disclosure.

[0102] The side surface portion 51c is disposed between the standing wall 33d and the peripheral wall portion 41. That is, the side surface portion 51c shields the peripheral wall portion 41 from the standing wall 33d.

[0103] The upper surface portion 51a is connected to an upper end portion 51d of the side surface portion 51c. The upper surface portion 51a protrudes from the upper end portion 51d of the side surface portion 51c to the side opposite the exhaust port 33b. The upper end portion 51d is an example of the "upper portion" in the present disclosure.

[0104] The lower surface portion 51b is connected to the lower end of the side surface portion 51c. The lower surface portion 51b protrudes from the lower end of the side surface portion 51c to the side opposite the exhaust port 33b. The lower surface portion 51b is fixed (for example, by welding or fastening) to the upper surface of the panel main body 33a.

[0105] Therefore, the shielding portion 51 has a U-shape that protrudes toward the exhaust port 33b. As a result, a collection space S2 in which the blast is collected is formed in the space surrounded by the upper surface portion 51a, the lower surface portion 51b, and the side surface portion 51c. In Fig. 13, an example of a gas flow path when the gas is discharged from the exhaust port 33b is indicated by a dashed arrow.

[0106] The shielding portion 51 has a height H1 in the vertical direction. The upright wall 33d has a height H2 in the vertical direction. The height H1 is greater than the height H2. In other words, the shielding portion 51 protrudes upward beyond the upright wall 33d. This makes it possible to prevent the blast from going over the shielding portion 51 and being discharged from the exhaust port 33b.

[0107] The opening 44 of the cover member 40 has a width W4 in the vertical direction. The width W4 is smaller than the height H2 of the upright wall 33d. This makes it possible to prevent blast from entering the inside of the cover member 40 through the opening 44. The width W4 is larger than the height H3 of the lower surface portion 51b.

[0108] Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV in Fig. 11. As shown in Fig. 14, the connection portion 52 has a height H4 in the vertical direction. The height H4 is smaller than the height H2 (Fig. 13) of the upright wall 33d. Note that the height H4 may be equal to the height H3 (Fig. 13) of the lower surface portion 51b.

[0109] Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XV-XV in Fig. 11. As shown in Fig. 15, side surface portion 51c faces opening 33e of upright wall 33d. Note that upper surface portion 51a protrudes on the side opposite opening 33e. Note that in Fig. 15, an example of a gas flow path when gas is discharged from exhaust port 33b is indicated by dashed arrows.

[0110] 16 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the smoke exhaust hole 31e. The bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31 includes a bottom main body 31k in which the energy storage cells 10 are arranged, and a protruding portion 31l. A plurality of protruding portions 31l are formed at intervals in the Y direction. Each protruding portion 31l extends in the X direction. The protruding portion 31l protrudes downward from the bottom main body 31k. The lower end of the protruding portion 31l is located at the hole 28 formed in the cooler 20. The smoke exhaust hole 31e is formed at the lower end of the protruding portion 31l.

[0111] The protruding portion 31l includes a bottom plate 31m and side walls 31n and 31o. The side walls 31n and 31o each connect the bottom plate 31m to the bottom body 31k. A smoke exhaust hole 31e is formed in the bottom plate 31m.

[0112] A thermally conductive adhesive 120 is provided between the bottom body 31k and the cooler 20. The thermally conductive adhesive 120 bonds the bottom body 31k and the cooler 20 together. Furthermore, a thermally conductive adhesive 121 is provided between the bottom body 31k and the lower surface 6 of the energy storage cell 10. The thermally conductive adhesive 121 bonds the bottom body 31k and the energy storage cell 10 together. Each of the thermally conductive adhesives 120 and 121 extends along the X direction.

[0113] The energy storage device 100 includes a heat insulating plate 130. The heat insulating plate 130 is disposed between the hole 28 of the cooler 20 and the safety valve SV of the energy storage cell 10. Specifically, the heat insulating plate 130 is provided in the space between the protruding portion 31l and the lower surface 6 of the energy storage cell 10, and is disposed at the lower end of the protruding portion 31l. The heat insulating plate 130 is made of, for example, mica. The heat insulating plate 130 covers from above the multiple smoke exhaust holes 31e arranged in the X direction.

[0114] The heat insulating plate 130 has a support portion 131, a support portion 132, and a closing plate 133. The support portion 131 is disposed on the upper surface of a waterproof adhesive 140 (described later). The support portion 132 is disposed on the upper surface of a waterproof adhesive 141 (described later). The closing plate 133 is disposed across the support portions 131 and 132.

[0115] The electricity storage device 100 includes waterproof adhesives 140 and 141 and a waterproof sheet 150. The waterproof adhesives 140 and 141 are each disposed on the upper surface of the bottom plate 31m and extend in the X direction. The waterproof adhesives 140 and 141 are disposed at intervals in the Y direction. The smoke exhaust hole 31e is disposed between the waterproof adhesives 140 and 141 in a plan view.

