Conductive module

Abstract

To suppress an increase in size.SOLUTION: The branch wire 22 of the wire component 20 has the bus bar installation surface 23, on which the wire connecting portion 12 of the bus bar 10 is installed, at the 22a of the first plane, and the sensor mounting surface 24, on which the temperature sensors 30 can be mounted, at the 22b of the second plane that is opposite to the first plane. The bus bar installation surface 23 includes the bus bar connection portion that is physically and electrically connected to the wiring connection portion 12 of the bus bar 10 and electrically connects the wiring connection portion 12 to the first circuit conductor of the wiring component 20, and the sensor mounting surface 24 includes the sensor connection portion that is physically and electrically connected to the temperature sensor 30 and electrically connects the temperature sensor 30 to the second circuit conductor of the wiring component 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conductive module. [Background technology]

[0002] A conductive module is a battery module in which multiple battery cells are arranged, and electrically connects the multiple battery cells using multiple bus bars. The conductive module electrically connects each bus bar to a battery monitoring unit that monitors the battery state of the battery cells using wiring components such as FPCs (flexible printed circuit boards). A temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the battery cells is electrically connected to the battery monitoring unit via the wiring components. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a technology that includes a bus bar having a frame portion and a flexible printed circuit board having branches, and the frame portion and a temperature sensor are installed on one flat surface at the tip of the branch portion. In the technology of Patent Document 1, the temperature sensor is mounted inside the frame portion. In addition, Patent Document 2 listed below discloses a technology that includes a bus bar having an extension portion with a through hole and a flexible printed circuit board, and the extension portion and a temperature sensor are installed on one flat surface of the flexible printed circuit board. In the technology of Patent Document 2, the temperature sensor is mounted inside the extension portion and encapsulated in resin. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-4681 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2021 / 005999 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional conductive modules, a temperature sensor is mounted in a through-hole in a frame or the like, so it is necessary to ensure a creepage distance between the periphery of the through-hole and the temperature sensor long enough to ensure electrical insulation. However, in order to ensure such a creepage distance, for example, it is necessary to increase the distance between the periphery of the through-hole and the temperature sensor, which may result in an increase in the size of the area around the temperature sensor.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a conductive module that can prevent the size from increasing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) including a plurality of bus bars that are physically and electrically connected to electrode terminals of battery cells that constitute a battery module, wiring components that are interposed between the battery module and a battery monitoring unit that monitors the battery states of the battery cells, and a plurality of temperature sensors that detect temperatures of the battery cells, the wiring components including first circuit conductors for each of the bus bars that electrically connect wiring connection portions of the bus bars to the battery monitoring unit, and second circuit conductors for each of the temperature sensors that electrically connect the temperature sensors to the battery monitoring unit, and a trunk line and branch lines that branch off from the trunk line for each of the bus bars. and the branch line on which the temperature sensor is to be mounted has a bus bar installation surface on one side, a first plane, on which the wiring connection portion of the bus bar is installed, and a sensor installation surface on the other side, a second plane, on the back side of the bus bar installation surface, on which the temperature sensor can be mounted, wherein the bus bar installation surface is provided with a bus bar connection portion that physically and electrically connects the wiring connection portion of the bus bar and electrically connects the wiring connection portion to the first circuit conductor, and the sensor installation surface is provided with a sensor connection portion that physically and electrically connects the temperature sensor and electrically connects the temperature sensor to the second circuit conductor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the conductive module according to the present invention, the wiring connection portion of the bus bar and the temperature sensor are arranged and connected separately on the front and back sides by the branch wire of the wiring component, ensuring a clearance distance and a creepage distance long enough to ensure electrical insulation between the wiring connection portion and the temperature sensor. Therefore, in this conductive module, compared to conventional modules in which the wiring connection portion and the temperature sensor are arranged on a common plane of the branch wire, it is not necessary to determine the shape of the wiring connection portion according to the arrangement of the temperature sensor, which prevents the wiring connection portion from becoming large in size. Therefore, the conductive module according to the present invention prevents the area around the temperature sensor from becoming large in size. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main part of a conductive module according to an embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line YY in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the battery module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a conductive module according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0010] [Embodiment] An embodiment of a conductive module according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG.

