Busbar routing module

Abstract

The present invention provides a busbar routing module that prevents electric shock caused by unintentional contact with busbars routed in the internal space. [Solution] In the busbar routing module 1, the lower cover 10 has a locking claw 16 on the outer surface of the lower side wall portion 12, and the upper cover 20 has an elastically deformable lock arm 26 provided in a notch 25 formed in the same row as the upper side wall portion 22 in the extending direction of the upper cover 20, which engages with the locking claw 16 when the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are assembled, and a rib portion 27 that, when the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are assembled, faces the notch 25 on the side opposite to the side facing the busbar 3 in the width direction where the pair of upper side wall portions 22 face each other, and also faces a part of the lower side wall portion 12.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a busbar wiring module.

Background Art

[0002] In vehicles such as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles, a busbar is wired between stacks of batteries mounted inside the vehicle, and a protective cover may be attached to the busbar to form a busbar wiring module. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to an electrical connection box having a lower cover and an upper cover made of synthetic resin, and a housing portion for housing various electrical components is formed inside the lower cover and the upper cover. In the electrical connection box, the combination state of the lower cover and the upper cover is maintained by locking a lock arm provided on the upper cover to a locking piece provided on the lower cover.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art. The object of this invention is to provide a busbar routing module that prevents electric shock caused by unintentional contact with busbars routed in an internal space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A busbar routing module according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a lower cover having a bottom wall and a pair of lower side walls, an upper cover having a top wall and a pair of upper side walls, and a busbar routed in an internal space formed by the combination of the lower cover and the upper cover, wherein the lower cover has locking claws on the outer surface of the lower side walls, and the upper cover has an elastically deformable locking arm provided in a notch formed in the same row as the upper side wall in the extending direction of the upper cover, which engages with the locking claws when the lower cover and the upper cover are combined, and a rib portion that, when the lower cover and the upper cover are combined, faces the notch on the side opposite to the side facing the busbar in the width direction where the pair of upper side walls face each other, and also faces a part of the lower side wall. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a busbar routing module that prevents electric shock caused by unintentional contact with busbars routed in the internal space. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a partial perspective view of the busbar wiring module according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a partial perspective view of the busbar routing module corresponding to part II of Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the busbar routing module. [Figure 4] This is a partial perspective view of the upper cover, showing the side facing the interior space. [Figure 5] Figure 2 is a side view of a portion of the busbar routing module. [Figure 6] This is a partial cross-sectional view of the busbar routing module corresponding to section VI-VI in Figure 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The busbar routing module according to the embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may differ from the actual ratios.

[0010] Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a busbar routing module 1 according to one embodiment. In Figure 1, only one end of the busbar routing module 1 is shown as an example; the structure of the other ends is similar to that of the end and is therefore omitted from the drawing.

[0011] Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of the busbar routing module 1, corresponding to part II of Figure 1. In Figure 2, a portion of the busbar routing module 1, including a pair of locking parts 4, is extracted with both ends in the extension direction of that portion cut off for convenience. In Figures 2 and below, the structure or shape of the busbar routing module 1 is schematically shown. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the busbar routing module 1 shown in Figure 2.

[0012] The busbar routing module 1 is installed in a vehicle such as an automobile and holds busbars 3 that are routed between stacks of high-voltage batteries for driving the automobile. The busbars 3 are conductors manufactured by, for example, performing various processes such as punching or bending using a die on a conductive plate material. The shape of the busbars 3 is not particularly limited, but may have a complex shape such as partly branching into two different directions or partly bending perpendicularly, as shown in Figure 1. The material of the busbars 3 is not particularly limited, but may be a metallic material such as copper or aluminum.

[0013] The busbar routing module 1 comprises a lower cover 10 and an upper cover 20, both of which are partially held by a panel (not shown) such as a body panel inside the vehicle. The lower cover 10 and upper cover 20 together function as a protective cover that houses and protects the busbar 3 in the internal space S formed when they are combined. The lower cover 10 and upper cover 20 are made of synthetic resin, for example, and may be formed by injection molding or the like.

[0014] In Figures 2 and subsequent figures, the Z direction is defined as one combination direction of the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20, as an example. Hereafter, the upstream side of the Z direction may be referred to as "down," and the downstream side of the Z direction may be referred to as "up." Furthermore, two mutually orthogonal directions within a virtual plane with the Z direction as the normal direction are defined as the X direction and the Y direction. The X direction follows the extension direction of the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20. That is, the X direction roughly follows the extension direction of the busbar 3 housed in the internal space S. The Y direction follows the width direction of the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20.