[0116] The waterproof adhesives 140, 141 and the heat insulating board 130 close the smoke exhaust holes 31e on the upper surface side of the protruding portion 31l. The waterproof adhesives 140, 141 and the heat insulating board 130 extend in the X direction and close the multiple smoke exhaust holes 31e arranged in the X direction.

[0117] The waterproof sheet 150 is placed on the underside of the protruding portion 31l and closes the smoke exhaust holes 31e. The waterproof sheet 150 extends in the X direction and closes the multiple smoke exhaust holes 31e arranged in the X direction.

[0118] The electricity storage device 100 includes a heat-resistant plate 160. The heat-resistant plate 160 is provided on a portion of the share panel 33 that faces the safety valve SV. The heat-resistant plate 160 is made of mica or the like. The heat-resistant plate 160 extends in the X direction. The heat-resistant plate 160 is located below a plurality of smoke exhaust holes 31e that are arranged in the X direction.

[0119] Figure 17 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the blast collector 80. As shown in Figure 17, the right side portion 74 of the inner path defining portion 70 includes an elastic portion 74a and an adhesive layer 74b. The elastic portion 74a is made of an elastically deformable material such as silicon. The elastic portion 74a is in contact with the lower surface of the cooler 20 (the flow portion 24A in Figure 17). The adhesive layer 74b bonds the elastic portion 74a to the upper surface of the shear panel 33.

[0120] Therefore, since the elastic portion 74a and the cooler 20 are not bonded to each other, blast from the energy storage cells 10 may pass between the elastic portion 74a and the cooler 20. The blast that passes between the elastic portion 74a and the cooler 20 is collected by the blast collector 80.

[0121] The contact position of the right side portion 74 is not limited to the lower surface of the cooler 20. For example, if the cooler 20 is not provided, the inner path defining portion 70 may be in contact with the lower surface of the bottom plate 31c of the lower case 31.

[0122] The side bracket 64 is disposed from the bottom plate 31c to the peripheral wall 31d and is fixed to the bottom plate 31c and the peripheral wall 31d by bolts, welding, or the like (not shown).

[0123] The blast collector 80 is disposed within the exhaust passage 110. The blast collector 80 includes a fixed portion 82, an inclined portion 83, and an overhanging portion 84. The fixed portion 82 is disposed between the shear panel 33 and the side bracket 64, and is fixed by a bolt 81.

[0124] The fixing portion 82 is disposed between the shear panel 33 and the side bracket 64. The fixing portion 82 and the side bracket 64 are bonded together with an adhesive 85. The fixing portion 82 extends from between the shear panel 33 and the side bracket 64 toward the inner path defining portion 70.

[0125] The inclined portion 83 is provided at the tip of the fixed portion 82, and the protruding portion 84 extends toward the center of the right side portion 74 in the vertical direction.

[0126] As a result, a collection space S3 is formed between the blast collection portion 80 and the lower case 31. That is, blast that passes between the elastic portion 74a and the cooler 20 is collected in the collection space S3. Meanwhile, a filler 86 is filled between the blast collection portion 80 and the shear panel 33. The filler 86 is, for example, a resin.

[0127] Although the side bracket 64 and right side portion 74 have been described, the front bracket 61 (front side portion 71), rear bracket 62 (rear side portion 72), and side bracket 63 (left side portion 73) are also formed in the same manner.

[0128] In the energy storage device 100 described above, the share panel 33 has an upright wall 33d that rises upward from a portion of the panel body 33a surrounding the exhaust port 33b. The cover member 40 includes a peripheral wall portion 41 that surrounds the upright wall 33d and a covering portion 42 that covers the exhaust port 33b from above. This allows a double shielding structure (labyrinth structure) to be formed by the upright wall 33d and the peripheral wall portion 41 between the blast and the exhaust port 33b. The covering portion 42 also provides shielding between the blast from above and the exhaust port 33b. As a result, the upright wall 33d, the peripheral wall portion 41, and the covering portion 42 can block the scattering of the blast before it is discharged from the exhaust port 33b.

[0129] In addition, a shielding portion 51 (side surface portion 51c) is provided between the upright wall 33d and the peripheral wall portion 41. This provides a triple shielding wall consisting of the upright wall 33d, the peripheral wall portion 41, and the shielding portion 51 (side surface portion 51c). As a result, scattering of blast can be more reliably blocked.

[0130] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the upright wall 33d is formed integrally with the share panel 33 (panel body 33a), but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The upright wall 33d may be provided separately from the share panel 33 (panel body 33a).

[0131] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the shielding member 50 was provided separately from the share panel 33 (panel body 33a), but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The shielding member 50 may be formed integrally with the share panel 33 (panel body 33a).