[0011] 1 to 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a conductive module of this embodiment. This conductive module 1 is assembled to a battery module BM (FIG. 4) in which a plurality of battery cells BC are arranged (for example, arranged in a single row), and this battery module BM is electrically connected to, for example, a battery monitoring unit (not shown), which monitors the battery states of the battery cells BC. This conductive module 1, together with the battery module BM, constitutes a battery pack. The battery pack is mounted, for example, on a vehicle (such as a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) or HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) equipped with a rotating machine as a drive source, and is used to supply power to the rotating machine.

[0012] Each battery cell BC includes a cell body BC1 and positive and negative electrode terminals BC2 (FIG. 4). The battery cell BC shown here has a cell body BC1 formed in a rectangular shape with six outer wall surfaces, and the positive and negative electrode terminals BC2 are provided on one of the six outer wall surfaces of the cell body BC1. In the battery module BM, adjacent cell bodies BC1 in the arrangement direction are arranged with one outer wall surface facing each other. Therefore, in the battery cell BC shown here, the positive and negative electrode terminals BC2 are provided on one of the four outer wall surfaces along the arrangement direction of the multiple battery cells BC. On one outer wall surface of the cell body BC1, the positive electrode terminal BC2 is located at one end in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the multiple battery cells BC, and the negative electrode terminal BC2 is located at the other end in the perpendicular direction.

[0013] The positive and negative electrode terminals BC2 may be, for example, plate-shaped or rectangular-shaped and provided on one of the outer wall surfaces of the cell body BC1, or may be columnar poles protruding from one of the outer wall surfaces of the cell body BC1. In the case of plate-shaped or rectangular-shaped electrode terminals BC2, a bus bar (described later) is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal BC2 by welding or the like. In the case of columnar electrode terminals BC2, a male screw portion is provided on the electrode terminal BC2. The electrode terminal BC2 is inserted into a through-hole of the bus bar (described later), and a female screw member (not shown) is screwed into the male screw portion of the electrode terminal BC2, thereby physically and electrically connecting the electrode terminal BC2 to the bus bar (described later).

[0014] The conductive module 1 includes a plurality of bus bars 10 that are physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminals BC2 of the battery cells BC that make up the battery module BM (FIGS. 1 to 4).

[0015] The busbar 10 is made of a conductive material such as metal. The busbar 10 is a metal, plate-shaped conductive component, and is formed by press-molding, for example, a metal plate. The busbar 10 shown here has a busbar body 11 formed in the shape of a rectangular flat plate and a wiring connection portion 12 protruding from the busbar body 11 (FIGS. 1 to 4).

[0016] The wiring connection portion 12 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate and has a rectangular through-hole 12a inside (FIGS. 1 to 4). In this example, the through-hole 12a is provided in the wiring connection portion 12 in order to accommodate a chip fuse 50, which will be described later, but if the chip fuse 50 is not provided, the through-hole 12a does not have to be provided in the wiring connection portion 12.

[0017] The conductive module 1 includes, as this busbar 10, one that is physically and electrically connected to adjacent electrode terminals BC2 of a pair of battery cells BC in the battery module BM, one that is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal BC2 that serves as the total negative electrode in the battery module BM, and one that is physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminal BC2 that serves as the total positive electrode in the battery module BM.

[0018] The conductive module 1 includes a wiring component 20 interposed between the battery monitoring unit and the battery module BM (FIGS. 1 to 3). Here, the battery monitoring unit monitors the temperature of the battery cells BC. Therefore, the conductive module 1 includes a temperature sensor 30 that detects the temperature of the battery cells BC (FIGS. 1 to 3). This conductive module 1 is provided with multiple temperature sensors 30. For example, the conductive module 1 shown here includes ten or more bus bars 10 and three or more temperature sensors 30.

[0019] The wiring component 20 is a flexible printed circuit board formed flat and flexible, with circuit conductors formed of a conductor pattern such as copper foil. This wiring component 20 is provided with various films (base film and cover film) as insulating coatings, and a conductor pattern is formed on at least one of these films (the base film). The conductor pattern (circuit conductor) is enclosed by the insulating coating, and, for example, a location that serves as an electrical contact with other components is exposed.