[0015] The lower cover 10 covers a portion of the busbar 3 from the Z direction. The lower cover 10 integrally comprises a bottom wall portion 11 and a pair of lower side wall portions 12. The bottom wall portion 11 has a bottom surface 11a, at least a portion of which faces the busbar 3. The pair of lower side wall portions 12 each protrude in the Z direction such that their lower ends are fixed ends continuous with the bottom wall portion 11, and their upper ends, the first side ends 12a, are free ends. In other words, the pair of lower side wall portions 12 face each other in the Y direction, with a spatial region on the bottom surface 11a, which forms the internal space S, in between.

[0016] Furthermore, the lower cover 10 has a locking claw 16 as one of the elements constituting the locking portion 4. The locking portion 4 prevents the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 from separating when they are assembled. The locking claw 16 is a convex portion provided on the outer surface of the lower side wall portion 12 for each locking portion 4 set in the busbar routing module 1. When the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are assembled, the locking claw 16 engages with the lock arm 26 provided on the upper cover 20. Specifically, the locking claw 16 has a locking surface 16a which is a plane whose normal direction is the same as the direction in which the upper cover 20 is assembled to the lower cover 10, assuming that the direction in which the upper cover 20 is assembled to the lower cover 10 is opposite to the Z direction. When the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are assembled, the locking surface 26c, which is part of the lock arm 26, faces the locked surface 16a, thereby preventing the upper cover 20 from detaching from the lower cover 10.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the upper cover 20 shown in FIG. 3, as seen from a direction in which the side facing the internal space S can be visually recognized.

[0018] The upper cover 20 covers a part of the bus bar 3 from the direction opposite to the Z direction. The upper cover 20 integrally has a top wall portion 21, a pair of upper side wall portions 22, and rib portions 27. The top wall portion 21 has a back surface 21a at least a part of which faces the bus bar 3. Each of the pair of upper side wall portions 22 projects in the direction opposite to the Z direction such that the upper end is a fixed end continuous with the top wall portion 21 and the second side end portion 22a at the lower end is a free end. That is, the pair of upper side wall portions 22 face each other in the Y direction with the space region on the back surface 21a that becomes the internal space S interposed therebetween.

[0019] The distance between the inner surfaces of each of the pair of upper side wall portions 22 is larger than the distance between the outer surfaces of each of the pair of lower side wall portions 12 in the lower cover 10. When the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are combined, at least a part of the pair of lower side wall portions 12 enters between the pair of upper side wall portions 22. That is, when the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are combined, at least a part of the outer surface of the lower side wall portion 12 faces the inner surface of one of the upper side wall portions 22 in the width direction.

[0020] The rib portion 27 is a plate-like portion provided so as to face in the width direction for each lock arm 26, which will be described in detail below. Each of the rib portions 27 projects in the direction opposite to the Z direction such that the upper end is a fixed end continuous with the top wall portion 21 and the rib end portion 27a at the lower end is a free end, similar to the pair of upper side wall portions 22. Further, the rib portion 27 is arranged on the back surface 21a so as to be non-contact and parallel to the upper side wall portion 22.

[0021] Here, in a part of the bus bar wiring module 1 illustrated in each figure below FIG. 2, a pair of locking arms 26 facing each other are provided for each pair of upper side wall portions 22, so there are also a pair of rib portions 27. In this case, the pair of rib portions 27 are arranged so as to be sandwiched in non-contact with the pair of upper side wall portions 22 and to be parallel to the pair of upper side wall portions 22. The bus bar 3 is arranged between the pair of rib portions 27.

[0022] Further, in the width direction, the rib portion 27 is spaced apart from the adjacent upper side wall portion 22 by an interval such that when the upper cover 20 is combined with the lower cover 10, one lower side wall portion 12 of the lower cover 10 can be inserted along the Z direction. Hereinafter, the upper side wall portion 22 adjacent to the rib portion 27 refers to the upper side wall portion 22 on the opposite side to the side where the rib portion 27 faces the bus bar 3 in the width direction when the bus bar 3 is accommodated in the internal space S among the pair of upper side wall portions 22. And when the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are combined, at least a part of the rib portion 27 enters between the pair of lower side wall portions 12. That is, when the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are combined, at least a part of the outer surface of the rib portion 27 faces the inner surface of either one of the lower side wall portions 12 in the width direction.