[0132] In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which the lower surface portion 51b of the shielding portion 51 protrudes from the opening 44 of the cover member 40, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The lower surface portion 51b does not have to protrude from the opening 44.

[0133] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the shielding portion 51 of the shielding member 50 has the upper surface portion 51a, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The shielding portion 51 does not have to be provided with the upper surface portion 51a. Furthermore, only some of the multiple shielding portions 51 (for example, the shielding portion 51 on the smoke exhaust space S1 side) may be provided with the upper surface portion 51a. The same may be true for the lower surface portion 51b.

[0134] In the above embodiment, the upright wall 33d surrounds the exhaust port 33b, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the upright wall may be provided only on the smoke exhaust space S1 side of the exhaust port 33b.

[0135] In the above embodiment, the smoke exhaust space S1 is sealed by fastening the blast collector 80 and the bracket unit 60 with the bolts 81, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, a seal member (e.g., an O-ring made of silicone rubber or the like) may be disposed along the outer periphery of the smoke exhaust space S1.

[0136] In the above embodiment, the peripheral wall 41 of the cover member 40 surrounds (encloses) the upright wall 33d, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, a wall portion (wall portion of the cover member) corresponding to the peripheral wall 41 may be provided only at a position facing the upright wall 33d on the smoke exhaust space S1 side. Similarly, the shielding portion 51 may be provided only at a position facing the upright wall 33d on the smoke exhaust space S1 side.

[0137] In the above embodiment, the opening 33e of the upright wall 33d has a slit shape extending in the vertical direction, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The opening of the upright wall 33d may be, for example, a through-hole extending in the thickness direction of the upright wall.

[0138] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the multiple shielding portions 51 are connected to each other by the connecting portions 52, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the multiple shielding portions 51 may be provided separately from each other.

[0139] In the above embodiment, an example in which the shielding member 50 is provided has been shown, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The shielding member 50 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0140] For example, as shown in FIG. 18, a horizontal plate 34 may be provided protruding from the upright wall 33d toward the side opposite the exhaust port 33b. Alternatively, a horizontal plate 45 may be provided protruding from the peripheral wall portion 41 toward the exhaust port 33b. When viewed from the Z1 side, the horizontal plates 34 and 45 may overlap. Each of the horizontal plates 34 and 45 may have an annular shape surrounding the exhaust port 33b. This allows the blast to be blocked by the horizontal plates 34 and 45, thereby preventing the blast from being discharged from the exhaust port 33b. In FIG. 18, an example of a gas flow path when the gas is discharged from the exhaust port 33b is indicated by dashed arrows.

[0141] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and should not be considered limiting. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims rather than the description of the above embodiments, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0142] 6 bottom surface, 10 storage cell, 30 housing, 31 lower case, 31c bottom plate (bottom surface portion), 31e smoke exhaust hole (through hole), 33 share panel, 33a panel main body, 33b exhaust port, 33d standing wall, 33e opening, 40 cover member, 41 peripheral wall portion (outer wall portion), 42 covering portion, 51a upper surface portion (protruding portion), 51c side portion (side wall) (first side wall) (second side wall) (third side wall) (fourth side wall), 51d upper end portion (upper portion), 90 outer path defining portion (sealing portion), 100 storage device, S1 smoke exhaust space, SV safety valve.

Claims

1. At least one storage cell including a lower surface provided with a safety valve; a housing that houses the at least one storage cell and includes a lower case and a share panel; a cover member disposed on the share panel, the lower case covers the at least one energy storage cell from below and includes a bottom surface portion having a through-hole formed at a position overlapping with the safety valve, The share panel is disposed below the lower case, and forms a smoke exhaust space between the share panel and the bottom surface of the lower case, The smoke exhaust space is sealed by a sealing portion, The share panel includes: a panel main body covering the bottom surface of the lower case from below and having an exhaust port formed therein; a rising wall rising upward from a portion of the panel body surrounding the exhaust port, The cover member is an outer wall portion facing the upright wall at a position on the opposite side of the upright wall from the exhaust port; a covering portion connected to the outer wall portion and covering the exhaust port from above.

2. The power storage device according to claim 1 , wherein the upright wall has an opening formed therein.

3. The power storage device according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one side wall disposed between the upright wall and the outer wall portion and facing the opening.

4. The power storage device according to claim 3 , wherein a protruding portion protruding to a side opposite to the opening is connected to an upper portion of the at least one side wall.

5. The at least one sidewall is a first side wall and a second side wall sandwiching the exhaust port in a first direction; The power storage device according to claim 3 , further comprising: a third side wall and a fourth side wall sandwiching the exhaust port in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

6. The power storage device according to claim 5 , wherein each of the first side wall and the second side wall is connected to each of the third side wall and the fourth side wall.

7. 5. The power storage device according to claim 1, wherein the upstanding wall surrounds the exhaust port.

8. The power storage device according to claim 7 , wherein the outer wall portion surrounds the upright wall.

Images