[0020] The wiring component 20 includes a first circuit conductor for each busbar 10 that electrically connects the wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 to the battery monitoring unit, and a second circuit conductor for each temperature sensor 30 that electrically connects the temperature sensor 30 to the battery monitoring unit (not shown).

[0021] This wiring component 20 has a trunk line 21 and branch lines 22 branching off from this trunk line 21 for each bus bar 10 (FIGS. 1 to 3). The trunk line 21 is formed in the shape of a rectangular flat plate with its longitudinal direction aligned with the arrangement direction of the multiple battery cells BC, and one end of the trunk line 21 is electrically connected to the battery monitoring unit. The branch lines 22 branch off from the trunk line 21 toward the wiring connection portions 12 of the bus bars 10. A first circuit conductor and a second circuit conductor are routed from the trunk line 21 to the branch lines 22.

[0022] The wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 is installed on the branch line 22 and is electrically connected to the first circuit conductor of the branch line 22. Therefore, the branch line 22 has a busbar installation surface 23 on one side, a first plane 22a, on which the wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 is installed (FIGS. 1 to 3). In this conductive module 1, the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12 is placed on the busbar installation surface 23, or the busbar installation surface 23 is placed on the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12. Here, the wiring connection portion 12 is arranged above the cell body BC1 of the battery cell BC, and the busbar installation surface 23 is placed on the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12 (FIGS. 1 to 3).

[0023] A busbar connection portion (not shown) is provided on the busbar installation surface 23 to physically and electrically connect the wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 and electrically connect the wiring connection portion 12 to the first circuit conductor. The wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 is electrically connected to the first circuit conductor by physically and electrically connecting the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a to the busbar connection portion. The busbar connection portion is, for example, a pad, and the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a in the wiring connection portion 12 is physically and electrically connected by soldering or the like.

[0024] The temperature sensor 30 is a so-called chip thermistor, and it is necessary to ensure a sufficient clearance and creepage distance to ensure electrical insulation from the wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10. In particular, when a high potential difference occurs between the busbar 10 and the temperature sensor 30, the clearance and creepage distance must be large. Therefore, the temperature sensor 30 is installed on the other, second flat surface 22b of the branch line 22 to ensure a sufficient clearance and creepage distance to ensure electrical insulation from the wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 ( FIGS. 1 to 3 ). Therefore, the branch line 22 on which the temperature sensor 30 is to be mounted has a sensor mounting surface 24 on which the temperature sensor 30 can be mounted, which is located on the second flat surface 22b and behind the busbar mounting surface 23 ( FIGS. 1 to 3 ). The sensor mounting surface 24 is provided with a sensor connection portion (not shown) that physically and electrically connects the temperature sensor 30 and electrically connects the temperature sensor 30 to a second circuit conductor. The temperature sensor 30 is mounted on the sensor mounting surface 24 above the cell body BC1 of the battery cell BC, and detects the ambient temperature on the outer wall surface of the cell body BC1. The temperature sensor 30 is electrically connected to the second circuit conductor by being physically and electrically connected to a sensor connection portion on the sensor mounting surface 24. The sensor connection portion is, for example, a pad, to which the temperature sensor 30 is physically and electrically connected by soldering or the like.

[0025] Incidentally, the branch line 22 may be provided with both the bus bar installation surface 23 and the sensor mounting surface 24, regardless of whether or not the branch line 22 is a target for mounting the temperature sensor 30. Furthermore, if the branch line 22 is not a target for mounting the temperature sensor 30, it may be provided with only the bus bar installation surface 23 without the sensor mounting surface 24, and if the branch line 22 is a target for mounting the temperature sensor 30, it may be provided with both the bus bar installation surface 23 and the sensor mounting surface 24, and these may be mixed.