[0023] Further, in the width direction, the rib portion 27 faces at least the locking arm 26 provided on the adjacent upper side wall portion 22 and the pair of slits SL sandwiching the locking arm 26. That is, the first length L1, which is the length of the rib portion 27 in the extending direction along the X direction, is the same as or longer than the second length L2, which is the length in the same direction including the locking arm 26 and the pair of slits SL sandwiching the locking arm 26. Here, the first length L1 of the rib portion 27 is defined by the interval between the respective side end faces 27b having the extending direction of the rib portion 27 as the normal direction.

[0024] Furthermore, the height of the rib portion 27 from the top wall portion 21 in the direction opposite to the Z direction is set such that the rib end 27a does not interfere with the bottom surface 11a of the lower cover 10 when the upper cover 20 is assembled to the lower cover 10, thereby hindering the assembly. In this embodiment, the height of the rib portion 27 from the top wall portion 21 is lower than the height of the upper side wall portion 22 from the top wall portion 21.

[0025] Furthermore, the upper cover 20 has a lock arm 26 as the other element constituting the lock portion 4. The lock arm 26 is a U-shaped piece having an arm end 26a and a pair of arm side portions 26b. In this embodiment, the arm end 26a and at least a portion of the pair of arm side portions 26b are configured in the same row as the upper side wall portion 22 when viewed in the extension direction of the upper cover 20 along the X direction.

[0026] The arm end portion 26a is a rod-shaped portion that extends along the extension direction of the upper cover 20. The arm end portion 26a has a locking surface 26c whose normal direction is the Z direction. One of the pair of arm side portions 26b has one end supported by the top wall portion 21 and the other end is continuous with one end of the arm end portion 26a. The other of the pair of arm side portions 26b has one end supported by the top wall portion 21 and the other end is continuous with the other end of the arm end portion 26a.

[0027] Here, when the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are assembled, at least a portion of the outer surface of the lower side wall portion 12 faces the inner surface of the adjacent upper side wall portion 22. Therefore, the upper cover 20 needs to allow the locking claw 16 provided on the outer surface of the lower side wall portion 12 to enter the area corresponding to the upper side wall portion 22 when viewed in the extending direction. On the other hand, when the upper cover 20 is assembled to the lower cover 10, the lock arm 26 needs to elastically deform in order to allow the arm end 26a to overcome the locking claw 16 when the locking surface 26c faces the locking surface 16a of the locking claw 16. Therefore, in order to avoid interference with the locking claw 16 while allowing the elastic deformation of the lock arm 26, the upper cover 20 has a notch 25 in the part that constitutes the lock portion 4, which is shaped as if the upper side wall portion 22 has been cut out.

[0028] Furthermore, in the notch 25 positioned to accommodate the lock arm 26, a slit SL is formed between the arm side portion 26b and the upper side wall portion 22 in the extending direction of the upper cover 20. Since the lock arm 26 has a pair of arm side portions 26b, two slits SL are formed in one notch 25, sandwiching the lock arm 26 in the extending direction of the upper cover 20. In other words, the second length L2 defined above, which includes the lock arm 26 and the pair of slits SL sandwiching the lock arm 26, is synonymous with the length of the notch 25 in the extending direction of the upper cover 20.

[0029] Next, the operation and effects of the busbar routing module 1 will be explained.

[0030] The busbar routing module 1 comprises a lower cover 10 having a bottom wall portion 11 and a pair of lower side wall portions 12, and an upper cover 20 having a top wall portion 21 and a pair of upper side wall portions 22. The busbar routing module 1 also comprises a busbar 3 routed within an internal space S formed by the combination of the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20. The lower cover 10 has locking claws 16 on the outer surface of the lower side wall portion 12. The upper cover 20 has an elastically deformable locking arm 26 provided in a notch portion 25 formed in the same row as the upper side wall portion 22 in the extending direction of the upper cover 20, which engages with the locking claws 16 when the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are combined. When the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are assembled, the upper cover 20 has a pair of upper side wall portions 22 facing each other in the width direction, with a notch portion 25 facing the side opposite to the busbar 3, and a rib portion 27 facing a part of the lower side wall portion 12.

[0031] In the above example, the extension direction of the upper cover 20 corresponds to the X direction. Also, in the above example, the width direction in which the pair of upper side wall portions 22 face each other corresponds to the Y direction.

[0032] Figure 5 is a side view of a portion of the busbar routing module 1 shown in Figure 2. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the busbar routing module 1 corresponding to section VI-VI in Figure 5. The cross-sectional plane in Figure 6 is a virtual YZ plane passing through one of the two slits SL formed in the notch 25.

[0033] In the busbar routing module 1, when the lower cover 10 and the upper cover 20 are assembled, the locking claw 16 provided on the lower cover 10 engages with the locking arm 26 provided on the upper cover 20. The locking arm 26 is provided in a notch 25 formed in the same row as the upper side wall portion 22 in the extending direction of the upper cover 20, and is elastically deformable. Therefore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, two slits SL are formed in the notch 25 between the arm side portion 26b, which is the side of the locking arm 26, and the upper side wall portion 22 in the extending direction of the upper cover 20.

[0034] Here, as a comparative example, if the upper cover 20 does not have the rib portion 27, a penetration may be formed in the slit SL between the edge of the top wall portion 21 and the first side end portion 12a, which is the upper end of the lower side wall portion 12, that communicates linearly from the external space to the internal space S. In this case, for example, when a worker is performing work using a metal member such as a wire near the busbar wiring module 1, the metal member may unintentionally enter the penetration. Such entry of a metal member may cause the metal member to come into contact with the electrically live busbar 3, resulting in an unforeseen situation in which the worker may be electrocuted.

[0035] In contrast, in the busbar routing module 1 according to this embodiment, the upper cover 20 has a rib portion 27 that faces the notch portion 25 on the side opposite to the busbar 3 in the width direction corresponding to the Y direction, and also faces a part of the lower side wall portion 12. Therefore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the slit SL does not have a penetration portion that allows for linear communication from the external space to the internal space S between the edge of the top wall portion 21 and the first side end portion 12a of the lower side wall portion 12. Consequently, if a worker is performing work using a metal member 100 such as a wire, and unintentionally inserts the tip of the metal member 100 into the slit SL, the rib portion 27 will prevent it from entering the internal space S, and it will not reach the busbar 3. In other words, electric shock to the worker is prevented in advance.

[0036] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a busbar routing module 1 that suppresses electric shock caused by unintentional contact with the busbar 3 routed in the internal space S.

[0037] Furthermore, in the busbar routing module 1, the rib portion 27 may be a plate-like portion arranged parallel to the upper side wall portion 22. In the extending direction of the upper cover 20, the first length L1 of the rib portion 27 may be longer than the second length L2 of the notch portion 25.

[0038] With the busbar routing module 1, the first length L1 is set to be longer than the second length L2, so that even if the metal member 100 shown in Figure 5 rotates several degrees around the Z axis and enters the slit SL, the rib portion 27 can reliably prevent it from entering the internal space S.

[0039] In the examples using Figures 2 and below, a case was described in which a pair of locking parts 4 are formed in a part of the busbar routing module 1 so as to face each other in the width direction. However, the arrangement of the locking parts 4 in the busbar routing module 1 is not limited to this example, and for example, as shown in Figure 1 as the part other than part II, there may be cases in which the locking parts 4 are arranged on only one side in the width direction.

[0040] Although this embodiment has been described above, this embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of this embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0041] 1 Busbar routing module 3 bus bars 10 Lower Cover 11 Bottom wall section 12 Lower side wall section 16 Locking claws 20 Upper cover 21 Top wall section 22 Upper side wall 25 Notch 26 Lock Arm 27 Rib section L1 First length L2 Second length S interior space

Claims

1. A lower cover having a bottom wall and a pair of lower side wall sections, An upper cover having a top wall and a pair of upper side wall sections, The lower cover and the upper cover are combined to form an internal space in which a bus bar is routed, The lower cover has locking claws on the outer surface of the lower side wall portion, The aforementioned upper cover is A lock arm is provided in a notch formed in the same row as the upper side wall portion in the extending direction of the upper cover, and which engages with the locking claw when the lower cover and the upper cover are assembled. A busbar routing module in which, when the lower cover and the upper cover are combined, the pair of upper side wall portions face each other in the width direction, and the notch portion faces the side opposite to the side facing the busbar, and the rib portion faces a part of the lower side wall portion.

2. The rib portion is a plate-like portion arranged parallel to the upper side wall portion, The busbar routing module according to claim 1, wherein in the extending direction of the upper cover, the length of the rib portion is longer than the length of the notch portion.

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