[0026] As described above, in the conductive module 1 of this embodiment, the wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 and the temperature sensor 30 are arranged and connected separately on the front and back sides by the branch wire 22 of the wiring component 20, ensuring a clearance distance and a creepage distance long enough to ensure electrical insulation between the wiring connection portion 12 and the temperature sensor 30. Therefore, compared to conventional conductive modules in which the wiring connection portion and the temperature sensor are arranged on a common plane of the branch wire, this conductive module 1 does not require the shape of the wiring connection portion 12 to be determined based on the arrangement of the temperature sensor 30, thereby preventing the size of the wiring connection portion 12 from increasing. Therefore, the conductive module 1 of this embodiment can prevent the size of the area around the temperature sensor 30 from increasing. In particular, even when a high potential difference occurs between the busbar 10 and the temperature sensor 30, the conductive module 1 of this embodiment can ensure the desired clearance distance and creepage distance while preventing the size of the area around the temperature sensor 30 from increasing.

[0027] Here, in order to improve the electrical insulation between the wiring connection portion 12 and the temperature sensor 30, it is desirable to provide an insulating sensor protection portion 41 that encloses the mounted temperature sensor 30 on the sensor mounting surface 24 (FIGS. 1 to 3). This sensor protection portion 41 is formed, for example, by filling the area around the temperature sensor 30 mounted on the sensor mounting surface 24 with a liquid potting agent and then hardening the potting agent.

[0028] The conductive module 1 shown here is provided with a chip fuse 50 that cuts off an overcurrent that flows through the first circuit conductor (FIGS. 2 and 3). Therefore, the first circuit conductor is divided into a first conductor portion on the busbar 10 side and a second conductor portion on the battery monitoring unit side at the busbar installation surface 23. The wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 is electrically connected to the first conductor portion by physically and electrically connecting the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a to the busbar connection portion.

[0029] The chip fuse 50 is interposed between a first conductor portion on the busbar 10 side and a second conductor portion on the battery monitoring unit side. The busbar installation surface 23 has a fuse mounting surface 25 on which the chip fuse 50 is mounted on the exposed surface exposed through the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The fuse mounting surface 25 is provided with a first fuse connection portion that physically and electrically connects a first terminal portion of the chip fuse 50 and electrically connects this first terminal portion to the first conductor portion on the busbar 10 side, and a second fuse connection portion that physically and electrically connects a second terminal portion of the chip fuse 50 and electrically connects this second terminal portion to the second conductor portion on the battery monitoring unit side.

[0030] The chip fuse 50 is disposed in the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12, and it is necessary to ensure a clearance distance and a creepage distance of a length sufficient to ensure electrical insulation between the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12. Therefore, the through hole 12a is formed in the wiring connection portion 12 with a shape and size that ensures a clearance distance and a creepage distance of a length sufficient to ensure electrical insulation between the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a and the chip fuse 50.

[0031] Furthermore, an insulating fuse protector 42 that encapsulates the chip fuse 50 may be provided in the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3). This fuse protector 42 is formed, for example, by filling the periphery of the chip fuse 50 mounted on the fuse mounting surface 25 in the through hole 12a with a liquid potting agent and then hardening the potting agent. In this case, the chip fuse 50 needs to ensure a creepage distance long enough to ensure electrical insulation between the peripheral edge 12b of the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12. Therefore, the through hole 12a is formed in the wiring connection portion 12 with a shape and size that ensures a creepage distance long enough to ensure electrical insulation between the peripheral edge 12b of the through hole 12a and the chip fuse 50.

[0032] As described above, in the conductive module 1 of the present embodiment, the wiring connection portion 12 of the busbar 10 and the temperature sensor 30 are arranged and connected to each other on the front and back sides by the branch wires 22 of the wiring component 20. Furthermore, the chip fuse 50 is arranged in the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12 and mounted on the fuse mounting surface 25. In this conductive module 1, the chip fuse 50 is arranged in the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12. However, compared to conventional conductive modules in which a temperature sensor and a chip fuse are arranged in the through hole of the wiring connection portion, it is possible to prevent the through hole 12a from becoming large while ensuring electrical insulation between the peripheral portion 12b of the through hole 12a and the chip fuse 50. Furthermore, in this conductive module 1, although the chip fuse 50 is arranged in the through hole 12a of the wiring connection portion 12, no high potential difference occurs between the busbar 10 and the chip fuse 50. This also helps prevent the through hole 12a from becoming large. Therefore, the conductive module 1 of this embodiment can prevent the wiring connection portion 12 from becoming large in size, and thereby prevent the areas around the temperature sensor 30 and the chip fuse 50 from becoming large in size. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1 Conductive Module 10 Bus Bar 12 Wiring connection 12a Through hole 12b Periphery 20 Wiring parts 21 Main line 22 Branch Line 22a 1st plane 22b 2nd plane 23 Busbar installation surface 24 Sensor mounting surface 25 Fuse mounting surface 30 Temperature Sensor 41 Sensor protection unit 42 Fuse protection section 50 Chip fuse BC battery cell BC2 electrode terminal BM battery module

Claims

1. a plurality of bus bars that are physically and electrically connected to the electrode terminals of the battery cells that constitute the battery module; a wiring component interposed between a battery monitoring unit that monitors the battery state of the battery cells and the battery module; a plurality of temperature sensors for detecting the temperatures of the battery cells; Equipped with the wiring component is a flexible printed circuit board including a first circuit conductor for each bus bar that electrically connects the wiring connection portion of the bus bar to the battery monitoring unit, and a second circuit conductor for each temperature sensor that electrically connects the temperature sensor to the battery monitoring unit, and includes a trunk line and branch lines branching from the trunk line for each bus bar, the branch line on which the temperature sensor is to be mounted has a bus bar installation surface on one side, a first plane, on which the wiring connection portion of the bus bar is installed, and a sensor installation surface on which the temperature sensor can be mounted, on the other side, a second plane, on the back side of the bus bar installation surface; a bus bar connection portion provided on the bus bar installation surface to physically and electrically connect the wiring connection portion of the bus bar and electrically connect the wiring connection portion to the first circuit conductor; A conductive module characterized in that the sensor mounting surface is provided with a sensor connection portion that physically and electrically connects the temperature sensor and electrically connects the temperature sensor to the second circuit conductor.

2. 2. The conductive module according to claim 1, wherein an insulating sensor protection part that encloses the mounted temperature sensor is provided on the sensor mounting surface.

3. the first circuit conductor is divided into a first conductor portion on the bus bar installation surface and a second conductor portion on the battery monitoring unit side, the wiring connection portion of the bus bar has a through hole, and a peripheral portion of the through hole is physically and electrically connected to the bus bar connection portion, thereby electrically connecting the wiring connection portion to the first conductor portion; a chip fuse interposed between the first conductor portion on the bus bar side and the second conductor portion on the battery monitoring unit side; the bus bar installation surface has a fuse mounting surface on which the chip fuse is mounted, the fuse mounting surface being exposed through the through hole; the fuse mounting surface is provided with a first fuse connection portion that physically and electrically connects a first terminal portion of the chip fuse and electrically connects the first terminal portion to the first conductor portion, and a second fuse connection portion that physically and electrically connects a second terminal portion of the chip fuse and electrically connects the second terminal portion to the second conductor portion, The conductive module described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the through hole is formed in the wiring connection portion with a shape and size that enables a spatial distance and creepage distance of a length that can ensure electrical insulation between the peripheral portion of the through hole and the chip fuse.

4. the first circuit conductor is divided into a first conductor portion on the bus bar installation surface and a second conductor portion on the battery monitoring unit side, the wiring connection portion of the bus bar has a through hole, and a peripheral portion of the through hole is physically and electrically connected to the bus bar connection portion, thereby electrically connecting the wiring connection portion to the first conductor portion; a chip fuse interposed between the first conductor portion on the bus bar side and the second conductor portion on the battery monitoring unit side; the bus bar installation surface has a fuse mounting surface on which the chip fuse is mounted, the fuse mounting surface being exposed through the through hole; the fuse mounting surface is provided with a first fuse connection portion that physically and electrically connects a first terminal portion of the chip fuse and electrically connects the first terminal portion to the first conductor portion, and a second fuse connection portion that physically and electrically connects a second terminal portion of the chip fuse and electrically connects the second terminal portion to the second conductor portion, an insulating fuse protection portion that contains the chip fuse is provided in the through hole; The conductive module described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the through hole is formed in the wiring connection portion with a shape and size that enables a creepage distance of a length that can ensure electrical insulation between the peripheral portion of the through hole and the chip fuse.

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